If you read this blog from time to time, you know that one of my very favorite things is to share with you stories I hear about how the faith formation and worship & music resources we create are helping congregations, their leaders, their members, and the communities they serve! Last Friday, I received an email filled with accolades for Spark Sunday School in general and the leader resources, in particular. It came from Pastor Joyce Graue of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Raymond, MN. We often hear rave reviews about the impact Spark has with kids. But, this note lifts up the positive impact that the leader resources are having for the Sunday School teachers at St. John’s.
“Beth,
Bishop Jon asked this morning about something good happening: I shared that last night after Confirmation we had an Education Committee Meeting here at St John’s in Raymond, MN.
I’ve been here two years (in a few days, that is!) and when I arrived the congregation was using a rotation-based Sunday School which they were calling “D.O.C.K.” (Disciples of Christ’s Kingdom). I don’t know where the material came from, but the leaders were finding it difficult to recruit teachers, a lot of prep was required by the teachers, a lot of supplies were required, and the coordinators literally spent days organizing it all before Rally Sunday.
I watched and listened my first year. As my first year here was ending, it was clear that there were not going to be any Sunday School teachers in the fall unless something changed. Teachers were very unhappy. So in the spring I questioned whether they wanted to consider something else. I “attended” one of the Spark webinars and the congregation received — free — the Starter Kit which included some samples as well as both Bibles.
The kit was passed around. Class leaflets reminded some of the not-so-young leaders of growing up when they themselves took home leaflets. The Story Bible for the younger children received plenty of nods.
2 things which really ‘sold’ Spark here, however, were:
(1) The material has age groupings — ideal (actually necessary!) for this smaller congregation in which we need to combine 2-3 grades to have enough children to make up a class. Our average Sunday School attendance is 13-15 children, pre-school through Grade 6.
(2) But more importantly, was the Leader’s Book. If one was a ‘veteran’ teacher or a trained educator, one needed only to glance at it and then go ahead and do one’s own thing with all the wisdom of years of teaching experience that one had acquired and honed. And if one had never taught Sunday Sunday school before and had no training in education, then the Leader’s Book said exactly what you need to say in the class. The Leader’s Book was dubbed “Sunday School Teaching for Dummies” — and this is definitely a compliment!
We had two women who signed up to teach the first 4 week block of Sunday School who had never taught Sunday School before. Now at the end of the year, they are still teaching!
Those on our Education Committee who had made it known that they were happy to sub … two of them were asked to do so on a couple of occasions and each time they had no prep time, but that didn’t matter at all.
Materials required for the lessons are also all basics that can be found in the bins in our Sunday School closet.
Needless to say, there was no question that another order for Spark classroom will be placed for the fall.
Happy teachers means that our students are learning the Bible stories and growing in their faith.
So we had a wonderful meeting last night!
Pastor Joyce Graue
St John’s Lutheran
Raymond MN”
Thank you so very much, Pastor Joyce, for sharing this feedback with us! I know that my colleagues & our creative partners from across the church do excellent work. But, to have it affirmed with stories like this means so very much to us throughout this ministry of publishing.
Blessings,
Beth
@bethalewis
ceo@augsburgfortress.org
Beth A. Lewis, President & CEO
Augsburg Fortress
