Taking Back Sundays

As a child, I remember lazy Sundays. They were lazy because there was nothing else to do – church, home, and lots of football. It wasn’t just my family, it was everyone’s. Sunday was a day apart from the rest of the week. Nothing happened on Sunday. There was nowhere to go on Sunday. Sundays were long and luxurious.

Then things changed. I think we thought it was a good idea to repeal the Blue Laws. They were annoying. You couldn’t go to the market on Sunday. The pharmacy wasn’t open on Sunday. Monday through Saturday had gotten so busy. It seemed only practical to add another day of business to get all of it done. We wondered why were adhering to some silly old Puritanical laws anyway. Some in the state weren’t even Christian, why should they “remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”. Sunday had potential. It was an unused resource.

At first it was kind of exciting, being able to transact business on Sunday. Suddenly there was more time to get things done. You didn’t have to get everything done Monday through Saturday, because now there was Sunday. Sunday soon became just another day for many of us. Sure it was part of the weekend, but you could now fill it in with kids’ sports games, grocery shopping, picking up birthday presents. . . Down time was a thing of the past.

In that change, we began and / or amplified a much larger change. Sunday family dinners became a relic of the past. Big dinners are now relegated to holidays and the occasional birthday. Sunday services at church started to become optional. If you could fit it into your busy schedule, you might go. There were now better things to do on Sunday; chores to be done or perhaps working yourself at the market, department store, or pharmacy.

Sunday no longer was a day of respite and rejuvenation. We were now fully plugged into the 24/7 society. These days, I have even found that you can bank on Sunday (What happened to good old banker’s hours?).

I ask is 24/6 ok? Can we turn back the clock and take back Sundays? We still have some vestiges of the Blue Laws i.e. no alcohol sales and no mail on Sundays, but there is even talk of changing those. Before we do, we better think not of what we are getting (the ability to get mail on Sundays or buy beer that you forgot to get the rest of the week), but what are we losing.

Sundays are days of family, fellowship, respite. For many, it is a day of prayer. Sunday should not just be another day in our hectic lives but a day to celebrate all that we have, a day to come back together with family, a day of peace in an otherwise crazy world. And if we disserve that, so to do the people working at the pharmacy, the market, and the department store. Let’s rebuild the family by giving it time to be together. Let’s regain our sanity by giving ourselves a little vacation every week. Let’s take back Sundays – for our community, for our families, for ourselves.

Perhaps we could all reply as my friend Lisa does when clients ask to meet her on Sunday, “I’m sorry. I reserve Sundays for my family.”

Parable of the Mustard Seed and Leaven Lesson Plan

Grade: 3-5


Pray: Dear God, Thank you for bringing us all together today to study Your Word. As we read, let our mind and hearts be open to hear. Amen

Activity: Create dough for bread using yeast. Leave some yeast in warm water with sugar aside to view shortly. Put some prepared dough in the oven to cook and enjoy later in the lesson.

Find: Matthew 13:31

Read: Matthew 13:31-33 (NIV version below)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
"31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Discuss: Show the students a mustard seed & a picture of a mustard plant.
Discuss what this comparison might imply?

Look at yeast mixture and the dough that you put aside. What has happened? What might Jesus be saying about heaven?

Explain and Create: Review the idea of a simile (comparisons using the words like or as). Have students make a few silly similes. Then reorder and brainstorm a list of similes about heaven. Record on large sheet or chalkboard.

(Extra activity if time: Have students illustrate one simile and post around room)

Discuss -why do you think Jesus spoke in parables. (Fulfilling prophecy, illustrative ideas to help people understand difficult concepts, intrigue people into asking more questions)

Enjoy fresh baked bread.

Close with Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for feeding us today both in Your word and with substance. Watch over each of us this week as we return to our daily lives. AMEN

Homework: Have students look through New Testament to find another parable that they can share with class next time.

New Sunday School Ideas

We did the Operation Christmas Child all church activity today. It was a little chaotic and I missed the beginning of church because I was setting up, but 45 minutes into the program all the kids were seated and still working on their respective projects. I figured this alone made the program a success. Afterward, the superintendent of the Sunday School, myself, and a mutual friend were talking. We started by talking about the fact that Bible Quest has ceased publication and now the Board of Christian Education has to find a new curriculum, but we digressed to a discussion of the number of students. We didn’t have 60 students in the program today. This is down from registration in previous years of up over 100 – not a good sign. Our conversation developed into a conversation about how important is was to keep a strong Sunday School. It is easy to say that our numbers are down, the economy is tight, perhaps we should scrimp, but I think that if we scrimp we will loose the battle. Loose the children: Loose the parents.

So, does anyone have any good Sunday School Curriculum that they can recommend (we are a Congregationalist / Methodist church)? Or any innovation Sunday School ideas that we might incorporate to spice up the Sunday School?

Operation Christmas Child - All Sunday School Program - Final Plan

Whole Group –
Prayer:

Dear God:
Thank you for bringing us all here today.
Please assist us as we undertake Operation Christmas Child again this year.
You have given to us and we understand our obligation to give to others.
We look forward to passing on our blessings like clothes, toys, and school supplies, but most importantly passing on your love and your word.
Please be with us as we fill our shoeboxes and shower your love on those who receive them.
Amen

We have participated in Operation Christmas Child for several years now. Can anyone explain about this project to someone who is new?

Here is a quick quiz for everyone:
How many different countries received gifts through Operation Christmas Child in 2007? 10, 50, or 100
How many shoe boxes were sent in 2007? 700,000; 1,000,000; 7.6 million

The journey of these boxes is very much like the delivery of gifts many years ago. Can anyone think of gifts that were delivered a long time ago?

You know, I think those bearers of gifts are here today (in walk three kings).
King 1: We are the three Kings
King 2: We have traveled a long way to worship the king of the kings.
King 3: We come bearing gifts.
King 1: I have gold fit for a king.
King 2: I have frankincense for a priest.
King 3: I have myrrh to symbolize that his death will be as important as his birth.

(kings will stand frozen while the scripture is read)

Matthew 2:1-12 (New International Version)
The Visit of the Magi
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magifrom the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.



Today we are going to begin thinking about our gifts. Gifts that will not be going to Jesus, but instead going in his name. From now until November 9th, we ask that you bring donations for us to fill shoeboxes. I will pass out fliers with information to each of you, but don’t feel that you have to put together a whole box yourself. If you bring in items we will combine them into boxes from all of us. To that end, we are going to begin our journey today with a few fun activities. I’m going to break you up into three groups pre-K -2nd; 3-5; 6-8.

Break kids into smaller groups as described below:

Group 1: PRE-K to 2nd (four older children to facilitate)
Create the star that the Magi saw – Have star cutouts available. Let kids use glue and glitter to decorate. Let the kids know that they should take this star home to remind them to bring their gifts in, just like the Wise Men did when they saw the star.
Take picture of group.
Have kids decorate Gingerbread Cookies to serve at coffee hour. Explain to them that this is how we are going to let the adults know that we are kicking off Operation Christmas Child.

Group 2: 3 to 5(Two older kids)
Take picture of group.
Brainstorm and write down ideas on a board about what God expects of us and why we do missions. After several ideas are written down, ask kids how do these ideas fit into how they behave and act. Do they need to change to better reflect these ideas?
Decorate wrapping paper. Explain that we would like to wrap the gifts with their love. Ask them to use symbols of God and Christmas to decorate the paper.
When they are done, fill in “about me” paper.

Group 3: 6-8 (2 adult)
Explain that part of the mission of these boxes is to convert people to Christianity. Many of the people that get these boxes may never have heard about God’s love. This box may be their first contact with God.

Ask them to write a letter / note to the recipients about how Jesus & God has affected their lives and why they should received God into their lives.
Challenge them to think about how we could expand this program to include our community.
Give them materials to create posters for town wide collection or pen and paper for a letter to the editor.

Dismiss as needed.

If extra time, come back together as group and do Pass the Prayer Parcel(copied from http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/files/file/OCCCelebrationGuide.pdf ).
Hand out boxes to groups. Explain that, in the manner of ‘Pass the Parcel’, you will play some music during which each small group passes the box round. When the music stops, the person holding the box takes out a slip of paper containing a prayer and reads it out. When the room goes quiet, start the music again and continue.

[Picture: Exercise booksandpens]
God, our maker,
Everyone needs to learn.
We pray that our gifts will help children to
enjoy learning at school.

[Picture: Woollyhat]
God, our maker,
Everyone needs clothes.
We pray that our gifts will help children to
keep warm, day and night.

[Picture: Toothbrush]
God, our maker,
Everyone needs to keep clean,
We pray that our gifts will help children to
enjoy looking after themselves.

[Picture: Teddybear]
God, our maker,
Everyone needs to be loved.
We pray that our gifts will help children to
know that someone cares for them.


When you think everyone is finished, bring the music to an end and conclude with the following prayer:

Leader: God, our maker,
we are all your children,
and we all need your help.
We thank you for giving us Jesus,
because he shows us
how much you want to help us in our lives.
Amen
(copied from http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/files/file/OCCCelebrationGuide.pdf )

All Church Activity - Kick Off Operation Christmas Child

I have to do an all Sunday School activity next Sunday as we kick off our Operation Christmas Child Collection. I am thinking of trying to do a rotational system. The OCC facilitator’s package comes with a great DVD full of videos about the program, but we have watched the video every year. Usually I have all the kids come together, watch a section of the video and then do some sort of note making that we include in the boxes. Last year, we also took a picture of all the kids to include in the boxes too. The problem is that there are so many kids, I’m not sure that they all stay focused. This year I’m thinking of breaking them into four groups maybe pre-k –k, 1- 2, 3-5, 6-8 and then having four stations.

STATION ONE can watch the DVD – there are plenty of different levels so we can choose to watch sections appropriate to their age instead of boring the older children or being too advanced for the younger ones.

STATION TWO can create wrapping paper. Instead of buying wrapping paper, it might be a great idea to have the kids create the paper. I will have to check on prices of butcher paper. We can supply stamps, markers, and stickers to decorate the paper. Note to self: I will need a lot of extra hands in this station.

STATION THREE can create the note cards. The OCC site has a PDF note card that some of the younger kids can do, but I’ll have to think about what the older kids can do.

STATION FOUR - HMMM? Here I may need some assistance – Maybe we can do a verse memorization or a group prayer. Maybe a relay. Perhaps they could decorate some Christmas cookies to serve at coffee hour. I am really open to ideas.

I have a week and a half to get it all pulled together. If anyone else does Operation Christmas Child and does related activities with their Sunday school, I would love to hear about it. We aren’t doing the Children’s Sermon related to OCC until Dedication Sunday in November, so I have barely even begun to think about that.

The Parable of the Vineyard Understood

Matthew 20:1-16 (King James Version)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”

The parable of the vineyard is so antithetical to our American morals. We are told, “Work hard and you will earn your reward,”, “The early bird gets the worm”, “First come, first serve”. We practically invented the theory of survival of the fittest. So it seems foreign to us that Jesus could tell a story where people that work all day in the vineyard are rewarded the same as those who only worked an hour.

I had never heard this parable as a child. When I can across it in my Sunday school curriculum for the first time, I could not process the story myself, let alone teach it. I was very lucky that we were using a curriculum that told me exactly what to say. I couldn’t quite grasp unequal work, equal pay. I understood that it was the wine maker’s prerogative, but why would he do such a thing.

As I recommend to others and to my students at the time: I though on the scripture, I prayed on the scripture, I read and talked to others about the scripture.

I realized that I was looking at the parable backwards; I was focusing on what we could do to receive the reward instead of focusing on the winemaker giving the reward. The reward, eternal life with God, is given by God to all whom ask. It is wonderful that some live a good long Christian life. It is good that some come to God in the middle of their life. But, it is also good to come to God at the end of your life. Even if it takes your entire life to come to him, the reward is the same.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (King James Version)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

There is no reason to be jealous or angry at another’s reward for we are all receiving the finest reward. No longer is there a beginning or an end of the line. No first and no last, but an eternity in heaven for all that believe in the Lord.

Creationism vs Evolution - The Report

I thought you might like to see Jacob's (age 11) response to his Sunday School Homework. I hope no one is offended by the use of their picture for something other than their expected use. This is the opinion of ds. He does not believe that a belief in creationism nor evolution precludes the belief in the other.

Genesis 1

1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.



21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.



24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 2
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
(KJV)

Creationism vs Evolution

Ds has started 7th grade in our church Sunday school. This is a big deal because the 7th grade teacher is very serious and very literal in his biblical teachings. Ds is very nervous about this teacher. Teachers before Mr. R have been smiley and helpful. Mr. R. (although I personally know him to be very friendly) come across very conservative. He almost always has a suit on with a bow tie. His posture is perfect and he is often known to crrect the students’ English.

“Can I go to the bathroom, Mr. R?”

“I don’t know. Can you? May you is a whole other question.”

DS survived his first class with Mr. R without any complaints but with homework. Ready for this . . . This could either be your 7th grade Sunday school homework or a Nobel Prize winning thesis. “Which do you believe to be true: creationism or evolution? Bring in proof to support your choice.”

So I asked DS his opinion so that we could start working on his project. Without batting an eye, he replied, “I believe in both. I think they are both right.” I figure with a response like that next Sunday may be very interesting. Maybe I can talk DH into staying at the campsite just a little longer.

Mission Mondays - Operation Christmas Child

Ok, I realize it is not Monday today but Tuesday, but I have decided to add a new weekly entry: Mission Mondays. If you have any mission ideas that you would like me to add, please let me know.

Let me introduce you to a mission project that I have been involved with for the past couple of years – Operation Christmas Child. Our church has collected boxes for several years, but it wasn’t until about three years ago when I took over facilitating the program at our church did I fully understand the focus of the program. OCC had always been promoted in our church as a collection of toys for those at need during the Christmas season. And while this is indeed the action of what you are doing, it is not the purpose.


"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.” " Matthew 19: 13-15

But how can the children know of Jesus, if they are never introduced. This is the true mission of operation Christmas Child. Although giving to those in need is worthy, this additional insight for me made this program even more worthwhile. Now in our church, we have included a children’s sermon about OCC, we pray over the boxes that we send, and have whole church activities to emphasize the sending of God’s message.

OCC was founded by Samaritan’s Purse and is run by Rev. Billy Graham’s son, Franklin Graham. I encourage you to checkout their website and if your church is not already involved in a collection for this program to start. There are plenty of materials on the website and that can be ordered to help you along the way. Collection week this year is November 17-24. Our plan will be to kick off the collection on October 5th, announce that collection will end on November 9th (we’ve learned that you get a lot of “oh, I left it at home by mistake” and this gives them an extra week to get it in), and plan a packing party on November 16th. The completed boxes are then delivered to a local coordination office (there is more information on this on the website. As collecting time comes closer they will post collection sites in each state). If you are lucky enough to live near one of their regional offices you may want to sign up to volunteer there.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28: 19-20

The Bible - A book of Real Stories about Real People

Genealogy is not just a great way to look into your personal history. It is a great way to make the Bible real to children. So much of what children read is fiction, I’m not sure that they fully understand the truth in the Bible. Also, children can be very disconnected from the stories of the Bible as the stories occurred so long ago. When I taught 3rd grade, I liked to put up a family tree in the corner which we continued to add to as we read the Old Testament. The tree helped the kids to see that the Bible was a historical book. It helped them to see the chronological development and put one story in perspective to the next. It also helped to make the characters in the Bible personal to them.

I also found having maps and relating stories back to them helped achieve “realism” to the stories. Maps are real and concrete to children. To realize that these characters from so long ago walked in areas that still exist today, made the people more real and in some cases more understandable. Honestly, it wasn’t until I read “The Secret Magdalene” as an adult that I realized that when Jesus went into the wilderness that it wasn’t a wilderness of trees as I would think of it, but a desert wasteland. The more that we can connect the Bible to the children’s lives, the more they will be willing to continue to delve through the book looking for ways to apply The Word in their lives.