Sunday School ideas for small churches

SUNDAY SCHOOL IDEAS

A teacher was asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation on Mary Baker Eddy, her life and her discovery of Christian Science. (The Bible lesson was on Christian Science and focused Mrs. Eddy and her discovery.) We asked all of Sunday School to form a circle after the opening and talked about Mrs. Eddy and what this teacher had prepared. It took about 20 minutes and then we broke out into individual classes. All of the students were given an assignment, to come the next Sunday with something they had researched about Mrs. Eddy they really liked, a healing of Mrs. Eddy's or a healing of their own to share. I emailed/called parents letting them know of their son's or daughter's assignment.

The following Sunday, our church was welcoming a new member, a mother of one of our SS students and we were short teachers so we spent the entire SS as one large class. We reviewed the previous Sunday about Mrs. Eddy and then we spoke of her founding the church, the Manual and membership. We really focused both Sundays on the fact that Christian Science and Church & Sunday School is all about healing. This then led into each student sharing. Each student brought something about Mrs. Eddy to Sunday School, it was really cool and some shared gratitude for what she meant to them. We then went to church for the closing hymn and then the reception to welcome our newest member.

The next Sunday we got together in a large group again and talked about prayer, different types and then talked about giving themselves a treatment. What that meant. I had gotten this idea from a practitioner giving a metaphysical talk at camp. I took colored construction paper and wrote out the following words on each slip of paper: God, each of the 7 synonyms, Man, Me, error, two (2) Gratitude, iPod, TV, food, Video Games. The students were asked to place these in the order they felt they should go for a treatment. We had a big circle of chairs and laid them on the floor going in one direction. They did really good and if they were not in the exact order we left them. And they knew to not include the distractions in the treatment. Then we went through the order and discussed each step. With the synonyms, they were asked to name some qualities of each synonym. This took quite a bit of time and we found that we need to spend more time understanding each synonym and how they relate to each of us, what their specific qualities are. This took the entire SS, but everyone participated from the 5 yr old to the 19 yr old. It was really cool. It just so happens that the next Sunday the Lessons start with the synonyms - perfect.

Another thing we are doing, that they really like. As we come back together to close SS I ask a student if they would like to introduce and read the hymn and then close with the Scientific Statement of Being. Some started with just wanting to read the hymn and then get off the podium, but now the students are staying up and conducting the final closing. It has been great. This Sunday, I announced the first hymn (Mrs. Eddy's) and then I asked four different students to read each verse. It was great and they did a great job. I have started interacting with them prior to the Golden Text asking a question about the subject or asking about the picture in the quarterly and how it ties into what we are going to read (picture of pomegranate - asked what it was, student stated, then they were told to watch for it in the Responsive Reading). I am trying to find ways to involve them and get them thinking and not just going through the motions.
- D. Leonard
July 2008