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
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Association Day
Going to Nashville
Why do I go to Nashville?
What do I want to see?
Spend time with my friends, eat good food,
Or learn how to be free!
Why do I go to Nashville?
What do I want to do?
See the sights, have some fun,
Or learn what is true!
I know why I go to Nashville
And I want to share it with you.
I go each year to learn what's dear
And what I'm required to do.
I am to put into practice
The truths I've been told.
To see God's child and share good words,
Is better than silver or gold!
Carolyn W
Written on the flight home, June 29, 2008
Why do I go to Nashville?
What do I want to see?
Spend time with my friends, eat good food,
Or learn how to be free!
Why do I go to Nashville?
What do I want to do?
See the sights, have some fun,
Or learn what is true!
I know why I go to Nashville
And I want to share it with you.
I go each year to learn what's dear
And what I'm required to do.
I am to put into practice
The truths I've been told.
To see God's child and share good words,
Is better than silver or gold!
Carolyn W
Written on the flight home, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Spanish activities in Los Angeles area
Spanish Outreach Progress June 2008
FORMATION OF A SPANISH OUTREACH COMMITTEE
The first meeting of the Spanish Outreach Committee was May 18 at
3rd Church L.A, in Downtown Los Angeles. Twelve people launched this
coordinating committee composed of those interested in bringing Christian Science to their Southern California Spanish communities.
EL HERALDO RADIO BROADCASTING
Our continuing activity includes : Weekly radio broadcast - ½ hour broadcast of El Heraldo on Spanish station KHJ AM 930 at 7 a.m. on Sunday mornings;
toll free 800 number is announced 3 times at the beginning and end of each El Heraldo program; send calter El Heraldo Magazine; spot announcements on Saturdays; monthly El Heraldo monitor; Metaphysical Committee.
Listener responses are heartening
• A caller who found Ciencia y Salud in a library and then bought her own book (and shares CS with friends at work and at her apartment) called to say she was heading home on vacation to El Salvador and she wanted to know if there were any churches there where she could take her parents. Learning that there were none, we went to visit her and made sure she had extra Heraldos, another Ciencia y Salud, a biography of Mrs. Eddy and God’s Law of Adjustment in Spanish to take with her. She was so grateful.
• Another caller was referred to us from the El Heraldo office in Boston. He had called to find out if they had Ciencia y Salud in Braille. The answer being “no,” we were able to send him some old El Heraldo tapes and have read the lesson in Spanish to him over the phone so he could tape it and listen. We hear from this gentleman regularly.
• One caller from 2007 was so excited about Christian Science from the first time she found out about it through the El Heraldo broadcast. She asked for and received a Ciencia y Salud and then called her local church to find out how she could learn more. The Reading Room Librarian is fluent and helped to provide reading materials for her including the new Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly, and she attended the Placentia Spanish lecture last year. On her own the caller bought Miscellaneous Writings. We’re told she recently returned to Bogota, Colombia for a visit, where “she located the church there.”
• A caller from 2006, who visits the U.S. regularly, just got back from Mexico
and attended both the Santa Barbara and Encinitas Spanish lectures. She enjoyed them greatly and got a lot out of being able to hear Lorenzo Rodriguez’s lecture twice. She also regularly studies the Bible lesson from the new Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly.
• An Inglewood elementary school substitute teacher mentioned that when she was using the El Heraldo “world globe” paperweight produced by the Publishing Society to demonstrate to the children what a cube was, that many of them recognized the words “El Heraldo” because their families listen to the program.
SPANISH LECTURES/TALKS
Lectures
• In April, Santa Barbara/Goleta/Solvang/Carpinteria churches sponsored a lecture by Lorenzo Rodriguez, CS, at Girls, Inc. Community Center. A woman heard our radio spots all week and couldn’t wait to attend. After the talk she commented that what she heard touched her heart, and she felt like this was what she needed to help her with her search for much needed employment and healing.”
• In May, Escondido Church sponsored a lecture by Heloisa Rivas, CSB, given at Central School. They emailed, “Our Spanish lecture went really well! We had 6 Spanish-speaking newcomers who listened intently, got involved in dialog during the lecture and stayed afterwards to chat and have a snack. It really was rewarding, and they all took Spanish Science and Health's and other Spanish literature. “
• Also, in May, Encinitas Society and Rancho Santa Fe Church sponsored a lecture by Lorenzo Rodriguez, CS, at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center. As reported, this was also a very successful lecture. “Spanish workers standing in front of Home Depot were invited and one came to the lecture. After some discussion afterwards he became very interested in the new ideas he was hearing and has continued to want to know more.
Talks. Julio Rivas, CS, gave a talk in March at Backs Community Center in Placentia, sponsored by the Fullerton Church. This talk was very well received and 25 Spanish seekers were in attendance. Many Spanish books and literature were taken. Refreshments served afterward gave them a chance for fellowship and the time to interact with Spanish speaking church members. Per one attendee, “it would be great if other churches could participate in sponsoring” talks.
READING ROOM OUTREACH
• The 28th Church (Westwood) Reading Room librarian recently placed prior month Spanish/English Full Text Quarterlies out front in their free literature box. “Almost immediately a family came in holding two of them. The parents looked around. They ended up buying a (Spanish) Bible and My Little Book in Spanish, and I gave them an El Heraldo magazine. They are from Temecula and are going to UCLA medical center for their daughter.”
• An Escondido Reading Room attendant says there is a weekly farmer’s market close by and the Reading Room lets the vendors use the restroom facilities. She said “I put on Julia Wade’s new CD in Spanish. I love hearing her sing in Spanish and the Latino vendors that came in smiled and paused to listen to her recording.”
• Another librarian from 10th Church (Brentwood) Reading Room said that “a Latina walked in and I showed her our Spanish items for sale. She bought the new Julia Wade CD and I printed out a copy of the Spanish Bible Lesson for this week for her, too.”
OTHER INSTANCES OF OUTREACH
• A member of Palos Verdes Peninsula Church shares Christian Science with her gardener. He in turn shares the weekly lesson, Heraldos and one church’s Wednesday evening readings in Spanish and English with others. “He also listens to the radio broadcast on Sunday morning, which he says ‘is too short, it should be an hour long.’ He also exclaims that ‘God is his doctor.’”
• A Palm Desert Church member is supporting the interest in Christian Science of two Spanish families she has befriended (one from Mexico and the other from Panama). She has been able to provide Heraldos, other writings, and some old El Heraldo radio CD’s. One of the family members has also been attending church.
WEEKLY SERVICES/DISCUSSION GROUPS now meeting:
• Spanish/English Wednesday testimony meetings are held weekly at
3rd Church, Downtown L.A. at 7 p.m. Some members of this church
speak Spanish. The service is advertised to other branch churches in
Southern California and a flyer about the service is sent to all new El
Heraldo callers. This service is established and has been continuing for
several years.
• Weekly Friday night Bible Lesson study in Spanish at 7:30 p.m. at Inglewood/Westchester Reading Room. It is an informal meeting lasting an hour or so and It includes hymn singing, reading aloud from the Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly, and discussion in Spanish and English of passages from the Bible and Science and Health.
- M. Downs and P. Lindahl
FORMATION OF A SPANISH OUTREACH COMMITTEE
The first meeting of the Spanish Outreach Committee was May 18 at
3rd Church L.A, in Downtown Los Angeles. Twelve people launched this
coordinating committee composed of those interested in bringing Christian Science to their Southern California Spanish communities.
EL HERALDO RADIO BROADCASTING
Our continuing activity includes : Weekly radio broadcast - ½ hour broadcast of El Heraldo on Spanish station KHJ AM 930 at 7 a.m. on Sunday mornings;
toll free 800 number is announced 3 times at the beginning and end of each El Heraldo program; send calter El Heraldo Magazine; spot announcements on Saturdays; monthly El Heraldo monitor; Metaphysical Committee.
Listener responses are heartening
• A caller who found Ciencia y Salud in a library and then bought her own book (and shares CS with friends at work and at her apartment) called to say she was heading home on vacation to El Salvador and she wanted to know if there were any churches there where she could take her parents. Learning that there were none, we went to visit her and made sure she had extra Heraldos, another Ciencia y Salud, a biography of Mrs. Eddy and God’s Law of Adjustment in Spanish to take with her. She was so grateful.
• Another caller was referred to us from the El Heraldo office in Boston. He had called to find out if they had Ciencia y Salud in Braille. The answer being “no,” we were able to send him some old El Heraldo tapes and have read the lesson in Spanish to him over the phone so he could tape it and listen. We hear from this gentleman regularly.
• One caller from 2007 was so excited about Christian Science from the first time she found out about it through the El Heraldo broadcast. She asked for and received a Ciencia y Salud and then called her local church to find out how she could learn more. The Reading Room Librarian is fluent and helped to provide reading materials for her including the new Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly, and she attended the Placentia Spanish lecture last year. On her own the caller bought Miscellaneous Writings. We’re told she recently returned to Bogota, Colombia for a visit, where “she located the church there.”
• A caller from 2006, who visits the U.S. regularly, just got back from Mexico
and attended both the Santa Barbara and Encinitas Spanish lectures. She enjoyed them greatly and got a lot out of being able to hear Lorenzo Rodriguez’s lecture twice. She also regularly studies the Bible lesson from the new Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly.
• An Inglewood elementary school substitute teacher mentioned that when she was using the El Heraldo “world globe” paperweight produced by the Publishing Society to demonstrate to the children what a cube was, that many of them recognized the words “El Heraldo” because their families listen to the program.
SPANISH LECTURES/TALKS
Lectures
• In April, Santa Barbara/Goleta/Solvang/Carpinteria churches sponsored a lecture by Lorenzo Rodriguez, CS, at Girls, Inc. Community Center. A woman heard our radio spots all week and couldn’t wait to attend. After the talk she commented that what she heard touched her heart, and she felt like this was what she needed to help her with her search for much needed employment and healing.”
• In May, Escondido Church sponsored a lecture by Heloisa Rivas, CSB, given at Central School. They emailed, “Our Spanish lecture went really well! We had 6 Spanish-speaking newcomers who listened intently, got involved in dialog during the lecture and stayed afterwards to chat and have a snack. It really was rewarding, and they all took Spanish Science and Health's and other Spanish literature. “
• Also, in May, Encinitas Society and Rancho Santa Fe Church sponsored a lecture by Lorenzo Rodriguez, CS, at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center. As reported, this was also a very successful lecture. “Spanish workers standing in front of Home Depot were invited and one came to the lecture. After some discussion afterwards he became very interested in the new ideas he was hearing and has continued to want to know more.
Talks. Julio Rivas, CS, gave a talk in March at Backs Community Center in Placentia, sponsored by the Fullerton Church. This talk was very well received and 25 Spanish seekers were in attendance. Many Spanish books and literature were taken. Refreshments served afterward gave them a chance for fellowship and the time to interact with Spanish speaking church members. Per one attendee, “it would be great if other churches could participate in sponsoring” talks.
READING ROOM OUTREACH
• The 28th Church (Westwood) Reading Room librarian recently placed prior month Spanish/English Full Text Quarterlies out front in their free literature box. “Almost immediately a family came in holding two of them. The parents looked around. They ended up buying a (Spanish) Bible and My Little Book in Spanish, and I gave them an El Heraldo magazine. They are from Temecula and are going to UCLA medical center for their daughter.”
• An Escondido Reading Room attendant says there is a weekly farmer’s market close by and the Reading Room lets the vendors use the restroom facilities. She said “I put on Julia Wade’s new CD in Spanish. I love hearing her sing in Spanish and the Latino vendors that came in smiled and paused to listen to her recording.”
• Another librarian from 10th Church (Brentwood) Reading Room said that “a Latina walked in and I showed her our Spanish items for sale. She bought the new Julia Wade CD and I printed out a copy of the Spanish Bible Lesson for this week for her, too.”
OTHER INSTANCES OF OUTREACH
• A member of Palos Verdes Peninsula Church shares Christian Science with her gardener. He in turn shares the weekly lesson, Heraldos and one church’s Wednesday evening readings in Spanish and English with others. “He also listens to the radio broadcast on Sunday morning, which he says ‘is too short, it should be an hour long.’ He also exclaims that ‘God is his doctor.’”
• A Palm Desert Church member is supporting the interest in Christian Science of two Spanish families she has befriended (one from Mexico and the other from Panama). She has been able to provide Heraldos, other writings, and some old El Heraldo radio CD’s. One of the family members has also been attending church.
WEEKLY SERVICES/DISCUSSION GROUPS now meeting:
• Spanish/English Wednesday testimony meetings are held weekly at
3rd Church, Downtown L.A. at 7 p.m. Some members of this church
speak Spanish. The service is advertised to other branch churches in
Southern California and a flyer about the service is sent to all new El
Heraldo callers. This service is established and has been continuing for
several years.
• Weekly Friday night Bible Lesson study in Spanish at 7:30 p.m. at Inglewood/Westchester Reading Room. It is an informal meeting lasting an hour or so and It includes hymn singing, reading aloud from the Spanish/English Full Text Quarterly, and discussion in Spanish and English of passages from the Bible and Science and Health.
- M. Downs and P. Lindahl
Friday, April 18, 2008
Sunday School teaching comes from God!
Yesterday I had a student in Sunday School. Generally I do not have any students in my high school/college age class, but in one walked yesterday as I was catching up with a three-year-old. I knew he would be in my class because he was big :), and the thought that attacked was, "You aren't ready for this student! All you planned for a lesson was to talk about angels and Jacob!" It was true that I hadn't very clearly defined what the lesson could be. But I knew that I had worked with the Bible Lesson that week and that those two simple ideas had been angel messages themselves about what to talk about this week.
I also have been cherishing something from the Manual one member of my branch church has shared a couple times recently, that Sunday School teaching is to be by question and answer...I'm not trying to cram information into some kid, but rather revealing what's already there--like we talked about "educere" "leading out."
I also have been cherishing something from the Manual one member of my branch church has shared a couple times recently, that Sunday School teaching is to be by question and answer...I'm not trying to cram information into some kid, but rather revealing what's already there--like we talked about "educere" "leading out."
So during our silent prayer I acknowledged that our Sunday School lessons were complete and that they included what everyone needed (teachers, too). I asked our visitor if there was anything he wanted to talk about from the Lesson, since he had marked books with him, and he said, "Well, actually my favorite story is in the Lesson this week." ............ Yep, you guessed it--Jacob wrestling with the angel! Ends up this young man drew a lot of strength from that story as he dealt with a challenge over the past year or so. Also, he said Truth was his favorite synonym, so I shared "reality" as a synonym for Truth...which he loved...and it fit so well since the Lesson was on unreality. I felt positively buoyant during the whole session!
I realized two things afterwards: 1) God had connected the student with me. It had zero to do with any effort on my part. So I realized a bit more that I'm not a factor in the "success" of Sunday School. It's a complete, divine idea totally in God's keeping. 2) Going back to avoiding human perfectionism ...I realized that the lesson plan I had came through inspiration and had no need of a laboriously organized plan with marked citations, planned review questions, etc. It just flowed, and I watched it happen. I felt relieved of a false sense of responsibility and so joyous that all was perfect--I just knew everyone truly did "get" what they needed.
-E.D. Virginia USA
-E.D. Virginia USA
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Youth Committee planned successful lecture
In April 2008 a youth committee formed from Christian Science Sunday School students in Buenos Aires Argentina organized a lecture, Demostra el poder del Amor. It was held in a church in Ciudadela, a suburb of Buenos Aires, and was sponsored by Second Church Buenos Aires, Third Church Buenos Aires, and First Church, Ciudadela. The church seats about 80 people. Almost 175 attended, filling the church, foyer and anterooms!
The youth had regular meetings to design and produce flyers, invitations, a postcard invitation and banners. The designs were completely fresh and innovative. They put banners and flyers at the church where the lecture was held, also at various churches around Buenos Aires.
People from the community came. The youth also helped organize 2 buses of people coming from different locations in BA. One was a full size bus. The other was a smaller combi. This enabled people to attend since the church is in a suburb at least ½ hour from the center city.
The church was completely packed. Every seat was taken before the choir started. They filled the foyer with seats and arranged for a closed circuit TV for those in the foyer. They put kids chairs from the Sunday School in the aisle entrance in the foyer and those seats filled as well with adults. About 18 teens sat on the floor beside the improvised stage area, filling all open floor space. People were standing along the back walls. People were standing in the foyer, in the courtyard and a back anteroom. The sound was very good via a wireless mike.
The kids had a small adult choir sing 3 songs before the lecture, 2 were hymns and the 3rd was a modern rendition of a song, Ezekiel Rocks. It was spectacular. The kids made cakes and cookies for after the lecture.
Many of the parents said that this was the first lecture their kids had attended. There were kids of all ages. Some brought their girl/boyfriends. The kids did the ushering and shoehorning of people into the church. They arranged the stage area and then rearranged it at the last minute to remove all the plants and decoration so that more people could sit on the floor.
The youth approached everything collectively and through prayer. It was clear that the entire activity was planned with confidence in good, grace, harmonious working together, prayer for guidance, inspiration, spontaneity and flexibility.
This is the first time the youth have gotten together to do a joint lecture. It was such a success that they were immediately encouraged to plan other church activities. It will be exciting to see where God leads them.
-Elise Moore
The youth had regular meetings to design and produce flyers, invitations, a postcard invitation and banners. The designs were completely fresh and innovative. They put banners and flyers at the church where the lecture was held, also at various churches around Buenos Aires.
People from the community came. The youth also helped organize 2 buses of people coming from different locations in BA. One was a full size bus. The other was a smaller combi. This enabled people to attend since the church is in a suburb at least ½ hour from the center city.
The church was completely packed. Every seat was taken before the choir started. They filled the foyer with seats and arranged for a closed circuit TV for those in the foyer. They put kids chairs from the Sunday School in the aisle entrance in the foyer and those seats filled as well with adults. About 18 teens sat on the floor beside the improvised stage area, filling all open floor space. People were standing along the back walls. People were standing in the foyer, in the courtyard and a back anteroom. The sound was very good via a wireless mike.
The kids had a small adult choir sing 3 songs before the lecture, 2 were hymns and the 3rd was a modern rendition of a song, Ezekiel Rocks. It was spectacular. The kids made cakes and cookies for after the lecture.
Many of the parents said that this was the first lecture their kids had attended. There were kids of all ages. Some brought their girl/boyfriends. The kids did the ushering and shoehorning of people into the church. They arranged the stage area and then rearranged it at the last minute to remove all the plants and decoration so that more people could sit on the floor.
The youth approached everything collectively and through prayer. It was clear that the entire activity was planned with confidence in good, grace, harmonious working together, prayer for guidance, inspiration, spontaneity and flexibility.
This is the first time the youth have gotten together to do a joint lecture. It was such a success that they were immediately encouraged to plan other church activities. It will be exciting to see where God leads them.
-Elise Moore
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Practitioners' meetings in the US
I just returned home from one of the practitioner meetings that The Mother Church is sponsoring this year and wanted to encourage everyone to make the effort to get to one if at all possible. I couldn't begin to say how wonderful it was -like a day of class instruction crammed into 2 hours. So inspiring and thought provoking. There is a statement in Miscellaneous Writings which says something about the heart needing to be stirred like a feather bed. Today's meeting gave thought a much-needed stir, just like the one I give my feather comforter every morning. I came away from this meeting with a clearer-than-ever sense that God IS in control, that God does the healing, and that being a practitioner is indeed the highest calling in the world because one's full-time job is merely witnessing God's endless love, goodness, intelligence, and so much more.
This meeting today really made me feel cared for by The Mother Church and excited to see how God will work it all out for opportunities to practice.
- L. G. Philadelphia
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Starting Spanish services in Bellaire TX
I've been wanting to write you to let you know that we started Spanish services at the Reading Room in November 2007. We have now moved to the Sunday School room at church. We have had from 7-18 in attendance and wanting to take flyers out to the community west of us. So, the Bible Lessons will be very helpful. We've been ordering 3 copies for the Reading Room. They have all sold. Several are subscribing. It is a BEAUTIFUL design and print. I love it.
- B. Johnson
- B. Johnson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
