Newsletter Archive
In this Issue:
New Resource
A Special Invitation
APCE Conference
Lent
Martin Luther King Observance
I had the opportunity to go to Europe this fall. Of all the places we visited, the cathedrals inspired my imagination: those Gothic domed ceilings, flying buttresses, windows the colors of jewels, marble statues. The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona stole my heart as a modern Gothic cathedral; I could have spent a lot more time in that tangible presence of God.
A New Resource
As a result of all this pondering, we are developing a new resource. This will be a family event where the space becomes transformed into the village where a cathedral is under construction. At one end will be the building site where the children can experience some of the mechanics and engineering involved in building a cathedral. The workshops of the various artisans are in booths throughout the rest of the space. Each workshop will have a leader who will teach about how that art form was a part of creating sacred space. For example, at the window workshop, the children will make a facsimile of stained glass while learning about how stained glass windows were such a dynamic element of Gothic architecture. Perhaps a local stained glass artist would lead this workshop. There will be a multi-media element featuring photos of the cathedrals as they relate to each workshop. I anticipate this will be a widely used resource that will encourage families to ponder their own worship space as well as plant the seed to make a pilgrimage to holy spaces.
A Special Invitation
Try our sacred space resource (see description above) and tell us what you think. We are looking for ten churches willing to try our new program sometime between April and August 2012 and share their honest thoughts and opinions. Use it as a Vacation Bible School, a Sunday afternoon family event, Summer Sunday School. We'll be asking for evaluations by September 1, 2012.
What's in it for you? You get to try a brand new program before anyone else. If this sounds intriguing to you, give Pam a call (866-851-7102 toll free).
Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Conference
Cornerstones is returning to APCE. Yeah! We'll be showing off more details of the new sacred space resource (see article above). Pam will be in booth 401; please stop by and say hello. Click here for details.
Lent
In the next newsletter I'll share some ideas for Lent. In the meantime, for those of you already planning Lent, see articles from our newsletter archive including: Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday; Family-friendly Lenten events, including Fat Tuesday and an overview of how each Cornerstones theme focuses on a different aspect of the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Martin Luther King Observance
If you are thinking about doing something to commemorate Martin Luther King Day in January, look at our Quest for Identity: Joseph in Egypt: Puppetry lesson. The children learn about how Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Pharaoh. After hearing parts of Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech, the children portray their own personal visions of a better world.
Parents are looking for ways to have a common faith experience both at home and at church. They often struggle with their own sense of biblical literacy and lack the confidence to talk about faith at home. This newsletter is devoted to providing them with tools that can open the door to active faith formation for everyone in the family.
Parent Letters
Email is such an easy way to communicate with parents about what is going on in Sunday School. Consider sending out an email a week before a new rotation, highlighting the great activities that will be happening in your workshops that month. Attach the Parent Letter which provides parents with a simple way to have a conversation at home about the Bible story and how it fits into their lives. This email also serves as an invitation to the child who hasn't been attending for several weeks; if each month starts a new rotation, it's easy to hop back into the program.
Fall Family Festivals: Three Ideas
Halloween
Are you looking for a way to do something for Halloween and also be biblically-based? Look no further than the story of Ezekiel where God breathes life into dry lifeless bones. Our Puppetry lesson is a very effective and entertaining way to make the connection between the skeletons that pop up at Halloween and how we can turn to the Lord to breathe new life into us. The use of black lights and glow-in-the-dark bones make this the basis for a great family festival. Check out all eleven lessons from the Ezekiel Unit in the Word of God curriculum year.
Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving often gets passed over as we spend so much time preparing for Christmas programs. Think about including a mini-rotation into your Sunday School program. Cornerstones has put together a list of lessons that might be used, making connections to a wide range of Bible stories, including the Feeding of the 5000, the Lord's Prayer, the story of Ruth gleaning in the fields and the Beatitudes. See our Thanksgiving Guide for the complete list.
As well, we have a program called The Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving. This is an intergenerational program that takes place on a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon. The group learns about the festival of Sukkoth and builds a Sukkah while enjoying harvest foods. All ages will be able to participate and everyone will come away with a richer understanding of our celebration of Thanksgiving.
Sunday School Open House
The Sunday before Thanksgiving is a great time to show off what has happened during the fall. Arts and crafts can be displayed. Dramas and puppet shows can be performed. Homemade videos can be shown. Perhaps there was a mission outreach project that can be celebrated. Invite all teachers and shepherds to wear some kind of badge so that they become ambassadors for your program to the rest of the congregation. Put out talent labels that are associated with workshops through the rest of the year, encouraging adults to teach for one rotation.
Rally Day success is all about administration. Your grid of units, workshops and teachers is already filling in through Christmas. If you have been preparing special workshop rotation room designs they are nearing completion. Now is the time to focus on the families and children in the program.
Build a Bridge to Sunday School Families
- Send out invitations to Rally Day. Are they email or postcard? Do they go to the parents or the children? Is there a church picnic happening after worship? Do the invitations only go to formerly registered children or do they extend to the whole community?
- What signage do you need? Even veteran families wonder where to go on the first day.
- Cornerstones features a Parent Page in the Background document. It includes an overview of the story and a suggestion for a family-based faith activity. Some churches ask the shepherds to hand out hardcopy to the parents. Other churches email them to parents about two weeks before a new rotation. (That's the great thing about the WRM. A child can jump back in from an absence at the beginning of any unit. The invitation to attend is always extended.)
- Ponder an Open House for November 20, the last Sunday before Thanksgiving and Advent. Show off art projects, plays, puppet shows, homemade videos, missions projects and other highlights from the fall workshops. This is also an opportunity to share what is happening at church for Advent and in the new year.
- Consider a Family Festival: There will be more on this in the next issue, but possibilities include a skeleton puppet show around Halloween to learn about Ezekiel, a Roots of Thanksgiving Festival near the end of November or an Advent Festival using Cornerstone's free Jesse Tree unit as the source for family-friendly activities.
These are the brushstrokes for the fall, from the administrative minutia that ensure a smooth Rally Day to the big picture of the church calendar year.
JUNE 2011
In this issue:
Shepherds
Rally Day 2011
Tenth Anniversary of 9/11
Teacher Training
Women's Retreats
The Role of Shepherds
When Mary Jane Huber was setting up the WRM program at Glenview Community Church/UCC, she recognized that in our large church (400 children between cradle and 6th grade), we needed someone to be a home base, a constant, a dedicated person for each class. She started the shepherd program. Unlike the workshop leaders whom the children only see once in a rotation, the shepherds promise to be with one class for the whole year. What do they do?
- Know each child by name. This can be enhanced by getting to know the parents.
- Take attendance, therefore knowing who needs a friendly call after several absences.
- In some Sunday Schools, 5-10 minutes is used to lead joys and concerns.
- Be a second set of hands in the workshop, assisting the workshop leader without having to teach the lesson.
- Since attending each workshop, help the class see common threads between the workshops of one rotation. If a solid, themed scope and sequence has been established for the year, the shepherd can even draw common threads between Bible stories. That can build to some real "aha" moments. (When GCC/UCC did the Witness to God's Presence year of Cornerstones curriculum, the October rotation was Plagues and Passover and the March rotation was The Last Supper. We heard one 3rd grade boy nudge the boy next to him and say, "Hey, this is the meal that Moses ate." That's an "aha" moment.)
- Offer social outings where the children can develop friendships at church.
- Send birthday cards, Christmas cards, get well cards.
This is a rich and rewarding experience for those who love to create relationships with children.
Rally Day 2011
In the May 2011 newsletter we talked about how to be ready for the start up of your fall program. Click here for our four-step planning guide.
After you've been working all summer to have your teachers and curriculum in place, your parents notified, etc., it is finally time for that opening day, called Rally Day in so many churches. Invite the congregation to an Open House for the fall rotations that might include:
- Storytellers in costume roaming the halls and introducing their characters, sharing what interesting experience will be offered in that workshop.
- Exhibits of the arts and crafts that will be completed.
- A taste of some of the foods that might be eaten during the fall in Eat Your Way through the Bible.
- An example from one of the Moved by the Spirit lessons.
- A behind the scenes tour of the puppet stage.
- The set up of the room where Video Live will be taping a make-your-own-video.
- A tour of decorated rooms.
- The launch of a mission outreach project that connects with the yearly theme.
he ideas are endless. You'll never have better attendance from everyone than on this opening day of the fall curriculum. Take the opportunity to generate excitement and awareness of your program throughout the whole congregation.
10th Anniversary of 9/11
I've been pondering the coincidence of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 happening on the same day as most of us launch Rally Day. It's hard to judge whether congregations will wish to do something commemorative. But we know that the media will be in full gear, so I thought I'd just give you a heads up. If any of you are planning something, I'd sure love to hear about it.
Teacher Training
If you are still pondering about doing some teacher training or introducing the Workshop Rotation Model to your congregation, call Pam Riedy to schedule a consultation. She will customize a weekend session that is interactive, inspirational and loaded with valuable knowledge. Call toll free at 866-851-7102 or email pam@cstones.com
Women's Retreats
If you have found your last women's retreats to be a little stale, consider asking Pam Riedy to lead your next one. This is not your typical retreat. She uses the Cornerstones curriculum to engage the women in experiential Bible study. Ask her how she did it for her "Let Go ~ Let God" retreat that she lead for Geneva UMC. Call toll free at 866-851-7102 or email pam@cstones.com
Planning for Rally Day
Easter is over. Summer is under control. It’s time to seriously plan for the 2011-12 year before the congregation becomes a summer of hit-or-miss encounters while congregants juggle church, vacation, gardens, visiting family and … just life.
This newsletter focuses on those churches that are already up and running on the Workshop Rotation Model. The goal is to equip the Director of Christian Education, or whoever administers the program, to have all teachers in place through Christmas by Rally Day, the beginning of a new year of study.
We have created a New Rally Day Planning Guide with a four-step checklist to help you get ready for the opening day of a new school year without panic.
For those churches that are still investigating the Workshop Rotation Model (WRM), we offer a worksheet to learn about the model and how the Cornerstones curriculum works with that model. It’s a great guide to help you figure out if the WRM and Cornerstones are for you.
Also take a look at How to Get Started for tried and true practices to launch this new program at your church.
Summer of Parables
Looking for ideas for your summer Sunday School? This is a great opportunity to:
• Focus on one theme.
• Offer interactive lessons that make the children want to be in Sunday School.
• Invite the talent within the congregation to teach just one Sunday during the summer.
The Workshop Rotation Model is a perfect match for this. With a choice of 11 different workshops per unit, it is easy for a church to customize its program to people's talents and schedules.
Imagine a summer program that involves an administrator to assure a smooth run, a gathering time person who leads worship and teachers who only lead one class all summer. Each Sunday, the children have the experience of one person who knows them by name and a different teacher who leads the lesson using a special talent and brings the lesson to life. It's perfect for a summer program.
How does it work?
• An administrator maps out the scope and sequence for the summer, searching for and inviting people with just the right talents to teach for just one Sunday. This person communicates with the teachers by emailing the lessons, making sure that supplies are gathered and greeting him/her upon arrival. (See the "Administrator Checklist" in the Planning Guide for details.)
• A gathering time leader prepares and leads the gathering time within the context of a worship experience and the parable theme. This person knows each child by name. (Sometimes the administrator and the gathering time leader are the same person. See the "Gathering Time Leader Checklist" in the Planning Guide for details.)
• The teachers are invited to teach just one Sunday and are matched to a workshop lesson that highlights their own talents, hobbies and interests.
• The children have the familiarity of the same person leading the gathering worship time but are then introduced to a different teacher each week who makes the lesson come alive.
• There is a possible computer lab component. (See "Computer Lab Checklist" in the Planning Guide for details.)
Consider connecting the summer program to a bigger event:
- A Bible Carnival Open House at the end of August to show off all of the activities during the summer: puppet shows, dramas and videos, art projects. Make it a BBQ, inviting people to bring sliced tomatoes from their gardens.
- A mission outreach program, perhaps creating hygiene kits for a homeless shelter.
A Focus on One Theme
A focus on one theme over the whole summer can generate a solid faith journey for everyone involved. Here is the focus for a Summer of Parables:
Jesus used parables to teach about our relationship to God. At the time, the listeners knew how Jewish law taught them to act in certain circumstances, thus exhibiting a right relationship with God. Jesus often started a story, giving the impression that the end was a foregone conclusion. In fact, the endings had an unexpected twist that revealed a new way of behaving that unveiled a relationship with God that was more concerned about the heart, forgiveness and invitation.
In the Cornerstones' Covenant year, three units focus on the parables:
- The Good Samaritan
- The Prodigal Son
- The Kingdom Parables
That's 33 workshop lessons from which to choose to create a 10-12 week Summer Sunday School program Look at the "Chart of Workshops, Teachers and Dates" in the Planning Guide to decide which ones fit your congregation.The Planning Guide is just a click away.
If this is enticing to you, please visit our website to view/print the Summer of Parables Planning Guide. It includes checklists for the administrator, the gathering time leader and the computer lab. Most helpful are the overviews of each workshop, including the talents of people who would be a good match to lead it. At just $15 per workshop, this is a great summer program. Enjoy the journey!
Easter Day in Sunday School
I received a call from a DCE who had just decided to run Easter Sunday as a one room Sunday School. With up to 40 children, the group ranges from kindergarten through 5th grades. There are lots of boys and more than half are in the lower grades. Therefore, the lessons need to be active and reflect the celebratory mood of Easter. If you are in a similar situation Cornerstones has workshop lessons that will fit these parameters.
Witness to God’s Presence: Walk to Emmaus: Video Live
Imagine Geraldo Riviera at the empty tomb (ala when he went to the safety deposit box of Al Capone only to find it empty.) Lots of hoopla – angels, reporters, cameramen, body builders – all to view the opening of Jesus’ tomb. This fanciful script will make everyone laugh and appreciate the celebration of Easter.
• The older children can perform the speaking roles.
• The younger children can be the angels and bodybuilders – be prepared with costumes.
• While the older children are getting their roles and reading through the script once, the younger children can get into their roles and costumes.
• Rehearse the whole thing once or twice. (When I did this, I had the script blown up to poster size at a copy center; that way the children weren’t standing there reading the scripts held in their hands. They were looking up and almost at the camera.)
• Perform and videotape.
• Be set up to show the videotape to both the class and the congregation.
The Messiah: Appearances of the Holy Spirit: Bedouin Encampment
Are there fishermen in the congregation? This lesson begins with a storyteller who is Peter, telling the class about the three years he spent with Jesus and his Easter resurrection experiences. This is when a demonstration of various fishing skills would be fascinating, especially if someone knows how to do the net fishing used at the time of Jesus. Set up stations throughout the room where the children can experiment with the various fishing techniques, reciting a fish scripture at each station.
Quest for Identity: Easter around the World: Created by the Spirit
Bermuda celebrates Easter by flying kites as the symbol of the resurrection. Make kites and fly them outside (weather permitting.) Put out a display of any resources you have that show the various symbols of the resurrection; the children can decorate the kites with these symbols. Perhaps you know a trick-kite flyer who could demonstrate some flying maneuvers.
Test of Faith: Doubting Thomas: Moved by the Spirit
Play large-body movement games to explore the meaning of the resurrection. A PE teacher would be a great leader for this lesson.
MARCH 2011
If you are one of the many Christian Educators that is using the full scope and sequence of one year of Cornerstones curriculum, you have been building toward the March lessons that deal with Holy Week. You have planted a foundation since September when your children studied the Old Testament stories that related to the yearly theme. This winter, you’ve been teaching about Jesus’ ministry.
March is the time to pull it all together. Many churches have gathering times each Sunday; this is the time that you can create the framework for the children to understand Holy Week against the backdrop of everything else they have learned this year. Find scriptures from past units to resurrect because they relate to the experience of Holy Week. Perhaps there was a favorite drama, puppet show or class-made video that the children did earlier in the year that could be re-enacted. The stories are all connected to the theme and each other. Now is the time to invite the children to "aha" moments.
The following are examples for each year. Be amazed at how many connections the children will make between the Bible stories they have studied all year. Discover that you are tapping into a very deep well. This is when epiphanies happen.
Witness to God’s Presence
The Holy Week focus is the Last Supper. Refer back to the Plagues and Passover lessons to connect the two meals. Emphasize how people in the stories they have studied witnessed God’s presence. Remind them about the Incarnation they studied at Christmas. How is Jesus the incarnation of God’s presence?
The Covenant
The Holy Week focus is the Woman with the Alabaster Jar and how Holy Week is a reflection of our covenant with God. Refer back to Noah, Abraham and the Ten Commandments to remember how long we have been in relationship with God. Connect the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son parables as examples of how Jesus changed the interpretation of that covenant. What does Jesus have to do with the covenant we have with God?
The Messiah
The Holy Week focus is Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet. Refer back to the story of David to remember that Jesus came from the house of David, as promised by the prophets. Connect the Old Testament prophecies with Jesus’ baptism and Holy Week. Jesus said, “I am the Messiah.” What does that mean?
Quest for Identity
The Holy Week focus is Mary Magdalene. Refer back to how the people of Israel formed their community identity with God in the Jacob and Joseph stories. Connect with how Jesus encountered individuals, like the Samaritan Woman at the Well and Zacchaeus, and changed their relationship with God. Mary Magdalene discovered her own personal relationship with God through her relationship with Jesus Christ. What is your relationship with God? How is it part of your identity?
Word of God
The Holy Week focus is Holy Week: Gospel Comparison. Refer back to How the Bible Came to Be. The Bible has four gospels and four different stories about Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection. How do we determine the truth? How does that affect our faith?
Test of Faith
The Holy Week focus is the Garden of Gethsemane. Refer back to the Garden of Eden and compare how God was in the picture. Remember Ruth and Daniel and how they relied on God to get through hard times. Remember how Jesus healed people so that they could enjoy a relationship with God. Jesus found his comfort in prayer. When do we feel tested? When do we turn to God?
Lent carries so many emotions, so many dark clouds, so many reflections of faith. Perhaps it is tolerable because we know that the story doesn’t end in the tomb. We get to greet Easter with alleluias! In exploring Holy Week throughout Lent, remember to assert that Easter changed everything.
Ash Wednesday is right around the corner when it comes to planning and informing your congregation about your Lenten program. Here's a list of ideas for several family-friendly events where everyone is enriched with the shared experience. Select a few and be amazed at the response!
Witness to God's Presence: The Last Supper: Mary & Martha's B&B
Experience a simple tennebrae service where the disciples reflect on their time with Jesus while candles are extinguished.
Witness to God's Presence: The Last Supper: Moved by the Spirit
Learn about Leonardo da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper and then recreate it with photography.
Covenant: Messengers of the Covenant: Bible Improv
Create a slide show of the song "Mary Did You Know". While this is a Christmas song, it clearly points to how Jesus ministered to the people he encountered. Click here for video example.
Covenant: Crucifixion & Resurrection: Bedouin Encampment
Decorate fancy Easter eggs.
Messiah: Handel's Messiah: Eat Your Way through the Bible
Respond to four songs by interpreting the music with candy/snack palettes.
Messiah: Jesus Washes the Feet of the Disciples: Created by the Spirit
Create a hanging acetate picture of the faces of the people standing at the foot of the cross.
Messiah: Jesus Washes the Feet of the Disciples: Moved by the Spirit
Create a miniature golf course using symbols Jesus used in John 13-17.
Quest for Identity: Mary Magdalene: Video Live
Stage the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" with questions about Holy Week.
Word of God: Holy Week/Gospel Comparison: Where in the World
Participate in a foot-washing ceremony and connect it to service in your local community.
Word of God: Church Year: Moved by the Spirit
Create a roller coaster to depict the emotional ups and downs of Holy Week.
Test of Faith: Garden of Gethsemane: Video Live
Create a slideshow of silhouette tableaus of the major events of Holy Week.
These are all tried and true workshops from which we've received much positive feedback. Don't forget to take pictures or video. Click here to go to Cornerstones Order page.
Fat Tuesday
I have always wanted to kick off Lent at my church with a recognition of Fat Tuesday. Specifically, I've wanted to offer a pancake breakfast on the preceding Sunday, decorated with a Mardi Gras theme. Of course, we don't have to imitate the excesses of Mardi Gras as exhibited in some festivals, but the room could be adorned with purple and green beads. Cornerstones has one lesson that puts together Lent, Mardi Gras and the making of masks: Quest for Identity: Samaritan Woman at the Well: Created by the Spirit. This is a great opportunity to introduce your congregation to your whole Lenten program.
JANUARY 2011
In this Issue:
Resource Idea: Prince of Peace Unit
Prince of Peace Prayer for Peace
Scripture Meditation
The Cornerstones Prince of Peace unit is filled with scripture, reflections and activities that can help children of all ages consider what it means to follow the one we call the Prince of Peace. Consider spending time this winter to gather intergenerationally to consider peace. What is needed in your community? In your state? In your country? In the world? Where is your church already engaged in witnessing God's love so that all may know peace? What can you do, individually or as a group to promote peace?
Here are a few highlights from our unit for you to consider.
- Bible Improv: Learn techniques for conflict resolution using improvisations to explore everyday life.
- Moved by the Spirit: Play team-building activities to understand some of the attitudes needed for peaceful living in community.
- Bedouin Encampment: Meet St. Francis of Assisi and learn his famous prayer about being an instrument of peace.
Prayer for Peace
Our world still needs to hear the call for peace. In times of war and conflict may we always work and pray for peace. The following prayer can be shared with your teachers and children as they learn about Jesus as the Prince of Peace:
In this most challenging time may we have the courage we need,
The strength we need,
The patience we need,
The wisdom we need,
To seek your shalom, to honor or neighbor and to love our enemy.
May we know, and be, a living witness to God's love which is the greatest power in the world;
Your love that cannot be constrained by borders, politics, race or clan, your love which is freely given to all.Most wonderful God you know that a soldier's deepest prayer is always for peace,
Shelter each person who faces war and hostilities in the shadow of your wing,
Hold them and their families in the palm of your hand,
So that they may know the presence of your steadfast love, now and always.
Amen
Scripture Meditation
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Ephesians 4:1-3
As you read and reflect on this scripture may you find ways to live your life in ways that promote peace and challenge injustice.
Showstopper for the First Sunday in January
The New Year is upon us and it is often a time when people consider how they are living their lives. What changes can we make that will bring the Kingdom of God into our daily reality? The signs of the kingdom are sung in Mary's Magnificat - the poor will be lifted up, the hungry will be fed and God will remember the promises to the descendants of Abraham.
We believe in the promises of God and yet when we look around the world we seen an ever increasing tension. The peace and goodwill that is the hope of Christmas has not come. We are called, as believers in Jesus Christ to walk in the ways of God but that is a challenge when there are swords rattling around us. When nations threaten nations with war - North Korea, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, and even the streets of our towns and cities - swords rattle and threats are volleyed, lives are lost and yet, as Christians we are called to something different. We are called to shalom, to peace. As Isaiah tells us swords will be turned into ploughshares. Weapons of war, tools of death, become tools of planting and harvest, tools of life. This can only happen though if we truly walk in God's ways. We are called to live this way, seeking peace and living in and out of the love of God in the world. We cannot wait until tomorrow, when we get done with the things on our lists. We are called now, later, again and again and again to love one another as God has loved you.
Plan now for that time when everyone is packing up the holiday trappings and getting ready for normal life to return. The children of the church can welcome in the new year by "presenting" Handel's Messiah without singing a note. It can be performed during five minutes of worship or during your fellowship hour. You can even make it a sing-along. All of the instructions can be found in our Messiah: Handel's Messiah: Video Live workshop.
Did you know? The biblical backgrounds that come with each lesson also have a Parent Letter in them. This is an easy way to communicate with parents via email. Email the letter and the overviews a week before a new rotation and mention which workshops you are running. It might boost attendance among those who only come to church occasionally. Parents will be able to ask their children what they did on a particular Sunday morning and get more than a grunt of a response. This becomes a subversive way to invite parents to become teachers; as they read about the various workshops, they might find one that speaks to them. Finally, there is a piece at the end of the background that is called Around the Table. It is very simple, but can easily accomplish the family dialogue about faith. Please contact Pam to let her know if this works for you.
OCTOBER 2010
In this Issue:
Workshop Rotation Conference
Talent Showcase Labels
Win a Free Unit
Thanksgiving
Workshop Rotation Conference
We invite you to attend a Workshop Rotation Model 101 Conference on Saturday, October 30, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. John's United Church of Christ in Catonsville, MD. Bring your core team to learn the basics or perhaps you have been doing the WRM for awhile and want to introduce it to a new group of people. Learn how the model works,
how the units of one year of curriculum fit together using the Cornerstones Covenant Year as an example. Learn how to invite the talents in your congregation to participate and more. If you are interested in hosting a conference at your church, please contact Pam Riedy.
Talent Showcase Labels for Messiah Year Curriculum
We have always said that Cornerstones is a talent-based curriculum as we try to match talents with particular workshops.That match turns an invitation to teach into a "Yes, I will". We've created a list of over 200 talents that highlight specific talents associated with each of the 110 lessons in the Cornerstones Messiah Year. As well, this list has been converted into a set of labels that can be applied to a chart of Messiah Year scope and sequence. Instructions are included for how to use these labels to fill your teacher slots for the whole year. Wouldn't it be a blessing to have all of your teachers in place in one fell swoop? Contact Pam Riedy to order this fabulous "recruitment" tool. (866-851-7102)
These labels are also available for the Cornerstones Covenant Year. More to come.
Win a Free Unit
We invite you to become a friend of the Cornerstones Facebook page and be part of our new promotion. Help us reach our goal of 100 new fans by December 31, 2010 and become eligible to receive a voucher for a full unit of lessons ($150 value). Click the "like" button on our Facebook page. Look for future promotions and give-aways, exclusively for our fans!
Preparing for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving often gets passed over as we spend so much time preparing for Christmas programs. Think about including a mini-rotation into your Sunday School program or gathering families of the church together to explore the biblical roots of this national celebration. Cornerstones has put together a list of lessons that might be used, making connections to a wide range of Bible stories, including the Feeding of the 5000, the Lord's Prayer, the story of Ruth gleaning in the fields and the Beatitudes. See our Thanksgiving guide for the complete list. As well, we have a family program called The Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving that can be ordered online or by calling toll free 866-851-7102.
New Teacher Invitation Tool
We have always believed that the best teachers pull from talents, hobbies, career and life experiences to be effective, engaging and transforming. When inviting people to teach, it would be helpful to have an idea of what talents match with specific workshop lessons. Read the article below about the new product we have created that does just that.
Pam Riedy used this tool during a consultation at Green Acres Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth, VA. About 50 people came out to hear about Workshop Rotation, during which time they developed a scope and sequence of the Cornerstones Covenant year and discovered how to connect their talents to a workshop lesson. The scope and sequence is the order of the units to be taught. During the workshop, connections were made between stories so that the participants could see how they were all interconnected.
After this the magic happened. The group was invited to come to a table spread with 200 labels, each connecting a particular talent to a specific workshop lessons. The label included the talent, the lesson title, a description of the lesson and the month it would be taught. There was energy, curiosity, laughter and wonder as people started to select the labels that matched their personal gifts and talents.
We returned to our scope and sequence chart and called people up by the month they would teach. We knew we had a winner when ten people volunteered to teach in September alone. By the time we got to June, the whole chart was full.
No more recruiting. No more "I need one more teacher". Done!
For just $25, you can get the full instructions of how to use this great new tool plus an electronic version of the 200 labels. Currently, this is only available for the Covenant year and is FREE to those who purchase a full year of 100 lessons. Based on request, the other five years will become available soon. Contact us online or phone toll free at 866-851-7102.
This new product is sure to transform your teacher invitation process!
JUNE 2010
In this Issue:
Why these Stories?
Test of Faith Highlights
Talent Search
All-Church Event
Family Connection
Would you like to deepen your Christian education program so that it has more substance?
It can be done by following one whole year of Cornerstones curriculum. Concentrate on one theme and you will find that not only are the children learning valuable Bible stories, but they are gathering pieces of a puzzle that create a bigger picture of faith. They learn that the Old Testament tells the story of faith of a people chosen by God and that Jesus referred to the Hebrew Scriptures to define a new covenant, the foundation of the new church.
This newsletter highlights the Test of Faith: It Ain't Easy year of our curriculum. We all face challenges in our lives and need to hear the stories of those who found their courage and strength in their relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
Why Did Cornerstones Pick These Particular Stories?
In Test of Faith curriculum, we chose Bible stories that illustrate people of faith who found themselves in circumstances that required choices. The tests of faith often involved life and death decisions. Hallelujah, God was always there, guiding the way, shining light on the path and offering an eternal presence.
Highlights from the Test of Faith year
Consider the power of following this whole year in Sunday School. Month after month after month, the children learn that amid the hard choices and struggles in this life, God is always there to comfort and guide us. Hallelujah!
In the Garden of Eden unit, Adam and Eve sure didn't pass the test when they chose to disobey God. Even as the initial punishment was to be death, God granted grace to them, let them live, clothed them and established an eternal relationship that has been extended to all generations.
In the Ruth unit, Ruth and Naomi were saved from starvation by gleaning the fields of Boaz who had been following the mandates of the Torah to leave food in his fields for the poor and alien.
In the Daniel unit, Daniel and his friends found the courage they needed as exiles in a foreign land. Their oppressors manufactured ways to challenge the faith of the Israelites, but Daniel kept finding his strength in his relationship with God.
In Christmas Dreams, God knows the challenges of the Holy Family while living in a land occupied by foreigners. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the kings were open to God's directions and the knowledge that God would not abandon them no matter how dire the circumstances seemed.
In the Healing Miracles unit, illness and disability can become the seed of despair and the sense of abandonment. When Jesus healed those who had been relegated to the fringes of society, he offered them new life, a place in the community and visible sign of their relationship with God.
The Rich Young Man struggled with his wealth. He discovered that with his wealth was getting in the way of his relationships with people and with God. This echoes back to the Ruth unit where a relationship with God mandates caring for the poor.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus faced the ultimate challenge of following God's will, even unto death. This echoes the Garden of Eden and Daniel units.
In the Doubting Thomas unit, Thomas only believed in the resurrection after seeing the Risen Christ. He came to believe that Jesus was indeed God Incarnate.
The Pentecost unit picks up where Doubting Thomas left off. The disciples were transformed from a small band of faithful but hesitant followers into the trailblazers of the new church.
Jonah is the story of how God uses an unwilling person to testify about God's steadfast love, salvation and redemption. Jonah's story echoes that of Jesus' resurrection, entombed for three days and brought back to new life.
What Special Talents Do I Look For To Enhance These Lessons?
Cornerstones encourages the use of people with various talents to ignite the lessons with even more energy while making a connection between faith and life. Here are some ideas:
• Puppetry workshops are image-based, like in the Ruth unit where the class makes 3D props that express the images of God that are found in the Bible. Do you know a graphic artist or a religious art historian?
• The Healing Miracles unit is a wonderful time to bring in people from the medical field who can testify to the miracles they have witnessed that couldn't be explained by their medical practice.
• A gardener will enjoy teaching the Where in the World Is? Workshop in the Healing Miracles unit with the creation of seed starter kits.
• Look for someone who enjoys geo-cache, traveling country roads with a DeLorme map or planning the route for a big trip to teach the Where in the World Is? Workshop in the Garden of Gethsemane or Doubting Thomas units.
All-Church Events
What are some ideas for all-church events that connect with what we are doing in Sunday School?
- On a Sunday in September, have a simple lunch, learn the story of the Garden of Eden, do some apple crafts and then go apple picking.
- In the winter, work with your mission outreach board to launch a blanket drive in the Rich Young Man: Created by the Spirit lesson.
- Sponsor a Lenten series for families using five lessons from the Garden of Gethsemane unit. You'll be amazed at how responsive the adults will be to experiential learning.
- Host an all-church event with activities from several workshops. This is a great way to launch your summer Sunday School program.
Family Connections
How can I encourage our church families to make a connection at home to what we are doing in Sunday School?
• Each Cornerstones unit has a Bible @ Your Fingertips lesson. For only $15, a family can purchase that lesson which is downloaded to their home computer; the family can learn the story together. Just tell them to call us toll-free and we'll email to them.
• Each unit also has an Eat Your Way through the Bible lesson. Families can enjoy cooking together while learning a Bible story.
• The stories in the Test of Faith curriculum year have been rendered by the masters. Take an excursion to an art museum and make it a scavenger hunt for the ten stories. Or go to www.textweek.com to see pictures of art from various cultures across the millennia.
APRIL/MAY 2010
In this Issue:
Sunday Summer School with Daniel
Field Trip Ideas
It's time to start thinking about curriculum for Summer Sunday School. Consider spending the whole summer focusing on just one story. With the sporadic attendance most of us get in summer, the continuity will be rewarding. We'll illustrate this with our Daniel unit. Feel free to apply the ideas in this newsletter to any of our 60 different units.
Families can purchase any of the lessons to do at home. At only $15 each, this might be the very avenue they are looking for to initiate faith development at home and have it connect to what is happening in Sunday School.
Spend the Summer with Daniel
Take a look at our overviews for the Daniel unit found in our Test of Faith year. There are 11 lessons - that just about covers the weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Larger programs can run the workshops in a Workshop Rotation Model. Smaller programs can run this as a one-room Sunday School where the whole group experiences a different workshop each week. In either case, make sure to invite particular talents from the church to enhance the weekly activity or focus.
Daniel Workshop Lessons:
In the Bedouin Encampment, Daniel ponders the difference between magic tricks and God's power. It would be fun to have a magician perform some tricks that day.
If you have a computer lab, you might consider having it open for 15-30 minutes after church. Download the Bible @ Your Fingertips lesson and families can work through the program together.
In Bible Improv, the class plays "Babylon Squares". Could some carpenters create a simple game show set?
In Created by the Spirit, look for someone who loves to see religious art in a museum and ask him/her to create a gallery of Daniel pictures across the ages and ethnicities.
Who is the best pie baker in the congregation? In Eat Your Way through the Bible, the class makes apple turnovers to ponder how Daniel turned his problems over to God.
In Faith Today, get some American Idol fans to lead the discussion about idolatry and pop culture.
Get those garage-sale pros to find what you need for the Babylon display in Mary & Martha's Bed & Breakfast.
The class plays lion beanbag games in Moved by the Spirit. Who can make those games?
Puppetry creates a show using kitchen utensils. Do you know of someone who loves kitchen gadgets and would have fun making parallels to the people in Daniel's story?
In Video Live, make a video of Daniel's story and show it to the congregation later. Better yet, post it on our Facebook page.
Do you know someone who appreciates native and aboriginal art? In Where in the World, a collector of a native cultural art form could really enhance this lesson that ponders how various cultures artistically express their relationship with God.
Field Trip Ideas
Can you host a field trip sometime during the summer to make more connections to the Daniel story?
- Go to a zoo where there are lions and let the children tell the story.
- Go to an art museum that has a rendition of Daniel in the lion's den.
- Go to a natural history museum and find the artifacts from the time of Daniel.
- Find a local church that has a stained-glass window of Daniel.
MARCH 2010
In this issue:
Easter around the World in Sunday School
Home Schooling and Family Friendly Bible Study
Midweek
As our culture continues to be ever more diverse, this is a good time to highlight how Holy Week and Easter are celebrated all over the world. As the church has spread over two millennia, native cultures found unique ways to embrace the Gospel. This is like two sides of the same coin: while discovering diversity, we discover our own traditions. Take a look at the overviews for our Easter Around the World unit. Read further for great ways to use these great lessons in various settings.
Easter around the World in Sunday School:
These lessons work well in a Workshop Rotation Model program, as a supplement to a traditional one, or in a large group gathering in a church. Here are a few descriptions to get your creative juices flowing:
-Created by the Spirit: Learn how Bermuda celebrates the Resurrection by flying kites. Make a kite and fly it on Easter morning, either at home or at church.
-Faith Today: Focus on how your local church celebrates the days of Holy Week. Create a flyer for the children to take home.
-Puppetry: Enact a puppet show about a lily in the Garden of Gethsemane and how it is transformed to be a herald of the Resurrection. Consider performing this during Holy Week or videotaping it to show while entering the sanctuary throughout the week.
-Video Live: Create a newscast that explores the history and origin of the Easter Bunny in relation to the Resurrection. This is a great opportunity to separate Easter from the Easter Bunny without destroying any childhood myths. Consider putting your video on our You Tube site and letting the parents know about it.
-Where in the World: Explore the history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where it is believed that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. In a simulation of the cooperation required by the six denominations that preside over the church, create a sacred space for an alcove in that church. The embrace of diversity is profound in this lesson.
Home-Schooling and Family-friendly Bible Study:
Whether you want to focus on how various ethnic groups celebrate Easter, figure out the Easter Bunny or connect a field trip or family excursion with the Bible, we have just the lesson for you:
-Bedouin Encampment: Investigate the symbolism behind a wide variety of flowers and horticulture in relation to the Easter message of the Resurrection and new life. Then go to a flower shop or a nursery in search of those flowers. Consider a field trip or family excursion to a local botanic garden or conservatory with displays of Easter flowers.
-Bible @ Your Fingertips: Explore the Holy Sepulchre (the site of Jesus' crucifixion and entombment) in the software Pathways through Jerusalem. Use your home computer as a tool for family-friendly Bible Study. This particular program features nine different tour guides of Jerusalem from across the millennia. This makes a nice connection to the Mary & Martha's B&B lesson.
-Bible Improv: Are you having trouble explaining the Easter Bunny? Try this lesson at home to explore the differences between the biblical Easter story and how it is represented by the commercial world in America.Video Live is fun as the children create a newscast that explores the history and origin of the Easter Bunny in relation to the Resurrection.
-Created by the Spirit: Learn how Bermuda celebrates the Resurrection by flying kites. Make kites and fly them on Easter morning.
-Eat Your Way through the Bible: Make kolaches, raspberry lemonade and kielbasa while learning how Slavic people celebrate Easter. This is a great time to tell your family story of ethnic background, faith traditions and holiday memories. How about doing this as a prelude to dying your Easter eggs? Is there a Slavic church nearby to visit?
-Mary & Martha's B&B: Who can act as Peter, telling his story of denial, witness and leadership in the church. Learn how the Greek Orthodox tradition celebrates Easter Eve at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Share any dreams you have of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Decorate candles to remember that Jesus is the light of the world. Is there a Greek Orthodox church nearby to visit? This makes a nice connection to the Bible @ Your Fingertips lesson.
If you are a Director of Children's Ministry, consider forwarding this page to the families in your congregation and strengthen the connection between church and home.
Midweek:
Are you looking for ideas that are fun while still being biblically based? These four lessons can work in a Workshop Rotation Model program (four-week/four workshop rotation) or as the feature activity of the week for all ages.
-Bible Improv: Explore the differences between the biblical Easter story and how it is represented by the commercial world in America.
-Eat Your Way through the Bible: Make kolaches, raspberry lemonade and kielbasa while learning how Slavic people celebrate Easter. This is a great time to explore what the children know about their own ethnic identity and how their families celebrate Easter.
-Moved by the Spirit: Learn about the symbolism of the egg and then play Easter egg games from around the world.
-Mary & Martha's B&B: Hear Peter tell his story of denial, witness and leadership in the church. Learn how the Greek Orthodox tradition celebrates Easter Eve at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Decorate candles to remember that Jesus is the light of the world. This offers a great opportunity to talk about pilgrimages. Perhaps someone in your congregation could share pictures from a trip to the Holy Land.
A Prayer for the Earthquake Victims of Haiti
Gracious and loving God,
Our hearts ache for the people of Haiti. Hold them in your loving hands and mend their broken hearts. Open the hearts of the world to respond in compassion to provide all that the people need for the restoration of life.
God, hear the cries of your people, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers who cannot find their loved ones. Hear the cries of the people who hold death in their hands and do not know what to do. Let them know that they can turn to you, that you will never abandon them and that nothing can separate them from your healing love.
We commend to you those whose lives have been returned to you and we place them in your care. We do this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen
Our hearts are filled with compassion and sympathy for the people of Haiti and all those foreign nationals who were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. It is important to talk to the children in our churches about the devastation in ways that do not negate the reality of the death and destruction and yet helps them to know that this is not an act of God against the people of Haiti. The God of love does not destroy life. We, as the people of God must respond in prayer and support with all the resources we have to help the people who have lost so much.
Cornerstones has several lessons that might be of assistance as you deal with this terrible tragedy. Please feel free to adjust the lessons to connect with any denominational or aid programs that are known to you. Details about the following lessons are available in our catalog. The lesson are listed by Year: Unit: Workshop.
Word of God: Ezekiel: Faith Today
Test of Faith: The Rich Young Man: Where in the World ls?
Test of Faith: The Rich Young Man: Created by the Spirit
Test of Faith: Jonah: Bedouin Encampment
The Covenant: The Good Samaritan: Faith Today
Quest for Identity: Jacob and Esau: Faith Today
May the people of Haiti know the love of God through our prayers and actions.
In this Issue:
Thanksgiving Program
Social Network
Family Home Ministry
Staying Grounded
Thanksgiving Program
If you long to deepen your congregation's understanding of our biblical mandate to offer thanks consider using our Exploring the Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving program. This is an intergenerational program that could take place on a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon. All ages are able to participate and everyone will come away with a richer understanding of our celebration of Thanksgiving.
Other Thanksgiving ideas can be found in our Thanksgiving Planning Guide.
Social Network
We invite you to become a Cornerstones Facebook fan. We also encourage you to send links to your workshop rotation videos for our YouTube page.
Family Home Ministry
This time of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is a time of family gatherings and a great time to consider beginning or enriching family centered Bible studies. Churches provide wonderful education programs but families are the real key to faith formation. Cornerstones has great family friendly resources to help families do just this.
For other ideas, search the Cornerstones online catalog or quick reference quide.
Staying Grounded
Pam and Mary Jane have both been Christian educators in the local church as well as mothers and publishers. We know just how hard it is to keep focused on the reason for the season - JESUS! Pam keeps grounded in the story by moving the characters in the crèche around the room every few days. It's interesting to ponder what various people were thinking on the road to Bethlehem. Mary Jane keeps grounded by observing the signs of the season everywhere and remembering that they all point to the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to us even in the hustle and bustle that is the contemporary Christmas season.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009
In this Issue:
Home Schooling Ideas
Group Dynamics
Academic Skills Connection
Computer and Mission Options
Home Schooling Ideas
The newest trend in Christian Education is infusing faith development into the home schooling setting. Many parents are choosing to be intentional about making the home a central place where Bible stories are learned, Bible study skills are developed and Christian values are nurtured. There is more to it than simply reading a story from the Bible at bedtime. If the story is going to be etched on the heart of the child, it needs to be interactive, experiential and dynamic. Cornerstones is a substantial curriculum that explores 60 Bible stories. There are six themes, each developed over ten units from Old Testament to New Testament to the new church. Each unit has eleven different lessons than can be bought individually for just $15. Read further to see how this works in the home schooling family.
One approach is to explore one theme over the entire academic year. Go to our Scope and Sequence. Notice that you can study one story/month and conduct one lesson per week. You will be amazed at how your children will start to make connections between the stories and fundamental concepts, enriching their faith. For example, in our Witness to God’s Presence year, you study Moses and the Plagues and Passover in October, making and eating a Passover meal. In March, you study the Last Supper, making and eating a Passover meal. Your children will remember that meal and understand how Jesus transformed it into Holy Communion. Every time they are in church and partake in the Eucharist, they will bring that background with them, enriching their spirituality.
Group Dynamics
Another dimension is to get together in small groups once a week to explore Bible stories that are enhanced by group dynamics. The Moved by the Spirit lesson in the Last Supper unit recreates Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper; this requires 13 people. The Moved by the Spirit lesson in the Abraham unit repeatedly constructs and deconstructs a campsite to understand how Abraham was a nomad who listened to God. The Video Live lessons involve making a video; frequently the group simulates a news broadcast of a biblical event. If gathering with other Christian families is part of your social networking, Cornerstones has many options for creating transforming opportunities in faith development.
Academic Skills Connection
Another approach to Christian Education for the home schooler is to connect a Bible story to a particular academic skill. In the Bedouin Encampment lesson in the Abraham unit, learn about the promise to Abraham that he would have more ancestors than he could count and then count grains of sand. Simple arithmetic to complicated math can be used to ponder the number of people who have descended from Abraham. In the Where in the World lesson, learn about the geography of the Holy Land by comparing maps from the time of Abraham to current day maps. The Video Live lesson reinforces the geography skills by designing a promotional video for a “Footsteps of Abraham” video.
Computer and Mission Options
Cornerstones also explores the Bible using computer software in our Bible @ Your Fingertips lessons. With a handful of software and a graphics program, the whole family can have fun learning Bible stories. The lessons encourage the use of concordances, Bible atlases and Bible dictionaries as supplements, developing the skills needed for lifelong faith development.
If you are interested in expanding your family’s faith with mission outreach, Cornerstones often connects a Bible story with involvement in the community, whether on a local, national or international level. While learning about the Feeding of the 5000, the family can participate in Heifer International. While learning about Abraham, a benevolent sewing project can be made for the local family shelter or county hospital. The Faith Today lessons are often mission-oriented and are a good place to start.
JULY/AUGUST 2009
In this Issue:
Midweek Program Ideas
How Many Workshops Will You Have?
Midweek Program Ideas
Do you offer a midweek program? Do you struggle each week to randomly put together activities in hopes of being entertaining? Perhaps you need a theme for the whole year, explored in monthly units that link the Old Testament to the New Testament and the early church. Look no further than Cornerstones where you will find six themes each containing ten units with a choice of eleven different workshops for each unit. These interactive and dynamic workshops are perfect for a midweek program that is intent on faith development.
One Year - One Theme
Let's explore using the theme Witness to God's Presence for one academic year.
September: Creation
October: Plagues and Passover
November: Wandering in the Wilderness
December: The Incarnation
January: Feeding the 5,000
February: The Lord's Prayer
March: The Last Supper
April: The Walk to Emmaus
May: Paul on the Road
June: Witnesses Today
Notice that the Bible stories were selected to show that the Lord is present from the beginning of time and is witnessed by the Hebrews in their salvation stories, the miracles of Jesus, our prayer life, the institution of the Last Supper and the establishment of the church. A secondary theme develops around bread; each month, breads from around the world can be brought in to connect with the Bible story. By the end of the year, the children will make the connection between bread, communion, Jesus as the Bread of Life and their own living faith.
Each workshop has eleven choices. For example, if you choose to use the Creation unit, you might choose these four workshops for the first month:
Eat Your Way through the Bible
where you explore the diversity of seeds
Created by the Spirit
where you make stationery from recycled materials
Mary & Martha's Bed & Breakfast
where you create a wall mural based on Psalm 8
Video Live
where you make Public Service Announcements for each day of Creation.
For the next unit, you might pick four entirely different workshops depending on which activities appeal to you and what talent you have available.
How many workshops will you have?
Depending on the size of your program, you have options regarding how many workshops are running at once. If you have between 5 and 15 children, you might run this as one cross-graded group that experiences one workshop/week. If you have more, you can offer several workshops at a time. Click here to see grids of how this works for 3, 4 and 6 groups.
Program Follow-up
Consider holding an open house at the end of each quarter where projects can be displayed and dramas, puppet shows and make-your-own videos can be performed. Parents, siblings and visitors can be invited to experience some of the favorite activities. You might launch a mission project that connects with a unit, like doing a fundraiser for the Heifer Project in relation to the Feeding of the 5,000 unit.
MAY/JUNE 2009
In this issue:
Summer Sunday School Ideas
Overview of Jesus in the Arts Program
What do you do for summer Sunday School?
Is your attendance sporadic? Do some families come each week? Are your attendance numbers less in the summer? Do you want to do something creative and exciting? We've got a great idea! Use our Jesus in the Arts unit.
This can operate as a Workshop Rotation Model with several classes rotating at once or as a one -room-Sunday School. You can have a different teacher each week or one teacher for the whole summer who invites "experts" to help, based on the talent they have to offer.
At the end of the summer host an interactive Christian Art Fair featuring the projects the children did throughout the summer. Display all the children's projects in an Art Gallery. Save the project supplies and set up stations where the congregation can experience art. This can be a great way to begin your fall programming and is easy to set up. You could even consider having a live performance of the puppet show. This day becomes a gift that the children give to the congregation. It is a celebration of the summer and an energizer to start the fall.
Overview of Jesus in the Arts Program
The following are ten different lessons about Jesus in the Arts. You can use them sequentially for ten weeks or select the lessons that fit your schedule. Some of these lessons involve creating art that should be saved for the Christian Art Fair. Some lessons are great to replicate at the Art Fair so be sure to order extra supplies. (See the notes after each lesson.)
Bedouin Encampment: Meet John of Damascus and learn about icons. Create a drawing of the Messiah in the style of an icon. Invite a member of your congregation that collects religious icons or is an art enthusiast. (Save projects)
Bible Improv: Play two improv games to explore the concepts of the Messiah. Ask a drama enthusiast to lead this session. (Save supplies)
Created by the Spirit: Create chrismons to explore Christian symbolism. This is a perfect lesson for a crafter or someone who collects crosses. (Save projects)
Eat Your Way through the Bible: Study the imagery in stained-glass windows and then create edible versions. Be sure to ask a baker to help with this lesson. It would be great if someone in your church makes stained glass. (Save projects)
Faith Today: Explore contemporary Christian music as a vehicle that keeps the image of Jesus fresh in our minds. The only musical skill required is the ability to play a CD and listen to music. (Select music to play during the Art Fair)
Mary & Martha's Bed & Breakfast: Meet Michelangelo and participate in painting a portion of the Sistine Chapel. Ask around, has anyone visited the Sistine Chapel? Have them come share their experience or invite a painter to guide the painting process. (Save project and supplies)
Moved by the Spirit: Create a giant floor mosaic of an early Christian masterpiece or art. Invite a jigsaw puzzler! (Save supplies)
Puppetry: For centuries Passion Plays have told the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Learn about the Passion Play in Oberammergau. Perform portions of a Passion Play using puppets. Has anyone ever been to Oberammergau, if so invite them to share their travel experience. (perform play during Art Fair)
Video Live! View a variety of Hollywood productions to analyze how Jesus is portrayed at the movies. Roll out the red carpet, pop the popcorn and enjoy some movies and great discussion. (provide a list of movies for families to watch at home.)
Where in the World Is? Discover how various cultures, races and ethnic groups portray Jesus. Ask a missionary or some one who has moved to your congregation from another country or someone who has travelled abroad to share their story . (Save projects)
In this issue:
Eastertide to Pentecost
The Early Church
Acts of the Apostles
Every Conversation is an Invitation
Eastertide to Pentecost
Eastertide is the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost.
Now is a great time to celebrate the birthday of the church.
We have a full unit on Pentecost. There are lots of creative ideas such as poetry, windblown water colors, world-wide connections to our everyday life and much more.
The Early Church
The Early Church has a lot to teach us about the Body of Christ. Look at the catalog overviews for this unit in the Covenant year. Imagine asking a car enthusiast to use the visual of a car engine to teach about the Body of Christ (in the Video Live workshop).
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles testify to the power of the Holy Spirit and the emergence of the Christian faith community. See our catalog for overviews in the Word of God curriculum year. Imagine asking someone who dyes cloth to tell of the story of Lydia and teach the children how to dye cloth (in the Eat Your Way through the Bible lesson.)
Every Conversation is an Invitation
This is the perfect time of year to invite people to participate in your program. Everyone has a gift from God. It is your challenge and joy to help them make a connection between their gift and the stories of faith that you will be sharing with the children. Invite them to share their gift in ways that will make the classroom come alive and transforming for all.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009
In this issue:
Explore Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Lent is time when we remember that not only did God give us the gift of his only son, but that God's love for us is so great that he willingly sacrificed his son for us. We remember this sacrifice and the transformation that happened because of it - Easter!
With the hope of spring in the air, many congregations focus their preparation on the Lenten season. If you are looking for a unique way to approach Lent, you'll find it at Cornerstones. As Christian Educators, our congregations call on us to lead them through a Lenten journey that will result in rejoicing on Easter morning.
Explore Palm Sunday
The following is a sampling of some of our creative lessons for Palm Sunday. Go to our online catalog for many more ideas. Each lesson is listed by the Year: Unit: Lesson.
Test of Faith:Garden of Gethsemane:Video Live!: Create a silhouette slideshow about Holy Week and show it on Good Friday.
Messiah:Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet:Created by the Spirit: Create a special painting of faces at the foot of the cross.
Messiah: Handel's Messiah:Eat Your Way through the Bible: Eat your way through Handel's Messiah by creating images in response to the music using snack foods. It's deeper than it appears and gives a solid overview of Jesus' ministry, crucifixion and resurrection.
Roller Coaster of Holy Week: Ponder the emotional ups and downs of Holy Week by creating roller coasters.
Maunday Thursday
Maundy Thursday is often a time of family worship that invites participation. Consider offering a soup dinner followed by one of these interactive experiences.
Witness to God's Presence:Last Supper:Moved by the Spirit: Explore the body language in daVinci's Last Supper and recreate it using parishioners and digital cameras.
Messiah:Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet:Moved by the Spirit: Learn what Jesus said during the time he washed the feet of the disciples. Then create a miniture golf-course based on John 13-17.
Witness to God's Presence:Plagues and Passover:Eat Your Way through the Bible: Host an intergenerational Taste of the Seder and use this as a platform for introducing children to communion.
Messiah:Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet:Faith Today: Connect a foot-washing ceremony with a sock drive for the homeless.
Covenant:Crucifixion and Resurrection:Bedouin Encampment: Create payansky-style eggs, a Lithuanian tradition of painting Easter eggs with symbols of the faith.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
In this Issue:
All-Church Advent Festival
Christmas around the World
Other Christmas Units
re you still looking for some new ways to be innovative this year? Read on.
It seems that by the age of five, most children know the basics of the Christmas story. By the age of ten, they can recite most of the story. By adulthood, a fresh approach can engender a spiritual journey that is often lost in the rush to accomplish all of our holiday chores before December 25. That is the challenge of the Christian Educator in December: how to create a program that enriches the entire congregation and triggers that spiritual journey.
All-Church Advent Festival
Many churches have Advent festivals, perhaps on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. They are often craft oriented and focus on young families. There is an opportunity for this event to add far more depth, encouraging the whole congregation to attend. The family tree of Jesus as delineated in both Matthew and Luke refers to the Jesse Tree, the concept that the messiah will come from the root of Jesse, the father of King David. Cornerstones has a full free unit on the Jesse Tree. Ponder including some of these activities in your Advent Festival, bridging the Old Testament with the New Testament as they come together in the birth of Jesus Christ.
- In Bible Improv, act out the stories of some of the prominent people who are mentioned in Jesus' lineage.
- In Faith Today, create a Church History Tree with the ancestors of Jesus in the roots and Christian denominations as the leaves. This is a great way to explore local church history.
- In Moved by the Spirit, play checkers on a human scale with the players as the people from the Jesse Tree.
There are a total of eleven lessons, so choose the ones that best suit the needs of your congregation.
Christmas around the World
Another avenue to take for an Advent Festival is to look at Christmas around the World from our Quest for Identity Year:
- In Eat Your Way through the Bible, participate in a Moravian Love Feast.
- In Mary & Martha's B&B, explore Christmas Carols.
- In Moved by the Spirit, participate in a Posada from the Mexican tradition.
- In Puppetry, create a puppet show for the story of La Befana from an Italian tradition.
- Video Live includes a handbell choir performance of "O Come All Ye Faithful".
See also the full list of eleven lessons for Christmas around the World in the Quest for Identity curriculum year.
Other Christmas Units:
Cornerstones has more ideas for Christmas lessons. Please read the overviews for the following units:
- The Incarnation
- Messengers of the New Covenant
- Jesus as Fulfillment of the Prophecies
- Christmas:Gospel Comparison
- Christmas Dreams
The titles alone encourage you to plan a program with depth that will offer new lenses through which to experience the Christmas story.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
In this issue:
Halloween gatherings
Exploring the Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving
Science Lessons
As autumn changes fill our lives we look to the scriptures again to keep us grounded in faith.
Dem Bones!
This fall consider the story of the dry bones in Ezekiel as we see skeletons appear around town. The Puppetry lesson in our Ezekiel unit is a great addition to any Halloween gathering! It is great if you can use a black light to make the 'dry bones' really come to life right before your eyes.
This and 10 other exciting lessons about Ezekiel are available. See Word of God year in our catalog.
Exploring the Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving
Our Pilgrim forefathers and foremothers did not arrive in America without a deep understanding of the stories of our faith. That first Thanksgiving was surely rooted in the ancient Hebrew traditions of offering First Fruits. Today we secularize the celebration of Thanksgiving with football and the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. If you long to deepen your congregations' understanding of our biblical mandate to offer thanks consider using Cornerstones' Exploring the Biblical Roots of Thanksgiving program. This is an intergenerational program that could take place on a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon. All ages are able to participate and everyone will come away with a richer understanding of our celebration of Thanksgiving.
Science Lessons
Cornerstones has lots of science lessons that can help you take your learning to a new level of understanding. Use prisms to shed light on the Noah story. Get a charge out of static electricity as you learn about Holy Week. Ecology and stewardship of the earth are explored in four different lessons. Watch crystal gardens appear before your eyes as you learn about Jesus as the Prince of Peace.
Check out all of our science workshop lessons.
JULY/AUGUST 2008
In this issue
Bible Skills Day
Local Church History
Go Green
Family Feasts
Rally Day Ideas
It is only the middle of summer but September is right around the corner. Many congregations have a Rally Day, Kick-Off Sunday or Rededication celebration in the fall to start the school year. Some congregations host an all-church lunch, whether it's a pot luck or BBQ or bring your own tomatoes! It's a very exciting and social day - much like a homecoming.
This year consider adding an element that will foster spiritual growth across the generations. Cornerstones offers countless combinations of lessons but we have put together several to get your creative juices flowing.
Bible Skills Day
Ask parishioners to bring their favorite Bibles and do a Bible Show and Tell. Play a search game for various categories; the oldest, one in a foreign language, one given at confirmation, various translations.
Rotate through three workshops from the unit: Word of God: How the Bible Came to Be. Most adults don't know how the Bible they have was developed. It may be new information for everyone!
Add another 20-30 minutes playing a Bible knowledge game. The lesson in Quest for Identity: Mary Magdalene: Video Live! gives instructions on how to create the show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". Mix the contestants across the generations and use the pastor as a lifeline.
Local Church History
Consider using the time of focus to rekindle awareness of your congregation's roots.
- Spend 15 minutes rotating through three workshops each from a unit on church history:
- Witness to God's Presence: Paul on the Road
- The Covenant: The Early Church: Body of Christ
- Word of God: Acts of the Apostles
- Test of Faith: Pentecost
- Highlight your local church history. Consider using Quest for Identity: Martin Luther: Faith Today to learn how your denomination fits into the family tree of the Christian Church.
- Videotape testimonials of devoted parishioners. Lessons that can guide this activity can be found in the following lessons:
- Witness to God's Presence: Witnesses Today: Bedouin Encampment
- Messiah: Prince of Peace: Video Live!
- Make a time capsule and bury it to commemorate the day. Use either:
- Word of God: How the Bible Came to Be: Where in thw World Is
- Word of God: Church Year: Faith Today
Go Green
The change of seasons is a perfect time to make changes in habits. Spend some time rotating through a few of our eco-friendly lessons. These lessons address organic gardening practices, recycling, land use, biodiversity and more.
Check them out all our eco-friendly lessons at our website and start the year off green! Because Cornerstones has so many eco-friendly lessons you might want to have a learning opportunity each month that focuses on earth friendly living.
Family Feasts
Cornerstones has a program called Gospel Gourmet. It is a twelve-week survey of the Bible using food, the universal language. One minister exclaimed to us, "Oh, I do a family meal and program once a month. Now I have my curriculum for the year!" Another minister used this as an introductory Bible study tool for people who were intimidated by a Bible 101 class.
Did you know food is mentioned in the Bible more than love? Whet your congregation's appetite for learning by launching Gospel Gourmet this fall and build your class for the rest of the year!
We hope these ideas give you some energy to take your Rally Day to a whole new level. Everyone is welcome! Everyone participates! Why? Because the experience is fun, engaging and ultimately, transforming. It is a great way to start off the school year. Contact us if you want to brainstorm more ideas. It is our joy to support the educational ministry of your congregation.