Rotation.org's Newsletter
March 2016
www.rotation.org
Recent Lesson and Resource Posts
- Member Kristin posted photos with her art lesson about Jesus Calms the Sea
- Member Neil posted a music video for the Beatitudes
- Wormy posted a photo of the "Faith through the Roof" Diorama-making workshop at 1st Slidell, La
- Member Carol posted her neat prayer lesson about Gethsemane that uses yoga (movement, meditation).
- Member Anne posted a great hands-on activity about forgiveness...."seeds of change" in the Lord's Prayer forum.
- Member Eleanor posted a "blacklight" option to the Writing Team's Drama workshop lesson about Mary Magdalene at the Resurrection.
- Member Luanne posted a new video suggestion for younger children re: Temptation, Jesus in Wilderness
- Member Neil posted an art idea for an "alka seltzer lava lamp ~ Jesus Calms Storm" project.
- Creative Carol has updated/revised all her church's Holy Week lessons:
- ART: Decoupage wooden crosses that will remain in the classrooms. LINK
- COOKING: Make an edible map representing parts of story as they happened in Jerusalem. LINK.
- GAMES: Play a game that takes the students through the sequence of events. LINK.
- PUPPETS: Use puppets to illustrate the arrest and trial of Jesus. LINK.
- PHOTOGRAPHY: Create a tableau (a still picture) of each portion of the story. LINK.
Survey Says!
We have two surveys closing soon:
Sunday School "Ending" Dates, Transitions, Traditions,
and Teacher/Student Appreciation PracticesThis survey closes May 1, 2016.
Does your Sunday School take a Summer Break? Why? Why Not?
This survey closes next week!
Summer Survey Trends...
So far, about half of you said your Sunday School TAKES A BREAK during the summer, and most who take a break say they are "okay" with that. Take our survey, then see the results and post your thoughts.
We asked two Supporting Members about their Summer Sunday School Survey votes, and this is what they said:
Kina: We take a break from all our main programs in the summer - Sunday School, choir, etc. ...largely to give volunteers time to relax and refresh. However, when I put on my Newcomer Ministry hat, I see the problem of having too little to offer families moving into the area and scoping out new churches. We offer a pretty fabulous VBS. I also try to do summer projects such as Flat Jesus to keep everyone connected.
Kina, a Rotation.org member since 2011, is Director of Christian Formation and Newcomer Ministry at The Episcopal Church of St. Peter-by--the-Lake in Denver North Carolina.
Dawn: Our Pastors prefer Sunday school to run continuous, but we are now in the process of considering the summer break. I would appreciate the break for my volunteers which are the parents of the children who attend Sunday school. It is always a grind to gather volunteers and the summer months would be a nice time to relax and have children enjoy worship with family. We have outdoor worship in the summer, so I feel it would be a beneficial time for parents to introduce worship to children.Dawn, a Rotation member since 2005, is the Children's Ministry Director at Liberty Presbyerian in Dublin Ohio.
New from the Writing Team!
Our all-new Pentecost lesson set has NINE different workshops:
♦ Shavu'ot ~ Pentecost Foods (Cooking)
♦ Breath Painting (Art)
♦ Spirit-Powered Model Rocket Launch (Rocket workshop!)
♦ "Start a Fire" blacklight presentation (Music & Movement)
♦ Pentecost Pirates & Surfers (Computer)
♦ "Mighty Wind" leaf-blower games (Bible Skills & Games)
♦ Plus: Puppets, Drama, and Video workshops
Whether you're cherry-picking one lesson each year or using four or five in a single rotation, you'll find this new Pentecost set creative, rich, and on fire! Read the Lesson Summaries.
Recently Revised:
♥ Palm Sunday ~ Jesus is the One!
Upcoming Set Revisions:
♥ Paul and the Bright Light (late March)
♥ Exodus (Spring)
Our special "Writing Team" Lesson Sets were created over the past 10 years by volunteers for our Supporting Members. Beginning last year, Neil MacQueen and a group of volunteers have been overhauling the sets, improving activities, and adding new lessons. These special lesson sets are in addition to the hundreds of other great lessons and ideas posted in the Rotation.org Lesson Forum.
Thank you
We hope Rotation.org is a blessing to your teaching ministry, and ask that you please consider becoming a supporting member, if you have not already done so.
One of the best ways you can support the site is by posting your great lesson ideas. Make a commitment this Lent to share your great lesson ideas with other teachers here at Rotation.org
Founded in 1997, Rotation.org is an independent, ecumenical, 501(c)3 non-profit ministry supporting Sunday School. Originally created to support those of us using the Rotation Model for Sunday School, we are a resource to all sizes and types of Sunday School around the world.