Lessons to go along with a "Let's Go!" Set-Sail event or theme

The metaphors of raising sails and catching the breeze are akin to the Let's Go! theme, and both are great biblical visuals for your renewal programming theme. If your end of summer or returning to Sunday school event has a "Set Sail" theme, there are a number of lessons at Rotation.org that you can use to accompany that theme for your first rotation of the school year.

• The story of Jesus walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33) is one to consider. The boating and sailing motif is found throughout the creative lessons in the Peter Sinks, Jesus Saves! Writing Team lesson set. The focus for the lessons in the set is particularly appropriate for starting a new school year: one of the key objectives of the lessons is that the students will know that their doubts and fears will not keep Jesus from reaching out to save them. They are encouraged to renew their commitment to walk (or sail) with Jesus.
  • Several of those lessons are featured above: The Boat and Butter Sunday school lesson and the Seeking Renewal/Reaching out for Jesus art lesson.  (The lesson ideas excerpted above were written by the Writing Team, which means you'll need a Supporting Membership to access the full lesson with all its details. However, we've excerpted the crucial ideas and activities to help you plan your lesson if you don't want to become a Supporting Member at this time.)
  • The Writing Team's Water-telling workshop for Peter Sinks, Jesus Saves! is a "hands-in" lesson, where the students hear a storyteller's version of the Bible story and then gather around "The Sea of Galilee" (a shallow pool of water you build in your classroom or outside the church) to re-enact the story with an extra focus on the meaning of the waves and boat in the story, and watch their fears sink. Supporting Members can access the lesson for complete details on how to build a simple pool in the classroom and then guide the students through a reflective time with paper boats that they fold and sail.
  • The Peter Sinks, Jesus Saves Writing Team video workshop uses two video clips from the 2014 movie Son of God, and includes discussion questions that help students reflect on where they are in their faith journeys and whether or not they are ready to "step out."  Or take a look at these video suggestions from our sharing community that go along with the story of Jesus walking on water.
  • Need more lesson ideas for this rotation? In addition to the Writing Team's creative lessons for the story, there are many more lessons and ideas for Jesus walks on water shared by our community here.
• Another great sailboat story is Jesus calms the storm (the disciples stay in the boat in Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25 and Matthew 8:23-27). There are many free lessons and ideas for your Sunday school classes here.
• Or consider setting sail with Jonah as you talk about "Let's Go!" in the new school year. Explore what it means to go out and share God's Good News with others, even when you are not sure it is the thing you want to do. Take a look at our resources for teaching about Jonah.
• Paul sailed some stormy seas, too. Take a look at our Paul's Journeys resources and lessons.

What "Set Sail" Bible story would you suggest for Renewing and Re-energizing your students' commitment to Sunday School? Post your ideas below!