Our opening time is really simple. I figure it's main purpose is to accommodate latecomers so that everyone arrives to class around the same time -- not to be a lesson in itself.

We don't have a music workshop, so we are using the time to sing a song that goes with the lesson. Since such songs are difficult to come by, sometimes that means finding or writing a poem and adding our own simple guitar chords and tune. For instance, for Daniel we took the poem "The Lions Weren't Hungry Last Night" on this website, made a few changes and added key of G chord progression. Or it can mean writing new words to a familiar hymn or tune. (It's really not hard to do) We sing the same song over the whole rotation.

General format is this:
1 - Greet, ask for joys and concerns
2 - Memory verse on overhead projector
3 - Song on overhead projector
4 - Offering & Prayer
5 - Dismiss to classes

Lisa