Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

I’m a big fan of out-of-the-box thinking, but a new way of doing Sunday School at our church has me thankful for in-the-box preparation.

Our congregation is program-size, with an average Sunday attendance of 200. But we’re not quite at the program-size staffing level; we have two full-time staff members (the rector and administrator) supported by a handful of part-time folks. One frequent challenge for churches of this size (and frankly, any size) is offering a robust Christian formation program. The priest can't be the only teacher or leader.

In our congregation, participation in Sunday School has been erratic. But the church hired a Christian education director at about quarter time (or less), and in the first two months, I already can see a huge difference. I’m sure that we’ll see an increase in participation as people talk up the additional offerings, and ultimately we will have a more engaged, more spiritually vital congregation as people seek to learn and stretch their relationship with scripture and God. 

But I want to share with you a practice that I think will encourage more volunteers to step into leadership. When I walk in to the classroom to teach the six or so kids in the K-2 group, everything I need for the lesson is in a box. A binder has the attendance sheet and explicit directions for the teacher. Different folders have the handouts already copied and prepared, with stickers or other accouterments counted out and enclosed in a Ziploc baggie. If we need markers for the day, they’re in the box. If we need pipe cleaners or glue, Band Aids to talk about Jesus’ healing or Tootsie Rolls as an object lesson for the parable of loaves and fishes, all of the supplies are in the box. This takes an enormous pressure off of me as a teacher. I’m not scrambling on Saturday night to figure out a creative but not-too-messy craft to accompany a lesson about Daniel and the lion’s den. I don’t have to pore over Pinterest to find ideas or cobble together a lesson plan from three or four Sunday School resources. If I wake up with a hacking cough or the wretched flu, someone else can walk in at a moment’s notice and teach the class without missing a beat.

And I’m much more inclined to sign up for a second year of teaching. 

Sunday School in a box lets me use my creative energy to really engage with the kids and talk about their weeks, their lives, and their faith. And that’s the type of out-of-the-box ministry that we need to explore.