Not in anyway to get away from the subject of preaching, but I've been wanting to post about my Summer Sunday School project for some time and I've finally got the pictures off my camera, so I wanted to put them up and describe a little bit of what we did. For those of you who missed the post way back in June, we have serious Sunday School ALL summer, for adults and children. This arose in part because Matt just kept teaching the first year, and we had so many new people in the church that it didn't occur to them to take the summer off. And of course, all the adults having educations meant that the children had to have something as well. I've been insistent that Catechesis of the Good Shepherd not go on all year-everyone needs a break-and so every summer we cast about in a panic about what to do with the kids. One year we read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe outloud. Another year we sat around in a hot room and read the book of Judges. This year, in a fit of exasperation, I prayed about it (imagine! Prayer!) and then went to AC Moore to think about what might be interesting. And within an hour I had filled my cart with every manner of good things and concocted (although I suppose that would have to be God) an idea to go with it.

The first week they got a box to paint. Here is one.

And mine


The week after they got a little wooden booklet sort of thing to paint. I took the flimsy paper out and cut nice thick paper down to size. Each Sunday they got an object to paint or draw or glue and a verse to go with it. They had to copy the verses themselves into their little books.
Here is the outside of my book. As you can see, I had a theme going.


The verses they got to go with that first week were Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:11; and John 1:1.
After that we did the Law with Deuteronomy 6:4-6 and they got a little wooden heart to paint.
Then the Cross, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, and a cross to paint.
Then Light and Salt, Matthew 5:14-16. This was a favorite. They got a candle holder, a candle and a little jar which they themselves filled with salt. I had thought they would just paint the candle holder but they painted everything-candle, holder, salt jar, cork, everything.
For Communion, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, I found little cups and plates which they took out and sprayed gold and then some painted on top of the gold. These also turned out beautifully, and the business of going out and spraying gold paint everywhere was a huge success.
For the True Vine, John 15, they got little pots and glued little mosaic pieces onto to them (or painted them) and then a packet of seeds. I had thought to hand out dirt, but didn't in the end, and it was just as well. The glue was fairly messy.
The Good Shepherd, John 10:11-14, was little boards onto which they drew or copied a Good Shepherd icon picture. I had a bunch they could choose from. Some where really detailed, others more plain, but all turned out well.
That was a lot of scripture so then they got a book mark on which to illuminate their favorite verse from the summer. Last week was a puzzle/synthesis. And this coming week they will get get small cards and envelopes to write something to God, a final note to put in the box and then they can take the lot with them.
Then I have a week off before Catechesis kicks off again for the fall. Gasp.
So, here are two of my favorites. These two rarely missed a sunday and spent plenty of time on detail. They will both get a prize for a full box, and should they (or anyone else) choose to memorize the verses, they will get an enormously special and huge prize. I have two that have set out to do this, so we shall see.
Here is one full set (up to this last Sunday).

And another.


I'm going to post this as it is and put more pictures in another post for fear of loosing what I've got. Anyway, it was a fun project that kids responded VERY well. It was exactly the right age for this sort of hands on work (6 to 12). If you're casting about for something to do, I recommend this highly. Smearing paint around and dwelling over some important scripture can't be beat.