Annual Report 2007

I helped out with the Sunday school pageant.  I attended the practices and led the group of sheep and shepherds during that time as well as gave them direction during the pageant itself.  It was a great way for me to get to know some of the younger youth in the church and interact with them.

I have begun to look into different Sunday school curriculum in order to find something that will be suitable for the current format and size of Sunday school that is occurring at St. Paul’s.  I will be meeting with the Worship and Education committee in January to discuss Sunday school and at this time will report on the curriculum that I have found that I feel will be suitable.  From there it is my hope to get some of the Sunday school teachers together to also look over the curriculum further in order to ascertain if it will be the right fit.  Using the teachers to also review the curriculum will result in ensuring that the curriculum chosen will be most effective for the youth who participate in Sunday school.

It is also my hope to provide some training for those members of the congregation who do teach Sunday school.  It would consist of a few seminars in order to further equip them for what they are doing.  If something is put into the individuals who are teaching Sunday school it will allow them not only to be more effective at what they are doing but will hopefully rejuvenate them to continue on in the important task that they are undertaking.  I have received some DVD’s from David C. Cook that are designed for this purpose that I am reviewing and feel they are a possible option for this kind of initiative.

During January I would also like to sit in on a few regular Sunday school classes so I can get a better feel for how it runs.  I have been talking with a few different Sunday school teachers to get an idea from them about how things are going and how they are feeling about the current Sunday school program. 

The first youth event that I ran since starting at St. Paul’s on November 1^st, 2007 was a meeting with the youth on November 28^th, 2007.  The youth met at St. Paul’s for pizza and to discuss what they would like to see happen with youth group.  The following conclusions came out of this meeting:

1)      Youth group will be held every other week, as many of the youth did not feel they could make it out for a weekly commitment.

2)      Youth group will be held at the Upper Deck youth centre on Sunday nights from 7:00-9:30 p.m.  The youth centre provides additional activities for the youth to participate in (pool, foosball, etc. . .) after the discussion/bible study portion of the evening is completed.

3)      All youth from grade 7-12 will participate in youth group activities on the same night, rather than grade 7-8 on one night and grade 9-12 on opposite weeks as was previously discussed.

4)      Special events will occur periodically throughout the year (going to a movie, a sports game etc. . .).

5)      Youth also expressed interest in attending alternative services held at Redeemer (Church in the Box) and Mohawk (Church on the Rock) from time to time.

During our meeting the youth also mentioned they would be interested in try out curling.  On Sunday December 9 from 4:00-5:30 a small group of youth went to the Simcoe Curling Club and received instructions on how to curl from Ian Macaulay.  After that we had an opportunity to play a game consisting of a couple of ends.  The youth had a very enjoyable time and expressed a desire to try this activity again in the future.  A potential date is January 13^th. 

I am going to start regular youth group on January 13^th and begin to build relationships with some of the youth who are at St. Paul’s.  I would also like to look into the possibility of offering church education to the youth in the church.  This would be a course that would teach the youth about what it means to be part of a Reformed faith tradition and looks at making a faith commitment.  A second step to this would be offering pre-confession/profession of faith classes for youth who are interested in taking that next step (this would ideally be run by the pastor).

If time permits I would also like to start some sort of program for the youth in the church who are in grades 5-6 (possibly grade 4 also).   Something like the Gems and Cadets program that is used at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Hamilton would be ideal.  A bible lesson and then doing an activity with their hands (baking, making a derby car etc. . .).

Thank you for beautiful bouquet of flowers that I received on my retirement from being Sunday School coordinator. I really appreciated it as well as all the help I received over the past seven years.

We now have a committee for organizing the Sunday School until we get our new minister. We have the teaching roster filled to the end of May, and then we’ll need volunteers to take a Sunday or two over the summer.

It was another busy year in the Sunday School with the kids and volunteers putting on a wonderful Christmas Pageant, earning prayer hands pins, learning new songs, doing arts and crafts and learning about the Bible. We also started a monthly newsletter that is mailed out to each child.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who keep our Sunday School running, and to the Sunday School children who are so important. Please consider helping with this important part of our church.

Jean