A New Beginning

A write this on the eve of the new school year, when there are many worried parents and kids and teachers, and hopefully many more fairly relaxed ones. Any new beginning brings unknowns and potential stress. I remember having very mixed feelings about the first day of school - excitement to see friends and to be back into routine, but anxiety about who would be my teacher and in my class and how things would go.

Sunday school may be no different for our kids, particularly if there are lots of children. Hopefully some lead-up communication has happened to help with this new beginning. If that hasn't taken place and your first regular Sunday back is staring you in the face, there are still things you can do this week to help with a smooth transition.

a) Use whatever contact info you have for last year's families and send an e-mail or put up a facebook post (or phone if you have time and/or volunteers). Explain some of what is happening this fall - any overall themes, when the first official day is for Sunday School and other programs, what is expected/needed in terms of registration, what a typical Sunday or program night looks like, drop off and pick up policies, who the leaders are, and anything else that will be helpful to parents. Think through their needs and be clear that you welcome questions. Be sure to provide contact information. It's also a good idea to communicate that bringing friends is welcomed!

b) Make sure that your leaders know what is expected of them and how things are to run. Encourage them to be champions of your families, to be pro-active and on the look-out for returning and new families, making sure that everyone is treated as valued and welcome. We need to recognize that the simple choice of entering a church is just that - a choice that for many is not a given and can be challenging for a host of reasons.

c) For kick-off day, make sure that greeters are well versed in what is happening, and where and when. Let them know who to refer people to who have questions and concerns. A nice touch would be to recruit youth and older kids to be ambassador greeters, helping children to feel welcome and wanted. 

d) Focus at least part of your time on the first day of Sunday school or other programs for checking in on the learners' lives, working together to decide how learning time will look and feel based on Jesus' teaching (i.e. the golden rule, loving neighbour as self), and beginning to build a solid and safe space for building community.

e) Perhaps most important of all, be sure to pray for your leaders, learners, their caregivers, and the church's ministry as a whole. Pray daily from now until programs start and request that leaders and the church as a whole pray for your educational ministries to kids and youth. Hopefully this will happen during corporate worship as well. 

It's hard to believe that the time has arrived! Even if you feel harried and less prepared than you would like, God is still there ahead of you, beside you and behind you. Do the best that you can in the midst of your other responsibilities. Take time to breathe and to remember the ways that God has equipped you for the tasks ahead. Ask for help as you need it and pray for people to come forward who will fill various needs that arise. Have your eyes open to what God is calling you and your ministries to do this year.

May you be richly blessed as you start a new year of learning and discipling the awesome kids and youth who come to you!