1. Emphasizing Community in Sabbath School
Julie Weslake

2. Community: We love each other
Luke 2:41-50
“After the feast was over, while his parents were returning home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they could not find him they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.”
Mishpahah - family

3. Community: We love each other
Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 God intended children to be spiritually nurtured in community. From both the family and the church.

4. Community We love each other Reaches inwards
COMMUNITY is the church family. We learn to share faith, worship,
fellowship, acceptance, trust, involvement and outreach.
Church members can:
create a community of faith where children’s Christian experience can be fully developed
involve children in religious activities in home and church
encourage children to explore their own faith and to grow spiritually
demonstrate to children how they can support their family and community through prayer and acts of kindness.
We want to create for our children a genuine community of faith in which their Christian experience can fully develop. We’ll be able to this when:
Parents and all Church members model God’s grace which is accepting, non-judgmental and forgiving.
Children are involved in spiritual life at home and at church.
Our church actively challenges prejudice and division between gender, racial, ethnic, socio-economic and age groups.
Children are encouraged to explore their own faith through creative and thought-provoking programs and services.
Children support their faith community with their prayers, offerings and participation.
This begins in the home but needs to be nurtured in the church.

5. Community: We love each other
“Participation in a vital faith community is essential to the Christian formation of the young.”
Children Matter. Scottie May, Beth Posterski, Catherine Stonehouse and Linda Cannell.

6. Community: We love each other
“If our children are to have faith, we need to make sure that the church becomes a significant community of faith.”
John Westerhoff, “Will Our children Have Faith?”

7. Community: Why?
“When children trust and commit to people whom they can see then they can begin to trust and commit to God whom they can’t see.”
Liz Perraud, “What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry”

8. Community: We love each other
“Faith is not something that develops in a vacuum.”
“These are things that need to be done with people older than us, the same age as us, and younger than us.”
Ivy Beckworth. Postmodern Children’s Ministries.

9. Community: We love each other
. “Begin with a faith community which invites children to belong and which demonstrates how Christians behave. In such a community children grow to understand and embrace its beliefs and adopt the Christ-like behaviours they have seen demonstrated.”
Lausanne Paper

10. Community: We love each other
Authentic community actively challenges prejudice and division between gender, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and age groups.

11. Community: We love each other
Connect children to adults who care about them
Connect children to children
Connect children to the people in the wider church community

12. Community: Connect to adults
Sabbath School needs to provide a community where children feel that they belong.
Quality adult/child relationships formed
Take an interest in their lives
Know their names
Talk to them
Ask them how they are
Listen to their joys and disappointments

13. Community: Connect to adults
Adults excited to see them as they greet them
Adults who participate with children in activities
Consistent leaders
Leaders who are interested in the total wellbeing of the child
Leaders who follow up with personal phone calls and visitation

14. Community: Connect to adults
Adults who encourage children’s exploration of their own faith; and provide creative, thought-provoking challenges to spiritual growth
Adults who encourage and empower children to serve and participate

15. Community: Connect to adults
Small groups essential – size of 6
“Through discussion and activities related to the lesson, they reach deeper into the lives of kids in their group both personally and spiritually.”
Jan/Feb 2010 Children’s Ministry Magasine, Group.
Freedom to be honest, transparent and authentic with others without fear of being laughed at.

16. Community: We love each other
Room environment
Child-friendly
Welcoming
Child-sized furniture
Toys, colour
Places parents can gather before and after to talk – comfortable seating

17. Community: Connect kids to kids
Kids need to have friends at Sabbath School
Need to feel accepted by others
If friendships are not formed then they are more likely to drop out
Great if children are forming strong relationships with Kids who have some spiritual journey

18. Community: Connect kids to kids
New children/visitors need to be introduced to buddies
Children supported and helped to develop friendships
Help kids develop empathy for others and teach children to appreciate others and treat them well

19. Community: Connect to wider church
Faith formation requires connection with multi-generations
Children see the principles of faith lived out in genuine community
They develop respect for all people
They recognise the gifts of all people
They get a sense of identity
It keeps them in the church

20. Community: Connect to wider church
In many churches “ the young belong only to their peer group, and when they graduate from youth group, they graduate from the church. with their peers they go off Leaving behind the congregation to which they never belonged.”
Children need to be “part of the church, not just attached to it through programs.”
Children Matter. Scottie May, Beth Posterski, Catherine Stonehouse and Linda Cannell

21. Community: Connect to wider church
Special Milestone Celebrations
Baby dedication
Starting school blessings
Child Commitment Ceremony (Affirmation)
Baptism

22. Community: Connect to wider church
Weekly participation/responsibilities
worship
prayers
finances
ministry
service
outreach

23. Community: Connect to wider church
The wider church is not a community without the presence of children. 2 Chronicles 20:13 “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives and their children.”

24. Community: Connect to wider church
Adults grow spiritually when they accept ministry from children
They learn the meaning of true selflessness
It keeps their faith fresh
“When our churches segregate children from the rest of the community, we stunt the spiritual formation of the entire community.”
Ivy Beckworth – Postmodern Children’s Ministry

25. Community:
Encourage churches to keep the promises from the Ten Promises posters

26. Community: Partnering With Parents
“Nothing a church does will influence children as much as what happens in their homes”
Michael Chanley “What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry”
We need to ensure we are partnering with parents and building community that includes them.

27. Community: Partnering With Parents
Help them to connect with others.
small groups
social activities
parenting events
worship events
service activities
praying for each other

28. Community: Partnering With Parents
Communicate well
Print – letters, newsletters
s, text messages, facebook
Notice boards, websites
Visit

29. Community: Partnering With Parents
Be positive
Every parent needs you as a partner
They love to know that someone is genuinely interested in them.

30. Community: We love each other
Community means loving one another
I show my love to my family and friends
Community means caring for one another
We treat each other like God treats us
We help each other
We treat each other with love
GraceLink Curriculum Beginner/Kindergarten themes

31. Community: We love each other
Jesus shows us how to love one another
We show love when we work together
We belong to God’s family
We learn about God together
We encourage one another to follow Jesus
We are members of God’s family
We are active in God’s family
GraceLink Curriculum Primary themes