For Adults: A Piece of the Action
Lura Goodhue Pierce
How can the average adult member personally feel—and therefore support—what's happening in the church school? How can the gap between sanctuary and children's wing be bridged? Northwood Presbyterian Church in Spokane, Washington, has seen a dramatic turnaround since a "Church School Chum" program began. Sagging attendance has picked up, adults have become sincerely interested, and warm relationships have been built between kids and grown-ups. A Church School Chum is basically an adult or teen secret pal who is matched in September with a child, age 3 through 12. Throughout the fall and early winter, the chum writes letters, sends holiday cards, and brings a small wrapped gift for the child each Sunday—a religious bookmark, pencil, cross, poster, paperback, or even an original poem. A box outside each classroom has a list of children on the side, with dates to check off as deliveries are made. At the end of the teaching hour, the secret gifts are passed out. "Some who volunteer, of course, don't know the children to whom we assign them," says coordinator Flo Cofini, "so we do a bulletin board of children's pictures and names. Anticipation among the children keeps building week by week until mid-December, when we have a grand revealing party." Mysteries are solved; squeals of excitement reign. After that, adult and child continue their friendship by doing things together on Sunday afternoons. The weekly gifts stop, but are replaced by trips to a rodeo or circus, lunches together, and two more special events: a February Valentine party and a March Unbirthday party. To make the system work, Cofini and her committee also: • Check the classroom boxes each Sunday. • Recruit fairy godmothers to provide a cache of extra gifts for visitors ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
