We often talk about the importance of what happens on Sunday mornings and our commitment to make this a time of Bible teaching for boys and girls.
Let’s explore what a teacher can do to connect with children and their families during the week—between Sunday mornings.
Get organized for connecting:
1. Maintain up-to-date list of class members and prospects.
2. Prepare 4-by-6-inch cards to make postcards or use other cards.
3. Gather envelopes and address labels to mail take-home pages
4. Use sticky notes to attach messages to take-home pages or other mail.
Reminder for teachers:
- Connect with “attendees” not just the “absentees.”
- Claim a Bible promise—God will help you today (Exodus 14:13).
Think about ways to connect:
1. C — Calls (telephone)
Person-to-Person: telephone calls to the home of a child
Messages: answering machines or voice mail
2. O — Off-site (away from the church)
Home Visits: home where the child lives
Other Places to Visit: home of grandparent or other family members; grocery store, mall, or other shopping places; hospital (to visit child or to visit with family); sporting event; school or weekday program
2. N — Newsletters (church)/Newspapers (local)
News about child or family member (awards, recognition, sporting events); birth, illness, or death in family
3. E — Envelopes (and postcards)
Envelopes for take-home page from Sunday morning to mail when child is absent
Postcards to mail to a child about absence, birthday, or activity at church
4. C — Calendars
Calendar for birthday reminders to send a card or make a telephone call
Calendars (paper/computer/telephone) for reminders about church events for families
5. T — Technology
E-mail: message to child using parent’s e-mail address
Texts: text to parent to include message for child or photo from Sunday morning activity
Facebook: “friends” with parents to enjoy photos/news about family; message to parent to include words for child and/or comments about family news or photos
Connections made between Sunday mornings can create relationships with children and their families, encourage Bible teaching at home, involve families in Bible studies at church, and inform families of activities at church.
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