Comments on: My Journey with Harry http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462 Christian Education, Leadership, and Misc. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:16:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Israel Galindo http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462/comment-page-1#comment-337 Israel Galindo Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:11:33 +0000 http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462#comment-337 At my former church my Sunday school class was the type that would go "on hiatus" for the summer as members traveled and vacationed. Two summers I offered a "summer reading" and discussion class, partly to provide a place for those members who did NOT go away for the summer and as a way to provide a place for those who did not get much out of the regular fare of Sunday school classes. It was always surprising to see who showed up. The books were novels like Wangerin's <a href="http://www.harperacademic.com/catalog/instructors_guide_xml.asp?isbn=0060574607" rel="nofollow">The Book of the Dun Cow</a>. We'd read a chapter or two a week and provide time for some rippin' good discussion. Inevitably the discussions tilted toward matters of faith, ofen raising questions and soliciting opinions decidedly un-Sunday-school-like. It was great fun and a meaningful learning experience. At my former church my Sunday school class was the type that would go “on hiatus” for the summer as members traveled and vacationed. Two summers I offered a “summer reading” and discussion class, partly to provide a place for those members who did NOT go away for the summer and as a way to provide a place for those who did not get much out of the regular fare of Sunday school classes. It was always surprising to see who showed up.

The books were novels like Wangerin’s The Book of the Dun Cow. We’d read a chapter or two a week and provide time for some rippin’ good discussion. Inevitably the discussions tilted toward matters of faith, ofen raising questions and soliciting opinions decidedly un-Sunday-school-like. It was great fun and a meaningful learning experience.

]]> By: vellison http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462/comment-page-1#comment-336 vellison Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:33:57 +0000 http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462#comment-336 My youth are crazy about HP, and frankly, so am I - although I'm not as 100% crazy as they are. Over the past few years that I have known them, they have written several of their own HP stories. Even several adults in my congregation love this series. In addition to the HP series, I also read other books that my youth read. Some of them have even given me their recommendation lists! Not only have I discovered how much I like fantasy fiction, but I have also a natural way of connecting with my youth. John, I agree with you that things like books and movies can lead to theological questions, and I have found this to be true with my own youth. My youth happen to love reading, so this is a good way to connect with them. It also helps me to know what to recommend to them, to help them grow. Just this past week, I mentioned to my youth that I finished reading the Golden Compass Series. One of them immediately said, “I didn’t like the theology of the last book.” What came next was a great conversation that I couldn’t have planned any better. Maybe there is really something to knowing our people and reaching out to them where they are! My youth are crazy about HP, and frankly, so am I – although I’m not as 100% crazy as they are. Over the past few years that I have known them, they have written several of their own HP stories. Even several adults in my congregation love this series.

In addition to the HP series, I also read other books that my youth read. Some of them have even given me their recommendation lists! Not only have I discovered how much I like fantasy fiction, but I have also a natural way of connecting with my youth.

John, I agree with you that things like books and movies can lead to theological questions, and I have found this to be true with my own youth. My youth happen to love reading, so this is a good way to connect with them. It also helps me to know what to recommend to them, to help them grow. Just this past week, I mentioned to my youth that I finished reading the Golden Compass Series. One of them immediately said, “I didn’t like the theology of the last book.” What came next was a great conversation that I couldn’t have planned any better.

Maybe there is really something to knowing our people and reaching out to them where they are!

]]> By: Israel Galindo http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462/comment-page-1#comment-199 Israel Galindo Thu, 26 Jul 2007 22:00:55 +0000 http://grace-ed.org/blog/archives/462#comment-199 Thanks, Jon. I’m fearful to confess that I’ve not read any of the Harry Potter books. At the time of the frenetic hey-day of the books my youngest was reading Brian Jacque’s <a href="http://www.redwall.org/dave/news.php" rel="nofollow">Redwall</a> series and my oldest was into Michael Crichton. So, our literary conversations centered on those works. Perhaps one day I’ll begin the HP corpus. I appreciate your challenge on two things: (1) the importance of reading with children as a formative experience that parents need to give attention, and (2) the emphasis on the appropriate function of the resident Christian educator related to curriculum. Local church curriculum is what “real” resident Christian educators DO, not what they purchase from a publisher. Thanks, Jon. I’m fearful to confess that I’ve not read any of the Harry Potter books. At the time of the frenetic hey-day of the books my youngest was reading Brian Jacque’s Redwall series and my oldest was into Michael Crichton. So, our literary conversations centered on those works. Perhaps one day I’ll begin the HP corpus.

I appreciate your challenge on two things: (1) the importance of reading with children as a formative experience that parents need to give attention, and (2) the emphasis on the appropriate function of the resident Christian educator related to curriculum. Local church curriculum is what “real” resident Christian educators DO, not what they purchase from a publisher.

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