Category Archives: Sunday school

Church curriculum resources

In honor of Theological Libraries Month & American Archives Month the library staff at Columbia Theological Seminary sent this helpful list of curricular resources for congregations. These resources are available at the library’s curriculum lab (located in the children’s library). … Continue reading

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Planning for Christian Education Formation released

The new book by GRACE members Israel Galindo and Marty Canaday, Planning for Christian Education Formation: A Community of Faith Approach (Chalice Press) is immediately available in print and e-book format.

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Assessment: Yeah, it’s hard

One of the topics in my current online course is educational assessment in the congregational setting. The students are reviewing a model for rigorous assessment of Christian education that my friend Marty and I present in our forthcoming book.* One … Continue reading

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Swamps, Rivers, and Instructional Time

The following is from the book Myths: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo. How well do you know fact from fiction? FICTION: The Florida Everglades is an extensive swamp.

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Birds Named More and Better

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I think I heard more voices than ever this year suggesting that we consider toning down the cultural excesses of Christmas gift-giving.  We’ve certainly not eliminated gift-giving in my world of family and friends, but … Continue reading

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Higher Ground

Although I no longer serve as pastor of a congregation, invitations to preach come my way from time to time.  The latest instance was yesterday when I helped a Presbyterian congregation surprise their pastor with the opportunity to worship among … Continue reading

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Educating Nomads

One of those “Aha!” moments came to me twenty-some years ago while staring at the blank computer screen where Sunday’s sermon should have been making its appearance.  Unfortunately, my thoughts were elsewhere; I had been dealing with the parent of … Continue reading

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Should you kill that small Sunday School class?

An educational staff person recently asked me about a problem often encountered in the Sunday School program. She had a class of (older) adults whose Sunday School class averaged around 3 persons (but not always the same three persons!). These … Continue reading

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But wait! There’s more!

I’m a fan of late night infomercials. Given that I’m an insomniac that shouldn’t be a surprise. I got hooked when I saw the first Pocket Fisherman infomercial by Ronco, an early (and still popular) product from Ron Popeil (more, … Continue reading

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Three basic educational questions

At a recent consultation I ran into a scenario that has come to symbolize for me what is wrong with much of what passes for “education” in congregations. I was being given a tour of the educational facilities by the … Continue reading

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