First Family, Over the next few weeks you will read and hear about the impact and importance of Sunday School. I've chosen to lay aside the traditional sterile arguments used for Sunday School involvement. Instead, you'll hear the stories of real people whose lives have been impacted by it. After all, Sunday School is made up of people. In a sense, they are Sunday School. And I am Sunday School. And you can be, too. I hope to see you this Sunday in Sunday School (9:45 a.m.). --Pastor James
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 9-22-2010)
I am John Cox And I am Sunday School.
From my earliest memories, my two brothers, my sister and I were taken to church on a regular basis by my mother and father. They attended the Methodist Church. Sunday School was a part of that experience.
When I married my wife Lynn, I “changed my religion” to that of the Baptist denomination. Lynn and I recognized the importance of Sunday School to both ourselves as well as our children. Sunday School had always been a part of Lynn’s life growing up.
For the past 36 years, we have been members of First Baptist Greenville and very active in the Sunday School program. I can remember being a part of co-ed Sunday School classes where Lynn and I were outreach leaders. In our earlier years with First Baptist, Harold and Helen Peoples made great impressions on both Lynn and me. Helen was a wonderful Sunday School teacher and after “graduating” from her class, I remember her telling Lynn and myself how she had prayed for me on numerous occasions.
As a result of both Sunday School and worship services, I realized at the age of 34, that I was not a Christian. I will never forget finally getting up the courage to step out of my pew and “go down front” and publicly acknowledge my acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Thereafter I was baptized (for the second time) into the family of faith and as a member of First Baptist Greenville.
Over the past 25 years, I have served as a Sunday School teacher for numerous classes in our church. Although I have enjoyed teaching these classes, one thing that I can say is that as a teacher, I always seem to get more out of studying the Bible myself than my class members probably do. Bible study is a great blessing in so many ways.
During the past six years, I have had the privilege of serving as the Sunday School Director of our church. Without a doubt, Sunday School is not only an important part to the life of an individual church member, but it is the life blood of any successful and vibrant church. First Baptist has been blessed with many great and dedicated Sunday School teachers and they have been the foundation for our continued success in the Sunday School program of our church. Through Sunday School, individuals grow closer to God and to other believers and as a result, become more mature in their faith. Regular participation in the Sunday School hour not only strengthens your faith, but it strengthens the church. See you this Sunday at 9:45.
I am John Cox And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 9-15-2010)
I am Harry Boschert. And I am Sunday School.
I grew up in Duncan, a little town on Highway 61, about 60 miles north of here. This is where I first went to Sunday School.
I was fortunate to be raised in a home founded on Godly beliefs and principles. As I reflect on those days, I think about the wonderful Christian values that were in play in our community, our school and yes, our churches.
Out of those influences, I came to understand how important an institution like Sunday School can be. I was very lucky to have some of the best bible teachers a person could imagine. I can say without reservation that their teaching(s) swayed my life (along with others) in a positive manner.
As for myself personally, I have been involved in some capacity or other with Sunday School for many years as a teacher of young people, older people and some in between, depending on where I was needed in my church at the time. I have always enjoyed any involvement in Sunday School.
Sunday School is a great place to connect. It is there that you can connect with other class members. It is there that you can connect with your beliefs. It is there that you can grow in your faith and learn more about what the Bible teaches. It is said that no man “lives on an island” and connecting with people who pray for you and care for you is extremely important. I think this is especially true in the world in which we live today.
I would urge anyone to participate in Sunday School, young or old. In a church sanctuary setting, it is more formal and you listen, but don’t speak back during a sermon. Sunday School is more informal and offers a chance to speak out and interact with the teacher and other class members. It can be very fulfilling.
If you don’t go to Sunday School now, why not give it a try. You will always be glad you did.
I am Harry Boschert. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 9-8-2010)
I am Sarah Ashley. And I am Sunday School.
We believe that attending Sunday School regularly is so important for the spiritual growth in us individually, and our spiritual growth as a family. Sunday school is a great place to broaden your knowledge of the Bible, and then be able to discuss how to use that knowledge in practical life lessons that can happen in your lives every day. Without Sunday School each week, we would not have any consistant way to deepen our scripture memory, while maintaining and nurturing the friendships that we get out of going to a Sunday school class each week. Without the connections that we've made in Sunday School, we wouldn't feel accepted and excited to be a part of the church, ready to help serve in other areas we are needed in.
Going to Sunday School on a regular basis has provided us with a consistent example to our kids of what we believe in as a family. We put an importance on being in the church each week to show our kids that we want to be there to learn about God and to build friendships with other believers. By doing this, our kids know that this is an important part of being a Christian. Because of this, our kids have come to love going to Sunday School to learn more and to see their friends.
Sunday School is also a great place to learn how to pray for others and to really care about the members in your class. You become a family unit within your Sunday School class, and you fellowship with each other in class and outside of class at get-togethers. You feel a sense of closeness to the members in your Sunday School class, and you know that those are the people that you can have praying for you and your family during your most needed times of trials. You are plugged in to an instant support group of believers that will be able to encourage you and support you through the woes of life in any way that they can.
Hopefully, you will think about giving Sunday School a try this month. You will be amazed how much fun it is and what great friendships you can make in your class. Study your lesson each week, and see how much you can learn and contribute to your class. The church needs us all to be good stewards of what we have and to give back with a servant's heart. You can make a difference in your life and the life of your family.
I am Sarah Ashley. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 9-1-2010)
I am Darrell Forman. And I am Sunday School.
As a family with small children, having our children and us in Sunday School each week is vital. We know that at every level, God's Word is going to be taught on a level that is appropriate to each age. This education supplements what our children are taught at home and reinforces those lessons by having people who do not live in our house share the gospel of Jesus Christ. My children have strong role models in their teachers, leaders, and ministers. I have role models of my own that show me what joy in the Christian walk looks like...joy and peace that cannot be attained by anything else on earth short of Christ. We learn Bible stories as a child, and follow that with increasingly in-depth study and knowledge over the years. I can vividly recall many of my Sunday School teachers of my childhood. Think for a moment...Can you remember any of yours? It is obvious these men and women had a huge impact on my life. You may never know what lasting impact you are having on someone today. Or, put another way, there could be someone in Sunday School who can be that impact or role model in your life today! It is in Sunday School we learn that Jesus love us, no matter what. It is there we learn that Jesus loved us enough to die on the cross for us. It is there we learn that He rose from the grave and is coming back to take us with Him one day. It is in Sunday School that we begin to probe the great mysteries of the faith.
My closest friends are those in which we attend Sunday School together. We all share common interests with people outside of Sunday School, however there is a bond that is created between believers that cannot be replicated by simply sharing a common hobby or interest. I know each week that I will be in the company of brothers and sisters. "Brothers and Sisters" imply family. As the saying goes, "blood is thicker than water." What a great joy it is to know that in Sunday School, you have family there, and share the common blood that washed away our sins, shows us a path for a joy-filled, content life, and promises everlasting life. These are more than just friends and acquaintances. If you are only attending Worship services, you are missing the opportunity to interact with fellow believers and find that not only do you share the common bond of faith, but also have some of the same interests. For many years, the church was the center of a family's social life. Outside distractions and commitments have taken the place of that in many instances. A strong Sunday School brings not only a place of teaching, but many opportunities to interact socially with the members. From the hallways of school, to the college campus, from work to a restaurant, the connection with your Sunday School family is immediate and lasting. Think of how much more fulfilled your life could be if the fellowship you share each week for an hour could be increased ten-fold! These connections are possible through Sunday School!
A valuable aspect to Sunday School is knowing that no matter what I'm facing, I find support in my Sunday School family. Each week, we take as much time as needed to share what is going on in our lives. To share your struggles and successes with family is a valuable part of Sunday School. I imagine people who only attend worship services can leave the service feeling alone in their struggles. There is no time allotted in worship to have a meaningful conversation with someone about what you are facing. It is only in Sunday School, with a family that shares a Christian bond, that you have this opportunity. It is in Sunday School that you learn together, apply Biblical principles to everyday life, and we learn and grow together. Have you ever read a verse of scripture and was unsure the meaning? If you do not have this network of believers in Sunday School to learn together, you could miss out on a valuable truth the Bible has for you. In Sunday School, you are free to be open about your thoughts, beliefs, struggles, successes, and failures knowing sharing these will be met with care and compassion. And who knows, the next time someone shares something important in their life, you may be just the person who can offer the help they need. This is the "double-blessing" we can experience as Christians. By ministering to others, we receive a blessing, and the person who isministered to also receives a blessing.
Worship service is a wonderful time of reflection and giving praise and adoration to Christ Jesus. How many times have you entered worship with the troubles of the world on your mind? The stress of last week? An upcoming deadline? Financial crisis? You can see that each of these can distract us from focusing on the purpose of worship...Praising God for who He is, what He has done, and what He'll do. I use the analogy of exercising. If we come to exercise "cold" without "warming-up", we'll not get an effective work-out. The same can be said of worship. If we come into the sanctuary "cold", with the weight of the world on us, how can we focus on Christ and give our worship offering to Him? Sunday School provides a "warm-up" where we have an opportunity to share with others the stresses of life, learn more about our Heavenly Father, fellowship with fellow believers, and prepare our minds and hearts to truly give thanks and praise to Christ. As a believer, we are often in awe of how He could love us despite what we have done. We owe Him no less than our best. How better to prepare or "warm-up" than spending time in focused study and interaction to bring us to a place where we can worship Him without the distractions of the outside world.
In closing, Sunday School is more than just "important" to my family. I say it is vital to our Christian walk. We know that by simply coming, we open ourselves up to a stronger knowledge of Christ, we have a opportunities to fellowship with family, a support network to help with the practical application of Biblical principles, and we're ready to worship Him. If you haven't been to Sunday School is a while, give it another try. I can guarantee you will find a warm welcome, and who knows, it could be a life-changing choice. What opportunity are you missing by not being there this Sunday?
I am Darrell Forman. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 8-25-2010)
My Name is Helen Jordan. And I am Sunday School.
I have always considered Sunday School to be a vital part of my Christian experience. This is the one time during the week that Christians come together, with Bible in hand, to study God’s Word. There is simply no substitute for studying the Bible which gives us God’s principles for holy and Godly living. Without God’s truth, there cannot be obedient and abundant living in Christ.
Years have shown that Sunday school is a proven tool for Christian growth. What better way to start your week than engaging in Christian teaching and fellowship? The Holy Spirit uses this opportunity to reveal our inward self through sharing the Word together. It is amazing how faithfulness among believers soon generates a bond of love that cannot be measured. Those who are willing to come together regularly enjoy the blessings of Christian fellowship and service to one another.
I was first asked to teach in our children’s department over forty years ago. Then I was moved into a very special Sunday school outreach ministry called the bus ministry. This mission was located in two old houses that stood where our present Family Life Center is. I had the wonderful opportunity of teaching teenage girls, of whom, most were married. God used this experience to grow me as a teacher and provide spiritual fruit from my ministry.
I was then asked to teach a class of middle age co-eds and have continued to the present with this group. One of my members remarked, “Our class is a place where we learn and have fun doing it.” There is definitely no substitute for Sunday school. I can say from years of experience that it is the very best place to form lasting friendships with people who desire to become happy obedient Christians. What a Godly goal for any Christian’s life!
My name is Helen Jordan. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 8-18-2010)
I am Anne Mason. And I am Sunday School
As a small child in Kentucky, my parents took me to Sunday School. At age 3, my daddy had me come to the men’s class, stand on the piano bench and sing “Jesus Loves me”. At age 7, we moved to Greenville First Church. My mother, father and 4 little toe-head girls sat on the piano side, second row. This was the old sanctuary where one could go down at the front steps into the basement and at the back of the sanctuary there were sliding doors that separated several classes.
I loved all the wonderful Bible stories I heard in Sunday School. I gave my life to Jesus at age 9 on Easter Sunday. When I was a teenager, we held Sunday School in Goat Castle--a beautiful three story home where the educational building is now. What a wonderful experience.
In 1951 I moved to Leland and soon had 2 boys to take to church. One later went in a wheelchair.
Loving children, I studied nursery work at Ridgecrest and was superintendent for several years. For the first time, in history, I got the men to work with the children. The little ones loved them.
I spent several years working with 9–12 year old boys and girls. I had Eloise Cumbaa’s father, the bank president cutting out reminders for Sunday School.
In 1973, I came back to Greenville and to a singles class. What wonderful bible study and support for all of us.
Now that I am 79, I deem it a privilege to participate in Sunday School. My friends are so dear to me and sometimes I can share the knowledge I have of the Bible.
If you do not attend, you are missing a big part of your life. My memories of Sunday School are so great.
My name is Anne Mason. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 8-11-2010)
My name is Ted Smith. And I am Sunday School.
I am 44 years old. Sunday School has been a part of my whole life since my father is a preacher.
I think Sunday School is vital to your Christian growth. For example, you are surrounded by friends that have the same interest for their future as you, and you find friends that forget about their own problems to pray for yours. Sunday School is also a place where you can meet new friends and build long term relationship.
In our class, the Dammon Class, you’ll find incredible friendships. One of the things that I like The most is the diversity of people. I’ve really gotten to know the other class members other than just seeing them at their place of business.
Sunday School continues to play an important role in my, and my family’s, life. My name is Ted Smith. And I am Sunday School.
I AM SUNDAY SCHOOL (Published 8-4-2010)
My name is Trent Hutchenson. And I am Sunday School.
My earliest memory of life is of Sunday School at the Fourth Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. I couldn't have been more than three and wasn't too happy about being there. That day a kind white haired lady in a long dress and clunky shoes took me by the hand, sat with me on the floor and we worked a lump of modeling clay together until my anxiety was forgotten.
As a teenager I distanced myself from Sunday School for reasons both good and bad-mostly just being a teenager. But I knew I was missing something. At my college church I was asked to help in the children's department and the value of my early experence was recalled.
After moving to Greenville in 1972 and joining FBC , Anne and I attended the only coed class extant at that time. The class provided not only solid Bible study but also a peer group that helped us with our transition. Many in that class are our friends to this day. (We hadnt been here but a few weeks when Roy Mitchell and Randy Potin were at our door encouraging us to get involved in Sunday School.)
Since those early days Sunday School has not only continued to provide consistent, solid Bible study but equally as important, a group of people who have ministered to us and taught us so much about the Christian walk. I could not have grown in my faith without the impact of the Sunday School experience.
If you are not involved in Sunday School you are missing one of the great dimensions not only of church life but the Christian walk itself. Join in!! My name is Trent Hutchenson. And I am Sunday School.
