Sola Publishing - News and Feedback

This is a good message. I need to apply this in my...

2012-03-06T09:22:16.597-08:00

This is a good message. I need to apply this in my community

Yes indeed! Karen did a great job doing the edit ...

2012-03-02T21:03:21.023-08:00

Yes indeed! Karen did a great job doing the edit and layout of Peggy's book.

Is this the one edited by my good friend Karen Nel...

2012-03-02T18:58:09.139-08:00

Is this the one edited by my good friend Karen Nelson out in Nebraska?

Thanks for the feedback. You make some good obser...

2011-07-14T16:54:28.608-07:00

Thanks for the feedback. You make some good observations. In fact, as I mentioned in the post above yours, in the future we intend to add the features you suggest to the Sunday Schoolhouse program in the form of Teacher's Guides to go with each book.

It has been very tempting for me to take on the task of plowing ahead with extra materials. However, with such limited time and so much for our small staff to do, I have come to the conclusion that we must focus on the basic books for the time being.

We will, however, continue to post additional "free stuff" (activities, ice breakers, etc.) on the Sola site as we go along.

Sola Comments… We have a small group of children ...

2011-07-12T21:03:39.342-07:00

Sola Comments…

We have a small group of children in our two classrooms with four to eight in each room. The following comments were gathered from the teachers after using Year A of Sola’s “Sunday Schoolhouse” curriculum and than finishing the summer classes with several previous Sola VBS curricula. Some of the strong points of the Sola curriculum are…all ages studying the same bible story works great, the theme word and definition gave a nice focus for the children, the coloring pictures were used each week, and the drama skits worked super for the All Age Opening. We used the drama to introduce each week’s lesson before the adults and children dispersed to their separate classrooms for greater learning.

Some points that we felt could be improved were…more background information for teacher preparation, more age appropriate activity sheets for various ages, a recommendation of a Children’s book that could be used as a preschool visual to support the bible story.

From the "David: Hero of God" curriculum, the teachers enjoy the extra activity sheets and added information about the story.

Thank you!

Mary: A thought along the lines of what you are a...

2011-04-27T15:20:12.669-07:00

Mary:

A thought along the lines of what you are asking about ...

I realize that churches very different traditions about the time of year for Confirmation services to be held. I have favored the tradition of putting the service in the early Fall, instead of at the end of the school year.

We do our Confirmation service the week after Rally Sunday, which is the same week the new Confirmation class and our Senior High Youth Group resumes (both held on Wednesday nights). The idea conveyed is then not so much an "ending" but the beginning of participation in the "next" group. Granted, not all students continue on, but we've found it to be a 'boost' to starting the new school year will students continuing to be involved.

Pastor Steve King

Dear Mary: One of the ways we've had that &qu...

2011-04-27T15:03:33.458-07:00

Dear Mary:

One of the ways we've had that "what now?" kind of conversation is something we've done just prior to the Confirmation service. We get together the students and confirmation sponsors (adult members of the congregation who serve as 'new member' sponsors for each confirmand). They get together for an "interview" -- with an ice cream social -- where students ask the sponsors about their adult involvement in church.

Here is the 'interview form' the students use (download):
http://www.solapublishing.com/doc/confirmation/SponsorInterviewForm.pdf

I will also put the link to this form on the Confirmation page.

Mary, what a JOY to know that you'll be confir...

2011-04-27T11:35:26.722-07:00

Mary, what a JOY to know that you'll be confirming five young people on Pentecost! I think of where you all were just a few months ago, rebuilding your confirmation ministry, and just thank the LORD for this turn around!

As for the auestion, "Now that you are confirmed, what's next?" We actually address that before the young people are confirmed, in three ways: 1) through some of their service projects, which give them the opportunity to explore different facets of leadership and service; 2) "How would you like to be involved...." is one of the questions asked during their pre-approval, one-on-one interviews with members of the congregational council; and 3)a few weeks after confirmation at a service project (student-organized cleaning of the otherwise abandoned Yoder Amish Mennonite Cemetery) and pizza feed.

Hope this is helpful ... Pastor Steve will probably have even better ideas!

Pastor Cathi Braasch STS

Pastor King, Do you have suggestions for a "g...

2011-04-26T14:03:50.218-07:00

Pastor King,
Do you have suggestions for a "get-together" after the confirmation service for a group discussion on "Now that your are confirmed, what's next?" We will be confirming 5 on Pentecost, June 12, 2011. Thanks Mary K Nelson, Bethel Lutheran, Holdrege, NE

Any extra info that might be available for leading...

2011-02-23T19:42:21.599-08:00

Any extra info that might be available for leading worship for midweek would be VERY much appreciated. We are using contemporary music and just cd's and a player at the microphone, but having a great turnout. Any ideas for enhancements geared toward the young and young at heart!

Thanks for your comment. You are correct in obser...

2011-02-04T14:40:26.140-08:00

Thanks for your comment. You are correct in observing that the materials used "as is" tend to lean toward the younger grades. This is because the Sunday Schoolhouse series is written with a mixed-age audience in mind, which would include both readers and non-readers.

I have had several churches mention that they have had the older children look up stories in Scripture, and discuss some prepared questions — with more of a Bible study approach.

In this first year of development, the Sunday Schoolhouse materials have focused only on classroom story resources. Eventually, discussion questions, teacher's introductions, and the weekly activities we have posting here on the Sola "Table Talks" site will be incorporated into teachers' guides which will accompany each unit.

Dear Pastor McGinley: Thanks for the good words. ...

2011-02-04T14:27:18.226-08:00

Dear Pastor McGinley:

Thanks for the good words. The "Christian" vs. "catholic" wording in the Creed was actually a choice made by the ReClaim Resources group that produced the catechism incorporated into these materials.

I raised a similar concern in the printing of that work, adding the (* or catholic) footnote at the bottom. The ReClaim Committee's argument is that Luther's version of the catechism actually said "Christian." Perhaps he considered that a "teachable moment" in the opposite direction, given what the word Catholic would have implied then.

We tried this as a new curriculum for our Sunday S...

2011-02-04T12:44:37.429-08:00

We tried this as a new curriculum for our Sunday Schoolthis pastfall.This curriculum works wells for our younger class of three years olds through kindergarden. It was too easy for our older classes of second through six grades. All of the older children are honor roll students in school. They found it not challenging enough for them. They were used to looking up the Bible stories in the Bible and doing more complicated worksheets or word searches. Our previous material had more background for the teachers use.

Pastor King: We just finished the 10th chapter of...

2011-02-04T09:11:02.602-08:00

Pastor King:

We just finished the 10th chapter of the beta Creed. I am very pleased with it! The layout is perfect for one hour, the analogies are clear, the teaching is sound. (Just one minor quibble, hardly worth mentioning: I'd emphasize catholic in the creed rather than Christian, because catholic is an excellent teachable moment, a nice Greek lesson. Moreover, I think catholic says something more amplifying than Christian. For me they are complementary though not exactly synonymous terms) Aside from the obvious simple typos you've probably already caught, I think you have a first-rate curriculum here. I look forward to many years of purchasing materials from sola.
--Pastor Steve McGinley
Faith Lutheran Church, St. Charles, MN

Thank for doing such a complete curriculum. It'...

2011-01-06T18:57:29.374-08:00

Thank for doing such a complete curriculum. It's also easy to present to the children!

@ Mary -- Wonderful news about how the confirmati...

2010-12-15T18:48:57.960-08:00

@ Mary --

Wonderful news about how the confirmation progrm is being revitalized in your congregation!

As a near-by test-congregation for SOLA confirmation materials, we stand ready to assist in anyway we can as you adopt this curriculum. We're just 21 miles and/or a phone call away!

Rev. Cathi Braasch STS
Hope Ev. Lutheran Church
Smithfield NE 68976

Dear Mary: I'm glad to hear that the Sola Con...

2010-12-15T18:40:06.211-08:00

Dear Mary:

I'm glad to hear that the Sola Confirmation materials will work for you. I know your congregation is in the midst of some difficult transitions, and it might be some time before you have a new pastor. Even so, I'm thinking you will find that these materials are straight-forward enough to use with little preparation. I will continue to post and distribute "extras" for the series as they are produced, to help you fill out your Confirmation program. Please let me know if I can help out in specific ways.

Keep in Touch,
Pastor Steve King

Pastor Steve, I had a meeting last night with the ...

2010-12-15T17:34:03.164-08:00

Pastor Steve,
I had a meeting last night with the parents of our 5 current students and the two families that took their 7th graders out of the program in October. All liked the Apostles' Creed lessons. I heard comments like: "This looks very good for their age." "James would like the visuals in the lessons." " I think the kids would understand this easily." All liked the Worship Notes much better that the Sermon Notes that have been required. They were all surprised that I included them in the planning for the rest of the year. One parent asked what would be required of them to be confirmed in the spring. I had no answer as we have no pastor for leadership in this. I stressed that I saw Confirmation as an achievement but as part of a life long process of learning and serving. Perhaps in the next several months we can discuss their Confirmation more. Perhaps with Pastor Cathi. Our congregation is so damaged that I want these students to feel that they are important to us and have a place. Thank you again for your support and interest. God bless you and Merry Christmas. Mary Nelson

This is the best Sunday School curriculum I've...

2010-11-05T12:35:44.127-07:00

This is the best Sunday School curriculum I've taught. The stories are told in words that are much more easily understood for chidren. The students will better recognize and remember these important stories from the bible as they grow because they have had fun learning them.

This program is laid out so well, it takes the str...

2010-11-05T12:17:14.281-07:00

This program is laid out so well, it takes the stress out of directing. Everything you need to know is in there, and it is easy to follow. Thank you!

Thanks Steve, The curriculum is working well for...

2010-10-28T07:53:02.594-07:00

Thanks Steve,

The curriculum is working well for us… It gives structure to our small group leaders. Thanks. I’m appreciating the variety of options to choose from in terms of biblical references.

Great Stuff. Thanks Again!

Pastor Kelly Wasberg

This has been working out great for our new congre...

2010-10-20T20:35:55.663-07:00

This has been working out great for our new congregation. We have only a single class, with kids in kindergarten, second grade, and 4,5,6th. We do 45 minutes of Bible time, with some songs/music.
Marjorie K

Our Chris Ed Director used a black and white hand-...

2010-10-14T05:47:28.390-07:00

Our Chris Ed Director used a black and white hand-puppet cat, got one of the men in the congregation to dress up as Martin Luther, then presented the 10 Commandments section week by week at the beginning of the Sunday School session as a dialog between Martin and his cat. One of the older kids read the cat's part and "activated" the puppet.
Mary E. Wolf

My congregation is using the new books this year. ...

2010-10-06T13:27:11.944-07:00

My congregation is using the new books this year. I like the memory booklet. I also like being able to photocopy the coloring pictures.

I'm glad to find something on the catechism fo...

2010-09-22T17:18:22.726-07:00

I'm glad to find something on the catechism for elementary kids. I have only been able find middle-school aged materials. The Communion book worked great for our first Communion class.

Jim O'Malley