Church Update and Encouragement
encouragement
Dear Church Family,
I pray that you are doing well, and particularly, connected with God and the church family in various ways during these unprecedented spiritual, social-economic, and political challenges brought by the pandemic. I would like to share with you how God has strengthened our faith and blessed us through our Sunday school in the last few months.
When shelter-in-place started in March, 2020 and we could no longer attend worship and Sunday school in person, twenty-seven Children Sunday School teachers (vary in ages from “Gen Z to Baby Boomers) said “yes” to committing their lives to serving and shepherding our children. Their decision have clear biblical foundation; children’s ministry is God’s idea. The Word of God is alive! Their involvement in children’s ministry leadership is not just a calling, but following the calling. It is obedience!
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)
“…And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes….”
The above scripture has been the basis of family ministry, that parents are the primary spiritual influences in a child’s life. It was not spoken to only an individual family unit, but also to the family of God. This means that all believers are included in this mandate for faith to be passed on to the next generation.
Since we cannot meet in person for Sunday school, and no Sunday school is not an option, we teamed up our teachers to serve together virtually online. Teachers were designated to do specific assignments. Each class has at least two teachers. They teach the lesson, care for students and to connect with parents by sending out Zoom invites to the parents. We are trying to meet the students’ needs virtually by providing a variety of activities to engage the students more effectively. The curriculum we purchased is digital. The curriculum comes with video clips, teacher’s guide and student’s guide, powerpoint lessons, and students’ Q&A, (e.g., this link can download this Sunday's 2nd/3rd grade lesson: https://curriculum.lifeway.com/api/v1/files/ccb96d0c-b1bf-4f49-a870-e4138444e0e7 ). Teachers are assigned to check the attendance and to follow up with the students. As Zoom is a new App for all the teachers, we offered a Zoom training on September 13, conducted by Robert Chan, our Sunday school teacher assistant, who is also a member of Gen Z. He trained us well and the session was recorded for review and training other people. Sunday school teachers were delighted to apply what they learned. Our children department will continue to meet and communicate with teachers regularly through Zoom for support and prayers.
Yes, we have a pandemic that has disrupted our personal lives and church family lives. But, God uses this unusual time to bless us by providing opportunities for us to respond to our church themes, from “Growing Young” to “Entrusting the Faithful”, with different generations support and help each other, and serve God together.
Pray that you are also involved in God’s ministries in other ways that are consistent with our church theme, and/or manifest His great love.
Your Coworker in Christ,
Amelia Sun Children’s Director
Please feel free to contact the church for any questions or prayer requests through info@bacbc.org.