A Letter from the Author
When I began posting Sunday School lessons on this website, I did so because it was an easy method for teachers from both of my congregations to access their planning guides whenever and wherever it was convenient for them to do so.
It also became a way in which families were able to see what was happening in Sunday School and support the learning that was happening at church in their homes as well.
Over time, I started to hear from some of you who stumbled upon this page. What I had written and posted here was helpful to you in your own settings too. I am thankful to know that in some way the ministry of my small, rural congregations has been an encouragement to yours wherever you are!
We began writing and using our own curriculum when we started using the narrative lectionary in our churches and realized that there were no Sunday School materials being published that helped us to connect Sunday School to worship in a direct way. We wanted curriculum that was fun and engaging, that was deeply meaningful, theologically sound, and that would help our children gain the knowledge and tools that they needed to be able to navigate the Bible and our Christian worship with confidence! And so this curriculum that I've called "hesed" was born.
As time has gone on and more churches have started using the narrative lectionary, more resources are being professionally developed for congregations like ours. One of them is a new Sunday School curriculum that is being published by Spirit and Truth Publishing. It's titled "Living the Word." After reviewing the goals and objectives of the curriculum and the style of the lessons (and lots of prayer and talking with the leaders of my congregations) I decided not to continue writing curriculum on my own when such a well put together curriculum exists that accomplishes the same goals. "Living the Word" is the curriculum that I had been looking for several years ago!
I believe that we can accomplish more together than we can on our own. For that reason, I accepted the offer to be a contributing writer to the "Living the Word" curriculum and am working with the publisher to expand the materials offered so that this year we will also be able to do a beta test program of a Living the Word: Youth curriculum.
I will not be posting lessons on this site for the 2014-2015 school year because there will be even better ones available through this new curriculum! There is some cost to using "Living the Word: Kids" but it is based on the number of students in your program and should be affordable for your congregation. Since the youth curriculum is in testing this year, there is just a small flat fee for any congregation that wants to try it out.
I am thankful to all of you that have written to me and let me know that having access to the lessons on this site made a difference to you and your congregations! Please know that I continue to pray for all of you! I pray that your ministries and your planning for the 2014-2015 year will be blessed!
Pastor Sarah Nye
P.S. If you are interested in finding out more about the Living the Word curriculum, you can check out the publisher's website at www.spiritandtruthpublishing.com.
When I began posting Sunday School lessons on this website, I did so because it was an easy method for teachers from both of my congregations to access their planning guides whenever and wherever it was convenient for them to do so.
It also became a way in which families were able to see what was happening in Sunday School and support the learning that was happening at church in their homes as well.
Over time, I started to hear from some of you who stumbled upon this page. What I had written and posted here was helpful to you in your own settings too. I am thankful to know that in some way the ministry of my small, rural congregations has been an encouragement to yours wherever you are!
We began writing and using our own curriculum when we started using the narrative lectionary in our churches and realized that there were no Sunday School materials being published that helped us to connect Sunday School to worship in a direct way. We wanted curriculum that was fun and engaging, that was deeply meaningful, theologically sound, and that would help our children gain the knowledge and tools that they needed to be able to navigate the Bible and our Christian worship with confidence! And so this curriculum that I've called "hesed" was born.
As time has gone on and more churches have started using the narrative lectionary, more resources are being professionally developed for congregations like ours. One of them is a new Sunday School curriculum that is being published by Spirit and Truth Publishing. It's titled "Living the Word." After reviewing the goals and objectives of the curriculum and the style of the lessons (and lots of prayer and talking with the leaders of my congregations) I decided not to continue writing curriculum on my own when such a well put together curriculum exists that accomplishes the same goals. "Living the Word" is the curriculum that I had been looking for several years ago!
I believe that we can accomplish more together than we can on our own. For that reason, I accepted the offer to be a contributing writer to the "Living the Word" curriculum and am working with the publisher to expand the materials offered so that this year we will also be able to do a beta test program of a Living the Word: Youth curriculum.
I will not be posting lessons on this site for the 2014-2015 school year because there will be even better ones available through this new curriculum! There is some cost to using "Living the Word: Kids" but it is based on the number of students in your program and should be affordable for your congregation. Since the youth curriculum is in testing this year, there is just a small flat fee for any congregation that wants to try it out.
I am thankful to all of you that have written to me and let me know that having access to the lessons on this site made a difference to you and your congregations! Please know that I continue to pray for all of you! I pray that your ministries and your planning for the 2014-2015 year will be blessed!
Pastor Sarah Nye
P.S. If you are interested in finding out more about the Living the Word curriculum, you can check out the publisher's website at www.spiritandtruthpublishing.com.