Quitting Is Not An Option!

How long should someone be expected to commit to a position of youth leader or Sunday School teacher? Two years? Three, maybe? How about a lifetime?

Certainly, a "lifetime" sounds unreasonable, and perhaps it is. But listen to this: If you are called to serve or minister, does that call come with an expiry date?

Obviously, no one can begin anything and say for certain that she or he will stick with it for the rest of her or his life. Many things can come up: marriage, children, jobs, moves, illness, etc. All these things make us re-think our volunteer commitments. But what I refer to is quitting for the sake of quitting.; the notion that after one has taught Sunday School or has been a youth leader for the required three years that it is okay, even necessary, to quit.

I strenuously object to this idea. If one is gifted in ministering to children or youth, then that should be a lifetime commitment. Of course, there can be breaks now and then, but I want to see those people return to their calling after a well-deserved rest.

What do you think? How many years have you been heeding the call? Or perhaps a better question may be this: How many years do you hope to heed it?

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It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.

Albert Einstein

Teacher Training Days

A wonderful resource for anyone who works with children and youth is a Teacher Training Day.

These days are filled with speakers and workshops geared especially to the needs of teachers. Invest one Saturday of your time, and you can glean a year’s worth of ideas! Even seasoned teachers can use some fresh approaches or a new way to do the same old thing.

There is a Teacher Training Day at Camp Shalom on October 3, 1998. For information on Teacher Training Days in your area, contact your pastor.

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Craft Corner

Here’s a sparkling idea when you work with glitter!

Are you tired of the mess it makes and the waste it creates since so much of it ends up on the table and floor (and hands and faces)?

Try this waste-free, mess-free glitter trick: mix it with hair gel and apply it to the craft with a paintbrush! (It will curl the paper crafts temporarily, but they will be flat when dry.) It’s easy to use, and it dries quickly.

Each finger of the glove represents one member of their family. For some children you wil have to remove some fingers and for others, you will have to add some extras! Stuff the fingers with poly stuffing. Draw facial features with a fine-tipped marker. Use yarn bits to make hair and fabric scraps for a tie or dress. A paper clip can be bent into a pair of glasses, and an earring back can be a baby’s soother, as long as each finger looks similar to a family member! Take a styrofoam cup and cut four cm off the top. Weight the bottom with a few pebbles. Pull the glove over the cup all the way to the bottom. Push the fingers into the palm to form a "nest," and secure it with a dab of glue. Write a message or verse on a pretty piece of paper, and glue it to the front. (See picture for reference.)