First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Illinois . 321 South 7th Street . Springfield, IL 62701 . tele: 217.528.4311 . fax: 217.528.0768
 
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What is Workshop Rotation Sunday School?


Children experience the biblical stories and theological concepts in multiple week unit workshops. Each unit is based on one story or concept and the goal is in-depth knowledge and nurturing of faith.

Children journey deeper in to the questions of "why" and "how." Workshop Rotation, also called multidimensional learning uses the spiritual gifts and talents of many adult members, rather than a few. Teachers may sign up to teach workshops that would use their individual interests and gifts.

Our grandparents, who can't bring the children every Sunday, have found that each child fits quickly into the creative, high adult ratio workshops.

Some of First Church's
multi-dimensional learning
workshops are: Storytelling, Bible Skills, Art, Cooking, Music and Movement, Drama, Science and Computer.


We remember:
10% of what we read,
20% of what we hear,
70% of what we say,
90% of what we say and do — and 90+% of what we experience.



Experiencing
the lessons of the Christian faith through different learning modalities, which educational specialists call "multi-intelligences" or "multi-dimensional learning," results in better retention of knowledge.

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop Rotation Sunday School

Click on this icon to see a video about Workshop Rotation Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church
View a slide show about
multi-dimensional learning
in First Presbyterian Church
Children's Sunday School.

View large format | View small format

Would you like to teach? View the fall workshops in PDF format. You can see those that need teacher volunteers and read the workshop details. There is also a year-long topic list available for you:


emptyChildren and Youth Opportunities
Sunday mornings| 9:00 - 10:15 AM
— meet in the Coliseum theater seats
(former Music and Drama Room)
- in the education wing,
second floor, Children's Hall.


Visit our new Theater Workshop! Twelve new theater seats have been purchased at a cost of $480. plus delivery and installation. Thanks to the generous support of a few dedicated church members, this ministry is flourishing. You can see one tier of seats in the picture below. Children, Youth, and Family Ministries staff, Chris Young and Aasney Daniels, will be delighted to give you a tour of our Children's wing.

Lesson Highlights This Term

Movie Workshop:
Through the story of Abraham and Isaac the children will learn that God wants them to love God more than anything else. They will learn that God values human life and NEVER EVER wants us to hurt anyone. As they see how Abraham obeyed, trusted, and was faithful to God, they come to understand that God desires them to have a willing and loving heart. Furthermore, God provides for their needs just like God provided the ram for Abraham.

Art Workshop:
Children will enjoy creating “Abraham and Sarah’s Starry Sky” using a crayon resist technique. As they create the stars in the sky they learn that God promised Abraham and Sarah as many descendants as stars in the sky. The children will claim one of the stars they have drawn as their “family star.” They learn that they are part of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah.

Bible Variety Workshop:
Children learn of Abraham and Sarah’s trust, obedience, and faithfulness to God as they hear how they followed God’s instructions to leave their home and go to a land that God will show them. Children explore how that might have felt to Abraham and Sarah by playing a Feely Box Trust Me Game. In this game, children contemplate sticking their hands into fearful looking boxes to discover the contents. They discover the contents of the fearful looking boxes are good; if they had not ventured into the box they would have missed out on the good thing. They learn of the promises that God gave Abraham and Sarah and how their trust, obedience, and faithfulness led to wonderful things that God had planned. Children further learn that God has plans for them – plans for good not harm – that give them hope and a future.

Computer Workshop:

Why did God want to make a nation? Through this workshop the children will understand that the path to Jesus begins with Abraham and Sarah. They will learn that Abraham and Sarah’s world was not ready to receive God’s special gift of Jesus; a nation of faithful people needed to be established first. Through a computer game, the children will explore how God began this nation through promises with Abraham and Sarah. The children will also explore how their faith in God can influence our own nation today. (This lesson contains enhancements for intermediate children.)

Drama Workshop:
Children will step into the shoes of Abraham and Lot during the scriptless drama activity "Abraham and Lot Solve a Conflict." Children experience Abraham’s trust in God to provide and Lot’s greediness in choosing the best grazing land for his sheep while acting out God’s story. Children have fun being Abraham and Lot’s sheep, shepherds, and waving grazing grasses and come to understand how everyone reacted in this story. The children will learn how Abraham and Sarah's faithfulness and love for God allowed them to obey God's commands. A chocolate bar activity helps children learn that they can act as Abraham did and be unselfish in conflict situations because they can trust in God's promise to provide.

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© First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Illinois . 321 South 7th Street . Springfield, IL 62701 . tele: 217.528.4311 . fax: 217.528.0768
photos by Chris Young and Pamela Hayes | some images© 2006 JupiterImages Corporation
Updated October 10, 2009

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