Back to School Back to Routine

Hi, on this page I will be sharing, reviewing, and recommending resources for children’s, family, and all-age, church-based work. I love to explore and discover new ideas, and creative ways of supporting this fantastic ministry. It’s such a privilege to serve the church and to help make worship meaningful and fun for children and families. I hope you’ll find my ideas and recommendations helpful. 

I feel very privileged to serve as the Chaplain to our Cathedral School and this week we have been preparing for the new academic year. While the holidays are great and give us a much needed space to relax and unwind, after a while we can get restless for routine again. As with the seasons school terms give us some sort of framework to live by, and that in a sense gives us stability and security. We know what to expect, what to look out for and what to look forward to. This photo was taken many years ago on our grandson’s first day at school. He was nervous but excited about his new adventure.

This reminds me of some research I did many years ago for the book I wrote below. It was about child rearing in Bible times. On the first day of school, boys would be taken to the synagogue school by their father. The Rabbi would get out a slate carved with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and some texts from the Jewish Law. The Rabbi would smear the slate with honey and the boys would get to trace the letters with their finger and lick the honey from their finger afterwards. They believed learning should be rewarded. There are many references to the sweetness of learning in the Bible, for example: Psalm 119 v 103 ‘How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.’ This was an excellent learning incentive as well as a multi-sensory teaching aid.

This  is a photo of Ish and I in the Cathedral, and one of our duties and our great privilege is to read the Gospel lesson on a Sunday morning. The more I read my Bible the more I realise how much I don’t know and yet there is a sense of yearning for discovery. Perhaps with the start of a new academic year we might want to think about starting over again with a new book of the Bible or with a new course there is so much available on-line now.

LET US PRAY

This week let’s pray for our schools, for teachers, pupils, and parents and all school staff and those responsible for looking after our children. In this time of uncertainty may our children’s learning bring them joy and stability as they start this new academic year, full of hope and expectation of new learning, new friends and new adventures.

RESOURCES

The Bible Society have a new on-line Bible study course – The Bible Course: Personal Edition is a new way to explore the big story of the Bible, but at your own pace, in your own time, wherever you are – on your way to work in the morning, during lunch or when the kids are in bed.

Scripture Union Explore Together  Explore Together is a fresh, exciting and creative way to enable groups of any and all ages to engage with the Bible. Explore Together helps people to explore God’s Word and hear his voice in a way that embraces their natural preferences. It encourages the community to come together to share their thoughts, questions and revelations with each other.

Scripture Union Resources for Children This offers lots of Bible Study activities for children including holiday club material.

I wrote this book many years ago and inside I explained about the feasts and festivals recorded in the Bible and how families lived in Bible times. If you would like a copy just email: ishmael@ishmael.org.uk

Next week I’ll be thinking about worship. In the meantime have fun and enjoy your week as we head back to school?