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 This
is the place to share your Bible teaching success
stories, whether among friends, your children
or Sunday School. Swap Shop is not just
for activities in Sunday School, but also provides
ways for us to foster a love for the Bible in
our homes.
Swap Shop Activities and Stories
Noah Teaches Sunday School
One Sunday morning, after my shower (during which
I do some of my best Sunday School prep work!),
I reached for a hooded striped robe. As I tied
the belt, I noticed that the robe was reminiscent
of Bible times. I kept it on, used cork and make-up
to create a darker complexion and a beard, put
on sandals, and queried the reflection in the
mirror, "Do I look like Noah?" It didn't
matter. The story of Noah was part of that week's
lesson plan, and I was going to Sunday School
as Noah to teach it.
When I got to church, I took the little chairs
for the pre-school group and placed them in ark
formation. The seats were on the outside of the
boat. I took some newsprint paper and put it over
the top of the chairs to create a roof. I was
able to scavenge plastic animals from the toy
ark in the nursery. As the children entered the
class, they selected animals that would be their
partners.
Opening exercises were on the outside of the
ark, and then the students strolled in two-by-two.
When we were all sitting quietly in the boat,
I rhythmically tapped my fingers on the paper
to make it sound like rain.
Other Sunday School teachers and attendants were
Noah's wife and children. We talked about what
God had asked Noah to do and why. Then we mentioned
how many days we had been floating. I asked the
children what we should do next.
One little boy suggested we pray, so I asked
for volunteers to pray. One little girl started,
"Our Father, which art in heaven." Noah's
wife explained that was a great beginning, but
Noah and his family didn't have that prayer yet.
The children got very quiet. One little girl sat
clutching her pig with her eyes closed and said,
"We're afraid. Please save us." Another
chimed in, "Yeah, I don't want to drown."
Lastly, one four year old said very clearly, "Dear
God, you got us into this mess, and please get
us out. Thank you, Amen."
When we sent the dove (one of the children) out
of the ark and she returned with an olive branch,
the children cheered. One of the attendants put
up a colorful rainbow. Sunday School concluded
with a discussion of God's rainbow promise. It
was the fastest moving class I've ever taught.
The three and four year olds were at rapt attention.
No one needed a bathroom break or a glass of water.
After class the children found their parents and
brought them in to meet Mr. and Mrs. Noah. One
little girl, who routinely had trouble separating
from her parents, reluctantly boarded the boat
at the start of class. But, this week there was
not a single tear. At the end of Sunday School,
she hugged Noah and his wife, and said, "I
loved it. Can we do this again?" She never
cried again in Sunday School. There are so many
ways to capture the students' imaginations and
involve them in learning about our Bible friends.
G. Austin-Lett San Jose, CA
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