Lesson plans using literature as a central element have been developed by students at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte as a part of the course listed below. These lesson plans are offered with permission for local churches to use them in their ministry. We request that you give credit to the students whose work you use and it would be wonderful for you to leave a comment on the lesson plan entry letting us know how you used these ideas.
Look for “Lesson Plans” in the category list to the right and choose one of the options listed under that to see all teaching units written for that age group.
Terrific site with info I have been wanting to present to seminary students for some time. Please show the publisher and the date for all books entered. Thanks.
One of the important challenges for pastors is the children’s sermon. The problem is most are simply adult sermons and concepts minaturized for children. They often do not reflect any understanding of the developmental issues related to learning faith. The other extreme are the literalists who completley ignore any imaginative opportunities in the text. I have said all this to challenge someone, somewhere, to construct children’s sermons that reflect sound scholarship, developmental sensitivity, and the need to actural invite creative response, even a dialogue, with the text for the morning. Thank you. Rev. Dan Clark, Warminster Presbyterian Church, Warminster, PA
Here in the Library at Union Seminary, we have lots of patrons who are looking for help with children’s sermons, so there are many people who would agree with you! Do any of our blog readers have thoughts to offer? We’d love to hear from you.
As a director of a Presbyterian preschool and an ordained elder, I would like to suggest resourcing pastors in this way would be a natural way for someone educated in child development to make a contribution to worship. Doing so (and the invitation to do so) might strengthen the bonds between educators in weekday schools and their sponsoring churches. Dialogue might also move directors in the direction of reformed theology.
Nancy, as a result of some of the emails we get, I do know that some educators have been resourcing pastors in this way. I also know that there are many early childhood programs that are using this site as a resource. It does seem like a natural extension for church related preschool program staff to offer their expertise to pastors and congregations hoping to include children more fully in worship.