wfn.org | Taiwan Church Unites Sunday School with Community Ministry

[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2642, October 20, 2002
Reported by Li Hsin-ren.  Translated and rewritten by David
Alexander

   "The climate of is dull. The teachers and the students arrive
late. Attendance is variable. The children are sleepy-eyed.  The
teachers, though spirited, are not very creative. They use
unchanging methods to tell stories or teach songs."  Does this
reflect Sunday School as experienced in your church?
   The Rev. Tan Beng-chi (Chen Ming-chih), pastor of Tso-ying
Presbyterian Church in Kaohsiung City, led a seminar on Sunday
School transformation on October 13th.	He told of the
transformation of the program in his own parish.  The quality of
the program had been low and even the children of the church
families were reluctant to participate in it. It had no hope of
attracting children and families from the neighborhood.  To meet
these difficulties head on, the church began in 1998 to transform
their program from "Sunday School" to "Weekend Happy Daycamp".
The result is that currently 160 children participate weekly.
Growth has been both in numbers and in life and understanding.
   Rev. Tan says, "Sunday mornings are the worst time to run a
Sunday school. Nowadays Taiwan's families are small. On weekends
they often go to bed late.  On Sunday mornings they are unable to
rise early.  Church neighbors don't relate well to the concept of
'Sunday school" either. We shifted to Saturday evening and
discovered that this time slot was very good, because among our
neighbors many parents had run out of weekend entertainment for
their children by that time and were happy to send them over to
the church. Saturday evening is the optimum time in the week for
Sunday school."
   "Concerning curriculum, there is a lot of creative material
available for all aspects, including music, scripture reading,
stories, prayers and crafts.  These can be used to attract young
minds. Churches can also offer arts programs to attract parents
to send their children our way."
Tso-ying Presbyterian had also offered summer programs in sign
language training in conjunction with neighborhood public
schools.  Church members who taught in those schools served as
the communication line to open the way to mission to their
families.  Community penetration was enhanced and bore fruit.
The church's recognition in the neighborhood rose.  Now over 120
households are represented in the 160 participants in the Weekend
Happy Day camp". In many cases, entire families have received
baptism.
   The questions often put are: "If we move the Sunday school to
Saturday evening, won't the children neglect attending weekly
worship?" and "Is faith development hampered when religious
education and community service are blended?"  Rev. Tan says,
"The biblical content of our offerings has not been discounted,
nor has the message of salvation been de-emphasized."  In fact,
he says, "The content is much better than before, and most of the
families who send children on Saturday nights are present in the
church the next morning, too."
   This church has successfully transformed its religious
education offerings to children and its community outreach to its
neighbors.  The connection and identification in the surrounding
streets and lanes has been strengthened, and the effect on
children's work has been salubrious.  The staff and leadership of
the congregation are deeply committed to advancing along these
lines.

For more information: Tso Ying Presbyterian Church  FAX+886 7 588
1138

www.tsoying.pct.org.tw
		  Tan Beng-chi
bengchi@ms2.hinet.net