a letter....

(prescript: Dear Reader, thought this letter would give you a little insight to my summer, enjoy...)

Dear Elders,
This is a follow up note of when we last officially spoke in the Spring.
Randy and I talked with you about testing and changing curriculum for Sunday mornings and the challenges we foresaw.

Well for starters most of the teachers really did like the new curriculum(Tru) even the few that had objections their objections pointed out the good traits of Tru (they felt it was too evangelism centered). We tried Tru for the month of May (and have continued through the Summer), the teachers liked it, but it was clear training would have to happen to be able to use the teacher's and the curriculum's full potential. This Fall is going to be time of a lot of training and empowering teachers.

As for the families, the only feedback I've heard is positive. Kids understanding the stories and being challenged about a day to day relationship with God. Two words I hear a lot from teachers and parents are "Grasp" and "Understand".
One mom talked about how for her daughter her relationship with God was no longer abstract but rather he is a apart of this world she lives in and will she join in on His adventure and take Him at His word. Bobbie Jo told me Macie has a sudden fascination with reading her Bible. Macie sat down to read, starting in Genesis, because she wants to know what God's story is. Shannan shared with me that now when she asks what they talked about at church both kids can tell her the stories and their meanings. Shannan says they are understanding it in such a way now that it is nourishing to their spiritual souls. Shannan was also quick to point out that the "hand outs" that are emailed to the parents are also nourishing, and full of ideas that slip into a families day to day life.

Something that deserves a whole paragraph of it's own is: Blessings. It's how we end class each Sunday. Blessings in general is something that has been slowing taking over all of Montavilla in a beautiful way, and now it's picking up speed with the kids. When the class draws to an end the kids gather around one parent who speaks words of blessing over them. Blessings are making their way into the homes also. Tim Swindler is currently in Scotland, and Tuesday was his daughter Darby's first day of school. Tim and Shannan had already prepared a blessing Tim was going to speak over her on the phone before she left, but before he mentioned it Darby asked Tim to bless her, because she knew her heart needed those words of encouragement and protection as she headed out on the adventure of school.

Attached are two letters that parents sent during the summer that I thought you might enjoy.

Thanks again for your support. The Spring was harder then Randy and I had reckoned for. But without fail each Sunday that I was full of doubt and discouragement, you fine men (or a wife of yours:) gave me a hug and reassured me of your love, your support and of God's calling in my life and God's love for His bride. Thank you.