So, I can’t help but wonder why Sunday School is so important!

What makes it relevant in today’s fast paced and over scheduled world? It’s a lot of work for so few kids that you can’t help wondering why one should bother. So I asked my daughter and a friend what they thought was important about Sunday School. Here are their answers:
1.It helps you learn about God and Jesus
2.You learn about the Ten Commandments and why they are important
3.You make friends at church
4.It’s something special just for the kids

Historically, Sunday Schools in this country served as outreach to our nation’s poorest children. These schools taught children to read and write using the Bible as the central text. Most of this style school had disappeared by 1830 but one can still trace many mission Sunday Schools that serve the poor and disenfranchised back to this model. The Sunday School of St Paul’s also seeks to minister and serve the needs of the children in our parish and community today.

Many of us have fond lessons of Sunday School: the lessons, songs, crafts and games. For me, and I suspect for many others, Sunday School became a weekly oasis in a changing and challenging world. My world, like that of many young people today, was topsy-turvy We eventually began attending Sunday services with another denomination. I ended up drifting away from this other denomination and back to the Episcopal Church as an adult. But, I’m still thankful for my Sunday School memories.

Sunday school was a “safe zone” for me. I could push aside the daily difficulties of my young life and just be a kid. I learned a lot there but the most important thing is that I was valued. God loved me, as did my church. I mattered enough for kind people to plan, prepare and teach a class for myself and the other children. Sunday School became a constant when my world was changing too fast.

I’m sure many of us know people with similar memories and attachments to Sunday School. It’s important to note that Sunday School is more than memories. The two students I polled for this blog had some simple and poignant answers about why Sunday school is important to them today in the here and now. But do we really need Sunday school? Is it still relevant? I think so and I thank the parents that have registered their children to take part in St Paul’s Sunday school this year.

The good memories we give our children today can help transform them into active adult members tomorrow. It allows them a place and a space to grow, to be needed and valued. To grow in their faith and their service. To develop relationships within the parish, the diocese and the worldwide church. It is a safe place for a child to discuss their views with other children. They aren’t passive and have opportunities to explore their faith and become leaders.

So what is our Sunday School’s mission?
-First and foremost, our goal is to help our students become disciples to Christ through study and worship
-In addition, we work to ensure all our children feel accepted and valued as part of our parish
-We also provide opportunities to serve God, our parish, our community and others around the world by putting faith into action

Please consider giving your children the gift of Sunday school. Registration is ongoing and forms can be obtained by contacting the parish office at http://www.saintpaulslewiston.com/index.html. Our official registration Sunday is September 7th; any student registered on or before this date will automatically be entered in a drawing to win a Webkinz™. Please join us for an outdoor service on the lawn and potluck starting at 10:30am. September 14th is Dedication Sunday for our teachers and students at both the 8:00am and 10:30am services, with classes starting that day. There are two regular weekly classes offered: Sundays at 9:30am and at 10:30am.