Sunday School that Lights the Way
What does a children’s ministry director say about Shine?
Read this interview with Lenora Bell, Director of Children’s Ministry at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA.
Seven reasons why Shine: Living in God’s Light is right for your church
Shine prioritizes the Bible Story.
The Bible story is the central focus of each Shine session. Worship, prayer, and activities invite teachers and children to connect with the story. Shine’s 2022-23 Bible storybook, Great Big Love: God’s Story for You & Me, puts the Bible in the hands of elementary-age children, allowing them to read, wonder, and ask questions about the story.
- All three age levels (PreK-Kindergarten, Elementary, and Junior Youth) hear the same Bible story.
Shine connects the Bible with daily life.
Young children enter the story with awe and imagination through wondering questions and statements. For elementary ages, a time for reflection and conversation follows the weekly Bible story. This time helps elementary children imagine themselves in the story, with teachers prompting connections between the biblical story and personal experiences. Junior youth explore the Bible story using questions that invite teachers and youth to talk about ways to live out what they’ve learned during the week.
Shine emphasizes spiritual practices.
Each session includes an age-appropriate spiritual practice that welcomes children into the presence of God. Preschoolers through tweens experience a variation on the same spiritual practice. This makes it easy for parents to support spiritual practices at home during the week, and for church leaders to incorporate the spiritual practices in worship.
Shine teaches Jesus’ way of peace.
Mennonite and Church of the Brethren denominations, which partner together to produce Shine, emphasize peacemaking as integral to God’s good news. Shine emphasizes the concept of God’s shalom—peace with God, creation, neighbors, and self—and Jesus’ life and teachings of peace. We invite children and youth to express their faith through acts of peacemaking and service.
Shine values diversity.
In content, illustration, and music, Shine shares the beautiful diversity of God’s creation with children and youth. Shine sessions and teaching tips guide teachers to create a learning environment where everyone can know that they are welcome and loved by God and each other.
Shine makes learning fun with creative and insightful media connections.
Each Shine session includes at least four age-appropriate media connections that can be used by the teacher to enhance learning or extend the session. Elementary and Junior Youth teachers can choose activity options that explore art, books, videos, music, and other online resources.
Shine supports your volunteers in their ministry of teaching.
Look for additional resources, tips for teaching, and much more. Each quarter, teacher’s guides will have a code to unlock articles and other teaching aids on the website. Extra helps for families are found online, too. Plus, regular posts on Facebook and Instagram and pins on Pinterest help support teachers.
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