Brethren Press has announced curriculum resources for the coming year. In the spring, the Christian education curriculum Gather ’Round is offered for children and youth classes, and A Guide for Biblical Studies for adult classes and small group Bible studies. In the summer, Gather ’Round offers a quarter for multi-age groups of children and for youth, and a Vacation Bible School package is available. In the fall, Brethren Press and MennoMedia will roll out Shine: Living in God’s Light, the successor curriculum to Gather ’Round.
Spring curriculum
Gather ’Round: “Living in the Light: Stories from John” is the theme for spring, covering Sundays from March 2 -May 25. Included are stories for Lent and Easter such as Jesus raising Lazarus, Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, his resurrection appearances to Mary Magdalene and the disciples, and his teachings in the latter part of John. Gather ’Round is for preschool, primary, middler, youth.
A Guide for Biblical Studies: “Jesus’ Fulfillment of Scripture” is the spring theme for this Bible study for adult groups. The quarter is written by Estella Horning and explores connections between Jesus and the Hebrew scriptures. Cost is $4.25 or $7.35 for large print, plus shipping and handling.
Summer curriculum
Vacation Bible School: Give and Receive God’s Great Love (MennoMedia) is the Vacation Bible School curriculum available from Brethren Press for 2014. It highlights Bible stories about God’s people who showed hospitality and welcome to others, inviting children to learn about God who welcomes each one of us. The curriculum is organized around five stories and is adaptable to a traditional daily program, or to a midweek or club plan. Stories are drawn from Genesis, 1 Samuel, Luke, and Acts. The curriculum offers worship resources, games, crafts, and a drama of each story. The boxed kit includes everything needed for planning and preparation. All of the items in the boxed set are also available to order separately. $159.99 for the starter kit, with churches able to order additional materials through Brethren Press customer service.
Gather ‘Round: Stories of God’s People, the summer quarter of Gather ’Round, is a resource for multiage groups (grades K-5), preschool (ages 3-4, with tips for 2s), and youth (grades 6-12). Lessons cover the Sundays of June 1-Aug. 24. Stories focus on people around Jesus–Matthew, Mary and Martha, Zacchaeus, Nicodemus, Peter and John–and key leaders in the early church–Paul and Ananias, Barnabus, Philip and the Ethiopian, Lydia, Aquila, Priscilla. The list of summer sessions is at www.gatherround.org .
Fall curriculum
Shine: Living in God’s Light: Development of a new Sunday school curriculum called Shine is underway by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Shine is a successor curriculum to the current Gather ’Round. The first quarter of Shine: Living in God’s Light, will be available for use this fall. “We are pleased to offer our congregations a user-friendly, enriching curriculum that grows out of our distinct beliefs as Brethren and Mennonites,” said Wendy McFadden, publisher of Brethren Press. Foundational scriptures include Isaiah 9:2 and Matthew 5:14-16. For children age three through grade eight, Shine is based on a three-year overview of the Bible with a separate Bible outline for early childhood. Sessions include an emphasis on teaching prayer and other spiritual practices, and will highlight peace themes. A multi-age resource will serve churches with small numbers of children. See http://shinecurriculum.com .
Order curriculum from Brethren Press at 800-441-3712 or www.brethrenpress.com .