LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 59

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PARISH, YOUTH, AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES ag

BPS staff wrote and edited You and Me, God, a new
confirmation course for low-functioning (that is, mentally
retarded) youth and adults, published in December 1981. The
course was developed under the auspices of the Coordinating
Committee for Cooperative Projects in Congregational Life. It
was produced with the assistance of a generous fraternal
benevolence grant from the members of the Aid Association for
Lutherans. The board sent acomplimentary teachers kitanda
learners book for the course to each synodical District office
and also a learners book with a covering letter to each
congregation of the Synod. (The materials for these distribu-
tions were also paid for by the AAL.)

The teachers kit contains the following items: Administra-
tion Guide for Teachers; Teachers Guide (suggests methods
and procedures for use with low-functioning pupils): three
teaching filmstrips; one filmstrip: Arts and Crafts Ideas for
Teaching the Faith to Special Classes; one cassette-taped
narration to accompany the arts and crafts filmstrip. The
learners book has 36 take-home sheets to promote at-home
learning and support for the 36 lessons in the course.

Christian Life Series: Now in the final-design stage, this
series will replace the present and outdated ‘Christian Faith
Series” (also called ‘‘Series II’’). Specifications call for one
common corpus of learner materials designed for use by both
the educable mentally retarded and also the deaf and hearing
impaired. There will be two separate teachers guides—one for
use with deaf learners; one for use with developmentally
disabled students. Eight filmstrips will provide the wealth of
visuals needed for learning by both M.R. and deaf students.
The course will be developed cooperatively with the Board for
Missions. The Board for Missions and the Lutheran Friends of
the Deaf are providing subsidy for development of the deaf
materials; Forward in Remembrance funding will subsidize
the materials for developmentally disabled persons.

The staff of the board writes, edits, and produces an annual
guide for teachers of vacation Bible school classes for retarded
students. This guide is correlated with the theme and the
materials of the current vacation Bible school program.

H. Vacation Bible School Materials

More congregations are conducting vacation Bible schools
than ever in the history of the Synod. This is good news anda
sign that more and more congregations are recognizing the
inherent potential of a VBS—both for community outreach
and as a means for members to study in depth a new topic of
Christian doctrine each summer.

A growing number of congregations are increasing the
effectiveness of their VBS and enlarging its outreach by using
various settings and times for their programs in addition to—
or in place of—the traditional approach. These include evening
hours, camps, day care programs, and neighborhood settings.
Some also find it good to involve senior citizens, either as
teachers, helpers and aides, or refreshment providers. Such
older people feel a sense of worth as they become involved.

The 1982 course dealt with the creating and preserving
action of God under the title “The Lord Is My Shepherd.” It
served to help congregations carry out the 1981 synodical
convention Res. 7-16 (‘To Encourage Teaching of Creation,”
Proceedings, p. 201).

The 1983 course is an in-depth study of prayer: “Take It to
the Lord in Prayer.” The board assisted Concordia Publishing
House in developing a video cassette which is available for use
with the 1983 and subsequent-yvear courses. The 20-minute
cassette is designed to help VBS teachers better appreciate the
importance of their task and better understand the design and
intended use of BPS’CPH VBS materials. Thus it also serves
congregations in their teacher-recruitment and teacher-train-
ing efforts. Entitled “Who, Me?” the cassette and accompany-
ing Leaders Guide are available from CPH on a free-loan basis.

Now in preparation, the 1984 course will focus on Christian
citizenship under the theme of ‘God Bless Our Native Land.”
In addition to the Nursery (age 3) through Junior High levels,
the 1984 course will feature materials for youth and adults.

I. Youth Bible Class Materials

In response to Res. 7-07, “To Reaffirm Youth Ministry” (St.
Louis, 1981, Proceedings, p. 199) and carrying out its mandate

to develop study materials for youth, the board published the
following new courses during the last biennium:

God, I Need to Know. A course in spiritual renewal through
personal meditation and prayer.

The Good Life. Growing in the new life with God through
trust in Jesus and relying on the Spirit’s guidance.

The two new courses complete a series of eight 13-session
courses which relate Bible study to the expressed interest and
spiritual needs of youth. Also still available (see the BPS/CPH
Guide to Growth catalog for a listing of titles) are some 17
additional courses for youth in 13-session and six-or-seven-
session formats.

Now in the planning stage is a new series of eight, six-
session Bible study booklets, with accompanying teachers
guides, focusing on important Bible events and persons; and
eight corresponding (correlated) Bible study booklets concen-
trating on important Biblical teachings or themes. Present
plans call for the publication of these 16 courses beginning in
winter 1983 or spring 1984 and continuing for four consecutive
years. When completed, the series would provide a compre-
hensive overview of Bible books and Bible themes.

To help today’s teachers teach the faith to today’s vouth, the
board developed a new comprehensive teacher-training course:
Teaching High School Youth Today. It includes chapters on
the nature of the learner. his” her own world, ways to com-
municate, how to build group rapport. The new course can be
profitably read by an individual teacher of youth—or it may be
used in a series of training sessions by youth leaders: teachers.
(Also still available is the shorter guide for youth teachers,
What's the Good Word for Youth?)

The board is now studying the possibility of publishing a
monthly youth devotional magazine. The proposed new maga-
zine would be targeted for youth 14 vears and older; and would
contain daily meditations, Scripture readings, and prayer
thoughts supplemented by appealing visuals (banner-like say-
ings, photos, graphic displays).

Also in the planning stage: a teaching skills course for
teachers of adult and youth classes, using video as the primary
medium.

J. Adult Bible Class Materials

Designed especially for Sunday morning use are the follow-
ing 13-session courses developed and published during the past
biennium:

Let Justice Roll Down Like Water (Amos)
How to Make Your Congregation Work(Timothy and Titus)

The board published the following new courses in its adult
school of religion format (six 90-minute sessions, student guide
only):

Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts relates Bible teachings
about gifts of the Spirit to the individual Christian and the
Christian congregation, the God-ordained gathering of be-
lievers around Word and Sacrament.

Test Tube Babies ... Euthanasia—Who Decides? is a
discussion-oriented course designed to help Christians explore
and understand current medical research and practices, and to
develop attitudes and actions that are in accord with God's will
as revealed in the Scriptures.

In addition to the new courses in the Sunday morning (13
session) and adult school of religion (6 session) formats, the
board produced or cooperated in producing the following
resources for adult learners:

The Ministry: Offices. Procedures. and Nomenciature, ed-
ited by the CTCR and facilitated by the BPS, is a four-session
study guide to the CTCR report on The Ministry.

Oh, Come, Let Us Worship, edited by the BPS staff, is an
eight-session course for youth and adults. It leads participants
to discuss such questions as: What is worship? Why worship as
a congregation? How does our Lutheran worship today com-
pare to worship in Bible times? The course thus lays a
foundation for introducing congregation members to the
wealth of worship resources in Lutheran Worship. (It was
included in the every-congregation mailing in connection with
the introduction of Lutheran Worship.)

A Word for Today. edited by the BPS staff, is a 10-session