Three weeks ago we launched small groups on Sunday mornings for 1st-5th graders. This last Sunday we launched 252 Basics. It was phenomenal. I started using 252 a year ago when I was at Cross Timbers. It was not the easiest curriculum I’ve ever purchased, but I liked it more than anything else I’ve ever used. As most Children’s Pastors do, I always tweaked curriculum like crazy. With 252 Basics I got a 30-40 page pack of options. I had two different production/large group lessons and nearly a dozen small group activities. The curriculum was supplied online as word docs, so I would simply cut and paste the items I planned to use. It was beautiful. Probably what I loved the most was the single virtue that was emphasized for an entire month, one memory verse for the month (come on people, do your kids ever remember the memory verse from 3 weeks ago? Giving kids four weeks with one verse at least gives them a chance to get into their minds and hearts.) I also loved all the take home stuff (Refrigerator Door cards and God Time cards). A year ago I was just using the curriculum, now I am using the “Get Real” video packs (high quality video segments you can use in your large group time) as well as the some of their other materials (they’re adding new things all the time). I just found this the other day. At our biggest campus, we have the resources to do a full production, but at our South Campus they aren’t able to pull off an all out production. For the South Campus I can use Studio 252. I can even use it last minute at the big campus if I have an emergency (like if some of our production people call in sick).
So, here is what our service schedule looks like. We have services at 9:30, 11:00 and 12:30, but for this example I’m using our 9:30 schedule.
- 9:30 Service begins with kids in small groups. For 20 minutes kids will review the last week, cover prayer requests, collect offering and introduce the day’s bottom line through a small group activity
- 9:50 Large group time. We do two praise songs, a “Get Real” video segment, drama presentation and teaching segment.
- 10:10 Closing Small Groups. For 25 minutes the groups will do two more activities that drive home the bottom line. They close by distributing the Refrigerator Door card and God Time cards and ending with prayer.
- 10:35 Parents arrive to pick up kids.
We’ll probably tweak thing in the coming weeks as we see what works best.
Did you find that 20 was enough time to do the Large group time? Also, how do you handle the transition from small to large group?
Thanks.
Yeah, we average between 20-25 minutes in large group and it is plenty of time. We do two songs, one of the get real videos (which are about 2-4 minutes long) the drama piece (which is usually 7-10 minutes long), a wrap up where the bottom line and memory verse are incorporated and then a closing worship song.
I’ve fond that it’s just perfect. Three months ago our program teams were bribing kids to be quite while they taught with Bible Bucks. Now the kids are absolutely silent during the drama/teaching parts as they don’t want to miss a word. Going any longer would allow kids to get bored/stir-crazy I think. Also, I’m banking the success of what we are doing on the small group component, so I want to make sure I have enough time for the relational/catching up time in groups as well as the “let’s break down this lesson into application points.” As of right now, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Thank you for your insights. We are planning on starting 252 in Jan (budget reasons for not starting now). I looked at the samples and am trying to gear us in the same direction as 252, it is a big change from what we have been doing. Yesterday was the first Sunday we tried the small group, large group, small group format and we were really short on time. My guess is, as we continue to do this it will get easier. We have not done small groups before so I hope as we keep doing it, the transitions will get easier.
I agree with you that the relationships in small group will become very important in the lives of the kids (I hope and pray so).
Can i pick your brain again? How do you do check in and check out?
I am obviously new to this, but have people who are willing to let me change what we have been doing. Not that what we have been doing was bad, but i see that it could be so much better.
Thanks.
Just starting this fall with 252, and would love any tips as to how this runs best. Also, how is everyone finding the downloading process?
Would love your thoughts on if 252 basic would be good in a LG/SG format, not a SG/LG/SG format? Our service flow would be:
20 minutes of worship
20 minutes of LG
20 minutes of SG
We plan for 1:10 service. so extra 10 minutes gets used up by transitions and extra time in SG.
Lastly, I was looking at the K-3 and 4-5 LG pieces… Do you think it would work using the K-3 for a K-1 teach and 4-5 as a 2-3 teach? Our children’s ministry goes to 6th Grade and we may go a different route for our “tweeners”
Blessings!
~ Jonathan Simons