Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Left to Their Own Devices


I had to laugh on Sunday after being part of a problem solving moment before worship with three Sunday School teachers. The Three Perplexed Ones were huddled together with their mobile devices -- two smartphones and a tablet-- trying to connect with a website which would provide a video for the class one of them was teaching. Our new curriculum, Feasting on the Word, includes suggestions for online resources and the teacher had found it on her home computer but these devices weren't cooperating. Solution? The class moved to my study and used my laptop.

What a different world from the one into which I was ordained! I literally could not have imagined the possibilities available today back in the olden times when I started in ministry --1980. As it happens I used a two minute video in worship as well, set up for me by one of our teens for use in the sermon.

Are these absolutely necessary? Of course not, but using images and videos can be helpful, especially with our young people who take all this for granted. Why would the technology used at church be any different than home? The teachers tell me that the recommendations in the curriculum are good and well received.

I figure that if this stuff opens them to a conversation about God then we should be using it. What are your thoughts? Several Sunday School teachers are readers. What are you finding?

Bye the bye, this is blog number 1500!

4 comments:

Laurie said...

Congratulations on blog 1500!. Keep them coming.
I enjoy the use of technology used in the service. I do wish more of it came from Canada then the States.
Thanks again for your blog.

Nancy said...

Smile
Yes, the use of technology with our young people is where they are at. If we can reach them this way, then why not?

Since I was part of that problem solving mission, I was pleased we had a solution, and think that the video spoke more to the young people than I could convey. Thank you for technology!

Congratulations on blog 1500.

IanD said...

At school, I've found that a mix of print and media works well.

I'm happy to report too,, that many kids are bucking tech for books. One of my monsters proudly told me today that he computer has been in 'sleep' mode for weeks. This is coming from an eighth grader, no less!

Nice, huh?

Congrats on some ace problem-solving, and on still going strong after 1500 entries. That's nuts.

Laura said...

Yes, we weren't much of an advertisement for Apple or RIM on Sunday morning, as none were able to support the clip we wanted. Liked your analogy to the 3 Wisemen,though...sometimes the answers are in the questions?

Had a sleepy group of teens out on Sunday Night to an Advent youth gathering in Ajax, and when the screen flashed on with a clip they recalled from last Christmas imagining what it would have been like for Mary, Joseph, wisemen and shepherds had they had GPS, Facebook, Twitter etc, and they all perked up with interest. I do think it is important to find faith in current time and place for our kids, without selling out.

Several of our teens have bible aps on their phones so when we read together they just key it in.

And here's to the next 1500...thanks for this "modern" minstry.