Children's Ministries is proud to partner with and support WordAction Publishing Company*. If you have any questions about WordAction Faith Connections Children's Curriculum, please E-mail wainquiry@nph.com or call toll free 1-877-386-0882.
Click to view the current Scope & Sequence for WordAction Faith Connections
Children’s Curriculum.
Questions & Answers
Why should I use Nazarene Faith Connections children’s curriculum?
Innovative. Kid-pleasing. Teacher-friendly. Bible-teaching. Life-changing. All of these
describe Faith Connections children’s Sunday School curriculum offered by the Church
of the Nazarene through WordAction Publishing Company*. This curriculum is designed
to build strong Christians and to raise everyone’s expectations about what a dynamic
Sunday School can be and do!
Faith Connections curriculum is based on clear goals that are reachable and teachable.
Lessons contain all the teaching helps you need to lay stepping-stones to holy living for
your children. As a teacher, you will be better equipped to help your children make the
connection to something truly life–changing!
Why is Faith Connections children’s curriculum right for my class?
Faith Connections is a complete line of curriculum for children from birth through sixth
grade. The following chart will help you identify the age-group materials written
specifically for your students.
WordAction Curriculum
Faith Connections curriculum is designed to help children
study the Bible to know the
God of the Bible. The following resources will help teachers and parents to accomplish
these goals with their children.
•
Faith Connections Teacher — This 96–page teaching manual contains complete
directions for teaching children in Sunday School. Lessons are organized in the
easy–to–follow A–B–C format, with wide and narrow columns. The
Teacher also
includes reproducible
Parent Connections pages and the colorful center insert,
Teacher Connections (preschool/Kindergarten—preteen).
*WordAction Publishing Company is the curriculum subsidiary of Nazarene Publishing
House, Kansas City, MO
• Faith Connections Teaching Resources — This quarterly packet of materials
contains lesson–related visual aids and student–involving learning activities.
These include bulletin board aids, Bible memory activities, games, discussion
pieces, Nu–Vu storytelling figures and more.
• A special feature in Early Elementary Teaching Resources is the Faith Words banner (to be provided in the September 2007 packet) and Faith Words cards
(provided in every quarterly packet). Faith Words are Christian vocabulary
words that acquaint boys and girls with the terms they need to know to understand
the Bible and Christian teaching.
• Connections — Each page in these student books contains one or more age–
appropriate activities that use the children's emerging skills to help them learn
Bible stories and truths and apply them to life. Look for lots of fun things to do!
The Preschool/Kindergarten age-group has two Connections books —one for
three and four year olds and one for kindergarten children.
• Babies First is a monthly newsletter for parents of infants to age 1. It includes a
monthly poster with the Bible story, Bible verse, and helps for parenting.
• Toddler Time is a monthly newsletter for parents of toddlers ages 1 and 2. It
includes a monthly poster with the Bible story, Bible verse, and helps for
parenting.
• My Bible Book is a 26 page, full-color, board book with all 12 Bible stories for
Toddlers, Twos and Babies too! in one sturdy book.
• Celebrate, Adventures, Discoveries, Passport – The colorful and attractive takehome
papers contain lots of fun features geared to children in each age-group.
Activities include Bible and modern-day stories, things to make, puzzles, trivia,
and more. Discoveries and Passport include devotions for the middle elementary
children and preteens.
• Nu–Vu Bible Story Backgrounds — These 16 colorful sheets provide interesting
backgrounds for the Nu–Vu storytelling figures for preschool/kindergarten
through middle elementary age-groups. Order NU-2001 for backgrounds only or
NU-2001MB for backgrounds with a metal board.
• Bible Trek Time Lines – These teaching tools provide colorful Bible pictures in
chronological order. There is a time line for early elementary and another time
line for middle elementary and preteens. One copy of the time line was provided
in the Resources packet for September 2005—November 2007. Information for
ordering additional or replacement time lines is provided on all (early elementary
through preteen) Resources envelopes.
What are some unique features of Faith Connections curriculum?
These exciting features are integral to the curriculum and contribute to effective learning
experiences:
Bible Reading Success Plan - This is an exclusive feature designed to help
children discover they can read and study the Bible for themselves. The plan
begins with helping preschool and kindergarten children fall in love with Bible
stories. Early elementary children go on to become well-acquainted with Bible
stories and Bible characters both in class and as they read simply-worded Bible
stories in Adventures. Middle elementary students discover they can read and
understand the Bible itself. This is achieved by using actual NIV text as much as
possible in their Bible stories and highlighting those portions in color. Preteens
learn how to use Bible study tools to allow the Bible to answer their questions.
They also receive instruction for personal devotional reading.
Verse-a-Month Club – Faith Connections fun Bible memory plan for elementary
children encourages students to memorize key scriptures.
What about music resources to accompany the curriculum?
Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International also partners with Lillenas Music Company, one of the largest
publishers of religious music, to produce curriculum related tapes and songbooks for each
age level. Once you have these songbooks and tapes, you have all the music you need!
• Toddlers, Twos and Babies too! uses both
Songs for God’s Little Ones and
Great
Big Praise for a Great Big God, Book 1.
• Preschool/Kindergarten curriculum uses the songbook for young children,
Great
Big Praise for a Great Big God, Book 1.
• Early Elementary curriculum uses
Great Big Praise for a Great Big God, Book 1.
• Middle Elementary and Preteen uses the songbook for older elementary children,
Great Big Praise for a Great Big God, Book 2.
How can parents know what their children are learning?
Check Out connect! This all-new, full-color, full-size magazine is packed with
interactive family devotions and parenting articles. Each weekly two-page spread
provides helps for weekdays plus a weekender activity. Look for connect! on your
Sunday School order blank.
WordAction’s Faith Connections curriculum also includes weekly parent newsletters
that summarize the Bible lesson children have just experienced, provide ideas for lessonrelated
family activities, and give other parenting tips.
Check out! Celebrate from preschool/Kindergarten. This weekly take-home paper has
Bible stories for families and children. My Bible Book is new for Faith Connections. This 26 page, colorful toddler’s board book has all 12 Bible stories for parents to read
with their little ones. Use these resources to supplement connect!
As we continue to update Faith Connections curriculum, we work hard to stay true to
our Wesleyan roots while seeking new methods for communicating with a new
generation. It is our desire to stay informed by the culture in order to reach young people
for Christ. Your input has been greatly appreciated. May we make every effort to be
united in Christ for His glory and to save the children.
Welcome to WordAction's elementary KIDS WORSHIP curriculum. Here is a quick overview of some of the exciting features found in KIDS WORSHIP.
KIDS WORSHIP is a quarterly curriculum written for grades 1-6. The curriculum features Kid's Questions and God's Answers. Each quarter, KIDS WORSHIP introduces a question that a child may be asking. This question is answered through 12 worship services that the children will experience, plus a 13th week, KIDS WORSHIP in Action. Worship is the thread that holds this curriculum together. The children will participate in active worship the entire service.
Each service the KIDS WORSHIP Leader has extra activities geared toward the preteens labeled Preteen Xtreme. This will be helpful to those who have a separate preteen service. The preteen worship leader uses the full worship service outline, then adds the Preteen Xtreme activities to enhance the preteens' worship experience.
The quarter is divided into three units with four services per unit. The inside back cover of the KIDS WORSHIP Leader has additional ideas called Kids Worship in Action. This section has field trip and service project options, interview ideas, and other activities to be used when there is a fifth Sunday in the month.
The curriculum is divided into four sections. The four sections are:
• Kids Come to Worship. This is a transitional time for the children who come from Sunday School or are just arriving at church. This is the opening part of the service and helps children move toward a worshipful attitude.
• Investigate God's Word. The second section is where the children are introduced to the Bible message, the message is told, and a follow-up activity is presented. This section brings the Bible to life for the children.
• Discover God's Way. This section includes the life application activities. The children will see how the Bible message connects to life.
• Share God's Love. The final section concludes the service with 2-3 activities, a closing prayer and a Challenge and Blessing . The children will be challenged to go out and serve God. They will be encouraged to live what they have learned and they will receive a blessing as they go to serve God for the week.
This curriculum provides special helps for the worship leader:
• Worship Tips (Worship and worship activity tips)
These may include specific worship tips, ideas on how to set a worshipful environment, music and art tips, worship movement ideas, and active worship activity tips which help children make a connection between activities and meaningful worship.
• 30-Second Skillbuilder (Worship leader training tips)
These are tips that sharpen your skills as you teach.
• Faith Words (Foundational words of faith)
These definitions help children understand essential concepts of faith.
• God at Work in Worship (Spiritual formation tips)
These tips influence your students' spiritual formation and development.
• The Word in Action (Biblical or theological insights)
These tips highlight biblical or theological truths.
In addition to the KIDS WORSHIP Leader, KIDS WORSHIP Connections is a full-color worship folder for the children. Order enough sets so each child has a copy each week. For further detail on the curriculum visit: www.wordaction.com.
WORSHIP TIME
Young children can also benefit from worshiping God in their own language WORSHIP TIME is WordAction's Children's Church curriculum especially for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Worship Time supplements the stories, verses, and concepts presented during Sunday School. It also provides age-appropriate learning experiences to young children who attend church only during worship.
Worship Time provides church time teachers with complete Children's Church teaching materials for children three-years-old through kindergarten. Worship Time uses methods that encourage small group discovery learning. During Worship Time, young children will sing, move, eat, create, interact, and play their way to a greater understanding of God's love for them and the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Parents will feel confident in the care and instruction their child receives while they attend worship.
Worship Time includes:
• Teacher's Guide
• Worship Time Connections student sheets
• Attention-getting storytelling methods
• Sessions that reinforce the Bible story, Bible verses and Bible truths learned during Sunday School--without repeating activities from Sunday School.
• Active and quiet-time games.
• Opportunities to participate and serve the church body