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Is your church prepared to REACH Out?

A successful Sunday School emphasis must begin with careful planning several weeks in advance of Preparation Sunday. By the time the emphasis begins, Sunday School and church leaders should have spent time in prayer, reviewed the weekly materials for this emphasis, set goals for growth, planned events, and ordered supplies.

Have you met with Sunday School class teachers of all ages, informing them of the emphasis and giving them the responsibility of introducing the theme in their classes?

Have you planned events for the next several weeks, publicized them to Sunday School classes, and posted them on your church calendar and website?

•  Take pictures of each person in Sunday School to create a bulletin board collage. You may want to begin taking informal pictures several weeks before the emphasis begins. Include those who participate in Sunday School in unconventional ways, such as the home department, nursing home ministry, and prison ministry. As new persons are enrolled in the Sunday School during the coming weeks, add their pictures to the bulletin board. In the center of the bulletin board, display a R.E.A.C.H. Sunday School Emphasis poster. This poster is available to each church upon request by calling 800.221.6317 or by E-mailing sdmi@nazarene.org. Please remember to include your mailing address if making your request via E-mail.

•  Introduce the emphasis theme “R.E.A.C.H.” to your congregation during Sunday School classes and morning worship.

•  Distribute “People I want to REACH” cards to all Sunday School class members. Encourage class members of all ages to list 5 people they know who are not currently involved in Sunday School. List one person for each week of the emphasis, including a student, a church attendee (either someone who attends worship services but is not involved in a Sunday School class, or those who formerly attended but no longer attend church), a friend, a neighbor, and a family member (either immediate or extended family). These cards will serve as a prayer reminder in the weeks ahead, as well as a reminder to look for opportunities to invite these persons to Sunday School.