Bethany Village Live!

A Vacation Church School Curriculum offered by Disciples Home Missions, designed to be downloaded beginning March 20, 2005 from the D.H.M. Web site, for use in teaching Disciples historical identity to children, youth and their parents.

Authored by local Disciples Pastors: Barbara Blaisdell, Co-Pastor at Hilo Coast United Church of Christ in Hilo, HI; Rene Jensen, CO-Pastor at First Christian Church in Omaha, NE; and Diane Zehr, CO-Pastor at Florence Christian Church in Florence, KY

This experiential learning-center model curriculum is founded on Christ's central teaching, in answer to the question, "Which is the greatest commandment?" His answer is found in the three synoptic gospels and is rooted in his own Jewish tradition.

Jesus answered: "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31

Taking these verses as central to our faith in Christ, five key images emerge:

1. Heart
2. Soul
3. Mind
4. Strength
5. Love of Neighbor

With these key images, taken directly from scripture, and five key characteristics from Disciple heritage, a five finger exercise emerges for who we most essentially are. We are the people of :

• Communion of the Heart
• Baptism of the Soul
• Intellectual Freedom of the Mind
• The Priesthood of all believers is our Strength
• Unity and Mission are our Gifts for Loving our Neighbors as Ourselves

The Five Themes for Five days or evenings of learning then are:

• Bread - Taste It! Communion of the Heart: Love the Lord with all Your Heart, Day One
• Baptism - Feel It! Baptism of the Soul, Love the Lord with all Your Soul, Day Two
• Brain - Use It! Intellectual Freedom, Love the Lord with All Your Mind, Day Three
• Body of Christ - Live it! The Priesthood of All Believers is Our Strength, Love the Lord with All Your Strength, Day Four
• Brother and Sisterhood - Love it! The Unity and Mission are our Gifts for Loving Neighbor as Self, Day Five

In Turn, there are Six Learning Stations, designed to appeal to the everyday experiences of youngsters, overcoming the gaps between church symbols and children's daily lives. This curriculum will include a "set", a modest and very doable version of an historical setting. Students will learn by putting hands on real things and talking to historical characters, experiencing who we are by being a part of our history!

• The Meeting House - The Sanctuary of the church becomes the gathering space for the great historical characters of Disciple history and for the "characters" of your congregation to arrive and tell their story. We will provide stories appropriate to the historical figures, as well as simple costume suggestions. We will also make suggestions for local people who might be asked to appear to tell their story. Whoever appears, historical or contemporary, each will be asked to tell in his or her dramatic or quiet way, how it is he or she has come to know Jesus Christ as friend, Lord and Savior.
• Granny's Kitchen - Behind a painted Victorian exterior imagine an inviting old fashioned kitchen. The kitchen will be the setting for more storytelling, this time primarily by local church people, especially the unsung heroes who do their work behind the scene. Granny's kitchen may have an old-fashioned cook stove, perhaps a beautiful rocker and a table covered with a pretty cloth. This is the center of that all important and favorite vacation church school tradition, the refreshment or snack time! This is the place for everyone to share a treat related to the theme of the evening while they hear from their local celebrity. However, the key here is to fit the curriculum into the culture of your congregation.
• The Mill - The Mill is the learning center that can get the science teacher, the boy scout leader and the kids who like to do experiments actually excited about church school! The set will depict a water driven grist mill and the theme will be carried through the space with fabric flour sacks filled with polyester pillow stuffing, as well as various kinds of grain that may be used in the exploration.
• The Town Square - Imagine your churches courtyard, fellowship hall or narthex converted into a town square, complete with a tree and benches, as a gathering place for songs, games, recreation, prayer and various other activities.
• The Barn - The barn is designed to be the craft area of Bethany Village. Decorate the inside with plank tables supported by saw horses with bales of straw providing the seating. Multiple ideas for crafts will be provided in the complete curriculum.
• The Nickelodeon - Decorated to resemble an early movie theater, the Nickelodeon will be used to show movie clips as discussion starters (particularly for older children and youth/adult participants). Strings of running lights and the aroma of freshly popped and buttered corn will add to the authenticity of the nickelodeon experience. Again, the full curriculum will offer suggestions for suitable movie clips.

The closing celebration of the week's activities will be an 18th century style carnival or country fair.

The curriculum will provide photos and design ideas for your own Bethany Village, suitable for any congregation size.

For the full curriculum, visit www.discipleshomemissions.org on or around March 20, or call Billye Bridges at (888) 346-2631.