Bringing Charlotte Mason to Children’s Sunday School
I’ve had the blessing of being able to bring the life-giving, Gospel-centric educational philosophy and methods to my home church’s children’s ministry - in particular, our Sunday School, for the past several years. Over the years, I’ve been able to share this journey with the hopes that your church too may be blessed as well. Here, you’ll find a compilation of resources that have been recorded.A Delectable Education Conference talk from February 2023
[click here]
A Delectable Education Podcast from May 2019
[click here]
Charlotte Mason For All Podcast 4-episode series
[click here]
Instagram Post from April 2019
{Jesus came to us for love, and he died for us for love, and he rose from the grave for love, and he ascended into Heaven for love, and the Comforter came to us to teach us love. So, beloveds, let us love one another as Jesus called us to do. Amen. Alleluia! Amen.} ~ Madeleine L’Engle, The Glorious Impossible
I couldn’t sleep the night before Resurrection Sunday. I imagine it was the same for Mary and Martha and all the disciples. But for me, on this side of the cross, it was a very different kind of anticipation. For me, the night was pregnant with hope and excitement. The excitement was all the more amplified because I was to spend Resurrection morning with some very precious children in our church.
I read the last few pages of “The Glorious Impossible” to my class (grades 3 & 4) while the lower grades were read “He is Risen.” I adore the gorgeous frescoes of Giotto in the former book and the “rock art” which leaves room for imagination plus scripture in the latter. Afterwards we did a picture study of Arthur Hughes’ painting “He is Risen - The First Easter” to add one more painting in the gallery of their minds. Then, the children created a mini macrame plant hanger which held a small bowl and a lily to take home and help them recall the Easter story of Jesus throughout the week. And hopefully, ever after.
If you swipe left you can see a photo one of the moms sent to me of her daughter’s macrame hanger hanging in her kitchen window. She said she too is blessed by this project.💕 The children were all so proud of their creations and I know every time they see their lily and subsequent living plants in the plant hanger they made, they’ll remember this Easter and the true love story of Christ for them.♥️Instagram Post from April 2019
One of my labors of love for our church’s children is finding ways to help cultivate and hone their innate “beauty sense” and to provide ample opportunities for them to “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” As moms of littles we know that usually simply giving them a brush, paints, blank paper and saying, “Observe and paint what you see” can be daunting. Miss Mason understood this about children and encouraged us to meet them first where they are at. We have a raised garden being created for our church’s children to be enjoyed in the coming months, and I plan to incorporate a time of “gazing” and enjoyment in nature journals. But if I simply throw them into it, there will be frustration. Hence, my plan is to spend the next while using the Brushdrawing course. With its carefully graduated skills, the children will gain confidence and muscle memory, which I hope will give them the boost they need to enjoy nature journaling all the more later on.🙏🏻
🎨 Supplies:
- The Brushdrawing Course by Richele Baburina for Simply Charlotte Mason - I found these small tins the size of “Altoid” type tins on Amazon. - A half pan with one color (they only need one in the beginning) has been hot-glued into place. I’ll add more colors as we go along in the course, resulting in each primary color, a black and a white.
- Size 8 round paintbrushes
- Grid paper
I hope as I share how I’m putting together a Children’s Sunday School time based on Miss Mason’s philosophy and methods, it is encouraging you to try some new things too in your children’s ministry, my friends. 💕Instagram Post from June 2019
Watching the children take ownership of their garden is wonderful. After recitation, hymn, Bible Lesson, narration and Brushdrawing, I headed out to the garden with the children in my class to do some planting. They planted peas, cucumbers, and spinach today. Later the younger class came out and panted the wildflowers for the “hummingbird & butterfly garden” we hope to grow along the side. To witness them out in the sun with their hands in the soil together during Sunday School time - obliviating the man-made disconnect between “things secular” and “things sacred” - made my heart glad.
I still get asked whether I’m going to teach my children “science” such as Darwinism. My immediate reaction is one of bafflement. 😳 And confusion. There are 3 grave assumptions (all fallacies) at work here (perhaps more): (1) science is outside the realm of Christianity and a scientist who is christian is an oxymoron; (2) a Christian Education is inferior because it probably withholds certain bodies of knowledge that fall into the “secular” category (again this face 😳); and (3) knowledge can be divided into “things secular” and “things sacred” or “religious.” Such thinking is dangerous. Moreover, I know that usually those who ask such questions do not ask because they genuinely want to know, but because they have come to me already with their mind made up of what kind of person I am, and they want me to confirm their judgement. (Enter here all the thoughts on Miss Mason’s warnings on “the way of reason.”) Sigh.
The good thing is, these kinds of conversations keep me sober-minded, praying, and awakened to the sense of urgency to be ever so careful in how we handle that potent organism, that is the LIVING IDEA.
“The IDEA is the motive power of life, and it is because we recognize the spiritual potency of the idea that we are able to bow reverently before the fact that God the Holy Spirit is Himself the Supreme Educator, dealing with each of us severally in the things we call sacred and those we call secular.” Mason Vol.2, P.230Instagram Post from June 2019
“All of our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit.” Mason Vol. 2, P.48
What are your thoughts on group Bible Study for children, friends?🤔 This morning I welcomed an opportunity to consider this more carefully. I am blessed to have a group of like-hearted mama-friends with daughters the same age. We’ve been gathering the girls once a month for Bible Lessons and handicraft time for the past couple of years. Recently, now that they are older, I thought I’d try a study I enjoyed at their age, but I realized consistency and more frequency is required, both for formation of good habits (spiritual disciplines) and development of spiritual friendships.
Another thought along the same vein: what is our role when it comes to Bible Study? Having served and worked with many PKs and MKs over the years, I see the dangers and the delicacies of “pressuring” a relationship with our Lord Jesus. The last thing we want to do as parents is to inadvertently devalue Jesus and His Word. He is magnificently lovely and His Word is absolutely delectable. No pressuring or rewards or incentives needed. He is attractive and beautiful and their souls are made for Him just as ours. Without much talk or “influence,” I pray I will simply provide ample opportunities for each child to come to this realization on their own. Just as with all our school lessons, I choose to trust the Holy Spirit to bring that quickening of their spirits as I cooperate with Him and practice “masterly inactivity.” #preachingtomyownheart ☺️ Is this often on your mind too?
Photo: I found them practicing their choir songs while watching squirrels and chipmunks like this. 💞Instagram Post from June 2019
I’m sorry I’ve been MIA lately. DIY nature notebooks have been taking up all my spare time. We begin nature study and journaling in Sunday School! 🌿 I’d like to share with you in case you’d like to do something similar for your church (or homeschool!).
One of Miss Mason’s principles always on the forefront of my mind is “Children are born persons.” This principle guides me in all aspects of this ministry, including how I use our limited budget. A little sweat equity is worth it for the quality our church’s children deserve, right? 😃 Purchasing 140lb watercolor notebooks was not possible for 50+ children, so I opted to buy paper pads and, using the Japanese book binding technique, voila!, we have high quality watercolor paper bound into notebooks and in just the size their little hands prefer. 🙌🏻 I only pricked myself 3 times with the awl and needle.😅
Also, their paint tins are now complete with the other primary colors and white. My children helped place magnets on the bottoms of each half pan too to make them easily movable.
We had a congregational meeting this week. I found myself sharing, particularly in regard to Picture Study and Nature Study during our Sunday School hour, about how I hope the children do not feel a disconnect between Sunday and the rest of the days as if some things are secular and others sacred. God is the God of all knowledge. Moreover, “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1) I hadn’t planned to say that, but as I did, it was a great reminder for me also. The deeper and larger impact of what we are engaging in week after week is greater than we know as each child’s understanding of and relationship with God their Father, Jesus their King, Savior and Lord, and the Holy Spirit is being formed by the Holy Spirit himself, and thus their worldview as well. What a “weighty” honor is ours! And so we pray, trust, and do what we can.🙏🏻
Materials used:
- Paper: Canson 11x15, 140lb Watercolor paper pad (cut into 4/sheer)
- Book binding kit, includes waxed thread, awl, needlesInstagram Post from August 2019
"There is hardly a more precious inheritance to be handed on than that of the traditional English Sunday, stripped of its austerities, we hope, but keeping its character of quiet gladness and communion with Nature as well as with God." Mason Vol.3, P.144Instagram Post from Feb 2022
My children helped me prep paper crocus supplies for tomorrow’s Sunday school class. We usually focus on one handicraft a term but sometimes I like to teach them a special craft that can be done in one class.
Slide through to see the video instruction I sent to my teaching team, and the photo of the supplies.
See what my secret weapon is! Gotta set them up for success!😊🙌🏼
SAVE this post to do with your children, co-op, or children’s ministry. (Tag me if you do! I’d love to see.)
I put all the supplies to make a single paper crocus in individual ziploc bags - again to keep it easy for the student and the teacher.
The hardest part of putting together the stamen is done for them as well. Again, trying to set up the child for success.
The proud look on their faces when they’ve realized they made something beautiful for their mama is PRICELESS.🤩
And so worth it.♥️ Gosh I love my Pascack Bible Church kiddos.♥️[CLICK HERE then SWIPE for VIDEOS]
Instagram Post from April 2022
Mama, the work you are doing at home and in your home church is priceless. Keep at it. Don’t give up.
I know sometimes you feel very alone. Perhaps misunderstood. Even by your family and close friends.
Your lifestyle goes against the grain. Your choices seem odd and “unrealistic.” (For example: “You can have a lustrous career! What a waste of a degree!”)
But you and I ARE living in and for a Kingdom at odds with this one - a Kingdom without end.
You and I are living with hearts on fire in love and loyalty for ONE KING - the one Whose Kingdom is everlasting.
So let’s keep showing up.
Show up for our husband.
Show up for our child/ren.
Show up for our parents and in-laws.
Show up for our church and community.
Show up even here in this squares where we *get to* make Him known.
I’m pushing through the exhaustion and the temptation to just be comfortable.
NOT because I’m earning anything through this perseverance.
But BECAUSE JESUS persevered for me.
He deserves all of me and all of you.
Every ounce.
To our dying breath.
What a humbling honor.
Preparing for Forever together,
❤️Min
@lifegivingmotherhood
📷: I gave everything I could at this morning’s recording of #cmsundayschool for the VIRTUAL @charlottemasoninstitute conference. I’d love to see you in person in KY in June, but if you can’t make it, join me via the virtual ticket.🤗 I’d love to hear from you and join in prayer with you for your church’s children. [SEE THE FIRST LINK AT THE TOP OF THIS ARTICLE]
