Pastors shadow students, discuss Bible curriculum

For 28 area pastors it was back to school on Feb. 8 as they spent part of their day shadowing one of their youth attending Bethany Christian Schools. Many were able to participate in their students’ activities: singing in choir, discuss Bible topics, or participating in a simulated mountain climb—using 20-foot high snowpiles from the previous week’s storm—in a social studies class that was studying the Himalaya Mountains (see related story on Three Cups of Tea).

Heidi Siemens-Rhodes, who is on the pastoral team at Assembly Mennonite Church, was one of those who climbed Bethany’s snow mountain as a guest of seventh-grader Mia Graber-Miller (pictured at right). Heidi was glad for this opportunity to visit Bethany to be able to relate with youth from her congregation, as well as other youth and pastors that she knows. She says, “I usually see youth in my church only on Sundays, but this gave me the chance to see a small window of what their day-to-day life is like—and it was fun to recall my own days as a student.”

In addition to visiting classes and attending chapel, pastors also had opportunity to connect with other pastors and school officials. Prior to the morning’s chapel, pastors met with the Bethany’s Bible Curriculum Review Committee. They each took a survey and then participated in round-table discussions with each other and committee members about Bible curriculum and the review process.

Lyle Miller, minister to children and interim minister to youth at Waterford Mennonite Church, says, “I am impressed that in Bethany’s continual desire to improve itself, the Bible curriculum review group found ways to interact with pastors in our joint work. This was an excellent way to demonstrate Bethany’s commitment to working with churches in faith formation, both in its current students and in the ongoing lives of congregations and their members. I was impressed with the collaborative nature of how Bethany is reviewing its Bible program, incorporating current teachers, pastors, board members, and others. It is significant work that integrates faith with learning, and that ethos spreads across the curriculum.”