The Sunday School Ministry of First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW) has always been pioneering and now provides a spiritual experience in digital form, adapting ministry in the pandemic.
The FAOGW Editorial Team wanted to capture this innovation in light of the rich history of Sunday School, which has been imparting the Word of God to every age for over five decades. The leadership and teachers’ passion, and a desire to serve this ministry has caused the gospel to spiral into other platforms. This includes the creation of Children’s Church as a dedicated space, where children minister to children. Pre-pandemic, you could find children on the pulpit in worship, song, dance, sermonettes, and musical instruments as well as in the congregation. And if you enquired about this journey from the Sunday School Superintendent – Minister Norma Singh; she would have a single and consistent reply – “It is with the help of the Holy Spirit that we are able to serve!”
The Sunday school department has also been the foundation stone for a vibrant Vacation Bible School (VBS) that continues to reach our children and teens during the school holidays with the gospel. The pioneering spirit of the leaders and teachers ensure a different model of evangelism, one that opens the doors of the church to reach communities beyond Wortmanville in central Georgetown towards La Parfaite Harmonie, Sophia, Barnwell North and as far as Clonbrook on the East Coast in recent times (2010 – 2019). This has given many young men and women a spiritual experience that has transformed their lives with testimonies of VBS pulling them off the ‘wrong track’ of stealing, depression, suicidal thoughts and many more issues that our youths sometimes silently endure. Living and leading by scripture remains the most powerful evangelism tool when contrasting this journey to Mark 16:15.
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” – Mark 16:15
Pivoting in the pandemic
Fast forward to 2020, when the doors of churches and practically every social support network were closed due to COVID-19. We saw our local church leveraging technology to impact the hearts and lives of our children and teens via virtual platforms. This meant that even VBS was hosted virtually with no interruption in 2020 or 2021 and kick-started virtual Sunday school classes from September 2020. Our local church was able to pivot in the pandemic due to visionary leadership and gifted young men and women who lead the Media Team. These young leaders were birthed from our Sunday School and Children’s Church and are now managing digital platforms for the gospel to be shared on Facebook, YouTube, ZOOM, Google Meet, and Instagram (and we may need a TikTok account – author’s suggestion). The Sunday School Ministry of FAOGW in Georgetown, Guyana will continue to play a critical role in identifying and nurturing the gifts in the next group of leaders.
Diaspora Ministry – Opportunities for expanded service using digital platforms
Another unique portion of the Sunday School Ministry (this goes with the pioneering territory) is the ability of our members in the diaspora to re-engage and serve as Sunday school teachers. Our teens class (15-19 years old) is supported by Assistant Pastor Kurt Corbin (Switzerland) and Minister Abigail Cutting (USA), alongside five Guyana based teachers, who deliver classes every Sunday via ZOOM, having evolved from Google Meet. This model seems especially apt for the teen class, ripe for transition to universities and the workplace where use of digital platforms is widespread and equips them with God’s Word to navigate corporate spaces. The teen class has been innovative with activities such as Bible boxing, presentations that lay down the building blocks for healthy teenage living. They have even done a Netflix movie night with teens logging in from Guyana, USA, and Switzerland (sidebar – you can check out “I am in love with a Church Girl” on Netflix). If you are older or younger, you may still get a ‘day pass’ to enjoy the vibes from the teen class.
“Suffer the little children to come on thee…”
There is so much going on and so little print space to encapsulate Sunday School Ministry. In wrapping up, we leave you – the readers, with this photo (inserted) capturing our youngest (3–6-year-old class) meditating on 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (“…pray without ceasing”), Luke 18:1 (“…men ought always to pray”) and Jeremiah 29:12 (“…when you pray). This was a class from January 2021 when they were taught the theme, ‘The Power of Prayer.’ The author sits in this class with her five-year old each week and can testify that parents are learning in Sunday School too.
We see that families become stronger if each generation leaves a positive and lasting legacy. This principle should also be applied to communities; if we are to implement effective nation-building with persons equipped academically, physically, and spiritually to lead with integrity and compassion. This kind of nation-building must start with the youngest Sunday school class (3–6-year-olds) or nursery school if we parallel the traditional education structure. Communities shine brighter when their young and youth become productive, carrying on rich legacies of service, success, and God’s love of community. In some instances, they forge brighter legacies where depressed communities can celebrate those who blossom into success stories of courage, faith, and triumph. If you are a parent, teacher, church leader, business, community, or national leader, we encourage you to invest in youth.
Communities shine brighter when their youth become productive, carrying on rich legacies of service … and God’s love of community.
May the nation of Guyana and those nations of the earth see the model of triumph that can be birthed in Sunday School.
Look out for Part 2 of this series to be published next week, as we also took some time to sit with a few of the leaders in Sunday School to discuss their personal experiences while operating in the digital sphere. We found their journeys insightful and hope you will too.
