Sunday School
Because the theology of the Evangelical and Reformed Church was so different from ours, we have struggled with church and Sunday School attendance, especially for our children. We finally decided on a compromise position where we will attend church, but will “home school” our children in Sunday School. We were provided a copy of the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum from our home church in Belmond and have begun.
Because the theology of the Evangelical and Reformed Church was so different from ours, we have struggled with church and Sunday School attendance, especially for our children. We finally decided on a compromise position where we will attend church, but will “home school” our children in Sunday School. We were provided a copy of the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum from our home church in Belmond and have begun.
We want to share some of our reflections from Sunday School with you.
April 17, 2005
We read Acts 2: 42-47 describing the first church, a group of believers who met together to pray, eat and learn. The information about the text tells us that it was easier for the early church to sell everything they had, share with each other all things in common and give to those in need because they believed the end of the world was near.
Seth doesn’t buy this. He says that in Honduras he has seen people with hardly anything who give to people even poorer than they are “sometimes even the last lempira they have” and that they don’t think the end of the world is coming. We decided people in Honduras understand better what basic needs are and what are luxuries, and are more willing to share to help people meet basic needs. Maybe the early church was like that too.
April 24, 2005
We read Acts 6:1-15 about the problem of who was going to feed the widows. It seemed it was impossible for the same person to preach as was handing out bread for the widows.
We all agreed that this was like visiting a village to give a Bible study and health chat. If one of us was trying at the same time to give out medicine or toys or if a group came and was handing out clothes, it didn’t work. The villagers would mob the person giving something away and leave the chat, disregarding the lesson. We believe it must have been similar in Bible times, with hungry widows and their children anxiously grasping for bread, unable to hear the good news until they had received their bread. We are reminded that Jesus tells us to heal and feed people so that they are then able to receive the Gospel.
May 1, 2005
Today we read in the Gospel of John about the gift of the Holy Spirit, a means for Jesus to be present with us today, long after his death, means for us to be connected across time, distance, and even death. The question at the beginning of the material was “How do you love a person in her or his absence?”
We had no problem answering this. Our family and friends are far away. We miss them and think of them often. But, as Kesia so perfectly stated, “I love my sister Rachel and my brothers Eric and Joe even though they aren’t here, because they are here, in my heart.” And, so it is with the Holy Spirit that connects us all. Below are Kesia and Seth’s symbols of the Holy Spirit.
Bruce and Linda Hanson,
Seth and Kesia
Bruce and Linda Hanson are missionaries who serve with the Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras assigned to the Association of Evangelical Institutions of Honduras (AIEH). He serves in the health ministries as a nurse. Linda serves with her pastoral duties and also works as a physical therapist.