Chelsea: So Aart, last month you interviewed me, and now it’s my turn. During this sabbatical you’re still involved to a certain degree. What do you like best?

Aart: I really like sitting upstairs during worship….I have enjoyed seeing you do well and constantly improving. I think it has been good for the congregation to be exposed to a different voice, a voice of the next generation, in a prolonged way. It has been pleasant to take a back seat literally. 

Chelsea: During this time of your sabbatical, you’ve been taking the chance to do Sunday School with the children and youth a number of times. What do you notice?

Aart: The thing that strikes me is the sheer unpredictability of who we’re getting, who are the children youth who are going to show up that day.  You may get a five year old and a fourteen year old or three five year olds or a five year old, a fourteen year old, a nine year old and a three year old. You get what I am saying? I so appreciate the people at Parkview who have committed themselves to teaching our young people over the years.  There are the parents. There is Wade Tambara who teaches with Ben once a month and works with our college hi youth group to plan events. And of course there is Cathy Nishizaki who has shouldered the burden of Sunday School organization for so many years. 

Chelsea: How do you think the unpredictability can be handled?

Aart: We need to continue with our commitment to Sunday School no matter what we do as a church, because our vision remains to be a multigenerational church. We all depend on each others’ vitality and energy. But we have a limited number of volunteers and that may be partly because people may not feel up to it with all the unpredictability of the attendance. But these kids are so much fun. They are really nice and they say these neat things that make me laugh.

Chelsea: I’ve been talking to Cathy about Sunday School and she introduced me to our wonderful Sunday School classroom teachers this year, Carla, Lois, Julie, and Jana, and some new ideas are bubbling up. Cathy and I are looking at curriculums designed for the “one room school house” Sunday school which is good for kids ages 3-12, sharing one teacher and Bible story but having different variations of the activity so everyone can participate.

Aart: The older youth, our pre-teens and teens, could be invited to help out with the young ones, and assist during the worship service once a month.

Chelsea: Yeah, Wade says they did a great job of helping with crafts over the summer. And I would love to have them help us with the service if they’re interested. Carla and I have been dreaming about how to make space for more youth leadership. It would be good to talk to the college-hi and junior high groups about that.

Aart: These leaders have been doing a wonderful job.

Chelsea: So what do you think should be our next steps for Sunday School?

Aart: To begin with, we may have to start moving to making Sunday school help part of our monthly schedule grid, the one that’s in the newsletter. It will emphasize to the congregation that this work is an essential part of our functioning as a church. 

Chelsea: That’s a good idea. You know, you told me about the exploration time you had a few years ago at Parkview which resulted in the congregation saying they wanted to be more tied into the local community and more involved in service. I understand that that’s partly my responsibility as the resident, yes? And Chakrita already got started on research about some of the community organizations. How do you see this relating to our young people? Because this is an area that is of interest to me.

Aart: Oh yeah, now that you mention it, in addition to the fun youth group trips that are done, it would be great to do some work projects with a social component in the community, or a mission trip for the youth. Does that interest you?

Chelsea: Yeah, I would love to do that! Especially if was intergenerational, led by our youth but involving participants from the whole congregation. Well looks like we’re out of time. Thanks Aart! Enjoy the rest of your “stay-battical.”

Aart: Thank you for stepping in with courage into a new situation. You have been doing really well. May God bless our ministry.