ESL Update

I ain't gonna say ain't no more cuzz me and Joebob is gonna learn you some good English.

If you don't have a problem with that first sentence ESL probably shouldn't be your first ministry choice. Just thinkin' out loud... haha.

I'm very excited about our new ESL Ministry. We have around 20 people who are part of our team. We have had some great responses from people in the community.

For example - I was at one of the local restaurants last week and gave a poster to the gentleman at the register. He said, "I'll have to tell everyone about it." I was thinking, "I know. That's why I gave you the poster." As I was leaving one of the employees came over to see what we were talking about. I heard her say - very excitedly - "Oh! English classes! We have to go!"

We have decided on a curriculum that looks very good. It's called "Side by Side." When I ordered the teacher books the lady at Delta Publishing said it was their most popular product and always had the most orders. I was happy to hear that.

On Sunday afternoon, September 26, we will have our first ESL class. The first day is just an informal getting-to-know-you type meeting. We'll have refreshment, fill out enrollment forms and everyone gets to take a test. A test? Yes. We need to know how many need to be in a beginner class and how many in an intermediate class. We probably need an advanced class too, but we need to have some more teachers trained.

Speaking of training teachers... we're working with the Language Missions folks at the TBC (Tennessee Baptist Convention)TBC Language Missions to have an ESL training here in Clarksville next winter. This will allow several on our ESL Ministry Team to take the training so they can be certified ESL instructors.

So what can you do to be a part of this ministry?
Pray for us as ESL Ministry Team members that God will guide us in what we do and that we will be effective in our new ministry..
Pray for our students that they will come and not only learn some English, but will see the love of Christ and want to know more about Him.
Pray that in the weeks to come that we will have opportunities to share our faith with our students.
Tell others about this learning opportunity. Are there people you work with that would benefit from English classes? (and I don't mean your Southern friends who say "ain't" and use double negatives. They had their chance in 8th grade to learn English. haha)

Maybe there are parents of some of your child's classmates whose first language isn't English. They may be very excited to know that they could improve their English with free classes. (And we'll tell them they ain't suppose to say ain't.)

I'll keep you updated about how our ESL ministry is going. We're all excited! Woohoo!

Memory Monday - August 16, 2010

We're going to go with another verse about all the nations this week. Last week's verse was Psalm 96:1-3 Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
3 Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
 
I had chosen this verse so I could advertise our new ESL ministry. (Scroll down and check out my posts if you are behind on ESL.) So this week I am celebrating a great start to ESL ministry at Hilldale. We had 18 people at our first meeting. A few had been to the recent training at the TBC (Tennessee Baptist Convention) from NAMB (North American Mission Board), some teach ESL in the public schools and some have taught ESL at other churches and have been through training.
So... we have a fantastic group of teachers that are all excited about beginning an ESL Ministry here.
 
Here's a great verse for you all to memorize this week. It's from Psalm 57
 
9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the clouds.
11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth.
 

Memory Monday - August 9, 2010

I missed posting last Monday. We were in a two-day meeting going over some exciting plans for our church to reach out to our community. I'm very excited about all of the ideas we shared, but the one I am most excited about is a ministry to internationals that God has brought to Clarksville. As of today, I really can't jump on an airplane next month to go to Brazil to work with missionaries in Rio de Janeiro in spreading the Good News of Jesus. I really need to be here working on Christmas and getting musical things going for the Fall. My bank account probably wouldn't be able to take care of a couple of plane tickets either. (I'd want Cheryl to go with me of course.)

I may not be able to travel to twenty different countries in the next year or two, but I CAN minister to people from Brazil and China and Guatemala and many other places right here in Clarksville. "How is that?" You may ask. Through our new ESL ministry at Hilldale. Here is a link to a post about an informational meeting this coming Sunday. ESL Ministry

So what does that have to do with Memory Monday?  Haha! Today's verse is a sneaky way for me to get in more advertising for ESL.

There are many, many verses that talk about all nations and all peoples knowing the LORD. Jesus, in the Great Commission, told us to go to all the nations to make disciples. the Great Commission

But the verse I chose for Memory Monday this week is Psalm 96:3 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

We may not be able to jump on a plane to Korea tomorrow, but it's very probable that we can share the love of Jesus with someone from Korea through an ESL class.

Here is Psalm 96:3 in context. What a great Psalm!

Psalm 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

 3 Tell of His glory among the nations,

His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

 4 For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.

 6 Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courts.

ESL Information Meeting

Join in on the groundwork of this new exciting

ministry opportunity.

Next Sunday night, August 15, 6:15

room 301

See how YOU can be involved in our ESL Ministry at Hilldale.

We have some teachers who have been trained and certified by the Tennessee Baptist Convention in conjunction with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

(Plans are in the works to offer additional training for more teachers at Hilldale in 2011)

You don't have to be a certified teacher to be a part of this ministry.

Be a blessing to internationals in Clarksville as you help them with language skills that will benefit them, their families and our community.

Here are some of the ways you can help. Find out more at our meeting.

Teacher's Helper

Greeter/Attendance Keeper

Refreshment Provider/Server

Prayer Partner

What is ESL?

Those of you who go to Hilldale Baptist Church know that our pastor has been in a sermon series about the church - "Is THIS What Christ Died For?"

I missed the final sermon (I guess I should go on line and listen to it... Sermon Series on line

Part of what we, as your Pastoral Staff, have talked about is the church "Gathering, Growing and Going."

Gathering is how we will describe our Sunday mornings. It's us, as a church, getting together for worship and Bible study.

Growing is how we will describe Wednesday nights with choir rehearsals, Bible studies, prayer meetings and more.

Going is how we will describe the many ways we are going to connect with our community and be "the church" out doing something for the Kingdom!

What does that have to do with ESL? And what IS ESL?

ESL is teaching English as a Second Language. It is a great way to reach out to our community. We have many people from many countries in Clarksville. Many of them want to know English. We can not only share with them the basics of conversation in English, but we can share the Gospel with them at the same time.

The Tennessee Baptist Convention is offering a three day workshop  on ESL.

Teaching English Language Learners

the Good News

A 14-Hour ESL WORKSHOP

Topics included:

* What is ESL ministry ?

* How to use ESL to minister to internationals.

* How to teach English

* How to share Jesus with internationals.

* Resources to use in ESL ministry.

* How to relate to people from other cultures.

* Much, much more!

The dates for the ESL training are July 16-18.

Firday night, 6:00 - 9:00

Saturday - all day - 8:30-4:30

Sunday - 1:30-4:30

Let me or Donna know if you want to attend the training with me.

To see the ESL info for yourself, click here to go to the Tennessee Baptist web site.