Sunday School Promotion Sunday

Does your church have a Sunday School Promotion Sunday?

It's the Sunday that school-aged students are bumped up to the next grade level. (For some reason, when someone turns 70, they aren't thrown into the Heavenly Heirs class.)

It always happens around the time school starts.

My church only does Sunday School for preschool through twelfth grade.

Our children's pastor is amazing! What's up with almost all children's pastors being amazing? Whenever it's time to be promoted, she sends my girls a nice card in the mail to prepare them. This leaves them excited and calms any nerves that change can bring.

Sunday School Promotion Sunday is a great idea. It celebrates the students achievements and helps to begin another school year with excitement.

But there are five truths that you might not know about this Sunday:

1) The Sunday School teachers really look forward to it (sometimes). 

Growing up, my brother and I could be a handful to our Sunday School teachers. (Lord please have mercy on my soul.) We weren't always in the same class; but when the stars aligned, we might for a year every so often. God's judgement came down on some poor teacher's soul in the form of the Ball Brothers. So whenever the teacher got rid of one of the preacher's kids, it was always a glorious event.

2) High school teachers get blamed when students don't return.

Whatever you do, don't teach senior high students. Once that graduating Senior graduates and doesn't come back to church, someone needs to be blamed. When I was a youth pastor, I always let the high school Sunday School teachers take the fall. 

3) Coffee traffic increases.

It's not uncommon to see a fifth grader on this Sunday fixing himself a cup of coffee. This Sunday makes elementary kids feel like they have arrived. You might even hear one say, "Hey Bob, how is the family?"

4) Best behaved Sunday.

Whenever kids get a new teacher, they are really good (for like a week). Kids will always act like kids. But there's always one that is sent to be that "thorn", and teachers (like Paul) must embrace them instead of plucking them out. That being said, most Sunday School teachers are also best behaved on this day.

5) The glitter and glitz.

There's something about the smell of a new Sunday School curriculum. The lay out and color is totally different and this pumps kids up. They get excited about doing Sunday School homework. It makes them feel older. Also, teachers bring their A game this week and bring donuts. And not just a dozen glazed, like the good stuff.

Can you think of anything different that happens on Sunday School Promotion Sunday?


*Serious thanks to any Sunday School teachers. Thank you for loving our children and teaching them. You do make a difference!