“Let Your Light Shine”—use the Scripture “let your light shine” and a lighthouse logo to help children, youth, and adults focus on the active light. At our Rally Day gathering we hosted an intergenerational Sunday school with breakfast and had folks talk about ways that we can let our light shine at work, at school, or in the community.

“Learning to Reflect God’s Image”—Use a mirror as the symbol for the Rally Day celebration. You can give away small compact mirrors and hold a mime presentation on the ways we reflect and don’t reflect God’s love in our daily lives. Afterwards, encourage adults and children to discuss their insights.

“Make Your Mama Proud”—Focus on core values, the idea that going to Sunday school would make your mama proud. Use creatively decorated magnets to help illustrate the theme. Children may go to their rotation classes while the adults hold a round table discussion on the core values they want their children to claim—values instilled in them in their childhood religious training.

“Christian Education: Ageless and Everlasting”—Promote the idea that Christian education is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The methods we use to communicate may change, but the story remains the same.

“Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”—When we began our Workshop Rotation program we knew we wanted the children to become more familiar with the stories that Jesus told. We spent a good part of the year with children, youth, and adults learning and re-learning the stories of Jesus. On Rally Day we gave family story Bibles to each family present and to grandparents.

“Following God’s Direction”—Use road signs as the symbol for the year to focus on what God would have each of us do each day. Hand out small compasses as a reminder to always follow God’s path.
“Footsteps of Jesus”—Using foot patterns, focus on following Jesus and where that might lead. Give away small key chains with a sandal attached.

“Round-up Sunday”—Using a Western theme, dress up in Western clothes and serve lunch with hot dogs and other Western fare. Provide theme-appropriate music—invite a country and western band to perform. Consider providing pony rides for the kids.

“Rally Day Breakfast and Ministry Fair”—Invite session and diaconal ministry teams to set up creative displays of their program ideas and goals for the year. They provide handouts and sign-ups for volunteers. Serve a continental breakfast, arranging the food and displays in a way that encourages people to circulate.

Other themes that we heard about:

• Heroes of the Bible
• Come to God’s Party—learning about the Lord should be a party every Sunday
• Fall Kickoff—using the sports theme, such as “running the race”
• You Are the Apple of God’s Eye—use apples as the theme for the year
• Grow in God’s Word
• F.E.A.S.T.—Friends Eating and Sharing Together: A Taste of the Fall’s Program
• Teaching God’s Word through Music, Fellowship, and the Gospel
• With a Spirit of Laughter: Resting in the Curve of God’s Smile
• Dive into Sunday School
• Gather, Grow, and Go
• “Follow Me and I Will Make You Fishers”
• Smart Fish Swim in Sunday School
• Sunday School Is Cool
• Step Up to the Plate with Jesus
• Hooked on Jesus
• Watching Our Sunday School Grow
• Planted in Sunday School
• Building Our Faith
• Sunday School New Year

Some of these ideas are from a workshop by Candy Reid,
Peace River Presbytery Educator and Resource Center Director