Editor's note: Proverbs tells us to "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." At Parkside, there are hundreds of volunteers who have taken this piece of wisdom to heart. Throughout the year, they are involved in nursery, children's, or student ministry as we as a church family strive to teach our children the truth about God.
As an encouragement, over the next few weeks, we want to introduce you to three individuals who are currently serving in these ministries and tell you a bit about how they have benefited from these experiences.
Meet Jeff Decker, Children's Ministry 5th Grade Sunday School Teacher
Jeff Decker looks like a young, physically fit Santa Claus. It will take awhile for his light brown hair and beard to fade to white, but with his kind eyes and easy laugh you can see why kids are drawn to him. Yet it is Jeff who feels called to work with kids. "I felt a strong calling to work with youth, specifically young men," says Jeff. Originally trained as an engineer, Jeff felt his calling so strongly that he changed professions to become a high school math teacher and coach, and for the last three years has served in the Children's Ministry at Parkside.
"I didn't know much about teaching Sunday school, but I knew I wanted to be a good role model for young people and I thought teaching Sunday school might be a good way to do that and be involved in the church," explains Jeff. Kelly Coy, Children's Ministry coordinator, first placed Jeff as a helper in the nursery with 3-year-olds. Jeff was enthusiastically welcomed by the nursery staff who noted that the kids always respond differently when a man is in the room. After working alongside the more experienced caregivers in the 3-year-old room, Jeff was encouraged to move on to an older age group where he could start to teach.
Class Participation
It is Sunday morning and we are sitting in a 5th grade Sunday school class that is led by Rex and Lois Raper, and Jeff and Sue Decker. It is a typical classroom, with boys huddled on one side of the room, girls on the other. Today's class is special because soccer coaches from Ambassadors in Sport are visiting. As the coaches lead the class in a call-and-response song where the kids are supposed to imitate different animals, Jeff enthusiastically joins in; he's not afraid to connect with the kids in any way he can. Through silly songs, sports or Bible study, Jeff strives to become actively involved to show kids that someone is listening and cares.
Man Up
"In today's society as a whole, men have dropped the ball as leaders," says Jeff. He wants to help fill the gap. In addition to teaching Sunday school and high school math, Jeff also coaches football and wrestling and volunteers with a prison ministry at the Geauga County Safety Center. Teaching Sunday school has helped Jeff understand the Gospel at a different level by making him realize what he didn't know. "Kids have a lot of questions and you want to make sure that you're prepared. You don't want to be so proud that you make up an answer and lead a kid down the wrong road," explains Jeff. "But it's not about knowing all the answers. It's about being humble enough to tell them you don't know and to get back to them after looking up the answer."
Team Players
There's no "I" in team and teaching Sunday school is no exception. Jeff and his wife, Sue, work together with husband-and-wife team Rex and Lois Raper. The 5th-grade class learns history through the Bible, providing an overview of how things fit together. Jeff has learned a lot from Rex and Lois who, Jeff notes, are very down-to-earth with the kids and try to make the lessons relevant to things that are going on today. Jeff has also benefited from Sue's watchful encouragement. Sue assists the classroom in a supportive role and has helped sharpen Jeff's teaching skills by providing useful feedback and suggestions. The ability to serve together as a team has been an added benefit for the recently married couple.
A Deeper Understanding
Jeff feels he has learned more than he has taught any of the kids. "As you prepare for class, you understand things, not on the surface, but at another level," says Jeff. "Working with the kids has been an opportunity to give, but I’ve also learned a lot."
We're looking for about 50 men and women to serve in Children's Ministry this year. If you're willing to take the challenge that Jeff took (and reap the rewards!) fill out the volunteer form or contact Kelly at kcoy@parksidechurch.com.
