Using Head to the Heart in a Three-Year Cycle
The Head to the Heart (H2H) system is set up with a mixture of learning, service, and play as part of the plan. It is this combination that really elevates H2H from simply instruction into true youth and family ministry. Most churches schedule two or three learning events per month then mix in a fellowship or service event. There is always the question of what to do during Lent (the subject of a separate piece), but most churches cover between 15 and 20 themes each year.
When it comes to lessons or themes, H2H offers 95 themes for you to use each year, far more than you would ever attempt. So, what is a good sample-structure of teaching for those churches with three grades in the mix?
If your program is a three-year program with, for example, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, think of your usage of H2H as a “round-robin” approach. A three-year sequence of subjects will rotate through the group so at the end of the cycle, all kids with have been exposed to the same materials. Keep in mind that no matter which year your kids enter the cycle, the key will be processing each theme in small group at a grade-appropriate level, assuming you can keep your groups sorted by grade. If your small groups contain a mix of grades, a round-robin approach won’t be quite as clean, but revisiting some of this material can also be beneficial to kids. Each church, of course, can do whatever suits them best. However, here is one sample of a three-year scope and sequence:
Year One: Old Testament and The Life of Jesus
If you and your kids are new to Head to the Heart, we suggest starting with the Old Testament and the Life of Jesus. These lessons are story-based, easy to teach, and easy for the kids to unpack, especially if the H2H system is new to them. Depending on the exact number of theme events you have, you may wish to cut a lesson or two from the combined 20 themes but covering the Old Testament and Jesus in year 1 will give you plenty to talk about and explore.
Year Two: The New Testament and Martin Luther and the Small Catechism
If you prefer to cover things in chronological order, following up in Year Two with the New Testament makes sense. You can then spend some time learning about the life and legacy of Luther and cover the basics of the faith in the Small Catechism. If you are not of the Lutheran tradition, we do offer three-lesson sets on Wesley and Calvin, should those fit your needs better.
Year Three: The Ten Commandments and Lord’s Prayer
You will have briefly touched on these two subjects before; now take the time to really dive in. These two subjects bring out great discussion in kids as they unpack and sometimes struggle with the deeper meaning and challenge of the Commandments and Lord’s Prayer.
Other Theme Sets, Other Settings
The above three-year cycle is simply a suggestion. Obviously, you’ve left many lessons on the table even after using the 60 or so lessons listed above.
Think of the remaining themes as suitable for a retreat, or even for High School or adult education ministry. Remember, adults are just big kids. The same type of engaging, hands-on learning that works with kids works with adults as well.
Our new Confirmation Promises theme set is designed for those kids on the cusp of Confirmation Day, and work very well to look closely at the specific promises kids will be making on that day. These themes would be perfect for a Confirmation Day retreat.
Whatever you decide to do, Head to the Heart gives you maximum flexibility to approach the learning as you see best. Remember, the true value comes in the mixture of fellowship, service and learning, and H2H provides you with the tools you need to cover it all.