STORIES FROM "THE ORIGINAL ROTATION EIGHT"
The following stories come from several of our "original 8 Lesson Exchange members who joined in Year 2000, --and are still active and contributing as of the date of this posting (2013).
Julie Burton, Oklahoma
In 2000, I was in my first paid position as a Christian Educator, and needed help with curriculum. I think I saw an ad in Children's Ministry magazine about a training event for workshop rotation. I went, and thought this was the greatest thing ever! When I found the website I registered right away. A few years later I joined the Writing Team, which was so incredibly amazing and helped in my work immensely.
I have been the resource center director for my presbytery the last 11 years. When congregations want help with curriculum I always suggest the rotation site because it has some of the best curriculum out there.
I loved using the curriculum when I was a staff person, and the Writing Team helped my understanding of scripture. It is an incredible gift, and I'm proud to be part of it.
Blessings!
Cathy Hoop, Nashville
We are on our 3rd time through our six year rotation, so that tells you how long we have been rotating! In the beginning, we had so much fun transforming our space into creative workshops, -and rotation.org photos helped us find our vision. When our church burned a few years ago, we had to start over. Rotation.org once again provided us with a source of inspiration.
That's what I love about rotation.org - it is an amazing, sharing community. What a testimony that rotation.org has not simply lasted this long, but thrived, - and is continuing to grow and bless so many children, so many teachers and shepherds, so many churches. Thank you, rotation.org!
Ann Randall, Ohio
We are a small (but mighty) church that has committed to Sunday School even as other small churches seem to be giving up.
The Rotation Model has been a great way to teach our children in our small church. The rotation.org site has been a huge help to us over the years and saved us a lot of money. I find my teachers use it more and more. The wealth of information cannot be overstated.
Luanne Payne, Ontario
in 1996 I dragged my 486sx computer to Sunday School. We had a blast and I left thinking there had to be a way to teach with computers. Four years later at a United Church seminar I heard about the “Rotation Model” from a minister who's church was using it, -and it incorporated computers! I found Rotation.org and our small rural church turned 4 dismal tiny rooms into wonderful places for learning. Thirteen years later and everyone's still loving it!
I started volunteering at Rotation.org by tidying up forums. I was invited to join the governing Board, and later joined the writing team. I was elected President in 2013.
I love the way we share, the spirit of creativity, and being part of something that helps thousands of churches in North America and around the globe teach God's Word to children.
Jan Snell, Minnesota
We begin using WoRM back in 2000 and it was an immediate success. Children, parents and volunteers loved it. I believe it has had a very positive effect on our Sunday morning program, and brought in volunteers who might not have participated in the “old” style of Sunday morning children’s education.
I have loved doing rotation, and have found rotation.org to be a blessing in many ways.
I use it for lesson plans for almost every unit, and have found that the ideas, suggestions, and “give and take’ of the message boards has been so helpful over the years.
Thanks for all of the work and passion that has gone into making rotation.org relevant and useful for so many years!
In God’s service
Neil MacQueen, Ohio & Florida
I started the site in 1997 to host the original rotation manual and a few lesson ideas. People started offering their lessons and ideas to the site. So in 2001, I added a "message board" feature so they could add their own content. Thus was born the "Ideas and Lesson Exchange". The site you see now at least the fifth version of what we began with, and is the product of so many people I can't begin to count them or thank them.
Many of the original "year 2001" members came and went over the years, ...such is the nature of message boards and Christian education itself. This has made it all the more fascinating and gratifying to hear from our "original and still active members." They've are a big reason why we're still here and growing.
Many current Rotation.org "stars" arrived in 2001 and are still very active. Whether you're "old" or "new", I feel privileged to support your ministry of teaching.
(Editor's Note: After retiring from the Board of Directors in 2008, Neil continued as volunteer webmaster and advisor. In 2012 the Board asked him to take a more regular role, and hired him back as webmaster and editor to handle our increased technical needs.)
Read: A Brief History of Rotation.org and the Workshop Rotation Model
