The Bedbug Bible Gang is a series of videos produced by Creative Communications for the Parish. The series was originally conceived by the two older sons of the late Rev. Arden Mead, Peter and David. It is very appealing to little children and all of the stories are written in rhyme. Above is an example of The Beatitudes.
Creative Communications (everyone shortens the name now) was the "brainchild" of two Lutheran ministers, Rev. Dr. Larry Neeb and Rev. Arden Mead. The company is unique in that it is an ecumenical Christian publishing house. A five or six years ago Creative was sold to Bayard Canada, Canadian Assumptionist Fathers and Arden Mead passed away not long afterward from cancer. I was one of many people who sincerely grieved his death. His grave is not far from my home and I often walk past it on warm summer evenings.
Dr. Neeb retired a few years following the sell of his company and now works diligently to raise funds and awareness for Lutheran missions to children. He calls this "retirement." I'm not exactly sure if he understands the concept but that's o.k. perhaps, publishers never really retire anyway.
The vast majority of Creative Communications published illustrations are by artist/illustrator Sally Beck. Although, I'm relatively certain that she does not illustrate the Bible Bedbugs. Every Christmas, I look forward to seeing something new from Sally Beck for children; her work is very charming.
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| A selection of ARCH Books from my childhood. I kept these for my own children and someday I hopefully will read them to grandchildren. |
When my husband was a small boy, he would memorize scripture for Sunday School. If he succeeded in this task, he would then be given what he refers to as "a reward book." These little Arch Books by Concordia Publishing House were also very popular in my Sunday School as well, even though I didn't have to memorize scripture to receive one. My mother was a teacher and she purchased many of them to read to the kindergarteners she taught in a Southern Baptist Sunday school.
Arch books may still be purchased from Concordia Publishing House or CPH in bulk. If you want to buy fewer of them at a time, you will probably need to do so on Amazon.com Originally, Arch Books were sold in sets of six.
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| The Rhyme Bible by Linda Sattgast |
Not many publishing houses produce scripture verse in rhyme anymore. It is seen as "old fashioned." However, that is not a relevant point in my defense of the method. Children do indeed seem to recall information better when it is taught to them in rhyme or song and this is reason enough to keep applying the methodology.
At the Pick and Print Gallery, I am transcribing The New Testament in Verse: A Poetical Narrative of The Complete Gospel Story by Anne Fletcher. These familiar incidents of the life work and teachings of Jesus were developed for children in easily remembered lines, 1923. Visitors may download these scripture rhymes freely to read aloud, illustrate and develop Biblical curriculum.
Memorization Methods Using Rhyme:
