The Sunday School
Teacher Appreciation Day Campaign
Celebrates 13 Years of Honoring the Ministry
of Sunday School
Ventura, California. The Advisory Board Members of Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day are pleased to announce that the search for the 2006 Sunday School Teacher of the Year has concluded. On Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day, October 15, Ms. Elizabeth Koski from Eden Bible Church in Beulah, Michigan, will be honored as the 2006 Sunday School Teacher of the Year.
Gospel Light, sponsor of Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day, awarded Elizabeth Koski as the top Sunday School teacher in America with a dream vacation for two to Hawaii and a commemorative plaque. Christian Tools of Affirmation, a partner of Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day, also provided other special gifts. Eden Bible Church also received a $500 gift certificate from Gospel Light, redeemable for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curricula, teaching resources, books and videos from Gospel Light and Regal Books.
Elizabeth Koski has been called “every child’s hero” at Eden Bible Church. She so captivates the two-and three-year-olds that she teaches, they regret having to graduate to the next Sunday school classroom when they get too old to be taught by “Miss Liz.” For over 20 years, Elizabeth has used her loving, gentle, soft-spoken voice to share the Word of God with young children.
Elizabeth’s creativity is immeasurable and she has incorporated bubbles, games, crafts, songs and snacks into her lessons each week. She even planned a huge birthday party for a pretend bear! She also takes a uniquely personal interest in each of her children by attending birthday parties, ballet recitals, and by comforting them when they have experienced an unexpected loss.
“She knows who the parents are and what type of household they live in. She is very much a part of their lives,” says church member Anna Boman. “Liz prays for the children and prays that her class will be all that the Lord would want it to be.
The first runner-up for this year's award is Sandy McGilvary of First Presbyterian Church of Boca Raton in Boca Raton, FL.
Sandy’s dedication to the children of her Sunday school class extends beyond the walls of First Presbyterian Church of Boca Raton. While she lovingly ministers to every child that walks into her classroom, as well as her fellow teachers, Sandy also has parties for the children at her home, cooks them breakfast and buys them special gifts with her own finances.
Mary Anne Barnes |
Shirley Caskey |
Carolyn James
|
Barbara McDowell |
Doris McLaren |
John Nixon |
Carol Stall |
The remaining finalists were honored in their local churches on October 15th, Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day. They are (in alphabetical order):
- Mary Anne Barnes of Richardson East Church of Christ in Richardson, TX;
- Shirley Caskey of Allen Street Baptist Church in Clinton, MO;
- Carolyn James of Brown Chapel AME Church in Ypsilanti, MI;
- Barbara McDowell of Anchor Baptist Church in Houston, TX; Doris McLaren of Lexington Park Baptist Church in Lexington Park, MD;
- John Nixon of West Cannon Baptist Church in Belmont, MI;
- Carol Stall of Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL.
The fourteenth annual search for the 2007 Sunday School Teacher of the Year will soon be underway as part of Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day. Individuals and churches interested in participating may visit www.mysundayschoolteacher.com or call the Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day hotline at 1-800-354-4224 to receive free information. Nomination forms are also downloadable or can be directly submitted online at www.mysundayschoolteacher.com. The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2007 Sunday School Teacher of the Year is August 31, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Always the third Sunday in October, Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day was started by Gospel Light in 1993 to encourage churches across America to honor the over 15 million Sunday School Teachers who volunteer every Sunday. Gospel Light is committed to providing effective resources for evangelism, discipleship and Christian education through Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curricula, videos and books.
Previous Winners
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