Artsy Worship

Faithful duo create unique collection of Sunday school activities.

by Linda Leicht
Springfield News-Leader, September 5, 2005

When Pam Morton and Kathy Jingling get together, there is no shortage of laughs, salsa or great ideas.

The two women are the creators of a program that guarantees all of that — OK, maybe not the salsa — in a far-from-usual Sunday school class or women’s retreat.

The program, Creative Friendzy, is as crazy as its spelling and as much fun as possible. It combines hands-on activities and Bible study, which is almost as hands-on as the activities.

Morton and Jingling have been using their program for about two years at a women's class at James River Assembly of God, essentially a testing ground for their ideas. But the program is available to anyone.

You may not get Morton and Jingling, but the kits they have put together include plenty of their "great ideas" in packaging that will provide the laughs.

INSPIRED OVER CHIPS AND SALSA

Morton and Jingling met at church about 10 years ago. Morton is a "starving artist," and Jingling is a missionary to Latin America and the Caribbean. Both are wildly creative, irrepressibly silly and boldly Christian, a mix that often brought them together on projects.

That’s where the salsa comes in. They would get together at their "branch office," La Hacienda Mexican restaurant, to hash out ideas for a morning women's Bible class they led.

Munching chips and salsa with some friends, they were brainstorming ways to teach the class when a friend pointed out that women just love to do crafts. It was too bad they couldn't combine that with a Bible study.

"That's a great idea," they responded.

Since then, "great ideas" have been coming non-stop. Since "crafts" doesn't come close to describing the creative activities they have developed, every class includes a "great idea" and a Bible study to apply to life.

Jingling and Morton took all those ideas, created a curriculum, developed a marketing plan and packaged Creative Friendzy for distribution through their own company, Daisies in the Rain.

The starter kit is packed in a fun box shaped like a purse, complete with handle. Included are a getting-started guide, lessons for Bible study, "great ideas," CD with music and resources, DVD for promoting the class and a lime green jelly tote bag to carry all that stuff. Additional books, bags and fun items like key chains and stationery are also available because "women love stuff," said Jingling.

Dale Gehris, a creative director for promotions with the Assemblies of God, worked with Morton and Jingling to create the packaging and literature.

"All I knew is I wanted to make it real approachable, casual and friendly," said Gehris.

Everything is presented on a background of pink, blue, yellow and green, decorated with cookies, extension cords, pies, circular saws, daisies, rolls of masking tape...all used in surprising designs. Book and brochures feature Jingling and Morton demonstrating the theme in exaggerated and outrageous poses. But it's their big heads and shrunken bodies that bring a smile.

"I've never heard a woman complain that a picture made their head look too big," Jingling quipped.

"Once I had the color palette and the big-headed person, the rest fell into place," Gehris said.

Reading the lessons was a necessary part of creating the design, and Gehris is convinced that the program is "real unique. I wouldn’t even label it churchy."

BEYOND FUN

Each theme is divided into four lessons. Each has a "spark" for discussion, questions that bring in Scripture, "friendz chat" to get people sharing, a challenge for the coming week and, of course, a "great idea."

One of Mona Callison’s favorite themes was "home improvement."

"One thing we talked about was on building, using the foundations of a house to talk about building on relationships," said the Rogersville woman who attends the class at James River. "If you don’t start with a firm foundation, you get the building, but when a storm comes you have to assess the damage and rebuild.

"To me that was an incredible point."

She remembers a lesson including instructions on repairing screens and plastering walls. Callison was able to repair a hole in her wall created by removing a screw that held a picture, but the lesson taught her much more.

"Sometimes you have to do the preparation work before you can do the repairing," she said. "I think in relationships we want to jump ahead and fix the hole in the relationship. We don’t have the proper tools and we don’t prepare properly.

"It’s not going to stand up under time or another nail. It’s going to crack or crumble and just need constant care."

Crystal Kovach, who has been in Morton and Jingling’s Sunday school class for about a year, didn’t know what to expect when she started the class, except she "knew it was going to be fun."

It has been that and more, she says.

"It has been like a breath of fresh air," said Kovach, a 36-year-old mother of three. "It’s a new outlook, not what a typical Sunday school class would be."

Her favorite "great idea" is the "bucket brigade."

The idea is to fill a bucket with cleaning supplies and then show up on the doorstep of someone who could use some help, whether it’s a new mother, a sick friend or just someone you know needs a hand. Then, instead of just giving them the bucket, you dig in and work.

Kovach has done it a few times, with great results: "A lot of people never want to say they need extra help, but they never turn it down if you show up at their door and say I’m here to help."

Kaci Callison, 21, a student at Missouri State University, loves the diversity of ages in the class, which ranges up to women in their 80s.

"I go because there’s a lot to learn from these women," she said. "They offer a lot of wisdom that people my age might not get."

TAKING CHURCH LINGO OUT

Jingling said they have worked hard to "take the church lingo out" of the program and their class.

"So you can invite your neighbor," Morton finished.

"It’s a whole new way to think about a relationship with God," Jingling continued.

She told the story of a woman who came to a class during the "Cookin’ Up Creativity" series. The woman said she "just came for the recipe," but she continued coming for the program.

Morton and Jingling have inserted their own sense of fun into the packaging and the content, so their personality can come through no matter where the program is presented.

"We’re the Lucy and Ethel of Bible study," Morton joked.

"Yeah, we’re Lucy and Ethel teaching Sunday school," Jingling added.

All of the fun and creativity still boils down to a shared philosophy Morton expressed: "God is the original creator. We are most like him when we’re being creative."

The bottom line of that creative energy is also an outcome of their faith. Jingling said: "This can really help people."

Great idea.