changes in ESL Cafe - What should we do next?

[Craig Rusbult]

Greetings,

    Soon, ESL Cafe will change its time and location.

    The change is mainly due to space constraints, because Blackhawk Church doesn't want any classes held in the Atrium, and at 9:00 they won't give us a room because none is available and (even if there was) they don't want to have extra activities in the morning, so they can reduce overcrowding in the morning services.

    We can use the South Atrium next week, March 15, but what should we do after that?

    Shere-Ling and I decided to start this list-discussion to talk about options:

    WHAT would we really like to do if there were no constraints?

    With the actual situation, what are some options, and the pros & cons of each?

    As a starter, here is "constraint information" about WHEN and WHERE:

    Sunday morning, two options are Regent Apartments (at Regent & Randall) and Eagle Heights;  both are served by the yellow bus (schedule-information is at end of message) but neither will be as convenient for some hosts, and guests would be less likely to attend a worship service or International Club.  Do you know other options?

    Sunday afternoon:  We can get a room in the Blackhawk Church Building at 4:30 or 6:00. (details at end)  If we meet at 4:30 it will be easy for guests to attend the 6:00 service, but unfortunately not as easy to attend I-Club.  The yellow bus runs to and from both services.

    other days:  Regent Apts and Eagle Heights are options, but there would be no connection with services or iClub.

    WHAT

    So far, we have done mainly conversational ESL, but some hosts and guests would like to have a more structured ESL class.  What do you think?  Do you have any training or experience with an ESL class?  or ideas about it?

    ideas from Willow Creek - http://www.willowcreek.org/international/esl.asp

    Please feel free to share ideas in a creative brainstorming mode, then we can discuss the advantages of various ideas before deciding what to do.

your brother in Christ,

Craig Rusbult

--------------

    YELLOW BUS

    For 9:00 service, leaves Eagle Heights (at 8:05) for Regent Apts (arrives 8:15);  and for the 10:45 service it leaves Eagle Heights at 9:50, and Regent Apts at 10:00, if we want to do something between 8:20 and 9:55.

    For 4:30 service, leaves Eagle Heights at 3:35 and Regent Apts at 3:45.

    For 6:00 service, leaves Eagle Heights at 5:05 and Regent Apts at 5:15.

    AFTERNOON ROOMS AT BLACKHAWK

    At 4:30 there is no "every week" guarantee but they have a schedule so reservations can be made ahead of time if we want to do a series;  I don't yet know what rooms are available when, and how often.  

[Shere-Ling Kraus-Yao]

Dear all,

 

Greetings! I really think 9 am Sunday morning is the best for our guests, our hosts, and best possible outcome for guests to attend service afterwards. However, we all know that church staff wants us to meet in the afternoon and even allows us to have a room. And we all know how distracting it is to meet at the atrium as we do now.

 

If we see this as a vital ministry and we are all passionately want to meet our guests' felt-need, I suppose that we won't mind (1) driving to campus if we decide to meet at the campus Sunday morning during the 1st service hour and come back to church for the 2nd service or (2) having  the ESL Cafe in the afternoon at church and attend afternoon service or (3) coming to church twice Sunday to host ESL Cafe and still attend the morning service with our friends.

 

As far as I know Eagle Heights is not open at all in Sunday morning. So that option is out. If we meet at The Regent, then Sheboygan guests won't be able to come by bus and the likelihood of guests to come to church afterwards for service is slim. Therefore, I vote for host ESL Cafe at 4:30 pm and then attend service at 6 pm. And I fully understand that some of us might not be able to attend I. Club as convenient as the current schedule on a regular basis. We thought about renting a room in the Insurance Company across street from the church building in the morning but church staff told us that they tried that route but didn't work.

 

As far as how the time change might affect the attendance, we know that a few past ESL Cafe attendees do come to 6 pm service now. So we know that serious seekers won't stop coming to church even if they would miss I. Club.  Most of these guests are graduate students however. I am not sure about visiting scholars. I suppose we can ask them this Sunday what they feel about meeting in the afternoon.

 

As far as the more structured ESL class, I don't see why we should not give it a try. Maybe a three or four week session would be a good pilot run. I know some guests asked for it in the past and some of the hosts, like Carol and Cathy (?), do have ESL training. This ESL Cafe is guest-centered Cafe. So, whatever their felt-need is what we should focus on.

 

Blessings,

Shere-Ling

[Craig Rusbult]

Shere-Ling says,

>I really think 9 am Sunday morning is the best for our guests, our
hosts, and best possible outcome for guests to attend service

afterwards. However,...
>...

>Therefore, I vote for host ESL Cafe at 4:30 pm and then attend
service at 6 pm.

I agree. When many things are considered, as she describes, if
9:00 isn't possible then 4:30 seems to be the best option. (for now,
but of course later changes are possible)

Do you think we should have a series described as an "ESL
Class"? If we do, it needs a regular teacher or a coordinated "team
approach" so each teacher knows what will be taught by the others.
If yes, we need help. Some of you know a lot about ESL
(compared with me or Shere-Ling) -- with good ideas, or experience
teaching ESL -- and your help is necessary. I hope you'll share your
ideas (knowledge and opinions) with people on the list.

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Craig

[carol jorgensen]

4:30 might be really good for me to help in a more consistent way because of my own involvement with my own church.
I can help you get in touch with Christian people who have more experience with ESL - moreso than me.  Carol