Lifeway Please go back to the spiral Administravtive Guide. Also having the overheads included in that book was wonderful. Just a suggestion. Do you think you will go back to that?

God Bless and Keep up the Good Work.
Angie

Lifeway: I agree with Angie--love the spiral Admin Guide!

quote:

Originally posted by Angie3:
Lifeway Please go back to the spiral Administravtive Guide. Also having the overheads included in that book was wonderful. Just a suggestion. Do you think you will go back to that?

God Bless and Keep up the Good Work.
Angie

I agree I loved that!!! Everything in one place, my other suggestion would be to put in the back of the book or the front a pocket for receipts, phone numbers you are given, notes - just like a folder I just need a pocket to stuff all that stuff you are sometimes given.

I agree. A spiral administrative guide would be great. The back of my guide has already come off and our Bible School does not begin until July 8th. I would also suggest including in the administrative guide as a part of the overall program, the Decorating Book, the Worship Rally Information, Crafts Leader Information, Missions Leader Information, etc. You would still have the books for those rotations/activites available separately that could be given to the leader of that particular session. But, the overall director would have some idea of what the total scope of the program covers.

Also, all of the clip art, templates, etc, need to be located on the CD for the Administrative Guide.

I would prefer the spiral notebook myself with the overhead cells included. I had to buy a box of cells for over $20 and then find someone who worked at a school to run them off for me. Staples wanted a dollar each to run them off in addition to buying the box of cells from them.
There were too many books to keep up with and a zillion CD ROM's. Simplfy, Lifeway!

I agree that Lifeway needs to simplify it's planning materials! A spiral book would be nice! This is my first and maybe my last year to use Lifeway, I love the theme, but the information is so complicated. Having to look here and there for the things you need is too much. The company I used before had one adminstative cd and one clip art, much more organized. Also they made more information reproducable, instead of making you buy multiple copies of things! As far as overhead's I don't know if you are aware you can buy the sheets in a package at walmarts and run them through your computer. I do this for everything! I just use my print program to size the images on one sheet and fill it up! The sheets are around $10 a package and they work great! Our VBS starts in 2 weeks so we are feeling the pressure! May God Bless yours! Angie

I agree to have all the information in one place. I had to search here and there for things and it was very frustrating. I also want Lifeway to go back to putting in the game suggestions for the preschool/kindergarten in the teaching resource. I had to purchase a rotation back just for the recreatiion cards everything else I didn't need and it was a waste of money.

Spiral bound admin guide... can someone say, "AWESOME!"

I too would love to see some more organization in the Lifeway VBS products. Vague descriptions of products and sealed envelopes, outrageously priced sampler packs, come on, we're all in this together Lifeway!

The lack of material organization is not only what turns people away from Lifeway, it's what makes it hard for first year directors.

Personally, I'd much rather see an option to get a "Bare Essentials" sampler. You know, the director book, rotation leader packs, bible study packs and worship rally pack. I think just about everyone could do well with that package.

THE ANGELS ARE SINGING!!! THAT WOULD BE WUNNERFUL!! I agree with eagleguy, a "Bare Essentials" sampler would be AWESOME! Our budget is very limited and all the extras usually get left out. We have teachers sharing books, usually!! The leader guide and pak should be all one item!! I hope LIFEWAY listens to their customers. I would also love to see a modified version of the literature for churches doing a 2-3 hour VBS in the evening. We buy the curriculum and then have to cut so much out, when the solution would be to MODIFY, MODIFY, MODIFY!!! There is no way I can give each teacher 1 hour and 45 minutes of class time each year. The games always sound fun and the bible studies are great, but you just can't fit it in to a 2-3 hour VBS!! AM I ALONE ON THIS ONE????

I also would like to go back to the spiral Administrative Guide with the overheads and decorating all in one book. It was a lot easier to keep up with and to keep it open.

I agree! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that misses the spiral Administrative Guide. Thanks, Cheri

theeagleguy,
Lifeway is the only VBS that offers "options" when it comes to Samplers. Yeah I would like a customizable sampler pack, but then it would not be a "sampler" pack. I understand that things are difficult for first year directors, as this is only my second time directing. My first time directing was when we only had VHS tapes that we had to waste time to rewind, but knew that is the only thing we could use. Once you really dig in the material, you will notice it is actually quite organized. If you want a "box" to run VBS on, why don't you try the Club VBS put out by Lifeway. Just as a note, why don't you check out the consistency in the gospel material on Day 3 in this year's VBS. Second to none. I'm praying for your VBS that all goes well, and Christ gets the glory.

quote:

Originally posted by theeagleguy:
Spiral bound admin guide... can someone say, "AWESOME!"

I too would love to see some more organization in the Lifeway VBS products. Vague descriptions of products and sealed envelopes, outrageously priced sampler packs, come on, we're all in this together Lifeway!

The lack of material organization is not only what turns people away from Lifeway, it's what makes it hard for first year directors.

Personally, I'd much rather see an option to get a "Bare Essentials" sampler. You know, the director book, rotation leader packs, bible study packs and worship rally pack. I think just about everyone could do well with that package.

I agree, I have been doing VBS for many years and I really miss the spiral books. They had everything a director needed right at their figertips with no searching on a dozen CD roms to find it. I was able to save a lot of time with those books and stay more organized with little to no effort.

All I can say is AMEN!!! The old administraters guide was the best.

I have never seen a spiral bound Admin Guide, but I love that idea! I also like the idea of having a folder in the back.

I agree that the Admin guide was a little confusing. I would like to have seen a better overview. To look at the overview, I usually had to pull out my catalog. This is my first year with Lifeway, and I really like the content, but overall, I find that both myself and my leaders are all more confused then I like to be.

Please Lifeway, a spiral bound book, that contains detailed information on all of the rotations. Most directors are very detailed people and we need to know what will be happening in each of the rotations, etc. It would be very good if Lifeway included in the administrators guide, the entire outline for the worship rally.

I have never used the spiral admin guide, but I think adding pockets and tabs would help organize the guide so that it is easy to flip through.

Spiral guides would be useful...with 3 holes punched in the side and pockets and tabs on the chapters...
My guide ends up in a 3 ring binder anyway, I attach the binder to my hip and lug around with me for half the year

I cannot recall when the director guides were spiral but I also agree that that makes more sense.

As far as the sealed envelopes etc., my first year I was truly confused. What I have found that helps is to get a page protectors, tape and scissors and large manila envelopes when it comes time to get my class pack ready.

First I start with item #1 and work in order. I cut off of the printed item, the item number including the day for which it is to be used and tape that to the outside of the page protector and put the item inside the page protector. If they are small items you can put them in envelopes marked with the same info, item number and day used but keeping all in page protectors which you can see through is most helpful. A lid from a box of printer paper helps to keep them from sliding all over while preparing them and then use it daily with only the page protectors needed for that day.

If you have things that need added to the Bible Study Rotation station poster daily as you go, they can be all in one page protector. Or for game pieces and/or question and answer pieces used for multiple days, I find that one page protector with multiple smaller envelopes inside works best. The same for the Bible study cards, each for a different day, put each set in an envelope with the item number on it and then all five envelopes in it's own page protector. You can then keep them handy, organized and ready to use as each day comes.

The product does require organization. They are made for an organized person - but for those who do not work that way, as I started out, it does look a bit overwhelming in the first years. This plan has worked for me and I shared it with others. I hope I have helped a few others.