Noah's Ark Ministy has grown out of a need to plant a church in a resistant area without having a church building of much funding to get started. It began in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1979 as a church planting -- contact making -- evangelistic endeavor and has grown into a regular outreach ministry of the local church. It has become the ark of salvation, the bridge by which many have crossed over and found the church a non-threatening place wheres whole families can find Jesus Christ as Lord. It now has be en adapted and used around the world in church planting and outreach.

The Noah's Ark Ministry is an outdoor Sunday School. It is based on a trailer mounted with a float of Noah's Ark colorfuly painted and attractive. It is mobile enough to set up in minutes and take down just a quickly. It can be moved easily from one neighborhood to another. The Ark itself is a stage from which the program can be performed. Atop is a loud speaker system through which lively children's music can be played as the Ark travels around the neighborhood making its anouncements of when and wher e in will land. (ie) in the center of the park, or in a parking lot at 4:00 p.m.) Check with your city codes to see that it is permited to do this kind of program in parks, along streets, etc.

It requires a team of at least four people to help make it run smoothly. One personl is the MC (master of ceremonies) the upfront leader that interfaces with the children directly. Two others act as chaperones and crowd control. At least one other is inside the ark as the puppeteer. A variety of animal puppets may be used to give it the "Ark" feel. Mrs. Noah is the main humanoid puppet and the mother over the whole ark program.

The program lasts from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the staff and helpers available. It is composed of 5 parts.

• 1. Music
• 2. Stories
• 3. A Puppet Skit
• 4. A Memory Verse
• 5. Games

Children are given handouts, usually memographed art pages with the memory verse, and or an invitation to return to the ark. Also we have found it helpful to get the children to the "Ark Club" by filling out a name, address, and birthday questionnaire. We use these names to select game participants, and to later visit the homes on their birthdays, with a small gift of a balloons, a New Testament and a presentation of the Gospel for their parents.