Themes
*******************2013 Themes*******************
Jan./Feb. 2013 Bored? Due: 6/1/12
Our culture bombards us with messages suggesting that everyone, every day, and everything should be “special,” extraordinary, amazing. These messages, many of which are specifically aimed at children, can make it difficult to appreciate the “ordinary time,” which makes up most of our lives. For children this often translates into boredom and the feeling that their lives aren’t as interesting or as special as they perceive other people’s lives to be. This issue should help children appreciate the fact that the many unspectacular moments in their lives are nonetheless gifts from God. Strategies for appreciating the ordinary blessings of our lives, for relieving boredom, and for using boredom as a springboard for creativity are appropriate for this issue.
March 2013 Forgiveness Due: 8/1/12
Children have a strong sense of what is and is not “fair” and often have a difficult time forgiving someone who has wronged them (as do adults!). Admitting fault and asking for forgiveness is often equally challenging. In ways that are relevant to children’s everyday lives, this issue should explore what it means to forgive, to be forgiven, and to be reconciled. Why do we need to forgive? How do we forgive? What does it mean to forgive “seventy-seven times” (Matthew18:22 NRSV)? Many of us have been taught that we should “just forgive and forget,” but that advice is rarely helpful. We want to reflect the genuine struggle involved in forgiving and in asking for forgiveness. (Caution: Stories that deal with children being harmed should never suggest that forgiving means tolerating abuse.)
April 2013 God’s Surprises Due: 9/1/12
Spring and Easter are times when God’s surprises are particularly evident. Mark’s Gospel says that “terror and amazement seized” the women who went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning. And Luke says that the disciples found the women’s tales of Jesus’ being raised literally unbelievable. The year-round good news of Easter is that God continually breaks into our lives in fresh and surprising ways. When we are open to God’s presence in our lives and the lives of those around us, we can experience the new life of the Resurrection in our daily living. This issue should help children recognize and celebrate God’s continuing activity in their lives and in the world around them. (Note: Though Easter actually falls on March 31 in 2013, Easter material will carry over into the April issue.)
EDITORIAL PHILOSOPHY: The primary purpose of POCKETS is to help children grow in their relationship with God and to claim the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ by applying it to their daily lives. POCKETS espouses respect for all human beings and for God’s creation. It regards a child’s faith journey as an integral part of all of life and sees prayer as undergirding that journey.
SPECIAL NEEDS:
• Articles about real children involved in environmental efforts, peacemaking, and helping others. Please send photos of these children with your manuscript and indicate the name and address of the photographer. We prefer photos of the children actively involved in their project. Digital photos must be 300-dpi for clear print resolution. Please include parents’ permission to use photos.
• Interviews with well-known people, relating how their faith in God is important to them in their daily lives.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WRITING FOR POCKETS: Refer to our Writer’s Guidelines on-line at pockets.upperroom.org or by mail with an SASE.
ANNUAL FICTION CONTEST: Entries are received beginning March 1 and must be postmarked no later than August 15. • Please indicate FICTION CONTEST on both the outside envelope and the cover sheet. • There is no set theme and no entry fee. • Stories should be 750–1,000 words. (Stories shorter than 750 words or longer than 1,000 words will be disqualified.) • Please include an accurate word count on your cover sheet. • Multiple submissions are permitted, but please submit only your best work. • Past winners are ineligible. • The winner will be announced November 1. • Award: $500 and publication in the magazine. • Entries with an SASE will be returned. • If you have questions, visit our website at pockets.upperroom.org or write to us.
SEND ALL MANUSCRIPTS WITH SASE TO:
Lynn W. Gilliam, Editor
P. O. Box 340004
Nashville TN 37203-0004
Please do NOT send submissions via FAX or e-mail. POCKETS is a publication of THE UPPER ROOM. POCKETS, THE UPPER ROOM, and design logos are trademarks owned by THE UPPER ROOM, Nashville, TN. All rights reserved.
