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update on Sunday school for August

Update on Sunday school for this Sunday as well as the whole month of August.

I am trying to mix things up this season with different ideas and activities that will charge our kids with creativity as well as their spirituality. I am hoping these ideas will springboard new questions, thoughts and discussion amoung our kiddos. and we can also share with the adults in our congregation.

Here is my write-up for August as well as my thoughts.

August is month of no official holidays, but plenty of fun and opportunities to learn! The Christian faith celebrates The Transfigurataion of Christ in August, which is when Jesus met with Elijah and Moses on the mountain top. He had taken John, James, Peter and their eyes were popping out. Peter wanted to say there forever. The activites that I will outline will help helps understand that just like Peter, we need to remain in this world and sometimes do things that arent' fun. Our transfiguration is a promise from that day that we can enjoy while we wait!

The closing of the Olympic games is August 12th It's time for rewards after years of hard work. Those rewards are a lot like what we look forward to in heaven, so we're offering activities that show these likenesses.

Martin Luther King gave his famed "I have a dream" speech on August 28th of 1963. I will be providing activities to help celebrate what some consider a speech inspired by the Holy Spirit. This should help out kids understand that God made us all equal, but he also made us very diverse. As Christians, we should celebrate unity with diversity.

Finally, for the past few years, August has been named Water Quality Month. I will be providing ideas on how to raise money for countries where the drinking water is so foul that kids show symptoms of illness just moments after drinking what they need to survive. Fresh water is desperately needed, and I am providing ideas so that our kids can help other kids obtain the most basic essentials.

I will also be sharing some stories written by or about children, so they can focus on critical world situations that kids can put in their language.

This Sunday's lesson is "The Transfiguration of Christ".

Idea: In this World you will have Tribulation

Many wonderful messages can be garnished by the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. We don't know what was discussed in this meeting with Moses and Elijah. But we know that it gave three weary, confused and anxious disciples a little peak at heaven's eternal beauty and awesome power. It was the first plave in a long journey where they felt utterly at peace.

It was so wonderul to be in the midst of it that Peter suggested they stay there forever, building temples for Moses and Elijah. However, the meeting wasn't meant to be eternal; it was only meant to be respite = and a promise for the future.

Peter was probably very disappointed to hear that he had to go back down to the dusty grimy villages where they had been laughed at, stared at, argued with, and condescended to.

Theme; What's Good Enough for Peter is Good Enough for You!

Our activities, in honor of Apostle Peter in the toddler steps of his Christian walk: God promises us a beautiful transfiguration in heaven when we believe in Jesus. In the meantime, the message for us is the same as it was for Peter. We need to be here in the world and continue in faith while performing mundane, or stressful or not-much-fun tasks that occur every day, believing God is with us and will someday fulfill his promises. Kids generally do not like chores or homework or other responsibilities. They like to be free to play. Responsibility is their grimy village. Play is their heaven on earth. This week, the kids will play ganes where the hardest worker is "transfigured". We will play transfiguration tag and create a transfiguration cloud. We will also talk about caterpillars and butterflies and how it is transfigured.

The scripture covering the Transfiguration, which I will be reading to the kid is Mark 9:2-10.

I have also broken the the lesson such as Object Lesson: A Light Doesn't Change Strengths, Transfiguration game: Follow the sound of my voice, The song that they will learn for the first time is Play, Work and Purpose to the tune of Old Macdonald, and if we have time Transfiguration Craft, Magic Glasses. I really like this, as we a picture is drawn and with their "magic" glasses, the figure of Jesus will he invisable, but when the glasses are off, he will be visable.

Each of these will have conclusions.

To give you an idea: the conclustion behind the magic glasses is:

The Transfiguration gave the disciples a chance to see the true glory of God. There were seeing things differently than they ever saw things before. Just like them, we have to go on in a world where it's hard to see that Jesus is near us. We need to remember....the problem is only in our earthly eyes! He is very much with us, even if we have trouble seeing him down here on earth. He is with us every day, forgiving us, renewing us, and transfiguring us, by faith. (Matthew 17: 1-9)

Thanks.

Lisa

Updated on Sunday school for July 22, 2012

Since Friday, July 20th is Moon Day, I thought we could incorporate it, and make it part of our Sunday school lesson for something fun, different and exciting for the kids. I would will have a simple experiment, arts and craft project as well as a scientific video about the moon. The experiment would demonstrate the most famous things the astronauts did without for a week - gravity! Gravity keeps our feet on the ground. It's alot like our faith; which keeps us from rocketing off into the darkness of strange teachings fron other faiths.

When we think about our spiritual lives, we can keep ourselves spiritually grounded by keeping Jesus in our thoughts ad prayers as we move through a day. Jesus will be our spiritual gravity--keeping ourselves grounded in our faith.

We celebrate Moon day because man landing on the moon was a great achievement. That day, man went off to somewhere so far away that it was impossible to see them or be near them. It's a little like death in that we can't see our deceased relatives. However, the men who went to the moon came back, very much alive. The moon walk should remind us that those who are absent in body are present in Christ. They will show up again someday too...to welcome us into the galaxy of heaven.

Isaiah 40:26 says, "Lift your eyes and look into the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.' If God can create the heaven's..if God can keep men safe as they explore the moon..surely we can trust him to keep us safe whe we call on him! Let's remember to look at our friends and family this week and remember how smart, strong and beautiful God is.

I will also have a laser show to show the kids as they enter the classroom and explain what the topic is above. Then we will have a simple experiment and finally, I will show perhaps a National Geographic show on the moon, followed by a snack. I have had several requests for my chocolate chip muffins this week.

Let us remember that the moon is far, but we can go further! When we die, we can go all the way to heaven, which will make the dark trip to the moon fade in comparison to the glory of the light of God!

Update on Sunday school for July 8, 2012

Update on Sunday school for July 8, 2012

Self-Control

The setting for the first chapter of the Book of Daniel is the capture of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian army has at this point swept accross the land, taking with them the best and brighest of the empire and relocating them to Babylon. The story of Daniel tells about one young man who was among those taken. Daniel and several of his friends were also selected to be trained to be in service to the Babylonian king. This was a great honor and required great mental and physical stamina.

Eating rich foods and wines from the king's table was one of the privileges of being selected to participate in this program. Since this was enjoyabe it must have been tempting for the young men to give in to this custom. However, being devoutly Jewish meant that Daniel and his friends were governed by certain dietary laws (much too complicated to go into here). The king's food obviously did not fall within these guidelines. Surely, it took large amounts of self-control for Daniel and his friends to pass up the rich royal diet adn to eat only those foods that they could be assured were properl prepared. These foods consisted moslly of vegetables and water.

The steward wo was in charge of the wellbeing of these young men was concerned that he would be blamed for any ill health they might suffer. Even the king was angry that the men would turn down the food served at his own table. However, Daniel managed to convince both that they should be allowed to put this to a test. How surprised both the king and the steward were when Daniel and his friends ended up healthier and stronger than those who ate the richer foods. The king came to admire Daniel and his friends for their self-control and wise judgement.

Given an opportunity, what child would choose broccoli over a bag of potato chip or a helping of mashed potatoes over a double-chocolate fudge sundae? Learning to make wise choices is one the skills of growing up. Learning to choose what is right is an issue of self-control; choosing what is best over choosing what one would rather have. Young children do not have many autonomous choices allowed them. But they need to practice whenever possible so that when the time comes to make larger, more life-affecting choices, they are equipped to evaluate and choose wisely.

So, in Sunday's lesson and story, Daniel finds himself, along with many others, taken from his homeland and forced to live in another culture, one that doesn't worship the one true God. Selected to be a part of the king's own staff, Daniel had to choose to remain faithful to his dietary laws when confronted with the excesses of the palace. how diffiult this mush have been!! And yet, with great self-control Daniel stood his ground and proved himself to be the better man for it. Children are not born with self-control. They have to learn it, oftentimes by the mistakes they make. Lack of self-control often shows up as greed, something that, as Christians, we work against. God wants us to share and think of others.

Our games and activities will include Vegetable soup, scattered categories, temptations, resit and Batik, one of our friendly puppets will make an apperance and discuss what was learned today and finally the story will be good choice. When we have our snack, if we have time, I will ready Charolette's Web which is out making good and bad choices.

Bible Verse

Let us choose what is right

Job 34:4

Bible Story

Daniel 1:1-20

Update on Sunday school for June 10, 2012

Faithfulness

The Southern Kingdom of Judah was ruled by the house of David until Juhah fell to the Babylonians sometime around 587 B.C.  Josiah, who reigned from 640 B.C. to 609 B.C., became king when he was eight years old.   Some time in his twenties, Josiah began to make his own decisions.  Josiah looked around and saw that the worship practices of Assyria had, over time, influenced the worship practices of his people.  These worship practices did not reflect what God intended worship to be.  Many laws and rituals were ignored and eventually forgotten.

Now, Josiah, unlike most of Judah's kings, were faithful to God  Josiah ordered thadt the Temple of Jerusalem be repaired.  During the restoration of the Temple, some form of the Book of Deuteronomy was discovered (probably chapters 12-26 of our present book of Deuteronomy).  Deuteronomy was the Book of Jewish Law.  Huldah the prophetess verified the authenticity of the scrolls and Josiah called the people together to hear the words of the Law and for them to renew their covenant with God.  The discovery of this Book of Law helped Josiah to reform the practices of the Hebrew people.  Josiah established the Temple in Jerusalem as the central place of worship and reinstated the celebration of Passover.

Faithfulness of God set Judiah apart from the other kings of Judah and even from his own people.  Josiah attempted to bring his people back to faithfulness to the God of the covenant, not to following the general fads of the culture around them.  This sounds like a goal that might be espoused by a person today.

What does it mean to be faithful to God in the twenty-first century?  Does it mean going to church and Sunday school?  Does it mean praying and reading the Bible?  Does it mean performing acts of service?  Does it mean witnessing to others about Jesus?  The answer to each of these questions is "Yes" - that and so much more.  Being faithful to God and standing against pressure to conform to the fads of the day isn't easy;it never was.

This Sunday's bible lesson will tell the story of Josiah , the boy who became king of Judah when he was eight years old.  Raised as a devout believer, Josiah noticed that the workship practices of Assyria had, over time, influenced the worship practices of his own people.  So Josiah set out on a mission of reform.  One of the reforms included the restoration of the temple.  During this restoration, workers discovered a hidden cache of scrolls.  Huldah then verifed the scrolls.  After that Judah got the people together to reform and renew their covenant with God.  is must have been difficult to call the people back to faithfulness after so long a time of doing something else.  Consider your family's lifestyle?  How does it conform to God's requirements?  Or do you flow the times regardless?

The story this Sunday will be Josiah and the Hidden Scrolls, the games and activities will be Excavation Adventure, In Like Me, Can you dig it?, Fractured Scriptures and finally our art project will be to make a special something for Father's day which is next week. 

Bible Verse:  do everything God commands, and be faithful to God.  Deuteronomy 11:22

Bible Story:  2 Kings 22:1-24:5

Update on Sunday school for May 27, 2012 and June 6, 2012

Kindness

The story is told in the Gospels of Jesus curing the withered hand of an unfortunate man on the Sabbath.  Jesus healed many people during his ministry.  His kindness toward all of God's people is shown in the many stories of his love and compassion.  Jesus healed lepers, ate in the home of Mary and Martha, raised Lazarus from the dead, and changed the life of Zacchaeus.   However, the healing of the man with the paralyzed hand is an act that angered religious leaders of the day, specifically because Jesus was healing on the Sabbath, a day of rest.

Why was this such a problem?  Today healing is done routinely every day of the week.  Did Jesus merely set aside the laws of the Sabbath for more humanitarian purposes?

This story goes straight to the authority of Jesus and his acting in the name of God.  Jesus' healing the paralyzed man on the Sabbath did not mean that we ignore the laws of God just because this seems to be the right thing to do.  Jesus healed the man's withered hand because God has concern and compassion for God's children at all times.  God has shown through Jesus that God's love and compassion for God's children is more important than rituals, even those commanded by God.  The old way of doing things was altered to show kindness to one of God's people who greatly needed it.  Jesus showed us tht God's compassion come first.

Can we do less as Christian's than to follow Jesus' example and show kindness to any of God's people when they need it?  Should it matter when they might need our kindness or help?  Children naturally reach out to others.  Their hearts are easily touched by persons in need.  Too often we, as adults, stifle their compassion with our more jaded, pessimistic and suspicious outlook on society.

Encourage the children to be kind to others.  Encourage them to be kind to one another as well.  It is more important to be kind than it is to observe all the correct rules of the church.

So this Sunday in Bible school, the children will have the stage set with one of the biggest conflicts Jesus had with the religious authorities.  The Pharisees were a group of religious men who interpreted the Scriptures for the people.  Their interpretations soon became a fairly rigit set of laws that people felt obligated to follow, even at the cost of being kind.  Jesus knew that God wanted persons to maintain the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, particularly when the letter of the law caused pain or suffering on the part of another human being.  Your children will hear how Jesus deliverately challenged the sabbath laws in order to help a man who had been disabled for most of his life.  Jesus' action now made it possible for the man to be a "whole" person in the biblical definition.



Bible Verse:  The scripture says, "It is kindness that I want"  Matthew 12:7, Good News Bible
Bible Story:  Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11


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Generosity

What make a person generous?  What is the true measure of a gift?  These are questions that can be addressed  by looking at the story of the widow's coins. 

Outside of the temple were thirteen receptacles to receive the gifts of the worshipers.  There would be a loud clanging noise when the coins dropped.  Jesus, one day, had been sitting watching people drop coins into these receptacles.  He would have had to hear all the noise these contributions made.  When the poor widow arrived and put her two copper coins into one of the receptacles it would have been easy to "hear" that her contribution was very small.

The two copper coins were the smallest of the denominations of coins.  They had very little value.  And yet the widow gave with her heart all that she had.  These coins probably represented her next meal.  The rich who had been dropping coins into the receptacles were giving out of their abundance.  They could still afford large meals, lavish homes, and richly designed clothes.  The widow would have none of these things, even if she kept her money.  But the widow gave to God even that which she needed, while the rich gave of their extra.

Jesus did not condemn the gift of the weath, of the extra.  What Jesus did ws to commend the extreme generosity of heart that caused the widow to give all she had to God.  This generosity demonstrates a truly selfless way of living for us.

No gift of love is too small to count, and sharing what we have and who we are with complete unselfishness does not go unnoticed by God.  Even the smallest gift can be the most generous gift.  It depends upon the heart.

Children are natural givers.  They give, without the expectation of anything in return.  They give for the sheer joy of giving and making someone's day a little brighter.  They can anticipate the enjoyment of the person who will receive their gifts.  Commend these acts of generosity when you see them.  Encourage these in the children.


Bible Verse:  For God loves a cheerful giver    2 Corinthians 9:7
Bible Story:  Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4