3-5 JESUS WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND FOREVER USER AGREEMENT CREATIVE TEAM CEO DIRECTOR OF MESSAGING DIRECTOR OF PRESCHOOL STRATEGY WRITERS

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1 JESUS WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND FOREVER LARGE GROUP CEO Reggie Joiner MESSAGING Kristen Ivy PRESCHOOL STRATEGY Brittany Compton Robertson CURRICULUM DESIGN AND BRAND MANAGER Sharon van Rossum TEAM CREATIVE TEAM Brittany Compton Robertson Autumn Ward Ashley Hiers Donna High Sharon van Rossum Deb Springer McKenzie Causey WRITERS Emily Meredith USER AGREEMENT Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Good News Bible, Second Edition, Today s English Version, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. These resources are intended to be downloaded and printed for use by the subscribing entity only and may not be electronically transferred to or duplicated by other non-subscribing entities. Any unauthorized reproduction of this material or incorporation into a new work is a direct violation of US copyright laws The rethink Group. All rights reserved. First Look and the First Look logo are trademarks of The rethink Group. STATEMENT OF FAITH USER AGREEMENT Orange gladly grants permission to churches, schools, and other licensees to tailor First Look materials to fit their unique leadership requirements, locale and format preferences, and physical environment needs. However, if you wish to edit the content substantively, including Bible stories, learning activities, scripts, and any other content in which biblical principles and concepts are presented, you are obligated to do so within the doctrinal guidelines we ve expressed in our Statement of Faith The ReThink Group. All rights reserved.

2 PRELUDE: Setting the tone for the experience For Leaders Only Monthly Overview Create the Environment BIBLE STORY Happy Birthday Jesus! THE CHRISTMAS STORY LUKE 1:26-33, 38, 46; 2:1-18 MEMORY VERSE God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT KEY QUESTION Why is Jesus special? BOTTOM LINE Jesus is God s Son. BASIC TRUTH Jesus wants to be my friend forever SOCIAL: Providing time for fun interaction Offer one or more of these activities as preschoolers arrive. Little People Search Light a Candle Birthday Bash WORSHIP: Inviting people to respond to God Christmas Party STORY: Communicating God s truth in engaging ways Bible Story Prayer GROUPS: Creating a safe place to connect Offer as many of these activities as your time, facilities, resources, and leadership allow. Memory Verse Gifting Christmas Banners Birthday Cake Stack Silly Celebrations Birthday Bash Hats Journal and Prayer HOME: Prompting action beyond the experience Going Home Parent Cue 2018 The ReThink Group. All rights reserved. 2

3 BIBLE STORY Happy Birthday Jesus! THE CHRISTMAS STORY LUKE 1:26-33, 38, 46; 2:1-18 MEMORY VERSE God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT KEY QUESTION Why is Jesus special? 10 UTES 10 UTES Gather children for a Large Group time that includes interactive worship and the Bible story. The Rug Script is written for those who pull their children to a rug (or area) to one side of their preschool space to tell the Bible story. If you gather your preschoolers together from multiple rooms and have a larger space on which to present the Bible story, you may benefit from using the Stage Script. WORSHIP Use the full mix of the monthly song provided with the curriculum to lead your preschoolers in worship. Encourage children to be active during worship by incorporating the appropriate hand motions. WHAT YOU NEED: Paperclip Memory Verse Card in your Bible at John 3:16. You will also need a music player and this month s worship song, Christmas Party, which is included in your monthly files. LEADER: It s almost Christmas! It s almost Christmas! I m so excited! Happy birthday, Jesus! I can t wait to sing with you, but before we do tell me: Why is Jesus special? CHILDREN AND LEADER: Jesus is God s Son. LEADER: Yes! Jesus is God s Son. Let s sing our new song. (Lead children in singing Christmas Party, this month s worship song.) BOTTOM LINE Jesus is God s Son. BASIC TRUTH Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Wonderful singing, my friends. Tell me: Why is Jesus special? CHILDREN AND LEADER: Jesus is God s Son. LEADER: Yes, indeed, Jesus is God s Son. Who can help me remember what we do next? We sang our first song. What do we do now? (Pause.) Yes! We say our memory verse. Are you ready to say it with me? God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (stretch arms out as far as possible) that he gave (place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) his only (point up) Son (hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Hold hands open like a book.) Let s do it again. CHILDREN AND LEADER: God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (stretch arms out as far as possible) that he gave (place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) his only (point up) Son (hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Hold hands open like a book.) (Repeat several times.) LEADER: Yes! You ve got it totally memorized now! Way to go! I am so proud of you The ReThink Group. All rights reserved. 3

4 10 UTES 10 UTES STORY Choose an engaging adult to tell the Bible story. This person should be able to command the attention of preschoolers and control the group through animated storytelling. These scripts are written to be told and not read. Advanced preparation is necessary. First Look offers weekly introductory sketches and Bible stories on the DVD titled Wonder, Look at God s Story. This DVD is available for purchase at OrangeStore.org or as part of your monthly Media Package. WHAT YOU NEED: A Bible LEADER: I feel like I should start by telling you merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, friends, and happy birthday, Jesus! The big day is finally here! We are ready to celebrate Jesus birthday. Today we are throwing the biggest, bestest Birthday Bash for Jesus! We are celebrating Jesus being born today because He is SO special. Does anyone remember why Jesus is so special? (Pause.) Yes, Jesus is special because Jesus is God s Son. I thought that I would tell you the true story of Christmas since we re celebrating Jesus birthday, so here I go. The first part of the Christmas story when God sent an angel to give Mary a special message. The angel told Mary that she was going to have a baby and His name would be Jesus. Jesus would be special because Jesus is God s Son. Why is Jesus special? CHILDREN AND LEADER: Jesus is God s Son! LEADER: Great job! Now for part two. After the angel told Mary she was going to have a special baby, she and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. When they got to Bethlehem, there was no room for them to sleep. So, even though Jesus would be the most special baby ever, He was born in a stable filled with animals and hay. Can you make a crying baby noise with me? (Lead the children in crying like a little baby.) You make very good baby cries! Good job! The third part of the story tells us an angel who went to tell the shepherds the good news that God s Son, Jesus, had been born. One night, while shepherds were watching their sheep, an angel told them, I have good news for all the people. Jesus has been born! You must go and see the baby! Then lots and lots of angels filled the sky and began singing and praising God. It was a celebration! It was the biggest, bestest Birthday Bash ever, all because Jesus was born. God s Son was here. It was Jesus birthday! 2018 The ReThink Group. All rights reserved. 4

5 10 UTES 10 UTES Since we re celebrating Jesus birthday, I think we should sing Happy Birthday to Him. Will you sing Happy Birthday to Jesus with me? It will be the perfect way to end this Christmas story. (Lead the children in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.) Yay, Jesus! And that, my friends, is the true story of Christmas. Let s pray. PRAYER LEADER: Dear God, thank You for teaching us the true story of Christmas. I pray we never stop celebrating how special Jesus is. Thank You for all of my friends here today who came to celebrate Jesus birthday. I pray that we will all understand how special Jesus is and that He truly is Your Son. Thank You for sending Jesus to be a friend forever. We love You, God. In Jesus name, amen. Merry Christmas, everyone! And happy birthday, Jesus! 2018 The ReThink Group. All rights reserved. 5