Revised Common Lectionary, Copyright 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.

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2 New Growth Press, Greensboro, NC Copyright 2018 by Bible Study Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader s Version, NIrV Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIrV and New International Reader s Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960, 1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Revised Common Lectionary, Copyright 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission. Cover Design: Faceout Books, faceoutstudio.com Interior Design, Illustration, and Typesetting: Scot McDonald ISBN

3 PRE-K K SUNDAY SCHOOL CONTENTS Welcome to Hearts Alive / 4 Week 1: Living in Wisdom: Song of the Beloved / 9 Week 2: Living in Wisdom: Justice and Mercy / 23 Week 3 : Living in Wisdom: Wisdom s Invitation / 36 Week 4 : Living in Wisdom: The Wise Wife / 45 Week 5 Esther s Bravery / 54 Week 6 Job s Sorrowful Test / 65 Week 8 Job s Conversation with God / 91 Week 9 Job s Restoration / 103 Week 10: Restoration: Ruth and Naomi / 115 Week 11: Restoration: Ruth and Boaz, and Baby Obed / 125 Week 12: Restoration: Hannah s Prayer / 136 Week 13: Restoration: David s Final Prayer / 146 Week 7 Job s Lament / 77 The Rev. Charlie Holt, Director; Ginny Mooney, General Editor; Joni Tapp, Project Manager Writers: Sara Buffington, Christopher Caudle, Caryn Rivadeneira, David Sanford, Marci Strickland; Editors: Pam Lagomarsino, Ginny Mooney, Karalee Reinke, Joni Tapp; Bible Backgrounds: Nancy Beise, Ellen Ceely, Mark Filiatreau, David Sanford, Jill Turner ALIVE

4 WELCOME TO ALIVE In the line of Christian formation resources for children, the Hearts Alive curriculum is something brand-new! We have listened to the desire of churches to have a fully integrated weekly worship experience in which children and adults are engaged in exploring the same scriptural texts. Each lesson in both the Sunday school and Children s church curricula is built on one or more readings taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), a three-year cycle of Bible readings used by churches across denominations and around the world to guide weekly worship. By aligning the lessons of Hearts Alive to these common readings, families are able to have cross-generational discussions related to the worship service message, Sunday school, and Children s church teachings. While Hearts Alive is a natural fit for churches in the liturgical tradition that incorporate regular use of the RCL, its appeal is much broader. Hearts Alive is evangelical in its interpretation of Scripture and contemporary in its teaching style and life application. By using a sequential approach to Scripture teaching, Hearts Alive seeks to help churches train up young disciples in the whole Word of God, emphasizing a high view of scriptural authority and a gospel focus. The weekly age-specific lessons support and even elevate liturgical traditions as well as important observances in the church calendar while using clear and contemporary teaching techniques to present the Word of God in ways that will produce lifelong followers of Christ. Hearts Alive is flexible enough to fit any congregation, no matter how large or small, of any Christian denomination. ALIVE IS: Gospel-centered, emphasizing the story of salvation through Jesus Christ in every lesson. Scriptural, teaching the full scope of the Bible over a 3-year span following the RCL. User-friendly, making it easy for teachers and Christian educators to implement. Fun and engaging for children, offering age-appropriate storytelling, crafts, and activities. Family-oriented, providing a Take-Home page so parents and children can apply the lesson with activities throughout the week. Varied, offering both smalland large-group moments so children stay interested and engaged. Cost-effective for both small and large churches, available for quarterly purchase with price adjustments for volume. Downloadable, in a format that is easy to share with a whole team of leaders and volunteers. 4

5 What Each Lesson Provides Each weekly Hearts Alive lesson provides two hours of material for children ranging from Pre-K/ Kindergarten through Grade 6. The curriculum is divided into two categories: Sunday school and Children s church. These two distinct curricula offer different themes for each week s lesson so that children participating in both programs have fresh, engaging material in each class. Sunday School Curriculum: The Hearts Alive Sunday school curriculum is designed to be used during the Sunday school or Bible study hour of a church s weekly worship time. It is divided into three separate age groups and perfect for use in classroom-sized group settings. The age divisions are: Pre-K/Kindergarten, Lower Elementary (grades 1 3), and Upper Elementary (grades 4 6). Children s Church Curriculum: The Hearts Alive Children s church curriculum offers a weekly church experience tailored just for young followers of Jesus. It is intended for a larger, age-inclusive setting for children from pre-k through grade 5 (ages 4 through 11) designed to help them learn the basics of an adult worship service, including Welcome, Worship, Scripture Reading, Lesson, Creed, Prayer, and Offering. The larger group setting encourages children of varying ages to worship together, mirroring the generational integration of the church. At the close of each lesson, an age-specific breakout time ensures that every child, from the youngest to the oldest, can take part in a follow-up game, craft, or activity that will help them apply the week s lesson to their own lives. Many churches hold Children s church during the first part of the adult worship service. After Children s church concludes, there is time to welcome the children into the adult service for the final portion, often the celebration of Communion/the Eucharist. How To Use The Hearts Alive Curriculum Hearts Alive follows the 3-year cycle of the RCL. Because liturgical dates vary from year to year, specific dates are not assigned to the lessons. Instead, lessons are numbered and an accompanying online chart identifies which lesson falls on which calendar date for that specific year. In the heading of each lesson, you will find the Lectionary Year, Season, and Week number, plus the associated liturgical day (if applicable) and lectionary reading. This information can help you design your entire congregation s weekly worship experience around shared themes all year, providing a fresh unity to your congregation s spiritual focus and growth. The first page of each Sunday school and Children s church lesson includes Lesson Title, Key Scripture, Big Idea, Memory Verse, and Lesson Overview. The Big Idea summarizes in one or two sentences the main point you want the children to learn from that day s lesson. The Lesson Overview provides a more in-depth explanation of the key points of the lesson. Pre-K K Introduction 5 ALIVE

6 Next, there is a Lesson Outline chart to help you stay organized. It tells you what happens when. On this chart, you ll find each lesson component along with a time estimate for how long it will take, a list of the supplies you will need, and a list of the things you ll need to prepare before class for that activity. A unique Bible Background study is provided for each lesson to help you prepare your heart and mind as a leader or volunteer before class. It aims to provide a thorough understanding of the biblical setting of the day s passage along with any helpful information to help you field questions the children may have about the lesson. (Detailed explanations of each lesson component follow below.) Anything that needs to be printed and possibly copied for each lesson (the printables ) are included in the download of each lesson. They are designed to be effective using simple black and white printing on standard-sized paper. Finally, each lesson has a Take-Home page designed to be copied and sent home with the child. The resource is directed either toward parents (Sunday school) or children (Children s church). Either way, parents are encouraged to use the resource to talk with their child about the week s lesson. The page also suggests ways to apply scriptural lessons all week through family discussions and activities. The Sunday School Curriculum The Sunday school curriculum is divided by age group into: Pre-K/Kindergarten, Lower Elementary (grades 1 3), and Upper Elementary (grades 4 6). The lessons are designed for use in small group settings of approximately children. If you expect more than 18 children in a room, we recommend dividing into smaller groups so all children feel engaged in the activities. If your group is smaller than 9 or 10, the games and activities can be adapted for fewer children. Each weekly Sunday school lesson contains the following sequential Lesson Elements: Welcome Activity An attention grabber designed for the beginning of class as you wait for latecomers to arrive. Lesson Introduction A group activity to start the children thinking about the Big Idea and its application. Scripture Story An engaging way to tell the story of the Key Scripture passage. It may include visual aids, drama, costumes, simple experiments, or props. Story Discussion Discussion questions varied according to age group. We provide suggested answers for some of the trickier questions to aid you in your discussion with the children. Pre-K K Introduction ALIVE 6

7 Variable Elements The below elements are variable to keep each week s approach fresh. Memory Verse Activity Snack If there is a common allergen in the recommended snack (gluten, nuts, etc.), we will point that out and recommend an alternative for sensitive children. Craft Step-by-step directions and illustrations are provided at the end of each lesson. Music You may choose to find your own recordings or sing the songs with instrument accompaniment or without musical background. Game Other Lesson Application Activities Closing Activity A simple and quick activity that allows you to bring the lesson to a close. Hand out the Live It All Week Take-Home page during this part of the lesson, and make sure children take home any crafts or activity pages. A Special Note to Leaders Congratulations on your role in helping to shape young hearts and minds in the Christian faith. Sunday school is a time-honored tradition of inviting the youngest of Christ s family to get to know their Savior, their church family, and their place in the Kingdom of God through weekly teaching and hands-on participation. We have specifically designed the Hearts Alive curriculum to be everything you need to confidently lead an engaging time of worship, learning, and fun in the service of Christian formation. Here are a few specifics about the curriculum to help you in your role: Hearts Alive uses the New International Reader s Version (NIrV) of The Holy Scriptures, believing it is the easiest translation for children to read and understand while remaining faithful to the original text. If you choose, you may use a different version in your lessons. We have included a unique Bible Background section specifically to help you get familiar with the background of the week s passage of Scripture. It provides the setting of the passage in the overall story of the Bible, the connection to the life and work of Jesus Christ, and how the passage speaks to the church today. We recommend taking some time to read, pray through, and digest this information to help you be prepared for questions and good discussion. Pre-K K Introduction 7 ALIVE

8 Much of the Lesson Content is bolded and prefaced by words like Say: or Continue: These sections are designed for you, the leader, to speak aloud. However, we suggest that you use the words as a guide rather than reading directly from the page. The most effective way to communicate with children is by making eye contact. Try reading the lesson several times to get a good idea of what you want to say and the main points of the Bible teaching. You may want to highlight the sections you want to be sure to mention specifically. Other parts you can put into your own words. Have the lesson handy to refer to on paper or electronic device as you go. Feel free to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of your class. If a different approach to the lesson works better, go for it! For example, you may choose to swap out drama for a visual aid in the lesson or vice versa. Use what is written as a guide to present the beauty and power of God s Word to your group of children in the most effective way possible. Jesus said to let the children come to me. What greater calling can there be than helping to lead precious young souls to the heart of God and the joy, peace, and power of living the Christian faith? We pray that you will find the Hearts Alive curriculum an exciting and effective way to bring the wonderful message of salvation to the children of your congregation and community even as your entire church body unites in the weekly exploration of God s Word as one. Pre-K K Introduction 8 ALIVE

9 PRE-K K SUNDAY SCHOOL Year B Fall Week 1 Proper 17, Lectionary 22 Living in Wisdom: SOng Of the BelOved Song of Songs 2:8 13 LessOn Overview In today s lesson, the children will learn about King Solomon. They will discuss the many relationships and examples of love in everyday life. They will also hear how Christ loved the church and calls us to love others as ourselves. Big Idea: God gives us wisdom. He tells us of Jesus s love, care, and concern for the church. MemOry Verse: Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 9

10 Week 1 Lesson Plan Activity and Supplies To Prepare 1 Welcome Activity (5 minutes) Loving Others Markers, crayons or colored pencils White paper (one sheet for each child) Optional: Heart stickers or foam heart shapes and glue sticks 2 Lesson Introduction (5 minutes) Solomon Printables: Solomon Stick Puppet Figure Large wooden craft stick Tape Copy and cut out the King Solomon puppet figure. Tape it to a craft stick. 3 Scripture Story (10 minutes) Walking in Wisdom: Song of the Beloved Printables: Jesus Stick Puppet Figure Large wooden craft stick Tape Bible Copy and cut out the Jesus puppet figure. Tape it to a craft stick. 4 Discussion (5 minutes) 5 Snack (10 minutes) God s Love Strawberries, washed Knife Small paper plates Wash and slice the strawberries vertically into heart slices. 6 Game (5 minutes) Solomon Says Beanbag Game Small beanbags (one for each child) 7 Craft (10 minutes) There Are Many Ways Printables: Jesus s Love (one cardstock copy for each child) Optional: cardstock 8½ x 11-in. laminating sheets (one for each child) Scissors Colored tissue paper, cut into one-inch squares (a generous supply in a variety of colors for each child) Markers or crayons Copy and cut out the printable, using cardstock if desired. Cut out the center of the hearts. Cut laminating sheets to fit. Cut the tissue paper into one-inch squares. 8 Memory Verse Activity (5 minutes) Flowers of the Earth Printables: Scripture Phrases; Color Flower Cards Copy and cut out the printables. 9 Closing (5 minutes) Just As Christ Did Printables: Take-home page (one for each child) Make enough copies of the Take-home page for each child. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 10

11 Bible BackgrOund for Leader The Song of Solomon is well known as a romantic poem that gives the reader a glimpse into the hearts of two lovers. We see a king in love with a young woman; he is enamored with her beauty, and she is struck by his strength and stature. In today s passage, early in the poem, the lover approaches the beloved, leaping across the mountains to get to her (Song of Songs 2:8); she hears him coming even though she does not yet see him. It is a lovely account of human love, of which readers can generally relate. As part of the inspired Word of God, this love poem is also revered for its spiritual metaphor that of Christ and his Bride, the church. Viewed this way, Solomon s Song of Songs illustrates many spiritual truths about the love between God and his people. Old Testament. In the poetry of the Song of Songs, the Holy Spirit weaves a picture of the love of God for his people, of Christ for his church. The Old Testament believers heard echoes of the Lover (Christ) coming, but they remained separated by their sin; they heard his call and promise of springtime joy, yet he was hidden. The Beloved hears him, she eagerly awaits him, and she knows that he is pursuing and wooing her. (Living in wisdom is living in response to God s love for us.) She knows that he is calling her to follow and that the morning of his call is a morning of promise, as illustrated by a change of season winter to spring and all the new life offered in that change. Just like the Beloved in the Song of Songs, the Old Testament saints longed for and listened for the voice of their Messiah. Throughout the history of God s people, one can see both their longing and his calling. They looked for him and knew that they were his chosen ones. Jesus. Jesus is the Lover and we are the Beloved. He is calling us into relationship and into a season of promise and life with him. His call, Come with me (Song of Songs 2:10), demonstrates that he desires to be in relationship with us. His words my beautiful one (v. 10) express love, value, and worth to each soul who longs to be in relationship with him. Just as Jesus said that his sheep know his voice (John 10:3), so the Beloved in the Song hears the voice of the Lover and knows him. The promise of spring and the passing of winter is the same promise Jesus extends in the gospel by coming with him, our dark souls flourish into new life. The Church and the World. Just as the Old Testament saints heard the Lover s voice from behind the wall, we the church still have a separation in our relationship with Jesus the separation of our earthly flesh. They heard his voice through the prophets and priests, and we through his Word and Spirit; they looked forward to his coming as Messiah, we to his coming as King. The church, as the Beloved of Christ, is wise to respond to the Lover s call, following his voice now and preparing to soon be united with him for eternity. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 11

12 1 WelcOme Activity Loving Others Set the white paper and coloring supplies on the table. Say: Does anyone love you? Of course, they do! Who are some of the people in your life that love you? (Allow the children to respond.) Yes! Now who are some of the people you love? They are many of the same people, right? Let s draw those people on our page. Allow time for the children to begin drawing. As they draw, say: God gives us wisdom. He tells us of Jesus s love, care, and concern for the church. Today we are going to hear from the Bible about the ways people love each other and the ways Jesus teaches us to love. Allow the children time to finish their drawings and to add the optional stickers or foam heart shapes. 2 LessOn IntrOductiOn To Prepare: Copy and cut out the King Solomon puppet figure. Tape it to a craft stick. Solomon Say: Let s think back to a young boy watching his father s sheep. We read about this young boy in the Bible. This boy killed a giant. Do you remember his name? That s right, his name is David. God blessed David and chose him to become the king of Israel. King David ruled for a long time. Eventually he grew old and died. And when he died his son Solomon became king. Display the puppet of King Solomon. 3 Scripture StOry To Prepare: Copy and cut out the Jesus figure. Tape it to a craft stick. Walking in Wisdom: Song of the Beloved Display the puppet of King Solomon. Say: King Solomon was young. God had promised Solomon s father, King David, that his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would always rule on the throne. Solomon began his reign by asking God for wisdom: the ability to live well in the world, to understand situations, and to recognize the difference between right and wrong. God was pleased with Solomon s prayer and made him very wise. Solomon wrote wise things that we can read in the Bible. What he has written gives us examples of how to live wisely. Today, we join Solomon as he considers God s great love. Solomon describes a garden, and he shares the words of two people who love each other very much. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 12

13 Open your Bible and read Song of Songs 2:8 13: Listen! I hear my love! Look! Here he comes! He s leaping across the mountains. He s coming over the hills. The one who loves me is like an antelope or a young deer. Look! There he stands behind our wall. He s gazing through the window. He s peering through the screen. He said to me, Rise up, my love. Come with me, my beautiful one. Look! The winter is past. The rains are over and gone. Flowers are appearing on the earth. The season for singing has come. The cooing of doves is heard in our land. Solomon describes a woman who is happy because the man she loves is nearby. She is standing at the window, watching him approach her house. He calls to her, saying that it is time to be married. They are both very happy! The verses describe a nearly perfect day with birds singing, flowers blooming, and fruit growing on the trees. The man and woman are absolutely thrilled! It s nice to be close to the people we love. When do you like to be close to the people you love? (Allow the children to respond.) The Bible shows many examples of love between people: between husbands and wives, between parents and children, between friends, and between kind strangers and those in need. The best example we have of love in the Bible is God s love for the world in Jesus Christ. Jesus shows us God s strong, powerful, and boundless love. Display the Jesus figure. The love that a husband has for his wife is a picture of how Jesus loves his people, the church. Jesus loves his children like a father loves his children. Jesus loves his disciples like a faithful brother loves his siblings. Jesus loves his companions like heroic friends love one another. Jesus loves the nations like a good king loves his people. Jesus s love is greater than any other examples of love we see. Jesus s love is greater because he loved us first, even while we were enemies against him. His love is greater because he sacrificed his life for us. Jesus s love is perfect even on an imperfect day. Jesus loves us perfectly and when we believe in him and trust him, he forgives us of all of our sin. Solomon s writings point us to this kind of love they paint a picture of God s boundless love to his people. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 13

14 4 StOry DiscussiOn XX Which of David s sons became king after him? (Solomon.) XX What did Solomon ask God for as began his reign as king? (He asked God for wisdom.) XX King Solomon used his wisdom to rule over Israel. What is wisdom? (It s the ability to live well in the world, to understand situations, and to recognize the difference between right and wrong.) XX What kind of relationship does Solomon write about in the Scripture we read today? (He writes about the love between a man and a woman.) XX How did Jesus show his love for others? (Jesus loved us while we were still sinners. Jesus loves his church like a husband loves his wife. Jesus loves his children like a father loves his children. Jesus loves his disciples like a faithful brother loves his siblings. Jesus loves his companions like friends love one another. Jesus loves the nations like a good king loves his people. Jesus s love is greater than any other examples of love we see.) 5 Snack To Prepare: Wash and slice the strawberries vertically into heart slices. God s Love Distribute plates and give everyone some strawberry heart slices. Say: As we think about the greatness of God s love, let s enjoy a snack together. 6 Game Solomon Says Beanbag Game Ask the children to stand in a circle. Distribute the beanbags and tell the children to position them between their knees. Explain the rules of the game: Let s play the Solomon Says game. I will say one thing about Solomon and give you a direction to follow with the beanbag, like Put the beanbag on your head. If what I say about Solomon is true, you will follow the beanbag direction. If what I say about Solomon is false, you will simply stand still. Let s try a few practice rounds. Solomon became king when he was an old man. If this is true, place your beanbag on your shoulder. If it is false, simply stand still. It is false. If the children answer correctly, congratulate them. If they need help, Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 14

15 encourage them to think back in the story and remember that Solomon was young when he became king. Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom as he became king. If true, set the beanbag on your head. True Solomon was King David s son. If true, set the beanbag on your elbow. True Solomon was a foolish ruler. If true, set the beanbag on your shoes. False Solomon s wise words were collected and recorded in the Bible. If true, set the beanbag on your back. True Time permitting, you can add more possibilities if the children are enjoying the game. To finish, say: Solomon was a wise ruler. God gave Solomon wisdom and God gives us wisdom today. We can ask God for help in making wise choices and loving others. 7 Craft To Prepare: Copy and cut out the printable, using cardstock if desired. Cut out the center of the hearts. Cut laminating sheets to fit. Cut the tissue paper into one-inch squares. There Are Many Ways Distribute the supplies. Say: In our lesson today, we heard two people, who love each other very much, talk about how excited they were to see each other. The Bible tells us that Jesus loves the church like this, but even more! Jesus s love is greater because he loved us first, even when we hated him and were his enemies. He is so excited to see his church become more like God created it to be his perfect bride. In the Bible, Jesus shows us many forms of love. Let s read the words on our heart together. Display the printable and point to the words as you read them: Jesus s love is like the love between a husband and wife; and like the love a parent has for their children; and like the love among brothers and sisters. Then say: Jesus not only tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, but he also shows us how to do it. Jesus showed compassion. He cared for people. And he loved us so much that he came to earth to save us. Jesus has BIG love! Today we are going to create a picture to remind us of his love. If not done beforehand, apply the laminating sheet to the back of the heart. Explain to the children that the center of the heart is sticky. Explain that the tissue paper will stick to it when they set it on the heart. Allow time for them to fill the heart with various colors of tissue paper and then color the heart frame. Provide assistance as needed. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 15

16 To Prepare: Copy and cut out the printables. 8 MemOry Verse Activity Flowers of the Earth Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 Say: Remember how the characters in our story noticed the beautiful flowers around them? The Bible speaks of Jesus like those beautiful flowers. In Ephesians 5:2 it says, Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God. The Bible tells us that we can lead a life of love as Jesus did. We can pray and ask God to help us love others and care for them even when it s hard. We can trust that, if we ask him, God will give us wisdom like he gave Solomon. God has given us the Bible God s very words to us. God s Word tells us that we can be wise by trusting him with all our heart. Let s repeat our verse together three times and then we will play a game and see if we can remember it. Using the Scripture Phrases printable cards, point to each word and read the verse together three times. Display the Flower Cards and one at a time cover the words of the verse with them. Say: Now close your eyes while I mix up the words. While eyes are closed, mix up the phrases. Ask the children to open their eyes and see if they can remember where the first phrase is hiding. As each phrase is uncovered repeat it together. Continue playing the game, until all the parts of the verse have been uncovered. Read the finished verse at the end. Read the phrases as often as possible to help with memorizing. When they have completed the Scripture and read it aloud, say: God gives us wisdom. He tells us of Jesus s love, care, and concern for the church. Through Jesus, we can love as he loves us. Set one of the flower cards aside for the Closing activity. To prepare: Make enough copies of the Take-home page for each child. 9 ClOsing Activity Just As Christ Did Say: Today, we heard about many kinds of love. I am going to pass around a flower card. When you receive the card, tell us one kind of love that you remember from our lesson. The children might say: the love between husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, Jesus and the disciples, Jesus and the Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 16

17 children, and Jesus and the church. These are all relationships where we can love just as Christ did. Let s finish our time with a prayer. Allow the children the opportunity to pray. At the end of their prayers, say: Jesus, thank you so much for loving us even when we didn t love you. Thank you for loving your church. Help us to be the people you created us to be. This week help us show your love to everyone we meet, and help us to better understand your great love. Amen. Children line up to meet their parents. As the children leave, hand out their Takehome pages and remind them to bring home their crafts. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 17

18 Jesus and Solomon Puppets Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 18

19 Jesus loves his children like a husband loves his wife. Jesus loves the children as a parent loves their family. Jesus loves his disciples like a faithful brother loves his siblings. Craft Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 19

20 1 Lead a life of love, 2 just as Christ did. 3 He loved us. 5 He was a sweet-smelling 4 He gave himself up for us. 6 offering and sacrifice to God. 7 Ephesians 5:2 Game Cards Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 20

21 Game Cards Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 21

22 ALIVE WEEK 1 Live It All WeeK Pre-K K Take Home Paper for Families What Your Child Learned Today Today, your child heard about the many relationships and examples of love in everyday life. They heard the words of King Solomon and learned how much Christ loves his church. They were encouraged to love others with the love of Christ. Try This Press a flower or a leaf between sheets of tissue paper inside a heavy book. Check it during the week. When the flower or leaf has dried, help your child copy the week s memory verse onto an index card. Have them color the card and then glue the flower or leaf onto the card. Once the card is dry, tape it to the bathroom mirror, so they (and you) can review the verse during the week. Thank Jesus for his sacrifice, ask him to help you love others as he loves you. Table Talk X X Make a week s supply of paper hearts from colored construction paper. Each day at mealtime, write the name of someone special in the life of your family. Discuss how this person has shown love to your family. Write their name on one of the hearts. When you pray over the meal, remember to mention this person. Ask God to bless them this week and give thanks for their presence in your lives. Each day, add a new person and tape the hearts together to make a chain. Pray for them at mealtimes asking God to display his love in their lives. Living in Wisdom: Song of the Beloved }} Scripture: Song of Songs 2:8 13 }} Big Idea: God gives us wisdom. He tells us of Jesus s love, care, and concern for the church. }} Memory Verse: Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 Something Else to Do Display your child s stained glass heart project in a window of your house. Throughout the week, bring their attention to the beautiful colors and the lovely job they did decorating it. Read the text around the heart and consider how Jesus expressed his love. Ask your child to think of Bible stories that model the love of Christ. Read the stories together and discuss how they are examples for you in loving others. Pre-K K Sunday School Year B Fall Week 1 ALIVE 22