Sunday School Resource Produced by Jane Tibbs Children s Adviser 04 September 2016, the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

Transcription

1 SundayMAXleaders Sunday School Resource Produced by Jane Tibbs Children s Adviser 04 September 2016, the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Introduction If we are really determined to do something, even though it might be difficult, then we can succeed. Jesus tells us that it is never easy to follow him, but we can succeed if we decide we really want to. Game Build a house Readings Jeremiah 18:1-11 Psalm 139:1-7 Philemon:1-21 Luke 14:25-33 This game is played on a similar principle to Beetle, but is easier and quicker to play! You will need A large die Large card shapes (rectangle for house shape, four square windows, a small rectangle for the door, a roof shape, a chimney see templates) Before the session, make the large card shapes and mark with dots as seen on the die. The house has five dots, the windows each have four, the door three, the roof two and the chimney one. Gather the children in a circle and show the shapes. Explain that you are going to build a house together but the shapes will stay in front of you until the right numbers have been thrown on the die. Show how the dots on the shapes match those on the die. Everyone takes a turn to shake the die. The number five must be thrown first, and then the house shape is placed in the centre. Continue taking turns until all the pieces are placed onto the house shape and the house is complete. When a six is thrown the children can choose any piece to add to the house. If you have lots of children, play the game in small groups so that it s not too long before individuals get another turn.

2 Songs Brother, sister, let me serve you Hymns Old and New 73 Here I am, ready to go Kidsource 105 I want to walk with Jesus Christ Junior Praise 124 I will offer up my life Kidsource 186 I m working out what it means Kidsource 164 One more step Junior Praise 188 The journey of life Junior Praise 468 Wherever you go Big Blue Planet 16 Prayer Craft Activity The cost of the cross You will need A card cross for each child Colouring pens and pencils Give each child a cross of plain card or stiff paper and in the centre write Jesus on one side and cost on the other side or stick a coin on instead of writing cost. Invite the children to draw on one side some of the things Jesus has to offer and on the other side some of the things we might need to be willing to offer to God such as love and possessions. Pass the parcel You will need a parcel wrapped up with some treats between a few layers, nothing between some layers and a forfeit between a couple of layers Play the game as you would normally play pass the parcel. At the end, talk about how following Jesus can include good times (small treats) and more difficult times (forfeits), but it s worth the risk since they all wanted to rip off the layers if the parcel stopped with them! Living Lord, We give you the times when it s hard to follow you. Help us to keep on being your friends and disciples, even when it s tough. We give you the tough times and know you re in them, too, and we can get through them together. Amen The Education Department, The Old Deanery, Wells BA5 2UG Tel: jane.tibbs@bathwells.anglican.org

3 That they may have life, life in all its fullness John 10:10 SundayMAXkids Sort out these letters to make a word that means follower. Think about what it means to follow Jesus. s i p i e c Today is the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity d l A is someone who follows Jesus faithfully Has the builder got everything he needs to build a house? BUILDING LIST 4 bags of cement 5 windows 2 doors 1 pile of sand Tick the answer box Yes No Lord Jesus, Thank you for calling me to follow you. I want to do it with all my heart. Please help me every day. Amen

4 SundayMAXdrama You choose Short retelling of Luke One day there was a big crowd of people listening to Jesus. Think hard, said Jesus. Do you want to follow me? It might be easy, it might be hard - but I ll always be your friend. Then Jesus said, It s like this. Once there was a man who wanted to build a tall tower. He might have wanted it to be... this high (children stretch up as high as they can). But when he had built the first bit (mime building) he found he didn t have enough money to buy all the bricks he needed. He didn t think about it hard enough. Everybody laughed at him. Oh dear! Drama for older children exploring Luke Requires three competent actors You will need three competent actors, (Jesus and two friends) two gold paper crowns, a large cross and recordings of When I survey the wondrous cross and The grand old Duke of York. J: (to audience) Hi, it s me, Jesus. So I see you are all eager to follow me today. You want to be my disciples and belong to God s kingdom. Well, there are some important things I must tell you before we all set off for heaven. First of all, if you want to follow me you must love me even more than your mums, dads, brothers, sisters, even more than you love yourselves and your possessions. F1: I don t always love my little brother much anyway! But could I really leave all my best things behind? J: And you must take up your cross. F1: Cross? I m never cross! J: No, not that sort of cross. It means doing things that are really hard or heavy. Sometimes God calls us to do things that seem almost impossible. ( F2 walks slowly past, carrying a cross, to quiet music.) J: Now supposing you re going to build a tower, right in the middle of... (local place name). Show me how high. This high? Higher? Well, let s see how much money you ve got, and do some sums. Supposing you ve got 100 and you need a thousand bricks and they re 1 each...? Think about it! F1: It s too hard already! (Wails.) I can t do sums... J: Well then, suppose instead that you re going into battle... (Ask two children to be kings, with paper crowns. Stand them apart, facing each other, and look at them thoughtfully.) Look at these kings. Do they look prepared for battle? Have they counted their soldiers? Have they got a plan? (Play The grand old Duke of York.) Can you count? Ten thousand against twenty thousand. Who s likely to win? Perhaps the one with fewer soldiers will try to make peace. (Invite the kings to meet and shake hands.) You see, you ve really got to be organised and prepared if you want to follow me. You ve got to count the cost. You never know what may happen! F1: But what do we get in return? J: Well there s love and joy and peace for a start. And lots of friends... And I ll be right with you all the way... F1: That ll do for a start... (follows after Jesus). Come on kids! Who s coming with me?

5 SundayMAXactivity

6 SundayMAXactivity Build a house game House shape Window shape Door shape

7 SundayMAXactivity Chimney shape Roof shape