Lenten Devotions for Children. Written by: Rachel Townsend and Mimi Davis

Transcription

1 Lenten Devotions for Children Written by: Rachel Townsend and Mimi Davis

2 Introduction This Lenten Devotional for Early Childhood (ages 2 8 years old) has been designed to help you teach your child God s truths and the biblical story of Jesus death and resurrection. Our hope is, that through your reading of the Bible passages and short devotionals, as well as engaging in the creative activities, that you will instill valuable Christian practices for life in your child. We believe that these practices will benefit your child and your whole family for years to come. Each week contains five short devotionals with a corresponding key verse to read and discuss. In addition, each week also has an overarching theme that correlates to the devotionals, chosen Bible passages to read, a prayer, and a creative art project. All of the creative activities can be found in the Appendix. We hope these simple concepts will be a blessing to your family as you read and share together the practice of Lent. The Lenten season is part of the liturgical (public worship) year of the church and is signified by the color purple. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and comes to a conclusion with Holy Week and the death and burial of Jesus Christ. During Lent, we remember the life of Jesus as we journey forty days towards the Cross. Easter is the celebration of Jesus Resurrection and begins a new season of the church s liturgical year. *All biblical passages are taken from the International Children s Bible (ICB) except where noted. About the Printing of the Document: This file is created to be printed as two pages per sheet to save paper and can easily be transformed into a booklet with the addition of a cover sheet. The creative art project for Easter Sunday is Cascarones, more commonly called confetti eggs. If you plan to make these eggs at home, you will need to begin collecting eggs early in the Lent season. See the Appendix for the detailed instructions. The Easter Story for Children An Overview Jesus and the disciples came to Jerusalem for the Passover, a feast celebrating God s deliverance of His people from Egypt. Before they began to eat the Passover meal, the Last Supper, Jesus washed their feet as a servant. He told the disciples at dinner that one of them would betray him. They looked at one another shocked by what He said and wondered which of them was the betrayer. After dinner, Jesus and his disciples sang hymns as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him to pray. He left them in one spot to keep watch while he went a little further to a place to pray alone. When Jesus finished praying, he and the other three rejoined the rest of the disciples. They were talking together when Judas and a large group of soldiers came and took Jesus away. Jesus was taken before Pilate to determine if he was innocent or guilty. Pilate wanted to release Jesus because he could not find any proof of guilt. The people wanted Jesus crucified. The soldiers hurt Jesus and made fun of him. They took his clothes and gave him a robe and a crown of thorns to wear. The soldiers forced Jesus to carry a large wooden beam, called a cross, up a hill. He was nailed to the cross and left to die. When Jesus died, the sun stopped shining. Two men named Joseph and Nicodemus came and took him down from the cross. They buried him in a tomb, like a cave, with a huge stone rolled in front so no person or animal could get inside. Very early the next morning, some women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and an angel waiting for them. The angel said to the women, Don t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, the one who was killed on the cross. But he is not here. He has risen from death as he said he would. Come and see the place where his body was. Matthew 28:5,6 Suggested readings: Matthew 26 28; Luke 22 24; John

3 Week 1 God s Son Week 1 Day 1: Ash Wednesday Jesus Was God s Son This is my Son and I love him. I am very pleased with him. Obey him! Matthew 17:5b Memory verse Jesus continued to learn more and more and to grow physically. People liked him, and he pleased God. Luke 2:52 The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his glory the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Jesus is unlike any man that has ever lived. Although he had earthly parents like all of us, his real father was God. He is God s only Son. At the beginning of creation, Jesus was with God. He helped his Father create the world. Jesus was not created like we are. He was made special. We are created in the image of God like a reflection in a mirror. God set us apart from the rest of creation. He gave us the ability to think, feel, and make choices between right and wrong. God gave Jesus all of these abilities and more. He gave him the power to heal and forgive sin. Jesus is more than an image of God like us. The Bible says that Jesus is the glory of God and an exact copy of God. He is God. Discussion Questions: Who was Jesus father? How am I different from everything else God created? Prayer: Dear God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for creating the world. Amen. Week 1 Activity Banner 4 5

4 Week 1 Day 2 Jesus As A Child Week 1 Day 3 Jesus Life She will give birth to a son. You will name the son Jesus. Matthew 1:21 Jesus continued to learn more and more and to grow physically. People liked him, and he pleased God. Luke 2:52 Jesus was God s son. His mom and dad on earth were Mary and Joseph. An angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him what to name the baby. Jesus was born in a room with animals, because no rooms were available for them in the inn. Shepherds and Wise Men came to visit Jesus after he was born so they could worship him. Jesus grew up learning about God and worshiping Him. When Jesus was 12 years old, his family went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Everyone left when the party was over but Jesus stayed in the temple (the place where you worship God) with the teachers. He liked listening to them and asking them questions. Jesus continued to learn more and more and to grow physically. People liked him, and he pleased God. Questions for Discussion: How did I get my name? Did my parents name me after anyone? Why do I think Jesus wanted to be with the teachers in the temple? What types of things do I think Jesus liked to do as a child? Prayer: Dear God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for childhood. Thank you for a time to play and a time to learn. Lord, help me to learn more about you over the next few weeks. Amen. Jesus did many other miracles before his followers that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you can believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Then, by believing, you can have life through his name. John 20:30,31 Jesus went everywhere in Galilee. He taught in the synagogues and preached the Good News about the kingdom of heaven. And he healed all the people s diseases and sicknesses. Many people followed him. They came from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and the land across the Jordan River. Matthew 4:23,25 Friends help and encourage us. Jesus chose some men to be his good friends. These men were called disciples. Jesus and his friends traveled around their country talking to people and healing them. As they traveled, Jesus taught the disciples many things. After Jesus died, the disciples told many groups of people about his life, death, and resurrection. Jesus also made sick people well again. One day, he went to the home of Jairus. Jairus daughter was very sick. By the time Jesus arrived, she had died. Jesus, her father, and a few of Jesus friends went into the little girl s room. Jesus held her hand and told her to stand up. She stood up and began to walk around the room. Jesus had brought her back to life! (Mark 5:21 43). Another time, Jesus and his disciples were travelling and they noticed a large crowd following them. Jesus asked Philip, one of his friends, where they could get some food for the people. Philip was surprised because, with so many people, purchasing food for everyone would be impossible. Another disciple, Andrew, brought a boy to Jesus. The boy had five small loaves of bread and two small fish to offer. The food was blessed and the disciples passed the food out among the people. Everyone was able to get as much as they wanted. When everyone was fed, Jesus told the disciples to gather all the leftovers. They filled twelve baskets with leftover food! For more: Read John 6:1 13 Discussion Questions: Who are my friends? What kinds of things make them a good friend? Do I know anyone who has been very sick? What kinds of things did I do to help that person? I cannot heal like Jesus but what can I do to help others feel better? Prayer: Dear God, thank you for giving Jesus the ability to heal and feed people. Thank you for good friends. Lord, help me to be a good friend to others in my life. Amen. 6 7

5 Week 2 God Saves Me Memory Verse: Create in me a clean heart, God. Make my spirit right again. Psalms 51:10 Week 2 Day 1 Jesus Forgives sin I write to you dear children, because your sins are forgiven through Christ. 1 John 2:12 He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12 One day, I really messed up. My mom told me not to play ball in the house but I did anyway. I ran away and hid from her because I had broken something special to her. I was upset that I had broken her special figurine and because I did not want to get in trouble. Mostly, I did not want her to be upset with me. I had sinned and disobeyed her. When my mother found out what I had done, she was upset but she forgave me. We glued the figurine back together and she never mentioned what I had done again. I learned a valuable lesson. I never again played with a ball inside the house. Because of Jesus, we are forgiven of our sins. All we need to do is tell God what we have done wrong, say we are sorry, and ask him to forgive us. These actions are called repentance. God erases our mistakes and forgets them after we repent. Discussion Questions: How have I messed up and sinned? What can I do to change and do better? Have I asked God to forgive me for the things I have done wrong? Prayer: Father thank you that you forget and forgive our sins because of Jesus. Help me to know when I sin and to stop doing it anymore. Amen. Week 2 Activity Color Changing Sin Experiment 8 9

6 Week 2 Day 2 I Am Free Week 2 Day 3 I Am Healed But Christ died for us while we were still sinners. In this way God shows his great love for us. Romans 5:8 Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. The work that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is not heavy. Matthew 11:28 30 When I was in elementary school, some boys would tease me and make fun of me. They hurt my feelings and would not stop when I told them to quit. Every day I went to school expecting them to tease me again. I said mean things to them and thought meaner things about them because I was angry. My heart was heavy and sad. A long time ago, a big wooden harness called a yoke was placed on an ox s shoulders in order for the ox to pull heavy equipment for a farmer. A harness or yoke is like a collar we put on our pet dog or cat. Sometimes, the farmer would put a specially made yoke on two oxen so they could pull together. Using this type of yoke made the job easier for the pair of animals. Sin, or even someone picking on us, can make us feel heavy in our heart. We often try to carry the weight all by ourselves instead of asking for Jesus help. Jesus says we are to come to him and he will help us carry the burden. When we let Jesus help carry what bothers us, whether the problem is something we have done that was mean to another or someone hurting us by being mean, the load does not feel so heavy. He takes the weight on his shoulders so that our hearts feel light and free. Suggested book: You are special by Max Lucado Discussion Questions: Has someone ever made fun of me? How did it make me feel? How would sharing a job help make the job easier? How could I let Jesus help me and make my burdens lighter? Prayer: Father, help me first to turn to you when things get bad. You can help carry my burdens if only I will give them to you. Amen. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And we are healed because of his wounds. 1 Peter 2:24 But he was wounded for the wrong things we did. He was crushed for the evil things we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him. And we are healed because of his wounds. Isaiah 53:5 Have you ever had someone take your punishment for you? Have you ever wished someone would? I have. In the story, The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman, one boy takes the punishment for another boy s bad behavior. One of the boys is the prince and he is a spoiled brat. He craves attention and frequently misbehaves. His parents, the king and queen, take a young boy from among the townspeople to serve as his whipping boy since no one can punish the prince. The boy did not do anything wrong but he found himself punished three times a day for what the prince did. The prince would sometimes do bad things on purpose so the boy was whipped. One day, the prince decides to run away and takes the other boy with him. Bad men capture them. These men want the king and queen to give them money in exchange for letting the prince go free. The prince and the boy exchange places so the bad people believe the wrong boy is the prince. They try to escape from the bad people but they are caught again. This time, the prince is whipped instead of the boy since the bad men think the boy is the prince. The two boys are eventually rescued and return home to the castle. They become good friends because the prince finally understood about punishment and how the other boy felt. Throughout his whole life, Jesus never did anything that God disliked. He never sinned. He loved and cared about us so much that he took our place and allowed himself to be punished for the bad things we ve done. Jesus let himself be spit on, made fun of, beaten, and nailed to a cross for our sins. His wounds healed us. Two stories about Jesus healing others can be found in Luke 17:11 19 and Luke 13: Discussion Questions: Have I ever had someone take my punishment for me? Do i wish someone would? Prayer: Father, you are a gracious and loving God. Thank you for Jesus taking the punishment for my sins. Amen

7 Week 2 Day 4 I Am Baptized Week 2 Day 5 I Am Safe Peter said to them, Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself. Acts 2:38 39 Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water. Heaven opened, and he saw God s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. And a voice spoke from heaven. The voice said, This is my Son and I love him. I am very pleased with him. Matthew 3:16 17 Jesus had a cousin named John. He was called John the Baptist in the Bible because he baptized people. John invited people to come to the river, repent of their sins, and be baptized by him. To repent means to stop doing what you are doing wrong and then turn around and go in the opposite direction towards doing right. The people who wanted to repent came to the river. They told John the things they had done for which they were sorry. After the people repented, John would dunk their head back into the water to get their head wet. Jesus decided that he, too, wanted to be baptized like everyone else. When John dunked Jesus head in the water and Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove came down from heaven and sat on Jesus. A voice from heaven then spoke and said; This is my Son and I love him. I am very pleased with him. When we confess our sins, repent, and are baptized, Jesus sends the gift of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. I am the true vine; my Father is the gardener I am the vine, and you are the branches. If a person remains in me and I remain in him, then he produces much fruit. But without me he can do nothing. John 15:1,5 I grew grapes in my yard. They were very sweet and I liked to make jelly with the juice. Every fall, I would take my pruning shears and cut off all of the branches so that I would have nice, big, juicy grapes the next year. If I did not cut the branches, the grapes did not grow right. I had to be very careful not to cut the main vine and only to cut the branches. If I had cut the main vine, the plant would have died because the vine gives the plant its food and helps the plant to grow. Jesus says he is the true vine and we are his branches. He wants us not to cut ourselves off from him but to stay close to him. He promises if we will stay close to him that he will never leave us. Discussion Questions: How can I stay close to Jesus? Prayer: Thank you God for prayer so I can talk to you. Thank you for the Bible as a way to learn about you. Amen. Discussion Questions: Parents, please tell your child about his or her baptism. If they have not yet been baptized, tell them about your baptism. Show them pictures if possible. Prayer: God, thank you for baptism. Thank you for Jesus and the example he sets for me. Thank you for John the Baptist and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen

8 Week 3 God Made Me Memory verse: I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. Psalm 139:14 Week 3 Day 1 You Are Special You made my whole being. You formed me in my mother s body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. Psalm 139:13 14a God made you little one! He made you special and he has known you since before you were born. God knows every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30) and every thought that you think (Psalm 139:2). God loves you so very much! God gave us all special gifts and talents (1 Corinthians 12:1 11). I have a friend who is a great encourager. She tells me things that are true about myself and helps me when I am discouraged. I have another friend who is a wonderful teacher. She helps me learn when I do not understand. These people have special gifts from God and you do too! Week 3 Activity Fingerprint Magnets or Butterfly Craft Discussion Questions: What things do I do well? What do I like to do? When do I feel the most special? Parents, please take this opportunity to tell your child some very specific ways that they are special to you. Prayer: God, thank you for making me amazing and special. Thank you for giving me gifts I can use to help you. Amen

9 Week 3 Day 2 You Are Important Week 3 Day 3 You Are Called Be careful. Do not think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my father in heaven. Matthew 18:10 My son invented a game where he loves to pretend that he is Snowball, a little lost sheep, and I am the shepherd that looks for him. He finds a great hiding spot and hides. My job is to search for him. I look everywhere and call for him, Here Snowball! Come home, Snowball. Sometimes, I do not find him quickly, but I always find him. When I do find him, I hold him tightly in my arms and tell him how glad I am that I found him and that I missed him so much! This little game comes from a story in the Bible about a shepherd who has one hundred sheep but he loses one of them. The shepherd leaves the ninety nine sheep in the sheep pen and heads off to search for the lost lamb. We are so important to God that He does not want to lose any of us. Even in a group of ninety nine other people, he wants to find us! Discussion questions: Have I ever lost anything? Did I search everywhere for it? How did I feel when I located the missing item? God is even more excited to find me than I could ever be about my missing item! Prayer: Father, thank you for loving me so much that you never stop searching for me until you find me and bring me home. Father, I pray that I never get lost again. Amen. The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli. He said, I am here. You called me. Then Eli realized the Lord was calling the boy. So he told Samuel, Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, Speak, Lord. I am your servant, and I am listening. So Samuel went and lay down in bed. 1 Samuel 3:8 9 We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people God called, because that was his plan. God knew them before he made the world. And God chose them to be like his Son. Then Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers. God planned for them to be like his Son. And those he planned to be like his Son, he also called. And those he called, he also made right with him. And those he made right, he also glorified. Romans 8:28 30 Samuel went to live at the temple when he was a little boy. He helped Eli the priest with his work. One night, Samuel heard someone calling his name. He got up and asked Eli if he was calling him. Eli told Samuel he did not call him and to go back to sleep. Samuel heard someone call his name again. Samuel went back to Eli thinking he had called him. Eli sent him, once again, back to bed saying that he did not call for him. Samuel heard someone call his name a third time and went back to Eli. This time, however, Eli realized that God was calling Samuel by name. So he told Samuel, Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, Speak, Lord. I am your servant, and I am listening. God calls each of us by name. We are precious to Him and He loves us. Since he is our Father and we belong to Him, we are called Christians because we follow Jesus Christ, His Son. We are to live lives that make God happy. Discussion Questions: What would I do if I heard someone calling my name in the middle of the night like Samuel? Do I think God is calling me for a special plan? Do I know what that plan is yet? Prayer: Father, thank you for calling me by name. Thank you for loving me and calling me your child. Help me to live a life that makes you proud. Amen

10 Week 3 Day 4 He Has A Plan For You Week 3 Day 5 You Are A Child Of God I say this because I know what I have planned for you, says the Lord. I have good plans for you. I do not plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me. And I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me! Jeremiah 29:11 13 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would do good works. God had planned in advance those good works for us. He had planned for us to live our lives doing them. Ephesians 2:10 Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He wanted to see and meet Jesus because of all of the things he had heard about him. When Jesus came to town, a crowd gathered. Zacchaeus had a hard time seeing Jesus because he was very short. He climbed a sycamore tree near the street so he could see Jesus. As Jesus passed, he stopped, looked up in the tree, and said Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! I must stay at your house today. (Luke 19:5) The crowd of people did not understand why Jesus would go to the tax collector s house. Many people did not like tax collectors. Zacchaeus heart changed when Jesus went to his house. He gave half of everything he had to people who were poor. Zacchaeus returned all of the stolen money, plus some extra (Luke 19:1 10). God had a plan to change the heart of Zacchaeus and help others. He has a plan for you too! Discussion Questions: What was God s plan for Zacchaeus? Prayer: Father, thank you for the plan you have for me. Help me to do what you want. Amen. And you are God s children. That is why God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, Father, dear Father. So now you are not a slave; you are God s child, and God will give you what he promised, because you are his child. Galatians 4:6 7 But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from the love God has for us. Not death, not life, not angels not ruling spirits, not now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, or anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37 39 If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 Children of God believe that Jesus is God s son and that he died on the cross and came back to life. God has adopted you into His family. God made you and He knows everything about you. He knows what you want to be when you grow up. He knows what you had for breakfast. God is always there for you! He wants to listen to you when you are praying. The things you care about, He cares about too. He loves you and wants good things for you. God loved you before you loved Him. Since He has chosen us to be His children, we do not have to worry about the things that will happen tomorrow or the things that happened yesterday. Nothing we have done and nothing anyone else has done will ever keep God from loving us as His precious child. Discussion: How does being called a child of God make me feel? What things do my parents do for me? What do I think God does for His children? Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for choosing me to be one of your many children. Thank you for making me and helping me to grow into the person that you want me to be. Amen

11 Week 4 God Helps Me Week 4 Day 1 God Helps Me To Pray And To Learn His Word I have taken your words to heart so I would not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 Memory verse: I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 Week 4 Activity Building Block Prayer Wall Service Project Coin collection Help me understand, so I can obey your teachings. I will obey them with all my heart. Psalm 119:33 Jesus had twelve friends that were his disciples. Disciple is a fancy word for student. They followed Jesus and learned from him as he taught and healed people. God also helped them to learn His word through Jesus teaching. He wanted them to do the things that made Him happy. God wants us to do the same thing. He gave us directions in the Bible on how we are supposed to love Him as well as love and treat others. When Jesus went back to heaven to be with God, he sent us the Holy Spirit that helps us learn and teaches us how to please God. The Holy Spirit also acts like our conscience by helping us know when we have made good decisions. God also likes us to talk to Him. We can tell God anything and He always hears us. The way we talk to Him is by prayer. Jesus also taught his disciples and us how to pray. We call this prayer that he taught his friends the Lord s Prayer. Our Father, in heaven, we pray that your name will always be kept holy. We pray that your kingdom will come. We pray that what you want will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven. Give us the food we need for each day. Forgive the sins we have done, just as we have forgiven those who did wrong to us. And do not cause us to be tested; but save us from the Evil One. For more: Read Matthew 6: 9 13; Luke 11: 1 4 Discussion Questions: How and when do I and my family pray? What do I know about God? How do I learn more about Him? Prayer: God, help me to learn more about you and help me to learn your words. Thank you for teaching us how to pray. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every candle 20 21

12 Week 4 Day 2 God Helps Me To Do My Best In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23 But Jesus said to them, My Father never stops working. And so I work, too. John 5:17 My son and I like to do puzzles together. Sometimes, we choose a really big puzzle to put together. Those puzzles take a very long time to finish. My son wonders if we will ever finish because so many pieces are in the box. We work on the puzzle a little each day. Soon the puzzle begins to look like the picture on the box top. Working at something can seem to take a long time but when tackled in small pieces and with help, we can complete the task. God helps us by encouraging us and giving us the ability to complete what we start. The puzzle is a small example. In your life, things will not always come easily, but God will help you. Discussion Questions: What types of things can I do well? What do I work hard to complete? How do I feel when I work really hard at something and finish it? Prayer: God, thank you for helping me to keep going when I do difficult tasks. Thank you for the ability to work hard and do things for you. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every light bulb Week 4 Day 3 God Helps Me When I Am Scared God is our protection and our strength. He always helps in times of trouble. So we will not be afraid Psalms 46:1 2 The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. So why should I fear anyone? The Lord protects my life. So why should I be afraid? Psalms 27:1 Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Do not be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows. Luke 12:7 Gideon was a young boy who was not brave and felt unimportant. One day, he was doing his job when an angel came to talk with him. He told him to use his strength to rescue his people from their enemies. Gideon was scared. The angel told Gideon that the Lord would help him. Gideon called all his people to help him. But God told him to send most of them away. He wanted the people to know that He would help them win the battle. God told Gideon he still had too many men so God had Gideon test the men. They had to drink water from the stream. God told Gideon to send the men home that got down on their knees and drank water like a puppy dog. Only three hundred men were left. These men were given a ram s horn to blow like a trumpet and a jar with a lit candle inside. Still scared and outnumbered by his enemies, Gideon knew God was with him. They surrounded the enemy s camp at night. When Gideon gave the signal, they all blew their horns and broke their jars allowing the lights to shine for all to see. The enemies ran away shouting and Gideon won the battle with God s help. The full story of Gideon can be found in Judges, chapters six and seven Discussion Questions: What scares me? When I am scared, what could I do to feel braver? Prayer: Dear God, I get scared sometimes. Please be with me when I am scared and help me to remember to pray to you. Because you are brave God, you help me to feel braver. Thank you God for always being with me. *Coin Collection: A coin for every light switch 22 23

13 Week 4 Day 4 God Helps Me To Be Kind Week 4 Day 5 God Helps Me Love Others Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 A gentle answer will calm a person s anger. But an unkind answer will cause more anger. Proverbs 15:1 We have a friend who did not want to go to school in the mornings. She was very sad and did not want to leave her daddy. Every day we would meet her in the parking lot at school so she would have a friend to walk inside with her. This small act of kindness was all she needed to feel comfortable. Jesus calls us to be kind to others. We are to help them when they are sad. If you see someone, who is playing by himself or herself, offer to play with them. Kindness is letting someone else choose what to play next. Kindness is sharing your cookie with someone. Kindness is sharing clothes that no longer fit or sharing toys that are no longer played with anymore with someone who would like them. We can also use our words to be kind. We can use words to encourage someone or help them feel better when they are sad. Discussion Questions: When has someone said something kind to me and made me feel good? What can I do tomorrow to be kind to others? Prayer: God, thank you for showing me kindness and thank you for kind words. Help me learn to be a little kinder every day. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every bathroom Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Matthew 22:37 39 A friend loves you all the time. A brother is always there to help you. Proverbs 17:17 A man had some good friends that heard about Jesus and how He could heal people. They thought Jesus could help their friend. The man had to lie down on a mat all day long because his legs did not work. His friends carried him on a mat to the place where Jesus was teaching. Getting inside to see Jesus was impossible because so many people were crowded together. The man s friends were determined. They climbed up to the roof of the building and lowered him down on his mat into the middle of the crowd right in front of Jesus! When Jesus saw the man and his friends, He knew these men believed in him. Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven and he could get up and walk. The man believed, picked up his mat, and walked out of the building (Luke 5:17 26). God loves us and wants us to love others. We should love others like the man and his friends. They did everything they could to help their friend walk and be healed by Jesus. Discussion Questions: Whom does God tell me to love? What are two things I can do to show love to someone tomorrow? Who shows me love? Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for the people who show me love every day. Help me show others your love. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every room *Coin Collection Prayer: Pray today thanking God for light and for your house. Pray for those who have no lights or a place to sleep

14 Week 5 God Loves Me Memory Verse: For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. John 3:16 Week 5 Day 1 God Delights In Me And Loves Me Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalms 17:8 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty One will save you. You will rest in his love. He will sing and be joyful about you. Zephaniah 3:17 I love to dance. I look forward to ballet class and learning new steps and positions. Dancing is something that makes me happy. When something makes you very happy, you delight in it. God delights in you. You make Him smile. God loves you. The Bible tells us that God s love is better than any love we find here on earth. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes and always continues strong. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4 8a) Discussion Question: Do I know God loves me? How do I make God smile? How can I show God s love to someone else? Prayer: Thank you Father for a love that is unlike anything I can find on earth. You show me how to love perfectly. Help me to become better at loving others every day. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every box of Band Aids Week 5 activity Jelly Bean Prayer 26 27

15 Week 5 Day 2 God Gives Us Grace Week 5 Day 3 God Gives Us The Holy Spirit As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who respect him. He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:11 12 I do not understand the things I do. I do not do the good things I want to do. And I do the bad things I hate to do. Romans 7:15 So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 But the Helper will teach you everything. He will cause you to remember all the things I told you. This helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name. John 14:26 A man had two sons. The younger brother wanted to leave and travel far from home. He asked his father to give him his part of the inheritance early. The father gave him the money. The younger brother spent all his money on things he did not need and soon he was out of money and food. Without any money, the younger brother went to work feeding a farmer s pigs. The job was very dirty and smelly too. He was very hungry. After many days passed, the younger brother remembered that his father s workers had plenty of food. He decided to go back to his father s house and ask his dad if he could work for him. When the father saw his son coming down the driveway, he was so excited! He ran out of the house and gave his younger son a huge hug. The father wanted to throw a party for him because he had returned home. The older son was very jealous and complained to his father. The father reminded the older son how much he was greatly loved and encouraged him to join the party (Luke 15:11 32). God s love is like this father s love. No matter what we do, he always welcomes us back home to him. He loves us so much that he gives us forgiveness and grace. The younger son did nothing to earn his father s love and forgiveness. God forgives us for our sins and welcomes us back into His family with excitement. Discussion Questions: What did the younger brother do that was wrong? What did the father do when he saw his long lost son? Prayer: God, thank you for forgiving me and for giving me your grace that covers all my sins. I love you very much and want to be like you Lord. Show us more of yourself daily. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every bottle of vitamins What shape is made with three lines? If you guessed a triangle, you are correct. We use a triangle shape in the church to talk about God. We call this design the Trinity. Each part of the shape represents a side of God. He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each part is the same yet different. Like God, water can be found in three different ways. Water is the liquid we drink, water can become ice when frozen and water becomes steam when boiled. All three are still water but each is unique and different. Water is a good example to help us understand how God can be three in one. Discussion Activity: Fill a pot with ice and place it on the stove to heat. Tell your child that the ice is one form of water. Next, watch the ice change into another form as the ice is heated. Explain that nothing has been added or taken away from the ice. Once, the ice changes to water continue to heat it. The water will begin to boil and make steam. Explain that steam is another form of water. Have your child put their hands into the steam very carefully and then rub their hands together. Their hands will feel wet which shows that the steam is still water. Prayer: Father, Thank you for creating us. Thank you Jesus for being able to save us from our sins because you are the Son of God. Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding us. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every box of tissues 28 29

16 Week 5 Day 4 God Gives Us A New Family Week 5 Day 5 God Gives Us Eternal Life With Him But the Spirit gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol. There is no law that says these things are wrong. Galatians 5:22 23 There is one body and one Spirit. And God called you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith and one baptism. There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything. He is everywhere and in everything. Ephesians 4:4 6 God s family includes everyone who believes in Him and His Son, Jesus. When we believe in God and become His child, we are part of the family of God. We are here to help and love each other, like in our natural families. You have a special job in God s family and you are important. No one is more important than another person. For example, God did not make your hand more important than your foot. We need both our hands and feet (1 Corinthians 12:15). In God s family every part is needed! God gave us the Holy Spirit that helps us love and work together with others. When we do God s work and let His Spirit help us, we treat others right and reveal traits of the Spirit that we call fruit. These fruit that show we are working with God are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Discussion Questions: Who is in my family? Who is in my family with God? What do I feel like is my part in God s family Prayer: Father, thank you for a family of believers. Help me to show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control to others. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every thermometer For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. John 3:16 Can you imagine living forever? Eternal life means that you live forever. The Bible tells us in John 3:16 that God so loved the world and all the people in it that He sent His Son Jesus to save us in order for us to be with Him forever. Jesus saved us by dying on the cross in our place. God is holy and only a person without any sin can be with Him. Jesus is the only person who never sinned. When he died on the cross, Jesus saved every person by offering Himself in our place. His death covers our sins so that we can be with God. Discussion Questions: Who is the only person who never sinned? Does my sin make me a bad person? Does God stop loving me when I sin? Prayer: Dear God, thank you for eternal life with you because of Jesus. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every doctor and dentist who cares for you *Coin Collection Prayer: Pray today thanking God for the gift of medical services available to you and your family. Pray for those around the world who do not have access to medical care

17 Week 6 God Provides For His Children Memory Verse: I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I give my life for the sheep. John 10:14 15 Week 6 Day 1 Jesus Is Our Shepherd Moses was faithful in God s family as a servant. He told what God would say in the future. But Christ is faithful as a Son who is the head of God s family. And we are in God s family if we hold on to our faith and are proud of the great hope we have. Hebrews 3:5 6 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I give my life for the sheep. John 10:14 15 I pray that the God of peace will give you every good thing you need so that you can do what he wants. God is the One who raised from death our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep. God raised him because of the blood of his death. His blood began the agreement that God made with his people. And this agreement is eternal. I pray that God, through Christ, will do in us what pleases him. And to Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20 21 Have you ever played the game, Follow the Leader? Someone is chosen to lead everyone else around and everyone must do what the leader does. The game is fun when the leader does fun and silly things. But when the leader is bad, the game is not much fun. Moses was God s chosen leader. God s people needed to leave Egypt and go back to their homeland. God called a man named Moses to lead them. He had a big walking stick called a staff. In addition to helping a person with walking, a staff could be used as a weapon of defense or offense. A staff was often used by a shepherd as a means to protect and care for his or her sheep. They would use the staff to keep the sheep in line when they were moving and to protect them from other animals. God used Moses staff to do many miracles. But one of the most important things about his staff was that God s people recognized that the staff designated Moses as their shepherd and leader under God s authority and they needed to follow him. Discussion Questions: How can I be a good leader? What made Moses a good leader? Prayer: Father, use me to be a leader. Help me to be a good leader and show others your love. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every type of fresh vegetable Week 6 Activity Resurrection Eggs 32 33

18 Week 6 Day 2 Jesus Is The Bread Of Life Week 6 Day 3 Jesus Is The Cup Of Life/Living Water Then Jesus said, I am the bread that gives life. He who comes to me will never be hungry. He who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh. I will give my flesh so that the people in the world may have life. John 6:51 One day after school, my son asked me to cook him a box of macaroni and cheese. He was very hungry. Can you guess what he did? He ate the whole box of macaroni and cheese all by himself! He was so very hungry. Jesus was also very hungry one day. He had been camping in the desert all by himself and not eating. Satan tried to get Jesus to eat. But Jesus told him that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that God says. Jesus, later, said that He is the bread of life. He gives us words that fill us and satisfy us with the good things of God so that we do not try to fill up on the things that make God unhappy. In the same way, after supper, Jesus took the cup and said, This cup shows the new agreement that God makes with his people. This new agreement begins with my blood which is poured out for you. Luke 22:20 Jesus answered, Every person who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give will become a spring of water flowing inside him. It will give him eternal life. John 4:13 14 (ICB) While travelling through a region called Samaria, Jesus became very tired and thirsty and sat down by a well. A Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well during the middle of the day. Jesus asked her for a drink of water from the well. Jesus told her that if she knew who had asked her for a drink, she would have asked him to give her living water. He also explained to her that everyone who drank from this well would get thirsty again. But, he could give a type of water from a well that leads to eternal life. Discussion Questions: What do you think Jesus meant by living water? Discussion Questions: Name some foods that are good for my body. What are some foods that are bad for my body? What are some good things I can do that will help me not do bad things? Prayer: Father, keep me busy with your work so I do not have time to get into trouble. Give me a heart that searches for you and wants more of your words for my life. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every type of bread Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving eternal life through Jesus. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every type of drink 34 35

19 Week 6 Day 4 Jesus Is The Rock Week 6 Day 5 Jesus Is The Lamb The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my high tower. Psalms 18:2 Everyone who hears these things I say and obeys them is like a wise man. The wise man built his house on rock. It rained hard and the water rose. The winds blew and hit that house. But the house did not fall, because the house was built on rock. But the person who hears the things I teach and does not obey them is like a foolish man. The foolish man built his house on sand. It rained hard, the water rose, and the winds blew and hit that house. And the house fell with a big crash. Matthew 7:24 27 My friends and I loved playing tag when we were younger. In the game, one person is chosen as It. It s job is to chase everyone and try to touch them. If they are tapped, they become the new It. Safety can be found, however, at a place designated as base. It must tag them before they reach base. God is like our base. He is our safe place to go when we are in trouble or need help. Discussion Questions: To whom can I run when I need help? How is God like my rock? Prayer: Lord, thank you for being steady like a rock that I can climb on and not fall down. Thank you for being a safe place to come to when I need help. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every jar of jelly The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world! John 1:29 You were bought with the precious blood of the death of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb. 1 Peter 1:19 A long time ago, kings in Egypt were called pharaohs. The Pharaoh during the time of Moses was mean. He would not allow Moses to lead God s people out of Egypt. Therefore, God brought many plagues and hardships on him and the Egyptians for not letting them go. The last plague made the firstborn sons and firstborn animals so sick they died. God told Moses to tell his people to place the blood of a lamb around the front door of their houses for protection. God s people were saved because the lamb s blood protected them. Jesus is the Lamb that protects us. He leads and guides us to safe places. Jesus says that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Discussion Questions: How were God s people protected from the last plague? How does Jesus protect me? Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for protecting me. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every dessert *Coin Collection Prayer: Pray today thanking God for access to good foods. Pray for those who are hungry

20 Week 7 Holy Week Week 7 Day 1 Palm Sunday (To Be Read On Monday) They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel! John 12:13 Memory verse: But he is not here. He has risen from death as he said he would. Matthew 28:6a Day 1 Activity: Hand Palm Branches Day 3 Activity: Foot Washing Day 5 Activity: Play Dough Crown Of Thorns Day 6 Activity: Easter Cookies Day 7 Activity: Cascarones/ Confetti Eggs Jesus and the disciples had been traveling and approached a village close to Jerusalem. Two of the disciples were instructed to go into the village where they would find a donkey outside in the street. The disciples hurried ahead and found the animal just as Jesus had described. They began to untie the donkey when a group of people asked what they were doing. Jesus had instructed them to reply to this question by simply saying; The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly. (Mark 11:3). The group of people let them go. When the disciples returned to Jesus, they put coats on the donkey s back and Jesus rode the donkey into town. They saw many people had put their cloaks or branches from their fields on the road to mark the way. Surrounding Jesus and his disciples, the people paraded into town shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel! (John 12:13) For more: Read Mark 11:1 11. Discussion Questions: Why do I think the people put their coats on the road? Have I ever had a group of people so excited to see me that they clapped for me and were excited about my arrival? How did I feel? Prayer: Father, help me to always be as excited about you as the people who were leading and following in the parade. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every hat you own *Activity: Hand palm branches: See Appendix 38 39

21 Week 7 Day 2 Judas Betrays Jesus Week 7 Day 3 The Passover Meal And Foot Washing All my close friends hate me. Even those I love have turned against me. Job 19:19 My best and truest friend ate at my table. Now even he has turned against me. Psalm 41:9 You call me Teacher and Lord. And this is right, because that is what I am. I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash each other s feet. I did this as an example for you. So you should do as I have done for you. John 13:13 15 Judas Iscariot was one of the close twelve friends of Jesus. He served as the money keeper for their group. He wanted Jesus to be someone he was not. Judas became very disappointed in Jesus. As the time for the Passover meal drew close, many religious leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus because so many people were following him. They were jealous of his popularity and were worried about crowds. The rulers, chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for an excuse to arrest Jesus. They met with Judas who agreed to betray Jesus. Judas would give them Jesus when a large crowd was not around in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. For more: Read Luke 22:1 6; John 13: Discussion Questions: Have I ever had someone betray me? How did I feel? Prayer: Lord, thank you for your plan. Thank you even for Judas who would help with your ultimate plan. Father, help me not to betray my friends even in small things. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every pair of shoes The day of the Passover meal had arrived. Jesus and his disciples were outside Jerusalem and needed a place to eat the meal. Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover? the disciples asked Jesus. He replied by telling them to go into the city and look for a man carrying a jar of water. They were to tell the man; the teacher is to celebrate the Passover with his disciples in your house. Jesus told them that the man would show them a large furnished upper room. The disciples found everything just as Jesus had told them. During the Passover feast, Jesus wanted to show the disciples how much he loved them. He got up from the table, removed his coat, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He filled a bowl with water and began to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel tied around his waist. When Jesus finished, he asked his friends if they understood what he had just done. He told them that he had set an example for them and they should wash one another s feet. During dinner, Jesus took the bread, broke it into pieces, and passed the bread to his disciples. He explained to them that the bread pieces were his body broken for them. Jesus, then took, the cup and blessed it, and passed the cup to his disciples. He explained that the cup was his blood shed for them for the forgiveness of everyone s sins. For more: Read Matthew 26:17 30 and John 13:1 17. Discussion Questions: Why would Jesus wash the disciples feet? What is the body and blood of Christ? Prayer: Lord, thank you for meals shared together. Thank you for your Son who showed me how to serve and love others by washing their feet. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every pair of jeans Craft: Foot washing: See Appendix 40 41

22 Week 7 Day 4 Maundy Thursday Jesus Prays In The Garden And Is Arrested Week 7 Day 5 Good Friday Jesus Is Tried And Crucified Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, Sit here while I go over there and pray. Matthew 26:36 After the Passover meal, Jesus went with his disciples to Gethsemane. He asked three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, to follow him further into the Garden and keep watch while he went to pray. Falling to the ground to pray, Jesus asked God to take away the pain he knew he was about to face. He told God that he would do what God had planned if that was what God wanted. When Jesus returned to his disciples, he found them asleep. He woke them up and asked them to keep watch again and to pray that they would not fall asleep again. Jesus went to pray a second time. When he returned, his disciples were fast asleep! Jesus and these three men then rejoined the others. While he was talking to all of them, Judas and a large group of soldiers arrived. Judas greeted Jesus with a kiss of friendship. The kiss was the signal for the soldiers to arrest Jesus. As Jesus was being arrested, Peter stepped forward and cut off the ear of the high priest s servant. Jesus told Peter to put his sword away. Jesus told Peter and the others that He had not come to start a war, but to fulfill all the things that had been said about Him by the prophets. Then, Jesus healed the man s ear. For more: Read Matthew 26:36 56 Discussion Questions: What did Jesus pray about in the Garden? Should Jesus have been arrested? Prayer: Lord, I pray today that I may pray to you as Jesus did. Father, I thank you that Jesus was willing to die for me. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every coat Again Jesus cried out in a loud voice. Then he died. Matthew 27:50 Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, the high priest, who asked if He was the Son of God. Jesus replied; Yes, it is as you say. The people who were gathered in the court became angry and called for His death because they thought He had offended God. Caiaphas then sent Jesus to Pilate. Pilate asked Jesus the same question; Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus replied again; Yes, it is as you say. During the rest of the trial, Jesus did not say a word in response to a single charge brought against Him. A prisoner was often released during the time of Passover. Pontius Pilate was willing to release Jesus in accordance with the custom but the crowd called instead for the release of Barabbas. They wanted Jesus to be crucified. The soldiers took Jesus and made fun of Him. They put a crown of thorns on Jesus head, they spit on Him, they hit Him, they pulled hair out of His beard, and then they led him away to be crucified. Jesus was nailed to the cross and people continued to shout mean things to Him. While Jesus was on the cross, the sun did not shine. For more: Read Matthew 26:57 75 and Matthew 27:11 56 Discussion Questions: Could I keep quiet like Jesus when people were saying mean things to me? How does this story of Jesus make me feel? Prayer: Lord, help me to understand what Jesus did for me. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every t shirt *Craft: Play Dough Crown Of Thorns: See Appendix 42 43

23 Week 7 Day 6 Jesus Is Laid In The Tomb Nicodemus went with Joseph. Nicodemus was the man who earlier had come to Jesus at night. He brought about 75 pounds of spices. This was a mixture of myrrh and aloes. These two men took Jesus body and wrapped it with the spices in pieces of linen cloth. (This is how the Jews bury people.) John 19:39,40 Week 7 Day 7 Easter Sunday Jesus Is Alive! But he is not here. He has risen from death as he said he would. Matthew 28:6a On Sunday, the first day of the week, a few women went to Jesus tomb to check on His body. When they arrived, they saw that the large stone had been rolled away from the entrance to his tomb. The women looked inside but could not find the body of Jesus. They did, however, see a man dressed in white who told them; Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. They were shocked and ran to get Peter. Peter and the women returned to the tomb and found the cloths that had wrapped the body of Jesus, folded and lying on the floor. Peter wondered what had happened but the women knew. Jesus had risen from the dead just as He said He would! For more: Read Mark 16:1 8; John 19:38 42; 20:1 18. Around the middle of the afternoon, the sky became totally dark and the ground began to shake. Jesus took his last breath and then died. When people died in that part of the world, the bodies were buried quickly. The body also had to be buried before the sun went down. A man named Joseph, from a town called Arimathea, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus body. Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead. One of the guards told Pilate that Jesus was dead. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus body in strips of cloth and placed him in a tomb. Then they rolled a stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Pilate sent guards to the tomb to make sure the tomb was sealed tight. He also sent a guard to keep watch so that Jesus friends could not trick people by taking his body and pretending he rose from the dead. For more: Read Mark 15:42 47; Matthew 27:62 66; John 19:38 42 Discussion Question: What did Joseph do for Jesus? Have I ever been to a funeral or lost someone I loved? How did I feel? How do I think Jesus friends felt? Prayer: Lord, thank you for Joseph who laid Jesus in the tomb. Thank you for the plan you have for Jesus. Amen. *Coin Collection: A coin for every scarf *Coin Collection Prayer: Pray thanking God for clothing. Pray for those who have no clothing to keep them warm or to protect them. Craft: Resurrection Cookies: See Appendix Discussion Question: How does the Easter story make me feel? What is my favorite part of the story? Prayer: God, thank you so much for Easter Sunday! Thank you for a time of celebration and for a time of forgiveness and for a life everlasting with you. Amen. *Craft: Cascarones: See Appendix 44 45

24 Appendix Lenten Crafts Week 1 God s Son Banner This craft is to be made and used throughout Lent. One side of the banner will read God Loves Me. The other side of the banner will read He Is Risen! Materials: 12 sheets of colorful or patterned paper Scissors Markers String or ribbon Hole punch Instructions: 1. Fold the paper in half on the long side of the paper. 2. Cut the paper into a triangle pennant shape. Do not cut the folded side. You want to be able to unfold the triangle and create a diamond shape. 3. Next, punch a hole in the center part of the fold while the triangle is folded about an inch from the fold. 4. Tie a ribbon through the hole 5. Repeat steps 1-4 eleven times. You will have 12 triangles. 6. String the triangles together by threading ribbon or string through the top of the triangles near the fold so the ribbon through the hole punch prevents the paper from falling. 7. On one side of the triangles, write the letters to spell out the words; God Loves Me. Turn the banner completely over and write; He is risen! on the other side of the triangles. Please make sure to add an exclamation mark on the end of He is Risen! 46

25 Week 2 God Saves Me Sin Color Changing Experiment Materials: Permanent marker Paper towel Clear glass bowl Water Red food coloring Green food coloring Glass measuring cup ¼ cup vinegar ¾ cup bleach Directions: 1. With a black permanent marker, draw a cross on a plain white paper towel and place a clear glass bowl on the paper towel so that the cross shows through the bottom of the bowl. For protection for flooring or countertops, add a cookie sheet or tray placed underneath the paper towel and bowl. Have the children gather around on the floor so they can see the cross through the water under the bowl. 2. Add 4-5 drops of green and 4-5 drops of red food coloring to the water. These drops represent sin. Let each person drop one drop of food coloring, alternating colors, as they name a sin. Each drop will swirl and darken the water but change will happen slowly enough to talk about how the cross is becoming harder to see. Stir the water and food coloring gently. The cross under the bowl should not be visible through the blackness of the water. Like our sins, which completely block our view of the cross, the colored water blocks the view of the cross under the bowl. 3. Mix a ¼ cup vinegar and ¾ cup bleach in a one cup measuring cup with a spout. As you pour this mixture into the black water, talk about the forgiveness of Jesus who died on the cross forgiving all of our sins so that we can have eternal life. The water will become clear almost immediately. The cross becomes visible again. This experiment is adapted from one found on the catechists journey website. 47

26 Week 3 God Made Me Two activities are included for this week. You may do one or both activities. Fingerprint Magnets God made us all different and special. We each have a unique fingerprint. We can make a small ornament to see our own special fingerprint. Ingredients: 1 cup salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup lukewarm water Large bowl Directions: 1. Mix the salt and the flour together in a large bowl. 2. Gradually, stir in the water. Mix well until the ingredients form a doughy consistency. 3. Knead with your hands to form a ball. The longer you knead the dough, the smoother the dough will become. 4. A straw, a toothpick, or a bamboo skewer can be used to make a hole at the top of the ornament so a ribbon can be added later for hanging. This step needs to be done before the ornament hardens. Coloring Your Dough Salt dough can be colored in several ways. Take precaution not to stain your clothing or hands, regardless of which method you choose. 1. The dough can easily be painted with acrylic paint. 2. Natural colorings are also a great option to add a little something special to your salt dough. They should be added during the mixing and kneading process. Instant coffee and cocoa will color your dough and add a nice smell. Berries, beet juice, and curry make nice natural colorings too. 3. Food coloring or food dye can be used. These dyes should be added while mixing and kneading. The salt dough ornaments can air dry or be baked. To bake them, preheat the oven to 200ᵒF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out circles. Have children make fingerprints on the dough or even handprints if you prefer. Transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheet. Place the ornaments in the oven for about an hour. Drying time will vary from forty-five minutes to three hours depending on the dough s thickness. After the shapes are cooked or air dried, they can be painted. When the paint is dry, slide a ribbon through the pre-made hole. A button magnet can be added to the back using a hot glue gun or super glue. For special gifts and long-term safekeeping, you may want to seal the ornament with a polyurethane spray once it has dried and been painted. This recipe was adapted from live the adventure. 48

27 Week 3 God Made Me Caterpillar/Butterfly Craft Materials: Coffee filters Washable markers Spray bottle filled with water Craft pipe cleaners Empty toilet paper rolls Brown wrapping paper or paper grocery bags cut to approximately 8x8 inch squares Tape or glue Instructions: 1. Have each child open the coffee filter and press it flat. Place a piece of paper or newspaper to cover the working surface to prevent staining from the bleeding of the markers. Decorate the filter with markers. 2. When the child has finished decorating the filter, spray water on the design to make the colors run like watercolors. Let the filter air-dry. 3. Fold the craft pipe cleaner in half. You should have one per butterfly. 4. After the filter is dry, scrunch it in the middle. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the scrunched coffee filter and twist, bending the ends to form antennae. Gently, fan out the filters to form wings. 5. Give each child a toilet paper roll and a piece of brown paper cut to approximately 8 x Have the child carefully fold the butterfly s wings closed and place the butterfly into the toilet paper roll. Wrap the toilet paper rolls in the brown paper and tape or glue the paper in place along one side. Next, twist the paper at the top and bottom of the roll to seal the cocoon. 7. Have the child open his cocoon on Easter morning to release the butterfly! 49

28 Week 4 God Helps Me Prayer Wall Made From Building Blocks This craft does not have specific directions. Use your own building blocks to make a wall. During the remaining weeks, spend time helping your child write prayers to place inside the praying wall. The wall you will build is like the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem where many people place their prayers in the crevices in the wall. Children may have a hard time thinking of how to pray for others. You may need to offer them suggestions. This idea was adapted from a suggestion from the United Methodist Church website. The full article can be found with other suggestions here. 50

29 Service project Collect coins in a box every day until Easter using the suggested daily guide. The United Methodist Church is partnering with Imagine No Malaria this Lent (2017) if you need a suggestion of a place to donate. The coins collected correspond to the amount of items found in your home. The following giving schedule was adapted from one found on the United Methodist church website in the Discipleship Ministries section written by Maryjane Pierce Norton. Week 4: Sunday Pray today, that your heart might be softened to help you give. Monday A coin for every candle Tuesday A coin for every light bulb Wednesday A coin for every light switch Thursday A coin for every bathroom Friday A coin for every room. Pray today, thanking God for light and for your house. Pray for those who have no lights or a place to sleep. Week 5: Monday A coin for every box of Band- Aids Tuesday A coin for every bottle of vitamins Wednesday A coin for every box of tissues Thursday A coin for every thermometer Friday A coin for every doctor and dentist who cares for you Pray today, thanking God for the gift of medical services available to you and your family. Pray for those around the world who do not have access to medical care. Week 6: Monday A coin for every type of fresh vegetable Tuesday A coin for every type of bread Wednesday A coin for every type of drink Thursday A coin for every jar of jelly Friday A coin for every dessert Pray today, thanking God for access to good foods. Pray for those who are hungry. Week 7: Monday A coin for every hat Tuesday A coin for every pair of shoes Wednesday A coin for every pair of jeans Thursday A coin for every coat Friday A coin for every t-shirt Saturday A coin for every scarf Pray today, thanking God for clothing. Pray for those who have no clothing to keep them warm or to protect them. 51

30 Week 5 God Loves Me Jelly Bean Prayer Set out a glass jar for each child with a small copy of the Jellybean Prayer taped to the front. Each jellybean color corresponds to a behavior and a prayer listed below. Each day, the child can earn a jellybean of any color. Multiple jellybeans may be earned in a day. They cannot eat the jellybeans until Easter. White jellybeans cannot be earned. These beans represent the Grace of Christ. On Easter morning, the child will wake to find their jars full. The colorful jellybeans they earned are at the bottom. The night before Easter, fill the jar with white jellybeans covering your child s beans. The jar will be filled with white jellybeans to represent God s grace that fills in and helps us. Read 1 Corinthians 15:10. Red is for the blood Christ gave for us. Each morning choose something to sacrifice that day to earn the red jellybean. The choice must be something you have the opportunity to do on that day. Green is for the palm's cool shade. Green jellybeans are earned for good deeds. Providing Jesus with shade from a palm branch was a good deed. Yellow is for God's light. Yellow jellybeans are earned for sharing God's light through kindness to others. Orange is for prayers at twilight. Orange jellybeans are earned for attentive behavior during bedtime, prayer time, and nighttime story. Black is for a night of sweet rest. Black jellybeans are earned for going to bed cooperatively. A blue jellybean can be substituted. Purple is for Jesus days of sorrow. Purple jellybeans are earned by apologizing to anyone you hurt with words or deeds that day. Pink is for each new tomorrow. Pink jellybeans are earned for forgiving those who apologize to us for hurtful behavior. White is for the Grace of Christ. White jellybeans cannot be earned. This idea came from the catholicmom.com. For the original description and all her other ideas, check out her website.. 52

31 Week 6 God Provides For Me Resurrection Eggs Materials: 12 plastic Easter eggs An empty egg carton Scripture Verses below. The following small items are placed in the eggs to help young children better understand the Easter story. In the first egg, place a small blade of grass to represent a palm branch at Jesus triumphal entry. In the second egg, place three silver coins to represent the thirty pieces of silver that Judas Iscariot received. In the third egg, place a cracker or a small cup (small building block size) to represent the Last Supper. In the fourth egg, place a tiny piece of paper rolled into a scroll to represent Jesus prayer in the Garden. In the fifth egg, place a piece of rope or yarn to represent the soldier s whipping Jesus. In the sixth egg, place a thorn to represent the crown of thorns. In the seventh egg, place two small nails to represent the nails and the cross. In the eighth egg, place mini dice to represent the soldier s casting lots for Jesus clothes. In the ninth egg, place a toothpick with one end broken off to represent the spear piercing Jesus side. In the tenth egg, place a piece of gauze to represent Joseph wrapping Jesus in clean linen cloth. In the eleventh egg, place a rock to represent the stone rolled in front of the tomb. The final egg is empty to represent the empty tomb. The original craft can be found here. Add these scriptures to the eggs: In the first egg John 12:13 In the second egg Matthew 26:14-15 In the third egg Matthew 26:26 In the fourth egg Matthew 26:36 In the fifth egg Mark 15:15 In the sixth egg Matthew 27:29 In the seventh egg- Matthew 27:35a In the eighth egg Matthew 27:35b In the ninth egg John 19:34 In the tenth egg Matthew 27:59 In the eleventh egg Matthew 27:66 The final egg Matthew 28:6a 53

32 Week 7 Holy Week Day 1: Palm Sunday Palm Branches Made From Cut Outs Of Hands Materials: Green construction paper Pencil Scissors Craft sticks or sticks from outside Glue Directions: 1. Trace the child s hand about sixteen times. This should be enough to make two branches. 2. Cut out the hands. 3. Next, glue the hands together so they make a palm branch. 4. Add a stick to the end like a branch. 5. Let the palm branches dry 6. Prepare for a parade by placing your shirts or coats on the ground. 7. Parade around your house shouting Hosanna and waving the palm branches you created. This activity was originally found here. 54

33 Day 3 Foot Washing Take time to wash each other s feet before dinner like Jesus. Read John 13:3-5. Materials: Bowl of water Chair Towel Have family members take turns washing each other s feet or parents wash their child s feet. Do what will work best and be the most meaningful for your family. Day 5 Play Dough Crown Of Thorns Read John 19:2 Materials: Toothpicks 1 cup flour ½ cup salt 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 cup water 1 Tablespoon oil Brown or Black food coloring (optional) * This mixture is not edible. This recipe can be used for any color play-dough. Directions: 1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then, add water, oil, and food coloring. 2. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until dough pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a ball of dough. 3. Make two or three long cylinders with the dough. 4. Braid the cylinders and then form them into a crown by pinching the ends together. 5. Last, place toothpicks in your crown for the thorns. 6. Store the dough in a tightly covered container. The dough will be much softer than commercial play dough. This recipe is from Nancy Ballard. 55