THE MATTHEW PROJECT. a VC Christian Camp Series on Servant Leadership

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2 RITE O F PASSAGE FOR 12- REV THE MATTHEW PROJECT a VC Christian Camp Series on Servant Leadership developed by the A.M.E. Zion Church Christian Education Department Varick s Children Ministry Rev. Kathryn Brown, General Secretary Rev. Dr. Michelle Carr Helaire, Co-Director Sis. Nora Kathi McNeill, Co-Director June 2013 Scriptures are quotations or paraphrases from God s Word, 1995 God s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group. Image credits: 123RF Stock Photos, Used according to terms of license agreement with 123RF Limited. Photographers Designpics, Diaz, Doroshenko, Gilder, Jones, Marmion, Sepavo, Stitt, Studio1one, Yeulett, and Zdanchuk.

3 Table of Contents Introduction to VC Christian Camps 1 Day 1: VC Friday Night Lights 2 Day 2: VC Service Learning Project 3 Day 3: VC Worship Service 4 Scripture Lesson Handout Children s Day 2013 Bulletin

4 AMEZ CED VARICK S CHILDREN MINISTRY Introduction to VC Christian Camps VC Christian Camps for this quadrennial: Jesus is Our Example Understanding the Mission Growing Up to Leadership Learning about Community If we really believe that our children are our future, we must develop an agenda to improve their lives and health. While it may take a village to raise a child, it takes caring adults to make a nurturing village. (Kenneth C. Edelin) Christian educators play a critical role in creating a nurturing village for children to thrive. So what does it take to train a child in the way he or she should go amidst influences of the 21 st century? Varick s Children (VC) Ministry addressed the 21 st century challenge by designing 3-day Christian Camps to train Zion s children in four key areas of learning and development character, mission, leadership and community. Over the course of four years, participants in VC Christian Camps are taught what it means to be like Christ; how they can be used to build God s kingdom on earth;; why they are not too young to serve the Lord; and how their actions speak louder than words. Student curriculum and teacher resources for VC Christian Camps are distributed in December for the Christian Education Winter Meeting and in June for Children s Day. The Matthew Project is a hands-on learning experience based on Matthew 25: Children s Day is observed the second Sunday in June. This guide offers suggestions for activities to make the Children s Day weekend an engaging time for participants and teachers. 1

5 AMEZ CED VARICK S CHILDREN MINISTRY Day 1: VC Friday Night Lights The most sacred place isn t the church, the mosque, or the temple, it s the temple of the body. That s where Spirit lives. (Susan Taylor) Even at a young age, Varick s Children can take the initiative to make sure their bodies are healthy and holy. Since healthy choices include eating nutritious meals and being physically active, tonight is all about showing participants how nutrition and exercise are very important to taking care of their bodies. When we keep our bodies healthy and holy our bodies become temples from which God s light can shine. Suggested time for this session: 90 minutes Suggested activities: 1. Give students a copy of the Scripture Picture for Daniel 1: 3-17 found in the back of this guide. See of the students can match the pictures to scenes in the Bible lesson. Picture 1 - Healthy, handsome, smart and strong young men; Pictures 2 and 3 - The king s food;; Pictures 4 and 5 - Daniel s diet;; Picture 6 - Young men with knowledge, wisdom and the ability to understand all kinds of literature 2. Set up healthy eating stations where participants can try healthy foods. Search the following websites for ideas of healthy snacks and drinks for children Teach participants movement to the VC Chant (on page 4) and then lead a fitness activity to show Varick s Children are leaders in the Let s Move initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama. Search YouTube for appropriate videos of short workout routines for children. A few suggestions are below. You can also use fitness games made for Wii or Xbox Kinect. Shaun T's Fit Kids Club Dance Workout Routine The Workout Kid Fitness for Kids Page 2

6 AMEZ CED VARICK S CHILDREN MINISTRY Day 2: VC Service Learning Project Life s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others? (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) Even at a young age, Varick s Children can be servant leaders in their community. Since Jesus taught his disciples that to be a leader a person must be a servant, today is all about giving participants the opportunity to engage in community service. Suggested time for this session: 120 minutes Suggested activities: 1. Give students a copy of the Scripture Picture for Matthew 25:31-46 found in the back of this guide. See of the students can match the pictures to scenes in the Bible lesson. Picture 1 - Giving others food; Picture 2 - Giving others clean water to drink; Picture 3 - Recognizing strangers that need a safe place to live; Picture 4 - Donating clothes for others that need something to wear; Picture 5 - Caring for someone that is sick; Picture 6 - Visiting someone in prison 2. Plan a community service activity. Search the following websites for ideas of service learning projects appropriate for children Page 3

7 AMEZ CED VARICK S CHILDREN MINISTRY Day 3: VC Worship Service Train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is he will not turn away from it. (Proverbs 22:6) Even at a young age, Varick s Children should learn to be active participants in worship. Since children are full of energy, Children s Day will be a lively worship experience to ensure participants can learn traditions of A.M.E. Zion worship and share contemporary expressions of praise. Suggested time for service: 60 minutes Suggested guidance for order of worship: 1. Children should wear red or white tops and khaki bottoms. 2. Assign specific children to lead the Responsive Litany, Affirmation of Faith, Scripture Lesson, Prayer and Acknowledgement of Visitors. 3. Select a 5 th or 6 th grader to deliver the Morning Message. The theme of the message should be Serve as Jesus Served. 4. Teach all participants movement to the VC Chant. The children shout the chant while doing the movements. The chant should be done with a rap-like rhythm. Who are we? [Point thumbs to chest] V-C [Make V with index and middle fingers on right hand. Make backwards C with thumb and index finger on left hand.] Founded by Dr. Helen C [Grab bulletin and point to Dr. Carter s bio on back.] Rockin in our red and white [Rock with a bounce to the right, then left, then right, then left.] Shining with our Jesus light [Strike a pose as if you are a superstar.] Who are we? [Look at congregation. Tone of voice should indicate you are asking a question.] V-C [Put hand to ear signal congregation to shout V-C with you.] Founded by Dr. Helen C [Point to Dr. Carter s bio on back of bulletin. Tone of voice should indicate end of chant] Page 4

8 AMEZ CED VARICK S CHILDREN MINISTRY 5. Teach children the VC Theme Song, Jesus Loves Me. Consider teaching sign language for the chorus of the song. 6. Creative expressions can be a choir selection, instrumental selection, liturgical dance, step, spoken word or some other type of youthful praise. 7. Lead the congregation in singing the CED Benediction if you know the tune. Page 5

9 God s Children Have Good Health (Daniel 1: 3-17) 3-4 The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility. They were to be young men who were healthy, good-looking, knowledgeable in all subjects, well-informed, intelligent, and able to serve in the king's palace. They were to be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5-7 The king arranged for them to get a daily allowance of the king's rich food and wine. They were to be trained for three years. After that, they were to serve the king. Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief-of-staff gave them [Babylonian] names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach. To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego Daniel made up his mind not to harm himself by eating the king's rich food and drinking the king's wine. So he asked the chief-of-staff for permission not to harm himself in this way. God made the chief-of-staff kind and compassionate toward Daniel. The chief-of-staff told Daniel, "I'm afraid of my master, the king. The king determined what you should eat and drink. If he sees that you look worse than the other young men your age, he would have my head cut off." The chief-of-staff put a supervisor in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the supervisor, "Please test us for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare us to the young men who are eating the king's rich food. Decide how to treat us on the basis of how we look." The supervisor listened to them about this matter and tested them for ten days After ten days they looked healthier and stronger than the young men who had been eating the king's rich food. So the supervisor took away the king's rich food and wine and gave them vegetables. 17 God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.

10 God s Approval of Those Who Do Good (Matthew 25:31-46) "When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then the people who have God's approval will reply to him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40 "The king will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how [different they were], you did for me.' "Then the king will say to those on his left, 'Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't take me into your homes. I needed clothes, and you didn't give me anything to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't take care of me.' 44 "They, too, will ask, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or in need of clothes or sick or in prison and didn't help you?' "He will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how [different they were], you failed to do for me.' These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God's approval will go into eternal life."

11 Helen C. Scott-Carter, Ph.D. was a teacher in DC Public schools for more than 34 years and an administrator for six years. She was appointed as Director of Children s Ministry for the A.M.E. Zion Church Christian Education Department in Under her leadership Zion s children s ministry became a renewed entity in the Christian Education Department and a new age group at the Winter Meeting. Dr. Carter submitted a resolution to the General Conference in 2004 proposing VARICK S CHILDREN as the name of Zion s Children s Ministry. The resolution was passed and documented with the following statement in The Book of Discipline 2004, page 234. The 47 th Session of the General Conference directs that the Children s Ministry of the Department of Christian Education be named VARICK S CHILDREN;; the operative scripture for the Children s Ministry will be: Even a child is known for his doings, whether they be pure and whether they be right (Proverbs 20:11);; that the colors be Red (the blood of Jesus/royalty) and White (innocence); and that the logo be officially adopted. ] Dr. Carter is currently the Director of Children s Ministry at John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church in Washington, DC where she has been a member since she was 11 years old. Children s Day 2013 The Matthew Project (based on Matthew 25:31-46)

12 Call to Celebration (in unison) This is the Lord s day. This is the Lord s house. We are the Lord s children. Let the praise begin! CED Theme Song They ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love Invocation (in unison) O Holy Spirit of God, we invite your presence into our service today. Be with us in our praise and in our prayers, in our songs and in our silence, in our joy and in our sadness, in our times of study and in our times of play, in the light of the morning and the darkness of the evening. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Choral Response He is Lord Song of Praise Responsive Litany Leader: Jesus taught his disciples People: To be a leader you must be a servant. Leader: Whatever we fail to do for others, we fail to do for Christ. People: God shows approval for those who do good. Leader: Our bodies are temples of God. People: Remember to keep them healthy and holy. Leader: Train up children in the way they should go. People: So when they are old they will not turn away from it. Gloria Patri /Affirmation of Faith Scripture Lesson Matthew 25:31-46 Prayer Hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus Morning Prayer/Prayer Response Hear Our Prayer Children s Moment VC Chant VC Theme Song ( Jesus Loves Me ) Creative Expression(s) Announcements/Acknowledgement of Visitors Offering/Offertory Song of Preparation Morning Message Invitation to Christian Discipleship CED Benediction Every member a Christian (every member a Christian) Every Christian a worker (every Christian a worker) Every worker trained (every worker trained) That need not be ashamed (that need not be ashamed) Oh, this we ask in Jesus name Amen (Amen) Amen (Amen) A-men.