blessings 1.13 God Made Me LESSON OVERVIEW Explore:: min. Discover:: min. Respond:: 5 minutes Bless:: 5 minutes Connect:: minutes

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1 date: LESSON OVERVIEW Remember & Celebrate Explore:: min. Discover:: min. Respond:: 5 minutes Bless:: 5 minutes Connect:: minutes Ponder Point: God Made Me Today, we will stop and REMEMBER and CELEBRATE all that God has made. God made us unlike anyone else. He made us special and in His image David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

2 Inspire It was a hot day and I was hungry. Lunchtime was approaching and I was going over the options in my head. I only had three dollars in my wallet and literally no money in the bank. That narrowed the choices quite a bit. I was thinking tacos, because they are pretty cheap. As I left for lunch I noticed a woman sitting on a bench. Normally I would have thought about helping out a little, but I was so hungry. So I quickly tried to think about something else and moved on with my day. I bet she s hungry too, the still, small voice said. The voice was barely audible over the growl of my stomach. Yes, but it s my last three dollars, I protested. Then I heard the voice say something surprising. Who made you? That was an easy one. Obviously, You made me, Lord. But I didn t get the message. It took a few minutes for me to process it, but I finally made the connection. If God created me in His image and this is what gives me worth, who made that homeless woman? God was trying to remind me that every one of His creatures has value, and that I should not be so quick to ignore His prompting. He made us all and cares for us all, and if it took me missing one meal to help me get that message, it was worth it. The simple thank you she spoke drove the message home. We are His children, and we bear His image. As I reflect on this eventful day I celebrate God s goodness. I remember that He made each one of us. And, I celebrate the many ways He has blessed us and allowed us to help provide for one another. He is the Creator and Provider. I have been blessed to be a blessing, and for this I will remember and celebrate Him. Jeff Carter TruBlessings Team 2

3 Equip Remember and Celebrate: Feasts and Festivals Old Testament Significance Several times a year the Israelites gathered together for a festival. In Leviticus 23, the Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed feasts which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. These seven festivals are: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of Firstfruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). In addition, the Israelites would gather weekly to celebrate the Sabbath. These were times to remember what God had done for His people and to celebrate His goodness. They were times for the entire faith community to gather together without the burden of work to simply worship and celebrate. During the feasts, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and offered sacrifices to God. New Testament Significance The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by His sinless sacrifice, and the Festival of Firstfruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of the Messiah. The Feast of Harvest began with a great harvest of three thousand souls by the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, who continues to harvest souls today. The Feast of Trumpets will announce Christ s return, the Day of Atonement will usher in His judgment of the nations, and finally, the Feast of Tabernacles begins the journey to our new home in a new heaven and new earth. Unleavened Bread Further Resources Read about Jewish festivals at: teaching/jew-hol.htm This week we are highlighting the Festival of Unleavened Bread. It is a celebration of God s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt, and ultimately His deliverance of our bondage from sin. The Festival of Unleavened Bread begins the day after Passover. It was a command upon God s people to take seven days to eat bread without yeast and to cease from working on the first and seventh days. The unleavened bread represents their quick departure from Egypt, not having time for their yeast to rise. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of yeast (or leaven) symbolically, as sin. He broke unleavened bread with His disciples and said, This is My body. Jesus was without sin while His body was broken during His crucifixion. 3

4 Support There were seven annual feasts that God prescribed for the people of Israel. God had them continually celebrate together and remind each other of their meaning. This was for a very specific reason. They were a forgetful people. We, too, are forgetful. We need constant reminders of who God is and what He has done for us. In the New Testament, God has given us the celebration of the Lord s Supper, or Communion, to help us regularly bring to mind the sacrifice that Christ made for us. Remembering and celebrating are integral aspects of an intimate Christian walk. When we remember, we bring back into our present experience the full weight and import of the event. We can then rejoice and celebrate together the goodness of God. Take some time this week and remember what it is God has done for you. Start with the fact that God made you. What does that mean? Remember to whom you belong. What does this mean to you? He made you for a purpose. God doesn t make mistakes which means He can be glorified through you, His creation, just as you are, regardless of what you may think are less than ideal features. You are God s workmanship His masterpiece that He is refining for His glory. Because God made you, be confident and satisfied in who you are, and then celebrate God s goodness. 4

5 Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare Explore min. Discover min. Exploration stations create space for children to engage in hands-on activities as they begin their time of worship. Facilitate interactive games, songs, and storytelling, allowing children to participate in discovering God s Word. Option 1: Mixed-Up Faces (Two-Year-Old Option) plastic tray embroidery hoop (available at your local craft store) felt, light color self-adhesive strips magazines scissors laminating sheets or contact paper Option 2: Five Senses Tray (Three-Year-Old Option) plastic tray clean plastic meat or vegetable tray, 1 per child tape glue jingle bells (available at Walmart a local craft store) chenille wires raisins or wrapped candy cotton balls perfume pinecones velvet cloth scissors rocks Transition Song The Cleanup Song from TruBlessings Worship Welcome TruBlessings Theme Song from TruBlessings Worship Hamilton puppet Hamilton s house party hats, 1 for each child plus Hamilton The Big God Story gift bag tissue paper hand mirror Respond 5 min. Create space for children to celebrate God together in worship through music. Song of Celebration Suggestion: Child of God from Songs from the Playhouse by TruWorship (available for Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users; or itunes) 5

6 Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare Bless 5 min. Bless the children that they may experience God fully. Bible (for the blessing) snack Connect min. Games, songs, manipulatives, sensory and art activities are used to help children reinforce what they experienced in DISCOVER. Option 1: Look at Me (Two-Year-Old Option) silver mirror board ( com) construction paper scissors craft sticks tape stickers markers Option 2: Big People (Two- and Three-Year-Old Option) white butcher paper pen crayons markers Option 3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (Three-Year-Old Option) none Hamilton s Box of Fun God Made Me coloring page (see Lessons Tab) waffle blocks ( small felt boards with felt pieces instruments linking sets ( sensory balls The Cleanup Song from TruBlessings Worship HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource HomeFront Weekly HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource 6

7 Explore:: min. Exploration stations create space for children to engage in hands-on activities as they begin their time of worship. Option 1: Mixed-Up Faces 2 s Supplies plastic tray embroidery hoop (available at a local craft store) felt, light color self-adhesive strips magazines scissors laminating sheets or contact paper PREPARE Insert the felt into the embroidery hoop. Trim away the felt from the hoop. Attach the selfadhesive strips where the eyes, ears, and mouth would be. Look through magazines and cut out different pictures of eyes, noses, and mouths. Laminate the magazine cutouts. Attach the self-adhesive strips to the back of each cutout. Set up Place the hoop and the body parts on the plastic tray. Engage Invite one child at a time to the table. God made you. He made every person with different eyes, noses, and mouths. Let s have some fun making some mixed-up faces with the eyes, noses, and mouths. When the child is finished making different faces, clear off the face so the next child has a blank face. 7

8 Option 2: Five Senses Tray 3 s Supplies plastic tray clean plastic meat or vegetable tray, 1 per child tape glue jingle bells (available at Walmart or your local craft store) chenille wires raisins or wrapped candy cotton balls perfume pinecones velvet cloth scissors rocks PREPARE Cut the chenille wire in two-inch pieces. Poke two small holes in each tray or plate, about three quarters of an inch apart. Thread two jingle bells on a piece of chenille wire. Push the ends of the wire through the two holes in the tray so that the bells are on the front of the tray and the wires are twisted securely on the back. Cut the velvet into small pieces. Set up Set the bell trays, glue, tape, raisins or candy, cotton balls, perfume, pinecones, velvet, and rocks on the plastic tray. Story Spots Story Spot refers to an item used to mark the place where each child sits. Consider using carpet squares, small circle-shaped rugs, or large sturdy place mats. When children hear the Transition Song, cue them to choose a Story Spot, place it in the gathering space, and sit down. At the close of your time together in The Big God Story, encourage children to return their Story Spots to their original location. Engage Invite one child at a time to the table. God made you special in so many ways. You will get to glue and tape things so you can remember how special God made you. Each of your body parts does a different job. Look, I put some bells on the tray. Can you shake the tray? Do you hear them jingle? You use your ears to hear. Let s tape a piece of food on the tray. What do you use to taste things with? Your mouth and tongue. Let s put some perfume on the cotton ball. Attach the cotton ball to the tray. Mmm, how does that smell? You use your nose to smell. We have a rock, pinecone, and a piece of velvet. Let s attach them to the tray. They all feel different. Let s use our fingers to feel them. God gave us five senses: ears to hear, eyes to see, a mouth to taste, a nose to smell, and fingers to touch. When you take your tray home you can show your family how to use their five senses. When you have finished attaching all of the items to the tray, invite the next child up and start with a new tray. Transition Song: The Cleanup Song from TruBlessings Worship. 8

9 Discover:: min. Children participate in discovering God s Word through storytelling, worship, and interactive experiences. Welcome Supplies TruBlessings Theme Song from TruBlessings Worship Hamilton puppet Hamilton s house party hats, 1 for each child plus Hamilton Hi, kids! Welcome! I am so excited to be here with you today. Let s all celebrate God by singing and dancing together! (Play the Opening Theme Song from TruBlessings Worship and lead kids in dance and celebration.) AS YOU BEGIN STORYTELLING As you begin the storytelling section of DISCOVER, have a volunteer available to be Hamilton the Hedgehog using the puppet you provide. Or you may choose to act as the storyteller and the puppeteer. Encourage Hamilton to come out of his house. Consider having a facade that is part of your stage/teaching area. This facade can act as a puppet stage to conceal puppeteers. However, if this is not an option, if children see the volunteer with the puppet on his/her hand, encourage the volunteer to interact with Hamilton and the children. Their participation will help kids to see the puppeteer and puppet as separate characters. Ponder Point: God Made Me Wow! That was great! Now, everyone, take a seat it s time to hear part of The Big God Story! Who else likes to learn about The Big God Story? That s right Hamilton the Hedgehog! Shall we call him and ask him join us? (The children will answer.) On the count of three, let s call him together. Are you ready? One, two, three. Hamilton, where are you? (Encourage the kids to call for Hamilton. Have Hamilton come out of his house wearing a party hat. It s okay if the children see the volunteer with the puppet on her hand.) Hi, Hamilton, you look like you are ready for a party. (Hamilton nods up and down.) Do you have something for all of the boys and girls? (Hamilton nods yes. Give each child a party hat.) It looks like we are going to have a party! Let s get started. Are you ready to hear this part of The Big God Story? (Hamilton nods excitedly.) Me too! But before we get started, do you know where we can find The Big God Story? (Have Hamilton nod his head and gesture to the Bible.) That s right the Bible. God gave us the Bible so we can learn about Him. It s full of things that help us get to know God. We read the Bible to learn about God and about His Son, Jesus. And I know that you love to dig, dig, dig right into God s Word to find out what He has to say to us. Isn t that right, Hamilton? (Have Hamilton nod his head.) Let s all stand up and sing our Bible Song together. 9

10 The Big God Story is written for a two- to three-yearold audience and can be told in its entirety for an older audience, but may need to be shortened if the class is on the younger side. Prayer of Release A Prayer of Release is a prayer asking God to remove any distractions that would get in the way of hearing from and responding to Him. As we pray, we dedicate this time to the Lord and ask to be filled with knowledge and understanding from Him, giving God His rightful role as teacher. We can begin to model this posture of prayer with the children in our care. To lead two- to three-yearold children, pray a simple prayer thanking God for His presence and asking Him to teach you as you gather together. For example: Thank You, God, for being with us. We ask that You would teach us today. Bible Song (sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb ) Now it s time to hear God s Word Hear God s Word Hear God s Word Now it s time to hear God s Word So let s look in the Bible As the song ends, have the children return to their Story Spots. Hamilton can model this for the children by sitting quietly as he listens to The Big God Story. The volunteer can return him to his house with his little face peeking out, or she may choose to sit quietly with him throughout the storytelling section. The Big God Story SUPPLIES gift bag tissue paper hand mirror PREPARE Wrap the mirror in the tissue paper and tuck it inside the gift bag. SET UP Okay, friends, before we get started, let s all pray together and ask God to teach us. (Lead the kids in a Prayer of Release as you prepare to hear God s Word.) Today is a special day! We are celebrating all that God has taught us and given us. We have our party hats on and we are ready to learn more from The Big God Story. It wouldn t be a party without a present, and I have one right here. Let s see what is inside. (Unwrap the gift and pull out the mirror.) What is this? It s a mirror. I like to look into the mirror and guess what I see me! Who made me? God did. Who made you? Yes, God did. In The Big God Story we learned about God creating a man named Adam and a woman named Eve. God made Adam and Eve, and He made us too! Let s look inside the mirror and see what we see. (Give the mirror to the first child.) What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see two eyes? What color are your eyes? God made your eyes so you can see. (Pass the mirror to the next child.) Do you see your eyes? What color are they? God made your eyes so beautiful. (You can continue to pass the mirror around so everyone gets to look at what color eyes they have, or you can move on to the next part of the story.) (Continue to pass the mirror around.) What do you see on your face that you use to smell? A nose. God gave us each a nose that we can use to smell things with. I love the smell of (fill in the blank). Let s pass the mirror around, and you can look at your nose and tell me something you like to smell. (Pass the mirror around to as many kids as you have time for.) 10

11 There is something else on your face. It helps you talk and taste food. What is it? That s right a mouth. Who made our mouths? Yes, God did. He gave you teeth and a tongue too. I love to eat (fill in the blank). Let s pass the mirror around and you can look at your mouth, teeth, and tongue and tell me one thing you like to eat. I m so glad God gave us mouths. (Pass the mirror around to a couple of children or allow all of the children to have a turn.) I can think of two more things on your head that we didn t talk about. They help you listen. What are they? Yes, ears. God made our ears so we can listen to all of the sounds around us. Birds chirping, families talking, friends laughing. Let s pass around the mirror and look at our two ears. Tell me something you like to listen to. I like to listen to (fill in the blank). (Pass around the mirror to the children so they can respond.) There is something growing out of the top of our head. What is it? Hair. God gave us all different-colored hair. Some of our hair is short; some people have long hair; some people have curly hair. Let s pass around the mirror and see what color hair we have. God gave me (fill in the blank) hair. (Pass the mirror around so the children can look at their hair and respond.) God made each one of us special. He gave us a heart to love Him and love others. Who do you love? (Interact with the children and their responses.) God made us, and we can know Him and love Him! Let s all stand up and put our hands in the air and tell God, Thank You for making me! (Stand up with the children and say that statement a couple of times.) Have the children say good-bye to Hamilton as he goes back into his house. Thank him for coming and being a part of The Big God Story. 11

12 Respond:: 5 min. Song of Celebration Children have the opportunity to respond to God as they celebrate Him within the faith community. Today we are celebrating that God made you and me. Let s all stand up so we can dance using our legs and feet, clap using our hands, and sing using our mouths. Are you ready to celebrate that God made us? Lead kids in a celebratory worship song. Suggested song: Child of God from Songs from the Playhouse by TruWorship. Bless:: 5 min. This time is set aside for leaders to spend a few moments blessing the children. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement and guidance. A blessing can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life in such a way that blesses others, while it can also be prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. Children, remember that God made you special and wonderful. Open a Bible and read Psalm 139:13 14: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Snack: If you want to tie in the snack with the lesson, you can have cupcakes or cookies with faces on them. Or, you can make a trail mix with raisins, chocolate pieces, marshmallows, and cereal. Choose something that is fun and different so the children know you are celebrating that God made them. As the kids eat, sit down with them and engage them in conversation. Be sure to consider any food allergies or check with parents ahead of time. 12

13 Connect:: min. Games, songs, manipulatives, sensory and art activities are used to help children reinforce what they experience in DISCOVER. Option 1: Look at Me 2 s SUPPLIES silver mirror board (available at construction paper scissors craft sticks tape stickers markers PREPARE Cut the construction paper into 4 ¼ x 5 ½ pieces, enough for one per child. Cut the mirror board into 2 ½ x 3 ½ pieces, enough for one per child. Attach the mirror board to the construction paper with tape. Tape one craft stick to the back each piece of paper. It should resemble a handheld mirror. SET UP Set a mirror at each child s seat. Put the markers, crayons, and stickers in the middle of the table. ENGAGE Invite the children to join you at the table. Today in The Big God Story we looked into a mirror to see the child that God made. He made each of us special. Today we get to decorate our own mirror. You can use the stickers, markers, and crayons to make your mirror any way that you want. When you go home, you can take your mirror and show your family how God made them special too. 13

14 E X P LO R E D I S C OVE R R E S P O N D B LE S S C ON N ECT N OT E S : Option 2: Big People 2 s 3 s SUPPLIES white butcher paper pen crayons markers PREPARE Trace the outline of a child s body on the butcher paper. SET UP Set the paper on the floor or low table. Set crayons and markers around the paper. ENGAGE Invite the children to join you around the paper. Who made you? God did. We have a child drawn on this paper but it has no hair or eyes or clothes. Can you help me make this person beautiful just like you? Let the children use their own creativity to make the person however they like. Option 3: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes 3 s ENGAGE Invite the children to join you in an open area. God made you and God made me. He gave us so many different parts on our body. Each has a special job. Can you show me where your head is? Where your shoulders are? Where your knees are? Where your toes are? Great job! Let s sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. To mix up the song, sing it really fast and really slow. Ongoing CONNECT Option Hamilton s Box of Fun Invite the kids to your circle time area and sing together: Hamilton s Box (sung to the tune of Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? ) Where, oh where is Hamilton s Box? Oh where, oh where can it be? It s full of fun toys that we sure like a lot Oh where, oh where can it be? Hamilton s box of fun is a recurring activity that can be used each week. Some options have been provided to help you create your own box of fun. Each quarter, the suggested supplies for Hamilton s Box will be refreshed. Be sure to check the Lessons Tab every week for the most recent coloring page. Pick one or two kids to help find the box or basket. Once it s found, you can place it in the middle of your circle time area and invite the kids to come and explore what is inside. Ask: Come on over, everyone! What fun things can we explore today? Let s take turns playing with things and even play together. When it s time to put the toys away, cue the kids with a Cleanup Song. (Choose a fun song that your children will recognize as the Cleanup Song each week, possibly with a circus theme or other recognizable sound that is different from other music.) 14

15 Hamilton s Box of Fun SUPPLIES God Made Me coloring page (see Lessons Tab) waffle blocks ( small felt boards with felt pieces instruments linking sets (available at sensory balls The Cleanup Song from TruBlessings Worship SET UP Put a variety of fun objects/toys in the box. Hide the box or basket somewhere in the room. Clean the objects each week after use. HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God s Word together before children arrive at church. HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource Every four weeks we highlight one of the 10 environments. For each new environment, parents should receive HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource. This resource gives families ideas for how to create fun, spiritually forming times in their home setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! 15