Elementary Stat Leader Manual

Transcription

1 Totally Catholic Elementary Stat ion Leader Manual y r e Bible Discov matur i r p m I h t Wi

2 Tot Totally Catholic Bible Discovery LEADER MANUAL Copyright 2017 Group Publishing, Inc. Nihil Obstat Reverend Monsignor Michael Heintz, Ph.D. Censor librorum Imprimatur Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend October 2016 The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat or Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed. All rights reserved. No part of this leader manual may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, except where noted in the text and in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. On the Clip Art & Resources CD you ll find a handy Permission Release Form to help you use various pieces of art and content within this program without having to first contact Group Publishing to obtain permission. You may print out this form to take to your local bakery, T-shirt vendor, or office supply store; or to provide as documentation to church administration should they require release verification. There s no need to return or send the Permission Release Form to Group Publishing, Inc. or to permissions@group.com. Visit our websites: vbs.osv.com osvparish.com Make some noise for the team who created this VBS: Laura Baldwin-Stout, Jody Brolsma, Stephen Caine, Shelly Dillon, Lyndsay Gerwing, Elisa Hansen, Jan Kershner, Laycie McClain, Michael Paustian, Kelsey Perry, Mike Porter, Joani Schultz, Patty Smith, Rodney Stewart, Andy Towler, and Gabriele Woolever; and from Our Sunday Visitor: Heidi Busse, Constance Carlson, and Marla Overholt. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ISBN CU5793 Printed in the United States of America

3 Basic Things to Know Choose a room for your Bible Discovery. Since you ll actually be experiencing the Bible stories, you don t want to be right next to a room with a lot of noise. Ideally, your room should be large and off by itself a little, with an unused room and hallway nearby because you won t be sitting still or staying put during Bible Discovery! Create a unique setting each day. One big difference between Maker Fun Factory and other VBS programs is that kids become part of the Scripture story with their hearts, minds, and emotions. Part of that experience comes when you create a unique setting each day. But don t worry we re The Easy VBS. So setup is well easy! At our field test, we used few decorating supplies. The ones we did use, we used again and again to create different settings. Who knew you could do so much with black plastic, greenery, and "stones"? Work with the VBS Director to collect necessary supplies. Almost all of the supplies we used are easy to find around the parish, from parishioners, or from Our Sunday Visitor. (Okay, we did have the Big Blue Sky Wall Hanging and Water Fabric from past field tests. You may already have supplies from past summers too!) You can use the VBS offertory envelope we have created just for Maker Fun Factory and have a special collection for your summer program (available through Our Sunday Visitor). You can also list supplies in your parish bulletin and ask parishioners to donate or lend items such as tarps, solid-color sheets, black fabric, plastic greenery, cardboard boxes, and newspapers. In the supply lists, items shown with an asterisk are available from Our Sunday Visitor. Determine the number of Crews you ll have in each rotation. At Maker Fun Factory VBS, kids join mixed-age Crews groups of up to five elementary-age kids and one adult or teenage leader. Plan on having one-quarter of the total number of Crews in each of your rotations. For example, if your VBS has 20 Crews, you ll be working with 5 Crews (approximately 25 kids and 5 leaders) during each session. Use an attention-getting signal. Attention-getting signals let kids know when it s time to stop what they re doing and look at you. You can use the Wow Whistle (available from Our Sunday Visitor) or another signal of your choice. The first time kids come to your station, introduce and rehearse your attention-getting signal. Once kids are familiar with the signal, you will automatically regain their attention when you use it. TINKER TIP TINKER TIP It s so important and easy! to create a new setting in the Bible Discovery room each day so kids can experience the Word of God in fresh and exciting ways. It s worth the minor setup time to hear Awesome! and Wow! when kids walk in! Bible 1

4 Wow, God! Repeat the daily Bible Point often. Every activity at Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS focuses on one simple, memorable daily Bible Point. Repeating the Bible Point again and again will help children remember it and then apply it to their lives after VBS. Each time kids hear the day s Bible Point, they ll hold up all 10 fingers and shout, Wow, God! Call on kids Crew roles. Every day, kids within a Crew choose one of five jobs: Kit Carrier, Guide, Prayer Person, Schedule Supervisor, or Thank You-er! Kids love having a special job every day, especially when those jobs get called on. To ensure that everyone gets a turn during Maker Fun Factory VBS, each Station Leader will call on the same role every day. Since kids can switch roles daily, you ll give everyone a chance to participate in a special way. During Bible Discovery, you ll call on the Schedule Supervisor. Get Crew Leaders involved! Be sure Crew Leaders understand that you expect them to participate right along with the kids. Over the years, we ve discovered that when Crew Leaders listen, get involved, and have fun kids do too! So get everyone in on the fun! 2

5 DAY 1 Bible Point: God made you. Bible Story: God lovingly creates people. (Psalm 139; Genesis 1:26 2:4) Consider This Throughout history, kings traditionally used plurals when referring to themselves. This royal we is known to have occurred in the Hebrew language. Today most countries accept midnight as the beginning of the next new day. In ancient Israel a day began at sunset and ended the following evening. To the people of this time, a 24-hour day consisted of a night followed by a day. The book of Psalms is actually five different books put together. Each of the five books is thought to correspond with a book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). Psalm 139 is part of the fifth book of Psalms. The Psalms were written primarily as songs of thanksgiving and praise, but also supplication and lament, that would ve been set to music and used in a communal liturgical setting. We sing one of the Psalms at each Mass. Why It Matters Today s kids are in the unique position to compare themselves to the entire world. Social media gives us all a mirror to which we compare ourselves. That s why today s message matters! You get the chance to help kids at your VBS understand (and cherish) that they were intentionally, lovingly, carefully crafted by God. You ll have the opportunity to help kids (and even leaders) set aside the mirror and live gratefully in the realization that the same God who created the entire planet also formed their fingers, toes, brain, and being with his skillful hands. Help kids discover that they re one-of-a-kind creations of the most-high God who loves them dearly. Catholic ID: Gratitude Today s research shows that the practice of gratitude leads to happier, healthier life. Gratitude should be the easiest, most natural discipline of all, but most of us need to be intentional in developing this habit, or spiritual discipline. Both St. Paul s letter to the Thessalonians and his letter to the Colossians call us to a life of perpetual thanksgiving, continually, always, at all times. Many of the Psalms were written to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. We give thanks each time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist at Mass; indeed, the word Eucharist means to give thanks. We thank God for the many blessings he bestows upon us, for his free and eternal love, and most of all, for the gift of his Son, Jesus. Key Verse: I praise you because I am wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) 3

6 DAY 1 At Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station s activities for unforgettable Catholic faith formation. See how your station reinforces today s Bible Point. God made you. Sound Wave Sing & Play Bible Discovery Learn the Day 1 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Decker. Sing Maker Fun Factory VBS songs. Meet Ian Victor, a guy who s successful at everything except inventing. Discuss Connecting Kids to Justice. Create people, discover how wonderfully complex God made them, and leave unique fingerprints. Snack Factory KidVid Cinema Maker Mix The Purgamonsters Lego Robotics team works on complex creations and shares how they are complex creations made by a loving God. Learn about the Connecting Kids to Justice Clean Water project. Imagination Station Funshop Finale Stuff G.U.T.S.Y. Bears and reflect on all of the wonderful ways God made them inside and out! See who is starring in today s Spotlight VBS. Review the No Hum Drum reminds of God s complex creations. Meet Saint Rose of Lima. Game Makers 4 day. Discover how a Creation Combos Make It Hoppin Splash to Know You

7 D AY 1 Supplies You ll Need Every Day Getting Ready Creating today s Bible setting is super easy. Simply hang Blue Sky Fabric Backdrop on the walls of your room. Hang from the ceiling using Magnetic Hooks. Each day you can add more items for atmosphere as the Bible story changes. For each rotation, cut a heart shape from the white foam. Prepare a brown paper lunch bag for each Crew in each rotation. In every bag, place 1 Styrofoam ball, 2 googly eyes, several craft sticks, and then a variety of other items such as ribbon, twine, foil, paper, cloth, or yarn. Try to place approximately the same amount of items in each bag. But since each bag should be somewhat unique, vary the items in the bags so they re not identical. Prepare a small basket for each Crew, per rotation. In the basket place a few markers, a pair of safety scissors, and a roll of We used 2 standard invisible tape. You ll reuse these sheets of white foam to baskets in each rotation. create 4 foam hearts. Place a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. Prepare a bucket of tennis or foam balls for each Crew, per rotation. Welcome Creative Crews For each rotation, you ll greet Crews outside the Bible Expeditions room. When all Crews have arrived, introduce yourself. Say: Welcome to Bible Discovery! I m so glad you re here! Every day at Bible Discovery, we ll explore a different story from God s Word. Hold up your Bible, and open it at John 1. But you won t just hear a Scripture story you ll experience it! We ll go back in time and meet Bible characters to discover what their adventures were really like. So are you ready for our first Bible Discovery? Great! Let s get going! Come on in. Enlist the help of volunteers to help prepare the paper bags. They ll be finished in a snap! TTIINNKKEERR TTIPIP The blankets are an easy way for Crews to quickly know where to sit. And knee-to-knee Crew circles ensure that kids are sitting close enough together to hear each other during discussions. If necessary, demonstrate what knee-to-knee looks like. Having Crews automatically form these circles will make your sessions run much more smoothly. Bible Wow Whistle* attention-getter small blankets or throw rugs (1 per Crew per rotation) Big Blue Sky Wall Hanging* Magnetic Hooks helper Day 1 Supplies brown paper lunch bags (1 per Crew) buckets (1 pair per Crew per rotation) 1-inch Styrofoam balls (1 per Crew) variety of chenille wires (at least 4 per Crew) Natural-Colored Googly Eyes* (at least 2 per Crew) Glue Dots* colored craft sticks (several per Crew) various widths and colors of ribbon various colors of yarn colored twine variety of items such as squares of aluminum foil, cloth scraps, paper scraps small baskets (1 per Crew per rotation) child-safety scissors (1 pair per Crew per rotation) invisible tape (1 roll per Crew per rotation) permanent markers (a few per Crew per rotation) tennis or foam balls (one per person per rotation) Xacto knife sheets of white foam 2 Red Stamp Pads* wet wipes (optional) * available from Our Sunday Visitor 5

8 Make Pretend People Say: I m so excited to share today s story! To get started, I have a special assignment for you. You ll need some supplies, but don t open your bag just yet. Give each Crew Leader a closed bag of craft supplies that you prepared earlier. I want to see how creative you are. You ll have two minutes to make a person with the supplies in your bag. You can use all of the supplies, or just some of them. The only rule is that everyone in your Crew has to help. Agreed? So when I count to three, open your bag and start creating your person! Remember, you ll only have two minutes. Ready? 1 2 3! Have Crews open their bags and begin making their people. Give a 30-second warning before calling time at two minutes. In your Crew, choose someone to stand and hold up the person you made. We all want to see! Point to each Crew in turn, and have someone stand and hold up the Crew s person. Look! The people you made are all different! That s just how God made us we re all different! Then ask: What was it like trying to make your person? What were you thinking and feeling as you worked? Have kids call out their answers. How did you decide what your person would look like? Have kids call out their answers. You worked hard at making your person! Although it looked like it wasn t quite as easy as you might have thought. But that s never the case with God! Let s explore a little more. Creation Power Say: Today at Maker Fun Factory we re discovering that God made you. (Wow, God!) He made all of you (point to a Crew), and all of you (point to another Crew). Continue until you ve pointed to all Crews. And he made me! Point to yourself. God s creative power is incredible. I mean, think about it. God created the whole universe and everything in it! The Scriptures tell us that God said, Let there be light and there was light. It was the same with the land, the animals, and the birds. All God had to say was Let there be And there was! And he said everything he made was good. 6

9 Then God created human beings in his own image. And he said that it was very good. Of course, we re not made in God s physical image, but God gave us physical bodies that are pretty spectacular. Let me show you what I mean. Wonderfully Complex Hearts Hold your Bible open at Psalm 139. Say: There s a famous person in the Bible named David. He started out as a shepherd and along the way he was a musician, a soldier, a commander, and eventually a king! Listen to what David said about how God made him. For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother s womb. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. I agree one hundred percent with David! Our bodies that God made are wonderful! Let s try something hop up. Give each Crew a bucket of squishy balls, and have each person take one. Okay, hold the ball in whichever hand you want. When I count to three, I want you to squeeze the ball, then relax your hold. Then squeeze the ball and relax your hold. Demonstrate. Keep squeezing and relaxing, squeezing and relaxing. I ll time you for a minute. But no stopping and no changing hands. You can silently count your number of squeezes if you want. Ready? 1 2 3! Squeeze! Call time after one minute. Ask: How does your hand feel right now? Have kids call out answers. Okay, you can sit down again. Pause. I bet your hand is kind of tired right now! That was a lot of squeezing! Ask: Did anyone count your squeezes? How many did you count? Have kids call out answers. Listen to this cool fact. The average number of heart beats in a minute is 70. Seventy times a minute is a lot! And the force it took you to squeeze that ball is about the same force your heart uses to pump blood through your body. Your heart is awesome! 7

10 Wonderfully Complex Lungs Say: It was fun learning about how God made your heart! Let s explore a little more about how God made you. (Wow, God!) Give each Crew a basket of balloons, and have each person take one. Say that when you give the signal, kids will blow as much air as they can into the balloon with just one breath, then they ll pinch the balloon closed. When everyone understands, say: Ready! Set! Go! Have kids each blow into the balloons and pinch them closed. How much air did you blow into your balloon? Compare your balloon with your Crew friends. Pause as kids compare their balloons. Listen to this! In an average day, your lungs move enough air to blow up more than 1,000 balloons! The lungs God made for you are awesome! Then have everyone sit down. Collect the balloons so they re not a distraction. Let s keep going! Wonderfully Complex Brain Point to your head. Say: Inside this protective covering is my control center my brain! Let s discover something about the amazing brain God made for you! Everybody hop up and stand in your Crew circle. Pause. When I say Go! high five everyone in your Crew as fast as you can. Ready! Set! Go! Pause as kids high five each other. Each time your hand touched another hand in the circle, your brain received a message. And that message traveled up to 170 miles per hour! That s incredible! The brain is so complex! Hey, that s exactly what David said! He was right! Okay, let s sit down and rest. 8

11 Complex Creations Say: Well, we ve talked about the amazing bodies God made, but what about the amazing people inside the bodies? Some of those people are really good runners. Others love to read. Others are good listeners. Talk about this question in your Crew. Ask: What s one unique trait that God gave to you? What s something special and unique about you? Tell your Crew. Give kids time to talk, then continue. Each of you is a unique and complex creation of God. You re no accident or mistake. God loves you and made you especially to be YOU! God knew what he was doing! Remember David in the Bible? I keep coming back to him. I want to read a little more of what David said in the Bible. Listen: My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. Wow! God is amazing. He knows everything about us, everything that will ever happen to us. And did you know this? Look at your fingerprint. Pause. You ve probably heard that every fingerprint is unique, not like any other one. But did you know this? Your fingerprint basically doesn t change it s your fingerprint and no one else s from the time you re 12 weeks old in your mother s womb! Just like David said, God was forming you in the darkness of the womb. By 12 weeks when you were only about two inches long God had already given you your own, unique fingerprint! You were YOU! Heartfelt Fingerprints Say: God made you. (Wow, God!) And God loves you. Let s thank God right now for making you. You ll each add your own, one-of-a-kind fingerprint to this heart. Lay the foam heart on the floor in the center of the room. Place a Red Stamp Pad on either side of the heart. Each person will press a finger or thumb onto an ink pad and then onto the heart. 9

12 CD Track 9 Play You Forgive Me (track 9) softly in the background as kids add their fingerprints to the heart. When each Crew has had a turn, turn off the music and place the heart aside. Save the fingerprint hearts for use on Day 4. Closing Prayer Say: Let s close our eyes in prayer, with more words from David. Here s what Scripture says: How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them they are more than the sand. Pray: Thank you, God, for giving us wisdom about how you made us. Thank you for making each special person here today. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. When you hear your director s signal, dismiss kids to their next destination. 10

13 DAY 2 Bible Point: God is for you. Bible Story: Rahab believes in God s mighty power. (Joshua 1 2) Consider This Rahab s short, yet crucial, role in this passage contains strong examples of faith, strength, grace, and mercy. The first part of Rahab, Ra, was the name of an Egyptian god. As an Amorite, Rahab belonged to an idolatrous people, and she had a name meaning insolence, fierceness, or broad, spaciousness. Rahab may have impacted history in another way, as many scholars trace Jesus lineage back to her. Joshua received plenty of training for his leadership position, serving as Moses personal aide for 40 years. The book of Joshua illustrates the people s struggle with fulfilling God s calling, but it also shows his fidelity to his promises. It is a call for us to be faithful to him who is faithful to us. Rahab hid the spies under stalks of flax that had been soaked in water and left to dry in the sun. Flax was very useful during Rahab s time and still is today. Flax is a small golden-colored grain that can be ground into a flour for bread or crackers or eaten whole. The stalks are used to make a durable and valuable cloth called linen. In the Near East the flax harvest occurs near the time of the feast of the Passover. Why It Matters Take a look around you and you ll likely see people of all ages showing what they believe in. T-shirts proudly promote superheroes, ball caps shout logos of sports teams, bumper stickers tell what political candidates we like, and bracelets call out our connection to charitable causes. Kids know what it means to rally behind a cause, person, or team. So consider how the kids at your VBS will feel as they discover that God is for them! On days when they feel like they don t have a friend in the world or when everything seems to be against them, kids can find comfort in knowing that God is on their side. Use every opportunity today to remind kids that God is championing their cause because of his unfailing love. Catholic ID: Communion of Saints All believers, living and dead, are a part of the Communion of Saints. The Catechism says, We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers (CCC 962). The saints are exemplars of how to follow Christ; they teach us how to live faithful and holy lives. The saints are our advocates and intercessors, and they are also friends and mentors. Key Verse: If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31) 11

14 DAY 2 At Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station s activities for unforgettable Catholic faith formation. See how your station reinforces today s Bible Point. God is for you. Sound Wave Sing & Play Bible Discovery Learn the Day 2 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Tina. Sing Maker Fun Factory songs. Discuss God Sightings, and add a God Sight Lightbulb to the set. Ian feels like the whole world is against him. Discuss Connecting Kids to Justice. Hide on Rahab s roof, learn how God helped her and the Israelite spies, and remember that God is for them too! Snack Factory KidVid Cinema Marshmallow Fort Addy has to conquer her fears and trust God as she jumps, balances, and flips on horseback! Learn about the Connecting Kids to Justice Clean Water project. Imagination Station Funshop Finale Use Connect-a-Gears to build amazing structures, and remember that God supports and builds them up. Meet today s Spotlight VBS. Review the in day. See an Electroscope that demonstrates the way God is for us. Saint Paul. Game Makers 12 Watch for familiar faces W Slippery Slide-Along Correct the Connect You Can!

15 D AY 2 Day 2 Supplies Getting Ready Use Starry Night Plastic Backdrop or black plastic to block off a section of a nearby unused hallway or room. If that s not possible, block off a section of your Bible Discovery room. This darkened area will be Rahab s rooftop. Line the walls with Flagstone Corobuff. At the end of the darkened area nearest to your Bible Discovery room, use short cardboard boxes to make a wall that kids can easily climb over. Set the rope near the wall, your rooftop exit. For each Crew in your largest rotation, crumple and lay one Straw Table Cover near the walls on your rooftop. Place a few Flicker Lights here and there. For extra fun, hang several bunches of flax from the ceiling in the darkened area. black plastic or Starry Night Plastic Backdrop* length of red rope Straw Table Covers* (1 per Crew per rotation) Flagstone Corobuff dried flax (we used stalks of plastic greenery from Hobby Lobby) (optional) cardboard boxes painted to look like stone Flicker Lights* * available from Our Sunday Visitor Welcome Crews Greet Crews outside your Bible Discovery room. When every Crew has arrived, say: Welcome to Bible Discovery! Remember, Bible Discovery is the place each day where we ll explore a different story from Scripture. Hold up your Bible marked at Romans 8:31 and Joshua 1:1. Are you ready to get started? Let s go! Lead kids into your Bible Discovery room, and invite Crews to each sit on a blanket. Discuss the Point Say: Today we re discovering that God is for you. (Wow, God!) Let me ask you something. Ask: What do you think it looks like if God is for you? Talk in your Crew. Give kids time to talk, then use your Wow Whistle to direct attention back to yourself. Ask a few willing kids to share their ideas with the rest of the group. 13

16 When you re for a friend, you want the best for that person. You help the person and look out for them. It s the same with God. But when God is for us, that s a pretty big deal, don t you think? Just think about it God knows everything, and he can do anything. To have God on your side is the best ever! And God is on your side! God is for you. (Wow, God!) Now let s see who God is for in today s Scripture story! Explain the Background Say: Let me give you a little background. Today s adventure takes place just after Moses, who was leading God s people, died. A guy named Joshua became the new leader. But he had big shoes to fill. After all, Moses had led God s people out of Egypt. And now they were ready to go into the land God had promised them. There was just one little problem. One tiny little problem. There were already other people living in that land. And they didn t believe in the one true God. In fact, they worshiped fake gods. And they weren t about to just give up their land. Sending Spies Say: So Joshua decided to send a couple spies into the new land to check things out. Ask: What is a spy? What do spies do? Call out your answer. Take a few answers from kids. Spies sneak around and try not to get caught while they look for information. Ask: How good do you think you d be as spies? Do you want to try? Okay! Everyone hop up. Let s go find this land God promised! Sneaking to Jericho Huddle everyone together. Joshua said to scout around the city of Jericho. So let s head there first. Come with me. But be quiet because if we get caught well it won t be pretty. Stick together and stay low. Lead Crews to the back entrance of the darkened area you prepared. This will be Rahab s rooftop. 14

17 Gather kids into a tight huddle before you get to the rooftop area you prepared. Have everyone crouch down with you. Okay, we made it to Jericho. So far, so good. But now what? Look and point up. Look at the size of that city wall! We ll never climb over that! And it s getting dark. Pretend to contemplate. Well, we can t stay here, that s for sure. Someone will see us and report us! I have an idea! Let s find a house where we can hide and get some information. Come with me. Lead kids to the entrance of the rooftop area, and crouch down again. This is the house of a woman here in town. Her name is Rahab. I think her house might be safe. You stay here and I ll go find her. And whatever you do, be quiet! Disappear around the corner very briefly, then hurry back. On Rahab s Roof Say: Bad news! Rahab said her house isn t safe! Someone told the king there were Israelite spies in the area, so they re out looking for them! But Rahab said we d be safe on her rooftop. Come on! This way! Lead kids into the roof area you prepared, and urge them to be quiet. Quiet! The king s men could be downstairs right now, questioning Rahab! I think I hear voices! We d better hide! Look! Here s some flax I think that s a kind of grain. Perfect! We can use it to hide! Quick! Crouch down! Everyone crouch down! I ll cover you up! Cover each Crew with a Straw Table Cover. Urge kids to be quiet and still so they won t get caught. After a minute or two, say: I don t hear those voices anymore. Maybe the king s men have left. You stay hidden. I ll climb down and find out what s going on. Stay quiet! Leave the roof briefly, muttering things like These steps are steep! and Ow, I caught my toe! as you leave. Stay away very briefly, then return. 15

18 Rooftop Discussion Come back and continue. Say: I found Rahab, and good news the king s men have gone. We re safe! You can come out now. Have kids uncover themselves and sit with their Crews. Wow! Rahab is one quick thinker! The king s men came to her door and demanded she turn over the spies. That s us! But here s what she did. She said that yes, the spies had been here, but they left town right around dusk, when the city gates were closing. She said, If you hurry, you can catch up with them. So the king s men left in a hurry! Wow! Rahab really helped us! And I think I know why. When I was downstairs she said she knows our God is the real God. She s heard about the amazing things God has done, and said everyone in Jericho is terrified of us because of our God! She wants us to save her and her family when Joshua s army comes to take the town. I wonder if we should. After all, she saved our lives. Then again, she s not one of us. Ask: What do you think? Should we agree to save Rahab and her family? Let kids call out their answers. You know, I think we should save Rahab and her family. She knows our God is the true God, and she did help us. Hold up the rope. We ll tell her to hang this red rope from her window. When we come back to capture Jericho we ll know where she is and we ll be able to get her and her family out safely. But right now, I think we d better use this rope to get out of here! We ll climb down the outside wall and get back to our Bible Discovery room. Come on! Let s go! Help kids hold the rope and step over the wall. Lead everyone back to the Bible Discovery room, and say: What a story! God was for Rahab and the spies, and God is for us! (Wow, God!) Thank kids for coming today, and invite them back for tomorrow s true Bible discovery! When you hear your director s signal, dismiss kids to their next destination. 16

19 DAY 3 Bible Point: God is always with you. Bible Story: God is with Gideon. (Judges 6:11 7:25) Consider This In Judges 6:11, Gideon is threshing wheat in the bottom of a wine press. People usually did their threshing above ground and often on a hill where the wind would blow away the chaff. However, in such a position, Gideon would have been an easy target for the raiders that plagued the area. Threshing his wheat in the hidden pit of a wine press kept his crops from being stolen. The Amalekite and Midianite armies were camped in the valley of Jezreel, which was an incredibly fertile agricultural area and still is to this day. Whoever controlled this valley controlled all who lived around it. The dream described in Judges 7:13 might seem a little strange without some historical context. At that time, barley was far less valuable than wheat; therefore, barley bread was considered inferior to wheat bread. Similarly, the Amalekite and Midianite armies considered Gideon s army inferior to theirs. Why It Matters Researchers estimate that 1 in every 5 Americans struggles with loneliness. The kids and teens at your VBS are particularly vulnerable to such feelings because their brains are still developing and learning how to navigate their emotions. Now more than ever, kids need to hear from us that God is with them, guiding them, supporting them, and strengthening them. The kids at your VBS will be reassured to know that God truly wants to be a constant companion in their lives. You have the chance to point out that a relationship with God gives our lives meaning and helps satisfy our needs. Catholic ID: Real Presence of Christ The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center (National Directory for Catechesis, #35). We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is called transubstantiation. We also experience the Real Presence of Christ at Mass in the Word, in the Presider, and in the assembly, the Body of Christ gathered together as one. Key Verse: The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9) 17

20 DAY 3 At Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station s activities for unforgettable Catholic faith formation. See how your station reinforces today s Bible Point. God is always with you. Sound Wave Sing & Play Bible Discovery Learn the Day 3 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Bubba. Sing Maker Fun Factory songs. Share God Sightings, and bring up a God Sight Lightbulbs. Ian can t find anyone to help him with his invention. Discuss Connecting Kids to Justice. Discover how God gave Gideon s army victory over the Midianites. Snack Factory KidVid Cinema Mozza-Roll-Up Buddies Austin, Josh, and Alex didn t want anyone to feel left out, so they created a Buddy Bench for kids in their school. God is with us, just like a best buddy! Learn about the Connecting Kids to Justice Clean Water project. Imagination Station Funshop Finale Spin Whirly Gigs with a breath of air, and remember that God is always with them, even though they can t see him. Who s in the spotlight today in Spotlight VBS? Review the an Atmospheric Accelerator that moves objects without touching them! Meet Saint Mary MacKillop. Game Makers 18 day. Experience God Sighting Splashes God s With You (Simon Says) Shadow Chase

21 D AY 3 Getting Ready Make a red cellophane torch for each person in your largest rotation. Twist one end of a 10-inch length of cellophane and wrap the twist with duct tape, forming a handle. Place the torches in a basket or bin. Divide your room in half by placing a table in the center. Cover the table with a sheet or tablecloth. On the far side of your room create a stream. Lay a blue tarp or shower curtain liner on the floor. Cover the tarp with Water Fabric. Place several plastic bins in a line on the tarp. Place an inch or two of water in each bin. Place a little greenery on the table and around the edges of the room. In an unused hallway or room, set out an overturned plastic cup for each person in your first rotation. You'll replenish the cups between rotations. Also set out blocks or pieces of wood, plus a trash can. Day 3 Supplies Water Fabric* shallow plastic bins water blue tarp or shower curtain liner large basket or bin red cellophane duct tape table tablecloth or sheet plastic greenery plastic cups (1 per person) blocks or pieces of wood trash can * available from Our Sunday Visitor Welcome Crews Greet Crews outside your Bible Discovery room. When every Crew has arrived, say: Welcome to Bible Discovery! How are you enjoying Maker Fun Factory VBS? Are you having fun? Pause as kids respond. I m glad you re having fun! I m having fun, too! I love sharing God's Word with you! And today s Scripture story is amazing. Are you ready to get started? Let s go! A Midianite Mess Say: Yesterday we left God s people, the Israelites, getting ready to capture Jericho and enter the promised land. In today s story, we find God s people in a mess. Remember how I told you the people living in the promised land worshiped idols and fake gods? Well, after they took over the land, some of God s people started worshiping the idols, too. God didn t like that so he let his people be conquered by Midianites, a bunch of really mean warriors. The Midianites stole all the crops the Israelites grew, and brought in their own animals to eat all the grass. God s people were nearly starving! If they were able to grow a little grain they had to hide it right away so the Midianites didn t take it. That s where we meet up with a guy named Gideon. 19

22 Kid Quote One boy answered, When I do something wrong, I feel alone. Wow. Just wow. Gideon and an Angel Say: We find Gideon threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress, hiding his little bit of grain from the Midianites. Threshing is a way of separating the good parts of the wheat from the rest. Demonstrate threshing by hitting a stalk of plastic greenery against the table. Normally, threshing is done outdoors so the wind can carry away the parts you don t need. But Gideon was so scared of the Midianites that he was trying to thresh down inside a wine press. A wine press was kind of like a well in the ground. While he was threshing, an angel of the Lord appeared and said to Gideon, Mighty hero, the Lord is with you! Look around and over your shoulder. Um Gideon? A mighty hero? This guy hiding in a wine press? Gideon said to the angel, If the Lord is with us why has all this happened to us? Where are the miracles our ancestors told us about? The Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites. Today we re learning that God is always with you. (Wow, God!) But Gideon was confused. He wondered why God wasn t helping in his hard situation. Ask: When is a time you felt like Gideon maybe alone and abandoned? For me... Share a personal example. Then give Crews time to talk. I m pretty sure we ve all felt like Gideon. Alone and abandoned. Gideon may have felt abandoned by God, but that s all it was a feeling. It wasn t fact. Because God was still right there with Gideon. God s angel said to Gideon, Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you! I bet Gideon was thinking, What? Me? He said, But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest, and I am the least in my entire family! The Lord answered, I will be with you. Hey, that s what we re learning today! God is always with you. (Wow, God!) 20 Destroying Idols Say: That night God told Gideon to go out and destroy the idols that were near his father s house, and then build an altar to God. An altar in ancient times was like a little monument for God, sometimes made out of stones or wood. Come on, let s stomp some idols and build an altar! But we have to be careful. We don t want to get caught! Demonstrate how to stomp an overturned cup. Tell kids

23 they ll each quickly stomp one idol and place it in the trash can. Lead kids to the area where the cups are set up. Tell kids to each stomp one idol and throw it in the trash. Then have kids quickly work together to stack wood or blocks to build an altar to God. Hurry kids back into the Bible Discovery room to sit on their Crew blankets. Say: The next morning, when people saw what had happened to the idols, they suspected Gideon. They went to his father and said, Bring out your son. We re going to kill him for destroying the altar of Baal. (Pronounced "bale.") Baal was one of their fake gods. But Gideon s father said, Let Baal defend himself. When the people saw that Baal didn t do anything, they realized he was fake and they turned back to the one true God. Gideon s Army Say: Well, it was time for battle with the Midianites, so Gideon called all his men together. Okay, you re in Gideon s army now! Stand up at attention! Have kids stand at attention. Gideon looked around at his army, and it was kind of a sorry sight. There weren t all that many men, and the Midianite army was huge! Then God did a weird thing. He told Gideon, You have too many warriors. If you fight and win, you ll boast that it was because of your own strength. So send home anyone who s afraid to fight. Gideon told the men that anyone who was afraid could leave. And 22,000 men went home! Let s wave goodbye to them! Wave goodbye toward the door as you shout things like, Sorry you re afraid and Have a safe trip home. That left just 10,000 men. But God said it was still too many! He said to take the remaining men down to the stream and he would test them depending on how they drank water. Let s see what that s all about! 21

24 Drinking Water Lead kids over to the stream you created, and have kids stand on both sides of it. Say: Now, some of the men drank water by cupping it in their hands and lapping it like a dog. Like this. Demonstrate cupping your hands and pretending to lap water. Other men drank by kneeling down and drinking with their mouths in the stream. Pretend to demonstrate at the stream. Well, you re in Gideon s army now. So when I count to three, show me how you d drink water from the stream. Would you cup water in your hands and lap like a dog? Or would you drink straight from the stream? Please don t actually drink any water when I count to three. Please just pretend to drink the water. Have everyone kneel by the water. Count to three and have kids show how they d drink from the stream. Then have them return to their Crew blankets. Ask: How many would drink water from your hands? Raise your hands. Pause as kids respond. How many would drink from the stream? Pause as kids respond. In Gideon s army, 300 men drank from their hands. The rest drank with their mouths in the stream. God said to keep the ones who drank from their hands, and send the others home. But we ll let everyone stay in our army today! Battle the Midianites Say: The rest of the story happens at night. Dim the room lights, and continue in a low, excited voice. That night God said to Gideon, Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! Gideon gave each man in his army a ram s horn. We don t have any horns, so we ll just have to pretend like this. Curl your fingers like a mouthpiece of a horn and make the sound of blowing a ram s horn. Then have kids practice with you. Gideon also gave each of his men a torch. Give each person a cellophane torch. Gideon had his men surround the enemy camp, so let s spread out. Have kids spread out into a semi-circle, facing inward. Gideon said, When you hear me blow the ram s horn, blow your horn and hold up your torch! Then yell A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon! 22

25 When I count to three, we ll blow our horns, hold up our torches, and shout A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gideon! Count to three and lead kids in blowing the horns, holding up their torches, and yelling with you a couple times. The Midianites rushed around in a panic, trying to escape! God caused them to fight against each other! And look! Point across the room. They re running away! They re trying to escape! We have the victory! Lead everyone in cheering. Then have kids sit with their Crews. Current Challenges Say: Whoa! What a story! Gideon won the battle because God was with him all the way! God is always with you, too! (Wow, God!) Gideon didn t think he was up to the challenge of defeating the Midianites, but God was with him and made it possible. Ask: What challenge are you facing right now where you need God s help? Talk in your Crew. Give kids time to talk, then ask a few willing kids to share their answers. No matter what challenge or hard time you re facing in your life, remember: God is always with you! (Wow, God!) He loves you and will always be with you here at Maker Fun Factory and everywhere you go! Thank kids for coming to Bible Discovery today, and say you hope they ll come back tomorrow for the most important Bible story of all. When you hear your director s signal, dismiss kids to their next destination. 23

26 DAY 4 Bible Point: God will always love you. Bible Story: Jesus dies and rises to new life. (Luke 22:66 24:12) Consider This Pilate and the Jewish people didn t really get along. Pilate had taken from their funds to build Roman architecture in the area and had brought imperial images into the city. Roman authorities had already warned Pilate about the mounting tensions in the area he ruled. Pilate found Jesus innocent he didn t want to kill Jesus. But he gave in to public demand for the sake of his career. Most historians and scholars believe Jesus tomb was something like a cave, carved from the limestone hills surrounding Jerusalem. Bringing spices to a grave during Jesus time is equivalent to bringing flowers to a grave today. It was a sign of love and respect. Why It Matters Of the many incredible things God offers us, his love is undoubtedly the greatest. However, God s unyielding love might be a difficult concept for the kids at your VBS to grasp. We claim to love everything from hamburgers to sports teams, so it s easy to see where this confusion (or trivialization) comes from. But God s powerful love is transforming because it is without end. That is unlike anything kids see around them! The kids and adults at your VBS will be unearthing evidence of God s love as long as they live it s just that big. Today you ll help kids come closer to understanding that God s pure love is stronger than our shortcomings. Encourage your kids to keep looking for God Sightings, and look for opportunities where you can be an example of God s unfailing love for your VBS kids. Catholic ID: Sacrament of Reconciliation This is the Sacrament in which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven. It results in reconciliation with God and the Church. We believe that only ordained priests have the faculty of absolving sins from the authority of the Church in the name of Jesus Christ (CCC 1495). Individual confession with a priest is the principal means of absolution and reconciliation of grave sins within the Church. Contrition and conversion lead us to seek forgiveness for our sins so as to repair damaged relationships with God, self, and others. The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from sinful patterns of behavior and calls us to complete conversion to Christ. Reconciliation heals our sins and repairs our relationships. Key Verse: 24 Your steadfast love is established forever. (Psalm 89:2)

27 DAY 4 At Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station s activities for unforgettable Catholic faith formation. See how your station reinforces today s Bible Point. God wil always love you. Sound Wave Sing & Play Bible Discovery Learn the Day 4 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Skyler. Sing Maker Fun Factory songs. Tell about God Sightings, and bring up a God Sight Lightbulb. Ian worries about disappointing his mom. Discuss Connecting Kids to Justice. Place paper sins on a cross, celebrate Jesus resurrection, and learn his love for them will never end! Snack Factory KidVid Cinema S more of God s Love Kyle was sad when he found out that he had something called diabetes. But he knows that God always loves us in good and bad times. Learn about the Connecting Kids to Justice Clean Water project. Imagination Station Funshop Finale Decorate Gōbots and watch them go and stop, and be reassured that Jesus love for us will never end. Meet Enjoy today s Review the Experience what it feels like when there s not enough, and discover that God always has enough love for us. Saint Cecilia. Game Makers Spotlight VBS. day. Wacky Water Way Keep It Rolling Cross Connect 25

28 DAY 4 Day 4 Supplies Red Paper Heart Cutouts* (1 per person) rope lights fine-tip markers red markers (1 per Crew per rotation) clear duct tape wooden cross 4 foam hearts with fingerprints from Day 1 Xacto knife small baskets (1 per Crew per rotation) CD player Sound Wave Sing & Play Music CD foam slabs or blocks painted like stone lantern flashlight white sheet or piece of material * available from Our Sunday Visitor Stone slabs are easy to create. Find large pieces of packing foam from parishioners or thrift stores, or ask at furniture or home improvement stores. (We got our foam slabs at a Habitat Re-store, and the pieces were all sizes and shapes.) Some may already be grayish-black, but if they are white, just paint with shades of gray, black, and brown, and you have instant rocks and walls! Getting Ready Place rope lights around the perimeter of your room. You ll want the room dim for most of today s experience. Wrap the entire cross in clear duct tape, sticky side out. Lay the cross on the floor in a far corner of the room. Place your Crew blankets between the door and the cross, with a path in the center leading to the cross. During today s session, you ll step closer and closer to the cross through this opening. In a corner adjacent to the cross, use foam slabs to build a tomb. Add a slab inside as a shelf. Lay the white material on the shelf. You ll also need a slab that covers the entrance to the tomb. Under the shelf, place the lantern flashlight on the floor, facing up. Turn the flashlight on before the first Crews arrives. Use an Xacto knife to score the back of each of the foam hearts with fingerprints you saved from Day 1. Score the hearts top to bottom, but don t cut all the way through the hearts, just score them deeply enough to allow them to break easily. (You might want to practice on a spare piece of foam.) Place the hearts near the cross but out of sight. (We slid them behind the Blue Sky Fabric hanging on the wall.) Prepare a basket of paper hearts and markers for each Crew per rotation. Make sure that each basket contains at least one red marker. Welcome Crews Greet kids outside your Bible Discovery room. When all Crews have arrived, explain that today s Scripture story is the most important news they ll ever hear, and request that kids be quiet and respectful during today s adventure. Then welcome them into the darkened room to sit on Crew blankets. Kid Quote Overheard in the hall before Bible Discovery: I can t wait! This is going to be an adventure! 26

29 Say: I can t wait to tell you today s Bible story! Like I said outside, what you ll hear today is the most important information you ll ever receive. In fact, what happens in today s story is at the very heart of our Catholic faith. So let s listen carefully and get started. TINKER TIP TINKER TIP Set the tone for today by speaking in a low voice. A Special Dinner Stand across the room from the cross. You ll move closer and closer to the cross as you speak, and kids eyes will naturally follow you. Say: On the night our Bible story starts, it was the time of the Passover celebration in Jerusalem. Jesus was eating a special dinner with his close friends. But the Gospel tells us that Jesus was deeply troubled. He knew that one of his friends at the table was going to betray him. Does anyone know what betray means? Pause to let a few kids call out answers. To betray someone means to turn against that person. Jesus knew exactly which friend was going to betray him. Jesus could have stopped the betrayal. But instead Jesus said, Hurry and do what you re going to do. When Jesus said that, he knew he was moving one step closer to the cross. Move a step or two closer to the cross. After the dinner, Jesus said to his friends, I don t have much more time to talk to you, because the evil one of this world approaches [meaning Satan]. He has no power over me but I will do what the Father requires of me... Come, let s be going. Jesus knew this was going to be the hardest night of his life. He could have run away, but instead Jesus said, Come, let s be going. He took one step closer to the cross. Move a step or two closer to the cross. In the Garden Say: After dinner, Jesus and a few friends went to a quiet garden. Jesus wanted to pray to his Father, even though he knew exactly what was going to happen in that garden. As he was praying, they heard movement and sounds. It sounded like marching boots. Soldiers! Have kids join you in brushing your palms together, louder and louder. 27

30 When Jesus heard the soldiers coming, he could have taken off in the other direction. But Scripture says he stepped forward to meet them. He didn t run; he stepped toward the soldiers. And he said, I am the one you want, let these others go. Jesus was taking another step closer to the cross. Move a step or two closer to the cross. They arrested Jesus and tied him up. The soldiers took him away. They took him to the religious leaders for trial. But these leaders were exactly the people who wanted to get rid of Jesus! Talk About Sin Say: The so-called trial of Jesus took place in the middle of the night, not in the light of day. Then the soldiers took Jesus to the Roman ruler of the area, a man named Pontius Pilate. Even though Pilate knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong, he sentenced him to death. Jesus had never sinned. Not once! Ask: Tell me, what is sin? Let a few kids call out answers. Sin is doing or thinking something that hurts our relationship with God. Sit or kneel down on the floor with Crews. There s something I need to tell you. Something that might surprise you. You probably think that because I m a grownup, and since I m leading Bible Discovery, I listen to God perfectly all the time. But the truth is that I sin, too. We all sin. Every single one of us. The only person on earth who never sinned was Jesus. Paper Sins Give each Crew a basket containing Paper Hearts and fine-tipped markers. Think of something wrong you ve done recently. A sin you ve committed. You won t have to tell anyone but God, and God already knows what you did. Maybe you yelled at your sister. Or maybe you were mean to a friend. Pause. 28

31 On one side of your paper heart, draw or write a word or two that describes your sin. Maybe you ll write anger or hitting. It can just be a word or two you don t have to write a lot. Pause briefly as participants write or draw. Break a Heart Bring out one of the foam hearts with fingerprints that you saved from Day 1. Hold it up, fingerprints facing kids. Say: Remember this heart? You put your fingerprints on it a few days ago. Each of us is unique, but each of us sins. We all do wrong things. And those wrong things break our relationship with God. Break the heart in two along the scored line. You may have to break it over your knee. Hold up the two pieces of the heart. Sin separates us from God. Hold the pieces back together and then say, Admitting our sins and asking for forgiveness helps repair our relationship with God. We go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and confess our sins to a priest, and through the grace of that Sacrament, our sins are forgiven. Place the broken heart out of sight. By now you've stepped close to the cross. Pick up the cross and stand it upright. Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. Place Hearts on Cross Say: Turn your paper heart over and write your name. Pause as kids write. Because Jesus loves you. He wants you to come to him. Jesus isn't mad at you for the sin you wrote. He loves you so much that he died on the cross so that all of our sins would be forgiven. In fact, we believe that God even calls us by name. Kids were shocked when the heart broke in half they took it very seriously. Calling Your Name Say: Each Crew can come to the cross and place your paper hearts on the cross. Then find a spot in the room where you can sit or kneel alone, thinking about how much God loves you. CD Track 2 Softly play The Maker in the background as kids place their hearts on the cross. 29

32 Invite each Crew, in turn, to the cross by saying softy: God has called you by name. Have Crew members, one-byone, place their paper hearts on the cross and then find a spot in the room where they can kneel or sit alone, thinking about Jesus. By Day 4, kids hearts are ready to hear and receive the Gospel. Plus, the message of the song is extra meaningful. Heartfelt Reminders After the song, kids can circle up with their Crews. Say: Crew Leaders, let s remind your Crew members how much God loves them. Have each Crew Leader find a red marker. Explain that Crew Leaders will look each child in the eye, say the child s name, and say, God loves you! Then the Crew Leader will draw a red heart on the back of the child s hand. The Empty Tomb Say: But that wasn t the end of the story. After Jesus died, his friends took his body and put it in a stone tomb. They came back three days later to prepare his body for burial. Let s see what they saw! Invite Crews to come to the tomb with you. When they got there, the heavy stone had been rolled away! Move the foam stone as if it s heavy. 30

33 They looked inside Jesus was gone! He had risen to new life! Open the tomb so kids can see the light shining inside. Invite kids to look inside. Look inside! The tomb was empty! There were angels, with bright shining clothes, who said, Jesus isn t here! He has risen! Let s shout that together: He is risen! He is risen! He is risen! Jesus is alive! Jesus defeated sin and death! I think we need to celebrate such great news! By this day, kids enthusiastically belted out the theme song and did the motions (even though we had a small group!) Have your helper turn on the lights. Celebrate Jesus CD Loudly play Made for This (track 1) as kids sing Track and do the motions to the song. 1 After the song, say: God will always love you! (Wow, God!) That s reason to celebrate all day, every day! Play the song again as kids leave. 31

34 DAY 5 Bible Point: God made you for a reason. Bible Story: Abigail brings peace. (1 Samuel 25) Consider This Cultural customs at the time demanded that travelers be fed. Nabal was incredibly wealthy and would ve had no financial problem taking care of David and his men. Not only that, but Nabal owed some of his financial success to David and his men since they had protected Nabal s men and flocks. Scripture gives us no clue as to Abigail s parentage or genealogy. It is suggested that her name was likely given her by the villagers of her husband s estate. As a Hebrew woman, she was restricted by the customs of her time to give counsel and risked the displeasure of her husband in going to David. Marriages during Abigail s time were arranged by the woman s family, with the woman often having little to no power regarding the choice of her husband. Nabal was likely consider a good catch because of his wealth. Not only was Abigail incredibly brave, just, and wise, but she also showed a sense of humor. In verse 25, she says Nabal is a fool, just as his name suggests. This was actually a little joke. Nabal sounds like a Hebrew word meaning fool. Why It Matters There s no doubt about it the kids at your VBS are going to do amazing things in life. Psalm 139 reassures us that God s purpose and plans began before we were born. While kids may not know God s plans for them yet, imagine how transforming it would be for every child to begin prayerfully seeking God s purpose today! No child is an accident. No child is meaningless. God created each one of us intentionally. Today you have the privilege of encouraging each child with the promise that he or she was created for a specific reason! Catholic ID: Prudence The Cardinal Virtues consist of Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude. St. Thomas Aquinas writes that prudence is right reason in action. Not to be confused with being timid or fearful, the Catechism goes on to say that, Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it (CCC 1806). Today we might think of prudence as the virtue that guides our decision-making. When faced with a difficult situation or moral dilemma, careful planning or prudence can guide our minds and hearts toward the highest good. 32 Key Verse: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:11)

35 DAY 5 At Maker Fun Factory Totally Catholic VBS, the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each station s activities for unforgettable Catholic faith formation. See how your station reinforces today s Bible Point. God made you for a reason. Sound Wave Sing & Play Bible Discovery Learn the Day 5 Bible Point and key verse, and meet Bible Memory Buddy Abbee. Sing Maker Fun Factory songs. Discuss God Sightings, and add a God Sight Lightbulb to the set. Ian needs to come up with a purpose for his invention. Discuss Connecting Kids to Justice. Load up the donkeys and travel with Abigail to bring peace to a tense situation with David. Snack Factory KidVid Cinema Nacho Plan Max knows that God made him with an incredible mind for science and believes that he can use that gift to do big things! Learn about the Connecting Kids to Justice Clean Water project. Imagination Station Funshop Finale Put together Perplexinators Watch the adorable preschoolers in today s Spotlight VBS. and remember that God made them for a reason even if they don t know what that reason is yet! Meet Saint John the Baptist. Review the day. See a Rad Rocket hit its target! Celebrate Connecting Kids to Justice. Game Makers Purpose Portrait Right Recipe Run Operation Fill It Up 33

36 DAY 5 Day 5 Supplies variety of fake food such as bread, fruit, and vegetables (1 large bowl of fake food per Crew, per rotation) large bowls or baskets (1 per Crew per rotation, plus one extra) small rug or towel (1 per Crew per rotation) about 10 tennis or foam balls * available from Our Sunday Visitor Getting Ready Before each rotation, place a variety of fake food in a large bowl or basket for each Crew. Place the bowls out of sight and cover each with a small rug or towel. Place about 10 small balls in a different bowl, and set aside. Place a small blanket on the floor for each Crew. Mark a Bible at 1 Samuel 25. Welcome Crews Greet Crews outside your Bible Discovery room. When every Crew has arrived, say: Welcome to Bible Discovery! I can t believe it s our last day together! I ve had so much fun discovering more and more about God with you! I m looking forward to sharing our last Scripture story. Let s see what it s all about. Lead kids into the Bible Discovery room and have them sit in knee-to-knee circles on the blankets. Discuss David Say: Today we re learning that God made you for a reason. (Wow, God!) But help me remember something. On our very first day at Bible Discovery we learned that God made you. (Wow, God!) Does anyone remember the name of the guy whose words we read? He wrote about how wonderfully God made him. He started out as a shepherd and ended up as king. Pause as kids respond. Yes, David! David wrote the words we talked about on that first day of Maker Fun Factory. And now here we are on the last day of VBS, and David is back! In today s Bible story, David isn t a shepherd anymore, but he s not king yet. Lately he s been a successful warrior and military leader. At this point in his life, though, he s on the run. A jealous king named Saul has been after David, so David and his warriors have been hiding out in the wilderness. Protect Sheep Say: In the wilderness, David and his men ran into shepherds caring for large flocks of sheep owned by a rich man named Nabal. (Pronounced NAY-bul.) David and his men helped protect Nabal s sheep from danger. Let s see what that was like. Jump up. Pause. Ask: What kind of dangers do sheep face in the wilderness? Let kids call out answers. 34

37 Sheep could be attacked by wild animals. They could fall into deep crevices and get stuck and die. They could run out of food and water. Remember, David had been a shepherd when he was younger, so he knew all the dangers the sheep and shepherds faced. We ll pretend these balls are sheep. Place the small balls on the floor in the center of the room. Appoint half the kids as shepherds to guard the sheep. Appoint the other kids as wild animals trying to attack the sheep. The shepherds will make a circle around the sheep, facing out. The wild animals will try to reach through the circle and grab the sheep while the shepherds try to block them. Caution the shepherds not to kick they need to keep their feet on the ground at all times. Count to three and start the game. Encourage the wild animals to make animal sounds. After about a minute, call time and have everyone sit with their Crews. Collect the balls. Ask: What was the hardest part of being a shepherd? Let kids call out answers. What was the hardest part of being a wild animal? Let kids call out answers. Being one of Nabal s shepherds couldn t have been an easy job! But at least they had David and his men to help. Nasty Nabal Say: Later, it was sheep-shearing time for Nabal. Shearing the wool off of sheep was a sort of holiday, a time to celebrate. David sent 10 of his men to Nabal with a friendly greeting. The greeting reminded Nabal that David and his men had helped and protected his shepherds and sheep, and had never stolen anything from them. Then it said: So would you be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please share any provision you might have on hand with us. But Nabal wasn t the nicest guy around. In fact, he was pretty mean and rude. He sneered at David s men. Do you know what a sneer is? It s a nasty, mocking face. Let me see your best sneer! Pause as kids make faces. Those are some awful sneers! That s just what Nabal did. He sneered and said, Who is this fellow David? Who does he think he is? He even called David a runaway servant and outlaw. 35

38 Well, the men went back and told David what Nabal had said. How would you feel if you had been nice to someone and then they rejected you? Jump up and strike a silent pose to show how you would feel. Pause. You don t look happy at all! That s how David felt! In fact, he was furious! Have everyone sit again. Abigail to the Rescue Ask: When is a time you were nice to someone but they acted mean to you? Talk in your Crew. Give kids time to talk, making sure each child has a chance to share. Give a 30-second warning to wrap up conversations. Unfortunately, I think we ve all been treated unfairly at times. It s not a good feeling, is it? Well, let s see what David did when it happened to him. Look in your Bible opened to 1 Samuel 25. David was angry! He told his men, Get your swords! as he strapped on his own sword. David and 400 of his men set out to confront Nabal! Meanwhile, one of Nabal s servants ran to Nabal s wife, Abigail. He told her what was going on and said, You d better do something. There s going to be trouble! Abigail wasted no time. Let s see what she did. Stand up! Donkey Travels Gather Crews at one side of the room. Have each Crew choose one person to be a donkey, who will walk on all fours to the other aside of the room. Give each Crew a small blanket or towel, and a bowl or basket of fake food. Say: Abigail quickly gathered up bread, cooked meat, fruit, and fig cakes. She told her servants to load the food onto donkeys and quickly take it to David and his men. So hurry! Lay the blanket on your donkey s back. Pause. Now take the food out of the bowl and pack it on top of the blanket and hurry across the room! Try to keep all the food in place, but you need to hurry. We have to get to David before he gets to Nabal! Hurry! Get that food piled on and get going! Don t let anything fall off your donkey! Pick it up and put it back. Keep going! Hurry! 36

39 When Crews have raced across the room, have them sit in Crew circles where they are. Have your helper gather the food as you continue. Good job! You packed and traveled in a hurry! That s just what Abigail s servants did! Abigail herself rode after the servants, but she didn t tell her husband what she was doing. Abigail Meets David Say: Meanwhile, David was telling his men, He repaid me evil for good. I m going to get even. There won t be one man of his household alive in the morning! Whoa! That doesn t sound very good! When Abigail saw David, she got off her donkey and bowed to him. Let me see you kneel and bow. Pause. She said, I accept all blame. Please listen. Nabal is evil and ill-tempered; don t pay any attention to him. Don t kill anyone and have it be a blemish on your record when you become king. Have kids sit up again. David was amazed. He said, Praise the Lord, who sent you to me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and vengeance. Abigail brought peace to this angry situation! You know, God made Abigail. He gave her good sense and quick thinking. He gave her a heart for peace and kindness. God made her for a reason, and God made you for a reason! (Wow, God!) Ask: What s one unique quality God has given you? Tell your Crew. Give kids time to talk. God made you. (Wow, God!) And God made you for a reason. (Wow, God!) He gave you exactly the right qualities to carry out his will. You don t have to worry, because God is for you. (Wow, God!) No matter what situation you face, God is always with you. (Wow, God!) And even when you mess up or do wrong things, God will always love you. (Wow, God!) Let s thank God right now. Have everyone stand and form one large circle, holding hands. Pray: Dear God, thank you for loving us so much. Thank you for giving us the gift of your Son, Jesus. Thank you for all we ve learned about you this week. Please be with each person here as we go into the world to share our faith. We love you, God. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. Thank kids for coming to Bible Discovery this week. Play Made for This (track 1) as you dismiss kids to their next destination. 37

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43 atholic Totally C c s i o v D e ry e l b i B DAY 1 DAY 2 Create people, discover how wonderfully complex God made them, and leave unique fingerprints. Hide on Rahab s roof, learn how God helped her and the Israelite spies, and remember that God is for them too! Load up the donkeys and travel with Abigail to bring peace to a tense situation with David. Questions? vbs.osv.com CU , ext RELIGION/ Christianity/Catholic Printed in the U.S.A. Place paper sins on a cross, celebrate Jesus resurrection, and learn his love for them will never end! Follow OSV on: Pare down an army with Gideon, then discover how God gave them victory over the Midianites. DAY 5 DAY 4 vbs.osv.com DAY 3