REMEMBER VERSE Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Transcription

1 date: Bible Passage: Acts 12:1 19 (Peter Delivered from Prison) REMEMBER VERSE Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 God Answers Prayer Schedule Anticipate 5 10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group minutes Respond & Bless Small Group minutes Environment: FAITH COMMUNITY God designed us to live in community and to experience Him in ways that can only happen in proximity to one another. The faith community serves to create an environment to equip and disciple parents, to celebrate God s faithfulness, and to bring a richness of worship through tradition and rituals, which offer children an identity. Our love for each other reflects the love we have received from God.. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

2 Inspire My brother and I grew up in a faith community. We had our own personal relationships with Jesus. Even so, my brother walked away from his faith once he became a teenager. He took up many vices and addictions, and denied Jesus. It broke my heart to see the life my brother had chosen, and it hurt me to see how easily he had given up his belief in God. For years, I prayed for my brother: that God would bring him to a place where he recognized his utter need for God. But there seemed to be no change in my brother s life. He continued to make decisions that tore him away from God. He partied and looked for the next high. He became more and more empty. There were times when I wondered if God was going to do anything. I knew that He could turn the hardest heart toward Him, so why wasn t He helping my brother? Then one summer, he hit rock bottom. The addiction to drugs finally caught up with him, and my brother entered a rehabilitation facility. It was there he again met Jesus. When my family went to visit him we met a brand-new man. My brother was broken, repentant, and overwhelmed by God s love for him. With a tearstreaked face, he held our family in his arms. It was one of the most emotional and life-changing nights of my life. I left full of gratitude and wonder that God had answered my prayers. It may not have been the way I imagined my brother rededicating himself to Jesus, but God had still answered my prayer, in His timing and in His own way. My brother s transformation taught me so much about the power of prayer. His salvation had been the desire of my heart for so many years and when it happened I was reminded of God s goodness and faithfulness. God may not have responded in the timing and the way that I desired, but He was faithful. Sometimes when I pray, I find my faith wavering and I wonder if God really is listening to me. But when I think of my brother s miraculous transformation, I am reminded of how God answers prayer in His perfect timing. RaeLynn Lott TruStory Team 2

3 Equip We know for sure that God answers prayer. Sometimes, though, He doesn t answer prayer as we think He should. When Herod Agrippa began persecuting the early church, these believers might have wondered why God would allow this to happen. But, as we can see now, God had a plan to use Herod s persecution for good. Further Resources For additional information, consider these sites: Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great (the king who ordered the death of male babies shortly after Jesus birth in Matthew 2:1 16), and the nephew of Herod Antipas (the one who played a role in Jesus trial). Herod Agrippa ruled over the Palestinian territory from AD 41 44, after spending much of his childhood, and even adult life, in Rome. He was committed to maintaining Pax Romana Latin for Roman Peace. This meant keeping the Jewish religious leaders happy or risk the threat of an uprising. When the new church community began to welcome Gentiles into their circle of worship, the Jewish community was outraged. To show solidarity with the Jews, Herod began to persecute the leaders of the early church (Acts 12:1). The first apostle he killed was James, the brother of the apostle John. James death increased Herod s popularity with the Jews, which only fueled his desire to hunt other Christian leaders. Among those targeted was the apostle Peter. Acts 12 recounts James death, then proceeds to narrate Peter s ominous imprisonment and imminent execution, as ordered by Herod. While Herod strategically planned to kill off the early church leaders and destroy the entire movement, he had no clue about the forces that were against him. Through prayer, the early church took the battle to God. God intervened by miraculously releasing Peter from prison and demonstrating that He hears the prayers of His people by responding. 3

4 Support God answered the prayers of His people, and Peter was miraculously freed from prison. It s an amazing part of The Big God Story! Even so, just a few sentences earlier, we read that the apostle James was killed. This is puzzling for us. It makes us want to ask: Why did God choose to spare the life of one apostle and not the other? Why did God answer one prayer and not the other? As a Christian, this is one of the most difficult concepts to understand one that causes many to even turn from faith. But we know from Scripture, and from the stories of those in our faith community, that God does answer prayer. The way and timing in which He chooses to answer are entirely up to Him. As the sovereign God in heaven, He calls us to trust that when we pray, He listens, and will answer in the best way possible for His kingdom and for His glory. Take some time to think about your prayer life. Does the way God chooses to answer your prayers sometimes trouble you? Bring these troubles before God, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you through these struggles. Spend some time searching your own heart, and ask God to help you know Him as both the loving God who answers prayer, and the sovereign God who is Lord of all. TruStory Team TIMELINE ADAM & EVE ABRAHAM MOSES JOSHUA HANNAH SAMUEL KING DAVID KING AHAB ELIJAH KING JOSIAH JEREMIAH SHADRACH/MESHACH/ABEDNEGO DANIEL ESTHER NEHEMIAH ZECHARIAH SIMEON/ANNA JESUS 400 YEARS OF WAITING ZACCHAEUS MARY JAMES JOHN PETER PHILIP CORNELIUS LYDIA APOSTLES PAUL YOU & ME OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS 4

5 Navigating This Lesson These are descriptions of the terms found throughout the lesson. Tip and Leader Tip: Suggestions for programming and classroom management. Programming Note: Suggestions for modifying or adjusting programming to best fit your service schedule. Partner Church Comments: Insightful comments, suggestions, and variations offered for activities and programming provided by our national network of children s and family ministry leaders. Optional: Suggestions of ways you can adapt the activities and games to best fit your own church and group of kids. Host: The Host offers the same spirit of hospitality, generosity, and inclusiveness to the kids that the host of a party would offer to the guests in her home or gathering. Small Group Leader: The Small Group Leader shepherds the kids through questions about the story and biblical truths, engages them in community-building activities, helps them create a remembrance of their experience, and blesses them before they leave. Ideally Small Group Leaders work week after week with the same group of kids, giving them the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with each child. Worship Leader: The Worship Leader facilitates individual and corporate worship by listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and inviting others into the worship experience. Storyteller: After active involvement with the Scriptures and the lesson, the Storyteller recounts the Bible passage for the kids in an engaging way. He leads out of an overflow of his own life, telling personal stories as prompted and guiding the kids into a time of natural worship response. AV Technician: This person facilitates the behind-the-scenes aspects of programming, including music, lighting, drama, sound, PowerPoint, etc. The AV Technician makes sure things run smoothly and is willing to help with anything including stepping into any of the other leader roles. 5

6 Lesson Overview Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab) Anticipate// Small Group Check-In 5 10 min. Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere. Knock-Knock Option 1: Knock-Knock Jokes Knock-Knock Jokes sheet (see Resource Folder) tape Option 2: Knock-Knock Games none Celebrate// Large Group min. Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way. Traditions mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gum balls, etc.) Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation (see Resource Folder) Connect Activity: Getting Dressed in a Hurry Connect Activity slide (see Resource Folder) assorted clothes and accessories (jackets, hats, scarves, glasses, shoes, ties, etc.) The Big God Story Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) image: large iron gate (see Resource Folder) character signs (see Resource Folder), string, tape or stapler, scissors actors (7 child volunteers) props: tunic, sandals, staff, or other periodappropriate clothing and accessories; flashlight Respond// Large Group min. Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group. Prayers of the Faith Community prayers from the Prayer Wall Respond// Small Group min. Discusses truth, reflects on the lesson, engages in relationships, and creates a project or a piece of art individually or together. Reflect: God Answers Prayer questions Engage: Praying for the Church Worldwide Regions of the World handouts (1 per child or small group; see Resource Folder) pens, markers, colored pencils optional: butcher paper, scissors, tape Bless// Small Group 5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others. Bible (for the blessing) HomeFront Weekly (1 per child, see Resource Folder) 6

7 SMALL GROUP SECTION Anticipate// 5 10 min. Small Group Leaders An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson. It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God. Knock-Knock As a fun way to Anticipate the lesson, allow kids to have some fun with traditional but silly Knock-Knock jokes. SUPPLIES Option 1: Knock-Knock Jokes Knock-Knock Jokes sheet (see Resource Folder) tape Option 2: Knock-Knock Games none SET UP Option 1: Knock-Knock Jokes Tape the jokes on the walls around the room, or pass them out to kids as they check in. Option 2: Knock-Knock Games No set up required. Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids. Further Resources For even more jokes, visit: knock_knock_jokes.html funny.jokes.amusing.humor. laughs/kids/knock001.htm jokesforkids/knockknock.php KnockKnockJokes.html ENGAGE After Peter was miraculously freed from prison, he went to the place where people had been praying for him to be released. Peter knocked loudly on the door over and over again. At first, the people inside refused to let him in. They couldn t believe he d been released from prison. So Peter knocked even louder! Option 1: Knock-Knock Jokes With older kids, ask them to share any knock-knock jokes they know or make up new ones. With younger kids, gather and read aloud the jokes from the Knock-Knock Jokes sheet. Feel free to find your own on the Internet. Option 2: Knock-Knock Game When the kids arrive, gather them into a group either seated at a table or lined up facing a wall. Choose a leader to knock a sequence on the wall, such as Knock, knock, KNOCK! Pause. Knock, knock, knock, knock. Pause. KNOCK. Either have all of the kids try to copy the sequence at once by knocking on the wall or table, or have them do it one at a time. Those who can t remember the sequence correctly are out! To make the game harder, have the next leader add to the sequence and then have everyone copy it, and so on. Or simply make each new sequence harder. 7

8 LARGE GROUP SECTION Celebrate//20 35 min. Host/Storyteller Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God s family. Welcome and Traditions After everyone is gathered together as a large group, open with Traditions. During Traditions, you are helping the kids work toward a common goal and giving them mementos to celebrate things like memorizing the Remember Verse, inviting a friend, or bringing their Bibles. They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through storytelling. Birthdays A Group Tradition Every week, invite the children with upcoming or recent birthdays up for a group-singing of a birthday song and a blessing from the leader. Encourage the children to sing with their whole hearts and really celebrate. Make this a tradition the kids will look forward to, and feel loved by their faith community. REMEMBER VERSE This is a good time to introduce kids to the Remember Verse. As they arrive, open a Bible and read it together if time allows. Remember Verse cards, slides, and animation can be found in the Resource Folder. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 Mementos can be anything, such as rocks, marbles, gum balls, or connecting blocks. Use a clear plastic or glass container to fill so the kids can watch their progress. Or have them contribute to the building of a structure with connecting blocks. If you have multiple services, use separate containers or building stations for each one. Once the kids have been awarded their mementos, direct them to put the mementos into the container or to add them to the building effort. When the common-goal tradition is complete, have a celebration! If there is time, take it a step further and choose one or two child volunteers each week to give praise reports, testimonies, or tell about funny and intriguing events. Sing familiar worship songs with corresponding motions. Encourage kids to think of their own motions to personalize the songs for your church community. Connect Connect is a time to laugh, play, and enjoy each other s company. Engaging questions, energizing games, and creative activities encourage the community to get to know each other. Encourage them to participate in the following activity and connect with someone they might not know yet. (See the Connect Activity slide in the Resource Folder.) 8

9 Partner Church Comments It worked better for us to only have the kids put two pieces of clothing on. They put a hat and shoes on. First Baptist Church Connect Activity: Getting Dressed in a Hurry SUPPLIES assorted clothes and accessories (jackets, hats, scarves, glasses, shoes, ties, etc.) SET UP AND ENGAGE Divide the kids into two teams. Then divide each team in half again, having half stand on one side of the room and half on the other. Divide the clothes evenly between the teams, and place them in a pile in front of each team (on one side of the room). (Be sure to be aware of any girls wearing dresses. Adapt the game so they can participate comfortably.) On your signal, the first person nearest the clothes pile for each team will put on all the clothing, run to the other side of the room to meet the other half of his team, take off all the clothes (putting them in a pile), and tag the next player. The next team member must repeat this action until each person on the team has worn the clothes. The first team to complete the relay wins! Optional: For large groups, have the kids pile one or both of their shoes in the middle of the room. Ask the kids to turn their backs and have leaders mix up all of the shoes, and then challenge the kids to be the first person to find and put on both of his shoes! Or, have the kids look at the shoes of the person to their right before they throw their shoes in the pile. Then challenge them to find their neighbor s shoes! Prayer of Release At the end of Connect, pray a Prayer of Release. This is a time for kids and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. If you would like, encourage kids to hold their hands out in front of them in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them. Encourage kids to quiet their voices and take a seat. Then ask them to pray with you. 9

10 The Big God Story Storyteller During The Big God Story, the kids will hear about Peter s release from jail. Though this part of The Big God Story can be delivered verbatim, read it before the lesson, so you can personally interact with the material. Share stories from your life, and speak with your own style by varying your intonation and gestures. Tip Before sharing this account of Peter being released from jail, point out that what your kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Establish a consistent place to keep this Bible every week. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along in Acts 12:1 19 as you storytell. Encourage adult volunteers to keep an eye out for kids who need help finding the Scripture passage, and allow enough time for each child to locate the passage. You may even want to project the reference on a screen or write it in large print on a poster or whiteboard. Visual Aids You will find JPEGs of various visual aids in the Resource Folder for every lesson of TruStory. Though we often refer to projector screens, do not feel limited by this. Please use these files in whichever format works best for your church, whether you use computer media, an overhead projector, or poster board. God Answers Prayer SUPPLIES Bible Timeline slide and animation (see Resource Folder) image: large iron gate (see Resource Folder) character signs (see Resource Folder), string, scissors, tape or stapler 7 child volunteer actors props: tunic, sandals, staff, or other period-appropriate clothing and accessories; flashlight SET UP This storytelling time uses child volunteers to act out the story. Before (or during) the storytelling time, find one actor to be Peter, four actors to be guards, one actor to be the angel, and one actor to be the servant girl, Rhoda. Print out the character signs and attach a piece of string to the top two corners so that each sign can be worn like a necklace. Give each actor his sign and have him hang it around his neck. Place the flashlight and props in the storytelling area. Before you start this storytelling time, have the kids turn to each other and describe a times they were really surprised. Ask some of the kids to share their answers with the 10

11 The Big God Story group. Then explain that today they ll hear about a time the church was really surprised! But first let s talk about what happened last week. Partner Church Comments The kids LOVE dressing up and playing parts! So we had full-out costumes, props, etc., for all our older kids to act out the story. Impact Christian Church Last week in The Big God Story we met a man named Cornelius. Cornelius was a man who loved God but wasn t welcomed into the faith community because he was a Gentile (not born Jewish). We talked about how there were big barriers between Jews and Gentiles and how the two groups of people weren t allowed to be friends with each other. But, through Jesus, the Holy Spirit broke down those barriers, and all people were able to know God and be a part of the faith community. During that time, a king named Herod Agrippa wanted to keep his power by keeping the Jewish leaders happy, so he started to persecute Christians. Herod killed Jesus apostle James. Then Herod decided to kill more apostles. This is where The Big God Story begins today. To make the Jewish leaders happy, Herod put Peter, another one of Jesus apostles, in prison. Herod planned to take Peter to trial and have him killed after Passover. In those days, people in prison were chained to guards. Usually one prisoner was chained to one guard, but Herod had Peter chained to two guards. Beyond that, four squads of four soldiers each also guarded Peter. Wow that s 16 more soldiers! Why so many soldiers? Peter had miraculously escaped from prison before, so Herod thought that if more people guarded him, he might not be able to escape this time. So Peter was asleep inside the jail, chained between two soldiers. (Move your actors so that Peter is sleeping between the two soldiers and the other two guards are standing in front of them.) Two more guards stood in front of them, guarding the gate to the prison. And the prison gate was so heavy and strong that it would normally take a lot of men to open it! (Show image of iron gate.) While Peter was in prison, many Christians met and prayed constantly. They didn t know what God would do, but they trusted God to answer their prayers, so they prayed over and over again. And one night, as Peter was sleeping in the jail, surrounded by guards, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. (Motion for the angel to come shine a flashlight on Peter and the guards.) The angel struck Peter on the side and woke him up. Quick, get up! the angel said, and the chains fell off Peter s wrists. Then the angel said to him, Put on your clothes and sandals Wrap your cloak around you and follow me. (Acts 12:7 8). (Have the angel actor help Peter up. Peter should then put on his clothes and sandals, grab his staff or any other accessories, and follow the angel.) Kind of like the game we played earlier, when we put on clothes or shoes really fast, Peter had to get dressed quickly and get out of there! 11

12 The Big God Story Peter did what the angel told him to do: He got up, got dressed, and followed the angel. But the whole time Peter thought he was dreaming! Have you ever been in such a deep sleep that when you woke up you felt a bit confused? It was probably like that. Peter was so shocked by the situation that he didn t know if he was awake or asleep. But God did. He used the angel to lead Peter through the prison and past two more guards. Then the really heavy iron gate opened, and they walked through it. Outside, the angel left Peter, and Peter finally realized what had happened. As if he had just woken up from a dream, Peter said, Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me (Acts 12:11). Because Peter probably realized he d be safe with his faith community, he went straight to the house where he knew they would be praying. Peter went to the door of the house and knocked (have the person playing Peter knock on something and the person playing Rhoda listening and getting excited), and something funny happened. The servant girl, Rhoda, heard Peter s voice and got so excited that she forgot to open the door but ran back to tell everyone! (Have Peter continue to knock drawing it out to show the humor of the situation.) The faith community, most likely praying for Peter s release, didn t believe the servant girl. You re out of your mind, they said (vs. 15) (Peter still knocking). Can you believe this? There was Peter, standing right at the door! God had answered their prayers, and the people were missing it! Meanwhile, Peter was still at the door, knocking again and again, waiting for someone to let him in (Peter still knocking). Peter was now an escaped prisoner, so it would have been very dangerous for him to be standing outside on the street (Peter still knocking). Finally, the faith community opened the door together. When they saw Peter, they might have cheered (encourage the kids to cheer), because Peter told them to quiet down! Then Peter told them all about what God had done, how God had miraculously freed him from prison, and how he wanted them to tell the other members of the faith community right away. Wow! The faith community must have been so relieved to see Peter, amazed that God had answered their prayers while they were still praying! In this part of The Big God Story we see the power of prayer. The faith community didn t know what God would do, or how He would work, but they chose to pray. We don t know what exactly they prayed for, but we do know they were surprised when God answered their prayers and Peter came knocking at the door! God hears the prayers of His people, and He answers them. When we come together as a faith community and pray, there is power in our prayers. When we pray together, we re able to encourage one another and share the same hope that God will answer our prayers. When God answered the prayers of the faith community for 12

13 The Big God Story Peter, he instructed them to tell others, to remind the faith community in Jerusalem of God s faithfulness, and to encourage the believers to continue to pray in all circumstances. God still answers prayers today. We may not always see how He answers prayer, and He may not always answer our prayers the way we want or the way we think He should. However, we can know God, and we can see time and time again how He s answered the prayers of His people and faith community. We can also see that God s answers are always the best and most loving because God is a loving God. (Tell a story of a time God answered the prayers of your faith community.) We have the privilege of being able to surround one another in prayer, just like Peter s faith community prayed for him. 13

14 LARGE GROUP SECTION Respond// min. Host/Worship Leader This is a time for kids to worship through silence, prayer, singing, giving, sharing, thanksgiving, and many other ways. Prayers of the Faith Community SUPPLIES prayers from the Prayer Wall SET UP Collect the prayers from the Prayer Wall and place them into a journal that can be shared. Preselect two or three requests for the group to pray over. When making your selections, keep in mind that some kids won t be comfortable with having their prayer requests read or heard by others, so keep the requests anonymous, and consider sharing requests that are less personal. Make plans for your worship time but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction. ENGAGE In today s part of The Big God Story we saw what happens when the faith community comes together and prays. Peter was in prison, facing his death, when the faith community spent time in constant prayer for him. God answered the prayers of the faith community, and Peter was miraculously delivered from prison. Many times we write prayer requests and post them on our Prayer Wall. This week we re going to spend some time praying for some of those prayer requests. We pray for each other because God not only hears our prayers but also asks us to pray for one another. When someone tells you she prayed for you, it s a huge encouragement. When we surround each other in prayer, we can see God work in the lives of others. Partner Church Comments We had the kids write a prayer request on a card during this time. They then placed the card in a bucket. The storyteller prayed over the bucket and then dismissed [the kids] to their small groups. We split the cards among the classes, and when the parents arrived for pick-up, we had them pick a card out of the bucket and told the parents to remind them to pray for the request. The kids loved picking out a card. Maple Valley Presbyterian Church 14

15 SMALL GROUP SECTION Respond// min. Small Group Leaders A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art. Resource Tip Finish the Sentence activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource on the My Lessons page > Extras > Small Group Enhancements. Leader Tip When all the maps have been colored, you might have the older kids cut out the continents and assemble them on butcher paper to create a giant world map. Reflect: God Answers Prayer While Peter was in prison, God s faith community lifted him up in prayer. God miraculously delivered Peter from prison and led him to the place where the faith community was praying. What an amazing reminder that God answers the prayers of His people! (Leaders: Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the suggested passages.) Questions for Younger Kids Why was Peter in jail? (Acts 12:1 3) How did Peter get out of prison? (Acts 12:7 10) What happened when Peter went to the house to see the faith community? (Acts 12:12 17) What do you think the faith community prayed for Peter? (Acts 12:4 5) Why do we pray for each other? (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1; James 5:16) How has God answered prayer in your life? Questions for Older Kids What did Peter think when the angel came to him in prison? (Acts 12:9) Why didn t the faith community believe Peter was at the door? (Acts 12:13 16) What is a faith community? (Acts 2:44 47) How are we are called to pray for each other? (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1; James 5:16) How has God answered prayer in your life? Engage: Praying for the Church Worldwide SUPPLIES Regions of the World handouts (1 per child or small group; see Resource Folder) pens, markers, colored pencils optional: butcher paper, scissors, tape SET UP Print the handouts. Set out the remaining supplies. ENGAGE The early church learned a powerful lesson about how God answers prayer when they spent time praying for Peter while he was in prison. Something very important happens when we come together as a faith community and pray for 15

16 others. Today we re going to spend some time praying for the faith community all over the world and the needs in other nations and regions. God can use us to pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere. Pass the handouts to your kids. (If they d like, let them spend some time coloring the region and countries.) Then have them get into groups to spend some time praying for each region. Have them read the prayer needs of the regions and take turns praying for the different requests. For younger kids, pair them with older kids or leaders who can read the prayer requests to them. Option for Older Kids: When all the maps have been colored, have the older kids cut out the continents and assemble them on butcher paper to make a giant world map. 16

17 SMALL GROUP SECTION Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance. A blessing can be offered in order to ask God s Spirit to overflow from the child s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God s protection, joy, or wisdom. Leader Tip Every lesson ends with a blessing. This is a time for parents and leaders to speak truth over children s lives. The idea of the blessing is to transition the child from being blessed to being a blessing. The blessing can be done in many ways, but the more intentional you are about it, the more powerful it will be. Depending on whether parents are able to join in at this time, you may want them to put their hands on their child s head or kneel and look him in the eye as they bless him. Leaders, be sure to model how you envision the blessing working in your church so your volunteers and parents become comfortable with it. As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share with others the joy and love they have received from God. Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early in order to read the blessing over their child. Open a Bible and read 1 John 5:14 15: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him. May you know with confidence that you serve a Holy God who wants you to talk with Him all of the time. I pray you will know that He hears every prayer you pray and listens to every cry of your heart. 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 Monthly: Every four weeks we highlight one of the 10 environments. For each new environment, parents should receive HomeFront Monthly. This resource gives families ideas for how to create fun, spiritually forming times in their homes setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! 17