A Fun-Filled Bible Skills Curriculum for Grades 1 3, Blue Cycle. Sample Meeting

Transcription

1 A Fun-Filled Bible Skills Curriculum for Grades 1 3, Blue Cycle Sample Meeting For More Information about Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills mikey.oldham@lifeway.com or call (615) TO ORDER BIBLE SKILLS, DRILLS, & THRILLS Mail Orders: Customer Service Center, MSN 113 One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN Internet Orders: Go to for a variety of helpful ways to order online. Internet ordering is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fax Orders: (615) Orders: customerservice@lifeway.com Toll-Free Telephone Orders: LifeWay Press Permission is granted to download, store, print, and distribute this document for its intended use. Distribution for sale is strictly prohibited. Address requests for additional permissions in writing to LifeWay Press ; One LifeWay Plaza; Nashville, TN

2 What resources do I need? One leader guide and leader pack per group. One activity book for each child. One CD-ROM music and game 5-pack for every five families. Every child will need a Bible. The Bible is used throughout every meeting. Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Leader Guide Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Leader Pack Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Activity Book Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills CD-ROM Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle (Pkg. 5) (a music and computer games CD) X Resources Descriptions Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Leader Guide Grades 1-3 Blue Cycle a three-ring binder with administrative helps and 36 one-hour expandable to two-hour meeting plans. Plans can be used with any translation of the Bible. Also included is a music and games CD-ROM which has six Scripture songs in three translations (HCSB, KJV, NIV) and instrumental tracks for those verses, a plan of salvation song, a books of the Bible song, and computer games. The Leader Guide also provides a CD-ROM with leader helps. Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Leader Pack Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle posters, cards, gameboards, and other visuals for use during the meetings. Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Activity Book Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle translationneutral activities that help the child explore the meaning of the verse, Key Passage, or story, and application to his or her life. One or both pages will be completed during meeting time. Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills CD-ROM Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle A music and games CD 5-pack that includes six Scripture songs, a plan of salvation song, a books of the Bible song, and six computer games to help children and families develop Bible skills at home or during the meeting. Other Helpful Resources Giant Game Floor Mat This reusable 43-by-75-inch vinyl mat has 20 clear pockets and can be used with several games suggested in this leader guide. The mat also comes with a numbered cube, a spinner, and a beanbag. Children s Bible Drill Bibles Hardback Bibles designed for use in Children s Bible Drill. Holman CSB Drill Bible, Small Edition King James Version New International Version is available from the International Bible Society.

3 Music and Games CD-ROM (CD1) You can find the melody line with words on pages of the Leader Guide. These are for your use only and cannot be copied for other leaders or children. Bible Verse Song Tracks Joshua 24:24 HCSB 1 KJV 7 NIV 13 INSTRUMENTAL ONLY 19 Psalms 56: Psalm 119: Romans 10: James 1: John 4: Books of the Old Testament: 25 Books of the New Testament: 26 Books of the Old Testament Instrumental: 27 Books of the New Testament Instrumental: 28 Plan of Salvation: 29 Plan of Salvation Instrumental: 30 Computer Games (CD1) Bible Books Treasure Players drag Bible books into the Old Testament or New Testament treasure chest. Stack the Tubes Inner tubes are visible at the bottom of the screen with Bible books written on the side. Players stack them vertically on the beach in the correct order. Undersea Bible Divisions Books will appear at random under the sea. Players click the correct Bible division button. Before and After Bubble Pop One bubble in the center of the screen contains a Bible book name. Multiple bubbles on the left and right also contain Bible book names. Player must click on incorrect bubbles on the left and right to pop them. When the three correct bubbles remain, they float to the surface. 3-Way Ball Match First half of verse appears at the top of the screen. Eight seals sit on platforms that contain the second half of each verse. Eight beachballs contain the verse references. Player must drag the correct beachball to the nose of the correct seal. If correct, seal spins or bounces the ball until the game is finished. Key Passage Hop Stones poke up out the river, each with a parts of the Key Passages titles and verse references. Players pick the correct path across the river for their frog to hop by choosing the stones in the correct order.

4 Skill Centers minutes Grades 1 3 Meeting 25 Bible Passage: Acts 16:11-15; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Key Passage: None Bible Story: Lydia, Seller of Purple Levels of Biblical Learning Statements: Grades 1 2: I can use my abilities and talents in ways that please and honor God. Grade 3: I can develop and use my abilities and talents in ways that please and honor God. Meeting Goals: Locate, read, and quote 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Locate the Bible books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Review all the Key Passages. Skill Check Bible Book Straws Place the jar and straws on the table. Explain that the children will take turns saying a book of the Bible in order and placing a straw across the mouth of the jar. Encourage the children to see how many straws can be placed before one falls off. The children may play individually by saying the books of the Old or New Testament as they place a straw on the jar for each book. The goal will be to see who can name all the books before a straw falls. Straws may be stacked by alternating horizontal and vertical layers. Memory Verse Cubes Guide the kids to read the phrases on the first cube and then read the phrases on the second cube. Help them put two phrases together to form a memory verse. Lead the kids to take turns tossing the cubes. If a complete verse is facing up on the cubes, ask the child to read the verse and give that child a point. If the phrases do not match, let the next player have a turn. You may give bonus points to the child that can say complete verses from phrases that do not match. Bible Book Stack Explain that each cup has a Bible book name printed on it. Form two groups. Challenge Group 1 to stack the cups, in order, as everyone recites the books of the Bible beginning with Genesis. When a cup falls, knock the entire stack down, and let the second team try. See who can stack the most cups. Allow only six cups at ground level. Challenge the teams to plan a strategy for stacking. They may stack in a pyramid, a circular shape, or a square. Computer Game Invite the children to play a computer game of their choice. Skill Check Provide Skill Check List (CD2 Item1) and a pencil for each child. Note: Save these activities for Meeting 36. Bible Book Straws Gather a quart jar and 39 plastic drinking straws. Memory Verse Cubes Prepare two of the Small Cube (CD2 Item 9) item. Print the first half of these memory verses on each side of one cube and the last half of the verses on each side of the second cube: Joshua 24:24; Psalm 56:3; Psalm 119:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; James 1:22; and 1 John 4:21. Bible Book Stack Obtain the 66 Bible book cups used in Meeting 3. Computer Game Provide a computer and CD1. Grades 1 3 Meeting

5 Group Skills minutes Teaching Tip: Play up the color purple in this meeting. Display an arrangement of purple flowers. Print all the Bible story flash cards and the review questions on purple paper. Hold a piece of purple fabric while you tell the story. Give each child a purple scarf or handkerchief to wear or hold, or tie a purple ribbon on their wrists when they arrive. Consider making the Bible book flash cards and the Key Passage flash cards different colors. Instructions will be clearer if you can direct the kids to a specific color of card. Do a Gathering Activity Print Books of the Bible Cards (CD2 Item 3) and place them on the walls around the room. Provide a CD player and CD1. Cue the CD to Books of the Old Testament and Books of the New Testament (Tracks 25-26). Learn a Memory Verse and Pray Provide activity page 53 and pencil for each child. Answer to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 T - H - A - N - K - S Tell the Bible Story Print Paul and Lydia on flash cards. Do a Gathering Activity Play Books of the Old Testament and Books of the New Testament softly during this activity. As the children complete Skill Centers, touch a child on the shoulder. Direct that child to find the flash card of Genesis, say the name of the book aloud, and take a seat in the meeting area. Touch another child who will find Exodus, say the name of the book aloud, and take a seat. Continue until all the children are seated. Continue to touch children on the shoulders. When a child is touched, he will get the next Bible book, say the name, and return to his seat. Use this activity to guide the kids to say the 66 books of the Bible Learn a Memory Verse and Pray Distribute the activity pages and pencils. Guide the children to work the 1 Thessalonians 5:18 activity. Invite the kids to locate 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in their Bibles. Say: Find the verse, place a finger on the verse, and look at me so I will know when you have the place. As the children are searching for the verse, remind them that 1 Thessalonians is a letter Paul wrote to the church located in Thessalonica, and they will find this book near the back of the Bible. Call on several volunteers to read the verse aloud. Lead the group to say the verse in unison. Lead the children in a season of prayer, giving thanks. Ask each child to name one thing for which he is thankful. After each child makes his statement, lead the group to repeat 1 Thessalonians 5:18. When all children have participated, pray: Thank You, God, that these children are learning to use their Bibles. Amen. Tell the Bible Story Tell the group that the Bible story comes from the only book of History in the New Testament. Continue: What is the name of the book? (Acts) There are two main people in the story. One is Paul (Hold up the Paul flash card.) who was a missionary. Do you know another fact about Paul? (Paul wrote 13 books of the New Testament.) The other is a woman named Lydia (Hold up the Lydia flash card.) who lived in the city of Philippi where she was a merchant. She sold purple cloth and was probably quite wealthy because purple cloth was expensive in that day. Usually only rich people could afford to buy purple cloth. The dye for this cloth was made from a shellfish that was found in just one place. Invite the children to listen carefully to the Bible story and learn two 254 Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Blue Cycle

6 things about each of these Bible people: (1) Learn something each of them did well. (2) Learn something for which each of them may have been thankful. Open your Bible to Acts 16 and tell the story in your own words. Lydia, Seller of Purple (Hold up the Paul flash card.) Paul and his missionary helpers had traveled a long way and preached about Jesus in many places. They arrived in Philippi, a large and important city, and decided to spend some time there. On the Sabbath day, these missionaries wanted to join others to worship God; however, Philippi was a Gentile city and there were no Jewish synagogues there. They went outside the city gate to a place beside the river because they thought people met there to pray. They found some women gathered by the river. Those women believed in God and were praying to Him. Paul and his missionary helpers sat down and talked with the women. (Hold up the Lydia flash card.) One of those women was Lydia, who sold purple cloth. Lydia listened carefully to all that Paul and his helpers had to say. God touched her heart, and she believed the message of Jesus. Lydia was baptized to show she believed in the Lord. Others who lived at her house, perhaps they were servants or relatives, also believed in Jesus and were baptized. After being baptized, Lydia said to Paul, If you really consider me to be a believer in Jesus, come and stay at my house and bring your helpers with you, too. Lydia opened her home to these missionaries and made them feel welcome. Based on Acts 16:11-15 Review the Bible Story and Apply Bible Truths Ask: What was something Paul did well? (told others about Jesus) What was something Lydia did well? (sold purple cloth; was a good hostess) For what do you think Paul was thankful? (for Lydia who believed in Jesus and gave them a place to stay) For what do you think Lydia was thankful? (for Paul and his friends who told her about Jesus; for being saved) Invite half the children to open their Bibles to 2 Timothy 2:15 and the rest of the children to open their Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Invite a child to read 2 Timothy 2:15. Ask: Was Paul a good workman who knew how to teach God s Word? (yes) Was Lydia a good workman who did her work well? (Yes. She was a successful merchant and a good hostess.) Remind the boys and girls of these truths: God wants each person to do his best in everything he does. God expects each person to develop the talents and abilities He has given them and be willing to use those talents and abilities to serve Him. Talents are more than being good in music or sports. Showing hospitality, cheerfulness, friendliness, and encouragement are talents, too. Point out that this verse says they should learn to use the Bible well. Compliment the children on the Bible skills they are developing. Ask a child to read 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Ask: For what does God want you to be thankful? (everything) Review the Bible Story and Apply Bible Truths Print the Ticktacktoe Questions (CD2 Item 40). Place the questions in a ticktacktoe grid on the floor large enough for the children to stand on. Grades 1 3 Meeting

7 Answers to Ticktacktoe Questions: Where did Missionary Paul find Lydia and her friends? (by the river) What was Lydia s job? (seller of purple cloth) What were Lydia and her friends doing at the riverside? (praying) Was Paul traveling alone? (No, he had missionary helpers.) How did Lydia receive Paul s message? (The Lord opened her heart and she believed.) What happened to Lydia and her household after they believed in Jesus? (They were baptized.) What did Lydia ask Paul and his helpers to do? (stay at her house) Name something Paul did well. (told about Jesus) Name something Lydia did well. (She was a good businesswoman and a good hostess.) Practice Bible Skills Cue the CD to Books of the Old Testament and Books of the New Testament (Tracks 25-26). Print the reference cards and titles cards (separately) from Key Passage Cards (CD2 Item 7). Place the reference cards on the walls around the room. Discover a Book On slips of white paper, use a white crayon to write the names of books of the New Testament so that the children will have at least one each. Choose books that are more difficult for them to Form two groups. Invite the first group to choose a ticktacktoe question and answer it. Explain that if the answer is correct, one member of the group should stand on that question sheet. Then the second group chooses a question to answer. If the answer is correct, one person from the second group should stand on that question sheet. If a question is answered incorrectly, no one stands on the question and the other team may choose to answer it later. Continue until one group has three people in a row. Ask the players to be seated. If there are questions left over that were not answered, ask volunteers to answer these questions. Practice Bible Skills Remind the children that Paul, the missionary from the Bible story, wrote 13 of the New Testament books. Invite each child to find Romans in his Bible and hold one hand there while he finds Philemon and holds the other hand there. Lead the kids to say the book names from Romans to Philemon to recall Paul s Letters. You may continue this activity by asking the children to find the first and last book of any Bible division and then say the names of all the books in that division. Give instructions for finding the Bible books. For example, say: Find Genesis by opening your Bible to the very beginning. Now find Judges by opening your Bible to the second quarter. Find Job by opening your Bible to the middle and turn back a few pages. Find Matthew by opening your Bible to the fourth quarter. Display the Books of the Bible Poster to give help when needed. Lead the children to sing Books of the Old Testament and Books of the New Testament. Encourage them to sing the songs during the week to help them remember the books of the Bible. Distribute the Key Passage title cards. If your group is small, some children may have more than one. If your group is large, two or more children may share one card. Say: At the signal, each of you is to find the reference for your Key Passage on the wall and stand beside the reference. Tell children who are holding more than one Key Passage title to choose one. Children may help each other locate the correct reference. Ask each child, or group, to call out the Key Passage title and reference and be seated. Children who have more than one title may move to the other reference and report. When everyone is seated, invite some of the children to call out the Key Passage titles they are holding and let the others reply with the references. Discover a Book Give each child a mystery slip and a dark colored marker. Tell the kids that a mystery word is written on their slips. They can see it clearly when color is applied. Guide the each child to go over his slip with a marker which will reveal the name of the Bible book in white contrasted with the dark color. Call on each child to say the name of the Bible book discovered on the mystery card and then to say the book that comes before it, the book, and 256 Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Blue Cycle

8 the book that comes after it. Ask the child to tell the division in which the book is found. Challenge the kids to stand and hold their cards in the order the books appear in the Bible. Lead the group to recite the books of the Bible, beginning with Matthew and filling in the books that are missing in the cards. When a child s book is named, he may be seated. Choose Skill Options Describe each activity and guide each child to choose one activity on which she will work. remember and skip the easier books. Provide washable markers in dark colors. Option: You may choose to write books from both testaments and allow the children to reveal more than one mystery slip minutes Family Bible Skills to Go Welcome the parents to the meeting. Ask everyone to stand together in family groups. Guide families to invite children whose parents are not present to join them so every child is part of a group with adults. Ask a child to read 2 Timothy 2:15. Say: You have learned that God wants you to do your very best in whatever you do, and He wants you to learn to use your Bible well. Lead the children to sing Books of the Old Testament and Books of the New Testament to demonstrate how they are learning the Bible book names. Invite the family groups to work Hidden Tasks from the activity page. Challenge the groups to help each person choose one thing he will try to do his very best on this week. Suggest thinking about the things from Hidden Tasks and also offer these suggestions: do his homework every day, get up cheerfully each morning, be on time to work, prepare good meals for the family, clean up without grumbling, and practice his musical instrument. Distribute the purple paper. Encourage each person to write what he plans to work on this week as a reminder. Adults may help younger children with writing. Encourage each person to take the purple paper reminder home and place it where it will be seen each day. Close with a prayer that each person may give her very best to the chosen task this week. Family Bible Skills to Go Provide small pieces of purple paper, approximately 3-by-3 inches in size. Purple sticky notes would work well. Make sure each child has activity page 54 and a pencil. Provide a CD player and CD1. Cue the CD to Books of the Old Testament Instrumental and Books of the New Testament Instrumental (Tracks 27-28). Grades 1 3 Meeting

9 Bible Skills minutes Bible Book Clues Provide the Books of the Bible Poster (Pack Item 3). Provide about 25 dried beans for keeping score. Teaching Tip: Games are more fun when everyone understands and sticks to the rules. Gain everyone s attention before giving the rules. Explain the game clearly. Know the children and their abilities. Adjust the rules as necessary for their age and skill level. Give lots of encouragement and praise. Conclude the game while interest is still high. Bible Book Clues Guide the kids to say the book names of several Bible divisions. Ask one child to call out a division and challenge the others to say the book names. Call attention to the Books of the Bible Poster if needed. Explain the rules to the children. Say: You will read a clue about a Bible book. If you know the name of the book, call it out. If no one identifies the book, you will hear another clue. There are four clues for each book. The first person to call out the correct Bible book will get the points. If you say the book after the first clue, you get four beans, three beans if you say the book after the second clue, two for the third clue, and one for the fourth clue. For ties, both people get the beans. If no one knows the book, I get four beans and will say the name of the book. Everyone will then find the book in their Bibles. Read the clues below. Begin with the number four clue, which is the most difficult, and continue on to number one. If a child says the name of the book before you reach the number one clue, read the other clues as reminders of these facts. At the end of the game, let the children add up their individual scores by counting their beans. Collect the beans and form two teams. Tell the teams to play this time by taking turns and secretly choosing books and making up clues to give to one another. Clues could include the division, book before, book after, and first letter of the book. Let the teams play as time allows. Psalms 1. Found in the middle of the Bible. 2. Longest book in the Bible. 3. Contains A Shepherd's Song. 4. Used as the Hebrew songbook. Genesis 1. First book in the Bible. 2. Name means beginnings. 3. Tells the story of creation. 4. Tells the story of Abraham. Acts 1. Fifth book in the New Testament. 2. New Testament book of History. 3. A history of the early church. 4. Tells about Paul's missionary journeys. Luke 1. Written by a doctor named Luke. 2. Third book in the New Testament. 3. A Gospel. 4. Tells about the birth of Jesus. Proverbs 1. The book after Psalms. 2. A book of Poetry. 3. A collection of wise writings. 4. Written largely by King Solomon. 1 Timothy 1. One of five New Testament books beginning with T. 2. Named after the person to whom Paul wrote it. 3. A letter written by Paul. 4. The first of two New Testament books by this name. 258 Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Blue Cycle

10 Recreation minutes Sock Rocket Toss Ask each child to share one thing she knows about the Bible. She may name Bible books, quote a Bible verse, or tell a Bible fact. (For example, there are 66 books in the Bible and the Bible is God s Word.) Lead the children to pray and thank God for the Bible. Display the Giant Game Floor Mat and the sock rockets. Explain that the children will take turns tossing a sock rocket at the floor mat. They must follow the instruction on the card that the sock rocket lands on or is near. Give each child a couple of practice tosses with the sock rocket. He may be surprised to learn that the sock rockets are difficult to control and that they do not go as far as one might expect. Caution the children against throwing the sock rockets hard. This game calls for skill, not strength. Guide the kids to form a line. Let the first child toss a sock rocket and carry out the instruction on which it lands. If the first toss does not land on an instruction, give them a second try. Lead the kids to use the contents page of their Bibles to check their answers or to look up the verses in their Bibles. Check their answers for Key Passages by referring to the list below. Let the kids continue playing the game as long as time permits. If the sock rocket lands on the same instruction multiple times, that will allow the children to learn the information through repetition. The first time a child may have to look up the information, but by the second or third time, the child should know the information from having heard it already. Option: If interest in the game lags while you still have time left, guide the kids to toss a sock rocket from one child to another. The children must say the Bible books in order, beginning with Genesis, when they toss the sock rocket. Sock Rocket Toss Print the instructions from Instructions Sheets (CD2 Item 41). Insert the sheets into the Giant Game Floor Mat. Make two sock rockets. For each sock rocket, insert a tennis ball into the toe of a long tube sock. Tie the sock above the ball leaving a tail. Option: If you do not have the Giant Game Floor Mat, print the instructions on heavy paper and adhere them to the floor with masking tape. Teaching Tip: Teach the kids how to toss the sock rockets. Take the rocket by the tail and toss it underhanded. Note: Warn kids never to throw objects overhanded when playing inside games; always toss the objects underhanded. Key Passages God s Covenant with Abraham: Genesis 12:1-3 A Shepherd s Song: Psalm 23 The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53 The Twelve Apostles: Matthew 10:2-4 The Resurrection of Jesus: Matthew 28 The Parable of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37 Jesus First Miracle: John 2:1-11 The Work of the Holy Spirit: John 16:5-15 The Conversion of Saul: Acts 9:1-30 The Love Chapter: 1 Corinthians 13 Grades 1 3 Meeting

11 Crafts minutes Purple Cloth Hangings Provide a 12-by-18-inch piece of purple fabric (Cotton broadcloth is a good choice.), a metal clothes hanger, and three by-4- inch pieces of white felt for each child. Gather fabric glue, scissors, puff fabric paint in assorted colors, and 12-inch lengths of lace, ribbon, and braid. Option: Younger children may have difficulty cutting letters and using fabric paint. An alternative plan is to guide each child to print Admit, Believe, and Confess on ironon interfacing (available at any fabric store) with markers. Help the kids cut the words into interesting shapes so they can be ironed onto the purple fabric. Provide an iron. Let them decorate their hangings with lace or ribbon and fabric glue. Caution: Only an adult should use the hot iron! Purple Cloth Hangings Invite the children to locate and read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 from their Bibles. Ask: What do you think Paul was thankful for in today s story? (for Lydia and her home) For what do you think Lydia was thankful? (for hearing about Jesus) Remind the children that Lydia was a seller of purple cloth. Explain that they will use purple cloth to make a wall hanging of the ABCs of becoming a Christian. Ask the children what words the letters A, B, and C represent. (admit, believe, and confess) Explain that the way to become a Christian is to admit you are a sinner, believe that Jesus is God s Son who died for your sins, and confess to others that Jesus is your Lord. Give each child a piece of purple fabric and a clothes hanger. Show the kids how to run a bead of fabric glue along the top edge of the purple fabric. Lay the hanger about one-half inch below the line of glue and fold the glued edge over the hanger so it adheres to the fabric just below the hanger. Give each child three pieces of white felt. Demonstrate how to fold the felt and cut an A, B, and C. (See illustration below.) Guide her to glue the letters to the purple fabric with fabric glue and write the remaining letters of admit, believe, and confess beside the large initials with puff fabric paint. Instruct her to run a small bead of fabric glue along the bottom of the hanging on the front side, and press a piece of lace, ribbon, or braid onto the glue to give a decorative finish to the hanging. Say: Lydia and her friends became Christians by admitting, believing, and confessing. People today become Christians in the same way. Remind the children that if they have questions about salvation, you will be happy to talk to them after the meeting. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 from your Bible and lead in prayer, thanking God for salvation. 260 Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Blue Cycle

12 Service minutes Thank You, Mr. and Ms. Missionary Use these questions and comments to lead a discussion about missionaries: What is a missionary? (Anyone who tells others about Jesus; however, we usually think of a missionary as one who leaves home and goes to another place to tell others about Jesus.) Do you think it would be hard to leave your home and family to go to a far away place to live? What would it be like to be a missionary kid? What things may be different in another country? (Everyone speaks another language, the food is different, people dress differently, and there may be no doctors or hospitals nearby.) Was Paul a missionary when he told Lydia and her friends about Jesus? (yes) Do you know the names of any missionaries? Perhaps your church has sent a group on a mission trip or maybe someone from your church has become a career missionary. Tell the children that missionaries are happy to go tell others about Jesus because they know that is what God wants them to do. They like to hear from others who love Jesus and know that others are praying for them. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 from your Bible and ask: How does this verse relate to missionaries? (They are thankful to do God s will, and others should be thankful for the work they do.) Show the missionary names and guide each child to choose one missionary. Give each child a sheet of paper. Demonstrate folding the paper in half crosswise and then folding it again to form a card with a decorative border. Guide him to print something like Thank you or Thank you for your work on the front of the card. Call attention to the chart paper you prepared. Explain that inside the card he can write a simple note. He may express thanks to the missionary for leaving home to tell others about Jesus or assure the missionary that the child prayed for him. Suggest he affix the memory verse label to the back of the card. Help each child address an envelope and place the card inside. Assure the group that you will apply postage and mail the cards. Read the name of each missionary from the envelopes. Pause after each name for the group to pray for that person. Close the prayer time by repeating 1 Thessalonians 5:18 together. Thank You, Mr. and Ms. Missionary Prepare a list of missionaries to whom children can write. Contact your church office, or call the Contact Center of the International Mission Board at , or log onto Contact the North American Mission Board through the website Provide a sheet of by-11- inch paper with a decorative border, a by envelope, and a marker for each child. Print labels for 1 Thessalonians 5:18 from the Bible Verse Labels (CD2 Item 11a HCSB Item 11b KJV Item 11c NIV). Print some sample sentences on chart paper: Thank you for going to (name of country) to tell others about Jesus. We prayed for you tonight. Consider printing labels for complicated international addresses. Options: Many older children of missionaries come back to the states to attend school. Check with your state Baptist convention to obtain the names of missionary kids in your area. Write a note and put together a package of goodies to send to the young person. Grades 1 3 Meeting

13 Meeting Discover something this verse talks about by filling in the blanks with the first letter of the object pictured beneath each blank. I am thankful for... Think of something for which you are thankful that begins with each letter you discovered. The first letter is done for you. What else begins with that letter for which you are thankful? Write the words or draw pictures of the things on this page.

14 54 Here is a picture of Lydia and Paul and their friends by the riverside. Hidden in the picture are 9 things you can do your best in that would please God. Can you find them? Bible Skills, Drills, & Thrills Activity Book Grades 1 3 Blue Cycle 2006 LifeWay Press Printed in the United States of America.