Healing and Praising

Ages 3 5 July 29, 2018 E Healing and Praising Goal: To practice giving thanks to God. RECOGNIZING GOD S GRACE...... In Acts 3:1 10 The healing of the man crippled from birth is a powerful story of grace and gratitude. Peter and John were in the temple area when they encountered a man asking for money from temple-goers. When he asked Jesus disciples, Peter said, I don t have any money, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk! (v. 6; CEB). This word of power in the name of Jesus enabled him to stand and his body became strong. Then, jumping up, he began to walk round. He was so grateful that he entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God (v. 9; CEB). Everyone was amazed, knowing this was truly the work of God. The man was helpless. He had to have people place him at the temple gate each day. He had no hope for healing. But God s healing power came through the disciples. He was healed by divine grace, God s pure gift. His great joy in receiving this grace put him in the grip of gratitude. His walking, leaping, and praising God was his full response of gratitude to the God who desired his healing.... In your experiences with the children Knowing the feeling of gratefulness is a common experience shared by all ages. Children learn from parents about how to respond when someone does something kind for them. Inviting children to share a story about a time when they were grateful for someone or something is a good introduction to this story of the man who was grateful to his friends for helping him each day and to Peter who could heal him so he could walk again. Children will also be able to appreciate the man s joyful response of gratitude for what others did for him.... In your relationships with the children Children in your group may have experiences seeing or knowing people who are disabled and who either can t walk or must walk with the help of a cane, a walker, or artificial limbs. They may be curious about people with disabilities and wonder if, like the man in this story, they would like to be cured. Be prepared for their questions and stories. Help them remember that people with disabilities may not all be able to be cured, but they are healed when we are kind and helpful to them. When we do healing acts like this, we are living in grace and gratitude to God. O God, in Jesus name, I thank you for all good gifts, especially the people who care for me. Amen. 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing 99

Healing and Praising Ages 3 5 July 29, 2018 E Supplies basic supplies (see p. vii) e-book or story audio (see p. vii) Music & Melodies (MM) 2017 2018 Stories, Colors & More (SCM) 9, 9a, 29, 35 38 Guided Play choice 3: wheelchair, canes, walker (childsized, if possible) Exploring choice 1: SCM 22, brass paper fasteners choice 3: copies of Grace Notes (GN) 1 choice 4: copies of GN 2 This is a great opportunity to have children who use supports to share their experiences. GATHERING IN GOD S GRACE Before the Children Arrive Select the activities that will work best for you and your children. You do not need to do everything suggested. Designate a story corner and lay out a blanket or individual mats for the children so their backs will be to the door. Use SCM 35 36, Your Visual Schedule, to provide clear expectations and a visual cue for the group. See SCM 37 38 for the key to icons (for example, ) and ways to adapt for children with special needs or disabilities. Exploring God s Grace, choices 1 and 3, require more prep. Welcoming and Guided Play Greet the children as they arrive and say, Grace and peace be with you. Prompt them to respond, And also with you. Be attentive to any children who might be coming for the first time. Introduce yourself to parents and caregivers that you do not know personally. Tell the parents today s story is about a man who is healed by Peter and praised God in gratitude. Invite the children to choose a guided play activity to start: 1. Dancing Begin playing lively music. Encourage the children to crouch down on the floor, then jump up and leap, dance, and skip to the music. Consider providing long scarves or streamers to wave as they jump and dance. Tell the children that they will hear a story about a man who had a wonderful reason to leap and dance. 2. Building Blocks Invite the children to build a building for worship. Tell them they will hear a story about a man who could not walk. He used to sit outside the temple, a place to worship God. Something wonderful will happen there. 3. Mobility Helps Set out different equipment you have gathered, such as a wheelchair, cane, crutches, knee braces, and walker. Encourage conversation about needing help to get around. Let the children try using them. Tell them that today s story is about a man who could not walk and the joy he found when he was healed and able to walk. Consider how much time your planned activities will take and adjust transition times according to remaining time available. 100 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing

Healing and Praising Ages 3 5 July 29, 2018 E Transitioning to Story Time When the children are ready to move into group time, call them to the story corner, singing Gbemi Jesu (Lift Me, Jesus) MM 12; SCM 29. Repeat words and phrases as appropriate. God Made Me Sing or say the words, while pointing to each body part: Head, shoulders, knees and toes, Knees and toes. Head, shoulders, knees and toes, Knees and toes. God made me and I m a child of God. (Raise your hands.) Head, shoulders, knees and toes. (Hug yourself.) Eyes and ears and mouth and nose, Mouth and nose. Eyes and ears and mouth and nose, Mouth and nose. God made me and I m a child of God. (Raise your hands.) Eyes and ears and mouth and nose. (Hug yourself.) Hands Go Up Hands go up. (Raise hands in air.) Hands go down. (Move hands to sides.) I can turn myself around. (Turn around in a circle.) I can stand up On one shoe. (Stand on one foot.) I can listen. (Cup hand by ear.) So can you. (Point to another.) I can sit. I ll show you how. (Sit on floor.) Bible time is starting now. ( Point finger to wrist.) Hearing the Story Open the Bible to Act 3 so the children know the story comes from the Bible. Tell the children that they are going to hear a story about a man who is healed by Peter and praised God in gratitude. Read SCM 9 or 9a. Express the emotions of the story in your voice, gestures, and facial expressions. Conclude the story by prompting the children to say, Amen. Read the story on SCM 9a inviting the children to act out the story letting the children take turns being the healed man who leaps and jumps and praises God. 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing 101

Healing and Praising Ages 3 5 July 29, 2018 E more more prep prep EXPLORING GOD S GRACE 1. Jumping and Leaping Before the session, cut out the spinner base and arrow from SCM 22. Glue each to a piece of cardstock. Place the arrow in the center of the base with a brass paper fastener. Have the children begin by sitting on the floor. Tell the children that they can take turns spinning the arrow to see what action they will do like the man in the story. Play several rounds so children can experience more than one action. 2. Thank You God Say that the healed man thanked God. Invite the children to thank God with their bodies. Tell them to stand and reach up as high as they can and say, Thank you, God! Then have them jump up and down and say, Thank you, God! Invite them to reach their arms out to the sides and turn their arms in a circle and say, Thank you, God! Finally, have them give themselves a great big hug and say, Thank you, God! Close by saying, And all God s children say, Amen. 3. The Healed Man Before the session, cut out the shapes from copies of GN 1 to make a body, head, and two arms for each child. Cut strips of colored construction paper about 1" x 12", two per child. Give the children the body, head, and arms and show them how to glue them together to make a person s shape (without legs at this point). Give each child two strips of colored construction paper and show them how to fold each strip accordion-style. Tell them that these are their person s legs. Instruct them to tape or glue each leg on to the body of their person. Invite the children to color their people. Play lively music so the children can play with their healed man, leaping for joy. 102 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing

Healing and Praising Ages 3 5 July 29, 2018 E Use wonder questions that do not force a child to remember facts. Wonder questions help a child think aloud. Answers are neither right nor wrong. They help teach children to speak from their hearts. 4. Coloring Page Hand out copies of GN 2 and crayons. Invite the children to color the picture. Engage the children in conversation as they color using the following Z wondering questions. ZI wonder, How did Peter feel when he healed the man who couldn t walk? ZI wonder, What did the people in the crowd think when they Zsaw the man jumping and leaping and praising God? ZI wonder, What things will the man do now that he can walk? For some children, consistency in transitions is the key. Growing in Grace & Gratitude utilizes familiar songs and rhymes as a way to aid in the ease of routine without making it feel stale. LOVING AND SERVING GOD Call the children together, singing Gbemi Jesu (Lift Me, Jesus) MM 12; SCM 29. Repeat words and phrases as appropriate. Ask the children what part of their body they are thankful for and how can they praise God with it. If you would like to share a snack, now would be a good time. Pray: Ask parents and caregivers for their e-mail addresses so you can send the Grace Sightings link, or invite them to visit gracesightings.org. God, we give our thanks: For food that fills our bellies, For time with friends and family, For homes where we find love. We give our thanks for these. Amen. As the children leave, bless them: (Name), jump and leap and praise God! 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing 103

Grace Notes July 29, 2018 GN 1 The Healed Man 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing Ages 3 5 105

Grace Notes July 29, 2018 GN 2 Healing and Praising The man was healed, then jumped for joy! Praise God! 2018 Congregational Ministiries Publishing Ages 3 5 107