Our Lord Jesus Christ has made

Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11

Kids Event Outline This event outline provides ideas and activities for an hour-long children s event for kids ages 7 11. Plan to use this event during Sunday school on the 5th Sunday of a month or as a special event on a Saturday or during your church s Wednesday night meetings. All the activities in this event are based on the theme Jesus, My Savior and Friend and on the theme verse, Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (Romans 5:11). This event outline includes suggestions and instructions for Bible time, snacks, activities, and songs. Choose the ideas that will work best in your local setting and with the size of your group. You will also want to take into account the number of adult volunteers you can count on and any space constraints you face. God bless you as you share God s love with all who attend! Ready... If your event will happen during your regular Sunday school hour or during a regularly scheduled midweek class time, your advance planning will need to be much less elaborate than if you invite families from the community and hold it for a special purpose (for example, childcare during a major sporting event). For a larger, more elaborate event, you will want to put together a team of 3 8 individuals. Work together to decide some of the basics: Who will lead each team? You will likely need volunteers to be responsible for publicity and promotion, setup and cleanup, decorations, leading station activities, and ordering and coordinating prizes. It never hurts to have a few additional volunteers who can fill in as needed on any of your teams. What will the event look like? How many activity stations will you set up? This guide provides game and activity suggestions for five or six stations. If you anticipate a large turnout, consider duplicating stations. Or add additional stations based on local interests and your talent pool. When is the best day and time to offer your event? Check with your church office, other ministry leaders, and your pastor as you think about date and time. Where will the event take place? Will you offer it indoors or outdoors? Consider your facilities, parking options, potential weather conditions, and other variables. Why are you doing this? Do you hope to create an outreach event for the community, or is it your intention to encourage young families who regularly attend your church? Knowing 2

your audience will help you craft your invitations and promotion efforts and will also guide you as you evaluate the results afterward and follow up on any visitors who attended. Prior planning and preparation is key! The larger and more elaborate your event, the earlier you will need to start organizing teams and inviting volunteers to join you. Set up the teams suggested below. If your event is small, some volunteers may be able to serve on more than one team. On the other hand, many hands make light work: the more people you involve, the more hearts your event can potentially touch. Encourage teams to select a leader and get together as soon as possible to begin brainstorming ideas based on their focus of responsibility. Promotions Team The Promotions Team is responsible for getting word out about your event. How can you effectively let your church (and community) know what you are planning? Can you run ads in the local newspaper? Will the local elementary school(s) allow you to send flyers home with students? Can you hang flyers in local shops and community centers? Would other churches announce your event? Consider adding details to your church or municipality Web site. Don t forget to Tweet about your event and announce it on Facebook! As you plan publicity, find out each outlet s deadline for advertisement submission. Start your promotion blitz two to four weeks ahead of time. CTA provides free, downloadable invitations and flyers all with themed art. You can add information about your event before making copies. Check out these resources at www. CTAinc.com/FREE. Setup/Cleanup Crew The Setup/Cleanup Crew is responsible for the overall event design and large-scale building and teardown. You ll want to decide how to set up each station. You may choose to retrofit existing materials left over from VBS or previous Fall Festivals. Or create new backdrops that can be stored and used again next time. Here are some ideas; you can add your own. Arrange chairs to form rough circles for each station Use painters tape to mark off the boundaries of each station String yellow caution barricade tape around the perimeter of each station Let everyone on all the teams know that you and your crew will be there to help them set up and take down their activity stations on the day of the event. Decorations Team The Decorations Team is responsible for small-scale decorating and final touches that will complete the thematic look of the event. Their work will coordinate with that of the Setup/ Cleanup Crew, considering the size and scope of the sets that team is developing. The Decorations Team will work to augment the basic setup. For instance: 3

Balloons are a fun and festive addition to any event. Use colorful, plastic table coverings from the dollar store on tables at each of the stations with tables. Make use of the comic-strip motif and cut large speech bubbles from poster board. Mount them to the wall and fill them with welcoming comments and directional information. Or, write thought starters on them for participants to fill in during the event. Two or three weeks prior to your event, check out the various friendship crafts for kids displayed on Pinterest. Invite individual children or groups of children to make friendship wreaths, friendship quilts, or poster-like friendship projects and display these in appropriate places around your event area. Activity Leaders Activity leaders are responsible for preparing and running their respective activity or game. Make sure each leader is clear on what he or she will do and say and why. Help leaders assemble the props and materials they will need and make sure each leader has at least one helper during the event. All adults in each activity station should understand the game or activity happening there and the main teaching point they will share with the children. Stress the importance of having at least two people in each activity station at all times to ensure order and maintain safety. Badges and Prize Team These volunteers make sure that every participant has a friendship name tag and that every booth has enough prizes to distribute. As each participant enters the event, he or she could be given a paper friendship tag (printed from CTA s free resources page, www.ctainc.com/free). As the children and families visit each activity station, the colored dots on the tag will be marked or punched with a hole punch. This will help families keep track of how many activity stations they have visited and will keep them moving along from station to station. Explain that as the event ends, each participant who has a completely punched/marked badge will receive a Jesus, My Savior and Friend drawstring backpack (Item JMF5TB) filled with goodies as a bonus. Place a copy of the Jesus, My Savior and Friend Gospel Fun (Item JMF5GF) in some of the backpacks; as your event ends, these should be distributed to younger children. Place a copy of the Jesus, My Savior and Friend Activity Book (Item JMF5AB) in the rest of the backpacks; as your event ends, these should be distributed to older children. In every drawstring bag, include a small bag of popcorn, envelopes of hot chocolate, or candy. You will hand these out as a final gift to those in attendance. Consider enclosing an invitation in each drawstring bag, too, encouraging each family to join you in worship next weekend. Be sure to include service times and contact information. (See the printable Thank You at www. CTAinc.com/FREE.) 4

Runners Consider asking teens from your high school youth group to serve during the event. They will serve as messengers and run errands as issues arise. They could also entertain smaller children at each activity station, deliver additional supplies as needed, hand out snacks or other treats, or help direct visitors. Set... A few weeks before your event, gather your entire team. Pray for your event. Thank God for the volunteers who are willing to donate their time and talents in sharing the Gospel. Pray for the families and especially the children who will attend. Each team should report on the plans they have developed. Work together to coordinate all the ideas to create a cohesive experience for your guests. As you wrap up the meeting, make specific assignments, set check-in and deadline dates, and set your plans into motion. GO! As families arrive, give each participant a friendship name tag (available for free download at www.ctainc.com/free). Remind participants to have their badges marked or punched at each activity station so they can receive their final prize as they leave. Begin with a brief group time. Welcome everyone and thank them for coming. Share any housekeeping details directions for moving from one activity station to the next, the location of restrooms, information about refreshments, and where to gather when the event concludes. Keep this opening session brief and focused on only the essentials. Then encourage everyone to enjoy the event and send them off. Wrap Up Plan a final large-group gathering before the families leave. Use the devotional activities suggested below. As the families leave, again thank everyone for coming. Hand out the Jesus, My Savior and Friend backpacks filled with goodies and encourage participants to come back again. 5

Jesus, My Savior and Friend Activity Stations 1. BIBLE TIME A Bible, preferably a kid-friendly version, bookmarked at Luke 10:25 37 A quantity of plain adhesive bandages (standard 1-inch by 3-inch size or something similar, available at most dollar stores) Painters tape or sidewalk chalk Two small tables or two flat-bottomed buckets, turned upside down A narrow-tipped, permanent marker Stage a relay race to introduce the Bible story. Use painters tape or side walk chalk to create a starting line. Place the tables or upside down buckets 20 30 feet from this line. Place an ample supply of bandages on the tables or buckets. Form two teams. Explain that when you say go, the first runners for each team will run to the far end of the race course, pick up a bandage, and race back to the starting line. There, the first runner should unwrap the bandage and affix it to the arm or hand of the second runner on his or her team. When the bandage is firmly in place, the second runner races to the far end to get a bandage. The race continues until each member of the team, including the first runner, is wearing a bandage. The first team to accomplish this wins. As the race ends, gather everyone around you. Have them sit down in a circle where they can hear and see. What You ll Say Jesus once told a story about a person who hurried to help someone who really needed bandages. If you listen very closely, you will see that YOU are in this story. Read Luke 10:25 37. This story shows us what a good friend Jesus is to us. You see, we are the person in the story who needed help. Jesus is the one who came to our rescue. Sin hurts us. When we do what God has said not to do, it hurts us. When we fail to do what God says we should do, it hurts us. 6

When we lie or take things that are not ours or say unkind things, we hurt ourselves, and we often hurt other people, too. When we fail to obey our parents or when we forget to thank God for all his blessings, we add more hurt. When we worry, we add more hurt. When we fail to take good care of God s creation, we hurt many people, even some people who aren t born yet! By our sins, we bring lots and lots and lots of hurt into our lives and into our world! Sin does an even more dangerous thing. It makes us guilty before God. Because of our sins, we have made ourselves enemies of God. We deserve to be punished, punished forever. But God loves us so much, he did not want that to happen. That s why he sent his own Son, Jesus, to rescue us to be our Savior. Here s what the Bible says: Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11 Jesus made us friends of God by dying on the cross for us. Jesus came to us when we were sinful and hurting. He washed away our sins by dying for us. He rose from the dead three days later, defeating sin and death. And now, Jesus makes us his very own brothers and sisters. He calls us his friends! Day by day, Jesus keeps on forgiving us, keeps on caring for us, keeps on forgiving and caring, forgiving and caring. That s how much he loves us. To remind you of that, I would like to draw a cross on the bandage you are wearing. Every time you look at it today, I want you to remember that Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. With a helper or two, draw a cross on each bandage. Have a few extra bandages available in case some participants have lost theirs. (Note that occasionally a child might object to this; don t force anyone to participate!) When you have finished, lead the group in a prayer like this one. Dear Jesus, we are so glad you are our friend and that you have made us friends of God our Father. Thank you for dying on the cross for us and forgiving all our sins. Teach us to show your love to others who are hurting and lonely. We pray in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11 7

2. Snack TIME Friendship Trail Mix Several dozen ziplock sandwich bags, each containing one of these ingredients: miniature pretzels raisins cereal (for example, Cheerios, Chex) dried fruit miniature marshmallows Large mixing bowls and spoons Napkins Jesus, My Savior and Friend Plastic Tumblers (Item JMF5PT) As participants arrive in this center, have them wash their hands. Then give each person at random one of the bags of ingredients you have prepared ahead of time. When everyone has arrived, invite the participants to share their ingredients to make a much tastier snack than the one-ingredient wonder they have received. Have older children or adults in the group help empty each bag of ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Let younger children help stir this up. Then give everyone a plastic tumbler and allow them to dip out an individual serving of the snack you have made. What You ll Say While group members are eating their snack, remind them: Jesus has made us friends with God and that makes us friends with one another. I m glad we are friends and that we can share our snack, aren t you?! 8

Friendship Fruit A variety of fresh fruit (for example, bananas, pineapples, grapes, kiwis, oranges, pears, various varieties of apples) Cubed cheese (optional) Coconut (optional) Plastic knives A sharp knife for adult use only Large mixing bowls and spoons Paper towels Napkins Plastic forks Jesus, My Savior and Friend Plastic Tumblers (Item JMF5PT) As participants arrive in this center, have them wash their hands. Then give each person at random one piece of fruit to dice. (Because bananas and grapes will cut more easily, give these to younger children. You and other adults in the group may use the sharp knives to help the children who need help dicing their fruit.) When everyone has finished dicing (and peeling as necessary), invite the participants to share their ingredients to make a much tastier snack than the one-ingredient wonder they have received. Have older children add all the fruit to a large mixing bowl. Let younger children help stir this up. Then give everyone a plastic tumbler and allow them to dip out an individual serving of the snack you have made. (Option: Participants who want to do so may add a few cheese cubes or a pinch of coconut to their snack.) What You ll Say While group members are making their snack, remind them: Jesus has made us friends with God and that makes us friends with one another. I m glad we are friends and that we can share our snack, aren t you?! 9

Friendship Cookies Plain sugar cookies Icing Sprinkles of various kinds Napkins Plastic knives Paper towels As participants arrive in this center, have them wash their hands. Then ask each person to choose a partner. Each partner will decorate a cookie for the other, keeping the design a secret until it s ready to eat. Encourage everyone to make the cookies as creative, colorful, and appetizing as possible. (Have adult helpers work with younger children. You will want to encourage the use of reasonable amounts of frosting not mounds and mounds!) What You ll Say As the group works, remind them: Jesus has made us friends of God and that makes us friends with one another. Jesus helps us do good, kind things for our friends, just as he does good, kind things for us. I m glad we have so many friends here today friends we know and friends who are new to us! 10

3. Friendship Activities My Friends God s Gifts to Me Rolls of colorful leftover wrapping paper Ribbon Tape A timer A panel of three judges Camera or camera phone (optional) Have participants pair up. If your group includes quite a few very young children, form teams of three or four, being sure to include at least one older child or adult on each team. Give each pair (or team) a roll of wrapping paper. One child on each team will be gift-wrapped from feet to shoulders, including a final decorative bow. Give everyone a few minutes to strategize. Then give the alert: Ready! Set! Go! After two minutes, call time. The team with the best wrapping job as determined by the judges wins. Consider taking pictures to post on your church Web site as you report on the event. Give the winning partners/team members each a Jesus, My Savior and Friend silicone bracelet (Item JMF5BT). What You ll Say We just gift wrapped a friend. It reminds us that our friends are gifts from God. We can have so much fun with our friends! I m so glad God has made us friends, aren t you?! 11

Friendship Scramble The letter tiles F,R,I,E,N, and D, as many as possible, borrowed from Scrabble sets Zip lock sandwich bags Paper and pencils A dictionary or a judge who spells well Camera or camera phone (optional) Ahead of time, divide up the letter tiles into identical sets and place each set in a sandwich bag. Seal the bags so that no tiles are accidentally lost. (Note: If letter tiles are not available, make some on poster board. Print on cardstock at www.ctainc.com/free.) As participants arrive, give a piece of paper and a pencil to half the children and a bag of letter tiles to the others. When everyone has arrived, ask group members to pair up. Those with a set of tiles for the game should partner with friends who have received paper and pencils. Ask participants to work with their partner, using the letter tiles to make as many words as they can within a specific time frame. They may manipulate the tiles to try out options and then write the legitimate words they construct on their paper. What You ll Say It s fun to make words with friends. The best word of all takes different letters than the letters we have. Who can guess that best word? Yes, it is J-E-S-U-S! If time allows, teach this song to the tune Bingo : I have a Savior and a Friend. He loves me every day, yes! J-E-S-U-S. J-E-S-U-S. J-E-S-U-S. And Jesus is his name. YES! As everyone sings, consider taking pictures to post on your church Web site as you report on the event. 12

Flying Friendship Disk One Jesus, My Savior and Friend Flying Disk (Item JMF5FD) for each participant Camera or camera phone (optional) Form groups of four and have them stand in a circle. The older and more skilled the participants, the wider the diameter of this circle should be. Give each group one of the flying disks and encourage them to play catch with it around the circle. When each person catches the disk, he or she is to finish the sentence closest to the thumb used to do so. Each describes something Jesus, our Savior and Friend, does for us: He helps me when... He comforts me when... He makes me happy when... He amazes me when... He teaches me when... He guides me when... If the groups are very good at passing and catching the disk, have a contest to see which group can get the most passes and catches in a row. Consider taking pictures to post on your church Web site as you report on the event. As the children leave, give them each a Jesus, My Savior and Friend Flying Disk to take home. 13

Superhero ME Copies of the free Jesus, My Savior and Friend masks (downloaded from www.ctainc.com/ FREE), one for each participant Crayons or watercolor markers Scissors or safety scissors Paper plates Elastic string Craft supplies (ribbon, rickrack, glitter glue, and the like optional) Several adult or teen helpers Use the concepts printed on the downloadable Your Secret Superhero Identity to introduce the activity. Then let each child choose one version of the superhero mask to decorate. Then, with adult help or supervision as appropriate, each child should: 1. Cut the mask out and trace it onto the paper plate. 2. Use crayons or markers to decorate the mask, adding other optional materials if these are available. 3. Cut around the lines on the paper plate to free the mask. For safety s sake, most children will need adult help in cutting out the holes for the eyes on the mask. 4. Make small holes on either side of the mask. Cut a piece of elastic string to fit around the child s head. Then attach the elastic string through the holes and tie it securely through the holes and around the mask on both sides. Again, most children will need some adult help or direction. As the children work, reinforce the concepts printed on the downloadable. Jesus has given us true superpowers, but not the kind of superpowers we usually associate with superheros. Our superpowers can make an even bigger difference in the lives of other people! Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11 14

4. Songs You may have a separate station for song time or you may incorporate one or more of the following songs into your closing: What a Friend We Have in Jesus Friends Are Friends Forever when the Lord s the Lord of Them Jesus Loves Me, This I Know God So Loved the World (Hillsong Kids version) You can find the text and tune for each of these by using your favorite online search engine or the search box in YouTube. Be sure to adhere to the copyright guidelines for the songs you choose to share (note that even songs in the public domain may have arrangements that are protected under copyright). 5. Closing The Ministry Message for Jesus, My Savior and Friend; download it and print it from www. CTAinc.com/FREE A Bible Six word cards; prepare these ahead of time as described in the devotion they form an acronym from the word FRIEND Present the devotion. Thank everyone for coming and invite them to join you again soon in worship or at some other appropriate event. As the families leave, be sure each child receives one of the Jesus, My Savior and Friend drawstring backpack (Item JMF5TB). If you have included Jesus, My Savior and Friend Gospel Fun books (Item JMF5GF) in some of the backpacks and Jesus, My Savior and Friend Activity Books (Item JMF5AB) in the rest of the backpacks, be sure each participant receives the age-appropriate package. 15

2015 CTA, Inc. Permission to make photocopies or reproduce by any other mechanical or electronic means is granted only to the original purchaser and is intended for use within a church or other Christian organization. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. #JMF5DCE www.ctainc.com