Monday, June 29, 2015

June 28th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
Village Life with God Lesson 4--Plants and Herbs
(The 12 Spies--Numbers 13-14)
 God created plants and herbs for people to enjoy.
"The Lord is compassionate and gracious,   slow to anger, abounding in love."
--Psalm 103:8
Focus:
~We can trust God to provide what's best for us because He loves us.
~The Promised Land produced wonderful food for God's people.
~Only 2 of the 12 spies trusted in God's power and love.
Missionary Biography: David Livingstone --off to Africa
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9:00am DiscipleLand
3rd-4th grade 
Triumphant Over All Lesson 4--Signs

John 12:20-50; Luke 21:5-36
Jesus warns followers about the dreadful hardships after His death.
"Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near."
                                                                                                                                        --Luke 21:31
Focus:
~Jesus brought salvation and light through His death and resurrection.
~Jesus warned that many dreadful events will occur before He returns to earth again .
~Everything in the Bible will be fulfilled exactly as written.
Missionary Biography: Mark and Gloria Zook--arrival
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10:45am TRU 
1st-4th grade 
Main Focus: God Speaks
Acts 16:6-15 (Lydia and Philippi)

ANTICIPATE:  
Guide Me To The Other Side Activity
This game reminded us how Paul listened carefully to God's speaking and immediately followed God's direction.
Worship with singing:  led by JrHi / High School band

Memory Verse: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)


Tell Your Leaders How To Dress
In today's story, God spoke to His people and led them exactly to where He wanted them to go.  As a fun opening activity, the children get to tell which piece of costume their leaders need to put on when they could recite the memory verse for this month.
 
Paul and His companions wanted to travel to Asia, but God's Spirit would not allow them.  Paul listened to God and obeyed and traveled to Troas instead.  That night, God gave Paul a vision of the man of Macedonia.  Again, Paul immediately obeyed God and headed towards Macedonia.  Upon arriving Philippi, instead of meeting Jewish men, God sent a group of women to listen to Paul.  One of which was a lady from Thyatira (where God did not allow Paul to go) selling purple named Lydia, who got baptized and started the church of Philippine.  
When God spoke, Paul listened and obeyed.  God still speaks to His believers today through His word, prayers, godly people and many different ways.  

Listen When We Pray
Often time when we pray, we talk most of the time.  We are reminded to take time to listen to God as we go about our day and to be attentive to His directing like Paul.
Engage: Tell Me What To Draw
Listening is the key!  In this activity, when we listen carefully, we understand the direction given. 
"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."--1 John 5:14-15
May our children take every worry and every situation in their lives to God.  May they know that God listens to their prayers and answers them.
Isaiah 30:21:
"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
May our children hear God when He speaks to them, and may they respond in obedience. May they walk in His ways this week

Monday, June 22, 2015

June 21st Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
Village Life with God Lesson 3--Seasons and Weather 
(God Brings Rain--1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:41-46)
God controls the seasons and the weather to accomplish His purpose.
"I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit."
--Leviticus 26:4
Focus:
~God is unchanging.
~God controls the weather.
~Elijah used the weather to show people that God is in charge.
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9:00am DiscipleLand
3rd-4th grade 
Triumphant Over All Lesson 3--The King Answers

Luke 20:20-21:4
Jesus amazes everyone with His insights into the Scriptures.
"Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”  And no one dared to ask him any more questions."
                                                                                                                                        --Luke 20:39-40
Focus:
~The religious leaders could not trick the Creator of all wisdom, Jesus.
~Jesus helped people realize that the Christ is God by asking a question.
~God values giving from the heart, not out of duty.
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10:45am TRU 
1st-4th grade 
Main Focus: God Answers Prayer 
Acts 12:1-19--Peter delivered from prison

ANTICIPATE:  
Knock-Knock Activity
This game reminded us how Peter surprised his faith community by miraculously escaping from prison and coming to knock at the door.

Worship with singing:  led by JrHi / High School band

Memory Verse: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)


Dress In A Hurry Relay
We had a taste of how Peter had to dress up in a hurry when the angel came to wake him up in the prison cell.

While Peter was put in jail by Herod, his faith community continued did not know what God would do or how He would work, but they chose to trust in God and pray for Peter.  God answered their prayers by sending an angel to deliver Peter, freeing Peter from the tight security in prison and going back to his faith community.  

When we pray together, we encourage one another and share the same hope that God will answer our prayers. God still answers prayers today. And we can trust that God’s answers are always the best and most loving even when His answers are not what we expect. We have the privilege of praying for one another just like Peter’s faith community prayed for him. 

Share Our Needs And Pray As A Faith Community
As a large group, we took time to share what's on our hearts and pray for one another.  We look forward to hearing how God answers our prayers.

Engage: Who Is It?
This game reminded us the surprise and joy the servant girl Rhoda had when she heard Peter knocking on the door.

"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."--1 John 5:14-15
May our children take every worry and every situation in their lives to God.  May they know that God listens to their prayers and answers them.

Monday, June 15, 2015

June 14th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
Village Life with God Lesson 2--Travel (Jacob's Return--Genesis 32-33)
God shows His people the way as they travel.
"Teach me your way, Lord,    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,    that I may fear your name.."--Psalm 86:11

Focus:
~Jesus is the only way to God. (John 14:6)
~God instructed Jacob to return to Bethel.
~Jacob was afraid to go bak to his brother, Esau.
~God wants us to forgive and ask forgiveness from others.
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9:00am DiscipleLand
3rd-4th grade 
Triumphant Over All Lesson 2--The King Arrives
Matthew 21
Jesus demonstrates His authority to judge.
"The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,“Hosanna to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”"                                                                                                                                --Matthew 21:9
Focus:
~Many Jews celebrated as Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey.
~Religious leaders challenged Jesus' authority.
~God demands true obedience that responds quickly to what God tells us to do.
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10:45am TRU 
1st-4th grade 
Main Focus: God's Spirit Unifies, Part 2 
Acts 10-11--Peter and Cornelius--Gospel to the Gentiles
ANTICIPATE:  Around the World
Through maps, pictures and facts, the children explored the world that is full of many different kinds of cultures, weather, animal life, geography, food and people.  God has created every culture and person to be interesting and beautiful.  
The children also took a “Which country has this food?” challenge. 
Worship with singing:  led by JrHi / High School band

Memory Verse: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)

Peter and Cornelius, the centurion, each received a vision from God.  With God's instruction and correction, Peter realized that God's plan of salvation through Jesus is for both Jews and Gentiles. Peter, then, went to Cornelius' house, sharing the good news about Jesus to the centurion's relatives and friends who gathered there.  The Holy Spirit empowered everyone there, Jews and Gentiles alike, so everyone was speaking in tongues and praising God.  Peter then ordered everyone to be baptized into God's faith community right in Cornelius' house.  God's Spirit unified the Jews and the Gentiles.

Engage: Prayer Chain
Each small group was assigned to pray for one continent.  
Then, the children made prayer chain and wrote what they hope  and pray for the people in that continent.
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."--1 Corinthians 1:10

May our children experience the unity God’s Spirit brings. May they share God’s love with those who are different from them and invite others to be a part of God’s faith community.

Monday, June 8, 2015

June 7th Lessons

9:00am DiscipleLand

1st-2nd grade 
Village Life with God Lesson 1--Tent Living (Genesis 12-13)

God leads His people to places where they can serve Him best.
"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."--Genesis 15:6

Focus:
~God is 3-in-1 : God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)
~In the Old Testament, God's people lived in tent villages as they traveled.
~God blessed Abraham for his obedience and trust in Him.
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9:00am DiscipleLand
3rd-4th grade 
Triumphant Over All Lesson 1--Faithfulness
Luke 18:31-19:27

Jesus counsels His followers to invest their lives for God's Kingdom.
"'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'"
                                                                                                                                        --Luke 19:17
Focus:
~Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
~Being faithful with what God's given us is to invest our lives for God's Kingdom.
~Those who invest wisely will receive more from God.
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10:45am TRU
1st-4th grade 
God's Spirit Unifies, Part 1 (Acts 8:1-8, 26-40--Philip in Samaria) 


ANTICIPATE:  Personal Picassos
The children start by working on something already “unified” --a portrait. 
Then they take the portrait apart to create an unique piece of art—something that looks inspired by the artist Picasso.
Worship with singing:  led by JrHi / High School band

Memory Verse: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)

Because of the Holy Spirit and what Jesus did for us on the cross, God invites everyone to be a part of the faith community.  God did not want the good news of Jesus to stay in just one place, and He was able to use something as bad as a persecution to help believers to spread His good news.  In today's story, the Holy Spirit sent Philip to a faraway place to spread the good news. Philip met an important Ethiopian man, shared the good news of Jesus and baptized him.  God's Spirit unifies believers and made a way for everyone of every race, gender, social status, and culture to come together and to believe, worship and serve the only true God.  
Engage: Encouraging the Faith Community
We talked about as a faith community, it is important for believers to pray for and encourage the missionaries.  As a response activity, each child made a card to a missionary that our church supports.  We pray that the Lord will be their strength, their protector, provider, and their source of joy as these missionaries so faithfully and courageously share the good news of Jesus.
note: names are taken out on these collages

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”   --John 17:22–23

May our children know the unity that comes from God’s Spirit. May our children look to include others in our faith community. May they carry God’s message of hope and salvation to the ends of the earth.