|
Good Morning everyone!
I hope that you've had a good week at home with your families. Today we are going to be learning about patience being a fruit of the spirit, which is definitely something that I continue to ask God for, especially as we are all home right now, in each others spaces and trying to learn how to do school etc from home.. Let's begin this morning with some songs. If you want you can get up and do the actions along with the kids in the videos. Music Video: You Forgive Me from DIG IN on Vimeo. Music Video: Whole Lotta Change from DIG IN on Vimeo.
So last week we learnt about peace, and this week we are learning about patience. Patience is when we wait calmly. When we are friends with God he helps us wait patiently.
Can you guys think of anything that you guys had to wait patiently for this past week? I had to wait at traffic lights and in grocery lines this past week… those are just small examples of things to wait for. Sometimes we have to wait for summer trips, or birthday surprises, or perhaps we had to wait for our younger brother or sisters to be born! We all have to wait. Sometimes we aren’t good at waiting, but God can help us be patient. Today we’ll read in the Bible about a man named Jacob who waited patiently for years and years. God helped Jacob be patient because he was a friend of God, and God helps us be calm as we wait for something we want or need. Waiting can be hard! Our friend Awesome Andy doesn’t like waiting either. Let’s see how he solves his patience problem. Talk-About Video 4: Let It Snow from DIG IN on Vimeo.
If you could make it snow right away, what would you want to do in the snow?
Andy wanted snow so he could use his rocket-powered tri-ski-scooter invention now. But Cami said, “Sometimes a great idea won’t work because it’s just not the right time.” Once we had planned a trip but we ended up leaving later that I had hoped. At first I was upset that I had to wait for other people to be ready to go, but it turned out that there was quite a bad accident on one of the roads that we were going to be taking and so because we left late we actually knew about the accident before we got to that road, and we were able to avoid it rather than be stuck in lots of traffic for hours. Andy came up with an idea for another fun invention while he waits for snow. What can you do while you’re waiting? BIBLE LESSON
In today's bible lesson we’re going to earn about Jacob. Lets read Genesis 29:1-6 together
“Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. A large stone was on the well’s opening. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds rolled the stone from the well’s opening, watered the sheep, then put the stone back on the well’s opening in its place. Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Harran.” Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”” After meeting Rachel, Jacob fell in love with her, and he worked out a deal with Rachel’s dad so he could marry her. “Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.” Seven years is a long time. Think about it: If you’re 7 years old now, that’s basically your whole life! ..and seven years from now, you’ll be a teenager. That’s a long time to be patient. If you had to do extra chores from now until you’re 14, what would you want in return? Jacob really wanted to marry Rachel, but he had to be patient. God gave Jacob the patience to work hard for seven long years that seemed like only a few days to Jacob. Finally, the wedding day came. After the wedding, Jacob realized that Rachel’s dad had tricked him! Instead of marrying Rachel, Jacob had married her big sister, Leah! The Bible doesn’t tell us how he didn’t know. Maybe she was wearing a veil. Maybe it was dark. But either way, he didn’t realize it until it was too late! How do you think Jacob felt having been tricked?! But Rachel’s dad worked out another deal. He told Jacob that he could marry Rachel the next week if he promised to work another seven years after that. Being patient is NOT easy! But there’s good news: We don’t have to just try to be more patient. When we stay close friends with Jesus, patience is a gift he gives us through God’s Holy Spirit. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. He gave Jacob patience, and he can give us patience, too. MEMORY VERSE
The bible verse that we're learning and trying to memorize is from Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Activity - Bottle Flip
Who has heard of the game bottle flip?
If you want, you can play this game now. Grab a closed bottle of water, hold it by the neck/lid, toss it up a few inches so it flips and hopefully lands upright on the tabletop. Keep tossing and count how many times you can get your bottle to land upright. Why did this game take patience? What happened as you kept trying and trying? Patience is more than just patiently waiting for something to happen. Patience can also mean not giving up and to keep trying. As you tried and tried, you figured out some strategies for getting the bottle to land upright - or maybe you’ll have to keep trying ? What’s something you’ve learned to do in your life that you had to try again and again before you got it right? I remember having to practice and practice taking corner kicks for my soccer team, and then having lesson after lesson to learn how to drive. Whether it’s learning to flip a bottle, learning to tie our shoes, or waiting for a whole week for the weekend, things don’t always happen as fast as we’d like. But when we’re patient and keep trying, we learn and grow new skills. Jacob showed amazing patience, and with God’s help, we can, too. Activity/Craft
Materials:
Popsicle sticks (10) large clothespin (1) Items to decorate the sticks (Stickers/Markers) A sandwich-size resealable plastic bag (1) Gather the materials and decorate the popsicle sticks. After you’ve finished making the game, drop the sticks haphazardly on a table, and then pick them up one at a time with the clothespin, and drop them in the bag. It will take some practice, trying different ways, and maybe a lot of patience! Waiting is hard. It helps to have something to do while we wait. When might you use this game to help you be patient? Perhaps on a long car ride? or while we have to wait at a doctors appointment or something? Lots of things, like this game, can help us be more patient while we wait. God helps us be patient, too.
I don't know about you but I ate a bit too much chocolate over the Easter holidays, so it's probably good that we're getting back to some fruit.
This isn't like the fruit we might find in our kitchens though. We're getting back into our Fruit of the Spirit lessons, and this week we're learning about Peace! But first, let's sing some songs together! Music Video: Good in Every Way from DIG IN on Vimeo. Music Video: The Love of God from DIG IN on Vimeo.
Before Easter we learnt about the fruits of the spirit, Love and Joy. This week we’ll learn that peace is a fruit of the Spirit. Peace is when we’re calm and restful. Can you guys take a take a deep breath in? .....and then breathe out ?
Sometimes our lives are not very peaceful, sometimes they feel very chaotic! We’re busy, or we don’t get along with our families, or things just don’t go our way. Let’s watch this short video to see how God can bring peace in those moments.
What parts of this family’s day seemed the least peaceful to you?
Does your life ever feel similar to this families? What did they remind you of in your own life? What can you learn from how they found peace? Even when life gets really crazy, God can bring us peace. Bible Lesson
Today’s bible story shows that peace is a fruit of the Spirit. We’ll find out that being friends with God helps us be peaceful with others. God can help his friends make peace, even when other people are being mean.
Our story is about a man named Isaac who had trouble keeping peace with the people living nearby. We’ll find out that he kept peace even when some other people ruined something he made. It’s no fun when someone ruins something we put a lot of time into making is it? Issacs’ troubles all had to do with some wells. Do you know what a well is? Wells are deep holes dug in the ground until they hit water. That way, people can lower buckets into the well and pull up fresh water. Often, there’s a little brick rim above ground at the top of the well that helps keep dirt out. God had blessed Isaac. Isaac had a great farm, a lot of animals, and a lot of wells. But he lived near some people called the Philistines. The Philistines were jealous of everything Isaac had, so they did something mean. In Genesis 26:15-16 it says..... “So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham. Then King Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.” The Philistines ruined Isaac’s wells and kicked him out of the land! I think I would be pretty mad! But you know what Isaac did? He peacefully moved away. Isaac left his old wells behind. When he found a new place to live he worked hard, found where water might be underground, and dug some more new wells. But just when Isaac had gotten all set up with his new wells, this happened.... “Isaac’s servants dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”).” Last time, Isaac just walked away. But surely you’d think he would defend his well this time. He even named the place “argument”. But no… it turns out he didn’t! He just dug another well! Isaac didn’t get involved in an argument, even though digging wells is tons of work, Isaac kept the peace. He just moved on. You won’t believe this…but then, it happened again! Isaac had dug yet another well, and someone tried to take that one from him, too! If I were Isaac, I’d be pretty frustrated by now! He needed water to drink, and to feed his animals… What do you guys think about Isaac’s attitude? Even though Isaac’s well got stolen again, Isaac trusted that God had made enough space for everyone to find water. Lets read what happened this time… Genesis 26:22 says “He moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” Finally, Isaac’s well was built a well, and it seemed like no one was going to take it… but then…King Abimelech came back!! – Do you remember him? He’s the king of the Philistines, the people who filled Issac's wells in with dirt! What could he want now? Genesis 26:28-32 says ”They replied, “We can see that the LORD is with you so we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant. Promise that you will not harm us, just as we did not harm you. We were kind to you and let you go peacefully. Now it is clear that the LORD has blessed you. Issac prepared a big feast for them and they ate together. Early the next morning, they each promised not to interfere with each other. Then Isaac sent them home again, and they left him in peace. That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” It turns out that this time the Philistines wanted to make peace with Issac. It was probably hard for Isaac to act peacefully when people kept ruining or stealing his wells, but Isaac didn’t start a fight. We can’t control what other people do. Sometimes they’ll ruin our stuff, take our stuff, or hurt our feelings. But when we’re friends with God, God helps us to have peace like Issac did. Through God’s Spirit working in us, we can control how we react, and we can respond in peace. MEMORY VERSE
The bible verse that we're learning and trying to memorize is from Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Prayer
God, thank you that you are the ultimate peacemaker. Help us when we face situations where we want to fight. Give us ways to make peace instead, even if the other person doesn’t want to make peace. Help us know when to just walk away like Isaac did.
In Jesus’ name, Amen games and activities
Today we’ve talked about peace. Sometimes it’s easier to understand peace when we can feel it. So let’s do an activity to help us think about how peace might make us feel.
Materials needed: A bedsheet Directions: Everyone hold onto a corner, or the edge of the sheet. Then, take turns flapping it about making it ripple wildly. Once it's been moving for a while, someone says so, everyone has to hold it perfectly still. When we’re crazy with our sheet, it doesn’t feel very peaceful. But when we stop and hold it still, we can feel a little bit of what peace is like. Let’s do it again and see how fast we can get peaceful. It’s fun to be wild and loud sometimes, but it’s also nice to be calm and quiet. Sometimes we want to be peaceful, but there’s too much going on around us. That’s when we can remember that God puts his peace in our hearts. God can help us feel peace even when things around us aren’t peaceful. Have you ever had a thumb war? Find a friend to play against now...... Who won? How did you feel while you were thumb wrestling? How do you feel when you’re in the middle of a real-life fight or argument? In a thumb war, you and your opponent have the same goal: You both want to pin the other person’s thumb. Real-life arguments are similar, you both want to be right! But making peace means letting go of the need to be right and instead ending the fight. It’d be like a thumb war where one person just stopped fighting the war. Try playing again but after a time, one of you stop rying to pin the other persons thumb. What happened when you stopped trying to pin the other person’s thumb? Making peace in life isn’t always easy. Sometimes you try to stop the fight, but the other person is still fighting! So what if you’re the only one willing to make peace? Making peace is hard! That’s why it’s good news that peace is a fruit of the Spirit. It means we don’t have to try to make peace all in our own strength! We can turn to God for help when we need to make peace.
Peaceful Peach Finger Puppet
What you'll need: Cardstock or thick paper, coloured pencils or markers, scissors. 
Click Image to Print
ArchivesMay 2020
Happy Easter!! Jesus is RISEN!!
KIDS PRAISE AND WORSHIPMusic Video: Rescue Me from DIG IN on Vimeo. EASTER SUNDAY LESSON
On Easter Sunday we celebrate that Jesus died for us on the cross and then he came back to life!
Let’s start by talking about all the things we already know about Easter. What do you know about Easter? (Listen to kids responses, there are no wrong answers even if they mention eggs and the Easter bunny) On Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the grave, but no-one knew that Jesus was alive until the disciples went to Jesus’ tomb to collect his body. What do you think it smelled like in Jesus’ tomb? What do you think Jesus’ friends thought or said when they found his empty tomb? Let’s watch this Bible story as told by some kids like you, and we’ll see how they answered those questions
Which parts of this story do you think show the way it really happened?
Which parts were just kids’ imagination? After Jesus died, people rolled a giant stone in front of his tomb. They thought that was the end of Jesus’ story but we know that Jesus came back to life. When Jesus’ friends heard that Jesus came back to life, they ran to the tomb to see for themselves. They ran fast like they were in a race! They wanted to see what happened to Jesus. When they got to the tomb they saw that the stone was rolled away. An angel had moved the stone out of the way, and everyone could see that Jesus wasn’t there anymore. Later, when they finally saw Jesus, they were so excited to see him. Jesus did die for us, but he didn’t stay dead! While some of the details of Jesus’ resurrection are up to our imagination, the important thing is that Jesus is ALIVE! We know for sure that he came back to life! CRAFT TIME
When we have good news, we want to share it with everyone!
Perhaps we have gotten to tell your family you were going to be a big brother or sister, or that we got a new pet or toy, or that we were going to take an exciting trip somewhere, maybe to your grandparents house! Today we're learning about learning about some good news - the best news ever! Jesus loves us so much that he died for us on the cross so we can be his friends, forever! But he didn’t stay dead. Jesus came back to life Let’s make something to remind everyone about the good news we celebrate at Easter! You'll need the print out below (or some blank paper), painters tape and markers/crayons
When Jesus died for us, he took away all the wrong things we’ve done. Now our hearts are clean, just like the crosses on our cards. We can give our cards to people to tell them how much Jesus loves them and that Jesus died for them, too.
PRAYER
Dear Jesus,
Thank you so much for dying on a cross for each ones of us, whether we are big adults or younger kids. We thank you that you rose again and that Easter is a time we can remember that you did it all because you love us so much. Amen ArchivesMay 2020 |
RSS Feed