Household Material for Kids (Age 8-12) December

Household material for Kids (Age 8-12) _December

Theme: God guides us…so Trust God

1) Prepare – 30 Minutes

Lead them to praise and worship with the help of the songs and psalms they learned andconclude with the traditional prayer. Don’t forget to repeat the theme throughout the 3 hours, you can even do it with simple actions.

1 a) Songs

Repeat some songs they are familiar with

1. “What a Mighty God we serve”
2. “Jehovah Jirah”
3. “Battle belongs to the Lord”
4. “God will guide us”

1b) Introductory activity

Divide the children into groups of 3-4. Identify a leader from each group and give a list of materials they need to collect as a group. Blindfold other group members and ask the leader to guide them to collect the materials listed in the paper. The leader is not supposed to touch or pick the objects. The group that collects all the materials wins. [The facilitator should identify 10-12 objects which are easily available and keep them at different places.] When children reassemble after the activity the facilitator asks them how they could win. After getting a few responses he explains that God is our guide. He leads us towards what is best for us- when we study, choose friends, play, talk, in whatever we do He guides us. We need to allow ourselves to be guided by Him

1c) Memory Verse

For this month teach Exodus 20: 1-3 “I am the LORD your God, "You shall have no other gods before me.” (If they don’t know the commandments already). Otherwise since they know most or all of the commandments, go over the commandments and do a Bible trivia for all the verses so far.

Memory verses were

1. Psalm 27:10 “Even if my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me in.”
2. John 10:27“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”
3. Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans of the human heart,but it is the decision of the LORD that endures.
4. Exodus 12:13: Seeing the blood, I will pass over you.”
5. Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you, you have only to keep still."
6. Exodus 16:15 But Moses told them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”
7. Exodus 17:11 “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. “

One idea on how to do this:

TEAM SCRAMBLE

Before Class - for each Bible verse, write each word of the verse on separate index cards. Divide the kids into two teams. Have a race to see which team can put the cards in order so the verse reads correctly in the shortest amount of time. You can do 2-3 Bible verses one after the other after a section is done throughout your 3 hours together. The team with the highest points can get a prize.

2) Present- 2 Hours

2a) Bible Story

Narrate the Bible Story for the Month

This is our last story this year in Exodus.

Recap:

After the Israelites had left Egypt for about three months they camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses went up to the mountain where God reminded him what all he had done for the Israelites. God reminded Moses how He freed the Israelites from Pharaoh’s power. Then God told Moses that if the people obey His covenants, their nation would be his treasured possesion and holy in His sight. Then He told Moses to have the people cleanse themselves and be ready, because in three days the Lord will come down on the mountain. The people should not attempt to go up or even touch the mountain.

As the Lord told Moses on the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a loud trumpet blast. The mountain was covered with a thick cloud of smoke, because the Lord came onto it with fire. The whole mountain trembled and all the people were afraid. No one was allowed to go to the mountain except Moses. God has something very important to relay to his people though Moses.

Let’s read what he gives Moses:

Exodus 20: 1-17

2b)Understanding the scripture passage

God guides us, so trust God!

Rules

“How many of you have rules at home? Do you have rules about when to eat? How to eat? How long you can watch television? How you should act? (no hitting, no spitting, no yelling?) Do you like the rules? I remember saying that I did NOT like some of the rules when I was little – especially at school. There were too many!!

Let’s think about rules and play a game called “I wonder”. I’m going to ask you a question that starts with “I wonder” and you guys are going to use your imagination and help me answer. In our country, we have a lot of rules about food – how it has to be made before we buy it and eat it. I wonder what would happen if we didn’t have any of those rules? (do you think it would be clean? Taste as good? would restaurants be as clean?) We also have a lot of rules in sports and games. I wonder what would happen if our games didn’t have rules? (people would cheat and lie, we wouldn’t know how to play – wouldn’t be as fun) And what about on the road – we have tons of rules on how to drive or ride our bikes on the road. I wonder what would happen if we didn’t have those rules? (You could drive anywhere, stop when you want…there would be crashes all the time!)

We have a lot of rules to live by – and most of them are good…and necessary. If we didn’t have them, the world would be crazy!”

The ten commandments God gave us do the same to help us in our lives.

And or another way to explain the importance of rules by heading warning signs.

THANK YOU God for guiding us through rules/ warning signs. Everyone: God guides us..so trust God! (Take time with this group if possible to thank God for different way he Guides us)

Discussion:

1. Why do you think, "You shall have no other gods before me" is the first commandment? (God wants us to put Him above all things. Before our games, TV, even before our friends.)
2. What does "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord" mean? (The Lord is holy. Using his name in an unholy manner brings judgment to that person.)
3. What is an idol? (Anything that keeps you from spending time with God.). Lets list those things.
4. "Honor your father and Mother" must be important because it too is on the list. Why? (Parents want what is best for their children, so they teach and guide them. Children are still learning and really don't know everything yet.)
5. What does covet mean? (It is having a strong desire to have what belongs to someone else.)

2c)Key message and Key Bible verse

God gives the 10 commandments (Exodus 20)

2d) Game

Erase the Verse

Supplies: Large dry erase marker board with marker and eraser.

After introducing the Bible memory verse, write it on the dry erase board. Have the children read the verse together. Then ask for a volunteer to read it aloud. This child is then allowed to erase one word from the verse. Call on another child to read the scripture as it was originally written. Then allow them to erase a word.Repeat this process as the children remove more and more of the verse. If you want you can include previous month’s memory verses as well.

2e)Section on Saint: Saint Nicholas

Feast Day December 6

Patron saint of Greece, Russia, children, brides, pawnbrokers, merchants, sailors and travellers

What do you love about Christmas? What are the things that come to your mind when you think about Christmas?

This month let us learn about a saint whose name is mainly associated with Christmas. He is Saint Nicholas, you know him as Santa Claus.

Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. He had a happy childhood and his parents were wealthy. They raised him to be a devout Christian, Nicholas loved God more than anything. He studied hard, prayed often, and followed Jesus by helping the poor. His parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young.

Nicholas wanted to use his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. The people loved him so much that when their old bishop died, they immediately elected Nicholas to replace him. He dedicated his life to serving God being the Bishop of Myra. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity tothose in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Nicholas was loved for one reason. He loved. He loved God and God's people so much that he would do anything for them.

Here is a story about Nicholas that has been passed down through many generations.

There was a man living in Myra who was very poor. This man had no wife, but he had three grown daughters who lived with him

In those days, when a young woman got married, she had to bring money or property with her into the marriage. This is called a dowry. If a woman did not have a dowry, she would never marry.

This man was so poor that he had no money for his daughters' dowries. And he did not have enough money to support them either. So he decided to sell his daughters into slavery. Nicholas heard about this terrible situation. One night, Nicholas crept to the man's home and threw something through the window. It was a bag of gold; it was enough to pay the dowry for his eldest daughter. Thanking God, he immediately arranged for his eldest daughter’s marriage. The man was overjoyed, and his daughter was too

But, what about the two younger daughters?

St. Nicholas returned one night and again threw a bag of gold through the window. The father rejoiced. But he wondered who was helping him and why.

Nicholas did not want the man to know. He knew that it is best to help others without letting them know we are helping them. But the father was determined to find out who this good soul is.

He had one daughter left and no money for her dowry. He certainly hoped he would be helped again, especially because he wanted to find out who was doing it. So he locked the windows and watched out the door.

Nicholas still wanted to help. A few days later, in the back of the house, far from the father's sight, he threw the third bag of gold for the third daughter right down the chimney. Hearing the noise, the father set out to pursuit Nicholas. He ran so fast that he caught the sight and recognised him. But Nicholas not only declined his thanks but also got him to promise that the man would keep his deed a secret.

The legends of the three gold bundles and his love for children are probably behind the tradition of giving gifts on Nicholas’s feast day and at Christmas, which originated in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Later, St. Nicholas got transformed into the Santa Claus who now helps us celebrate the birth of Christ!!!

St. Nicholas lived for God, which means that he lived for love. If people were in need and he was there help, St. Nicholas gave them hope and strength. St. Nicholas never paused for a minute to wonder what he should receive in return for his help. He only thought about what he could give to those who needed him.

Christmas is a fun, exciting time, isn't it? It's fun because of all the time we get to spend with our families. It's fun because we do a lot of celebrating. It's fun because we get to think, sing, and pray about Jesus, who was born into the world to save us.

Christmas is also fun because we get to give. We can show our family and friends how much we love them by giving them special gifts that we make or buy.

St. Nicholas was thankful too, and that's why at Christmas time we try to be just like him. He was so grateful for the life God had given him that he just could not stop giving joy and hope to others-no matter how far he had to travel or how many roofs he had to climb!

Let us all learn to be thankful. Be thankful for friendship and love and for all the people who take care of us. We should be thankful to God for giving us life.

Activity based on the Saint

Choose any of the three:

1. Help the kids to make a Christmas Card for their mothers as a sign of being thankful. The cards could be made out of A4 size papers and colour pens.
2. If they have brought Christmas gifts to exchange, they can do it at this time.
3. Word Search

2f) Kidcat

Does God lead the world and my life?

Youcat 49

CCC 302-305

Yes, but he does that in a mysterious way. God leads everything through a path which only God knows. The things he created will never fall off from his hands at any point of time.

Kid: Grandma, Does God control our life and this whole world?

Grandma: Yes Son, Just like God led the Israelites through the Red sea, He leads and controls this whole world.

Kid:Does He lead me as well? But how does He do that?

Grandma:Last day, when one dog tried to attack you, a man came and rescued you. It is an example of God’s interference. Like that, He interferes in our life in many ways.

Kid:What should I do for that?

Grandma: You have to believe and trust in God. We should thank for his interference and presence in our lives.

Kid:Will do so Grandma. I will always pray to increase my trust in Him

3) Preserve: 30 Minutes

Repeating the message helps in impressing it in their heart and mind. It is always better to summarize the day with some activity which would help them to make something that they can carry home. It will be a reminder of the message back at home.

3a) Summary Activity and assignment:

Activity idea (1):

Ask the Lord to guide you to prayerfully put everything together to share it with the less fortunate.

Continue collecting items for the needy. It could be anything from non-perishable goods, clothes, toys, etc. These are to be distributed during Christmas time.

Activity idea (2):

Advent banner: Advent is a time to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Lets make this banner as a way of preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus into our lives to guide us in our lives.

3b) Concluding Prayer

Help them to pray a small prayer on their own with some songs they learned.