Praying for Children @ Risk Week
“Sunday School” Lesson
“You don’t need wings to be an angel”
WALT: We Are Learning That
1. God loves everyone
2. God wants us to love others too
3. We can be an angel of God when we love others
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-40 New International Version (NIV)
31“When the Son of Man comesin his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separatethe people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdomprepared for you since the creation of the world.35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36I needed clothes and you clothed me,I was sick and you looked after me,I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
New International Version(NIV)
Jesus explains that to love God with all your heart mind soul and strength also means showing love and care to others in need- even those who are different from us.
· God loves everyone.
· When we help people in need, it is like we are doing it for/to Jesus himself.
· Helping others is showing God’s love to others.
· God has anointed each of us to be God’s messengers…like angels, only without the wings.
· We can rely on God and on each other to help get the harder tasks done.
· 1 John 3:16-18 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth.’
· Resource: Organize for the song/PPT ‘Hey Stranger, Hey Neighbour’ to be shown in church as an introduction to this prayer week for ‘Children @ Risk’. Could show PPT again (teach chorus) at the end of the lesson
Angel Biscuits Activity
Preparation:
· Gather the materials needed to make Angel Biscuits: Butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla and flour. You will also need: A mixing bowl, spoon, angel-shaped cookie cutter, baking sheets, baking paper (optional), oven, Bible
· Measure out your ingredients according to the recipe before you begin
· Print out The list of scriptures (below) to go with each ingredient. If you are using this as a children’s message, cut them apart and glue each ingredient with its description onto an index card.
Introduction:
Say to the class/congregation: Today we are going to make angel biscuits. I’m going to need you all to help me add the ingredients, and I also want you to LISTEN very carefully because each of the ingredients helps me tell a part of the story.
You see, God loves his children so much, that He wants us to care for each other. There are many ways to do this. What could you do if someone was lonely? Hungry? Thirsty? In the Bible, God has special messengers that do His work. Does anyone know what they are called? (Angels) Did you know we can do God’s work too? We can be like the angels…just without the wings. Let’s get started with our biscuits…
Recipe for Roll Out Sugar Cookies (Food.com)
(As you add each ingredient, discuss its symbol and scriptural reference.)
INGREDIENTS (yield 2dozen depending on size of cutter)
· 1cupbutter
· 1cupsugar
· 1largeegg
· 2teaspoonsbaking powder
· 1teaspoonvanilla
· 23⁄4cupsflour
DIRECTIONS*
Pre heat oven to 200C degrees.
Choose six children (if you have enough, you could choose 12 children: one reader and one “learning reader” for each ingredient.) to add ingredients and read a card about the symbolism for the ingredient.
Child 1 (name): (If you have two children for each ingredient, the first one (younger child) puts the ingredient in the bowl. The second child reads the text in blue from a prepared card.)
“I’m putting butter into the bowl. Butter adds oil to the mixture. Oil was used for anointing kings to do God’s work. David was anointed by Samuel before he could become King (1Samuel 16:13). We are also called to do God’s work. God wants us to be his messengers here on earth. Kind of like angels but without wings.
Child 2: I’m adding sugar to the butter. Sugar adds sweetness. When we are called to do God’s work, we must be led by God’s word. Psalm 19:10 tells us that God’s word is “…more precious than gold, sweeter than honey.”
Leader or child mixes the butter and sugar (with electric mixer). (If you are doing this lesson in a classroom setting, allow each of the children to have a turn stirring the mixture. Best for groups of 10 and under.)
Child 3: I’m adding egg to the mixture in the bowl. The egg binds together the rest of the ingredients. Col. 1:17 says that [God] is before all things and in Him all things hold together. We need God to hold us together so we can work as a team with others when we are being God’s messengers.
Child 4: I’m adding vanilla to the bowl. Vanilla enhances the taste of the mixture. Psalm 34:8 says “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” When we are God’s messengers (like angels) we want to share the joy and enjoyment of God with others.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Child 5: I’m adding flour in a little bowl. Flour adds substance to things. It is the main part of our recipe. In Leviticus 2:1 God’s people were asked to bring an offering of their finest flour and give it to God. Are we willing to give up our time and energy and perhaps something precious to us to be God’s messengers/angels?
Child 6: I’m putting baking powder in the bowl with the flour. Baking powder helps the biscuits rise. Psalm 44:26 says “Rise up and help us. Rescue us because of your unfailing love.” Sometimes we are in a position to help others, and sometimes we need to ask God’s help. God might just send a messenger (angel) to us. God helps us to “rise up” when we are low.
Let’s Pray: Thank you, God that you have anointed (remember the butter/oil) us to do your work. You’ve given us your sweet word to guide us and you hold us together so we don’t have to do it alone. May we share your joy with others and bring the flavour of your love to everyone we meet. Please help us to be able to give our finest gifts and talents to your work and send us an angel or two whenever we need them. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
If this is being presented as a Children’s message in the service, say: Now we will finish the rest of the baking together as the children go out to their usual classes.
1. Mix flour and baking powder.
2. Add 1 cup at a time, combining after each addition.
3. You will need to add last 3/4 cup by hand.
4. Do not chill dough it will be stiff.
5. Divide dough into 2 balls.
6. On floured surface roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.
7. Use any cookie cutter and cut away.
8. Line the trays with baking paper and put the biscuits on the tray.
9. Bake for 6-10 minutes or until light brown.
10. Enjoy!
While making the angel biscuits, talk together about ways that we can be God’s angels/messengers. Perhaps the children can think of a time when someone was an angel to them.
*Note From Kaila: While testing this lesson at Somervell Presbyterian Church, I had a small group (12) of children and we did the whole lesson in class. I (the teacher) added the ingredient, and then we spoke about the meaning of each ingredient while each child had a turn to stir the dough 2-3 times. As the bowl went around our circle (we were gathered around a low table), I asked questions about the ingredient and guided them through the Bible references as we went. Eg: Does anyone know what baking powder does? (One five year old (!) actually knew and said, “It makes them fluffier.”) I answered by telling them that “yes” it helps the biscuits to “Rise” and then used that as a transition into the scripture.
Children may:
1. Enjoy their Angel cookies on the spot.
2. Take home their angel biscuit and tell someone they love about how they can be an angel to someone else this week.
3. Wrap up their angel biscuit to give to someone who might need a little treat this week. (teacher, coach, child at school who might seem lonely, church member who is in a rest home, neighbour)
* Children could make cards to go out with food parcels when they are delivered
Here is a gathering of links to LOTS more ideas that relate to this story
http://www.mssscrafts.com/newtestament/samaritan.htm
DISCUSSION/FOLLOW UP
PRAYER: Dear God, we pray for children in NZ who don’t have all the good things we take for granted. We ask that you bless those who are hungry, while we have plenty to eat; for those who live in cold houses when we can just put on a heater or snuggle down into a warm bed; for those who don’t have shoes or enough clothing when we have a choice of what to wear every day. Help us to do all we can to help them.
We can’t do everything but we can do something and work with others who help too. DISCUSS: Who do we know who helps?
Optional PRAYER: Dear God, we thank you for Presbyterian Support and other helping groups who do LOTS to help needy children and their families in NZ. Thank you for the food banks, buddy programmes, Guardian Angels, Family Works counsellors and Social Workers in Schools. Help us to keep on praying and to do all we can to bring hope for many children and families in NZ.
Show PPT again, teach chorus of ‘Hey Neighbour, Hey Stranger,’ so children can sing along, light a candle and pray. (If you didn’t pray after each of the scenarios)
Active Option:
If you have children who are feeling a bit antsy after sitting still and mixing the biscuit dough, these games could be played while the biscuits are baking or perhaps while children are taking turns with the cookie cutter(s).
ANGEL GAMES
1Are you an angel?
This is a sitting down on chairs circle game.
Instructions: Everyone sits in a circle on chairs. One person does not have a chair, and stands in the middle of the circle. This person chooses someone in the circle and asks them “Jill (name): Are you an angel?” If Jill says “No”, then the people either side of Jill, have to swap chairs, before the person in the middle can sit down in one of their chairs. If the answer is “Yes”, then everyone has to swap chairs.
The aim is for the middle person to get herself onto a chair. If she succeeds then the person whose chair she’s taken must go into the middle and ask someone ‘Are you an angel?’
2/ Robbing our Neighbour or Being their angel (2 versions of ‘Rob the Nest’)
Equipment: 5 large plastic plates (or hoops or mats) 16 plastic spoons (or beanbags, pegs or balls)
Instructions: Children are divided into 4 even teams, one in each corner of the space. These teams are each given a plate and line up behind it.
At the centre of this square is 1 main plate with 16 spoons on it.
The aim is for the teams to be the first with 5 spoons on their plate. First team member runs up to the centre plate and collects ONE spoon, runs back puts it on the plate and tags the next player in the team who does the same etc. Once the spoons are removed from the central plate, team members are allowed to steal spoons from other teams. Same rules of ONE player from a team at a time still applies.
After a team has 5 spoons on their plate they call out ‘Five’’
Giving away version: How could we play this game again so that it wasn’t about grabbing but about giving? (Chn make suggestions) Here is one way: Give each team 4 spoons each (total of 16) and no centre plate. First team members run to another team and give one spoon away. Keep going, one player per team, until there are no spoons left on your plate. Call out ‘ANGEL!’
Questions
· How did it feel when people kept stealing the spoons?
· Did it feel different to be giving away all your spoons to be an angel instead of trying to steal them from them?
· Is it frustrating when we try to help and it doesn’t work out? (Not that simple to offer help)