Children’s Church / Sunday School sessions
See also the ideas in the suggestions for Youth Group sessions, as many of these can be adapted for a younger age group. Books containing ideas for bible based games and crafts are available from www.childrensministry.co.uk
Everybody’s different
Bible Background
1 Corinthians 12.12-26
Activity
Draw a large outline person (perhaps by drawing round one of the children) and fill it with pictures and names of all the people in the group – if it is a small group, you might want to add in the names of family members, teachers, adults from church, etc. Use bright colours, and a mix of photographs and hand drawn pictures. Talk about how the church (and indeed the world) is made up of lots of people, who each have something different to offer. No two people are the same.
Discussion ideas
Ask the children to think of something that makes them unique (or unusual) – birthdays can work well, or perhaps things like double-jointed thumbs, being able to wiggle their ears, etc. Be sensitive towards those who are obviously different from the others, and who may be sensitive about it (although emphasizing that everyone is unique can be a good way of helping with this).
Make a pretend church, writing a list of jobs that would need doing (eg vicar, music director, singers, servers, flower arrangers, sidespersons etc – the children may need some jobs explaining), and asking for volunteers to fill each position – this will help the children understand that even a small organisation needs a lot of different people and skills to make it work, and that everyone can contribute to it.
Talk to the ministry team in advance to see what opportunities there might be for the children to get more involved in ministry, and then ask the children if they would like to try some of their pretend jobs for real.
Final craft work to take home
Each person makes a decorated plaque with their name on it, and pictures or words to describe how they are unique, and what they feel they can contribute at church, at home, or in the community.
Songs for opening or closing worship
He gave me eyes so I could see
Nobody’s a nobody
If I were a butterfly
He’s got the whole world in his hands (with verses naming a pair of children in each line?)
Prayer focus points
Thank God that we are all different
Take a moment of quiet to thank God for the gifts that we each have
Pray for the life of the church, for our families, and our communities, and ask God’s guidance about how we can contribute to them
Calling: listening to God
Bible Background
John 10.2,4-5 or 1 Sam 3.1-10
Activity
Do a ‘listening’ game, by playing Chinese whispers, first with a very easy word, and then with a longer and more bizarre sentence. Show how hard it is to listen really carefully.
Or play a game of ‘Simon says’ – to illustrate the importance of listening attentively and following one ‘voice’ only
Or Blindfold one of the children, and set up a simple obstacle course (using chairs, tables, boxes etc) through which the child has to walk, by following the directions of someone they have nominated as a trusted guide (eg stop – take one step to the right – now forward two paces – one step to the left...). When they have successfully completed the course, they have to come all the way back again, but this time the other children are encouraged to shout out misleading directions to try and distract them – the blindfolded child has to concentrate on listening to the one voice they trust.
Discussion
How do we hear God calling us? (eg the Bible, in our prayers, through other people, our own thoughts that take us by surprise)
What sorts of things is God likely to say? (guidance, reminding us of things, choices)
What things stop us listening to God? (distractions, selfishness, not wanting to hear!)
How can we listen better? (praying, being open to new possibilities, asking for help)
Final craft work to take home
Each child makes a little book with a thought bubble on each page. On the first few they write about or draw a picture of times when they feel that God has spoken to them, and the others they leave blank. They take the booklet home, and use it for their prayers during the week, writing and drawing in the blank thought bubbles as they feel that God has spoken to them in some way.
Songs for opening or closing worship
I, the Lord of sea and sky
Prayer is like a telephone
I am listening to God
Prayer focus points
That we will each want to listen to God
That we will be able not to be distracted
That we will be able to tell what is God speaking and what isn’t!
Calling: being a disciple
Bible Background
Matthew 4.18-22 (the call of the first disciples)
Activity
Play ‘fishing’ using magnets on the end of miniature fishing lines (there is a children’s game which could be used, or home-made ones would work just as well) to pick up cardboard fish with paperclips attached to them. It could be good (or not!) to divide into two teams to make this competitive.
Or (for younger children) one of the leaders leads the children along, doing different actions, which they have to copy (eg hopping, clapping, jumping)
Discussion ideas
What does it mean to ‘follow Jesus’. What did Jesus do that we can follow or copy? (spending time with the people who weren’t popular, standing up for what was right, telling others about God…)
How did Jesus call the disciples? How does God call us? (At our baptism, God calls us by our name, and welcomes us as his children and as his friends, and asks us to follow him)
Who does God call? (God calls all sorts of people – the disciples were just ordinary, but God helped them to do amazing things. If we say ‘yes’ to God, he will make something amazing out of us, too)
How do we call other people to follow Jesus? (We try to live like Jesus did, and have the courage to tell people that we believe in him)
Final craft activity to take home
Each child makes a fish-shaped badge to wear. Early Christians used the fish as a symbol for their faith, because the Greek letters of the word ‘fish’ are an acronym for ‘Jesus Christ – Son of God – Saviour. Wearing a symbol of our faith helps us to share what we believe, like the first disciples did.
Or each child creates a maze (or decorates a pre-drawn maze) on a piece of stiff card, and attaches to the middle of it with a piece of string a small figure of a person, to represent themselves trying to follow Jesus, and making decisions about which way to go.
Songs for opening or closing worship
Will you come and follow me
Father, I place into your hands
Prayer focus points
That we will have the courage to follow Jesus even when it means giving things up
That we will know how to follow Jesus when we have hard choices to make
That we will have the courage to share our faith with others
Jobs & occupations
Bible background
Romans 12.4-8 (using the gifts we have been given)
Activity
Draw round one of the children on a large piece of paper. Ask the children to cut out (with adult help as necessary, or have some ready) clippings from magazines illustrating different jobs or careers. Stick the clippings onto the outline of the child, and talk about each one as it is stuck down. What kind of person does each job? What skills do they need? What would be the best and worst aspects of each job? Display the finished ‘person’ in church.
Discussion
Does anyone know what they want to be when they grow up?
Why have they thought about that particular job rather than others?
How do we make important decisions about what we do with our life?
Final craft work to take home:
Each child is given a small cut out ‘person’ and on it they are invited to write or draw something they feel they have as a talent or gift, perhaps something that they think might help them decide what they want to do in life. They can decorate the other side of their person.
Suggested songs for opening or closing worship:
Stand up if you’re wearing red
He’s got the whole world in his hand
Nobody’s a nobody
Prayer focus points
Thank God for people who do difficult jobs, or whose work isn’t appreciated
Thank God that he has a purpose for each of us
Ask God’s guidance when we make choices that affect our own life and the community