===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, October 9, 1999 From: NAD Children’s Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: September 15, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, THE DISCIPLES LEARN TO PRAY ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: When I pray, God promises to listen to me and answer me. Memory Verse: “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” Matt. 6:9-13, KJV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - 3-WAY COMMUNICATION Materials needed: Plain white sticky-back labels (1 per each child) Poster board Marker WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Divide the poster board into three sections. Title one section, Phone Committee. Title another section, Letter Committee. Title the third section, Computer Committee. If you have the space, set-up three separate sections of chairs to represent three different groups. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask each child to choose which mode of communication they prefer to use, the phone, writing a letter or postcard or the computer. As each child chooses a method, give them a label to write their choice on. They can use the poster board for spelling. They don’t need to write the word, committee, just phone or letter or computer on their label. Have the children separate themselves according to what label they are wearing into the three groups of chairs. All those wearing phone labels should be in one section, etc. Each groups has two minutes to convince the other two groups that their method is the best way to communicate with someone else. As each argument is given make marks on the poster board that will be tallied up at the end. Make sure the children raise their hands before speaking and that all children have an opportunity to speak. Do not allow one child to be the entire spokesman for a group. After all three committees have had an opportunity to argue their case tally up the marks and have them return to their seats. In our story today the disciples learn about the best possible way to communicate with Heaven. Jesus teaches them Himself how to do it. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - PRAYER PUPPETS Materials needed: Mittens OR socks (Depending on availability & cost)(1 mitten or one sock for each child) Felt and material scraps Scissors Glue WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary other than gathering the materials. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Assign half the group of children the task of decorating their mitten or sock to look like the Pharisee. (Clothes should be fancier; a pleased expression on face etc.) The other half will decorate their mitten or sock to look like the tax collector. (Clothes will be plainer, expression will be sad.) When puppets are finished each child wears it on their right hand. As you tell the Bible story they raise their puppet whenever you refer to them in the lesson. Practice reviewing the story ahead of time so that you can tell it alternating between what the Pharisee prays and what the tax collector prays. For example: Jesus told a story of two men who went to pray in the temple. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. One of these men went to pray in the corner all by himself. (The children should hold up the tax collector). The other prayed out in front loudly where everyone could see him. (The children hold up the Pharisee.) One man thanked God that he was not as sinful as everyone else around him. (The children hold up the Pharisee.) The other was ashamed of his sins. He was afraid to even look up to Heaven. (The children hold up the tax collector.) Continue the story in this manner. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE PLAQUE Materials needed: Unfinished wood plaques (Approximately 5 X 7) (One for each child) Sand paper Parchment paper (or bone-colored xerox paper) Lighter (optional) Typed copy of the Lord’s Prayer (Sized and spaced to fit the 5 X 7 plaque) Decoupage Finish Foam brushes (one per every 2 children) Plaque hangers (optional) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Xerox a copy of the Lord’s Prayer for each student. Using the lighter, burn around the edges of the paper to give it an old parchment look. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Because the Lord’s Prayer is such a beautiful and necessary scripture to memorize the activity will be a craft that will require more time and money so that the finished product is one that every child will be proud to place in their room. 1. Give each child an unfinished board to sand. Provide a dry cloth to wipe away dust. 2. Give each child their copy of the Lord’s Prayer. Read each line together and talk about why God instructs us to pray each part of this prayer. (Information in quarterly). 3. Show the children where the Lord’s Prayer is found in their Bibles. 4. Have each child lay their Lord’s Prayer verse on their wood piece and using a foam brush, cover it with decoupage. (Don’t worry if it looks milky. It will dry clear. Don’t leave excess decoupage on the plaque in ridges. Brush all in one direction. 5. Allow to dry until the end of church. Providing hangers on the back will probably increase the likelihood of the plaque being hung at home. 6. Provide the children with an appropriate incentive for leaning the entire prayer by the end of the quarter. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - YARN PRAYERS Materials needed: 4 different colors of yarn (purple, red, amber, yellow)(Enough for each child to have a 6" piece) Masking tape WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Cut each child a 6" piece of each color of yarn. Tie the four ends all together in one knot. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Tape each students knotted end to a table so the rest of the yarn hangs over the edge. Ask them to hold up the strand that begins with the letter “P”. The purple strand starts with “P” and stands for praise. Whenever we talk to God we should tell Him things we like about Him. We praise Him for how awesome He is and for the things He has done. Ask the children to hold up the strand that begins with the letter “R”. The red strand starts with “R” and stands for repent. Whenever we talk to God we repent or tell Him we’re sorry for our sins and ask for forgiveness. Ask the children to hold up the strand that begins with the letter “A”. The amber strand starts with “A” and stands for asking. God wants us to ask Him for things. He wants us to ask Him questions, and He wants us to ask for His help. Ask the children to hold up the strand that begins with the letter “Y”. The yellow strand starts with “Y” and stands for yield. Whenever we talk to God we must yield or give up our wants and desires and let Him do whatever He wants in our life. When you put the colored yarn together the letters at the beginning of each color spell PRAY. Show the children how to braid their yarn strands together tying a knot at the opposite end when they are finished. Encourage them to share their prayer bands with others.