Wee Praise lesson for 12/28

OVERVIEW: 12/28/08 TELL OTHER ABOUT JESUS Luke 2: 8-20

Remember the month’s theme (Jesus’ birth), and this week is about the good news of Jesus’ birth being announced to the world, shepherds in the fields specifically!

APPLICATION: Jesus’ birth is just as much good news as it was 2000 years ago, and we should also be out telling the world about him!

SHARE & PRAYER “Children Around the World”

Ask kids what they received for Christmas. Mention how blessed we are and how much we have to be thankful for (Jesus first of course, then moms and dads, brothers/sisters, food / houses , etc.), and that today we’re going to think about other kids around the world and pray for them.

Engage kids in thinking about other kids and what we can pray for. As always, reinforce anything that you can, and redirect inappropriate comments kindly and gently. Look to identify some of the following:
à Manyozo, of course
à kids that don’t have parents/homes, such as the other
orphans in Malawi, Zimbabwe, elsewhere
à kids who don’t know about the great new of Jesus,
such as children in Tanzania or Turkey who have
never even heard of Jesus
à children who don’t have houses, or clothes, or enough
food like we do

As always, try to get the kids to join in your prayer of asking God to bless the other children of the world in the ways that you’ve talked about.

ACTIVITY: "A gift for Jesus"


Remind the children about our story and how the wise men brought presents to baby Jesus. Then explain to the children that we’re going to play a game about giving a present to Jesus. Let one of the children “be Jesus” by putting the crown on his/her head, and have a chair/seat for him/her to sit on like a throne. Then let the other children take turns “giving the present to Jesus”. The point of the exercise is to ask them to think about what they would like to “give” to Jesus when they come before His throne in heaven some day. Try to get them to thinking about what kind of a present He would want us to give Him. Without just supplying an exact idea, you may want to suggest that the present that Jesus would want on that day is for us to have done something for Him, or in His name, while we’re still here on earth. You get the idea . . . get them

Lesson for 12/14

Here's what we are studying on December 14:

LISTEN CAREFULLY & OBEY Matt. 1:18-25
Remember the month’s theme (Jesus’ birth), and this week is about the angel visiting Joseph to tell him of God’s plan, and to obey God. APPLICATION: God had a plan, and invited first Mary and then Joseph to participate in His plan! God wants us to join Him in reaching out to the world, and never ceases inviting us to join Him in His plans

The last two weeks have been the stories of angels first visiting Mary, and this week Joseph, to tell them about God’s plan for the and the world. Today we want to just prompt the kids to think a bit more about HOW WE LISTEN TO GOD, another part of what it means to “talk to God” in prayer.

Gather the kids around and ask/remind them of how it was that God spoke to first Mary, and then Joseph (through an angel). Then ask them how God talks to us today. Allow time for them to suggest some things . . . reinforce anything that is appropriate (or can be reworded or reconfigured to be correct), but also be careful to say “no” (kindly, of course) to things which they say that are not correct. What we’re looking for in the ways God speaks to us include:
--the Bible
--parents
--Mr. Buddy, Uncle Al, Sun. Schl. teachers, other Godly people
--our own conscience

After reinforcing the concept that prayer is not only our speaking to God, but also Him speaking to us even today, ask the children what specific things they want to pray about today and then encourage them to participate in talking to God.

December Wee Praise Topics

Terry was reading my mind, I suppose, because she has put out the list of topics for December's Wee Praise.

Here they are... I'll give more details on each as the time approaches.


Neal

MONTH'S THEME: “God Sent His Son, Jesus” emphasizing the realty of Jesus coming from heaven to live on earth . . . not a fairytale but a true story revealing how much God loves us.

MEMORY VERSE: Luke 2:10b “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

December 7th An Angel Told Mary about God’s Plan
Luke 1:26-33
CRAFT: Nativity Scene #1

December 14th Listen Carefully and Obey
Matthew 1:18-25
CRAFT: Nativity Scene #2

December 21st We Welcome Jesus
Luke 2: 1-7
CRAFT: Nativity Scene #3
MEMORY VERSE: just review from the last 2 weeks

December 28th Tell Others about Jesus
Luke 2: 8-20
CRAFT: Nativity Scene #4