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March 15th, 2020

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OPENING GAME

Supplies Needed:

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Blindfolds (1x per child)
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Capri sun or juice boxes (1x per child)
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Blindfold each child and give them a juice box or capri sun. The players must remove the straw from the packaging blindfolded and insert the straw to win this game. First person to do it properly wins! This game is just for fun…no lesson attached!

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MEDITATION

[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxXzonJaQvQ&list=PLQ_PIlf6OzqL3BE0rB6clb9IzLLkkSKUF&index=127″ el_width=”20″ el_aspect=”43″][vc_column_text]1 minute meditation. Students can lie on the floor, close their eyes, or sit cross-legged. We want them to think about “peaceful places” during this time. Use the music link above!

SAY: Create a beautiful, peaceful place in your mind. Maybe you are making a beach with birds and waves. Maybe a forest with fairies and fireflies.
What kind of food is in your special place?
Who is there with you?
Is God there? What does God look like?
Is it light or dark? What does the weather feel like?
Are there animals there?

After a few minutes of meditation, students are encouraged to share what they thought about during the silence. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_zigzag color=”peacoc”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

BIBLE VERSES

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WORD OF THE MONTH

Love: Actions, words and thoughts that show we care.

How has God showed love to us?

How do you show love to others?

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GOD SIGHTINGS

If you are comfortable, light a real candle and pass it carefully around from child to child as they share their God Sightings.

[SAY]: Let’s do our God Sightings! This candle represents that God sightings light up the world with love. A God Sighting is something you see or do that reminds you of God’s love. Make sure your God Sighting includes God’s Love! [Start by sharing your God Sighting and allow others to share]

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BIBLE STORY

[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG1LjFO99dA” el_width=”70″ align=”center” title=”Bible Story Animation: Do Not Worry”][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/YoUrWI3aQO8″ el_width=”70″ align=”center” title=”SPARKS Bible Story”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Watch one or both of the videos together. Discuss the questions from the story:

What kinds of things do you sometimes worry about?
Who can help you stop worrying?

Jesus wants us to focus on something bigger than ourselves. He urges us to look at the flowers and the birds. Neither of them are worriers. They don’t spend their time worrying about the future. They know that God’s creation will provide, and they are content.

Don’t worry about things you can’t control, Jesus says. Instead, add the one thing that matters the most in this life. It’s not money, it’s not knowledge, and it’s not fame. It’s Jesus himself. Seek God first, Jesus says. Our WORRIES can really only be taken care of by one thing. It’s like a math problem. There’s only one answer: The answer is that we need Jesus. When you remember this, you can enjoy each moment as it comes, even if things are changing.

Imagine if you woke up every day this week and thought about Jesus first. You might not think so much about all of the other worries. You would know that Jesus is with you.

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MOVEMENT ACTIVITY

Supplies Needed:

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Backpack
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Heavy Books
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SAY: Worries can weigh us down and keep us from being the person God wants us to be. I have a backpack here that I am going to put “worries” in. I need a volunteer to wear it.

Here’s the backpack. Now let’s put in some worries.

Take turns sharing your worries, and pick up a heavy book and put it in the bag to represent each worry. Fill the backpack up, but not too much so that it is painful to hold!

How do you feel with the weight of that worry? Although worries aren’t heavy books in a backpack, they still feel like they weigh us down. When we worry, we’re not letting God take care of things. It’s like we’re saying, “Jesus, I don’t need your help. Thanks, but I’ve got it.” Jesus tells us that we can always trust him. Let’s give our worries to Jesus.

Say a short prayer about each worry that the children expressed. It can even go like this: ““I am worried that I might get sick.” Jesus, we give you our worries. Thank you for helping us carry them.”

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SCIENCE EXPERIMENT/LESSON ILLUSTRATION

Supplies Needed:

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White plate
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Finely ground black pepper
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A tiny dab of dish soap
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SAY: It’s easy to worry. We are going to put some water on to this white plate and sprinkle pepper on top of the water. The pepper represents our worries and fears.

Take turns sprinkling a bit of pepper. One by one, take turns dipping a finger into the water and pepper. Nothing happens.
Put a TINY dab of dish soap on to your finger. Dip it into the water again. What happens to the pepper?

In our experiment, The pepper is our worries and the soap is Jesus. What does Jesus help us do? Do you think that all of our problems will be magically solved if we ask Jesus? (no…God sometimes works differently than we think!)

Then what does Jesus do? (Jesus’ love fills us with peace and joy, and the worries get pushed aside, just like the pepper.)

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PUTTING JESUS IN YOUR DAY

Practice these prayers together and try to add them to your day!

Say a prayer when you wake up in the morning.
Dear God / May I think about you / And try to help others / Instead of worrying. / Amen.

Say a prayer before you eat.
Dear God / Thank you for providing this food. / Help the people who do not have food. / Give them comfort and send someone to help them. / Send me to help people too. / Amen.

Say a prayer before you go to bed.
Dear God / Thank you for this day / And thank you for another day tomorrow. / Help my sleep to be peaceful / And my dreams to be joyful. / Amen. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_zigzag color=”peacoc”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

REHEARSAL MUSIC FOR PALM SUNDAY PARADE

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FINAL PRAYER

Dear God,
There’s a lot of chaos out there, but… (you are with us, and you help us not to worry).
Things are different now. People might be different now. Places are different now. Plans might be different now. But… (you are with us, and you help us not to worry).
Sometimes we get stressed, but… (you are with us, and you help us not to worry).
We think or hear or experience stuff that makes us afraid, but… (you are with us, and you help us not to worry).
Give us peace, grant us calm; life isn’t always easy, but… (you are with us, and you help us not to worry).
Amen.

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