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Got a messy car? Don't have time, or just don't feel like washing your own car? Well, come out on May 22 to Chik-fil-a and get it washed! All donations will go the the 11th grade Mexico Missions trip.
WHEN? May 22 from 11:30am - 4:00pm
WHERE? Chik-fil-a, 1341 N University Drive, Coral Springs
Then in the afternoon, Roman Catholic churches and communities start making rugs on the streets with sawdust, which will later be part of the path where the “holy funeral procession” will pass, carrying the symbolic dead body of Christ.
Candra in Canary (3:53)
Heart Art (3:14)
Use these 15-minute lessons to help kids love their families...
PRE-K
1. Warm Fuzzies-(Supplies: A teddy bear.) Form a circle and put the teddy bear in the center. *Ask: Do you have a favorite stuffed animal? Why do you like it?
Give the bear to a child. Ask that child to tell one thing their parent does that shows them they're loved. For example, a child might say, "My dad hugs me." Have the child pass the bear to the next child in the circle for the same purpose.
After children have shared, *say: God loves you. God loves you more than we love our teddy bears. God's love is warm and fuzzy and makes us feel good.
2. God's Love-(Supplies: Bible.) Sit in a chair several feet from the children. Hug and talk to the teddy bear. Tell the children they have to watch; they can't come near you. Tell the teddy bear how much you love it.
One at a time, have children sit on your lap. The other children must stay back until their names are called. As a child sits on your lap, give him or her a hug with the teddy bear. Then ask that child to sit at your feet. When all the children are sitting by you, read aloud Mark 10:13-16.
*Ask: What was I doing when you had to stay away from me? Did you like having to stay away? How did you feel when you got to sit on my lap with the teddy bear?
*Say: One day, some children wanted to see Jesus. But Jesus' disciples wanted the children to stay away. Jesus told the children to sit on his lap so he could hug them. Jesus loves children.
3. Hug Book-(Supplies: Crayons, 3X5 cards, and a stapler.)
*Say: Valentine's Day is a great time to tell people how much you love them. We're going to make Hug Books for our parents.
Give each child 10 3X5 cards. Have kids color pictures on their cards. Help kids pile the 10 cards on top of each other and staple them together like a book.
*Say: You listened to the story about Jesus hugging the children. Jesus likes it when we show our parents how much we love them. Hugs are a great way to do that. Give your mom and dad their Hug Book on Valentine's Day.
Tell kids to tear off a page and give it to you. Then give them each a big hug. Send home instruction sheets to explain that parents need to give a hug in exchange for each page.
Close in a prayer of thanks for kids' parents.
GRADES 1-3
1. Loved/Unloved-(Supplies: A chair.) *Say: One at a time, sit in the chair and say something you once did for someone that made that person feel loved. For example, you might say, "I helped my dad wash our car."
Afterward, ask a small child to sit in the chair. Have four children stand beside the chair. Show the children how to grab hold of the legs of the chair and slowly lift it up. Stand with them so the child in the chair feels safe. When the children put the chair down, ask for other children to sit in the chair and be lifted up.
Then *ask: How did you feel getting lifted up in the chair? How does it feel when people are loving to you?
*Say: God loves us, and God wants us to love others. When we feel loved or share love, it's like sitting in the chair and being lifted up. God's love always lifts us up.
2. Family Love-(Supplies: Bible.)
*Say: God loves us and wants us to love our families. God's Word tells us what real love is like.
Read aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Have children tell what the words in the passage mean.
Have children form pairs and sit face to face. Tell partners they need to follow these directions. Pause between directions.
*Say: Tell your partner why it's important to be patient with family members; a way you've been kind to your family; a time you forgave a family member; a time you told your parent the truth; something your family does that shows they love you.
Now have partners turn around and sit back to back.
*Say: Say something rude to your partner. Brag about yourself to your partner.
Form a big circle. *Ask: How did you feel when you were telling your partner the good things? when you were sitting back to back and saying mean things? Which experience shows us the way God wants families to love each other?
*Say: God has shown us how to love our families. It's important to make our home a place where everyone feels loved.
3. Family Hearts-(Supplies: Poster board, red construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue sticks.)
Give each child a sheet of poster board, and have kids each draw a big heart on their sheet. Have each child cut out eight construction paper hearts. Then have kids write a different word from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 on each heart. Have them glue the small hearts inside the big hearts. Tell them to print the names of their family members around the big hearts.
*Say: This is a special valentine heart for your family. Ask your parents to hang up your valentine heart as a reminder of how to share God's love with each other.
Pray and ask God to help children love their families.
GRADES 4-6
1. Do What I Say-Form two groups. Have each group create an imaginary dangerous mission for the other group to go on. Then have groups tell their mission to the other group. Have groups accept their missions and create guidelines to protect the people they'll send on those missions, such as "Don't feed the alligators." After five minutes, have groups report their guidelines.
*Ask: How important would these guidelines be if you were actually going on this mission? How is the world sometimes a dangerous place for us? Did you know that God has given us protective guidelines in his Word for our mission on Earth?
*Say: God loves us so much that he gave us loving guidelines that are usually called the Ten Commandments. Let's look at how God wants to protect us.
2. Love Rules-(Supplies: Bibles, newsprint, and markers.) Form pairs and have them read Exodus 20:1-17. Give each pair a sheet of newsprint and a marker. Have them number their newsprint sheet from 1 to 10. Have pairs re-word each commandment to explain why that commandment is a loving guideline from a loving God. For example, kids may write, "Because I want you to be protected from religions that would mislead you, don't have any other gods except me."
When pairs are finished, have them take turns reading their commandments. Then *say: This is a new way for you to understand why the Ten Commandments are important for us. They're commandments from God that show us how to love God and others. They're love in action. When you obey these rules for loving, you share God's love in wonderful ways.
3. Love for Mom and Dad-(Supplies: Stationery, envelopes, and stamps.)
*Say: One of God's loving guidelines tells us to honor our parents. We're going to write letters to our parents to help them know how much we appreciate and respect them. Thank your parents for all the things they do and the many ways they love you. I'll send the letters so they arrive on Valentine's Day.
Close with a prayer of thanks for God's loving guidelines.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
You'll need: Message heart candies.
Directions: Have kids each find at least five candies that give them ideas of ways to show love to their families. Then have them eat the candies.
Mike Gillespie is a Christian educator in Kentucky.
