SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 - CGKIDS

Parents - 

Below are some resources for our children in children’s ministry. Please note that our Preschool - 3rd grade children are hearing the same story so that portion of the resources for the Sunday will be the same. The response options are different and have been created to be age appropriate. However, if you choose to reenact the story, you can have all ages participate. If you have multiple children in your family the Godly Play option for the K/1 grade room is a good option to adapt to all family members. 

I want to highlight some resources for you to talk to your children about race, racism and diversity. 

• This book comes in a kid version and then also has a parent companion book if you are interested.  

• This book explores how God made us all different.

• Parent Cue article - Raising Kids who will initiate racial equality

• There are more resources for parents on our Gospel and Race Recommendation page.

For Our Younger Preschool children:

1. Pray with your toddler. It can be something simple like - God we thank you for today. Thank you for Jesus and we thank you that He loves each of us. Thank you for Abraham and we are excited to learn more about him this month!

2. Sing God is So Good.

3. Watch the video above with today’s story.

4. Color this picture.

For Our Older Preschool Room children:

1. Have your child say a prayer before they begin. If they struggle, it can be something simple like: Thank you God for today. Thank you for all the stories in Your book.

2. Remind the children that the story they are about to watch is from the Bible.

3. Watch the video above of our Godly Play story. 

4. Wonder - Answer the wondering questions on the video. 

5. Respond - Take a paper plate and recreate a fish. You can find a picture of a small person on the internet and cut it out. Glue the person inside the fish. See this Pinterest post for help!

6. Sing with Mr. Larry and Ms. Gayle’s video. 

For Our Kindergarten and 1st Grade children:

1. Have your child say a prayer before they begin. If they struggle, it can be something simple like: Thank you God for today. We thank you for the promises that you made to the People of God and to us. 

2. Remind the children that the story they are about to watch is from the Bible.

3. Watch the video above. 

4. Wonder - answer the wondering questions from the video.

5. Respond - Take a paper plate and recreate a fish. You can find a picture of a small person on the internet and cut it out. Glue the person inside the fish. See this Pinterest post for help!

6. Sing with Mr. Larry and Ms. Gayle’s video or sing God is So Good.

For Our 2nd and 3rd grade children:

1. Have your child say a prayer before they begin. If they struggle, it can be something simple like: Thank you God for today. Thank you for sending us your Son, Jesus. Please help us make others aware of Jesus’ love for them and how He gave to save us from our sins. 

2. Remind the children that the story they are about to watch is from the Bible.

3. Watch the video above.

4. Wonder about the questions in the video. 

5. In your journals, think about the following: Jonah ran from God. Have you ever run from God? From your parents or a teacher/leader? Why? I wonder how God was faithful to Jonah? How has God been faithful to you?

6. Read the story of Jonah in your Bibles: Jonah 1- 4. Do you have a favorite verse or set of verses?

7. Sing How Great is Our God.

For Our 4th and 5th Graders:

In September, we are doing a church wide sermon series. My hope and plan is for our older preschoolers - 5th graders to learn, wonder and contemplate similar Bible Stories as our adults and youth. As a result, our 4th and 5th grade class will do some old Old Testament stories we won’t cover now and then we will begin with Creation, where we would normally start the school year. Please let me know if you have any questions.

1. Have your child pray.

2. Grab a piece of paper and write down a summary of the story of Jonah.

3. Read Jonah 4:1-8. 

4. What is Jonah so angry about? What does he say about God? Is it true? God still talks to Jonah despite his anger. God was merciful to him. 

5. Read Jonah 4:9-11.

6. Think about this - does God love us when we do bad things? God is love. Are there other examples of people doing bad things in the Bible? How did God help them?

7. Sing How Great is Our God