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MATERIALS NEEDED:
Paper, markers or crayons, 26 small squares of paper each with a letter of the alphabet written on it, a container, a Bible or Bible App. Optional: play dough. WHAT YOU DO: Open/download/print the PARENT GUIDE. Gather your family together where you can watch the Bible video and you have room to do the activities. WHAT YOU SAY: Our May Life App is Determination. A life app is something that God wants to do IN you to change the world AROUND you. WHAT YOU DO:
If you have a Bible, open it to Acts 6:1 - Acts 7:60, or pull it up on a Bible App. Help kids find where the passage is located. WHAT YOU SAY: This month, we're going to see what God wants us to learn about determination -- not giving up when things get tough. Last week, we learned what happened after Jesus went to heaven and the early church began to grow. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came and filled a room full of believers. They were able to speak in languages they didn’t know and share the good news of Jesus. Three thousand people came to know Jesus that day! Later, Peter and John told other people about Jesus, and by that point, there were more than 5,000 believers. That’s a lot of people! Some of the people needed special care. They weren’t able to provide food for themselves, and they needed help. What do you think the other believers did about that? (seek responses) Right. The believers took care of them. The apostles—those who had been with Jesus while He was on earth—made a plan. They chose seven wise men who listened to and followed God’s Holy Spirit. Their job was to make sure everyone had what they needed. One of those seven men was named Stephen. Today, let's take a look at what the Book of Acts tells us about Stephen and not giving up when things get tough. Show this video: APPLYING THE MESSAGE TO OUR LIVES
WHAT YOU SAY: Before He left, Jesus told His followers to share the good news of His love to everyone—no matter what. What happened to Stephen was terrible and very sad. Maybe it wasn’t how you expected the story to go. But the good news is this wasn’t the end of the story. Remember, God showed Stephen a vision. Stephen knew that when he died, he would be with Jesus in heaven. Sometimes you and I go through difficult things where we can't see the end of the story, and that can be scary. Maybe one of your friends is ignoring you and you don’t know why. Maybe someone you know is sick, and you’re not sure what’s going to happen. Even though we don't know how those situations will turn out, we can have determination because we follow God, and can trust that He DOES know the end of the story. “When things feel awful or confusing or frustrating, talk to God. If you’re scared and not sure how things will turn out, tell Him how you feel. Ask Him to give you strength to keep going. You can also talk to an adult you trust. You don't have to do it alone. Don't keep it to yourself. Instead, find strength like Stephen (and Abraham, Moses, David, and so many others) did by looking to God. Let's do a KidsConnect activity to help us learn how not giving up when things seem impossible can bring us closer to God. WHAT YOU DO: Open/view/download the PARENT GUIDE and do the activities together. |
PARENT GUIDE:
CONNECT WITH OTHERS Take a photo of your family doing one of the activities and post it to our private Facebook group @ Foothills Family Ministries or ask Ms. Lisa to share it lisastewart@foothillsumc.org. Seeing pictures of other KidsConnect families doing the activities will hopefully help us feel connected during this time of physical isolation! | ||