.
Scripture: Exodus 3:1-4:17, with emphasis on Exodus 3:1-15
Memory Verse "I will be with you
always, even until the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20b).
Concepts:
·
God
can call us anywhere, anytime, for any reason
·
God
gives us the ability to do God’s work
·
Wherever
we meet God is a holy place.
Objectives:
1.
Children
will view the video “The Animated Stories from the Bible - Moses”.
2.
Children
will learn the background of the Moses story leading up to the burning bush.
3.
Children
will discuss ways they can do God’s work - everyday.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1.
Greet
the children and introduce yourself.
2.
Explain
the purpose of this workshop is to learn the background to the Moses story of
the burning bush when Moses was called to do God’s work. We will talk about
ways that we can do God’s work too.
Scripture/Bible Story:
1.
Today
we are going to learn about Moses. Who remembers the story about the baby Moses
in the river? Moses was born into a poor Hebrew/Israelite family of slaves. The
king (pharaoh) was so worried that the Israelite people were outnumbering the
Egyptian people that he decided to kill all newborn babies in Jewish families.
Moses might have been killed. Watch and listen to the story and tell me what
happened that Moses was saved from this terrible law.
Application:
1. Show the movie. This video is approximately 25 minutes long.
2. Distribute popcorn with help from Shepherds or volunteer children.
Discussion:
How was the baby Moses saved? (His mother put him in a basket in the river. The princess found the
baby and raised him as an Egyptian prince)
What was life like for the Israelite people? (They were slaves and poor)
Why did God tell Moses to take off his sandals when he saw the burning bush (it was holy ground wherever we meet God is a holy place)
What did God want Moses to do? (Go to Egypt and free the Israelite people from slavery)
Why did Moses not want to do as God asked? (He was afraid he couldn’t do it)
Are you ever afraid to do something because you think you can’t?
God wanted Moses to free the Israelite people from Egypt.
How did God help Moses? (He gave him the power of miracles the
rod/snake, diseased hand, he also sent along Aaron to help Moses)
Does God want us to work for God? How might we carry out
God’s work? What can kids do? Brainstorm ideas for being kind, helpful to
others, friends, parents, siblings. (Be
kind, smile, make friends, give gifts to Family Ties, pennies for hunger, Faith
Quest offering, WIHN, come to Faith Quest and learn about God, obey parents,
pray for others) Write the ideas on the whiteboard so the children can
see.
Give each child a precut paper flame. Tell the children that they are going to put flames on the bush to make it burn. Ask each child to write his/her name and write or draw one idea to pledge to carry out God’s work.
Ask the children to take off their shoes and then come forward, quietly and holy and paste their flame offering on the bush. Optional: The children can announce their pledge as they come forward. You may wish to have some quiet meditative music playing in the background to help with the mood. Use glue sticks to paste the flames on the poster of the bush. The shepherds can assist.
Each week another class we will add to the flames until it is a big burning bush by the end of the rotation unit. The flames will proclaim all the ways that Faith Quest children can carry out God’s work in everyday life.
Reflection Time:
Ask
the shepherds to pass out the journal sheets and markers. Write down the idea
you pledged to carrying out God’s work so you will remember it. Draw flames
around your idea.
Ask
the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.
Prayer: Say a prayer asking God to
help us see ways to be kind, to think of the needs of others, to say something
kind, to do something good without being asked. (List some of the pledge
ideas). Help us remember to do our acts of kindness this week. Remember that
God is always with us. God says: “I will be with you always, even until the end
of the world.” Amen.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean
up popcorn as they wait for their parents to arrive. Leave the beanbag
chairs to be piled up AFTER everyone leaves. It has been too disruptive to
have the children do it. Wipe out popcorn machine thoroughly.
Teacher preparation in
advance:
1. Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.
2. Make precut flames one for each child. Draw a picture of a flame (approximately 3X5” and/or 2X4”) on sheets of yellow, red and orange construction paper. Draw several on a page and cut out. Make them different in shape and size, but large enough to write a pledge and a name. Cut out several at a time.
3. Prepare and post a large poster/drawing of a bush on the wall. Make it as large as you can. You can tape several pieces of flip chart paper to the wall and draw a bush. Be sure to add green leaves as the bush burned without being consumed. Optional: print the Memory verse on the poster too.
4. Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located. The bin with supplies is located in the closet.
5. Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting place past all the opening credits.
6. Practice operating the popcorn machine. If this is your first time in Holywood, visit the current workshop leader for instructions before your rotation begins. Be sure you have plenty of popcorn popped before the children arrive. You will need to have your attention on the children at that point. Ask the shepherds or child volunteers to help distribute it to the children who are sitting quietly.
Supply List
Glue sticks
Construction paper in red, yellow and orange to make pre-cut flames one for each child
Poster/drawing of bush on the wall
Markers/pencils
Black markers/pencil crayons to write/draw the pledge idea on the flame
Whiteboard markers for brainstorming ideas
Journal sheets
Video
References
· The Animated Stories from the Bible - Moses, A Nest Family Entertainment Series.