FAITH QUEST

Shepherds and Angels (Revised)

November 13-December 11, 2005

Good News - Bread of Life Cafe

 

Scripture:  Luke 2: 1-20

 

Memory Verse:  “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 (CEV)

 

Offering:   Joy Gift

           

Concepts:

Ø      God sent Jesus because God loves us.

Ø      God cares equally for all people.

Ø      God communicates with people in different ways.

Ø      We can learn from the shepherds about how to respond to God.

 

Objectives:

This Christmas story will be familiar to most of the children. The focus of our lesson will be on how the shepherds learned from the angels of the Good News of Jesus’ birth.  The interaction between shepherds and angels tells us a lot about how we are to respond to God’s call, why Jesus was sent to us, and the role of angels. In the Bread of Life Café students will share and grasp a newer perspective of the Christmas story by:

Ø      Understanding the importance of giving to others and sharing the good news,

Ø      Delighting in the simple act of decorating cookies,

Ø      Hearing the good news just as the shepherds heard the good news of Jesus’ birth from the angels, and

Ø      Connecting to the shapes of the Christmas Story.

 

Procedure:                 

Welcome and Introductions:

Wear your nametag. Make sure the children are wearing nametags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week that may not know you. Remember to that if you need the shepherds to assist you in any way do not be afraid to ask, that is why they are present with the class.  You will need to remind them of the kitchen safety rules. 

 

Scripture/Bible Story:

1.      You will meet in the Bread of Life Café (kitchen beside the Great Hall).

2.      As the children enter have them to stand around the counter and after you welcome them have them to say the memory verse.  (You may want to have the verse on poster board.)

3.      Ask them to bow their heads for prayer. [Dear Lord, thank you for making sure that we all know the good news of your son Jesus.  Thank you for the angels’ message to all people who would listen.  As we learn more about Jesus, help us to have open minds, hearts, and ears. May we never be afraid to share the good news with others.  Amen.]

4.      Have them open their Bibles to the Scripture. Ask the children to volunteer/assist in reading the scriptures.  It is not necessary to have all children read.  If you want to read and have them to follow along, that is your choice.  Luke 2: 1-20.

 

Application:

 

1.      Pre-heat prior to the children arriving.   Use slice and bake cookie dough for the cookie baking portion of the lesson- you should purchase cookie dough with stars, trees and angels and/or sugar cookie dough and use cookie cutters to create the shapes of Christmas. You could do both – having the children to make a shaped cookie to share with someone else and to eat the cookie that has a shape already in it.  Have the kids choose which designs they want (2 to­ 3 cookies per child). 

2.      The kids will need to take turns slicing and placing their cookies on the baking sheets and/or slicing and making a cookie cutter shaped “gift”. The Shepherds should assist with this task – particularly with the younger children.  The children can decorate cookies before and/or after baking – depending on what you purchase for decorating the cookies.  Follow the directions on the dough for slicing and baking.

  1. While the cookies are baking, have the kids divide into groups and retell the shepherd and angel story using the shaped cookie cutters provided or assign each small group a shape.  They are to tell the Christmas story based on the representation of their shape. OR You could use a children’s Bible story book to tell the story. You could use One-Hundred-and-one Read-Aloud Bible Stories; the Poplar “The Shepherds’ Visit” found on pages 208-210, or The Children’s Illustrated Bible by Parker and Dyson; pages 256-259. 
  2. You could ask specific questions about the symbols and how people found out about the birth of Jesus prior to the TV and news we now use.  The star (of Bethlehem), cane (shepherd’s staff), sheep, Christmas tree, Angel shapes and other shapes you have used today.  Remind them of the Joy Gift Offering and how the funds assist ministers who are retired – ministers who have helped spread the good news to all of us. 
  3. Since one of the objectives is how we communicate and share - ask to whom the kids are going to give their cookies.  What message about Christmas can they share with the person who receives their cookies?  Challenge them to be messengers telling about God’s love and Jesus just like the angels were that first Christmas.
  4. Clean up while the baked cookies are cooling.  Involve all kids in the clean up.
  5. For the cookies they are going to share have them to place the cookie in a baggie with pre-printed paper containing the key bible verse.
  6. For the cookie they will eat – let them eat now or take with them and eat later. 

 

Reflection Time:

It is doubtful there will be time for them to work on the journal page –make sure you give each student a copy of the journal page so they can reflect on the story later. 

 

By 10:45 close with a prayer.

 

Closing:

Prayer Suggestion:  Thank you God for keeping the promise of long ago to send the Savior of the world, a prince of peace. Thank you for the poor shepherds who brought this great message to the world. Thank you God for sending us Jesus. Help me to be a shepherd and share the good news of Christ.  Amen.

 

 

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy up if there are still items that you need help with in the kitchen.  

 

Teacher preparation in advance:

1.      Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.

2.      Prepare a closing prayer for your lesson or use the suggestion provided.

 

Suggested Supply List

Ø      Poster paper with Bible memory verse

Ø      Baggies or plastic wrap for the cookie gifts (ribbon if you use plastic wrap)

Ø      Dough – both plain sugar cookie and ones with shapes in the cookie – enough for two cookies for each child)

Ø      PAM

Ø      Cookie decorating supplies: icing, sprinkles, candies, etc.

Ø      Pre-printed Bible verse for the gift cookie

Ø      Check out the kitchen prior to the lesson so you will know what supplies are where. 

 

Reference:

Lori Houck, Kirk Faith Quest Bible Study Leader

Children’s Illustrated Bible by Parker and Dyson

Toni Dattilo, former Kirk Member