Tree Prayers

Tree Prayers

Attach a tree cutout to a wall easily accessible to the congregation. Put one name on a leaf for every child in your children’s ministry. Encourage adults to take a leaf with a child’s name on it and use as a prayer reminder in their devotion times. Every time they see the tree or leaves it is a reminder to pray for that child. Some adults may take it a step further by sending encouragement notes, calls or gifts to the children they have chosen.

All-Age Resources

All-Age Resources 

MessyChurch (in the UK) is one church’s attempt to be church for families who might want to meet Jesus, belong to their local church and bring up their children as Christians but can’t cope with traditional Sunday morning church services. Lot’s of practical suggestions to try. messychurch blog.

Lucy Moore has written some excellent books which are helpful for those preparing an all-age worship service.

Messy Church: Fresh Ideas for Building a Christ-Centered Community by Lucy Moore

All-Age Worship , The Gospels Unplugged (Lucy Moore & Francis Blake)  The Lord’s Prayer Unplugged

familyworship.org.uk including a page of practical pointers for all-age worship.

resoundworship.org aims  to provide local churches with fresh worship songs containing strong, Biblical lyrics supported by singable, contemporary music

links to collective worship resources.

engageworship.org

music and worship foundation

imagebank – free images, backgrounds for use in worship

creativeMYK -free Christian graphics

burningwell.org public domain image source

christart.com/clipart

twelvebaskets.co.uk visual resources, photos, video, powerpoints

bluefishtv.com video illustrations at minimal cost

GodTube.com  christian video resources

visualscripture.com

wingclips.com movie clip  illustrations

hollywoodjesus.com pop culture from  a Christian perspective

stockfootageforfree.com free video clips

heartlight.org free christian graphics and powerpoint slides

sundaygraphx.com free powerpoint backgrounds and photos

powerpoint resources

puppetresources.com hundreds of free Christian puppet scripts

eliab.com free puppet scripts, stories, chants and Easter and Christmas resources

easterplus.blogspot.com

christmasplus.blogspot

laughingbird liturgical resources paraphrase of the Bible and liturgical resources

gracethrufaith.com the bible through the eyes of its writers – narrative approach

max7.org free resources for children’s and family ministry

scriptureunion.org.uk LIGHT sunday school and all-age material

LightLive Scripture Union makes available hundreds of resources for all-age worship.

Any further suggestion to add to this list? Please email to donstott@gmail.com

Worship resources for school assemblies

Worship resources for school assemblies

• cowo.culham.ac.uk/ Collective Worship Resource – from the Culham Institute, in association with the National Society
• www.culham.ac.uk/storykeepers/ These resources are based on the Storykeepers television / video series.
• www.assemblies.org.uk Assemblies Website (SPCK)
• www.blackburn.anglican.org/cw/ Diocese of Blackburn Board of Education – Collective School Worship
• www.ely.anglican.org/education/schools/collective_worship/ Diocese of Ely Education and Training: Schools – RE and Collective Worship Resources
• www.saled.org/worship Diocese of Salisbury Board of Education – Collective Worship
• www.hibbert-assembly.org.uk The Hibbert Assembly – Material provided by the Hibbert Trust.
• www.retoday.org.uk/sfr/ RE Today: Space for Reflection – Assemblies and guidance for collective worship (password required – available to RE today subscribers).
• www.assemblingcitizens.co.uk Assembling Citizens – Secondary school assembly materials on citizenship issues from The Stapleford Centre (subscription required).
• www.angelfire.com/trek/annegordon/ Anne’s Page – Exploring Christian Faith with Children – Includes general advice and some starting points and suggestions for Collective Worship, along with ‘Times and Seasons’, a brief guide to the church’s year, again with suggestions for Collective Worship.
• www.cist.org.uk/ay/ Christians in Schools in the Stockport Area: Collective Acts of Worship – Outlines for Collective Worship suitable for Key Stage 1 children.
• www.schoolassemblies.btinternet.co.uk – School Assemblies for Busy Teachers – Assembly ideas, scripts and other resources contributed by teachers.
• www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/assemblies/ – Teachernet – Assemblies – A bank of over 100 resources written by teachers for teachers.

EASTER TALK - The Good News

Easter Talk- The Good News

I’d like to share a short talk I did as a part of an Easter presentation this week for a primary (elementary) school. Here is the summary.

I began the talk by holding up a newspaper and talking about some news items. In the paper we find both good news and some bad news. Which kind of news do you like to hear about most?

Hold up just one sheet of newspaper. I’d like to share with you one news story which is good news for everybody. Fold the sheet as per photo. God sent his son Jesus from heaven (hold top corner and run fingers or other hand down the side to the bottom corner) to earth to show us just how much he loves us. This is the good news of Christmas when we remember about Jesus being born.

Fold again to form the “house shape”. Jesus grew up in a family ( Mary & Joseph…) and when he became older he healed people, helped people, and taught people about how to know and love God.

 

Begin to tear the paper downwards in a straight line. Talk about how some people believed in that Jesus is God’s Son but there were others who wanted to kill him. Talk briefly about Jesus capture and trial. Tear the other side slowly while talking. Jesus was nailed to a cross. Jesus friends were very sad. This seemed like bad news to them and good news to those who wanted Jesus dead. With the torn off bits of paper, crumple them in your hand and hold them up as you talk about getting rid of Jesus and how his body was placed in a tomb and sealed in the tomb.

Now open the center piece of paper to reveal the paper cross. Though Jesus suffered and died on the cross he was prepared to do that so that we could be forgiven for the wrong things we do (sins). Place your palm over the cross. Jesus wants us to be friends with God and to follow him today. On “Good Friday” we remember all that Jesus did for us. The Good News is that Jesus came back to life again and he promise those who believe in him eternal life-life forever with God. That’s good news (show the newspaper in one hand and the cross in the other) that’s certainly worth sharing with everyone.

Read all about it! Jesus is alive!

(c) Don Stott, http://eliab.com , 2008

5 Basic Ways to Make Learning Fun

5 Basic Ways to Make Learning Fun

1. Build good relationships

• Leaders to kids
• Kids to leaders
• Kids to kids

Participate in all activities even if it is from the sideline

Be real with the kids

Set and keep good standards

2. Use action and variety
   • Be well prepared.
   • Use activities that suit the children’s age group.
   • Give the children some responsibility.

3. Create a sense of belonging

•  Know their names and interests.
•  Have a positive and encouraging atmosphere.
•  Have a known strategy for managing your children..
•  Make sure your working environment is as appealing as possible.

4. Study the Bible creatively

•  Sell it by your own walk with God
• Help them to see how God wants to be in communication with them
• Broaden their horizons – social justice, current events
•  Make it visual and involve them

5. Play games with them

•  Always take into account the differences between boys and girls.
•  Have noisy and quiet games.
•  Make sure that it is fun for everyone –including those with special needs.

Rich Man, Poor Man

Rich man, Poor man  - based on Mark 10:17-31
You could have a narrator (or chorus), Jesus, & a Rich man to read the various parts. 

As Jesus was starting out on his way

A man ran up and called out “hey

Good teacher tell me what must I do

To receive eternal life that’s true ?”

“No one is good ‘cept God alone..

Keep the commandments that you’ve known.

“Teacher, I’ve tried since I was small

To obey the Law. I’ve kept it all !”

Jesus looked him in the eye.

With love he said, “Now you must try,

Sell all you have; support the poor

Your rich reward’s in heaven stored.

Sell all you have. Come follow me.

But rich man turned reluctantly.

The kingdom of God is hard to attain

Wealthy people will grapple to gain.

Can’t push a camel through a needle’s eye,

Many first will be last when they die.

Who can be saved ? Can you see ?

“Sell all you have. Come follow Me !”

Don Stott, Feb 2003, http://eliab.com

Echo Prayer

• Echo Prayer

  Sit in a circle with our children or small group. Explain that your will say a very short prayer. Each person around the circle quickly repeats it in turn until it comes back to you, and then you’ll pray a different short prayer for them to echo. Start with simply “Thanks for giving us promises!” Other prayers might include- “We’re glad you sent Jesus” Thanks for your wonderful creation.”  and “You’re the best, Lord!”.
  This kind of prayer works well with reluctant prayers.

Brothers & Sisters Rhyme

• Brothers & Sisters 

  I just wrote this rhyme  for a session I did with our preschool M.O.P.S. children on “brothers & sisters”.
  This is my brother (hold up right fist)
  See how he grew. ( slowly raise right pointer finger- leave finger standing.)
  This is my sister (hold up left fist)
  She’s special too. (slowly raise left pointer finger -leave standing.)
  This is my God (move the two pointer fingers together to form a roof shape)
  He looks after me.
  Together we live ( clasp both hands together)
  In one family.
  (c) Don Stott, http://eliab.com, 2007
  MOPS Australia link

Sam the Snowflake story

• Sam, the snowflake

  SPLAT ! SAM the snowflake loved the wintertime. He enjoyed being rolled into a ball and thrown at someone in fun. He also loved seeing the children rolling and tumbling in the snow around him. One day as Sam was waking up, he heard some children coming towards him. They started picking up handful of cold snow and building a large snowman !! The children giggled as they put stones down the front of the snowman to make buttons and two big eyes. They also used sticks for arms and a bumpy nose. Finally they were finished and they stood back to look at what they had made. One small girl took off her hat and scarf and then she ran over and put them on the snowman. “He looks great !”, said the boy with the curly hair. Sam agreed that the snowman did look great, in fact, Sam longed to be part of that snowman but he knew that he couldn’t be a snowman without the help of lots of other snowflakes. He needed someone to come along and squeeze him into a big snow ball. He couldn’t be a snowman by himself. He was just too tiny by himself ! The children enjoyed playing until it started to get dark then the little girl went over to get her hat and coat from the the snowman’s head. As she turned to leave, she bent down quickly and scooped up a handful of snow, pressed it tightly and with a loud giggle she made a snow-hat for the snowman. What a big surprise for Sam as he now found himself right up on top of the snowman. He was so happy that he almost melted with joy ! Are there times when we feel so small that we aren’t noticed or feel important ? Who can we ask to help give us a hand at times like this ?

  (C) Don Stott,  http://eliab.com    2000

Hot Potato Game

You will need: One potato, mystery box, Bible questions on strips of paper.

How to play :

1. The children form a circle.

2. One child is “It.”

3. “It” says, ” Pass the potato”

4. The player who has the potato must pass it to his left.

5. “It” calls out, “Hot potato!”

6. Whoever is caught with the potato is “It.”