Psalm 23

We had so much fun in Sunday School today! It was week 2 in our 6-week series on Psalm 23. Today's focus: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores me soul." 

We tried out something a little new today. We divided the class into smaller groups and rotated the kids through stations.

At one station, resident artist, Matt Whitney, helped the kids compose paintings inspired by The Jesus Storybook's take on Psalm 23:2-3a:

"Inside my heart is very quiet

as quiet as lying still in soft green grass

In a meadow

By a little stream" 

At station number 2, the kids joined Leah Rivers in the "library" for a cozy time of reading books from Greenwood library (many of them about sheep). 

At the 3rd station, the kids and I knelt beside a tent groundcloth and made a real live green pasture for our paper sheep and our paper Jesus-shepherd. We used spinach, rocks, and cake pans filled with water. 

If you're looking for ways to reiterate our Sunday school lessons at home, you could....

-Sing with them "The Lord is My Shepherd I'll Walk with Him Always" If you don't know it, this'll give you the gist:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9l-DURKFU4&feature=related

-Get a hold of a copy of The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones and read the story about David the shepherd

-During times of contentment or tranquility in your family (bedtime, after a good meal, quiet rides in the car), start up a conversation about where you see the Good Shepherd in those moments.  

Preschool: Easter

The kids will participate in the service once again.  Easter Sunday they will help with the "Christ has risen" phrase, so please practice with your kids.  If you are able, stay until the beginning of the second service to repeat the performance.

For Sunday School, we will read the story of Easter where Mary discovers that Jesus is alive!  For our craft, we will be decorating a tomb for Jesus.  Then we will color and cut out a Jesus to put in the tomb. 

Preschool: Palm Sunday

The kids handed out palm crosses to everyone in church in the call to worship, during both services.

For Sunday School, we celebrated Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem by decorating the room for a party.  The kids really enjoyed decorating the room with balloons and streamers.  This is such a joyous time!  After the room was decorated, we read the story of Palm Sunday and talked about where we had seen donkeys before. 

For our craft, we made donkey puppets to remember that Jesus rode on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem. 

Sunday School Supply List

We are looking to start a little movement for any Sanctuary folks with extra resources. Some may need to be purchased. Others you may just as easily have recycled had you not know we could use them :)

Please note what you are willing to bring in the comments section below. There will be a collection bin in the back of the conference room of the Green Bean.

Construction Paper
Dry Semi-Healthy Snacks (Pretzels, Animal Crackers, etc.)
Glue Sticks
Coloring Books
Paper Plates
Paper Towels
Toilet Paper Rolls
Cereal Boxes
Egg Cartons
Cotton Balls
Glitter Glue


Thanks for your support and generosity!

A Dance for Justice :)

Here's a glimpse into what happens while the adults hang out in the main room discussing themes of justice. The kids DANCE for justice!

Preschool: Jesus calls the disciples

We heard the story of Jesus calling the disciples to follow him.

We asked, have you ever been fishing? We pretend to go fishing today! We played follow the leader to the fishing spot. Then we heard the story of Jesus asking all kinds of people to follow him: from poor fishermen to tax collectors. He asked for their help in spreading the message of God's love: that He is the Rescuer. In this way, the would be fishers of men.

For our craft, we made colorful fish to remember that we can be the Rescuer's helpers too, as fishers of men.

Thanks again to Jesse for taking over next week!

Preschool: Baptism of Jesus

Glad to be back after a long week of snow!

We heard the story of John baptizing Jesus.  This is a cool story that reminds us how clearly God tells us that Jesus is the Rescuer.

We began by thinking about water, how it washes us.  We heard about how water is special in the Bible.  It's used to baptize people.  We baptize in our church just like in the bible (put water on our heads to remember how God says I am with you, you are my child).

Next, we thought about birds, especially a bird called a dove.  A dove is a special bird in the Bible.  It is one way God shows He is with us: he sends a Dove.

Finally, we remembered John, the Prophet.  He lived in the desert and ate crickets and honey, he would shout: THE RESCUER IS COMING! Now we know that the Rescuer is Jesus.  He came as a baby and was growing up.  He came to see John the Prophet at the Jordan River to be baptized.

In the story, Jesus asked John to baptize him, like he was baptizing the other believers of his message that the Rescuer was coming.  When John saw Jesus, he said to the crowd, this is the Rescuer!   After John baptized Jesus, God sent a dove to fly down near Jesus to show that God was with them.  Then, the voice of God said: THIS IS THE RESCUER and I AM PROUD OF HIM!

What a cool story.

We made doves to remind us that God is with us in baptism AND that because he has sent the Rescuer, we are washed by grace.

Next week is my last week teaching and Jesse Diaz will take over as the lead teacher-- thank you Jesse!!