Sunday school activities - April 17, 2022

Materials adapted from: The UCC GO Project  (Copyright 2022)

Story

Easter — the story of Jesus’ resurrection — is one of the most important stories for Christians. Every Sunday when Christians gather together, they celebrate a mini version of this day, remembering how Jesus died and rose again, and how that has changed the world. There are four different stories about the resurrection in the Bible. In this one, from the Gospel of John, we hear that Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene and then tells her to share the news with all the others. You can also notice that

Mary doesn’t immediately recognize Jesus, as though she isn’t quite ready to believe in what God can do.

Video:

Wondering

I wonder why Mary didn’t recognize Jesus?

I wonder why Jesus chose to appear to Mary?

I wonder what it would feel like for Jesus to call us by name, especially when we’re sad?

I wonder how we can share the news of the resurrection with others?

I wonder how God’s love can change the world?

Music

Response Activity Ideas

Lenten Toolbox: Butterfly

The butterfly has long been a Christian symbol of the resurrection, for a caterpillar disappears into a cocoon and appears dead, but emerges later more beautiful and powerful than before. The four stages of the butterfly’s life are symbolic of the stages in the life cycle of Christ:

Stage 1: The butterfly begins as a tiny egg; and Jesus began as a dream from God, made real through Mary carrying the baby Jesus.

Stage 2: The egg turns into the larva/caterpillar stage; and Jesus grows into a child and then man - learning each day.

Stage 3: Chrysalis stage - when the caterpillar cocoons itself breaking down its cellular forms and becomes something new; and after Jesus is crucified and spends days in the tomb preparing to resurrect.

Stage 4: Adulthood - when the butterfly emerges from the cocoon and flies away, and when Jesus is resurrected and leaves the tomb.

Make yourself a butterfly!  Try these folded paper butterflies or search for another idea online.

When you’ve made it, think of it emerging from your Lenten Toolbox – full of new life!  Your self-care tools and efforts can leave you refreshed and renewed!

Flowering Cross

Explore the move from sorrow into joy by decorating a cross with flowers, butterflies and other symbols of joy.  Jesus died on the cross. It was a symbol of fear for people in the ancient world. But from this cross comes new life. It is now a symbol of God’s love and the new life that God makes for us. On Easter Sunday we celebrate how God overcomes our fear and death with new life and love.

Print out the cross template, and, using any colouring tools you wish, fill the cross with flowers, butterflies, and other symbols of new life. We can remember that something that made people afraid can also bring us great joy.

Click to print PDF

God’s Love Slideshow

God’s love can bring life when things seem hopeless, as God does by raising Jesus from the dead.  God transforms the death of Jesus into something unexpected, bringing a new experience to the followers of Jesus. We can see the ways in which God is at work in the world, bringing new life to places of despair through love.

Do a web search for news stories, images, or articles that show God’s love at work in the tough and scary places in the world.  Look for helpers, new chances, fresh starts, unexpected generosity and kindnesses.  Gather your findings in a slideshow presentation format.  Share with your family, explaining where you see the new life, love, and hope in your collection.

(Alternatively, search physical magazine and newspapers, and cut out articles, images, and headlines, and collect them in a scrapbook format)

Resurrection Rolls

This fun baking project reminds us of the empty tomb. The marshmallows inside the crescent roll will melt and stick to the pastry, as though they disappear from inside the “tomb.” But the rolls will still taste good!

Supplies: 2 8oz cans of crescent rolls, 16 large marshmallows, ½ cup of butter, 2 tbsp cinnamon, ¼ cup of sugar

Instructions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2.      Open the cans of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough and separate.

3.      Melt the butter in a microwave.

4.      Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.

5.      Dip each marshmallow into the melted butter. Then dip it into the cinnamon-sugar.

6.      Place each marshmallow in the centre of a crescent roll. Close the dough around the marshmallow.

7.      Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes.

Sunday school activites - April 3, 2022

Modified from resources provided by: The UCC GO Project 2022

Theme Discussion 

In our worship service this morning we heard a story about an extravagant gift that Mary gave to Jesus. It was an unexpected way that Mary showed just how much love she had for him. There are many stories in the Bible about ways that God shows us love. Often they are not stories about God directly, but about other people showing that love in a way that seems unexpected. One of those stories is the one Jesus tells about the Lost Sheep. You can watch it here:

Going deeper with the story

Jesus shares with us a vision of a great community of people where everyone is welcome, where God loves each and every person – even people who have made mistakes! God celebrates when people who have made mistakes admit them and work to do good things instead. This is cause for great rejoicing among all of God’s people. To rest in God’s presence is not only to find love, peace, delight, and hope. It is also to experience the overwhelming joy of people gathered together in the life-giving presence of God. This is what we experience in the resurrection of Jesus at Easter when God reveals that there is always new life in the midst of hardship.

Wondering

I wonder if you can imagine the lost sheep being found. Can you name that sheep?

I wonder if you have ever felt like you were lost? What was it like to be found?

I wonder if there are people in your life who have helped to “find” you?

I wonder what other things God celebrates in our life?

I wonder how we can experience the loving presence of God in our everyday life?

Music

Response Activity Ideas

Lenten Toolbox: Oil

This week, add a small bottle of moisturizer to your toolbox!  If you don’t have one, fill a small container with cooking oil (olive, coconut, etc.) and include that instead.  When you need a self-care moment, take a small amount of lotion or oil and gently and mindfully massage your hands (or feet).  Think with gratitude about the work your hands (or feet) do for you day after day.

Postcards

Materials: postcards, notecards or cardstock cut to 4x6 or 5x7, markers, stickers and writing supplies, stamps.

God loves each and every person and we are called to share love and connection with all of God's creation! Everyone loves to receive a card or letter in the mail. Sending love via a card or letter is a great way to remind someone they are loved.  Use a pre-made postcard, or make a beautiful design or picture to decorate the front.  Write a brief message, then fill in the address, stamp it, and send it off!

Shepherd Detective Game (young children)

In this activity, everyone else leaves the room while a stuffed sheep (or other toy) is hidden. They are then called back in and race to find the missing sheep. Whoever finds it first gets to hide it for the next round.

As you play, think about God’s deep love of all people and how excited God is to find a person who was lost. Think about how energized you were to search for the missing sheep — God is just as excited!

The Lost Sheep Puzzle Activity (older children)

Materials: Puzzle (This activity is best if it can be prepared ahead of time, by removing one piece from the puzzle, unseen by the kids/youth, and hiding it somewhere in the room) 

Work together to complete the puzzle. Once it becomes clear that one piece missing, work together to go and find it — and celebrate when it is returned!

This activity reinforces the fact that everyone matters in God’s love. All of us together make a rich community and we must support one another. We celebrate when we are all together, and that we are all needed.

Sunday school activities - March 27, 2022

(Materials Copyright: The UCC GO Project 2022)

Theme Discussion

The theme for this Lent through our Sunday School resources and our Lenten ‘Wreck This Journal’ has been rest and self care following Jesus’ example.  Check out this week’s video with another example of Jesus teaching the disciples to take time away.

The new reading for today is:

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

God created an amazing world and we are God’s delight: God’s piece of art, God’s masterpiece. We are made so that we might do the good things God planned for us long ago... which Jesus says is to love our neighbour in the same way that God loves us.

We don’t know exactly how Jesus played but we do know Jesus talked about love a lot. Jesus often ate meals with his friends and welcomed people in. He gave thanks. He seemed to notice and delight in the things around him. He noticed birds and plants and told stories about everyday things. He was present in his environment and present in his relationships. This suggests he delighted in the world around him and joyfully gave thanks for it.

Wondering

• I wonder what a work of art is?

• I wonder what it feels like to be God's work of art?

• I wonder what delights you? Or makes you feel full of joy?

• I wonder what delights God?

Music

Response Activity Ideas

Lenten Toolbox – Blowing Bubbles

Basic Homemade Bubble Solution
1 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup or 2 tablespoons glycerin
4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid.

Mix up a batch of bubbles, by combining the above ingredients in a small jar.  Create a bubble wand by curling one end of a pipe cleaner around in a circle or using a large straw.

Play with bubbles can be a meditative prayer activity.  Take deep breaths in and blow the bubbles with a slow, steady exhale.  Think about sending a prayer to God in each bubble as they float around the room or outside.

Tightly cover the jar of bubbles and place in your toolbox for another time.

Delight in Nature

Try sprouting a seed!  You could use dried beans, seeds from inside a fruit or veggie you have in your fridge, or from a seed packet.  Place a few in a ziptop bag with a damp paper towel.  Close the bag and tape it to a sunny window to make a mini-greenhouse.  Be patient… then delight in the new life growing right before your eyes!

Delight in Laughter

Did you know that laughter boosts your immune system?! The goal of the following exercises is to encourage more laughter in our time together and lives - to delight in God's laughter!

• Make laughter milkshakes: Mix your own laughter milkshakes. Have everyone hold a pretend glass in their hands. Say, "Imagine all the funny thoughts you are going to put into the milkshake... think of the funniest things you’ve done, times when you’ve had the giggles and of things that really made you laugh. Put all of those thoughts into your milkshake. Shake it all around and drink it up. Feel your body start to laugh. Let the laughter bubble up... laugh and let it all up and out. Drink three laughter milkshakes!" Delight in watching everyone drink from theirs and as everyone begins to laugh.

• The ‘Copy My Laugh’ Game: Stand in a close circle. One person can start off with a laugh that will then be copied by the next person, and so on. The goofier, the funnier!

• No Smile Game: Pair off and see who can withhold from smiling the longest – sure to make everyone laugh pretty quickly.

Delight in Colour – Milk and colour experiment

Materials: Milk, liquid food colouring (not gel), dish soap, q-tips, a shallow pan or plate, towels or paper towels in case of mess.

Pour a thin layer of milk in a shallow pan. Add drops of food colouring all around in the milk.  Dip the q-tip into the dish soap, then press the cotton swab into the drop of colour. Press it down in one spot and hold it for about 15 seconds. Continue to play in all the colours and see what shapes you can get!

What’s happening: For a very basic explanation, milk is made up of minerals, proteins and fats. The dish soap starts to break up the milk. The soap molecules move around, trying to attach to the milk. We can see it because of the food colouring. Normally, we wouldn’t see it happen.

Delight in Play – for Youth/Young Adults

Check out this information sheet about play styles. Read it and think about these questions:

• Which one(s) feel the most like you?

• What ways that you play feel most refreshing or energizing?

• Do you have similar play styles to your friends or family?

• Do you have enough play in your life? If not, where it is missing? How could you can add more play?

Sunday school activities - March 20, 2022

(Materials Copyright: The UCC GO Project 2022)

Theme Discussion

Check out this week’s cartoon:

We know how God loves us, and because of that, we know how God wants us to love others. Jesus taught us to love God with all our heart and soul. Jesus also taught us to love others as God loves us and as we love ourselves.

God’s dream (God’s vision of shalom, the kingdom of God) reminds us of God’s hope for us and the world. When we are overwhelmed by things or full of worry, it can be hard to know if we should take care of ourselves or be there for others. Sometimes we just want to take care of ourselves or ignore everybody else.

When we rest in God’s love, we know we are cherished and cared for. When we rest in God’s peace, we can be fully present in the moment. When we rest (and play!) in God’s delight, we can find joy all around us. When we rest in these ways, we fill up our spirits and we can also rest in God’s hope and be part of making God’s dream come true.

It’s not just taking care of others and it’s not only taking care of ourselves. When we care for ourselves, we care for others. We can be good friends to all people. We can love beyond boundaries, we can care for our neighbours and ourselves because we know God loves us all.

Wondering

• I wonder what God’s love feels like?

• I wonder what it would be like to love and care for others like God cares for us?

• I wonder if it’s easy or hard to do that?

• I wonder what it would be like if everyone was welcome and cared for and had everything they needed? I wonder where God is when we are welcoming and caring for our neighbours?

Music

Response Activity Ideas

Lenten Toolbox: Love Your Neighbour Jar

We are called to love our neighbours as God loves us and as we love ourselves. Think of ways we can love our neighbours, and think about who our neighbours are, expanding from a neighbour being just the ones next door to everyone we meet.

Materials: Jar, stickers, coloured paper, glue, scissors

Start by decorating your “Love Your Neighbour” jar with a colourful label, stickers, coloured paper shapes, or any other designs you wish. 

Next, brainstorm ways that you can love your neighbours and write them down on a big list, adding a drawing if you want. Cut them apart and put them in the jar.

At home, try to do something to help people every day or every few days. Pull an idea out and try to do that. The jar can also go in the Lenten tool box, although we can help our neighbours all the time.

Self-Portrait

Create a self portrait, reflecting on the physical aspects of identity. This activity relates to the Greatest Commandment to love ourselves as God loves us and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. It begins to explore who we are, and how what we look like can affect how others see us. It also celebrates diversity.

Look in the mirror and describe the shape of your face; skin colour and complexion; eye shape and colour; hair colour, texture, length and style; nose shape; and other characteristics like birthmarks, freckles, glasses, braces, etc.

Using whatever art supplies you have available – paint, crayons, markers, etc. – take your time and create a detailed self-portrait.

Discuss:

• What do you notice about your self-portrait?

• How does your self-portrait reflect aspects of your identity in terms of race, ethnicity and other identity characteristics?

• How do you look similar to and different from people in your family, friends and classmates?

God’s Dream Village

Watch the video for If the World Were a Village:

Discuss:

• What does it need to make sure everyone has what they need?

• What does your world look like?

• What does it need to be God’s dream for the world?

Design a village for 100 people, imagining what the world would be if God’s dream was lived in the world today.

You can draw this world, sculpt it out of clay or play dough, build it out of blocks or loose parts, or create it in other ways. 

As you work think about:

• What do you like the best? What needs improvement?

• What aspect is most important?

• What the world be like if God’s dream were here now…

Lord’s Prayer Rewrite – Youth activity

Think about the Lord’s Prayer as a vision for Shalom.

Read traditional and contemporary versions of the Lord’s prayer then see if you're up for writing your own. As you read different versions explore what imagery comes to you for God's Shalom. Think about what you like, don't like, agree with, disagree with, etc.

Traditional (Breaking it down):

Our Father, (A greeting)
who art in heaven, (how we know God)
hallowed be thy name (Acknowledge the mystery)
thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth (A Shalom Vision)
as it is in heaven. (to come to life on earth)
Give us this day our daily bread; (take care of our daily needs)
and forgive us our trespasses (forgive us)
as we forgive those who trespass against us; (help us forgive others)
and lead us not into temptation, (what is temptation?)
but deliver us from evil. (What is evil?)
For thine is the kingdom The power and the glory (may your love last always)
Forever and ever
Amen. 

Contemporary:

Eternal Spirit, Source of all that is and ever shall be,
Loving Parent in whom we discern heaven,
May knowledge of your holiness inspire all peoples,
And may your commonwealth of peace and freedom flourish on earth
Until all of humankind heed your call to justice and compassion.
May we find the bread that we need for today,
And for the hurts we cause one another
May we be forgiven in the same measure that we forgive.
In times of trial and temptation, help us to be strong;
When life seems overwhelming, help us to endure;
And thus from the yoke of sin deliver us.
May you reign in the power of human love, Now and forever.
Amen.
(Adapted from the prayer book of the Anglican Church of New Zealand) 

Now try writing your own! 

Sunday school activities - March 6, 2022

(Materials Copyright @ The UCC GO Project 2022)

Theme Discussion

Watch this little cartoon video about a passage from the book of Matthew, or read it below:

Or read the passage. This version is taken from a modern translation of the Bible called “The Message”.

Matthew 11:28-30

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Going Deeper With the Story

Jesus knew the importance of balance in his life. He never rushed or seem hurried. He took his time, even when he had so much ministry to do! He often took time by himself to rest and recharge. He models to us spiritual rest, physical rest, and mental rest. He told us over and over to love others as we love ourselves, and to love others as God loves us. This week we're going to explore what it looks and feels like to love ourselves abundantly through resting in God's love for us - to see how that allows us to love others well.

Wondering:

• I wonder what love is?

• I wonder how you know or feel that you are loved?

• I wonder how you tell or show other people that you love them?

• I wonder what unconditional love feels like? (To receive it? To love others that way?)

Optional – Go Even Deeper…

Read these passages:

Luke 10:27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

John 13:34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

• Do you notice any differences in these ideas of love?

• I wonder what difference it makes when we say love others as we love ourselves and when we say love others as God loves us?

• What happens when we don’t love ourselves?

• I wonder what messages you get about yourself? (From social media? From peers? From advertising?)

• How do you keep a positive relationship with yourself and your confidence?

Music:

MV77 – “Be Still and Know”

Response Activity Ideas

Lenten Toolbox and Emotions Tool

Each week, we’ll be suggesting different things to add to a toolkit that can remind us of how we can come closer to God, strengthen our relationships, and to know ourselves better. If you wish, find a shoebox or similar container and decorate it with coloured paper, paint, stickers, or any other art supplies you have available to hold all the items.  While decorating, brainstorm ways you identify and express your feelings. How do you know you are happy, sad or frustrated? How can you read other people's emotions? Do you sometimes not know how you feel?

Today’s tool is an emotions wheel, to help you find a name for the feelings you are having.  It could be printed and posted in a common area or a place in your home where people go to cool off when they’re upset. 

Challenge:  Instead of printing it out, try drawing simple faces for all of the words on the emotions wheel, maybe using a mirror to help you capture the different expressions!

Click to print PDF

Bookmark Craft

Make a bookmark with an affirmation that you can look at each night, that reminds you that you are a beloved child of God.

Cut a piece of cardstock or thin cardboard into a bookmark shape of your choice.  Decorate it using paint, or fabric and modge podge, or stickers, or adding a ribbon, etc.  Next, write out an affirmation that reminds you that you are always loved by God, no matter how your day went, what you’ve said or done, and that you’ll get a fresh start the next day!  Attach this to your bookmark.  Alternatively, type out an affirmation in a fancy font and print it out to glue on.

Ideas for affirmations:

• I am a beloved child of God.

• God loves me, no matter what.

• God’s love wraps around me like a blanket.

• God knows me and loves me.

• God’s love for me is forever and always.

• God’s love for me is bigger than a mountain.

Love List

Make a list of all the people you love and people who love you. You can write down their names, draw their picture or collect pictures of them. You could keep it simple (e.g. pencil on lined paper) or decorate and colour the page.  You can look at this and remember all the people who care for you. Remember that love is limitless: no matter how many people we care for, there is always room for more love in our hearts. Through loving others, we have a small glimpse of how God loves us.

Did you receive a Lenten “Wreck This Journal” package, with fun, easy activities to do on each of the 40 days of Lent, yet?  If not, and you would like one, please contact the church office!

Sunday school activities - February 27, 2022

Theme Discussion

Our Bible story today is called “The Transfiguration”. When something is transfigured, it means that it is changed to look completely different. A word we might use more often is “transformed”. In this story, Jesus, Peter, James, and John have climbed up to a mountaintop to get away from the crowds. While they are there, they have an experience that makes them feel God’s presence with them and they see Jesus in a whole new way. Jesus seems to be talking to Moses and Elijah, two very important prophets in the Old Testament.

Have you ever had an experience that made you feel that God is right there? Sometimes it might happen when we are in nature – standing on a mountaintop always gives me that feeling! Or it might happen when you see new life – a chick hatching, a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, meeting a brand-new baby brother or sister… That feeling is often hard to explain to someone else. It just fills you up and sometimes makes you feel like crying. It’s a good feeling, almost a magical feeling, and sometimes we wish we could just hang on to it.

That’s how Peter felt that day in our story. He wanted to build some shelters and stay right there on the mountaintop. But, those feelings don’t last forever and we have to get back to everyday living. Jesus and his friends had to go back down the mountain and carry on with their work.

This kind of experience is powerful! It gives us energy. The symbol that is often used for this experience is light. Light makes things easier to see and this kind of experience makes it easier for us to see the wonders in our world, the blessings in our lives, and the places where we need to share our love.

Can you think of time when you have felt this way, when you felt the love of God around you?

When we talk about being a light to the world, what are we hoping to transform?

Can you think of places or times in your life where we could be a light but don’t step up to the task?

Response Activity Ideas

Shine Like the Sun Craft

In today’s Storytime, Erin talked about how God’s love is like sunlight giving warmth and energy to everything around.  Make a shining sun to remember that message.

Cut out a large circle from yellow or orange paper and write “Let your light shine!” on it.  Glue it on a plain piece of paper. Make rays coming out from the sun using yellow or orange sticky notes (or regular paper) cut into thin strips.  On each, write a way you can pass on your loving light to others: complimenting someone, helping a neighbour with shoveling, writing a note to a distant relative, helping a friend at recess, etc.  Stick or glue these rays all around the sun, shining for everyone around!

Be the Light Switch Cover

Make yourself a reminder to ‘be a light’ for others every time you enter or leave your room!  With parental permission, carefully remove your light switch cover.  Using paint and/or permanent markers, decorate the cover with a message like, “Be the Light”, or “I can shine brightly!”, or “Light-up someone’s day”, etc.  When dry, reattach to the light switch.

Illustrated hymns

Read the lyrics for the hymns/songs used in today’s church service found in today’s service bulletin. Choose one and make an illustration of a particular verse or the whole song.  Older children/youth could consider why these songs were chosen to go along with the scripture passage and themes of the service, and try to include that meaning in their pictures.

Sunday school activities - February 13, 2022

Theme Discussion

In the Bible passage we are reading in church today (Luke 6: 17-26), Jesus is telling the people gathered around him, “Blessed and happy are the poor; Blessed and happy are the hungry”.  Seems a bit odd, doesn’t it?  It must be hard to feel blessed and happy when you are poor and hungry. I think, perhaps, he is giving hope to people who are going through a lot of hardship. He is telling them that God loves them and things will get better.

Jesus goes on to say “Woe or sadness to those who have everything”. This is a strange message too! It sounds at first like Jesus is saying that it’s bad to be successful or to have an easy life – but that doesn’t make sense! The Bible tells us that God loves us and wants us to be healthy and happy. I think that, perhaps, this isn’t a criticism but a challenge to them to share their blessings.

The story of Rainbow Fish written by Marcus Pfister is a good one to show that having lots of possessions is nice but they won’t necessarily make you happy. You can see this story in the video below:

How did the Rainbow Fish feel at the beginning of the story when he had all his beautiful shiny scales? Did he have many friends?

What do you think the others thought of him?

When he gave away his pretty scales, how did things change for the Rainbow Fish?

Sometimes it’s really hard to share the things we have - especially when they are things that no one else has and that we love. In the end we need to decide if it’s better to have lots of things or happy friends to share them with. 

Think about what Jesus was telling the people in our Bible reading today. He wasn’t telling the rich to give shiny things to the poor, he was asking them to share their blessings with others. Jesus knows that, just like Rainbow Fish was able to create a happy community by sharing his treasures, sharing our blessings helps to create a better community too.

One of the big lessons that Rainbow Fish learned was that when he shared with others, he felt happier too. Have you had that experience?

Sharing our blessings with others is a way to show God’s love. What do you think Jesus would like you to share with others?

Response Activity Ideas

Rainbow Fish Craft

Materials: tissue paper or construction paper squares in various colours, tin foil, fish template

Print out the fish template.  Glue on the various coloured paper squares as scales for your fish.  Include some shiny tinfoil scales, too. As you add those special ones in, think of them as representing a blessing you have that could be shared with others.  To whom (how, when) will you ‘give those scales away’?

Click to print PDF

Actively Giving Love this Valentine’s Day

Make a set of coupons or card inserts to not only wish someone a Happy Valentines Day, but also to offer an actual gift of your time, skills, and blessings!  Maybe you can offer to read someone a book, or baking a treat, or shovel the driveway… Maybe you could sharpen pencils for the class, or give your sibling an afternoon where they get to choose all the games/activities you do together, or free babysitting…  It could even be as simple as a free hug!

Print out the heart-shape templates, or make your own design.  On each write down a service you could do for another person or a blessing you could share, then cut them out.  Decorate if you wish!  You could attach the hearts together as a coupon book for your parents or teacher, or give them out individually to siblings, neighbours, grandparents, etc.

Celebrate ‘Have a Heart Day’!

Some of your blessings are the opportunity for adequate education and access to healthcare.  This is isn’t so for everyone in the world or even in Canada.  Learn more about the Have a Heart  Day, celebrated on February 14, which draws attention to the inadequate resources available to many Indigenous children in Canada.  Visit https://fncaringsociety.com/have-a-heart to see what you can do! 

Click to print PDF

Wordsearch

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - February 6, 2022

The Reading

Have people in your family take on the different voices in today’s Bible reading (Narrator, Jesus, and Simon):

Luke 5:1-11 The Voice (VOICE)

5 Picture these events:

On the banks of Gennesaret Lake, a huge crowd, Jesus in the center of it, presses in to hear His message from God. 2 Off to the side, fishermen are washing their nets, leaving their boats unattended on the shore.

3 Jesus gets into one of the boats and asks its owner, Simon, to push off and anchor a short distance from the beach. Jesus sits down and teaches the people standing on the beach.

4 After speaking for a while, Jesus speaks to Simon.

Jesus: Move out into deeper water, and drop your nets to see what you’ll catch.

Simon (perplexed): 5 Master, we’ve been fishing all night, and we haven’t caught even a minnow. But . . . all right, I’ll do it if You say so.

6 Simon then gets his fellow fishermen to help him let down their nets, and to their surprise, the water is bubbling with thrashing fish—a huge school. The strands of their nets start snapping under the weight of the catch, 7 so the crew shouts to the other boat to come out and give them a hand. They start scooping fish out of the nets and into their boats, and before long, their boats are so full of fish they almost sink!

8-10 Simon’s fishing partners, James and John (two of Zebedee’s sons), along with the rest of the fishermen, see this incredible haul of fish. They’re all stunned, especially Simon. He comes close to Jesus and kneels in front of His knees.

Simon: I can’t take this, Lord. I’m a sinful man. You shouldn’t be around the likes of me.

Jesus: Don’t be afraid, Simon. From now on, I’ll ask you to bring Me people instead of fish.

11 The fishermen haul their fish-heavy boats to land, and they leave everything to follow Jesus.

Discussion

The men that Jesus called to follow him in this story were all fishermen - not ministers or priests or wise men but ordinary people with ordinary jobs. Fish and fishermen are in a lot of stories in the Bible. It was a common job in Jesus’ time.

It was an amazing day for Simon and his friends. First there was the amazing teaching, then the huge catch of fish and then Simon was surprised that Jesus even wanted to spend time with him, let alone make him a leader.

Why do you think Jesus chose Simon and his friends to be “fishers of men”?

What was the job he was asking them to do?

This story tells us that even ordinary people - even people who make mistakes - have gifts to offer. What do you think Jesus might be calling you to do?

Response Activity Ideas

Large Catch of Fish

Materials: worksheet, coloured paper, scissors, burlap/plastic netting, glue, popsicle sticks, colouring tools

Print out the worksheet.  Cut out little fish from coloured paper and glue them on to the bottom of the boat, or alternatively draw them on. Glue a burlap or plastic netting ‘net’ (attaching it just around the edges) over the fish.  Glue on a popsicle stick mast if desired.  Finish by colouring the rest of the picture.

Access the website http://faithsprouts.blogspot.com/2016/01/fishermen-follow-jesus.html for more step-by-step images, if needed.

Click to print PDF

Comic Retell

Use the comic panels provided, or design your own, and retell the story of Simon Peter being called to follow Jesus!

Click to print PDF

Wordsearch

Click to print PDF

For Youth: Our strengths, our calling

Think about and discuss your personal gifts and strengths with your family.  Consider working through a quiz like:

https://www.bethlehemschools.org/wp-content/uploads/VIA-Character-Strengths-Discussion-Survey.pdf  OR

https://high5test.com/  to get you thinking about what’s important to you and how you work best.

It can be hard to talk about what we’re good at, so listen and encourage each other as you notice and point out strengths you see in others in your family, and in what capacities these skills may take each other in making a difference in the world.

How can these strengths work towards stewardship in the church setting?  How can these strengths play out in contributing in the community?  In working to bring about God’s love and peace in the world? 

Sunday school activities - January 30, 2022

Theme Discussion

This is the second week of our Stewardship Campaign at BCUC and the big word I want you to think about is the word “volunteer”. What comes to mind when you think of this word?  Have you heard of this word before? I’m sure many of you have.

A volunteer is someone who offers to help or to work without pay. That person simply gives his or her time and talent in doing a task without expecting monetary payment. There are many places that need volunteers. Schools, hospitals, libraries, homes and churches are some examples of those places that need volunteers. Can you name other places that need volunteers?

Have you ever volunteered at all? What did you do? How did you feel about it?

The home is an ideal place to volunteer. Maybe your mom or your dad asked your help at home like taking out the trash or walking your pet dog. You can be a good volunteer by playing with your younger siblings or by cleaning your room. What other ways can you volunteer at home?

Why do you think people volunteer? For one, I think it makes someone feel good. There’s that sense of satisfaction and pride of helping others and making the work done without getting paid. By sharing your time, talents and treasures as a volunteer also strengthens the family, the community and the world.

In our church, we need many volunteers to help the ministers, the music director and the office administrators because they couldn’t possibly do all the work themselves. Someone has to look after the church building. Someone has to help teach in Sunday School. Someone has to look after the finances. Someone has to tend the church garden. Someone has to help at worship service. Someone has to help raise funds. There are many ways in which volunteers are in demand at church. Can you think of other reasons why people volunteer?

But the most important thing to remember is this: Jesus taught us to love one another; to offer care and share what we have. Jesus himself volunteered his time, his talents and his resources in helping those in need. Jesus showed us how to be a good Christian volunteer.

And yes, volunteers make a difference in the world! That is something we need to be thankful for!

Response Activity Ideas

Video inspiration of kids and young adults volunteering in their communities

Little girls giving to people experiencing homelessness:

Girl volunteers at a senior’s centre:

Why communities need volunteers:

Invent a new non-profit organization

(Modified from: https://www.woojr.com/volunteering-for-kids/)

Try using your imagination to solve a problem or meet a need in your school community or anywhere in the world!  Maybe you love animals and want to start a shelter, or you want to plant trees in your neigbourhood, or maybe you want to raise money for kids who are in the hospital with serious illnesses.  There are many issues in our world that could use caring support!

Invent your own company where the primary goal is helping others or the community, not to make profits (money) for itself – a non-profit organization.  Make an information page about it sharing these ideas:

1. What problem do you want to solve? Or what benefit does it offer to people, animals, or the community?

2. What will you name your organization?

3. What would you need volunteers to do for you? (making posters, gathering materials, collecting donations, etc?)

4. What events would you do to raise money? (bake sale, dance-a-thon, cake raffle, etc?)

5. How do you feel about this work that you are doing on behalf of others?  (include a ‘quote’ from you, the CEO!)

Volunteer Colouring Sheet

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - January 23, 2022

Theme Discussion

In our church service today, we began our annual Stewardship Campaign. This is a time when we find ways to thank God for all the blessings in our lives by giving back a portion of those blessings to God by being a blessing to others.

When you look around the congregation at BCUC, it’s pretty obvious that we have a lot of blessings! Everyone has a place to live, food to eat, and proper clothes for the weather. The children are all able to go to school and it is safe to play in our neighbourhoods. We know that this is not all the same for many people in the world. It’s not even the same for many people right here in Ottawa. So, as a faith community, we are asked to share some of the wonderful things we have to make others’ lives better.

God wants us to enjoy the blessings we have. We aren’t asked to give everything away, just to share a bit with others. Sometimes that thing we share is money, sometimes it’s time, and other times it might be our skills or talents. Taking care of the world and the people around us is part of loving creation and of loving our neighbour. To offer this kind of care takes all three things – time, talents, and treasures. During our Stewardship campaign we look at the blessings or gifts we have been given and we think about ways we can use those things to make the world a better place.

Have you ever thought about how you can make the world better by sharing your time? You might do this by helping with some chores around the house to save Mom and Dad some time for themselves… or by entertaining your little brother or sister by playing a game with them or reading a story. What are some ways you can use your time this week to help others?

What about sharing your talents? Think about the things you are good at. If you are good at drawing, you might make a card for someone who needs cheering up; if music is your talent, maybe you could sing in a choir or play your instrument for someone; if you are great at organizing, maybe you can help sort the laundry or tidy a cupboard… Think about the talents you have. How can you use them to make the world a little better?

Of course, the other thing we can share is our treasures. This might mean sharing some of your things or it can mean sharing your money. You might get an allowance, maybe you get paid for doing a job for someone, or maybe your grandparents send you money for your birthday. Remember, God doesn’t expect you to give it all away (and your grandparents want you to enjoy the gift too)! But what if you just put aside a little bit of the money you receive to donate to the church or to a special cause? What treasures do you have that you can share? Where can you share them that will make the world a little better for someone?

Sharing is caring – and that’s good stewardship!

Response Activity Ideas

My Helping Hand

Trace your hand on a piece of white paper and cut it out.  On each finger, write a helpful way you could use your hands in stewardship.  Colour and draw designs or images representing the ideas on each finger. “Helping Hands” or something similar could be written in the palm. Fill the rest of the hand in with images and words that represent your gifts and talents, and other ways you can contribute to God’s world.

Church of Many Talents

Make an envelope church and fill it with helpful craft stick people.

Materials: paper, envelope, craft sticks, colouring tools (optional: googly eyes, fabric pieces)

Use markers to colour five (or more!) sticks to look like people, adding googly eyes, and/or fabric ‘clothing’ if desired. On the back, label each stick with a strength, talent or gift of people who help do the work of our church (speaking, singing, baking, teaching, tech. support, cleaning, organizing, website designing, praying, etc.) Be sure to include a person representing YOU, labelled with your gifts to share!

Glue an envelope onto a piece of paper with the triangular flap pasted upward, and the pocket still accessible.  This is the “church”. Add a cross at the peak of the church roof and decorate. Insert the craft stick people and write a caption, such as, “It takes many talents to make a church.” Tuck your people into the church!

BCUC Time and Talents

Check out this year’s Time and Talent form (PDF). In this week’s Storytime part of the service, Rev. Lorrie made some suggestions of things on this list that would be perfect for people your age to get involved with!  Have a look on the list and see if there is something there that you could do to contribute.  Maybe you have another idea no one has thought of yet?! Write down what you want to do or circle the ideas on the form.  Encourage your family to return the form indicating your interest in participating.  Next – make a plan to follow through with your great ideas!

Sunday school activities - January 16, 2022

This week’s Bible Story is about the wedding at Cana. You can watch it here:

At this wedding, Jesus turned water into wine. This seems like a strange thing for Jesus to do, doesn’t it? He didn’t heal a sick person or make a blind man see. He didn’t feed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes. He just made sure that a party could continue and that no one would be embarrassed or upset.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a very important thing at all. In fact, when his mother asks him to do something about the fact that the wine had run out, he tells her that he really doesn’t see it as his problem. No big deal.

But it was a big deal to the people he was with right at that moment. It was a huge problem for the people who were hosting the party. They would have been very embarrassed and it might have ruined their reputation. It would have ended the celebration and that might seem that they really weren’t happy about the marriage.

So, Jesus takes this opportunity to make a difference to the people right there in front of him. He didn’t save the world from all its problems, but he did make life happier for those people on that particular day. It was a small miracle, but one that was important at that moment.

Do you sometimes wish you had the power to change the world? What would you want to do to make it a better place? Maybe you’d like to stop all wars, or make sure everyone has clean water to drink. What other ideas do you have?

Maybe, we can’t do something big like that, but maybe we can be like Jesus in this story and do something we can, something that will make our own small world a better place right now. I remember things that happened at the beginning of the pandemic, when children drew rainbows and put them in their windows, or when everyone went outside and clapped when nurses and doctors were heading home after a hard day taking care of people – small things that made a huge difference to people who were anxious and tired.

What are some things that you can do to make the world around you better today?

• For you family

• For your classmates

• For your pets

• …

Response Activity Ideas

Spot the Difference

Visit this link https://cartoonchurch.com/content/cc/the-wedding-at-cana-spot-the-difference/ to view and print a Spot-the-difference challenge of the Wedding at Cana. Colour one of the images and retell the story once you’ve found all 20 differences!

Random Acts of Kindness Bingo

(From kindness.org)

How many kind acts can you do? Fill up your bingo board by doing as many kind acts as possible. Once you’ve done a kind act, put a checkmark or X over it. Compete against family members, friends, or challenge yourself!

Click to print PDF

Spread Kindness Poster

Find a quote about spreading kindness and make an illustrated poster of the phrase to post up in your home, neighbourhood, or to share on social media.

Here are some ideas:

• “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” - Dr. Seuss

• “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop

• “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” - Dalai Lama

• “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” - Jesse Jackson

• “If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.” - Dolly Parton

Sunday school activities - January 9, 2022

Baptism of Jesus

Do you remember your baptism? Most of you were probably baptized as babies and so you likely wouldn’t remember - but most of you have seen baptisms here in our church. What did you notice about the baptism? What happened? What did people say?

In our Bible story today, John holds people under the water in the river for a moment. We don’t do that in our church but we do use water. The minister sprinkles water on the baby’s head. We use warm water here for babies. Why do you think that is? What do you think would happen if the water was really cold?

Water is an important symbol in the church. It is a symbol of washing clean and starting fresh. It is also a symbol for life, because nothing can live without water.

Sometimes when people feel sleepy, they splash their faces with cold water to wake up. Have you ever done that? Or have you ever jumped into really cold water on a hot day? Does that wake you up? That’s kind of what John the Baptist was doing when he dunked the people in the cold river. He was telling them to wake up and pay attention because Jesus was coming.

Think of some of the ways we use water every day… drinking, cleaning, making plants grow, relaxing in a warm bath… Can you think of some others?

In our country, where water is plentiful, we sometimes take it for granted. In the next few days, take notice of the times you use water. How would your life be different without water?

Look again at each thing on your list. Can you think of a way that each use of water might be a symbol for living in the way God wants us to?

Sometimes we take our church family for granted too. How would your life be different without church?

Response Activity Ideas

Remembering Your Baptism

Ask your family to tell you about your baptism.  Maybe they can find pictures taken from that day, or show you the certificate or other mementos you received. Who was there to watch or participate in your baptism? How did you react to getting wet?  How was your baptism different and similar to Jesus’ baptism?

If you haven’t been baptized, you could talk about that decision with your family.

Use a doll or action figure and a small pitcher to do pretend play baptism in a sink or basin of water!

Water Pictionary or Charades

There are a LOT of stories in the Bible where water is important.  How many can you think of? 

Did you get these ones? 

Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6-9), Moses and the Red Sea (Exodus 14), Jonah and the Big Fish (Jonah), Jesus Walks on Water (Mark 6:45-56), Woman at the Well (John  4)…

If you have one, flip through an illustrated children’s bible and see if you can find more.

Now make a game out of it! Set a timer for 90 seconds, then take turns with people in your family either drawing one of the stories or acting out a story (no talking!) and see if they can guess which biblical water story you were thinking of!

Torn Paper Collage

Make a paper collage to represent Jesus’ baptism.

Materials: Jesus, John, Dove clip art; green, grey, assorted blue, and light blue paper, markers/pencil crayons

Print out the Jesus, John, and dove templates, then colour and cut them out.  Use a piece of light blue paper as the background (sky).  Rip some cloud shapes from white/grey paper and glue them near the top. 

About a third of the way down, begin adding layers of green paper torn to look like hills.  In the bottom third, change to layers of blues to make wavy water, tucking John and Jesus into the middle. Continue to the bottom of the page, using the straight edge of blue water paper along the bottom edge of the background page. Glue dove and write “You are my beloved” near the top. 

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - January 2, 2022

This week we are hearing the last part of our Christmas story, the visit of the Magi. These wise men saw a star and knew that it was a sign of a very important birth. Assuming it was the birth of a king, they gathered expensive gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh, - and set out on a long journey to find this newborn king and pay him homage.

This story is familiar to us as part of the pageants and readings we do at Christmas. It is only told in the book of Matthew. We combine it with Luke’s stories of angels and shepherds and of the young family staying in a stable to make the beautiful story that we tell of the birth of Jesus.

Discussion Questions

What do you think of the gifts that these men offered to the child?

What gifts would you give to a baby?

Jesus isn’t a baby anymore but we can still give Him gifts. When we use our skills, our talents, and our treasures to help others, we are giving gifts to Jesus. What gifts can you give to Jesus? (kindness, love, caring for the earth, being happy…)

And some more things for Intermediate & UP to think about:

In this story, the author of Matthew wanted to show the people that the birth of Jesus was important to the whole world, not just to the Jewish people - so important that wise men from far away were told about it by signs in the night sky. Notice that the reading doesn’t say that they found the baby in a stable but that they found the child in a house with his mother. It also doesn’t say there were just three of them! Many scholars believe that it would have taken the visitors a long time to travel there and that Jesus could have been two years old before they arrived. Isn’t it interesting how we have changed the story over the last 2000 years? No matter what, it is still a beautiful and important story in our faith.

Although the birth of Jesus was seen as good news by the wise men, the shepherds, and the people of the time, King Herod was not so pleased to hear about it! The text tells us that he was terrified and so were many of the people in Jerusalem. What were they so afraid of?

Response Activity Ideas

Gifts for Jesus

Materials – envelope, tape/glue, strips of paper

Make a treasure chest of your own gifts for Jesus.  Print out the Magi colouring page.  At the bottom of the page, glue or tape on the envelope face down (flap facing up so it can still open).  Decorate the envelope to look like a fancy chest or box or present and write “My Gifts for Jesus” on it.  Write or draw your ideas for things you could do to be a gift for Jesus on slips of paper and tuck them inside the fancy envelope.  Finish by colouring the Magi!

Click to print PDF

The Three Wise Women

Listen to this story and take note of the special gifts the women bring.  How are they related to Jesus’ work and ministry when he grows up?  Draw an example of how he used each of those imagined three gifts as an adult.

Art Appreciation

(from Advent Unwrapped: Story and Activity Cards, available https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/story_and_activity_cards.pdf)

Search online for images of the “Adoration of the Magi” and discover paintings by European masters, such as Botticelli, Da Vinci, De Bray, Durer, Giotto, and Rubens. Look carefully at these famous paintings and discuss the following questions.

How would you describe each of the Magi? What are they doing in each painting and how do their appearances (nationality, expressions, clothing, head covering, stances) differ from one painting to the next?

• How is the Christ child portrayed in each painting? What is he doing?

• How many other characters are included in each painting? Can you identify them? What are their facial expressions? What do you think they are feeling or thinking?

• What symbols do you notice in each painting (e.g. lily, lamb, chalice, star)?

If you have time, create your own painting of the nativity scene, including yourself in the picture.  Where would you be?  What would you be doing?  What facial expressions would you and the other characters have?

Sunday school activities - December 19, 2021

Advent 4 - Love

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and we light the candle of love. When this Sunday comes, I know that Christmas is almost here! How do you feel? What are you expecting to happen on Christmas Day?

Family is very important in the Christmas story. What kind of family do you have What family activities are you planning to do especially in this COVID-19 pandemic? Do you have some family traditions that you love doing? What are they?

Our gospel story today talks about two women who played important roles in the birth of Jesus – the young Mary and her older relative, Elizabeth.

Watch the story on Youtube:

Here are some questions to think about:

• When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, how do you think Mary felt? How would you feel if you were visited by an angel? Will you be scared? Excited? Joyful? Confused?

• Why do you think Mary would travel to visit Elizabeth who was much older than her? How do you think they viewed each other?

• Do you listen to someone older than you? When do you ask someone older or wiser than you for help?

• Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months! Share what you think they might have done together.

• As we embrace LOVE as a symbol of the birth of Jesus, how is love present in your family?

• Think of ways how you can share love outside your home.

I hope this Christmas will bring you love in your home as we celebrate the birthday of Jesus and share that love with others.

Response Activity Ideas

Nativity ornament

(modified from: https://homanathome.com/2016/12/nativity-ornament-kids/)

Click to print PDF

Materials: Craft sticks or cinnamon sticks, paper, glue gun/string, colouring tools, small amount of yellow or gold paper.

Colour the picture of Jesus’ family or draw one of your own.  Using craft or cinnamon sticks make the shape of a stable and secure with glue or by wrapping joints with string.

Glue or tape in the family picture.  If you would like to make the picture part sturdier, cut out a piece of cardstock or construction paper and glue it to the back of the drawing.

Cut a small loop of ribbon and glue it to the top for a hanger.  Add a star to the top of the stable!

Family Traditions Song Challenge

Have you seen this video where Olaf goes looking for holiday traditions?

What if Olaf came to your house?  What would he see, hear, experience? 

Can you write a rhyming verse of the song about your traditions and then make an illustration to go with it?

Illustrated Ministry Advent Package – To choose love

This week’s reflection talks about how Mary opened her heart to God’s call, and opened her experience to others who came to celebrate Jesus’ birth – shepherds, animals, angels, wise ones.  She shared the love and that message of love was passed on and on.  Like the Magic Penny song says, “Love is something if you give it away.”

Using the instructions on pg 32 and template on page 35, make a love treasure box to look at when you have big negative feelings to help you decide how to respond with love.

If you did not receive an Advent package and would like one, please contact the church office.

Sunday school activities - December 12, 2021

Advent 3 - Joy

This is the third Sunday of Advent and the candle we light today is for Joy. This candle is pink – a lighter colour than the dark blue or purple of the other candles in the wreath. This is because Joy brings light to the world. As we listen to the preaching of John the Baptist in our Bible stories this month, we can get pretty worried about the world. Joy helps us remember the good things that are happening as we work toward a world full of Hope, Peace, and Love – the kind of world that God dreams for us.

There are lots of examples of joy in the Christmas story. The angels bring joy to the shepherds in the field when they sing about the news of Jesus’ birth. The shepherds are filled with joy when they see the baby and run to tell everyone about it. The angels and the shepherds can’t keep the joy to themselves, they need to spread it around. How can you spread joy to others? How can you make someone who is feeling sad or afraid feel joy?

Christmas is a time when we are usually full of joy. What are some of the things that bring you joy or make you happy at this time of year?

Response Activity Ideas

Joy Ornament

Gather 2 pieces of paper (14x14cm) to try making these Christmas bells.  Add holly with pieces of green paper (6x6cm).

Spread JOY with a card

Make a card to give someone to bring some joy to their day!

Print the template for the JOY letters or design your own open font.  Fill in the letters with patterns and designs, then cut them out to decorate the front of a card. (Alternatively, print out the Joy template directly onto cardstock and decorate.) Inside the card, write a message to bring a smile to someone’s face and send it to them!

Click to print PDF

Illustrated Ministry Advent Package – Week 3: To Practice Joy

Have you ever made a gratitude journal before?  How about a ‘joy’ journal?  This week’s activity on pg. 24 encourages us to take time to remember the joy in our lives.  Cut out the scrolls on pg. 27, record the year at the top, then write down the joys you have experienced this year.  Using the toothpicks provided in your kit, or other sticks, roll up the scroll and hang on your tree (ribbon and string provided).  Save it for next year with your other decorations and unroll to remember these joys again!

Sunday school activities - December 5, 2021

Theme Discussion

Today we lit the second Advent candle - for Peace. 

The Hebrew word, “shalom” is usually translated as “peace” but it means much more than the lack of conflict. It encompasses well-being, comfort, and a feeling that all is right with the world. In the story we read this morning, John the Baptist quotes from the prophet Isaiah about making a straight path for God.

“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth”

It’s part of a message to the Jewish people about finding comfort in a time when the world was a pretty scary place. Comfort is a big part of shalom, of feeling at peace. 

Even though we can say that Canada is a peaceful country, there are many people who do not live with a sense of shalom. Can you think of some examples? (homeless, people in hospital, people grieving the death of someone close, people struggling to make ends meet - let alone making Christmas special for their families...)

How can we be a source of peace and comfort?

Response Activity Ideas

Sensing Peace

Listen to this story about noticing peace with all your 5 senses.

Print out the booklet (PDF) and cut along the centre line as shown here in the instructions (PDF).  On each page, draw and/or write about ways you find or create peace around you.

Ornament – Shalom

Print out the globe image and cut out.  Glue onto cardstock or cardboard, leaving a border that could be decorated.  Using a permanent marker or glitter pens/glue write SHALOM across the front of the globe.  Punch a hole and attach a ribbon or string to hang.

Click to print PDF

Advent Package – Week 2: To Bring PEACE

This week’s devotional talks about the song Mary sang about God’s amazing love, power, and peace while she was visiting Elizabeth.  Singing or listening to music together can calm us down and make us feel connected.  Try the activity on pg. 16 of the package to make a paper chain highlighting lyrics to music that brings you peace. (Extra pre-cut construction paper to make chains was included in your Advent Package bag).

If you did not receive an Advent Package and would like one, please contact the church office.

Sunday school activities - November 28, 2021

Theme Discussion

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. “Advent” is the time we spend waiting and getting ready for Christmas. What are some things you do in your family to get ready for Christmas? Do these things help the time go by quickly? Imagine if there was no time to get ready for Christmas and it just came by surprise one morning and then it was over… Would there be some things you would miss? (Singing carols, baking cookies, writing to Santa, decorating the house, going for a Christmas tree…?)

At church we count the Sundays till Christmas. We mark them by lighting a new candle each week until the Sunday before Christmas. Did you notice how many candles are on our Advent Wreath in the sanctuary? There are 4 - just 4 Sundays till Christmas! Each one has a special word that goes with it. Today’s candle is for Hope.

The time when Jesus was born was a scary time in many ways for people the Hebrew people. They were ruled by an oppressive government and the world did not seem like a fair or a safe place. It’s often described as a time of darkness. Hope was certainly something the people needed. 

The words “hope” and “wish” are sometimes used in the same way but they are actually quite different. Wishes are something we desire but aren’t necessarily possible - like “I wish I could wake up with super powers like Spiderman!” Hopes are also something we desire, and they are usually things that would make life better for us or for the world - like, “I hope we can find a way to make sure everyone in the world has enough to eat.” Hopes are often even things we can help to make happen. 

Can you think of some hopes for this Christmas that you might have for yourself or the people around you? Are there some things you can do to help make them happen?

Response Activity Ideas

Hope Ornament

A candle in the darkness can be a symbol of hope.  Make this stained-glass style ornament for your tree or to hang in the window and think about being a light of hope for those around us.

Click to print template PDF

Materials: print out the template (preferably on cardstock) or make your own with black construction paper, scissors, small tissue paper squares, glue, string

Cut out the circles, including cutting out the white middle sections (around the candle).  Placing the candle circle face down on the table, glue tissue paper squares in an overlapping pattern to fill in the blank space around the candle.  When it is filled in, glue the plain circle, black side up, onto the back to make a tidy reverse side.  Attach a string to hang if you wish.

Symbol Scavenger Hunt

In today’s Bible passage being read in church, it tells us to get ready and pay attention!  It tells us to be on the look out for signs of hope, signs of good changes to come, and signs of ways for us to be like Jesus in our world today. This can be super-tricky when we’re SO busy and getting SO excited about decorations, shopping, gifts, and treats at this time of year!   

Think about focusing in on the signs of the real meaning of Christmas by doing a scavenger hunt with this list (PDF).

You may not find them all today, but challenge yourself to be on the lookout over the next few weeks and think about the meaning of the symbols you see!  Will you be able to slow down and take notice?

Illustrated Ministry Advent Package

The theme for week one is “To Hold Hope” and tells how Mary and Elizabeth were told that God had big plans for their babies! As they came together to support each other, the women were filled with the Holy Spirit and with hope for future, despite feeling nervous about all the uncertainty that lay ahead.

Follow the craft activity on page 8 (template on page 11) of the package to create a bird to remind us of the Holy Spirit’s messages of hope.

If you did not receive an Advent Package and would like one, please contact the church office.

Sunday school activities - November 21, 2021

Theme Discussion

Did you know that this Sunday is like New Year’s Eve in the church? The new church year starts next Sunday with Advent!

You may have noticed that the decorations in the sanctuary change colour throughout the year. Have you ever wondered why? These colours are all beautiful but each one is chosen for a reason. The colour of the banner behind the communion table, the table cloth, and the banners in front of the pulpit and lectern – and even the colours that Rev. Kim and Rev. Lorrie wear - follow the pattern of the church calendar and change with each season.

Here’s how it goes from now to the end of 2022:

Advent starts next Sunday and we will see the church decked out in BLUE for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. (Some churches will use PURPLE, either one is right). This is the time we prepare for the birth of Jesus at Christmas. (November 28 - December 24)

On Christmas Day, it will change to WHITE to celebrate that birth, and stay that way for just a short time, for the season of Epiphany. Usually, we think of Epiphany as the time when the Magi visit the baby Jesus.  (December 25 – January 6)

Then we move into Ordinary Time, a time for learning about Jesus’ life and his teachings. It starts with the Baptism of Jesus Sunday (January 9) and the colour will be GREEN, all the way to March 1.

March 2 is Ash Wednesday and that marks the beginning of Lent. This is a season when we think about the time leading up to the death of Jesus and the colour for this season is PURPLE (except for Good Friday, when the only colour in the sanctuary is BLACK). This is usually a serious and sombre time. We “put away” the Hallelujahs for this season. It is a time for reflection. (March 2 - April 16)

Then, on Easter Sunday we celebrate that Jesus is alive in the world by changing the colour to a nice, bright WHITE again and we sing lots of hallelujahs! (April 17 - June 4)

The day that the Holy Spirit came to the disciples of Jesus is called Pentecost and the colour we us on that day is RED to represent the image of the “tongues of fire” from that story. (June 5)

The next day, we change the colour to GREEN because it is Ordinary Time again. (June 6 - September 10)

The next colour change happens on Thanksgiving Sunday. This is the beginning of Creation Time and is a bright, beautiful ORANGE – perfect for Fall! Orange Shirt Day happens in this season too! (September 11 – October 9)

And then it’s back to GREEN once more, the colour for Ordinary Time. We also think of this as a “saints time” because it includes Peace Sunday, All Saints Day, and Remembrance Sunday, all times when we think of people who do amazing things in the world. (October 10 – November 20)

And then the cycle will begin again!

1.     Do you think it’s a good idea to change the colours in the sanctuary as the church seasons change?

2.     Do you think the colours represent the seasons of the church well? Are there any you would change if it was up to you? Why?

3.     What is your favourite season in the church? Why?

Response Activity Ideas

Church Year Calendar

Print out the pie chart divided up for all the different ‘seasons’ of the church year.  Colour and decorate it following the example and explanation in the theme discussion.  If you can, mark and label other important church days like Palm Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, or the Baptism of Jesus, etc.

Click to print PDF

Design Antependia

Ante-what??!  Antependia are the decorative cloths and hangings that go on a communion table and hang from the pulpit or lectern.  At BCUC, there are special antependia for each of the seasons, some of them handmade by people in our congregation! 

Pick one of your favourite seasons in the church year and create your own decorative hanging for the pulpit on paper.  Think about the important colour for that season and use it a lot in your design or as the background.  What other symbols might you include to represent the meaning of the season or highlight the important days that take place during that time?

Christian Year Poem or Song

The CGS and Bell Canto Singers know a “Christian Year Chant” that they sing from time to time as a warm-up, rhythm game, and to remember the church seasons!  It goes like this:

Celebrate the seasons!
Celebrate the seasons!
Advent, Christmas,
Epiphany, Lent,
Easter, (Hallelujah!)
And a Pentecost event.
Christian Year!
Christian Year! 

It is missing the Season of Creation Time, though!  Can you write a new little poem or rhyme to help remember the seasons in order?  You could try using the tune from a song like Twinkle Twinkle or The Ants Go Marching or something to give you a melody and rhythm to follow.  Share it with Erin or a CGS/Bell Canto choir member if you come up with something fun!

Sunday school activities - November 14, 2021

Theme Discussion

Did you get a chance to hear the story “Ordinary Mary’s Extrodinary Deed” read during today’s church service?  If not, check it out here:

Isn’t it amazing how one small action led to so many kind deeds?  Some people call this the ripple effect or a domino effect. 

Try setting up dominoes or books with 1 in front, then 2, then 3, etc.  Give a push and watch how one domino or book can have a huge chain reaction! 

Try fill a large baking dish or tray with water, then gathering an assortment of items that could be dropped in (stone, potato, button, paperclip, etc.).  Drop the items in, one at a time.  Do small items make waves just like little objects?  Small acts can have big results!

How is Jesus like the first domino or object dropped into to water?

What can you do to start a chain reaction in your family or circle of friends?

Response Activities

Random Acts of Kindness

Pick some ideas from the list or come up with some of your own!  Can you do 5 kind things like ‘Ordinary Mary’ this week?

Click to print PDF

Extraordinary Deed Comic

Print out the template and make up your own story of a good deed that leads to more and more kindnesses!

Click to print PDF

Click to print PDF

Kindness Cards

How about leaving a surprise message with kind words for someone to find!

Print out the following cards, cut apart, and tape up in your house or community (or tuck one into someone’s lunch box or purse!).  If you’re feeling creative, design and create your own messages!  Many more examples can be found online, too, if you need more inspiration!

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - November 7, 2021

Theme Discussion

Watch today’s Bible story:

If the first person gave bags of money to the church, and the widow only gave 2 little coins, how could it be that Jesus said the widow gave the most?

For the rich person, giving away a lot of money was easy – they had lots to spare.  What was in their mind as they were making their donation, do you think?  Why were they putting the money in?   Perhaps they cared about the work of the church, but maybe they were also just trying to show off and look good to their friends?

The widow was giving all the coins she had – just two.  What was in her mind as she was dropping in the coins, do you think?  Why might she be giving those coins to the church? 

Have you ever heard someone say they’ve “given it everything they’ve got”?  It means they tried very hard and put all their efforts into succeeding in a task.  The person usually feels pretty good, because they know they’ve done their best, even if it didn’t work out perfectly.

The widow gave everything she had to God.  She was being both generous and also trusting that God would provide for her.

How can we give ‘everything we’ve got’ to God?  What is it that God wants and needs from us?

There are many real heroes in our world who ‘give everything they’ve got’ to help others. Today we are honouring the men and women of the armed forces who gave, and continue to give, so much in wartime, peace-keeping missions, and disaster-response.    How will you recognize and remember them this year?

Response Activity Ideas

Colour by Number

Click to print PDf

Write to the troops

Canadian Armed Forces personnel appreciate receiving encouraging messages, letters, or cards from Canadians.  Visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/contact-us/write-troops.html for information on how to post a message online, and where to send hand-written cards and letters.

These can be sent via the Any Canadian Armed Forces Member Program: “All mail that arrives at the Canadian Forces Postal Unit is sorted between the different operations/locations, combined into larger shipments, and then sent to each location on a weekly basis. This work by the postal unit staff continues every week, all year round. Regardless of what day it is on the calendar, any received mail item is always appreciated by the deployed soldier, sailor or aviator when it arrives.”

Silhouette Art

Materials – white paper, paint, pastels, crayons, or pencil crayons; copies of silhouette print-out or black paper, glue

Using paint or other colouring medium, fill the white paper with sunset or sunrise colours as a background.  Next cut out the silhouettes of your choice from the templates or cut out your own from black paper.  Glue them onto the background. (Alternatively, if you used paint for background, you could paint the silhouettes overtop using black paint.)

Click to print both PDF pages