Journey to the hills. Luke 1

Transcription

1 Journey to the hills Luke 1

2 JOURNEY TO THE HILLS Setting the scene You will need: The Bible Curriculum Flash Cards and The Children s Bible in 365 Stories, by Mary Batchelor (published by Lion Hudson plc. paperback /hardback ). Tell the children that the stories they will hear over the next few weeks come from the New Testament part of the Bible. Show the appropriate section in the children s Bible. If you have The Bible Curriculum Flash Cards, show and talk about cards one to two: The Life of Jesus: A 10 point overview. Starter questions Do you ever enjoy sitting somewhere quiet? Perhaps a hushed, calm corner, where you can be on your own. What might you do in your quiet space? Think? Wonder? Talk to God? Story reference Luke 1 The Children s Bible in 365 Stories, story number 240 page 276. For a printable version of today s story see Elizabeth and Mary in this week s Printables. My story notes... Copyright 2016

3 How to illustrate the story Telling the story using props A piece of tinsel to represent the angel s wings You are going to have a baby boy speech bubble (see Printables) A doll and a blanket Another idea Tell the story using the props then talk to the children about how Zechariah had to write down what he wanted to tell the people. Ask the children if they think he may have mimed what he wanted to say too. Play a game similar to Charades. Make it Christmassy by asking the children to pretend they have received a Christmas present then encourage them to mime to each other what it is they have been given. If you would like to give the children prompts, cut out pictures from catalogues and stick them to individual index cards. Present each child with an index card and explain that this is the present they need to describe. You could cut out some items that the children would think of as a silly gift for someone of their age such as a washing machine, or make it sensible and cut out age-appropriate items. Prayer Father God we thank You for the times we have heard wonderful news. We imagine Elizabeth and Mary's great joy when they heard how special their babies would be. Father God, please help us to remember that we too have so much to thank You for and so much to look forward to. We remember how pleased Elizabeth and Mary were to see each other how much they enjoyed hearing each other's news how excited they were for one another and how they both longed to see God at work. Thank You Father God for the friends we have, the friends we can share our happy times with. Father help us to be good friends too, help us to share the excitement and joy of those celebrating around us. Amen. Things to take on Sunday... Copyright 2016

4 A QUIET SPACE SIGN You will need: Cork floor tiles or cardboard box card A quiet space textbox (see Printables) How to make a quiet space sign instructions (see Printables) A ruler and a pen A pair of scissors Brown string cut into 50cm lengths Coloured pencils and/or felt-tips PVA glue, brushes and pots How to prepare: Print off or photocopy sufficient instructions for one between three or four children. Print off or photocopy sufficient text boxes for one per child. Make a sample sign so that the children know what they are making. Cut the cork tiles or cardboard into six pieces following steps one to three of the instructions. Roughly cut out the textboxes. How to make: 1. Make sure each child can see a set of instructions. 2. Give each child a textbox and a piece of cork. Encourage the children to cut along the solid line around their text box. 3. Help each child to make a sign, working through the instructions one step at a time. Dead Sea Comic Capers For an alternative activity, print off and enjoy the puzzles in this week s Dead Sea Comic Caper (see Printables). Shopping list... Copyright 2016

5 Printables 1. Story: Elizabeth and Mary 2. You are going to have a baby boy speech bubble 3. A quiet space textbox 4. How to make a quiet space sign instructions 5. Dead Sea Comic Caper

6 1. Story: Elizabeth and Mary ELIZABETH AND MARY Luke 1:24 25, Do you ever enjoy sitting somewhere quiet? Perhaps a hushed, calm corner, where you can be on your own. What might you do in your quiet space? Think? Wonder? Talk to God? A long, long time ago a lady called Elizabeth lived with her husband in Judea. They lived in a house in a small town surrounded by hills. All her life Elizabeth had loved God and followed His commandments. Elizabeth s husband Zechariah was a priest. One day when Zechariah was working in the Temple an angel spoke to him. Elizabeth is going to have a baby! said the angel. Zechariah couldn t believe what he was hearing. We are old people, he argued, how can that possibly be true? From that moment on Zechariah couldn t speak. He opened his mouth but the words did not come out. A little while later he returned home. As the weeks went by Elizabeth found that she was indeed going to have a baby. Zechariah looked on in silence still the words did not come. For many years Elizabeth had wanted to have a baby she was delighted that at last she and Zechariah would have a baby of their own. In the still silence of her house Elizabeth sat alone. The Lord has done this for me, she thought thank You Lord for all that You have done. For five months Elizabeth hid herself away in her home. She was so happy that she was going to have a baby. She was so very, very thankful. When there were only three more months until the baby was due to arrive there was a knock at Elizabeth s door. It was her cousin, Mary. Mary was going to have a baby too. A few weeks earlier an angel had visited Mary in her home. It was the same angel that had spoken to Zechariah. You are going to have a baby boy, the angel had said: You will call Him Jesus He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. When Elizabeth saw her cousin she was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak as if singing a great song: You are special to God and the baby you are going to have is special too it is amazing that you have come to visit me! For three months Mary stayed with Elizabeth and Zechariah. When it was time for her to return home she travelled back to the town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby she gave birth to a little boy. When the neighbours came round to visit they said to each other, He should be called Zechariah like his father. But Elizabeth knew that God had chosen a different name. His name is John, she said. Zechariah agreed he wrote down: He shall be called John. Suddenly Zechariah could speak again words began to pour out of his mouth they were words of thanks to God. The neighbours were astonished at what they were seeing and hearing. They looked at one another What could God have planned for this little boy?

7 2. You are going to have a baby boy speech bubble You are going to have a baby boy. You will call Him Jesus, He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.

8 A quiet space A quiet space A quiet space A quiet space 3. A quiet space textbox

9 4. How to make a quiet space sign instructions

10 4. How to make a quiet space sign instructions A QUIET SPACE SIGN 1. You will need: Cork floor tiles or cardboard box card 'A quiet space' textbox A ruler and a pen A pair of scissors Brown string cut into 50cm lengths Coloured pencils and/or felt-tips PVA glue, brushes and pots 2. Before the session an adult will need to prepare the cork tiles or card. Use the ruler and pen to divide the cork/card into rectangles, approximately 15 x 10 cm. Use a large pair of scissors to cut along the lines. 3. Cut two 1cm slits in your rectangle approximately 2cms from the top edge. 4. Tie the ends of the piece of string together to make a loop. 5. Slide the string into the slits in the side of your cork/cardboard rectangle. 6/7. Cut out and colour in a quiet space textbox. 8/9. Stick the decorated textbox to your piece of cork or cardboard.

11 5. Dead Sea Comic Capers