Bible Verse:  And my God will meet all your needs  according to the riches of his glory  in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 Object Lesson: Adapted from here.  "How many corners does this piece of paper have?  Four.  But what if I want to give someone a corner? Cut off a corner of the paper, and hand it to a child.  N ow that I’ve given a corner away, how many corners do I have?   I have five.   You see, the more times Jesus divided the bread and fish, the more he had to give away."  Have the children count the corners on the cut-off piece they each have.   Not only that, the people had more than enough.   Encourage the kids to each cut off more corners, each time counting the multiplying corners. Bible Lesson:  Adapted from  here.  I brought Swedish Fish candies and crackers to represent the loaves and fish for the kids to enjoy while they listen.  People followed Jesus and his disciples everywhere.  They had seen the miracles He had done and wanted to see

Circle Time:  Our memory verse this week is Deuteronomy 31:8, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." Discuss scenarios that might be scary, and how you would feel better if someone went first. Talk with you children about how the Lord is always with them, even in overwhelming situations.  Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for your promises to go before me, and always be with me. I know you'll never leave me, and I don't have to be afraid. Help me to always trust in you. Amen.  Object Lesson:  Pass around a few acorns and encourage your kids to share their observations. Acorns may be small, but they can grow up tall into a tree. They may not look like much, but God created them to do something amazing. God can do a lot with a little.  Bible Story:  Video:  VeggieTales - Gideon Tuba Warrior When Israel planted its crops, Midian would invade them, and destroy

Discussion Questions: What does it mean to pray? Why is it important that we talk with God? What are some things we could pray about? Discuss the main parts of prayer. I like to assign each part to a finger, so it's easier to remember. - Thank God: Be thankful for all God gives us, even in difficult times. - Praise God: God is so awesome! When you pray tell Him how amazing He is. - Pray for Others:  Tell God about people you love, people you struggle to love, and for those who are hurting. - Pray for Yourself: Tell God how you're doing, ask for things you need, and ask forgiveness for your sins. - Listen: Sometimes it's a good idea to just be quiet in God's presence, and listen for Him.  Bible Verse:  "We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us."   2 Chronicles 20:9 Lesson Idea: Instead of an object lesson this week, I enlisted the help of a volunteer. I told the kids it had been so long since I'd se

This week's lesson focuses on God's love for us, and how we should show love to others. Even kids can wrestle with self worth and feelings of instability. It's close to my heart to let them know that no matter one, this one thing is true. God loves you. Explore the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet, the concept of serving others, and the love God has lavished upon them. Circle Time:  Bible Verse - Discuss 1 John 3:1. "See what great love the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" Talk about how families love each other unconditionally, and how God is a Father who cares for us every day. Be careful not to limit the discussion to how our earthly fathers love us, since not every child's family situation is the same and the parents may not be present in their lives. Songs - Choose a few songs to sing about God's love for us. This could be as simple as Jesus Loves Me, but I've st

Circle Time:  Read and discuss Matthew 5:38-42. This is a mix of The Message and NIV.  "Here's a saying that deserves a second look. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: Don't hit back at all. If someone hits you on your right cheek, turn and give them your left too. If someone asks for the shirt off your back, hand over your coat as well."  If someone hits you should you hit back? No What should you do? Get a grown up to help, ask Jesus to help you treat them gently If we feel angry, how should we react? Should we hit, or scream, or call names? No, we should stop, take a deep breath, and think about how God would want us to react.  An example of a healthy coping strategy I like to use with little ones is "sponge breathing". Hold your arms straight out and squeeze your hands into tight fists, like you're squeezing out a sponge while taking in a big deep breath. Let it ou

Object Lesson:  God Is Our Rock! I did this lesson around back to school season, where a lot of things may be changing or scary for a kid. This lesson is a good reminder that no matter how much things are changing, God is always constant. Give each child a river rock or pebble. You can find these in your hardware store's lawn care department. Ask them to describe it: How does it feel? Is it soft or hard? Is it crumbly or solid? Do you think you could break it if you tried? If you built a house out of rocks like this, would it last a long time or be easy to break? If a storm came, would it blow them away? Let the children play with a container of sand. I used kinetic beach sand which you can find in toy stores or online, but regular old sand works too. Ask them similar questions about the sand, and explain that God is like the rock. No matter what happens, storms or calm weather, good times or bad, Jesus loves us and cares for us. He will always be with us, even when we are