Preschool Bible Lesson - Shepherds and the Angels from Dec 1, 2010

Lesson Overview

9:45 - sign in, free play time
10:05 - opening prayer, Bible lesson
10:20 - creative activity: Dough star ornament, paper angel ornament
10:30 - snack
10:40 - exercise activity: lost sheep (one child is shepherd, rest are sheep in hiding. Shepherd finds sheep)
10:50 - storybook time: Christmas stories
11:00 - closing prayer, coloring pages http://www.sdrasia.org/images/ColoringPages/Angel_Tells_shepherds.jpg, http://www.sdrasia.org/images/ColoringPages/Angel_Tells_shepherds.jpg
free play time
11:30 - pick up

 Bible Story Lesson

 

Mary was going to have a baby. It was a very special baby, God's son. She and Joseph had to travel far away to Bethlehem because the ruler of the land told everyone that they had to go to the place of their birth to get counted.

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, they couldn't find a place to stay; however, one innkeeper saw that Mary was going to have a baby and let them stay in the stable with the animals. That night Mary gave birth to Jesus. Mary wrapped him in cloths to keep warm and laid him in the manger for a bed. (A manger is a little box where animal food was put.)

At the same time Jesus was born something else was happening. In a field close by some shepherds were watching their sheep, just as they always did. But tonight was different. The shepherds looked up in the sky and saw a bright light. It was an angel. They were afraid. The angel told them not to be afraid and told them to go to Bethlehem where they would find a baby lying in a manger. Then the shepherds heard a beautiful song. Lots of angels were in the sky singing praises to God. Soon it was very quiet again. The angels went back to heaven and the shepherds were excited about the news. They went to Bethlehem to see for themselves.

When they got there, they found Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. He was lying in the manger just like the angels told them. The shepherds were so excited that they told everyone about baby Jesus, the savior who had been born that day. They told the people about the angels too and everyone believed them. The shepherds went back to their fields to watch over their lambs and they sang praises to God.

When the angel told the shepherds about Jesus, they said that God was telling us he was bringing peace to the earth. When we trust in God, he promises to give us peace too.

Just like God watched over baby Jesus in the manger, God watches over us too. This is because he loves us very much. 

(For Bible Story lesson visuals, use Betty Lukens Bible in Felt visuals. Can be purchased from http://www.thefeltsource.com/BibleStories.html )

Bible Craft

Dough Ornaments

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water
star cookie cutter
straw
markers/paint
glitter glue
hanging wire

Mix flour, salt and water together. Kneed until dough is like elastic, about 7 minutes. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut out star shapes. Poke hole in each one with a straw. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 200 degree oven for 5 hours. Let cool on racks for 3 days. Decorate by coloring with markers or paint and glitter glue. Hang with hanging wire.

Preschool Bible Lesson - Wisemen and God's Greatest Gift

Lesson Overview

9:45 am -sign in and  free play time
10:05 am -  opening prayer, Bible Lesson: Wise Men and God's Greatest Gift
10:20 am - craft: Wise Men gifts foam ornaments (3 foam ornaments to decorate w/ glitter glue, rhinestones and markers)
10:30 am - snack: cheese strings, oranges, cookies, juice boxes
10:40 am - exercise activity: musical chairs to Christmas Music
11:00 am - coloring pages (http://www.tstl4sda.net/children/coloring/Jesus-Wisemen.gif,  http://dailycoloringpages.com/images/three-wise-men-christmas-coloring-pages-11.png,
closing prayer
11:10 am - free play time
11:30 am - sign out

Bible Story Lesson: Wise Men and God's Greatest Gift (Matthew 2)

In the desert, wise men were traveling with their camels. On the night that Jesus was born, the wise men looked up into the sky and noticed a very different star. They knew that this star meant a new king had been born. They followed the star all the way to Judea.

The wise men started to ask people where the new king was. When King Herod, the ruler of the land, heard about their inquiries, he called a secret meeting with the wise men. He asked them when the star had appeared and if they had found the child yet. King Herod was very worried because he wanted to stay king. He told the wise men to find the child and to come back and let him know so that he too could worship him.

After the wise men spoke to King Herod, they left to find the child. They didn't know where he was, but they followed the star until it stopped over the place where the child was living.

The wise men were very excited and happy. They found Jesus in Mary's arms and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they gave the gifts that they had brought Jesus. These were very expensive gifts that you would give a king. There was gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Mary thanked them for the gifts.

That night while the wise men were sleeping, they all had dreams telling them not to go back to King Herod. King Herod was very mean and didn't want to worship the child, he wanted to kill him.

The wise men went another way so that King Herod would not know where they had been.

When the wise men left, an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt right away. Joseph woke Mary up, they packed and brought Jesus to Egypt in the middle of the night.

They were safe in Egypt, and when King Herod died, Joseph had another dream where an angel appeared telling him that it was safe to return. Joseph brought Jesus and Mary to Nazareth. That is the place where Jesus grew up.

Lesson Review:
Q. Why did the wisemen give Jesus gifts?
A. To honour him because he was born to be king

Q. Why do you think that we give each other gifts today?
A.  To remember the gift that God gave us at Christmas - his one and only son Jesus Christ.

Q. How can we remind others about God's greatest gift?
A. By telling other people about the true reason for Christmas and the first Christmas gift

(For Bible Story lesson visuals, use Betty Lukens Bible in Felt visuals. Can be purchased from http://www.thefeltsource.com/BibleStories.html )

Craft: Foam Craft Wise Men Gifts Ornaments

Materials Required:
Foam sheets precut  in shapes of gifts with holes punched in the top for hanging ribbon
assorted rhinestones
double sided foam tape
glitter glue
markers
hanging wire

Instructions:
Let the children decorate the ornaments as desired. Tie hanging wire through hole. Hang on tree.

Note: All crafts and snacks are included if your child is attending the children's church class at St. Vital Parish. If you are not attending the children's church class, or if you are wanting to purchase a kit separate from the class, foam craft wise men ornament kits can be purchased at: http://www.thecraftycanadianhousewife.com/ through the special request section. $4.00 per each kit. Kit contains 3 foam pre-punched ornaments, assorted rhinestones, 1 small tube glitter glue, hanging wire and double sided foam tape and 2 markers.