Bringing the Bible to Life
Here at Zion on any given Sunday morning during our 9AM Worship Service, something interesting happens. During the service, directly following the Children's Time With Pastor, many of our children who are past the age for Nursery care but who have not yet reached the age for Confirmation studies leave the sanctuary to go to the nearby Sunday School Room where they participate in Children's Church. Then they return to join their families during adult worship just before Communion.
During these weekly sessions, a short, age-appropriate lesson and discussion or brief activity is delivered by one of our parent-facilitators; and the session content relates to the adult worship happening at the same time. At this time, we are designing our sessions utilizing the book, 35 More Great Children's Lessons That Bring the Bible to Life by Mark J. Musser. We reviewed many books and source materials as we prepared for our program and found that this one uses supplies that are readily found in any home or classroom and seems to best fit our circumstances.
Each session is based on a scripture passage and theme. For example, a recent session used a passage from 1 Corinthians 12:12 ("Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.")
Gevene Harden, one of our facilitators, offered the following description of that session, explaining as follows: We emphasized that as the body of Christ we have a specific and important function. The question: What is the most important part of your body? To answer this question, the children were given 10 pieces of uncooked spaghetti, 20 small marshmallows, 4 large ones, 1 foot of tape, 1 foot of yarn and scissors. They had to create a tower, tall and sturdy. All of them worked in a team. They suported each other with suggestions, directions and tasks. This collaborative experience was fun and challenging. At the end they were asked, "Who of you did the most important job?" They responded, "No one; we did equal work" So we asked, "Then, if you were one body, which part is most important?" They said, "All the body is!" The conclusion: As the body of Christ, all of us have an unique and important task, let's work together as the body of Christ.
Our Children's Church program is part of our Christian Education Ministry, and it has been well-received. The children have eagerly embraced it.
Children's Church Lessons - January - May, 2020
- 1/19: Even Kids Can be Difference Makers
- 1/26: Telling Others About Jesus
- 2/02: Following God, Not Your Friends
- 2/09: Shining for Jesus
- 2/16: Following God, Not Your Friends
- 2/23: Changing on the Inside
- 3/01: You Can't Hide Sin for Long
- 3/08: What Lasts Forever
- 3/15: Living for Others
- 3/22: The Need to Follow God's Instructions
- 3/29: Give God Your Burdens
- 4/05: Bear One Another's Burdens
- 4/12: Thinking About Heavenly Things
- 4/19: Focusing on What's Important
- 4/26: Making God Your Pilot
- 5/03: God Takes Care of You
- 5/10: Being Part of the Church
For more information, contact Kelley Fisher at 410-598-0586 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..