Nov. 26-27: God Is Listening, Mary and Joseph Show the Way to Bethlehem

In Sunday School and Elementary Worship on Saturday and Sunday, the children learned ...

God Is Listening

This is the story of Hagar and Ishmael. You can find it in Genesis 21:8-21. A good memory verse for you and your family is "Ask and God will hear you." Luke 11:9

Questions you can discuss with your child:

1. Does God listen to you? How do you know?
2. How do you think Hagar felt when she knew that God heard her?
3. What do you want God to hear?
4. When can you talk to God this week?
5. What do you think it would be like to be in the middle of a hot desert and run out of water to drink?
6. How do you feel knowing that God is always listening?
7. What are some ways we can thank God for listening to us?
8. Do you think God wants us to listen to others like He listens to us?
9. What problem did Hagar and Ishmael have in the desert?
10. What kinds of prayers does God hear?
11. What do you pray about?
12. How can you tell that God hears you?
13. How do you think Hagar and Ishmael felt when they didn't have any water?
14. How can you tell which messages come from God and which do not?
15. How do you know if you are listening to God?
16. What can you say to someone who needs to hear God?
17. What can happen when people don't listen carefully to one another?
18. What can happen when people don't listen to God carefully?
19. When do you usually talk to God the most?

In Worship and Wonder for preschoolers and kindergarteners at 5:30 and 11 on Sunday and for all children's worship participants at 9 a.m. on Sunday, the children heard their second Advent story ...

Mary and Joseph Show the Way to Bethlehem

For the weeks leading up to Christmas, the children will be concentrating on the Bible story you can find in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

Some questions you can discuss with your child:

1. I wonder how mary felt when an angel spoke to her?
2. I wonder how Joseph felt?
3. I wonder what it would be like to have God's special child, Jesus?
4. I wonder how they felt on the way to Bethlehem?

Nov. 19 & 20: Rejoice in the Lord, The Prophets Show the Way to Bethlehem

This Weekend in MC Park, in Sunday School and Elementary Worship, your child learned about the story of the birth of Isaac.

Rejoice In The Lord

You can review the story of the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21:1-6. A great memory verse for your family this week is Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Questions for review with your child:

1. Sarah and Abraham were very happy about what God had done for them.  They showed their happiness by rejoicing. What's the best reason you can think of for rejoicing?
2. How do you show God you're feeling joyful about what He's done for you?
3. When is it hard for you to be joyful? Why?
4. When do you feel most joyful? Why?
5. What do you think it means to be joyful?
6. How can you be joyful this week at home? In school?
7. How can a person rejoice even when he or she is not feeling happy?
8. What's one reason you have to rejoice in the lord?
9. Do you ever find it dificult to rejoice in the Lord in a difficult situation? How do you respond?
10. The word praise means to tell the Lord how amazing he is. How do you think rejoicing and praising might be similar?
11. What do you think it means when we say we can rejoice in the Lord?
12. How can rejoicing in the Lord help you remember things He does for you? Explain.

In Worship and Wonder now through Jan. 15, every class (preschoolers on Sat. night, 3s-2nd graders at 9 a.m. Sunday; 3s, 4s and Ks at 11 a.m. Sunday) will be studying the same lesson. This week's lesson is the first one in the Advent series ...

The Prophets Show the Way to Bethlehem

Verses for this lesson: Isaiah 9:2 and John 1:5.

Questions to wonder about with your child:

1. I wonder how the prophets listend to God?
2. I wonder how they knew it was God who spoke?
3. I wonder if there are still prophets today who can show us the way to Bethlehem?
4. I wonder what the way to Bethlehem is like?

Nov. 12-13: God is Amazing; The Transfiguration of Jesus; Exile and Return

In Sunday School and elementary worship, our children learned ...

God is Amazing

We discussed the stories of Abraham's visitors (Genesis 18) and Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-29.) A New Testament verse that ties in with this theme would be a good memory verse for your family this week. You can choose from Luke 1:37 -- "For nothing is impossible with God" or Luke 11:9 -- "Ask and God will hear you."

Some questions to help you in discussing this week's lesson:

1. Why do you think Sarah laughed when she heard she would have a baby?
2. Have you ever heard something that was so hard to believe that you laughed?
3. What makes you laugh?
4. What is something amazing that God has done?
5. When has God done something amazing in your life? Explain.
6. In our second story this week, God showed Lot and his family mercy.  What do you think mercy is?  How do we know God shows us mercy?
7. Do you think it is important for everyone to know about God? Why or why not?
8. Who is one person you can tell that God is amazing?
9. How can we thank God for his amazing love this week?

_____

In kindergarten Worship and Wonder at 11 a.m., the children are focusing on learning the New Testament. This week's story:

The Transfiguration of Jesus

You can find this story in Matthew 16:13-23, 17:1-13; Mark 8:27-29, 9:2-8; and Luke 9:18-36.

Here are some things you can wonder about together ...

1. I wonder how Peter, James and John are feeling?
2. I wonder what they might really want to do?
3. I wonder what it was like to see Jesus transfigured?
4. I wonder how Peter, James and John feel about what they saw?
5. I wonder how the disciples feel when Peter says Jesus is the Christ?
6. I wonder what the other disciples might have answered?
7. I wonder how they could know that Jesus is the Christ?
8. I wonder how Jesus is feeling?

_____

In Worship and Wonder on Saturday night, 9 a.m. Sunday, and 3s and 4s W&W at 11 a.m. on Sunday, the children are wrapping up stories from the Old Testament. Today they learned about the ...

Exile and Return

You can find this story in Ezra 1-6.

Some questions you can wonder about together:

1. I wonder what it was like to see the Temple burning and the walls of Jerusalem being torn down?
2. I wonder how it felt to be forced to go to a strange land, to live in exile?
3. I wonder what it was like to live in Babylon?
4. I wonder if God was with them in Babylon?
5. Now that their old life is gone, I wonder what they will do?
6. I wonder if God will show them a new way to live?
7. I wonder what a new way would be like?
8. I wonder if they lived the new way when they returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the wall around Jerusalem?
 

What YOUR child learned today in MC Park (Nov. 5, 6)

In elementary Worship and Sunday School for children in 3s-5th Grade, this week's lesson is ...

God Knows Everything

This is the story of God's covenant with Abram (Abraham.) You can find this lesson in Genesis 15:1-18. Other key verses to review together: Proverbs 3:5a "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" and Jeremiah 29:11a: " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord."

Some questions you can discuss with your child(ren):
1.  How do you think God remembers everything about us?
2.  How does it make you feel to know that God knows everything about you?
3.  Do you wish you knew everything? Why or why not?
4. How can God help us know what we should know?
5. Why is it important for God to know everything?
6. Why is it difficult for some people to believe that God knows everything? Is it sometimes difficult for you to believe?
7. How can we know what God's plans are for us?
8. How would things be different if God didn't know everything? Why?
9. Since God knows everything, how can we know that he cares for us?
10. How many stars would you guess are in the sky?
11.  How do you think Abram felt when God promised that his family would eventually have as many people as there are stars?
12.  How do you think God is able to know everything?
13. How would you feel if God told you what he told Abram? Why?

In Worship and Wonder on Saturday night and Sunday morning at 9 a.m. as well as for 4 year olds at 11 a.m., this week's lesson is ...

The Temple, a House for God

You can read more about this lesson in 2 Samuel 5:1-7:17; 1 Kings 5-8 and 2 Chronicles 6:1-11
Some questions to discuss with your child:

1.  I wonder how it felt to finally live in the land that God promised and to build a house for God?
2.  I wonder what it was like to build the Temple?
3.  I wonder who got  to help build the Temple and how they did it?
4.  I wonder what it felt like to go to the Temple in Jerusalem?
5.  I wonder what the people did there and what they remembered when they went to the Temple?
6.  Now that the Temple and the Ark are gone, I wonder what the people of God do to be close to God?

In Kindergarten Worship and Wonder at 11 a.m. on Sunday, the children learned ...

Jesus Feeds 5,000 People

You can find this story in Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:12-17 and John 6:1-15.

Some questions you can discuss with your child:

1.  I wonder how the disciples are feeling about what just happened?
2.  I wonder how the crowd feels?
3.  I wonder why the crowd thinks Jesus is the Christ?
4.  I wonder why the people want to make Jesus their king?
5.  I wonder what kind of king Jesus would be?
6.  I wonder why Jesus slipped away?

Oct. 29-30 Lessons: The Promised Land, Jesus Heals Two "Daughters" and God's "Golden Rule"

In Saturday night's preschool worship, Sunday's 9 a.m. Worship and Wonder and Sunday's 11 a.m. 3s and 4s Worship and Wonder, the children learned about ...

The Promised Land
This story can be found in Joshua 1-4. This is the story of God keeping the promise he made to Abraham all those years earlier: Abraham's descendants were given the land God had promised. Some questions you can ask your child ...

1. I wonder how the people felt when Joshua told them to get ready to go into the Promised Land?
2. I wonder how it felt when God led them through the water into the Promised Land?
3. I wonder what the people of God will do, now that they are in the Promised Land?

In Sunday's kindergarten Worship and Wonder at 11 a.m., the children are learning from the Following Jesus curriculum. This weekend's lesson ...

Jesus Heals Two "Daughters"

This story can be found in Mark 5:21-43. It is the story of the healing of Jairus' daughter and of the woman who was healed from bleeding when she reached out from the crowd and touched Jesus' clothes. Here are some questions you can ask your child ...

... about Jairus' daughter ...

1. I wonder how the girl felt once she was well again?
2. I wonder how the girl felt as she was dying?
3. I wonder how the girl's mother and father felt as she was dying?
4. I wonder why Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, would ask Jesus to heal his daughter?
5. I wonder how Jairus feels when he hears that his daughter is dead?
6. I wonder how Jairus feels when Jesus feels Jesus says, "Don't be afraid. Believe."?
7. I wonder why Jesus would heal the daughter of a ruler of the synagogue when the scribes of the synagogue didn't like Jesus?
8. I wonder what Jairus will say to the scribes?

... about the woman in the crowd ...

1. I wonder how this woman felt for 12 years when no one would touch her, or hug her or even be near her? (In their culture, they could not touch her because as long as she was bleeding, she was considered unclean.)
2. I wonder how she feels now that she is healed?
3. I wonder who will hug her now?
4. I wonder what the crowd thought when Jesus called her "daughter"?
5. I wonder what both "daughters" will do now that they are healed?
6. I wonder how the people feel about Jesus?

In Sunday School and in elementary worship on Saturday night and Sunday at 11 a.m., the children learned ...

God's "Golden Rule":  Lot and Abram Divide the Land

You can find this story in Genesis 13:1-18. In it, we learn a lesson in putting others first. Memorizing the following Bible verse together will help keep this lesson in mind: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31. (The Golden Rule.)

Some questions to discuss with your child:

1. How can God's "Golden Rule" change the way you treat people?
2. What kinds of things do you like others to do for you?
3. When have you treated others the way you wanted to be treated yourself?
4. How can you practice God's "Golden Rule" at school? At home?
5. When have you treated someone kindly and then had that person treat you the same way?
6. What are other ways our actions can return to us?
7. Why do you think the Golden Rule is important to God?
8. Why do you think people who don't even read the Bible know about God's "Golden Rule"?
9. How can treating others as we want to be treated help us leat others know about Jesus?
10. What's one way you can treat a friend as you want to be treated?

10 Best Ways to Live, Jesus and the Storm, Not THAT Abraham

On Saturday night and 9 a.m. Sunday morning, the children who attend Worship and Wonder learn the same lesson as the 3s and 4s in 11 a.m. Worship and Wonder. This week, that lesson is ...

The 10 Best Ways to Live
This Moses story can be found in Exodus 19 & 20 and Deuteronomy 6:4-6
This is the story of the Israelite's exodus from slavery in Egypt and the 10 Commandments. Those "10 Best Ways to Live" include 4 best ways to love God and 6 best ways to love people.
Here are some questions you can ask your child
1. I wonder how it feels to be free, to be able to do anything you want to?
2. I wonder how it feels to be able to do anything you want, but you don't know what to do?
3. I wonder if it is hard to be free?
4. I wonder how Moses felt going up the holy mountain?
5. I wonder what Moses and God talked about?
6. I wonder if it's hard to love God and love people?

At 11 a.m. Sunday, the kindergarteners learn from the "Following Jesus" Worship and Wonder curriculum. Their lesson today ...

Jesus and the Storm
The story of Jesus calming the storm can be found in Mark 4:35-41.
Here are some questions you can ask your child:
1. I wonder what it was like to be in such a great storm?
2. I wonder how Jesus was able to sleep during the storm?
3. I wonder how the wind feels blowing the sea?
4. I wonder how the sea feels being rough and wild?
5. I wonder why the wind and sea did what Jesus said?
6. I wonder how the sea feels being calm?
7. I wonder how the disciples feel?
8. I wonder why the disciples are following Jesus?
9. I wonder if they would keep following Jesus if He were not doing amazing things?
10. I wonder what they told their families and friends when they came ashore?

Not THAT Abraham
For the next few weeks, the Sunday School lesson and elementary worship lesson (on Saturday night and Sunday morning) is about Abram (who became Abraham.) For as long as I can remember, whenever I've mentioned Abraham to a group of children they -- in unison -- shout "Abraham Lincoln." So, attending our 11 a.m. Sunday elementary worship for these lessons is an Abraham Lincoln bobblehead. Every time they guess "Abraham Lincoln," the bobblehead will shake his head "No."
Our first lesson is titled "We Can Follow God" and can be found in Genesis 12:1-8.
Some questions you can ask your child about today's lesson:
1. How does God guide us through life?
2. How can you guide others to know Jesus?
3. How do you chose which people you'll follow at school? At church?
4. What challenges do you think Abram might have had when he followed God?
5. What's one way you can follow God this week?
6. In what ways can following God be hard?
7. Are there times you find it hard to follow God? How can you be encouraged to continue following Him?
8. How can you find God's directions for you?
9. What do you think it means to follow God?

Are you wondering what we do here?

I bet this happens to you; I know it happened to me. I'd pick up my kids from school and ask:
"What did you learn today."
"Nothin'," was the usual -- and frustrating -- reply.
We have struggled with the best way to include parents in what your children are learning on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. We've tried various forms of handouts, but we know how it is. They get left behind at church in the struggle to gather the coat and favorite toy or they end up lining the floor of your van.
So, we've decided to blog each week's lessons in hopes that the blog will help you talk with your children about what they learned in Sunday School and children's church on Saturday and Sunday each week. We'll include questions from the lessons that can help you start those conversations. We'll also include some Scripture that your family can read together. (Let your elementary children help you look those passages up, because we're working on developing those types of skills.)
We hope this blog helps you, and we look forward to your feedback.
Check back each Sunday.