Jesus Wants to Be My Friend Forever

JESUS WANTS TO BE WEEK SMALL GROUP MY FRIEND FOREVER THREE 4-5 JULY 2019 YEAR-OLDS

TEAM USER AGREEMENT Scripture marked NIrV is taken from the Holy Bible, New CEO CREATIVE TEAM International Reader’s Version™, Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 Reggie Joiner Brittany Compton Robertson by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Kathy Hill Publishing House. All rights reserved. DIRECTOR OF Autumn Ward MESSAGING Ashley Hiers These resources are intended to be downloaded and printed for Kristen Ivy Donna High use by the subscribing entity only and may not be electronically Sharon van Rossum transferred to or duplicated by other non-subscribing entities. DIRECTOR OF Deb Springer Any unauthorized reproduction of this material or incorporation PRESCHOOL STRATEGY McKenzie Causey into a new work is a direct violation of US copyright laws. ©2019 Brittany Compton Robertson The reThink Group. All rights reserved. First Look® and the First WRITERS Look® logo are trademarks of The reThink Group. DIRECTOR OF Donna High CURRICULUM Emily Meredith “STATEMENT OF FAITH” USER AGREEMENT Kathy Hill Autumn Ward Orange gladly grants permission to churches, schools, and other licensees to tailor First Look® materials to fit their unique DESIGN AND BRAND leadership requirements, locale and format preferences, and MANAGER physical environment needs. However, if you wish to edit the Sharon van Rossum content substantively, including Bible stories, learning activities, scripts, and any other content in which biblical principles and concepts are presented, you are obligated to do so within the doctrinal guidelines we’ve expressed in our Statement of Faith.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

SOCIAL: Providing time for fun interaction BIBLE STORY 15 Offer one or more of these activities as preschoolers arrive. MIN Gentle Bubbles When Jesus is your friend, Gentle Sort He gives you the power to be Tea Party gentle.

JESUS IS GENTLE WORSHIP: Inviting people to respond to God MARK 5:25-34 10 Ever and Ever MIN Power Up

MEMORY VERSE STORY: Communicating God’s truth in engaging ways 10 Bible Story Жļļ Њ℅ſļ “I can do everything by the MIN Prayer “ļļ Њ℅ſļ 6 power of Christ.” uΡФļЎ℅ĨФỲфļ EŁE

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV GROUPS: Creating a safe place to connect 25 Offer as many of these activities as your time, facilities, resources, and KEY QUESTION MIN leadership allow. Gentle and Harsh Who gives you the power to do Gentle Words everything? Careful Carrying Speak Gently “ФήЎы and Prayer BOTTOM LINE

Jesus gives me the power to HOME: Prompting action beyond the experience do everything. Parent Cue ‡℅ΐļ oήΟļ >ήΕήЎỲΡſ ∆℅ſļ

BASIC TRUTH

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

15 MINUTES

BIBLE STORY MOVE When Jesus is your friend, He gives you the power to be an activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move gentle. to help them learn

JESUS IS GENTLE MARK 5:25-34 1. GENTLE BUBBLES WHAT YOU NEED: Bubbles

WHAT YOU DO: MEMORY VERSE DURING THE ACTIVITY: Gather the children in the activity area. Before you blow the bubbles, explain that the goal today is to gently catch a bubble instead “I can do everything by the of trying to pop a bubble. Blow the bubbles and encourage the children to try to power of Christ.” catch one before it pops. Repeat as time and interest allow.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV WHAT YOU SAY: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: “When we play with bubbles, what do we usually try to do? (Pause.) Yes! We try to pop them. Today, I want you to try to catch a bubble. KEY QUESTION Let’s be very gentle and see how many bubbles you can catch before they pop.”

Who gives you the power to do AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “You were so gentle, friends! Good job. In our Bible everything? story today, we’ll learn about how God wants us to be gentle in the way we treat others. I can’t wait.”

TRANSITION: Move to Worship and Story by continuing to blow the bubbles as BOTTOM LINE children try to catch them.

Jesus gives me the power to do everything.

BASIC TRUTH

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

15 MINUTES

BIBLE STORY PLAY When Jesus is your friend, He gives you the power to be an activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines gentle. while having fun and learning new concepts

JESUS IS GENTLE MARK 5:25-34 2. GENTLE SORT WHAT YOU NEED: Basket, cotton balls, feathers, felt pieces, a baby doll, a spoon, wooden blocks, plastic play food, plastic cups, and two hula-hoops MEMORY VERSE WHAT YOU DO: “I can do everything by the BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: Place the items in the basket and the two hoops near power of Christ.” it.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV DURING THE ACTIVITY: Invite the children to choose an item from the basket and decide if it is a gentle/soft thing or not gentle/hard. Sort all the items: gentle in one hoop and not gentle in the other. When they’re finished, return KEY QUESTION the items to the basket and do it again. Be sure each child has a turn to sort an item. Who gives you the power to do everything? WHAT YOU SAY: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: “Look at all these fun things in the basket. Some of them are soft or gentle, and some of them are not. Let’s sort them into these to hoops. BOTTOM LINE DURING THE ACTIVITY: “Does this feel soft or gentle to you? Yes! Put it in Jesus gives me the power to this hoop. Okay, what about this one? Is it soft or gentle? No! That’s hard. Let’s do everything. put it in the other hoop.” (Continue with all items.)

AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “You did a great job! Today we are going to hear a Bible story all about how gentle Jesus is.” BASIC TRUTH TRANSITION: Move to Worship and Story by encouraging the children to take Jesus wants to be gentle steps as you walk to the story area. my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

10 MINUTES 10 MINUTES

PRAYER

LEADER: “Dear God, thank You for giving us Jesus to show us how to love others. Thank You that He is so kind and gentle. Thank You that when we follow Jesus, He gives us the power to be gentle with the words we say and the things we do. You’re the best, God, and we love You very much. In Jesus’ name, amen.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

HEAR MOVE FROM GOD MEMORY VERSE an activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move REVIEW to help them learn

BIBLE STORY 1. GENTLE AND HARSH When Jesus is your friend, WHAT YOU NEED: No supplies needed He gives you the power to be gentle. WHAT YOU DO: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: Have the children stand in front of you. JESUS IS GENTLE MARK 5:25-34 DURING THE ACTIVITY: Invite the children to say the Memory Verse in a harsh voice. Then ask the children to say the Memory Verse in a gentle voice. Repeat several times.

MEMORY VERSE WHAT YOU SAY: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: “There is a difference between being HARSH and “I can do everything by the gentle.” power of Christ.” DURING THE ACTIVITY: “Let’s say our Memory Verse in a HARSH voice. PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV You can shout or say it in a growly voice. (Say the verse.) Wow! That is super HARSH! Now let’s say our Memory Verse in a GENTLE voice. You can whisper or use a sweet voice. (Say the verse.) That was so sweet and gentle!” (Repeat KEY QUESTION several times.)

Who gives you the power to do AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “Awesome! Jesus is gentle. Jesus can give us the everything? power to be gentle, too! Who gives you the power to do everything? Jesus gives me the power to do everything!”

BOTTOM LINE

Jesus gives me the power to do everything.

BASIC TRUTH

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

TALK CREATE ABOUT GOD BIBLE STORY an activity that allows preschoolers to review the Bible story, REVIEW bottom line, or memory verse by creating a craft to take home

BIBLE STORY 2. GENTLE WORDS WHAT YOU NEED: “Gentle vs. Hurtful” Activity Page, white cardstock, When Jesus is your friend, sandpaper, cotton balls (one per child), and glue sticks He gives you the power to be gentle. WHAT YOU DO: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: Copy the “Gentle vs. Hurtful” Activity Page onto JESUS IS GENTLE cardstock and cut in half (one half page per child). Cut the sandpaper into three- MARK 5:25-34 inch squares (one per child). Set the cut sandpaper, cotton balls, and glue sticks on the table.

DURING THE ACTIVITY: Encourage the children to use the glue sticks to glue MEMORY VERSE the sandpaper square to one side of their page. Then encourage the children to glue the cotton ball next to the sandpaper square. “I can do everything by the power of Christ.” AFTER THE ACTIVITY: Set aside their pages for pick up.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV WHAT YOU SAY: DURING THE ACTIVITY: “In our Bible story today, when Jesus spoke to the woman He healed, did He use mean, unkind words or gentle words? (Pause.) Yes! KEY QUESTION Jesus used gentle words! Gentle words help, but mean words hurt. To help us remember this, I brought two different materials to glue to our pages today. First, Who gives you the power to do I want you to glue a sandpaper square to one side of the page. How does the everything? sandpaper feel? (Pause.) It’s rough, isn’t it? This will help us remember that mean or unkind words hurt.

“Now, pick up a cotton ball. Let’s glue it next to the sandpaper. How does the BOTTOM LINE cotton ball feel? (Pause.) Yes. It is so soft. This cotton ball reminds us that we need to be gentle and use kind words that help!” Jesus gives me the power to do everything. AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “Take your page home as reminder this week to choose gentle words like Jesus did. We want to make sure our words help, not hurt. Remember, when Jesus is your friend, He gives you the power to be gentle! Who gives you the power to do everything? Jesus gives me the power to do BASIC TRUTH everything.”

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

LIVE MOVE FOR GOD APPLICATION an activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move ACTIVITY to help them learn

BIBLE STORY 4. CAREFUL CARRYING When Jesus is your friend, WHAT YOU NEED: Plastic spoons (one per child); pom-poms(one per child) He gives you the power to be gentle. WHAT YOU DO: DURING THE ACTIVITY: Gather the children in the activity area. Give each JESUS IS GENTLE child a spoon and a pom-pom. Encourage them to carefully balance the object MARK 5:25-34 on the spoon as they gently walk around the room.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND THESE ITEMS HOME

MEMORY VERSE WHAT YOU SAY: DURING THE ACTIVITY: “Friends, come over here with me! I want you to “I can do everything by the carefully carry the object on your spoon around the room. Tell me, should you power of Christ.” run with your spoon? (Pause.) No. We want to be gentle so we don’t drop it. We need to walk slowly and carefully. Let’s go!” PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “You did an awesome job carrying your object carefully. It’s not always easy to be gentle when we want to hurry. But Jesus will KEY QUESTION help us treat others with gentleness! He can give us the power to do everything! Who gives you the power to do everything? Jesus gives me Who gives you the power to do the power to do everything.” everything?

BOTTOM LINE

Jesus gives me the power to do everything.

BASIC TRUTH

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

LIVE CREATE FOR GOD APPLICATION an activity that allows preschoolers to review the Bible story, ACTIVITY bottom line, or memory verse by creating a craft to take home

BIBLE STORY 5. SPEAK GENTLY WHAT YOU NEED: “Mouth” and “Mouth Label” Activity Pages, white cardstock, When Jesus is your friend, Avery® #5160 labels or equivalent, craft sticks (one per child), clear tape, and He gives you the power to be scissors gentle. WHAT YOU DO: JESUS IS GENTLE BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: Copy the “Mouth” Activity Page onto the cardstock MARK 5:25-34 and cut on the dotted lines (one cutout per child). Copy the “Mouth Label” Activity Page onto label paper (one label per child).

DURING THE ACTIVITY: Give each child a mouth cutout and a craft stick. Help MEMORY VERSE the child tape the mouth to one end of the craft stick.

“I can do everything by the AFTER THE ACTIVITY: Add the label to the craft stick. Encourage the children power of Christ.” to hold the mouth craft up to their mouths and say nice gentle words.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV WHAT YOU SAY: BEFORE THE ACTIVITY: “We are going to make a craft that we can use to say gentle words with.” KEY QUESTION DURING THE ACTIVITY: “We are going to make a mouth! First, we need to Who gives you the power to do attach the mouth to the stick.” (Do activity.) everything? AFTER THE ACTIVITY: “Perfect! Now we can hold the mouth craft up to our mouths (demonstrate) and use it to say sweet and gentle words. We can tell our friends that we like their shirt, say please, and say thank you. Jesus is gentle BOTTOM LINE and He gives us the power to be gentle, too! Who gives you the power to do everything? Jesus gives me the power to do everything!” Jesus gives me the power to do everything.

BASIC TRUTH

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

PRAY REFLECT TO GOD PRAYER an activity that encourages personal application and prayer ACTIVITY

BIBLE STORY 6. STORY AND PRAYER WHAT YOU NEED: Paperclip “Memory Verse Card” in your Bible at When Jesus is your friend, Philippians 4:13. Provide a journal and a fun-shaped pen for each small group. He gives you the power to be gentle. SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “It’s Small Group time. We are going to use our GENTLE feet and walk very, very softly to our spot. Each time we take a JESUS IS GENTLE step, let’s say the word ‘gentle.’ Got it? Here we go! Just follow me! MARK 5:25-34 (Tiptoe gently as you lead the children to your Small Group spot. Each time you take a step, say, “gentle.”)

MEMORY VERSE “Gentle, gentle, gentle, gentle . . . we made it! Now we can sit down and talk about today’s Bible story. One, two, three, sit down with me! “I can do everything by the power of Christ.” (Open the Bible and lay it open in front of the children.)

PHILIPPIANS 4:13, NIRV “Our Bible story today was about someone who is very GENTLE. Do you remember His name? (Pause.) Yes! Jesus! Jesus is GENTLE! When the sick woman touched Jesus’ clothes to get well, He didn’t get mad or embarrass her KEY QUESTION with mean words. No way! Jesus is GENTLE, so He used GENTLE words. He said, ‘Go in peace and be well.’ Who gives you the power to do everything? “When we follow Jesus, He is our friend forever, and He gives us the power to be GENTLE too. Jesus gives us the power to do everything! It says so in the Bible verse we have been learning.

BOTTOM LINE “We have practiced this verse a lot, so let’s stand up and say it together with the motions.” Jesus gives me the power to do everything. CHILDREN AND SGL: “I can do (both thumbs to chest) everything (spread arms wide) by the power (make arm muscles) of Christ (point both hands up), Philippians 4:13.” (Open hands like a book.) (Repeat the verse with motions a few times.) BASIC TRUTH SGL: “Awesome! (Give the children a fist bump.) Let’s sit down and pray Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Prayer on next page

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

25 MINUTES

PRAY REFLECT TO GOD PRAYER an activity that encourages personal application and prayer ACTIVITY

PRAYER SGL: “Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to show us what it looks like to be GENTLE. Thank You that Jesus wants to be our friend forever and give us the power to be gentle. Please help us do gentle things like . . . (read the list). We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”