Harold Is So Excited to Be an Angel in the Christmas Play. in This Four-Week Series He Learns All About the Christmas Story from His Teacher Mrs

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

A four-week series

BIBLE VERSE Harold is so excited to be an angel in the Christmas play. “God loved the In this four-week series he learns all about world so much the Christmas story from his teacher Mrs. Tannenbaum. he gave his only Kids will hear what Harold hears, and see that son,” John3:16. Christmas is a story of how much God loves us.

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SERIES OUTLINE

A Visit from the Angel Gabriel, Luke 1:26-38

Jesus Is Born, Luke 2:1-7

The Shepherds Meet Jesus, Luke 2:8-20

The Wise Men, and the Christmas Story Review, Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20

HAROLD’S CHRISTMAS PLAY Preschool Week 1 SERIES CONCEPT Harold is so excited to be an angel in the Christmas play. In this four-week series he learns all about the Christmas story from his teacher Mrs. Tannenbaum. Kids will hear what Harold hears, and see that Christmas is a story of how much God loves us.

BIBLE TRUTH A Visit from the Angel Gabriel, Luke 1:26-38

BIBLE VERSE “God loved the world so much he gave his only son,” John 3:16.

SUPPLIES • Bible on stage • offering container • Christmas tree, tree skirt, lights, ornaments • box of ornaments • angel ornament printable (Cut out and use black paper backing, punch a hole and hang with ribbon.) • jingle bells to hand out to every kid

NOTES • All yellow highlighted text are cues for audio and visual slides. Assign a volunteer to show slides. • The Bible story will be told on video. • For the intro you will be decorating a Christmas tree on stage. Every week you will add another ornament to the tree that reminds you of the Christmas story. • Decorate stage with Christmas tree, tree skirt, lights and ornaments.

CIRCLE TIME Kids will be making angel halos to remember the angel that came to Mary.

TEACHER DEVOTIONAL Read: Luke 1:26-36 God wanted Mary to know his plan and her part in it. But when Gabriel proclaimed the amazing news to this humble, young, teenager, she was confused. Gabriel said she was favored and blessed—and she had no idea what he was talking about.

This may be the kind of attitude that Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5, when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Mary was poor in spirit. This kind of poverty can be economic— which Mary surely had. It can also be a sort of humility—thinking of others more than you think about yourself. But primarily this poverty is spiritual—an attitude of brokenness before God, fully dependent on his mercy and grace.

This spiritual poverty may be why Mary felt confused about why she was special. She knew she wasn’t. But she also knew that God was extraordinary. So, she asked a couple more clarifying questions, and then, with no idea how God’s plan would unfold, she totally surrendered to it. She fixed her eyes on God—poor in spirit and depending on a gracious Father. She even went as far as saying she was the Lord’s “slave.”

In our culture, we can have more spiritual wealth than poverty. We have a tendency to fix our eyes on ourselves. We usually think that we have what it takes to work on our problems, to sort out our relationships, even to work on our salvation. We fit God into our lives and plans where we can. But we certainly don’t ask him regularly what we can do for him—how we can serve him, and if we can be his slave.

But God has something so much bigger and better in mind for us. He wants to bless us with his amazing love. He wants to give us his kingdom. But we can’t receive all that if we think we already have everything we need.

That’s why we have to adjust our attitude. We have to be humble, like Mary, but more than that, humble, like Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8 tells us, “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, … emptied himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men.” God came to us. It was the ultimate example of humility, and love. All we have to do is accept it; by totally surrendering to it.

What plans do you need to surrender to God?

What would it look like for you to be God’s slave?

WELCOME Welcome boys and girls. I’m so glad you’re here! Before we get started, let’s review our room rules so we can have the most fun. (Go over room rules.)

WORSHIP Ok, let’s all join in right now and stand up for worship. Let’s do our best singing so we can let God know how much we love him! (Play a few songs for kids to sing and dance to.)

FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD (Share with kids how God asks us to love all his children through giving and praying. Talk about a global or local outreach program and encourage kids to give by collecng an oﬀering.)

INTRO Can anyone tell me what special holiday is coming up? (Kids respond.) Christmas, that’s right! It’s my very favorite me of year because we get to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Do you like the Christmas tree I put up? (Plug in tree lights.) Isn’t it beauful? I just need to add some more ornaments and it will be all done. Do you mind if I do a lile decorang right now? (Kids respond.)

Ok, let me grab my box of ornaments. (Grab box of ornaments.) Maybe you can help me decide where to put them on the tree. (Grab a few ornaments and have kids help you decide where to put them on the tree. Make sure to grab angel ornament last.)

(Hold up angel ornament.) Oh, look at this angel ornament. It reminds me of the Christmas story. You know … an angel was an important part of the Christmas story.

Have you ever heard the story before? Oh, good! Well, today my friend Harold is learning about the Christmas story because he is going to be an angel in the Christmas play. His play director Mrs. Tannenbaum is teaching him all about it. Let’s meet Harold and Mrs. Tannenbaum and see what they’re up to. Maybe we’ll learn what an angel has to do with the Christmas story. Everyone get ready to watch and listen.

BIBLE TRUTH

Show Video: Wk. 1 Harold’s Christmas Play

APPLICATION

Show Series Graphic: Harold’s Christmas Play

Wow! That was awesome! Harold is going to make a great angel in the Christmas play … as long as he doesn’t get confused with his part. I’m glad Mrs. Tannenbaum was there to help Harold remember the ﬁrst part of the Christmas story. Let’s see how much you remember:

Who did God send to Mary to tell her that she was going to have his son? (an angel) (Point to angel on tree.) Oh! That’s what angels have to do with Christmas!

What was the baby’s name? (Jesus)

This one is a lile trickier. How did God show the world his love? (by giving his only son)

Wow! You are so smart!

Bible Verse (Open Bible.) The Bible says, “God loved the world so much he gave his only son.”

Show Verse: “God loved the world so much he gave his only son,” John 3:16.

Let’s all stand up and say that with moons. Follow me. “God (Point one pointer ﬁnger straight up in the air.) loved the world (Make a heart shape with your hands in front of your chest.) so much (Spread arms out wide.) he gave his only son,” (Kneel on one knee and bring both hands down in a giving gesture.) John 3:16. (Keep palms open in front of you like you’re opening a book.)

(Pracce verse a couple mes using whisper voices, silly voices, loud voices, slow, fast, etc. Then have kids sit back down, get quiet, fold hands, and close eyes to pray.)

Great Job! Let’s pray!

PRAYER Dear God, sending the angel Gabriel to Mary was an amazing way to announce that Jesus was going to be born! Thank you for sending Jesus at Christmas to us to show us how much you love us. Amen.

BIG GROUP GAME Since we are geng ready for Christmas I thought it would be fun to sing Jingle Bells together. Raise your hand if you know the song. Awesome! Your leaders are going to hand each of you some jingle bells to sing along with the song. Once you have your jingle bells I want you to stand up and show me that you’re ready to sing. (Leaders hand out jingle bells to kids.) Ok kids, follow along and sing. (Play a fun rendion of Jingle Bells for kids.)

CIRCLE TIME Ok kids are you ready? It’s Circle Time! Use your walking feet to ﬁnd a circle and sit right down. (Play a song to transion kids to Circle Time.)

HAROLD’S CHRISTMAS PLAY Preschool Circle Time Week 1: Angel Halo

SUPPLIES: white and gold chenille sticks

PURPOSE: Kids will be making angel halos to remember the angel that came to Mary.

Sit down and say names.

ASK: Who did God send to Mary to tell her she was going to have his son? (an angel) What was the baby’s name? (Jesus) How did God show the world his love? (He sent his only son.)

SAY AND SHOW: Today we learned that an angel came to Mary and told her that she was going to have the most special baby ever born and that he was God’s son, Jesus. To help us remember our story today we are going to make angel halos. (Show halo.)

DO: Hand each kid two chenille scks and have them twist the ends together to make a halo. Put on halos and have them say the verse together: “God loved the world so much he gave his only son.”