May 5, 2019 God Is Welcoming Peter's Visions of Animals (Acts 10:9-43)

May 5, 2019 God is Welcoming DATE PONDER POINT

Peter’s Visions of Animals (Acts 10:9-43) THE BIG GOD STORY

Welcome and Worship (15 minutes) • The large group room will be divided into three sections. Please help kids find which section Begins class creating an inviting atmosphere for kids to feel welcome and engage kids in worship they should sit in according to their grade: 1st- through singing and communion. 2nd, 3rd-4th & 5th-6th.

The Big God Story (18 minutes) • Toward the end of small group time, A/V Tech Creates space for children to hear God’s word and will play the 2 minute warning sound followed prepare respond to the Holy Spirit in small groups by a song. During or immediately following the song please regroup in the large group meeting Small Groups (20 minutes) space (not before). Kids will build relationships with each other and their leaders, and respond to what they learned in • 5th & 6th graders can go directly to Snack the Big God Story as well as how to apply it to their Shack after small group time, rather than lives regrouping in the large group space. Dismiss (4 minutes)

Send kids out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others. Host Administrative To Do’s: • Make sure no group is too large • Make sure each group has enough supplies • Close curtains and divider wall for small groups at 9:00 and 10:15 (and re-open after 9:00) • Cue the tech when to play the 2 minute warning with song. • Call names for dismissal after blessing

SCHEDULE Large Small 2 Min Regroup/ Group Group Warn. Dismiss 5th-6th 1st Service (9:00) 9:00 9:33 9:53 10:00

2nd Service (10:15) 10:15 10:48 11:08 11:15

3rd Service (11:30) 11:30 12:03 12:23 12:30

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 1 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. GOAL: Worship & welcome is all about engaging kids and helping them enter into worship, letting them know that class has begun preparing their minds for what they are going to hear.

WELCOME (Host): Stage Lights On VIDEO LOOPS: Welcome Loop, 5 Min Countdown, Welcome Image We are so glad you are here today. Welcome the kids in your own words then say the following to the kids: Let’s all stand and sing our praise to Him… OPENING WORSHIP SONG (Worship Leader): Turn out main overhead lights WORSHIP VIDEO 1: Good, Good Father WORSHIP VIDEO 2: Who You Say I am (Direct kids to get with their groups and circle up with their small group leader before sitting down) SMALL GROUP CONNECT IMAGE CONNECT QUESTIONS (Host): 4 MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO

• Tell about a dream you have had.

• Who is a person that always makes you feel welcome?

• Who is someone you could tell ab out Jesus’ love? TIMELINE VIDEO– Peter

(Storyteller) The Big God Story: Point out that what kids are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bi- ble. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Sto- ry. Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along as you storytell. Children respond to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them as they reflect on the day’s portion of The Big God Story. The Prayer of Release: This allows children and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. Before you pray, you might ask the kids to hold out their hands, palms up, in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them today. Then encourage the kids to quiet their voices, take a seat, and pray with you.

Storyteller Script

Think of your favorite food. Can you picture it in your mind? Can you taste it Keep thinking and seeing your favorite food in your mind. Today’s story has something to do with food. But before I tell you the story I’m going to make up some rules about what food is okay to eat.

So everyone stand up. If your food, the one you were thinking about, doesn’t go with my rules, you must sit down.

1. I am going to say that any food that has red on it is not okay to eat. If your food has red on it, sit down. Face in your hand and no talking! Have kids sit down while remaining kids exchange high-fives for being in the “good” group. Have everyone stand back up.

2. Any food that you typically eat with your hands instead of silverware is bad. Do you eat your favorite food with your hands? Sit down. (have kids high five others that are standing up) then let everyone stand up again.

3. Any food with meat is bad. Is your favorite food meat? Sit down. (have kids high five others that are standing up) allow kids to stand back up.

4. Any food that’s a dessert is bad. Is your favorite food a dessert? Sit down (have kids high five others that are standing up) this time do not let the kids sitting down get back up

Okay kids that are sitting down, I’m sorry but I need to separate you from the rest of the group, so I need every kid that is sitting down, to come up to the front of the room and sit while I tell the Big God Story. (make sure the kids are separated by a large gap in the room. Bad food kids in the front, large gap of floor space and good food kids in the back.) Okay kids standing high five a couple of friends and give yourself a pat on the back. You are our winners today! Have a seat.

In the Old Testament part of the Bible, God had made rules about what foods were okay to eat. Certain kinds of meat were okay, but other kinds weren’t okay. We don’t know all the reasons God put those rules in place, but we do know that he wanted his chosen people to be different from other people and that some meat wasn’t safe for their health at that point. The rules about what to eat became so important to God’s people, who were Jewish, that they wouldn’t even as- sociate with people who ate the bad meat. It was like our room right now—the good group and the bad group. And they thought God’s love was only for people who ate the right kinds of food.

Think about this: How does it feel to be labeled as “good” or “bad”? Bad if you are up front here right, no one wants to be in the bad group. It feels pretty awesome to be in the good group doesn’t it!

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 3 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. Even today we tend to divide into groups of people, we get around people we know and like, and sometime ignore others. We often find reasons to divide people. That’s what happened in Bible times, too! But God is welcoming, and he wanted to make sure everyone could know his love. So let’s see what he did in the Bible in the life of a man named Cornelius. Cornelius loved God, but he wasn’t Jewish. Peter loved God and was Jewish. That means Peter did follow God’s rules for what to eat.

Read Acts 10:9-16,

It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. 11 He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

14 “No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”

15 The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”

16 This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.

What do you think this vision meant?

Peter was confused because he knew that the rules about what to eat and what not to eat came from God. It can be confusing for us, too, but we do know that God was telling Peter something important: God is welcoming, so we’re welcoming. God was telling Peter he welcomed everyone into his family, no matter what they ate.

After the vision, God sent some of Cornelius’ servants to find Peter. They wanted Peter to come talk to Cornelius. Even though Cornelius was in the “bad food” group, Peter went with the servants because he knew that’s what God’s vision meant.

Have kids in each group scoot a little closer to the other group.

Say: Listen to some things Peter said at Cornelius’ house. Read Acts 10:25-26.

25 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. As a sign of respect, he fell at Peter’s feet. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said. “I am only a man myself.”

Have kids in each group scoot a little closer to the other group.

Read Acts 10:28.

28 He said to them, “You know that it is against our law for a Jew to enter a Gentile home. A Jew shouldn’t have any close contact with a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and ‘clean.’ (Have kids scoot a little closer to the other group.)

Read Acts 10:34-35. 34 Then Peter began to speak. “I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same,” he said. 35 “He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right.

Have the two groups mix together.

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 4 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. When God told Peter, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean,” Peter knew God was referring to people. Peter learned that God is welcoming, so we’re welcoming. He welcomed Cornelius even though Cornelius was in the other group. He realized that God welcomes people from every country if they love God!

We need to be welcoming today. It is our job to make sure all the kids feel welcomed here at our church. If there is a new kid here, say hello, smile, introduce yourself, and bring them into the group. Jesus helps us love everyone, even people who are different from us.

God is welcoming, so we’re welcoming. Everyone needs to hear about Jesus’ love. It doesn’t matter if they eat differently from you, speak another language, live in a different country, like a different sports team, or aren’t the same gender as you. We can show God’s love to everyone because God is welcoming!

Tell the kids we are going to close the Big God Story by worshipping him. Ask the kids to wait until they are asked to come forward to take communion.

WORSHIP VIDEO 3: Glory To God

After a time of worshipping have kids come and take communion if they have been baptized, and bring their offering.

Fade out song slowly at Worship Leader’s prompting.

(As the song comes to a close Worship Leader tells groups to head to their small group space. Say something like, “Let’s continue responding to what God is teaching us as we dismiss to our small groups. Please follow your small group leader at this time.”)

IMAGE: It’s time for small groups

Turn main overhead lights on

Dismiss for small groups—refer to map for small group locations

------

At the end of small groups…

Tech cue: 2 minute warning with exit song, using ceiling speakers, at the host’s prompting

Turn speakers back to wall speakers for blessing, closing song and dismissal.

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 5 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard in the Big God Story.

WELCOMING ALL PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS FOR 1ST-2ND GRADE SMALL GROUPS ONLY

SUPPLIES: • Multicolored pompoms (20 per person) • 3 ounce cups (one per person) • Painter’s Tape

Say: We’re learning today that God is welcoming. God loves all people, not just some people, and that makes God welcoming! Let’s play a fun game where you’ll see the difference between welcoming only some and welcoming all. Give each child a cup, and have everyone gather around the square on the floor, about 8 feet away. Have everyone get on hands and knees and get ready to crawl while holding a cup in one hand. Explain that you will call out a specific color and kids will be “welcoming” the pompoms of that color back to where the kids were originally seated, which you’ll call “home.” For example, if you call out “blue,” kids will crawl to the square and use their cups to “welcome” only the blue pompoms. At your cue everyone can quickly crawl to the square and use a cup to capture pompoms by plac- ing the cup over the pompoms and then dragging the cup and the pompoms back to home. The pompoms can’t be picked up or touched with hands, only captured using the cup. Demon- strate how to do this, and kids will have it down in a snap!

As kids get back to home, have them sort out any pompoms that weren’t the color you called out and set them aside. Point out that not all the pompoms were welcomed, some got left behind.

Then reset all the pompoms in the center. Repeat the same process for a few more rounds, calling out other specific colors. For the last round, invite kids to welcome all the pompoms back to home.

Talk About It Ask: • What did you like about the last round we played? • How do you feel when you’re welcomed and not left behind? Say: It’s so much better for everyone and more fun when we’re welcoming because then no one gets left behind and sad. Share an example of a way you’ve been welcoming to others so no one got left out, such as asking a new person at work to go to lunch instead of inviting only the people you know. Ask: • What are ways you can welcome people? Say Hi, wave hello, high five someone, fist bump someone, Smile and wave…..Have kids practice with each other ways to be welcoming. Say: God is welcoming, and with God’s help, we’re welcoming, too. It’s an awesome way we can show God’s love to everyone!

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 6 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. GOAL: Kids build relationships with each other and their leader as they respond to what they heard in the Big God Story.

A NEW MIX PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS FOR 3RD-4TH & 5TH-6TH GRADE SMALL GROUPS ONLY SUPPLIES: • vegetable oil (SG leader will need to pour into cups for kids) • Water (SG leader will need to pour into cups for kids) • dish soap • craft sticks (1 for every 2 kids) • clear plastic cups (1 per child) • Phone timer or watch • Paper, pencils ENGAGE: I have a challenge for you! Hold up a cup with some oil and a cup with some water. Can you combine these liquids into one cup so they stay mixed together for at least a minute? Have kids form pairs, and give each pair a cup of oil, a cup of water, and a craft stick to stir liquids As you keep time, let kids problem-solve as they try to mix the two liquids. They may try to stir fast- er or slower or in different directions. Or they may pour the combined liquids from one cup to another. As pairs work, ask questions like “How’s it going?” and “What observations have you made?” Oil and water don’t mix—or do they? There’s one way to get these two liquids to get along and mix together longer. It’s called an emulsion. An emulsion is a mixture of oil and water that doesn’t separate. Hand creams are emulsions, and so is mayonnaise. They mix because they’re kept together by compounds called emulsifiers. Let’s add one now and see what happens! Have pairs take turns adding several good squirts of dish soap to their cups of oil and water. Have pairs mix the oil and water again. This time, they’ll stay mixed longer. If pairs find that the oil and water separate again, have them add a few more squirts of soap and mix again. What do you see? What happened to the oil and water when you added the dish soap? Soap acts like an emulsifier. It brings the oil and water together. How are the oil and water like the two groups in our Bible story? The two groups in our Bible story didn’t get along, and they tended to stay away from each other. But God is welcoming. Like the dish soap brought oil and water together, through Je- sus, God brought Peter and Cornelius together as members of his family. What about us today? Do people accept others who are different. Do you ever feel unac- cepted or different? What is challenging for you when it comes to welcoming others? God is welcoming. That means he accepts you just as you are, even when other people don’t. Let’s think about all the things God welcomes about us. Give kids each a piece of paper and a pen and have kids make lists of things they worry other people won’t like about themselves. (Let kids know no one will see their lists.) As kids hold their list they can thank God for welcoming them just as they are. After they pray, kids can throw their lists away to show that nothing on that list is a barrier to God’s love for them. Pray: God, thank you for welcoming us just as we are. Help us welcome others and reflect your heart. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thank kids for coming, and encourage them to come back next week.

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 7 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. GOAL: Bless kids to send them out with a sense of peace so they can be a blessing to others.

CLOSING REMARKS/ANNOUNCEMENTS (Host): Wall Speakers On

TRANSITION ACTIVITIES (HOST):

The videos listed below are 12-13 minutes long. Please play as listed below and feel free to stop the video whenever it’s time to start the next service.

After 9:00 service play - Transition Compilation 8 After 10:15 service play - Transition Compilation 7

DISMISSAL (STORYTELLER): Call names of kids as parent come to pick up and welcome kids who are being dropped off. En- courage parents to enter the room and encourage kids and parents to exit out the middle door (103)

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, 8 Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use. Dig In to the Bible Read: Acts 10:9-43 In This Passage: Peter has a vision of animals coming down from the sky. Although these specific animals were previously forbidden as food, God tells him to eat the animals. Later, Peter talks to a Gentile named Cornelius and realizes that his vision demonstrated that God doesn’t show favoritism but welcomes anyone from any place. Bible Point: God is welcoming… Application: …so we’re welcoming. Summary Verse: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfail- ing love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).

Dig Deeper You’ll Be Teaching: God is welcoming. Kids often form cliques and exclude others. It’s also com- mon for girls this age to give ultimatums like “If you want to be my friend, you can’t be her friend.” Help kids see that God loves everyone equally and wants to welcome everyone into his family. Think About: Think of a place where you feel welcome. How can you help kids feel the same way at your church?

Dig In to Prayer Ask God to inspire your kids to be more welcoming at church, in their schools, and in their neigh- borhoods.

Quick Tip Walk into your church as if you’re a family visiting for the first time. Is there clear signage directing you to the children’s ministry? Would you be able to see that signage if the lobby were full of people? What about when you get to your children’s ministry area? Does it make kids excited to be there? Would parents feel safe leaving their kids there? What happens when a new child enters your room? Consider all these questions, and think of how your ministry could com- municate even better that God is welcoming.