Purpose: To assist Children in creating elements of worship they will lead on Bright Sunday, the Sunday after Easter. This session’s topic covers the offering sequence, including the Prayer of Dedication.
Participant Age: Children age 5-11 and Adult leaders over 21
By the end of the session, participants will:
- Build Community
- Hear the reasons why we collect an offering and offer to God a prayer of dedication
- Name gifts they have been given by God and that they can return to God
- Compose a prayer that expresses their gratitude for God’s gifts.
Session at a Glance:
Total Time: 6:40pm-7:15pm
Location: Wee Believers Room
Schedule and Materials:
All materials will be placed in room prior to 6:40pm.
*6:40pm-6:50pm: Beach Ball Questions
Materials: Beach ball with questions written on it
*6:50pm-7:05pm: Explaining the Offering/Prayer of Dedication:
Materials: Text in “Lesson Detail” below, Beach Ball
*7:05pmpm-7:15pm: Writing a Prayer
Materials: Paper, markers, pens
Lesson Details:
Beach Ball Questions6:40-6:50 Play game with beach ball that has questions written on it. Pass the ball across the circle. When someone catches it, they answer the question to which their right thumb is closest.
Explaining the Offering/Prayer of Dedication: 6:50-7:00
Say: When we play this game and give our answers, we are sharing things about ourself with one another. To put it another way, we’re offering something about ourself–our likes and our dislikes to one another.
In worship the offering is a time of sharing ourselves with God by offering our gifts to God. That gift a lot of times is our money, but it can be other things, also.
Ask, what are some other things we can give to God?
Ask, what is one thing you can give God—have each person share aloud.
Then using the beach ball play a little “volley ball”, i.e. keep the beach ball in the air without it touching the ground. Every time a person hits the ball they need to shout out a gift they can give to God.
Prayer Writing 7:00-7:10ish
After this game, write down again the things we can give back to God. Work with the children to use those words to form a prayer of dedication—a prayer that thanks God for our gifts and asks God to help us use our gifts wisely. You can use the template below to get started:
Dear God,
Thank you for all the good gifts you give.
Please use our gifts of….
So that the world will know…
Amen.
Use the prayer you write to close out the session!
Return with children to Grace hall for parent pick-up at 7:15pm.