ACTIVITY Ideas: (scroll down for some pages you can print too!)
Read today's scripture together from your bible! Philippians 1:12-26 The sermon message is focused on finding the positive in circumstances... through the trials and uncertainties... looking toward the permanent future in heaven. I have used the word "joy and happy" for worship songs and scripture references to make this a bit more applicable for young kids to understand and families to discuss. Talk together about how we can find joy and happiness and look for the positive in what God is doing always.
HAPPY RUN: Children can scatter around a large designated area and the parent can tell the children to do a HAPPY RUN from one side of the room to another, but if the parent says to do SAD RUN, children will slow down and look SAD. Keep changing from fast HAPPY run to SAD and slow run! Let kids take turns being the leader too!
HAPPY FACE HUNT: Draw happy faces and place HAPPY faces around the house and children can HUNT for those faces. Optional: write portions of the Bible verse that on each face. Then the children can enjoy putting the HAPPY faces in order for our Bible verse.
HAPPY PLATE PUPPET: Kids can color and decorate a HAPPY FACE PLATE and write words from today's Bible lesson on a paper plate. Children can tape a stick or thin dowel rod to the back and use as a puppet to tell today's story!
HAPPY BOOKLETS: Children can cut out round circles and staple or yarn-tie together at one side. Use markers and happy face stickers to decorate each page with different looking happy faces and various words from the Bible verse or our lesson today.
Family Devotion Discussion Questions: Pick one, two or more questions to discuss together after reading the verses: Maybe one section per day as a short family devotion time
Read Philippians 1 How many times did Paul say joy and rejoice? Write the verses. Look up the definition of joy. What brings you joy? Will you thank God for what brings you joy?
Read Philippians 1:1-7 Who is sending this letter? Who is the letter written to? Who are some people you thank God for? What is Paul confident about in verse 6? How could this verse help us in our lives today?
Read Philippians 1:8-14 In verse 10 what does Paul tell the Philippians they need to do? What choices can you make today that would be the best? At the time of this letter Paul is under house arrest in Rome. How did Paul view his circumstances? What good came from Paul’s difficult circumstances? How can others see God in your life through your circumstances? Read Philippians 1:15-18 What were the two reasons Paul gives for why people were preaching the Gospel? What was Paul’s attitude about the different motivations? (Verse 18) Have you ever shared the Gospel with someone? Will you pray and ask God to show you someone whom you can share the Good News?
Read Philippians 1:19-24 What was Paul struggling with in these passages? Tell (and maybe write) in your own words what verse 21 means to you
Notice the activity pages below that you can print and use (hard copies were distributed in the Drive Thru Thursday packets, and you can pick a packet up anytime from the mailbox on the ground behind the pillar outside of the Kids Wing entrance) |