Dear Parents,

Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home!  

Note: Please let us know about how your family is enjoying Children’s Worship! Take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship or share a story. You can post to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email at goldavechurch@gmail.com

Why Worry

Based on: Matthew 6:25-34

 

Activity One:  Read the intro. Watch the video.

Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts. Prayer.

Worship: Singing 

Activity Three:  Respond to the story by doing the activity. 

Activity Four:  Bless your children 

 

EQUIP:  

(It’s not an activity, but just a little background on the story for you, the parent, to read.) 

 

Imagine asking a young child to give up a fistful of candy recently grabbed from a candy dish and now being held in a tight little fist. You can take it, but first you are going to have to pry those little fingers apart! Sometimes that is exactly the way I take my concerns to God. I hold on tightly, focusing on the problem and on my own wants and needs, forgetting about the loving God I am talking to!

 

First Peter 5:7 says to “cast all your anxiety on him.” You can’t cast away anything with a closed fist! My father used to tell me to give things to God, not with a tight fist or even a cupped hand, but palms down, fingers spread apart. Tell God about something that worries you. Then physically turn your palms down and spread your fingers apart as a reminder that you really are giving your worries to God. There’s no reason to hold on and keep worrying. He loves you, and you can trust Him!

 

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He described God’s kingdom, not as someone who had studied it in books, but as the King Himself. But Jesus was a King like no other! He declared that He hadn’t come to take over the world’s governments. He had come to lay claim to and to fill our hearts and minds—to change us from the inside out. That is the change that provides us with true peace when we are tempted to worry.

 

Debbie Barber

Senior Editor  (this curriculum)

 

Activity 1:  STORY

 

Introduction:To read the children: 

 

Two thousand years ago in the land of Israel, there was no Internet or television. But still, news about Jesus spread far and wide. Even though there were no cars or trains, people traveled from far away just to see Jesus. People had heard that Jesus said and did amazing things, and they wanted to see for themselves what was happening!

 

As people gathered together, some people munched on food they’d brought along. Other people probably wished they had brought something to eat. Some people who  were there were sick. They wanted Jesus to make them well. Some people may not have had enough money to buy clothes and food. Nearly everyone had something to worry about.

 

Jesus walked partway up a hillside where everyone could see Him. The crowd became quiet, ready to listen to what Jesus had to say. Let’s listen too.

 

Watch the video:

 

Activity 2:  DISCUSSION

 

Jesus wanted the people to know that there really isn’t any point in worrying about the things they needed or even about what would happen in the future. God can do anything! He wants us to trust Him every day for every need, just like He wanted the people on the hill to trust Him!

• What did Jesus use as examples of God’s care? (God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers.)

 

• What did Jesus tell the people not to worry about? (What they would wear. What they would eat and drink. 

 

• What did He tell them to do instead of worry? (Remember God’s love and care. Love and follow Him.)

 

Everyone worries at times. Sometimes I worry, too. But I know that God cares about me. God cares about you, too. You can trust Him to listen to your prayers and to be with you and help you, no matter what you worry about.

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)  says, Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Read this verse aloud and toss a crumpled-up paper into a trash can. 

Giving all our worries to God is like throwing our worries away. We do that by praying to God and remembering how much He loves us. You can trust God to always help you. He really does care about every situation in your life!

 

Encourage children to pray for these things with their own words. Then, transition into a time of prayer for personal requests.

 

Worship Songs:

 

 

Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

#1  Cupcake Liner Flower Craft (see picture below).

 

We don’t have to worry…when we do worry, we can pray and talk to God about it. We can remember that God loves us and promises to take care of us. He takes care of ALL things, and we can be sure if He takes care of even the smallest tiniest things, that He will certainly take care of us.

 

What you need:

• cupcake liners (different colors and sizes work best)
• large craft stick
• Sharpie marker
• green cardstock paper
• green paint
• child’s photo
• Glue
• Scissors

Directions:

Start by painting or coloring the craft stick green. 

With a Sharpie marker write “God cares for me”or something like “Do not worry” on the flower stick.

Spread out and press down the cupcake liners to straighten them up a little.

Apply glue on the middle of the larger cupcake liner.

Stick the smaller one on top of the larger one.

Glue the photo inside the smaller one.

Apply glue on one end of the craft stick.

Attach the cupcake liners on the craft stick.

Cut a leaf shape out of green cardstock.

Stick the leaf on the craft stick.

#2      Print and Color

Activity 4: CLOSING BLESSING 

 

Jesus came to Earth and taught as God’s Son and as the King who will one day rule the world. But Jesus did not come to take over the governments of the world. He came to be the King, or ruler, of our lives. When we follow Him, He gives us peace when we are worried. He gives us everything we need! 

 

(______________), May you always know the peace Jesus gives when we give all of our worries and cares to Him!