As ministry leaders, we want to be sensitive and aware of the cultural conversations that may be happening in the lives of your kids and students this week. Let’s remember two core values of our culture of belonging:
1) let’s not make assumptions that kids and students are coming into our ministries ready to engage relationally or with the truths of God’s Word and
2) Let’s model a Christ-centered perspective that focuses on God’s truth and love in the midst of change.
Get ready for fun with friends this November with our
Seedlings Big Deal, “Hey, Hi, Hello! God Gives Me Friends!”
Sprouts and Rooted Simple truth, “I Am Made for Community,” with our theme Get Connected.
Check out our Month at a Glance to see everything that we will cover this month. And don’t forget about this month’s Just For You section—practical training for your head and heart as you help our kids find their sense of belonging and identity in Christ.
This month, keep this thought in the forefront of you mind while you interact with the children your ministering to.
By spending time intentionally welcoming every student and child who God has created, we are modeling an identity for this generation that is based on the identity God has designed. This will be in sharp contrast to the pressure and angst that a secular society demanding expressive individualism is offering them.
For You:
Blog: NextGen Ministry for the Whole Church
Training Video: Connecting Kids Across All Ages
Podcast: Check out the Hyfi Preschool and Kids Weekly Training Podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday!
In our first week of Hey, Hi, Hello, we will teach preschoolers that they can pray for their friends. In Acts 12, Jesus’ friend, Peter, was in prison. Peter’s friends were in a house praying for him. Suddenly, an angel came and freed Peter, leading him to safety and to his friends. God loves when we pray for our friends, and we get to teach preschoolers that He hears them when they talk to Him.
This week in Get Connected we will teach kids they can pray for their friends. One of Jesus’ followers named Peter was in jail because of his ministry. While in prison, his friends gathered and prayed for him. God answered their prayers by sending an angel to free Peter and help him escape. Peter went to the house where his friends were praying, and they were amazed! We get to teach kids that when they pray for their friends, they can know God listens. It’s an amazing way we can connect with the friends in our community.
Session 1: I Can Pray for My Friends
Read: Acts 12:1-17
Highlight: Acts 12:5,16-17a
Reflect: Which friend can you be intentional to pray for this week?
A) A friend going through a difficult time
B) A friend I want to grow deeper with
C) A friend who needs to hear the good news of Jesus
Pray: Thank You, God, that You hear my prayers. Thank You that I can talk to You about the needs of my friends and know that You listen and respond. Help me be consistent in praying for my friends. Amen.
Connect: What is an amazing answer to prayer you’ve heard about or seen? How does that encourage you when it comes to prayer?
Thanks for all you do!! What you do is so so much more than “JUST” teaching a Sunday lesson. You’re helping kids experience community at age-appropriate levels!
Experiences transform the heart, moving faith beyond the walls of church and into everyday life for years to come. What we experience through relationships and discussion sticks with us much longer than what we simply hear or read.
When we create learning environments filled with grace and foster belonging, we set children free. It’s critical to drop any biases. Give every child a chance, no matter what you’ve heard and no matter what they’ve done. Wipe the slate clean every week. Believe in their best…and don’t be surprised when you get it.
Read: Matthew 6:9-14 - Highlight: Matthew 6:10-11a
Reflect: What can you ask God today?
Ask for His will to be done. + Ask for provision and protection. + Ask for forgiveness.
Connect: When is it easy to admit that we make mistakes and when is it difficult? How can remembering that we can always talk to God help when we’ve made wrong choices?
Pray: God, I admit that I need Your love and forgiveness. Today, would You forgive me for my wrong choices? Thank You that I can talk to You every day and thank You for always listening. Amen.
For You:
Blog: When Kids Don’t Think They’re Sinners
Training Video: Walking Kids Through Forgiveness with Others
Podcast: Check out the Hyfi Preschool and Kids Weekly Training Podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday!
Our Switch It Up Bible Story this week is from Matthew 6:9-14, where Jesus teaches what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Through this prayer, kids will learn that they can ask for forgiveness. We get to teach kids that God listens when we talk to Him to through prayer. We will also teach that when we ask for forgiveness, God always says yes!
This week we get to teach preschoolers that we can ask for forgiveness. In Matthew 6:9-15, Jesus taught what we call The Lord’s Prayer. In it, Jesus said that we can ask God for forgiveness. That amazing truth is still relevant today, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. This week let’s consider how we can model what we are asking of preschoolers by recognizing when we need to ask for forgiveness from others and doing just that.
SOOOO excited for this week!! To teach our kids about forgiveness at a young age will be a gift that keeps on giving! Whether it’s how to ask for forgiveness, offer forgiveness, or how to handle ourselves when we don’t get the “I’m Sorry” we were hoping to hear - these truths are timeless.
This week think about …
When is a time that forgiveness has really impacted you?
How has this truth impacted you recently?
How does that experience help you live out forgiveness with others?
Read: Genesis 27–33. | Highlight: Genesis 32:9-10a
Reflect: How can you respond to the gift of God’s forgiveness today?
A) Thank God for the gift of forgiveness.
B) Forgive someone else.
C) Confess when I’ve wronged someone and ask for forgiveness.
Pray: God, You show incredible love and kindness by forgiving me. Thank You that Your love makes a way for me to have a relationship with You. Help me walk in the joy of Your forgiveness today. Amen.
Connect: When have you experienced forgiveness? How can remembering God’s forgiveness help us in our relationships with others?
For You:
Blog: When Kids Don’t Think They’re Sinners
Training Video: Walking Kids Through Forgiveness with Others
This week in Switch It Up we are teaching kids, “I Can Be Forgiven.” Our Bible story from Genesis 27–33 is about two brothers—Jacob and Esau. Jacob makes choices that deeply hurt Esau, and Jacob ends up running away because he’s afraid of his brother. Years later, God told Jacob to return home. When Jacob obeyed, he discovered forgiveness from his brother. We get to teach kids that we all need to be forgiven and that we can be forgiven. There is no sin too big that God won’t forgive!
Sprouts / Rooted lesson
This week’s Bible story is about Jacob and Esau. Genesis 27–33 tells the story of Jacob, who lied, cheated, and stole from his twin brother, Esau. Jacob ended up running away because he was afraid of Esau. Years later, when God told Jacob to return home, he found that Esau had forgiven him. The Main Idea we get to teach preschoolers is, “I Can Be Forgiven.” All of us have made wrong choices and all of us, no matter what, can be forgiven by God who loves us.
Seedlings Lesson