Unit 1 Overview

The Church

These four lessons describe the First Church as well as the role of the Church in today’s world. The Church today is to be the body of Christ, just as that first Church in Jerusalem was. The Church today is to be loving, growing, and missionary-minded like the Church in the Book of Acts.

God’s plan for His Church and His people has not changed. Help your students desire the baptism in the Holy Spirit, enjoy participation in their local church, and enjoy supporting missions around the world.

Unit 1 Objectives By studying these four lessons, the child will: • discover stories about the Church, then and now • feel glad he is a part of the Church • participate in his local church

Room Decorations

Find-It Theme Poster: The resource packet contains this colorful poster for your classroom. Display it at children’s eye level.

Church Poster: This colorful poster reinforces Unit 1. It is found in the resource packet.

Doctrines Poster: This poster reinforces the four key beliefs of Spirit-filled Christians.

My Church: On a poster or newsprint, print “My Church” in large outline letters. Encourage the children to draw inside the letters. They will draw pictures of things, people, and activities from church.

This project may be completed in one setting or added to on a weekly basis. Hang the poster at the children’s eye level.

Light Crew Review

Each week, ask each arriving child the LIGHT Crew question from the previous week. The child can flip up the appropriate LIGHT Crew card to read the verse and check his memorization. Use the Chart Poster and Stickers from the resource packet to track each child’s memorization efforts each week.

A recognition certificate, copy master Sheet 6, is provided to encourage memorization. Award these certificates on the first Sunday of December, after the children have recited all verses from the fall lessons.

Arrival Time Ideas

Peanut Butter Clay: Use homemade peanut butter clay to make lesson-related shapes such as a church, a world globe, a body shape, etc. Here’s the recipe: • Mix together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup corn syrup, 1 1 ⁄4 cups nonfat dry milk, and 1 1 ⁄4 cups powdered sugar. • Add powdered sugar or milk by the spoonful to reach desired consistency. • Add food coloring as desired.

Safety Note: Before bringing peanut butter clay to your classroom be sure no child who uses your classroom is allergic to peanuts.

Balloon Throw: You will need a large, round balloon. To play, a child throws the balloon up and says something she is thankful for before the balloon hits the floor.

Adapt the game by letting the children say the memory verse, name a job to do in the church, or name a way to help a missionary.

Church Leaders: You will need items that church workers use. For instance, offering bags for ushers, a blanket for nursery workers, an instrument for musicians, a Bible for pastors and teachers, a baking pan for meal preparation, a broom, etc.

Let the children play with the items. As they play, discuss the different jobs and why each is important in our church.

Song Suggestions

These songs are provided on the CD in the Primary Resource Packet� They complement the unit lessons. Printed music is provided in the packet.

“Many Ways to Worship” “I Worship You” “So Glad” “Women of Faith” “Everything I Do”

Worship Ideas

Make Music: Give each child a rhythm instrument. Explain that each instrument makes a specific sound. As each sound is important to a band, so each person is important in the church. Let each child play his instrument alone. Then have the entire class play a song together.

Follow the Leader: Explain, “There were

many great leaders in the Early Church. God wants us to learn to be leaders too.”

Choose a child to be the worship leader for one song. Then let another child lead the next song. Let several students lead.

Church Prayer Bag: See the instructions for a church offering bag below. Use the bag for prayer request slips instead of for offerings. You may wish to take home the slips after each class so you can pray for the requests.

Unit Offering Ideas

Offering Bag: Make an offering bag. You will need an 8- by 16-inch fabric strip and two 18-inch lengths of wire. (Wire is coat-hanger weight.) Fold a 1-inch hem in each end of the fabric. Stitch the hem edges in place. Fold the fabric in half with the hems out. Stitch the sides, stopping below the hems. Turn the pocket inside out.

Run a wire through each hem. Curve the wires to shape the bag. Twist the ends together and cover with colorful plastic tape.

Share with the class how our money is given in the church. Then explain that it is used to do God’s work.

Adaptation: Borrow an offering bag or plate used in your adult church services.

Church Offering Container: Locate a churchshaped offering box at a Christian bookstore. Or make one from a half-pint milk carton painted white. Add a steeple made from toothpicks and clay. Cut a slot in the carton for coins. Use this as the offering container for Unit 1.

Snacks: Ask parents about food allergies. Never serve any snack to your students unless you are certain that it is safe for all of them.

ALLERGY ALERT!

JBQ & Bible Fact-Pak TM

You may use the Bible Fact-Pak Question Cards to learn and review questions related to the lessons in this unit. The questions that apply are these:

Lesson 1: 16 Lesson 2: 233, 499

Lesson 3: 419, 420, 425, 426, 428

Lesson 4: 424, 560