Jesus feeds us
Children's Activity
Teachers or Parents: Children can easily relate to physical food, but the spiritual food of Jesus is usually quite abstract. Today's Gospel theme is really about values and the importance of choosing the higher, longer--lasting, more worthwhile values.
* Stress the importance of worship and Sunday school attendance and how choosing to attend is like feeding ourselves food that never runs out.
* In older children you might relate Holy Communion to the lesson of choosing spiritual food over earthly food. Ask: "How is Jesus with us in Holy Communion?" "What does it mean to share our Lord's body and blood?" "What does it mean to remember his life, teachings, death and resurrection?"
* Tasting is one of the five senses. Jesus often used the senses to drive home his teachings. Today's lesson of comparing himself to food is how Jesus utilized the sense of taste. Today ask the children what their favorite food is. List these foods. Then say, "Jesus is better than any of these foods!"
* Use sight to bring home the importance of the Christian faith. This can be done with posters, banners, and wall decorations the children make. If there is a particularly beautiful painting, for example, compare the beauty of the painting to the beauty of our Lord. (This might also be a time to sing "Beautiful Savior.")
* Use sound in the music you listen to or sing.
* Use the sense of smell. Sometimes incense is used in worship. Use some in class. Or ask the children their favorite smells and compare that to the goodness of God.
* Use the sense of touch to emphasize the various attributes of God: God is firm ---- like a rock; God is loving ---- like the touch of soft cotton.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Sing "O Living Bread From Heaven" or "Break Thou the Bread of Life."
* Distribute various kinds of bread (perhaps including unleavened bread) as part of the opening.
* Stress the importance of worship and Sunday school attendance and how choosing to attend is like feeding ourselves food that never runs out.
* In older children you might relate Holy Communion to the lesson of choosing spiritual food over earthly food. Ask: "How is Jesus with us in Holy Communion?" "What does it mean to share our Lord's body and blood?" "What does it mean to remember his life, teachings, death and resurrection?"
* Tasting is one of the five senses. Jesus often used the senses to drive home his teachings. Today's lesson of comparing himself to food is how Jesus utilized the sense of taste. Today ask the children what their favorite food is. List these foods. Then say, "Jesus is better than any of these foods!"
* Use sight to bring home the importance of the Christian faith. This can be done with posters, banners, and wall decorations the children make. If there is a particularly beautiful painting, for example, compare the beauty of the painting to the beauty of our Lord. (This might also be a time to sing "Beautiful Savior.")
* Use sound in the music you listen to or sing.
* Use the sense of smell. Sometimes incense is used in worship. Use some in class. Or ask the children their favorite smells and compare that to the goodness of God.
* Use the sense of touch to emphasize the various attributes of God: God is firm ---- like a rock; God is loving ---- like the touch of soft cotton.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Sing "O Living Bread From Heaven" or "Break Thou the Bread of Life."
* Distribute various kinds of bread (perhaps including unleavened bread) as part of the opening.
