One grain
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Easter comes in two weeks. Plant a bean
seed today to illustrate today's lesson. In two weeks that seed
will have become a spout emerging from the soil.
* If packets of flower seeds were not dispersed at the children's sermon, do so in Sunday school or at home. Pick a flower that is easily grown in your area. Parents: provide adequate space for your child's flower. Work the soil now so that the flowers can be planted at the appropriate time.
* Plant sunflowers. The seeds look dead and the children can see how one seed, buried in the ground, can produce over 2,000 seeds for eating, planting or feeding of birds this August. Children might especially be interested in the giant varieties that grow ten to twelve feet in height.
* Visit a cemetery and look at the tombstones. Read the markings and muse on eternal life. How is it these bodies were buried in the earth and are raised to eternal life with Christ?
* Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day. Tell or read the story about Saint Patrick and his desire to tell the people of Ireland about Jesus. Jesus' story tells about how death is overcome with life. The Easter story is the missionary story and the reason for telling the "good news" to all the world.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Sing "Now the Green Blade Rises." (Other appropriate hymns: "Rise Up, O Saints of God!"; "Lift High the Cross" fits verse 32 of today's Gospel -- "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.")
* It might be appropriate to tie the Saint Patrick's Day story to today's story of grain planted in the earth and rising to new life. Saint Patrick is also associated with a common plant -- the clover. The clover illustrates the Trinity. Even though that is not the theme today, it might be an appropriate time to illustrate that God is three -- yet one -- like the clover leaf.
* If packets of flower seeds were not dispersed at the children's sermon, do so in Sunday school or at home. Pick a flower that is easily grown in your area. Parents: provide adequate space for your child's flower. Work the soil now so that the flowers can be planted at the appropriate time.
* Plant sunflowers. The seeds look dead and the children can see how one seed, buried in the ground, can produce over 2,000 seeds for eating, planting or feeding of birds this August. Children might especially be interested in the giant varieties that grow ten to twelve feet in height.
* Visit a cemetery and look at the tombstones. Read the markings and muse on eternal life. How is it these bodies were buried in the earth and are raised to eternal life with Christ?
* Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day. Tell or read the story about Saint Patrick and his desire to tell the people of Ireland about Jesus. Jesus' story tells about how death is overcome with life. The Easter story is the missionary story and the reason for telling the "good news" to all the world.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Sing "Now the Green Blade Rises." (Other appropriate hymns: "Rise Up, O Saints of God!"; "Lift High the Cross" fits verse 32 of today's Gospel -- "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.")
* It might be appropriate to tie the Saint Patrick's Day story to today's story of grain planted in the earth and rising to new life. Saint Patrick is also associated with a common plant -- the clover. The clover illustrates the Trinity. Even though that is not the theme today, it might be an appropriate time to illustrate that God is three -- yet one -- like the clover leaf.
