Related to Jesus
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Share with your children the fact that
we are born twice. The first birth is physical (the birth
certificate). The second is spiritual. That birth is our
relationship with God in Christ. One is earth-bound and the
other is not.
* Ask the children to share stories about their birthdays.
* Find pictures of Jesus with children and post them on the wall. Ask the children of your class for pictures of themselves. As they come in, cut and paste these pictures to the one of Jesus blessing the children.
* Find the baptismal anniversary of each child in your class. Celebrate appropriately.
Parents: Share moments of your child's birth. Share your feelings and thoughts and any mementos you have of the occasion. Tell about the relatives who were notified and their reactions. True family bonding happens as we share the stories of our lives. Your child's entry into this world is an important part of her or his character.
* Show your child her/his birth certificate.
* Show your child her/his baptismal certificate. Reminisce about that most significant day in your child's life.
* Celebrate baptismal anniversaries in your home. Develop a ritual of lighting a candle (as a "light to the world") and a tradition showing the love of God in your child's life. Separate the baptismal anniversary date from the birthday celebration and tradition.
* Relating the text to life: Finding our place in the scheme of things is important to all of us. Being related to Jesus is an important element in our understanding of ourselves.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Celebrate any baptismal birthdays and relate these to our second birth as brothers and sisters of Jesus. (Your church office is likely to have a record of all the children in Sunday school.) Celebrating baptismal birthdays (rather than physical birthdays) could become a most significant event in your weekly Sunday school opening. While many recognize and celebrate birthdays, baptismal birthdays are not so commonly celebrated.
* Sing a baptismal hymn.
* Ask the children to share stories about their birthdays.
* Find pictures of Jesus with children and post them on the wall. Ask the children of your class for pictures of themselves. As they come in, cut and paste these pictures to the one of Jesus blessing the children.
* Find the baptismal anniversary of each child in your class. Celebrate appropriately.
Parents: Share moments of your child's birth. Share your feelings and thoughts and any mementos you have of the occasion. Tell about the relatives who were notified and their reactions. True family bonding happens as we share the stories of our lives. Your child's entry into this world is an important part of her or his character.
* Show your child her/his birth certificate.
* Show your child her/his baptismal certificate. Reminisce about that most significant day in your child's life.
* Celebrate baptismal anniversaries in your home. Develop a ritual of lighting a candle (as a "light to the world") and a tradition showing the love of God in your child's life. Separate the baptismal anniversary date from the birthday celebration and tradition.
* Relating the text to life: Finding our place in the scheme of things is important to all of us. Being related to Jesus is an important element in our understanding of ourselves.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Celebrate any baptismal birthdays and relate these to our second birth as brothers and sisters of Jesus. (Your church office is likely to have a record of all the children in Sunday school.) Celebrating baptismal birthdays (rather than physical birthdays) could become a most significant event in your weekly Sunday school opening. While many recognize and celebrate birthdays, baptismal birthdays are not so commonly celebrated.
* Sing a baptismal hymn.
