Hello Story Keepers and welcome back to Christchurch Kids. Today is the first Sunday in Advent. It's a really special time at church when we got ready for Jesus coming at Christmas. It looks like the Story Keepers are getting ready for Christmas too. Let's watch today's episode together.
It's great that we can be Story Keepers too. By watching the video and learning the stories from the Bible we can share them with others and pass them on. Today, maybe it's enough to watch this video. If you would like to find out a bit more, keep reading...
Our BIG question today is...
how well do you know the Christmas story?
We've been on quite a journey with the Story Keepers over the past couple of months. In 64 A.D., sharing stories was the best way to share the good news of Jesus. They didn't have the stories of Jesus written down in Bibles that they could keep in their homes and pass to others.
The Bible is full of fantastic stories about people who did amazing things with God's help. Which story is your favourite? Daniel in the Lion's Den? David and Goliath? Jonah and the whale? Maybe the Christmas Story is your favourite?
The very best thing about Bible stories is not just that they are inspiring or exciting to read but that they are a way for God to speak to us today.
Did you hear anything today in the The Story Keepers episode that surprised you? Did you know that some people think the Wise Men could have arrived two years after Jesus was born?
Sometimes, if we think we know a story well, we might stop listening when it is retold. This Christmas, listen carefully to the stories and songs. God wants to talk to you.
Prayer
In the episode today we heard that Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to leave their home to escape the danger from Herod's soldiers. They had to leave their friends and family and escape to Egypt. They became refugees.
A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their home. It might be because of war or natural disasters. It might be because of persecution, which is when some is mistreated or punished for what they believe or who they are. You may see stories of refugees on the news today.
We know God cares as it says in Deuteronomy 10
The Lord your God is God of all gods. He is the Lord of all lords. He is the great God. He is strong and wonderful. He does not take sides. He helps orphans and widows. He loves foreigners. He gives them food and clothes.
We can pray for refugees and for the charities that help them. This video can help us with our prayers today.
We've got a great song today which features some of those brilliant Bible stories we talked about earlier. Let's praise God together with singing and dancing.
We hope you have enjoyed following the adventures of the Story Keepers as this was our last episode with them.
Join us this week on the blog as we start our very own online Advent Calendar! From the 1st of December we are going to be following the Three Kings as they find their way around Clevedon.
Pop back here each day to see what they've been up to.
Next week we are starting to get really excited about Christmas with F@CT online and F@CT in church. If you would like to book your place for F@CT in church, please click here.
Hello and welcome back to Christchurch Kids. We are continuing to watch The Story Keepers together today. The Romans have worked out that Ben the baker is helping Christians to escape. The family soon find themselves in danger but who can they trust to help them? Let's watch together and find out.
It's great that we can be Story Keepers too. By watching the video and learning the stories from the Bible we can share them with others and pass them on. Today, maybe it's enough to watch this video. If you would like to find out a bit more, keep reading...
Our BIG question today is...
What does forgiveness feel like?
In today's episode, Helena told the children the story of a woman who came to visit Jesus. Let's listen to that story again.
How do you think the woman in the story felt when Jesus reached down and spoke to her?
How did she feel when she heard him talk about her to the others in the room who had been so unkind?
The Bible tells us that this woman was sinful, meaning that everyone knew she had done things wrong. The Bible also tells us that everyone gets things wrong, except Jesus. The word used in the Bible for this is 'sin'. Sin means anything which isn't perfect, just as God is perfect.
Do you think that maybe the other people in the room with Jesus forgot that they get things wrong as well?
The amazing news is that when we say sorry to God, He forgives us. It is wiped away and gone forever, like dirt washed away in a shower. Our big question today is - what does forgiveness feel like? For the woman in the story it felt like the best sort of love. What do you think it feels like?
But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins. We can trust God. He does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrongs we have done.
1 John 1 : 9
Prayer
Today we are going to be thinking about forgiveness prayers. We can ask God to forgive us for things we have done wrong, or maybe things we didn't do that we should of. We can ask God to help us forgive other people too.
We are going to write our prayer today in a way that will help us remember that when we say sorry, God wipes away our sins.
Have you got a magnetic drawing pad like this one? Maybe you've got an etch-a sketch or a blackboard and some chalk? You could write or draw your prayers on paper too.
Take a moment to think of something you want to say sorry for. You can write a sentence, or a word or draw a picture.
When you say sorry to God you can wipe the surface clean, or scrunch up your paper and put it in the bin.
Thank you God that you love us so much that you want us to say sorry so that we can be close to you again.
Amen
Let's sing and dance together about how AWESOME our God is! We've got some Cheeky Pandas to help us today.
We hope you have great week coming up and you can join us again next Sunday for our last episode of The Story Keepers. It looks like even Ben and his family are getting excited about Christmas!
Hi Story Keepers and welcome to Christchurch Kids. In our episode today, it's Emperor Nero's birthday and Ben and his family find themselves right in the middle of the celebrations. There are cakes to be baked and delivered and their friend Tacticus is faced with a very difficult decision.
Let's watch together.
It's great that we can be Story Keepers too. By watching the video and learning the stories from the Bible we can share them with others and pass them on. Today, maybe it's enough to watch this video. If you would like to find out a bit more, keep reading...
Our BIG question today (and it's a HUGE one) is...
Who Is Jesus?
It's not long now to Christmas! It's a really special time of year and for lots of people Jesus is the baby in the manger in the Christmas Story but this was only the beginning.
In the stories we heard today, Jesus showed his disciples, and us, how truly amazing he was. In the first story Jesus and his disciples went up a mountain and they saw him transformed. This is called the Transfiguration. What do you think Jesus' disciples thought that day?
We also heard the very familiar story of Palm Sunday. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that day it was just as the prophets (messengers from God) had said would happen when God's chosen one arrived.
The third story in the today's episode is called the Parable of the Tenants. Jesus told this story to the religious leaders when they asked him who he was. In the parable, God is the owner, the vineyard is God's people and the tenants were the religious leaders. Jesus was the owner's son in the story. He was warning the leaders about what was going to happen next.
The stories that were told in today's episode tell us very clearly that Jesus wasn't just a good man or a wise teacher but that he was the Son of God. We now know what happened on Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the dead so that we could be forgiven and be friends with God.
Deuteronomy 7 :9
So know that the Lord your God is God. He is the faithful God. He will keep his agreement of love for a thousand lifetimes.
Prayer
For our prayer time today, we are going to look at the Deuteronomy verse above. God is faithful and it says he will keep his agreement of love for a thousand lifetimes. Wow!
Draw a big heart on a piece of paper and draw squiggly lines across the heart creating lots of sections.
In each section write or draw something that shows you God's agreement of love with you. Maybe that is your family who love you. Maybe it is a favourite Bible verse. Maybe it is a person who you can talk to about anything.
Spend a quiet moment looking at all the things in the heart and thanking God for them. We can also say sorry to God for the times we forget about his love for us and others. We can ask for his help to share that love with others.
Today, we've got one of our favourite F@CT songs. Let's sing loudly that we know our God is a GREAT BIG GOD!
Thanks for joining us on Christchurch Kids today. We hope you have a great week and we'll be back here next week with more adventures with the Story Keepers.
Hello Story Keepers and welcome to Christchurch Kids. Today's episode is called "Sink or Swim" and the Story Keepers meet an old friend. When they hear his story, they decide to take action and go and help where they can but, once again, things don't go as smoothly as they expected.
It's great that we can be Story Keepers too. By watching the video and learning the stories from the Bible we can share them with others and pass them on. Today, maybe it's enough to watch this video. If you would like to find out a bit more, keep reading...
Our BIG question today is...
How do we react when something unexpected happens?
In the episode of The Story Keepers today, the family find themselves aboard a Roman ship setting sail for battle! They were not expecting that to happen when they went on board to bring bread to the slaves. Did you notice that Ben and Helena didn't hide and try to escape but went to the kitchen to help feed the hungry slaves instead.
Ben told the story of the four men who brought their friend to see Jesus to ask him to heal him. When they got there, there was such a huge crowd that they couldn't even get close to Jesus. They weren't expecting that but they knew it was so important for their friend to get to Jesus that they climbed up on to the roof and lowered their friend down into the house on his mat.
This was such an extraordinary thing to do that the story appears in the books of Mark and Luke in the Bible and we are still talking about nearly 2000 years later! They were friends who did something unusual in an unexpected situation because they really believed Jesus could help their friend.
What does this mean for us?
I think everyone could say that this year has been unexpected. We've had lots of unexpected things happen. Maybe some of those things have been really hard, like when we haven't been able to see friends or family. Perhaps some of those unexpected things have been good, such as spending more time together with our close family and finding new ways to have fun together.
At church, we have found new ways to help each other. We have been sharing food with those who need it. We have been speaking to each other online or on the phone. We have sent cards in the post.
In the parable of the two builders that we heard in today's episode, Jesus said that those people who listen to him and make a choice to do something are like the man who built his house on the rock. If we listen to what God says and make a choice to follow him, when unexpected things happen, we know we can trust Him and He will help us to help people around us.
Psalm 18 :2
The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my high tower
Prayer
Today, it's Remembrance Sunday. It's the special day of the year when we remember those who have served in wars to help keep others safe. Just like we have been talking about today, they found themselves in unexpected situations and showed bravery to help others.
We can use a poppy to help us pray. You may have your own poppy or your can look at the one here
Look at your poppy.
Poppies are bright and cheerful flowers: give thanks to God for the lives of those who have died in war, remembering all the joy they brought to families and friends, and all the good things they did for their home and their country.
Then look at the red petals
Red reminds us of danger and harm. Ask God to be close to those who are still facing danger each day, to give courage to the armed forces, and compassion to all who help others.
Place your whole hand over the poppy
Poppies are also fragile and need to be handled gently. God cares for those who are hurting and those who are sad. Ask God to comfort all who are grieving the loss of someone they love.
Finally place a finger on the centre of the poppy.
Ask God to help you play your part in working for peace in the world.
We've got a new song today. We can join in with the words or the actions as we praise God for who He is.
Thanks for joining us today. We are already starting to get excited about Christmas and we are going to be putting together our own online Nativity! If you would like to play a part, email Emy this week and let her know. childrenandfamilies@christchurch-clevedon.org.uk
We'll see you next week for more adventures with The Story Keepers.
Hi everyone and welcome to F@CT online. We spent October, here on the blog, thinking of things to be thankful for . Today we are really thankful that we able to meet together here online and in church as well. However you are joining in today, we hope you have lots of fun learning more about God.
Today we are talking about wearing armour.
ARMOUR?! That's not what I usually wear to school!
This is a special sort of armour that Paul talks about in the Bible. Let's watch this video to find out more...
When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, there would have been lots of Roman soldiers around so that the people he was writing to would have been able to picture what he was talking about when he told them to wear The Armour of God.
Today, we don't wear armour very much so what could we use instead?
Emy has found a Roman soldier in her garden to help us work out what the Armour of God might look like today (with a bit of video magic).
Let's get creative
Can you make your own Shield of Faith? You could draw it on a piece of paper or make it from some cardboard from your recycling. It could be small or it could be big. You can decorate it with things that remind you of your faith. That might be Bible verses. It might be pictures or people or places that have helped you get to know God better. We'd love to see pictures of your Shield of Faith.
The Armour of God Prayer
Jesus today I put on the helmet of salvation.
Please protect my mind from bad thoughts and help me focus on things that are good. Please protect my eyes and keep them looking up to you.
I put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Please guard my heart, make everything that comes in or out of my heart be good to you. Help my heart be open to you and led by the holy spirit.
I put on the belt of truth
Help me love the truth. Help me to tell the truth and hear the truth. Lord, make me more like you.
I put on the gospel of peace shoes
Everywhere I go Lord, help me bring peace. Help me be peaceful. Guide what I do and where I go. Prepare me to tell other people about you.
I put on the shield of faith
Build a strong faith in me. With faith, all things are possible. Protect me from any attacks from the enemy.
I pick up the sword of the spirit
Put your words in my heart Lord. Lead me and guide me so that I am good at all I do. Let your words change my character. Give me boldness and knowledge to love and help others.
Amen.
There's a great song about wearing the Armour of God called "God Suit On". It looks like these two had great fun singing the song and doing the actions.
Thanks for joining us today. We hope you had fun putting your God Suit on!
A little reminder...
This week is the last week to drop off your filled shoeboxes for Love In A Box. If you have any to bring in, please pop them in to church this week.
