Unit: Trust God

Session Title: A Widow Gave

Life Point: People worship Jesus by giving tithes and offerings.

Unit Verse: “Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15

Weekly Bible Verse: “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart – not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Bible Passage: Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4

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Craft: Tithing Jar
Use baby food jars to make a tithing jar. The picture includes instructions on how to make the jar. You could also have the kids make three jars: one for giving, one for saving and one for fun.
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Activity: Helping Others
This activity will encourage the children to think about some of the ways they can help others.

Preparation: Prepare ten slips of paper with one of the following acts of service on them: Raking leaves; setting the table; reading a story to a younger child; giving a gift to someone; taking dinner to someone who is sad or in need; cleaning up litter; visiting an elderly or lonely person; donating money to a charity or relief fund; giving unneeded clothes or toys; sharing a treat with a friend.

Presentation: Explain to the children that Jesus often helped others. Tell them you are going to play a game to help them think of some ways they can also help others.

Have a child come up and select a slip of paper. Let the child choose to act out (charades style) or draw (on the classroom white board) clues so the rest of the children can guess which act of service they have selected.

After the children guess the service, briefly review how the children could perform this service in their own life. Talk about the joy they feel when they help others. Tell them that God loves them very much and has provided many blessings for them. They can share their blessings with others in many ways, some of which you will have just discussed.
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Game: Giving Game
For this Sunday school lesson you will need a second-timer and a white board. You will need someone from your class who spells and writes well and who can be the scorekeeper.

Divide your class into 2 teams. Have them sit in 2 separate areas of the room. Say the following: 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”  This verse doesn’t say God loves a grumpy giver or a bored giver. It says God loves a cheerful giver. Why do you think God wants us to give cheerfully? (Wait for responses. Clarify with the following: When we give with a cheerful and joyful heart, we are going to be blessed and the person who is receiving the gift is going to be blessed.) 2 Corinthians 9:7 is an easy verse to memorize so we’re going to play a fun game to make sure you have it inside your heart and mind for your whole life.

Continue saying: You are in 2 different teams. I am going to take turns asking a student from each team something they might give to a certain person. You will have to answer with 2 words formed from the initials of your own name. For example, you might ask, “David Johnson, what would you give to your grandma?” David might respond with “dandy jacks.” Sarah Crawford might say “seven cantaloupes.” You will have 7 seconds to come up with an answer. If you are successful, you will come forward and stand on your side where you team is sitting. The scorekeeper will write your answer on the board so it cannot be used again.

Once you have asked every child the gift they would give, then each of you who were able to give a gift according to your initials to recite 2 Corinthians 9:7. For every team member who says the verse correctly, they will earn 50 points for their team. We will then start all over, but on the next round you will have to give a new answer that hasn’t been used. After 5 rounds, the team with the most points wins.  Now let’s play!
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Game: Coin Toss
Empty your trash bin for this activity or use a bucket from the Resource Room. Secure the “Put your feet on the feet” sign to the floor with masking tape. Place the bucket about 12 inches from the sign. Let each child put their feet on the feet and try to toss a penny into the bucket. Give 3 turns each.
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Craft: Our Gifts to God Collage
Have a poster board or large sheet of butcher paper. Write at the top Our Gifts to God. Have students cut things out of magazines that they would like to give to God.
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Object Lesson: Tithing and M&Ms
Give each child 10 M&Ms in a little Ziploc bag. Tell them to eat 9 of their M&Ms and save one. While they ate their M&Ms, tell them a story from the Friend Magazine about a boy who spent all of his money before he paid his tithing and how he repented of it.

After the story tell them that they now had to pay their “tithe.” Collect their last M&M – it will be a hard thing for most of them to give up that last M&M (some may have saved their favorite color for last).  Some children even won’t be able to help themselves and will eat the 10th M&M.

Then tell them that you are going to do an experiment and give them another chance. Give them another bag of 10 M&Ms and collected their “tithes” first. It will be much easier to give it first and instead of giving what is left over. Discuss how it would be easier for them in their own lives if they always paid their tithes first before spending the rest of their money. It turned out great and I have a feeling it is one of those lessons that will stick in their minds for a long time, even the younger children got it. * Don’t forget to post an allergy alert. *
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