UNIT V, WEEK 1

February 25, 2007

A TIME OF PREPARATION
Purpose

Preparation

Opening

To understand the meaning of the season of Lent.

Read the biblical background for February 25 and Luke 4:113.

Prepare a Lenten Triad and bring candle taper or long matches and a candle snuffer. (See Unit
Overview.) Bring purple cloth, Bible, offering basket, and potted plant.
Cut 40 paper footprints. Bring teaching picture Jesus in the Desert.
Prepare the Lenten Banner. (See Unit Overview.) For this week bring banner background, 2
posts, string or yarn, and glue.
Make copies of activity sheet Coin Box/Jar Label.
Option A: Bring a rinsed small juice box, jar, pop can or other container for each child. Bring
crayons or felt pens, glue or tape.
Option B: Make copies of both activity sheets Jesus Prays and I Pray. Prepare an envelope
for each child (i.e. glue the instructions for the parents on the outside and seal a set of 36 praying hands inside. Set aside the first 4.) Bring scissors, crayons and glue sticks.
Check the birthday list.
Take time to ask for Gods help in being open to each child.
(Invite children to help prepare the worship tablee.g. cover table with the
purple cloth; place potted plant, offering basket, Lenten Triad, and Bible on
purple
the table. Light colored candles.)
Opening Song, Attendance, Birthdays, Offering,
Prayer: Loving God, thank you for this time to prepare for Easter.

Help us to love and share the way Jesus showed us. (Children say Amen.)
Lent is the beginning of a very special season in our church. This is a time to talk to God about
how we are growing in love and to say we are sorry for the times we forget Gods way. This
is also a time when we make fresh promises to God of the things we will do to spread Gods
love in our world. (Count all the colored candles.) Lent is the forty days plus 6 Sundays before
Easter. Each Sunday we will use the candle snuffer to put out one more candle. When all the
candles have been put out that means Easter is here. (Have one child extinguish a candle. Count
how many Sundays are left. If you have a safe place to put the triad, leave the candles burning
during the rest of class time. If not, blow out the candles after the song.)
Sing: The Season of Lentverse 1 (See Beginner Teachers Resource Sheet.)

Introducing
the Theme

Exploring
the Theme

Activity: Preparing for...

Talk about what it means to prepare for something (i.e. to get ready). Encourage all the children
to show you the actions they might do when preparing to do the following: going to bed; going
on a trip; getting ready for school; having a birthday party; planting a garden; making dinner;
celebrating Jesus birth; etc.

Jesus, too, had to do some preparing. He wanted to make sure he was ready to do Gods
work, teaching and healing the people.
Do you sometimes have a feeling inside you that makes you want to do something you know
you shouldnt do? We sometimes say that we are tempted to do wrong. This story from our
Bible shows that Jesus, too, was tempted or tested. He had hard choices to make like we do.
Story: Jesus in the Desert
(Hand out an equal number of footprints to each child. There should be 40 footprints.)
After Jesus was baptized, he decided to go into the desert to be by himself for awhile. (Show
teaching picture Jesus in the Desert.) He wanted to pray to God and think about what God
wanted him to do. He wanted to prepare himself. And so he started off. (Have the children help
you place 5 footprints on the floor, one in front of the other. You might start where the children
are sitting and move out from there. Place teaching picture beside the last footprint.)

The Whole People of God B V-

Beginner Lesson Plan (Age 4-Grade1)

The Garden of Lent

At that time there were no cars, buses, planes, or trains. Jesus had to walk and carry all the
things he needed. (Place 5 more footprints on the floor, starting where the last foot print
stopped.) It must have been very dry and dusty in the desert. It was hot in the day and cold at
night.

Jesus decided not to eat any food while he was in this lonely place. He would only drink a
little water when he was very thirsty. (Add 5 more footprints.) After a while Jesus began to hear
a voice. He seemed to hear it inside him, but it was not Gods voice. This voice tempted him by
saying to him Jesus, are you hungry? If youre really Gods son, why dont you use your power
to turn some stones into bread? (Add 5 more footprints.) Jesus thought about this and then said
There is more to life than eating to be full. I must use my power to do what God wants. Jesus
would not do what this voice suggested.

Then this voice tempted Jesus another way. It led Jesus to a mountain. (Add 5 more footprints. Stand on the last one.) Do you see all those kingdoms? said the voice. (Sweep your
arm around the room.) You could be king of them all if you will turn away from God and worship me. Jesus thought and thought and then answered, We must worship God and serve God
only. And again, Jesus did not do what the voice suggested.

Then the tempter led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on the highest part of a temple. (Add
5 more footprints. Stand on the last one.) It said to Jesus, Jump off this temple. God will help
you. You wont hurt yourself. Then everyone will know you are the most powerful person in the
world. Again Jesus answered, No! Dont try to test God! Go away! And again, Jesus did not
do what the tempter suggested. (Add 5 more footprints.) Finally the voice went away. It realized
that it could not tempt Jesus to use his power for the wrong reasons.

Even though Jesus was weak from not having any food, he knew he had become strong
inside. He felt God very close to him. He knew he was now ready to teach people about Gods
love. So he left the desert and began traveling around the country to talk to the people about
Gods way. (Add the last 5 footprints so that they exit near the entrance.) Lets count the footprints and see how many days Jesus stayed in the desert making his important choices. (Have
one child walk on each footprint. Count as each step is taken.)
Chant: Tempting Jesus (Teach children response line.)
Teacher: An evil voice once tempted Jesus
Children: No! said Jesus. Go away!
Teacher: Come make these stones into bread.
Children: No! said Jesus. Go away!
Teacher: Turn away from God and worship me.
Children: No! said Jesus. Go away!
Teacher: Jump from the temple. Let God save you.
Children: No! said Jesus. Go away!
Teacher: Finally the voice did go away and God was very near.
Activity: Starting the Lenten Banner
(Explain that this banner will continue throughout Lent as a reminder that every day we are
growing and learning. Each week a new piece will be added to grow a Lenten grape vine. It
will help us ask the important question Are we growing in the way God wants us to grow?)

The grape grower prepares a trellis. The vines are trained to grow along it, making the
plant healthy and strong. The leaves will get lots of sunlight and there will be room for the fruit.
(Invite children to attach trellis pieces to banner.) In Lent we try to understand the way God
chooses for us. Gods way is a bit like a grape trellisa way of life, health and strength.
Sing: Growing in Gods Wayverse 1 and chorus. (See General Resources Section online.)
Integrating
the Theme

Closing

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Option A: Lenten Coin Boxes

Talk about why we have coin boxes during Lent and how the children might gather money for
the box. (See Unit Overview.) Invite children to decorate the wrapper and glue it onto container.
Option B: Lenten Calendar
Give each child a calendar, sealed envelope, and 4 praying hand squares. Encourage the children
to decorate the picture and the envelope. Help them glue the praying hands in squares 1-4. Suggest they put the calendar on their fridge at home and glue on a square each day, except Sundays, to show how close we are getting to Easter. Give out coin box labels to take home.
Sing: The Season of Lentall 3 verses.

The Whole People of God B V-

Sunday

Ash
Wednesday

10

Sunday

40

Friday

39

Good

38

37

11

36

February 25, 2007

12

13

Jesus prays

During Lent...

35

Palm
Sunday

14

34

15

33

16

32
30

29

Sunday

17

18

and I pray

31

Beginner Activity Sheet

19

Sunday

20

21

22

Sunday

23

24

25

26

27

28

February 25, 2007

Jesus Prays and I Pray (part 2)

Dear Parents
Please help me hang this Lenten calendar on
a wall or refrigerator. Each day (except Sundays) I will glue on one pair of praying hands
to show how close we are getting to Easter.

Beginner Activity Sheet

Jesus Prays and I Pray (part 2)

Dear Parents
Please help me hang this Lenten calendar on a
wall or refrigerator. Each day (except Sundays)
I will glue on one pair of praying hands to
show how close we are getting to Easter.

B V- Wood Lake Publishing

Coin Box/Jar Label

Beginner Activity Sheet

Use a rinsed pop can, small juice box, or similar container

Cut top off pop can and cover with construction paper, material, or double layer of
waxed paper with slit cut into it. Or cut slit directly into juice box or lid of container.
Color label and attach to container.

elastic band

February 25, 2007

The Whole People of God B V-

Beginner Teachers Resource Sheet

February 25, 2007

Song: The Season of Lent (This will be used each week during Lent)
(tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Now we are in the season of Lent,

season of Lent, season of Lent,
Now we are in the season of Lent,
Well take a trip to Easter.
Jesus is leading us on the way,
on the way, on the way,
Jesus is leading us on the way,
On our way to Easter.
We are growing in Gods way
in Gods way, in Gods way
We are growing in Gods way
On our way to Easter
Suggested Actions:
Verse 1Join hands and sing slowly as you walk in a circle, then walk in opposite direction.
Verse 2Invite a child to hold a picture of Jesus and all follow the child in procession
around the room as you sing.
Verse 3Invite children to squat down like a seed in the ground and gradually grow

upwards.

B V- Wood Lake Publishing