Giving Back to the Church

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the service module is to teach the children how to implement service in our lives. We will go over the importance of helping others and how to treat others. Help them realize how their actions are a service to those around them. Week 5 is the capstone week to review and serve together.

In this lesson, children will learn how they can give back to the church. Giving our best to God is not always through money or gifts, it can also be through giving our time and caring for our church. In return, people grow their relationship with God and our church can continue to grow for future generations to come.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

Option 1

Using a chalkboard/whiteboard/pad of paper, have the children list all the things they love about the Church -- the priest, their servants, the sanctuary, the icons, Sunday school, their friends (fellowship), the congregation, field trips, the saints, etc. Try to have each child list at least one thing. Emphasize how each thing is a blessing we receive from the Church. People have different talents, so they give back to the church in different ways. Emphasize that a Church wouldn't be a church if it was made up of all priests, or just deacons, or just servants. We all serve different purposes and all are equally important and necessary.

Option 2

Fork, Knife & Spoon Example:

Materials:

(1) Fork, (1) Knife, (1) Spoon

(1) Bowl filled with Water

(1) Empty Bowl

I want to ask you a couple of questions... Let's say we had a big nice piece of steak with a side of our favorite mashed potatoes. We have a fork, a knife and a spoon.

What is the reason we use a fork with the steak? (show the fork) It's to poke at the steak. Could we use it to cut the steak? Maybe, but it would be very hard to cut the steak with the fork.

How about the knife, (show the knife) how would we use it with the steak? We would cut the steak.

How about the spoon, (show the spoon) what would it be used for? To scoop up the mashed potatoes right?

If we tried to use the spoon to cut the steak, we would never eat the steak right? You see everything has a purpose.

Is one utensil more important than the other?

Let's try something else. I have a bowl filled with water, and an empty bowl. How about if I use my fork to move the water from one bowl to the other (try to move the water with the fork). How long do you think it will take me?

If I really wanted to finish faster, I would use a spoon to scoop the water, not the fork. So you see, not every utensil is the same, they are all shaped differently, but at the end they are all very important to reach the end result. Each utensil is better to use for different things. We are not all the same. We all are very good at doing different things. Every person has a role and something to give to God.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 10 Minutes

Tell the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). See Content - Key points below.

Memory Verse: "The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God." (Exodus 34:26)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 5 Minutes

Adam and Eve had two sons -- Cain and Abel. Abel raised sheep, and Cain was a farmer who grew fruits and vegetables. Abel wanted to give back to God because God blessed him with so much, so he offered to God the very first sheep of his flock, which was the best one. Imagine how long it took Abel to raise the sheep, how much he had to feed it and take care of it. We might think that after all that hard work, Abel would keep the first sheep for himself and offer God a different sheep, but he really wanted to give something nice to God and meant it from his heart. God was very happy with Abel's gift. Cain grew fruit, and he offered God some of his fruit, but he did not look for the best and most ripe fruit. He did not give God the first fruits he grew. When God looked at Cain's gift, He did not prefer it to Abel's gift. Cain was not giving from his heart the way Abel did.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Why did God like Abel's gift more than Cain's? What was different with how Abel chose his gift to God versus Cain?

When we look at all the things we love about our Church, we see how many great blessings we get from the Church. (Look at the list that was created.) Remember how Abel received blessings from God? He wanted to give back to God. Just like Abel, we want to give back to our Church because we love our Church and congregation and want to thank God for the many blessings we receive. The Bible tells us that we should give the first and best of what we have to God. (Deut. 26) It does not have to be money or gifts - it can also be our time (in helping) and our talents (like drawing or singing).

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

Get a bag of MMs or Skittles or other small colorful candy they like and a cup. (If not candy, it can be anything small and colorful that they would be happy to receive.) Give each child a certain number of candies (5 or 10). Ask them not to eat them just yet. Let the excitement build. Ask them their favorite color among the candy. Then remind them about giving back and the story of Abel -- we should give our best, favorite, most precious thing back to God first. Ask them, if they were Abel, and this candy was a blessing we received, which candy would they put in the cup as an offering to give back to God? Encourage them to put their favorite one first.

LIFE APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

Look for a way you can help in the church this week. Maybe you can help clean the church or your Sunday school room, or help someone carry something, or ask your parents or Sunday school servant for a way you can give a gift (donation) to the church -- it does not have to be money (give the kids ideas of what they might gift -- hand drawn picture, a box of crayons, etc.) Remember to give your best

PARENTS CORNER

Talk with your children about ways to give back to the Church -- with time, service, tithing, other donations. Speak with the priest or Sunday school servants about ways to get them involved -- children love to help at this age and it connects them to the Church. Remind them to give the best and first of what they have (their "first fruits") -- giving to the Church should be our priority, not our afterthought. Share any stories about how you have given back to the Church and the blessings you have received in your life as a result.