Serving the Community

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the service module is to teach the children how to implement service in our lives. We want children to know that we show our true faith through our actions, not just by saying how much we follow God's commandments.The goal is to teach third graders how the Holy Spirit works through them everyday. Every week of this module will focus on serving different spheres of their lives: week 1 -- the family, week 2- the poor, week 3-the sick, week 4- the community. Week 5 is the capstone week to review and serve together. Please read through all the lessons in this module in preparation for this lesson.

Throughout the module, we have introduced the children to different groups of people they can serve. In this lesson, children should understand that God asks us to love and serve everyone, and that goes beyond people we may always see or know. Our actions towards others show others our Christian faith.

INTRODUCTION - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson and check for understanding (5 minutes)

Option 1

Have the children answer the following:

  • What are the communities they are a part of? (a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common, ex. neighborhoods, sports community, school community, music community, family community, church community, cultural community...)
  • What is a good community? (A good community is one where neighbors or members take pride in their living environment, respecting and supporting one another no matter what. A good community is a cohesive, safe, confident, prosperous and happy place.
  • What do they like about their community?
  • Ask them to name some things that could be improved to make good communities. (Socialize with someone who is lonely, clean up a polluted playground, helping military soldiers overseas that are from the neighborhood,...)

Option 2

Set up an obstacle course/maze that all students can go through. Play 3 rounds of the obstacle course race.

Round 1 --- The participants must navigate the course blindfolded on their own.

Round 2 --- The participants may choose a friend to be a "guide" and shout directions from the finish line, but they cannot make contact.

Round 3 --- The "guide" can lead the blindfolded participant any way they choose. This includes holding their hand, pushing them from behind, or even carrying them through the course on their back.

After the activity, ask the following questions:

1 What made Round 1 so difficult?

2 What was the major difference between Round 2 and Round 3?

3 What are some other real-life activities that can be easier with help? (homework, chores, studying the Bible, serving others)

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 10 Minutes

Memory Verse

"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:16

Read together one or more of these Bible/Synaxarium passages together with open books.

  1. Apostles going into towns two by two (Mark 6:7-13, Luke 10:1-2, 17-20)
  2. Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens..."
  3. Hebrews 6:10 & 13:16
  4. Story of St. Anastasia (Kiahk 26)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

Being part of a community is beneficial for our worldly and spiritual lives. We are all children of God, and need to support and lift each other up.

Our Father in Heaven provides for us and takes care of us when we are in need because we are His children. We are also His disciples and the Lord asks us to go out into our communities and share the love He gives us with others. We are thankful for all the Lord does for us and this thankfulness leads to a desire to promote the good welfare of those around us. Our motivation for philanthropy is God's love for us and shows our character as Christians. How can we serve our community by our actions?

  • Give the children time to discuss this concept and share examples.
  • Concrete examples: Come up with a service project around church to do together, ex -- help the kitchen clean-up crew today.
  • Abstract examples: Pray for our community. Emphasize that praying is the most important and effective thing we can do, and we also have to take action. Take the time to remind children that we pray for our community during liturgy.
    • Review liturgical prayers for our community and leaders "Litany of the Fathers, of the Clergy, of the Place, the Leaders, the People.

APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

Ask children to choose one way they plan to serve their communities this week.

  • Ideas include: Make greeting cards for neighbors or local senior citizens and include a Bible verse/cross/saint picture. Make no-sew blankets for the homeless. Do a church clean-up day (provide gloves and chant or play hymns in the background during clean-up).

ACTIVITY - 5-10 Minutes

See "I choose to follow Jesus" activity in Appendix.

RESOURCES

  1. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Book By Carol McCloud-- a list of kind things people can do. Challenge children to fill "buckets of kindness". To fill someone's bucket, you perform loving, caring, and kind acts for others.
  2. Visit the Learning to Give website for more ideas.

PARENTS CORNER

Give your children opportunities to serve their community. The opportunities and possibilities are endless, however the children are too young to follow through with their ideas on their own. During Sunday School class, your child has come up with ideas on how to serve their community this week. If what they meant to do is not possible this week, help him/her think of something that will be possible this week. Most important is that you help your child successfully match their actions to their words. In this way, we can teach them to show their Christian faith through their actions.