Love Your Elders

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the service module is to teach the children how to interact with others with love. For fourth graders it's important to make God real to them and show them how the Holy Spirit works through them. Every week of this module will focus on serving different aspects of their lives: week 1 -- love of self/pure love, week 2- love your elders, week 3-love your classmates/peers, week 4- love different cultures. Help them realize how their actions are a reflection of their love for others and themselves. 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.

In this lesson, children will learn that true love is demonstrated through actions. They will understand the difference between feelings of love and actions of love towards others. They will put what they learn into a "How to Love" action plan.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

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

Note: This lesson works best with the attached PowerPoint presentation.

Show a coin with the heads side up. Ask children the following:

What do they expect to see if the coin were flipped?
When they respond "tails," ask them: What if it's not tails? What if it's another heads or something else entirely? What would that mean for the coin?
Would it be a true coin or a fake coin? Will it have any value? Can you still use it?
Emphasize that for the coin to have value and for it to be real money that you can use, it has to have both heads and tails.
And so is love, it has to have both feelings and actions. Feelings without actions do not make true love.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 10 Minutes

Memory Verse
"Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth." Ephesians 6:2-3

Read together one or more of these Bible passages together with open Bibles.

Ruth 1:14-18 - Ruth staying with Naomi and caring for her
Luke 1:39-56 - St. Mary caring for St. Elizabeth
Leviticus 16:32 "Stand up in the presence of the aged..."
Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth.'"

Saint Stories to Reinforce theme:

Elder Porphyrios -- modern saint -- focus on obedience to his elders
Obedience Tree for St. John the Short
St. Moses the Strong -- obedience to elder

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

(See attached PowerPoint)

Feelings of Love:

I feel Happy around people in my family, at church, at school, etc...
I feel Excited to see them and be together.
I feel Safe because they care for me.
I Miss them when not around.
I Worry if they are sick or sad.

Actions of Love:

Respect
Obedience
Appreciation
Caring
Sharing
Helping....

These are a lot of actions, but don't worry we have an action plan to make sure we cover them all

"How to Love" action plan

1 Hands on

2 Eyes and mouth

3 Ears

4 When things go wrong

5 Hugs and kisses

We will discuss each step of the action plan

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Review with the children by asking them what they understand about the definition of love now that they've gone through the lesson. Ask them in what ways can they show love through actions on a daily basis? How can they show parents, grandparents, teachers, Sunday School teachers, Deacons, etc. love?

LIFE APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

Remind children that love looks like respect and obedience, especially when they believe they are correct, except when it comes to Christian principles and standards. Example -- Joe was reprimanded for talking in class by his teacher, even though it wasn't him this time and Joe feels that it's not fair How should he act towards his teacher?

Challenge the children to obey their elders this week.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Option 1

Have students come up with ways to show love and respect to elders and list them on the board.

Examples: Let others get food first at a party, say "yes, Mom/Dad", use manners, give up your chair for an adult, give eye contact when listening/speaking, be sincere/show empathy, open door for others, don't interrupt, respect differences, obey people in authority, listen when someone speaks.

Option 2

Make Scenario Cards out of these questions. Do some together as a class.

Your grandmother is walking too slowly and you are getting annoyed. What do you do?
Your father asked you to set the table, but you are in the middle of a game. What do you do?
Your mother blames you for your baby sister's mess. What do you do?
Your teacher punishes the whole class because one person was breaking the rules. What do you do?
The head deacon keeps repeating a specific instruction even though you already know how it's done. What do you do?

Give every 2 or 3 children a slip of paper with one of the examples they came up with. Have them take turns role playing love and respect towards parents and elders. Make it fun and relaxed and give authentic scenarios. Provide props like fake glasses, apron, purse, cane...

Alternate: See attachment below.

SERVANT RESOURCES

Download digital poster: Learning to OBEY

See attached PowerPoint

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Have your children practice good manners and good listening skills at home. Be consistent this week with expectations. We did some role play together to practice. Caring for the elderly in our community is a challenge that we all face. As loved ones get older, they may need support and a lot of patience. Help your children understand that seniors may lose physical and mental capacities, but they are still valued and have a lot to offer. Model respect for elders for your children. They will respect their elders as they appreciate them. Respecting elders could be in the form of respecting and listening to their teachers even if they believe their teacher is wrong or not justified. Help them to fight the urge to say "It's Not Fair"

Memorization: "Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth." Ephesians 6: 2-3