GATHERING
1. As We Gather: As learners gather, direct them to the coloring table. They can color any one of three “love” coloring sheets (colored pencils and coloring sheets provided). I found the ones pictured below here: https://www.housemixblog.com/2017/05/22/11-bible-verses-to-teach-kids-with-printables/
LARGE GROUP
2. Opening Prayer: (Lead repeat-after-me style. You can ask one of the confirmation youth to do this.)
Dear God,
we thank you
for loving us
all the way
no matter what.
Help us to learn
about your love today.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen.
3. Song: (Love Will Never Fail by KidSpring: https://youtu.be/KS5or9cSLnE)
Play the video of the song with motions and ask the learners to sing and move along. It is a short song, so you might want to try it two or three times.
4. Explain how the day will work and divide students: Jesus talks about love all the time, and February is the perfect month to celebrate the Love of God! We are going to split into small groups and explore God’s love at 5 learning stations today.
(Divide the group into small groups of three or four, depending on how many you have. I usually have all of the students line up from youngest to oldest. Then, I find the center of the line and break it in half, leading the second line parallel to the first line so that they youngest is paired with someone in the middle grades, and the middle grades are paired with confirmation students. After making sure that all of the pairs can get along, I put two pairs together, forming a foursome. Send each foursome to a different station; they will get to visit all of them by the end.)
LEARNING STATIONS
1. Love Your Enemies: Matthew 5:38-48
Read: Read this story in the Spark Story Bible, page 242.
Answer: Answer these questions as a small group:
- When is it easy to love someone?
- When is it hard to love some?
- Tell a story about a time when you found it hard to love someone.
Do: Use the large heart punch and strips of paper to make 3 hearts for each person in your group. (Please help those who are not able to read/write well)
- On one heart, write the name of someone who you love.
- On the second heart, write the name of someone who loves you.
- On the third heart, write the name of someone who you find hard to love.
Pray: Have each person hold their three hearts in their hands. Pray this pray repeat-after me prayer (choose one member of your group to lead):
Dear Jesus,
We thank you
for the people we love
the people who love us
and even for the people we find hard to love.
Open our hearts to love you
one another,
and ourselves.
In your name we pray, Amen.
Use the push pins to attach your hearts to the bulletin board before you move on to the next station.
(Bonus Activity: Work on your coloring sheets from the beginning.)
2. Four Friends: Luke 5:17-26
Read: Read this story in the Spark Story Bible, page 288.
Answer: Answer these questions as a small group:
- In what ways do you help your friends?
- In what ways do your friends help you?
- Tell a story about a time when you helped a friend.
Do: The four friends worked together to make sure that their friend got all of the help that they needed. That’s love! Work together to complete the following task:
- Lay a beach blanket flat on the floor. Have everyone in the group stand with both feet on the blanket. Now, the group must work together to flip the blanket without anyone touching any of the surrounding floor with any part of their body. Make sure to communicate kindly and to act safely.
Pray: Pray this pray repeat-after me prayer (choose one member of your group to lead):
Dear Jesus,
We thank you for our friends.
Open our hearts
that we may learn to be
loving friends.
In your name we pray, Amen.
(Bonus Activity: Make a Valentine for a friend using the materials provided.)
3. Lost Sheep & Lost Coin: Luke 15:1-10
Read: Read this story in the Spark Story Bible, page 312.
Answer: Answer these questions as a small group:
- If it was lost, what would you search for until it was found, no matter what?
- What does it feel like to know that God will always search for you?
- Tell a story about a time when you lost something, or found something that you had lost.
Do: (Activity suggested by Spark Story Bible Devotions for Kids, page 153.)
- Take turns playing “Hide and Sheep.” Let one person hide the small sheep. The other learners get to ask the person who hid the sheep 10 yes or no questions to try to find it. When you find the sheep, celebrate! and then let someone else take a turn.
Pray: Pray this pray repeat-after me prayer (choose one member of your group to lead):
Dear Jesus,
We thank you
that you never give up
when we are lost.
Help us to call on you
when we are in need.
In your name we pray, Amen.
(Bonus Activity: Use the rice bottles to pray and find the hidden coin.)
4. Love Is… 1st Corinthians 13:4-7
Read: Read this story in the Spark Story Bible, page 432.
Answer: Answer these questions as a small group:
- How do you show love to others?
- How do you know that someone else loves you?
- How does God show love to us?
Do: Love Is…Folding Stick Craft from https://www.daniellesplace.com/html/bible-crafts-love-page-2.html
(I paid $2 for her template, and then printed it out at 70% to fit small popsicle sticks)
Materials per learner:
9 popsicle sticks
8 strips of tape
1 glue stick
1 copy of the “Love is Patient” resource
1 pair of scissors
Instructions:
1. Using the strips of tape lengthwise, tape the popsicle sticks together in pairs, with one left over.
2. Flip the pairs of sticks over so that the tape side is facing down. Use the other four strips to tape the pairs of sticks together, starting with taping the single stick to a pair. Make sure that you taped them in the right order by trying to accordion fold them.
3. Cut the “Love is Patient” resource apart, as indicated by the example.
4. Use the glue stick to glue the strips to the sticks in the order indicated. Flip and do the other side.
5. Decorate with colored pencils, and make sure to write your name on it! Accordion fold the sticks and tie with a piece of ribbon.
Pray: Pray this pray repeat-after me prayer (choose one member of your group to lead):
Dear Jesus,
Your love is patient and kind,
Your love rejoices in the truth,
Your love protects and trusts,
Your love hopes and perseveres.
Help our love be more like your love.
In your name we pray, Amen.
5. God’s Love: Psalm 108
Read: Read this Psalm in the Spark Psalm Book, page 22.
Answer: Answer these questions as a small group:
- What is the biggest thing you can think of? God’s love is bigger!
- What is the longest thing you can think of? God’s love stretches longer!
- What is the deepest thing you can think of? God’s love goes deeper!
Pray: Pray this pray repeat-after me prayer before you eat (choose one member of your group to lead):
Come, Lord Jesus,
be our guest,
and let these gifts to us be blessed.
Give us this day our daily bread,
use us, so that your love will spread.
Amen.
Do: Decorate frosted cupcakes or cookies with sprinkles. Eat them!
Before you leave this station, take a small heart-shaped marble. Put it in a pocket of your clothes, bookbag, or coat so that you can remember that you take God’s love with you, wherever you go!
SENDING
Repeat the Song: (Love Will Never Fail by KidSpring: https://youtu.be/KS5or9cSLnE)
Play the video of the song with motions and ask the learners to sing and move along. It is a short song, so you might want to try it two or three times.
Family God Time 