You can use this as a children’s moment or an introduction to the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel in the temple

This idea is part of a complete Sunday School lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas. 

What do you need: 

- an old fashioned rotary telephone
- a modern mobile Phone

What do you do: 

A fun game to help the children think about being one, but also being different

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:2 that we have fellowship with and through the Spirit and urges us to be one in mind and spirit. What does it mean to be one? Does it mean that we should all be the same? Or is it actually a good thing that we’re different?

This is fun game on Philippians 2: 1 - 11 about being an unity together while still being all different. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

What do you need:

- a large play parachute

What do you do:

Tell:
In a few minutes we are going to play a fun game together. This game is all about being one and at the same time being completely different.

Ask:
- How can we be one and at the same time be completely different?
- Can you give an example? (like a sports team)
- Why is it important to be one in a sport team? (same goal / same objective / working together / using each other's different strengths)

Tell:
Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are one. They belong together. 

Ask:
- If the church in Philippi would be like a sports team - what would be their goal and their objective?
- If we are like a sports team - what would be our goal and our objective?
- How can we work together to reach that goal?
- Which unique strengths and gifts do we need?

Do:
Put the children in a large circle and get them to all hold on to a large parachute. Practise raising and lowering the parachute together.

Raise the parachute and call out a word, for example ‘boys’. Now all the boys have to run underneath the parachute to the other side.

Try to think of some things that only apply to one or two children, and others that apply to the whole group. Try to think of different gifts, strengths and talents.

Tell:
We can be very different to each other in some things and alike in others, but whether we’re alike or different, we can form one body, just as we are all holding the parachute. 

Such an easy, but powerful object lesson

This is a simple object lesson which uses a big pencil to discuss five of the beautiful aspects of living life with God. It will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, VBS, kidmin, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this following themes: outside / inside, God’s leadership, God’s correcting presence in our lives, forgiveness, bearing fruit.  

What do you need:

- a big pencil

What do you do:

There are a lot of things a pencil can teach you. You will need a large pencil.

1. There is a hand that directs the pencil:
   Just as a pencil, we only are able to create the most beautiful things when directed by someone’s hand, Gods hand. Thankfully, God wants nothing more but to hold us and lead us.
   
   
2. A pencil needs to be sharpened:
   God wants to sharpen us. With his Spirit he wants to work in our life and shape us more and more into his image.
   
   
3. A pencil trace can be erased:
   When we make a mistake and do things we regret, we can ask God to forgive us and he will erase all our sins.
   
   
4. A pencil is all about the inside:
   There is black lead inside the pencil. In the Bible (1 Samuel 16:7) there is a text that states that where people look at outward appearance, God looks at the core, the heart. He knows that our real purpose and talent lies on the inside, just like a pencil.
   
   
5. A pencil leaves a trace:
   If we lay our lives in Gods hand, our life will leave an incredible trace. Through us, God can create the most beautiful picture of himself.

        Source: Paolo Coelha (2009) Like a river. Amsterdam Singel Pockets.

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