Art Special Jesus is the Light of the World Adapted from Sunday School Specials 3 by Lois Keffer Rotation: Messiah Bible Reference: John 1:1-9, Isaiah 9:1-2, 6 Objective: Children will create crafts to remind them that Jesus is the light of the world. Materials needed for Arrival activity: Scratch-Art Scratch-Lite "Stained Glass" Sheets, ½ sheet per child White copier paper for work space One wooden stylus per child

Arrival Activity: Scratch-Art Window Sun catcher 1. Place Scratch-Art paper on top of white copier paper. Use a wooden stylus to create a sun catcher using words and pictures. 2. Suggest candles, flames, stars, etc. for the idea of “light”. 3. Incorporate the words Jesus is the Light of the World into the art work. 4. Students should put their initials in a corner to identify their art.

Gathering Time for prayer and Bible study Opening Ritual materials needed: Bible Seasonal cloth Glass bowl Water pitcher containing about ½ cup of water Battery powered Pillar candle Wicker basket for offering List of children in attendance for the Shepherd 1. Gather the children together on the rug. Place seasonal cloth on rug and place the empty glass bowl on center of the cloth. Place water pitcher beside empty bowl. 2. Hold the Bible and say: 3. “Come; let us celebrate the story of God’s never ending love”. Put the Bible down. 4. “Let us remember (pour the water into the bowl) the love God poured out over all creation and us”. 5. “Let us remember (turn on the switch for the candle) the light of God’s love that Jesus brought into the world.” “God’s light shines out for you and me. God’s light shines out for all to see. “

Sharing our Prayers Ask for prayer requests and note them by name. Use sign in sheet to pray for each child by name, then follow with this prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for this day and the opportunity to be together to hear your word for us. Thank you for bringing… (read class list). As we continue to celebrate the birth of your son, Jesus, let us rejoice that your Light has come into the world. Help us to shine with your love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Offering (Children will have placed their offering in the basket as they arrived. Bring the basket to the circle and thank the children for their offering—for helping, sharing and caring. Then bless the offering with a prayer of thanksgiving like the following.) Always Loving God, For hands and feet, and head and heart Thank you God For family and friends, and enough to eat Thank you God For Jesus, my church, and the world all around Thank you God For all I can be and do Thank you God By helping, sharing and caring, I say… Thank you God

Children may sing the doxology afterward: Praise Praise Praise Praise Amen

God from whom all blessings flow him all creatures here below him above all ye heavenly hosts Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Setting the Stage

Materials needed: Clipboard and paper for each adult Pencils Blindfold for each adult Story bag to hold blindfolds Bible for teacher marked at Isaiah 9:6 Say: Have you ever tried to draw a self-portrait of yourself? How did you do this? Wait for responses. Ask at least 3 adults to sit at the farthest away table. Will you go sit at that table in the corner, please? Give them the clipboards and paper. I’d like you to try and draw a quick self-portrait of yourself. Wait until I tell you to start. Here’s your pencil. Write your initials in tiny letters in the corner and turn your paper over. Pause for 1 or 2 seconds. OH! WAIT! That would be too easy. Let me add this. Take out blindfolds and blindfold the adults. NOW you can draw your picture. I’ll set the timer for about 30 seconds. GO! Wait 30 seconds. Time’s up! Collect the papers. Let’s give them a round of applause for helping! Applause. Let’s see if we recognize who they are by looking at their pictures. Hold up papers and guess. Why is it hard to recognize these portraits? Allow for responses. If you had never met Mrs. _____ or Mrs. ______ or Mr. _______, could you figure out who’s who from these pictures? Why or why not? Allow for responses. These portraits aren’t too helpful: they leave us in the dark. After all, they were drawn in the dark. There was a time long ago when people felt “in the dark” about God. But God didn’t keep his people in the dark.

Open your Bible to read to the students. Listen to the promise that God spoke through the prophet Isaiah: “Those who have walked in darkness have seen a great light… A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.” Who is this light that God sent into the world? Jesus. Let’s listen to how God took the world from darkness to light.

Bible Story: From Darkness to Light Materials needed:

Dark fabric to cover teacher’s head and shoulders Battery-powered candle from Opening Ritual Real pillar candle and matches for teacher Another adult to turn overhead lights on and off

Children should be seated in a semi-circle in front of the teacher. Tell the children that at one point in the story they will be passing the battery-powered candle around the circle to each other. Sit down and cover your head, face and shoulders with the fabric. Long ago, before God created the world, there was nothing…but darkness. Then God said… throw off black fabric but keep it within reach… “Let there be light!” And God began creating the beautiful world. God filled the world with wonderful things- beaches and birds, tigers and trees, marshes and mountains, lakes and snakes, whales and snails, dogs, and frogs and polliwogs! And last of all, God created…stand up…people! Walk around. God made Adam and put him in a beautiful garden. But God saw that Adam needed a friend… Sit by a student. …so God created Eve. God and Adam and Eve enjoyed being together in the garden. But one day, Eve disobeyed God and ate fruit from a special tree. Suddenly…Adam and Eve wanted to hide from God. Look scared. Teacher returns to original spot, sits down and wraps self in fabric,leaving face slightly exposed.

Adam and Eve’s sin made God sad. God told them to leave the beautiful garden where they lived. Then another terrible thing happened: One of Adam’s sons killed his brother. Punch fists together. Soon sin and darkness were all over the world. Most people didn’t love God. Turn off overhead lights. Bow your head and wrap your arms around your knees. People became selfish and wicked and mean. Turn your back and pound your fist on the floor three times. Sometimes God would send special people into the world to teach about his love. Turn back around to face students. The people would listen. Raise your head and fold hands in prayer. They would ask God to forgive them for the wrong things they had done. And, for a little while, God’s light (turn on overhead lights) would shine. Drop fabric to your shoulders. But… most people kept on sinning. Turn off overhead lights. Cover up with fabric again. God was sad because he wanted everyone to live in the light of his love. Then one day God decided to send into the world a light that would never go out. Throw off fabric. Place the pillar candle out in front of you and light it. Turn on battery-powered candle and hand it to the student next to you. Indicate that the candle is to be passed to the next student. That Light was God’s Son, Jesus. Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby. He was born in a stable and placed in a bed of hay. He grew up and ate and slept and studied and worked. Jesus showed us what God is like. Take back battery-powered candle. Jesus taught us that God loves us and wants us to love each other

Jesus said that our sin separates us from God… Blow out candle and turn off overhead lights. …but we can ask God to forgive us. And God will take the sin from our hearts And put love there instead. Light candle again and turn on overhead lights. Jesus taught us to pass God’s love on to others. Pass around battery-powered candle until it returns to the teacher. And Jesus taught that someday we’ll live together in heaven where the light from God’s face is the only light we’ll need. I wonder… how is this Christmas story different from other Christmas stories you’ve heard? Allow for responses. I wonder how not knowing Jesus is like being in the dark? Allow for responses. I wonder… how does Jesus bring light into our lives? Allow for responses. We’re going to make something special that will remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World.

Art Activity: Tin Luminaria Materials needed:

heavy disposable aluminum lids cut into 4” x 10” pieces Thick magazines, one per child Painter’s masking tape Roofing nails, one per child 8-inch length of 1”x 2” wooden strips for use as “hammers” Votive tea candles/ one per child Staplers

Lesson Plan: 1. The children will be punching the word JESUS into the tin. The letters will be punched into the tin with a nail. The piece of tin is then rolled and stapled together. 2. Before class meets, take time to print the letters JESUS onto each piece of tin. Form the letters by making dots with a black Sharpie marker. 3. Place the tin piece on the magazine. Use a couple pieces of masking tape to hold it in place. 4. Using the roofing nail and "hammer", follow the dots and punch holes into the tin.

6. Roll the tin around an empty orange juice can to shape it correctly. Staple together. 8. At home, the luminaria and a candle can be placed on a glass plate. Light the candle.