I am special to God
Greeting: Welcome each child as they come in the door. Make sure they have nametags, and the parent has signed them in on the sheet.
Opening: Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Sing song “I am Special”
Development:
Scripture: Sing joyful songs to God. Serve God with gladness! God has made us. We belong to God’s family. Let us give praise and thanks to God. For God is good and God’s love is forever. (Cf. Ps 100:1-5)
Saint: Holy Scripture speaks of angels as ministers of God in human affairs. St. Michael defends the honor of God against Satan. St. Gabriel announced to Mary the coming of Jesus. St. Raphael guided Tobias on his journey and brought healing to Tobit, his blind father.
As servants of God, the angels are instruments of God’s hidden providence. They preserve us form harm, give God’s wisdom and strength to humanity, and accompany us on our journey through life.
Story: Daniel in the Lions’ Den/ Story
Activity: Activity sheets, dot to dot activity, asking questions related to baptism.
Song: Jesus loves me/ Jesus loves the little children (sign language optional)
Exercise: Tossing the balloon to each child and as the balloon falls to the child they say their name. If you like you can have them say the name of the child they intend to throw the balloon.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you/ for making me a member of your big family/ and giving me Jesus/ as a special friend/ Having tow families is really great! Amen
Bible Verse: Thank you God/ Give us this day our daily bread (sign language optional)
Blessing: May the love of the Lord be in your hearts, and in your words and deeds throughout the week.
Dismissal: Please remember to help the children gather all their belongs, and make sure their parent signs them out.
Light, Water, and Plants
Greeting: Welcome each child as they come in the door. Make sure they have nametags, and the parent has signed them in on the sheet.
Opening: Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Sing song “I am Special”
Development:
Scripture: God is good. Let us give thanks!
Saint: Isadore was born in Madrid, Spain, in the twelfth century. He was a farmer on the land of a certain wealthy nobleman of Madrid. He never missed a daily Mass. The neighbors accused him, to his employer, of neglecting his work in order to hear Mass, but Isadore replied, “I know Sir, that I am your servant, but I have another Master as well, to whom I owe service and obedience.”
The employer went to the farm one morning ver early. When he found that Isidore did not begin his work until a later hour, he went toward him to scold him. But he was surprised to find two strangers, each with a team of white oxen, ploughing, one on each side of Isidore. When he approached the tow disappeared. He asked Isidore who the two men were, but Isadore said he ask no help of anyone but God each morning at Mass.
Story: The Story of Creation/ A surprise for Peter
Activity: Activity sheets, Ask the children if they know any of the flowers that grow in their gardens, and then show them some of the species of flowers that grow in our area. You can bring real flowers or even a book of species. If you happen to have better homes and garden magazines or any other sort you may want the children to make a collage. The children can comb through flower magazines cut and paste a picture of flowers.
Song: Jesus loves me/ Jesus loves the little children (Sign language optional)
Exercise: Head, shoulders, knees, and toes. (Foreign language optional)
Prayer: For this new morning and it light / For rest and shelter of the night/ For health and food/ For love, family, and friends/ For every gift Your goodness sends/ We thank you our Heavenly Father. Amen
Bible Verse: Thank you God/ Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) (Sign language optional)
Blessing: May the love of the Lord be in your hearts, and in your words and deeds throughout the week.
Dismissal: Please remember to help the children gather all their belongs, and make sure their parent signs them out.
Fish, Birds, and Animals
Greeting: Greet each child as they come in the door. Make sure they have name tags, and the parent has signed them on the sheet.
Opening: Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Sing song “I am Special”
Development:
Scripture: In the beginning of the world, God made all kinds of animals. God was very happy about the animals. God blessed then and loved them. God saw how good they were. (Cf. Gn 1:1, 20-25)
Saint: Francis. He loved animals. Once when he was praying the devil sent out some mice to disrupt his thoughts, and prayers. God saw what the devil had done, and sent cats to help Saint Francis concentrate on praying.
Story: The story of creation (The children’s Bible stories pg. 10)
Activity: Animal activities and mask of cat.
Song: He’s got the whole world in his hands. (Sign language optional)
Bible Verse: Sing praise to the Lord
Exercise: Dramatize animals hop like a bunny, crawl like a turtle, fly like a bird, buzz like a bee, and waddle like a duck
Prayer: Hurt no Living Thing
Hurt no living thing; ladybird, nor butterfly, nor moth with dusty wing, Nor cricket chirping cheerily, nor grasshopper so light of leap, Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat, nor harmless worm that creep. Christina Rossetti
Bible Verse: A friend loves at all times (proverbs 17:17) (sign language optional)
Blessing: Praise be to you, O God, for all the animals you made. Bless these children as they learn more about your animals, especially how to be kind and how to care for them. Amen
Dismissal: Please help all the children with their belongings, and make sure the parent signs them out.
All Saints Day
Greeting: Greet each child as they come in the door. Make sure they have nametags, and the parent ahs signed them on the sheet.
Opening: Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Sing song “I am Special”
Development:
Scripture: Many years ago in the early years of our church, friends of Jesus wrote down many of the wonderful things Jesus had talked about. One of Jesus' best friends, St. John, wrote these words about what Jesus taught.
Dear Friends, let us love one another... People who are loving and kind show that they are God's childern. (Cf. 1 Jn 4:7)
Saint: St. Francis of Assisi As a young man, Francis was wealthy and enjoyed the pleaseures that life offered him. Once he became gravely ill, and felt as though he was being called as Jesus was called. Francis answered his call, and went out to hospitals to visit the sick. Francis once said “ When people serve the poor they are serving Christ himself.
Soon Francis was imitating the life of Christ more so by dressing like the poor, and preaching to people about peace and unity. “All the things God created are like our sisters and brothers” It is known that St. Francis addressed the sun, moon, stars and animals as his sisters and brothers.
Story:The Hidden Life of Jesus (pg 111)
Activity: There are the activity sheets to color, and fold.
Song: Jesus loves me. (Sign language optional)
Exercise: Head, shoulders, knees, and toes (foreign languages optional)
Prayer: My Body, Strong and Good
I have two eyes that wink and blink, I have a mind to make me think, I have tow hands that clap for fun, I have two feet that jump and run, I have two ears to hear a song, Two lips to praise Him all day long, I have a body strong and good, To use for Jesus as I should.
Bible Verse: Thank you God. (Sign language optional)
Blessing: May God be praised and bless you, as you bend and stretch each day. God loves you and gave you a wonderful body.
Dismissal: