Scripture: Acts 10:1-11:30
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn God wants everyone in the world to become a Christian.
- Students will learn we are to share our faith with everyone – even if they are people we don’t particularly like.
- Students will learn early Christians helped Christians in other parts of the world when there were disasters like famine.
- Students will participate in a service project that serves those in the military all around the world.
Guiding Question: How can we share God and serve those all over the world?
Materials: Mailing packages, stamps, items for packages that will not melt or spoil, paper, pencils, markers, crayons
Procedure: Review the story of Cornelius from the scriptures above. Explain that we can help those around the world just as the early Christians helped Christians who lived in different places around the world. Discuss with the students who are some people that they can serve around the world without leaving their community. Explain to the students that soldiers serve all round the world and often need encouragement and support. Ask the students how they would like to be served if they were in a soldier’s shoes and how they could show soldiers God’s love.
Introduce the service project. Tell the students that they are going to make care packages for those in the military that are all over the world. Prior to the lesson, reach out to members of your congregation for the addresses of family or friends they know that are in the military. Have the items chosen for the care packages laid out and have the students assemble care packages. With each care package, the students should make a card encouraging the soldiers and telling them that God loves them.
Additional Questions: How can the students develop a relationship with those in the military in order to have more opportunities to share God with them?
Supplemental Activity: Work with members of your congregation that have family or friends in the military to set up that person with a student in order for them to become pen pals.