my worship book - circlecircle.adventist.org/download/myworshipbook.pdf · 2014-12-23 · helpful...

MY WORSHIP BOOK A Resource to Deepen a Child’s Worship Experience & Equip Children to Lead out in Family Worship

Esther J. Martinez Summer 2014

Grade Level(s): 1-4

Content Area(s): Bible

Description/Abstract of Lesson/Unit: This is a Worship Book that students compile while

learning about the components of Biblical worship as presented in the lower grade Bible

curriculum, Cycle 4, Following His Way, Unit 6.

Key Concept/Enduring Understanding:

Understanding God through Bible study (gr. 1)

Bible lessons in daily life (gr. 2)

Daily Scripture study (gr. 3)

Developing a Christ-like character (gr. 4)

And many others

Essential/Guiding Question: How do we worship God in a way that honors Him?

Standards Addressed: See above.

Specific Learning Outcomes:

Head: Students will know several components of Biblical worship.

Heart: Students will feel the Holy Spirit working in their hearts as they worship God.

Hand: Students will develop tools to share what they have learned with their families.

Assessment of Outcomes: I have used this in a whole-class setting, and have not formally

assessed the Worship Book. Formal assessment doesn’t really fit with the purpose of this

resource. I do usually use the Unit Test from the textbook in my third & fourth grade classroom

to assess retention of the material presented from the textbook.

Time Requirements for Unit: There are 8 components of worship presented, and I would

recommend that they be done one section every two days, or two sections per week. I personally

take five weeks to cover the unit (Following His Way Lessons 38-45) and to complete the

Worship Book, but it could be done in four weeks. Note: If you usually use the Activity Book

along with the other components of the Bible curriculum, you may find that it is difficult to

complete both the Worship Book and the Activity Book.

Preparation Time: The teacher will need to make copies and choose a way to store them until the

book is completed by the students. At that time, the book should be bound so students can take it

home and not lose the pages. Ideas for binding:

A nice touch is to place a sheet of clear plastic, such as an overhead projector

transparency, on top or laminate their colored cover page.

A sheet of colored cardstock on the back adds a bit of stability to the book.

You may simply use a three-hole punch and yarn or a 3-prong folder, or you may have

access to a comb binding machine.

You could also take them to your favorite office store and have them spiral bound.

Class Time: 20-40 minutes four days per week.

Accommodations, Adaptations, & Extensions: You may decide not to use all of the pages I have

provided.

Required Materials:

Coloring materials (I recommend crayons or colored pencils because markers bleed

through to the back side of the page)

Copies of the Worship Book pages for each child (it is formatted for one-sided copies)

A way to bind the book when completed (the left margin is wider for versatile binding)

Optional Materials:

Pocket folder for each student to keep pages in during the unit

Magazine pictures and glue stick for Day 7

You will notice that some of the pages are in color. If you have access to a color printer, I

recommend printing those specific pages in color, while printing the others in black only,

to save on ink! If you cannot afford the color pages, then just print in greyscale.

Lesson Evaluation and Teacher Reflection: After you have taught the unit and students have

taken their Worship Books home, ask them periodically if they are having worship at home,

alone and/or as a family. Encourage them to continue this habit and grow in their relationship

with Jesus.

INTRODUCTION

As a Seventh-day Adventist teacher since 1996, I’ve taught primarily multi-grade and primarily

lower grades. I choose to work in the Adventist school system because I believe it’s a wonderful

place to make the biggest spiritual difference in the lives of students. So far in my career, I’ve

taught 10 years in the Nevada-Utah Conference, 2 years at Bangkok Adventist International

School in Thailand, and 6 years in the Georgia-Cumberland Conference.

I really enjoy making Bible & Worship the “special-est” part of the school day, and sometimes I

do this by combining my classroom worship theme with the current theme from the Bible

curriculum. I’m sure many Adventist teachers do the same, and I am happy to share this resource

with you.

I created this Worship Book because I wanted to have something my students could take home at

the end of the unit to help their families start or develop a meaningful family worship habit at

home – and even equip the children themselves to lead out at home. At the very least, students

have something that can help them structure a personal devotional time if their family isn’t able

to participate.

It is my prayer in sharing this resource with you that the Holy Spirit will touch hearts and lives

and prepare His precious children and their families for heaven.

TEACHER HELPS

I usually have Bible class four days a week, since we have whole-school chapel once a week.

Generally, I use one lesson from the Bible textbook to cover two days. Besides the materials in

the Worship Book, I also use the memory verses each week, and sometimes the Lesson Starter,

Discussion Questions, and Classroom Activities, at my discretion.

Based on Following His Way, Unit 6, I use the pages this way:

Cover Page/Day 1: Students color while I read Lesson 38, “Worship the Father in Spirit and

Truth.”

Pages 1 – 2: See Day 20 below.

Page 3/Day 3: Students color while I read Lesson 39, “Teach Us to Pray.”

Pages 4-6/Day 3 or 4: I like to encourage students to use these pages to write down prayer topics

or requests they want to remember. They could add in more (or blank) pages if desired, or

sometimes I suggest that their family designate a special notebook as a place to record prayer

requests and answers. (See pages 13-15 in the Worship Book for Thank-You pages.)

Page 7/Day 4: This page is a child-friendly paraphrase I wrote from a powerful passage on

prayer in Steps to Christ. I read and discuss it with my students.

Page 8/Day 4: This activity comes from the Teacher’s Edition. I have students simply “think”

their private answers, rather than sharing as a class. However, I believe it could be very

helpful to share answers in a family worship context, and I suggest that my students do this

activity at home with their families.

Page 9/Day 5: Students color while I read Lesson 40, “Know that I Am God.”

Pages 10-11/Day 5 or 6: Discuss the principles of reverence presented on these pages with the

students. I have found that I usually need to present them as ideals to work toward, since

many of our families today may find these to be new ideas. I encourage children to

prayerfully choose one bad habit at a time to eliminate, and they will find a new and special

meaning to worship, especially in God’s House. I also ask students to share their own ideas

for how to stay quiet and reverent during church services.

Page 12/Day 7: Students create a collage from magazine pictures of things they are thankful for.

They could draw pictures or even write a list if you’re not comfortable with the collage idea.

Depending on my class, I may assign them to do this while I am reading Lesson 41, “What

Do You Say?”, or else have them do this activity before or after I’ve read the lesson.

Pages 13-15/Day 8: These pages are for students to record their answers to prayer. See notes for

pages 4-6 above. Recording answers to prayer strengthens our faith and helps us remember to

be thankful!

Pages 16-17/Day 8: I read or tell the story about Corrie ten Boom and the fleas as found in the

Activity Book (pp. 190-191). As I read or tell the story, my students take notes so they can

remember the story to tell at home. Younger or artistic students can draw, and older students

can write down key phrases or ideas. If you don’t have access to the printed story, just do a

Google search for “story of Corrie ten Boom and the fleas”. You may want to read one of the

excerpts from The Hiding Place and then retell it to fit your particular audience.

Page 18/Day 9: Students color while I read Lesson 42, “Sing Praises.” Encourage them to use

bright colors!

/Day 9 or 10: I love teaching this song to my students, and have found it to be a fun song

for Special Music at church. I haven’t been able to track down the author; I learned it from a

cousin when I was in grade school. If you don’t know the tune and want to learn it, you can

do a Google search for “when I wake up in the morning and I lift up my head”, and several

links will come up to 3ABN transcripts where this song is sung. You can listen to the

broadcast and learn the tune that way.

Page 20/Day 10: Sing! Suggest that students list other songs they know and like. If they want to

add more titles than will fit, have them write on Post-It notes and stick it on top of the

category—it will fit perfectly. Kids love using Post-It notes! [Side note: I have found that

with some groups of students, I need to talk about happy vs. silly. Worship time is not the

time for silliness.]

Page 21/Day 10: This is an optional page. If you don’t have time to do it at school, encourage

children to plan to share it at home for a family worship or rainy Sabbath afternoon activity.

Page 22/Day 11: Students color while I read Lesson 43, “The Miracle of Giving.”

Pages 23-25/Day 11 and/or 12: Page 23 introduces several different aspects of giving. Pages 24-

25 focus on the monetary side, since some education is necessary understand how to obey

God’s command in this regard. I use these pages to introduce my students to the joy of giving

tithe and offering. Depending on the age of your students, you may take more or less time on

this. I often integrate it with a math lesson on fractions or decimals for third and fourth grade.

With first and second graders, use it to teach or review money concepts. I usually try to get

actual tithe envelopes from the church to use in the illustration on page 25. If you have

students who attend other Christian churches, encourage them to talk to their parents and/or

church leaders about how tithes and offerings are collected and used at their church.

Page 26/Day 13: Students color while I read Lesson 44, “Do This to Remember Me.” (I have

found that I have to explain the top line drawing to students, to help them see that it is a foot-

washing illustration of someone pouring water from a jug over a foot into a basin.)

Pages 27/Day 14: I use these pages to explore the deep spiritual meaning of a very special

worship service—the Communion service. (The TE suggests inviting the pastor or a deacon,

deaconess, or elder. I haven’t ever been able to make this happen, so created my own

resource.) Students in grades 1-2 may find this over their heads, but I still include it, hoping

that it will reach their families.

Page 28/Day 14: This is an optional page. If you don’t have time to do it at school, encourage

children to plan to use it at home for a family worship activity. I do not recommend that

students actually make communion bread at home or at school, but I share the recipe because

it helps them understand the symbolism of the ingredients. I like to point out that eating flour

or salt alone isn’t satisfying, but when combined with oil and water, it makes a tasty food.

Page 29/Day 15: Students color while I read Lesson 45, “Right with God.” Although the title of

the page, “God’s Word”, does not correlate with the lesson, I haven’t had students complain

or even notice the discrepancy!

Pages 30-31/Day 16: These pages contain more information on the value of Bible study and

Scripture memorization. I go over the principles with the students the day after reading the

lesson.

Page 32/Day 17: There is no lesson in the TE to go with this page, but I am very passionate

about introducing children to their Creator Friend through His natural works, so I have

included “God’s Works” as an important component of worship in this book. I read the

paraphrase on page 33 to them and talk about it while they color, or share a story/object

lesson or two from a devotional book such as James & Pricilla Tucker’s Nature Quest. My

students always love a good reason to use their clipboards, so if it’s practical, I like to take

them outside for this lesson!

Page 33/Day 17: This page presents a paraphrase from Ellen White about coming to know God

through nature.

Pages 34/Day 18: This page contains ideas for outdoor nature activities. One year, I took my

class on a weekend campout, and we completed several of these activities on Sabbath! You

may simply include a nature-worship activity at school. It is ideal to do this more than just

once a year, though!

Day 19: With my current teaching assignment of third and fourth grade, I assign the Unit Test

from the back of the TE after orally reviewing with my students.

Day 20: I add in pages 1 and 2, and then bind the book. (See “Preparation Time” above for

binding tips.) When presenting the finished, bound book to the students to take home, I like

to discuss with my students the ideas for personal worship on page 2, and also send a letter to

parents explaining the Worship Book and encouraging them to use it as a resource for family

worships.

MY CONTACT INFORMATION

Please contact me by email at [email protected] or [email protected]. I would love to

hear how this Worship Book has blessed your students and their families. If you find any typos

or other errors, I’d like to know so I can fix them! Thank you and God bless you and the children

you minister to.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

My Worship Book was created and compiled by Esther J. Martinez. Please feel free to share this product

with others who will use it to bless children and families. Please do not resell it for profit. God bless.

My Name: ______________________________

Date: _____________________

My Worship Book – Page 1

Information about this Worship Book

The information contained in this book was compiled by Mrs. Esther J. Martinez, who was then grades 1-4 teacher at Deamude Adventist School in Ogden, Utah, and is currently 3rd & 4th grade teacher at Savannah Adventist Christian School in Pooler, Georgia. It is my sincere hope that each child, and each family, will be able to put into practice some or all of the principles of worship we have learned at school.

“It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God.

Serve only him!’” Matthew 4:10

Worship alone.

Worship as a family.

Worship at church.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.’

This is the first and most important command.

And the second command is like the first:

‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37, 38

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, coloring pictures downloaded from sites claiming to have public-domain artwork.


Tips on How to Have Worship

Throughout this Worship Book, you will find ideas and activities, as well as illustrations and advice, on the eight basic parts of worship. You can have your own personal worship time, as well as family worship, school worship, and worship at church. This page is especially meant to help you start, or encourage you to continue, your own personal quiet time with Jesus. Some people call it “TAG time”—Time Alone with God. It doesn’t really matter what you call it; what matters is that you do it! Choose a time. 5 to 15 minutes is probably enough (more or less depending on your age). First thing in the morning is a good time (evening may work better for you). Make sure your mind is awake at the time you choose. Fit it into your family’s schedule. Ask others to protect your special time and let you be quiet.

Then choose a place.

Somewhere quiet and comfortable. Your bedroom may be the best place, but probably not in bed. In nice weather, an outdoor place might be special. Be sure your parents know where you are so they won’t worry.

And choose what you will do. Always begin with prayer, asking Jesus to help you understand two things:

What He wants to show you about Himself. What He wants you to do about what you learn.

You might want to sing a song (or you might not want to). Include some study of God’s Word. (See some suggestions below.) Always end with prayer.

Thank and praise God for His blessings. Tell Him you are sorry for your sins and ask Him to forgive you. Invite Him into your heart and ask Him to help you be like Jesus. Tell Him about things you need and want.

Bible study suggestions: You may choose to read directly from the Bible (start with something from the New Testament, like the book of Mark), or you may have a devotional book or a Bible storybook that you read from. Make sure the book you are reading is something that will help you become a better person. Remember that it should be true. If you read a Bible storybook, compare it with the actual Bible story to make sure that the person who wrote the storybook knew the real Bible story. This is also a good time to work on your memory work. (See the section on God’s Word for tips on how to memorize.) Finally, remember to always start and end your day by talking to Jesus. So if you have your personal worship time in the morning, be sure to pray before you go to bed, too. If your worship time is in the evening, remember to pray in the morning when you get up. “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.” (Author unknown)


“Never stop praying.” I Thessalonians 5:17


My Prayer Pages


Some Important Things to Remember about Prayer

Paraphrased from Steps to Christ 70, 93, 98-99

Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as totally Yours. I give You all my plans. Use me

today in Your service. Live in my heart, and let everything I do be according to Your will for my life.”

This is something you must do every day. Every morning, give yourself to God for that day.

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. It is not necessary in order to let God know what kind of person we are, but in order to make us

able to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.

We should pray in the family circle, and above all we must not neglect secret prayer, for this is the life of the soul. Pray privately, and also as you go about your

daily work. There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to God. In the crowds of the street, in the middle of business [or

school], we may send up a petition to God and ask for divine guidance. We should have the door of the heart

open continually and our invitation going up that Jesus may come and live in our hearts.


A Prayerful Worship Activity Based on the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13

(to be done alone or as a family)

The following questions have private answers. As you read each question, pause to think of your own personal answers in your mind. (If you do this for family worship, you might decide beforehand to share your answers and discuss them.) Ask Jesus to

show you what He wants, not just what other people have told you they think He wants. This is hard, but His Spirit will direct your thoughts when you ask Him to.

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

What can I do to honor God’s name today?

Thy kingdom come,

How can I show God’s kingdom of grace to others today?

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does God want me to do?

Give us this day our daily bread.

What do I most need help with?

What am I most worried about?

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Whom do I need to forgive?

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

What temptation do I need to be protected from today?

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

The questions are taken from Following His Way teacher’s edition.


“We should worship God in a way that pleases him. So let us worship him with respect and fear.” Hebrews 12:28

Images on this page © Copyright 2003-2014, MormonShare, LLC. Used by permission.


My List of Manners 1. Participate in worship activities, including Scripture

readings, songs, and prayers.

2. Sit quietly during worship services. Use good posture.

3. Use a quiet voice in Sabbath School, and whisper (only when

necessary) during Worship services.

4. Walk quietly in the church. (Remember that it is God’s holy

house.)

5. Save bathroom and drinking fountain trips, food and gum

for before and after services.

6. Care for church property, including books and furniture.

7. Dress appropriately. (Special church clothes help us

remember that we are in the presence of the King of the

Universe.)

Here are some suggestions for what to do during the sermon:

Older kids: Look up Scripture references the pastor or speaker gives. Write down texts, key thoughts, and/or principles spoken about. Keep track of key words (make a tally mark each time the word is mentioned). Younger kids: Keep your hands busy with Bible or nature-related activities while your ears are listening. Puzzles, coloring pictures, re-usable stickers, and felt quiet books are some ideas.

God says, “Be quiet and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10


Here is something to think about: (maybe on Friday night or Sabbath morning while preparing to go to church)

Remember that reverent thoughts and actions are pleasing to God.

When [we] enter the Lord’s house it should be with

hearts that are softened and subdued by such thoughts

as these: “God is here; this is His house. I must have

pure thoughts and the holiest motives. I must have no

pride, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, hatred, or deception

in my heart, for I am coming into the presence of the

holy God. This is the place where God meets with and

blesses His people. The high and holy One who inhabits

eternity looks upon me, searches my heart, and reads

the most secret thoughts and acts of my life.”

--Ellen G. White (5 T 494)

“Humility and reverence should characterize the actions of all who come into the presence of God. In the name of Jesus we may come before

Him with confidence, but we must not approach Him with the boldness of presumption, as though He were on a level with ourselves. Some people talk to our great, all-powerful and holy God, who lives in the brightest

light, as they would address an equal, or even someone inferior to themselves. Some people behave in His house in ways they would not dare to do in the presence of an earthly ruler. These people should

remember that they are in the sight of Him who is worshiped by angels, and that those angels cover their faces before Him.

God is to be greatly reverenced.” Paraphrased from Patriarchs and Prophets 252


“Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18


My Answered-Prayer Pages Thank You, Jesus!


Give Thanks at All Times “Corrie, Betsie, and the Fleas”

Main characters: Setting:

Beginning:

Middle:


Here are some questions to think or talk about after hearing the story:

1. What does the apostle Paul say about giving thanks? (Read First Thessalonians 5:17, 18.)

2. How do you know that Betsy knew those verses? 3. What happened after Betsy began thanking God for the fleas? 4. Do good things always happen when we give thanks? 5. What do you do when difficult things happen? 6. Do you have things for which you have forgotten to thank Jesus?

Why don’t you thank Him now? Write a letter of thanks to God for all He does for you.

Dear Jesus, __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Love, _________________________

End:


“Serve the Lord with joy. Come before him with singing.” Psalm 100:2


“I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.”

Psalm 104:33

Here’s a fun song to use as a praise/prayer song when you first get up. Unfortunately, I don’t know the author’s name, and I don’t have the written music for it, but it is a wonderful, cheerful song to use for praising God in the morning. (If you look on the Internet, you may be able to find a recording from a 3ABN Kid’s Time broadcast, so you can learn the tune.)

Good Morning, Lord!

When I wake up in the morning And I lift up my head, I sing, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!” When I roll right out of bed And my feet hit the floor, I sing, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!” Chorus: Good morning, Lord! I love You. I just wanted you to know. Here’s my heart, my life, my will, my self, I give it all to you. Take my life and use it;

Guide my feet along the way. May Your words my mind renew, Your spirit fill me I pray.

When I see the morning sunlight And I breathe in fresh air, I sing, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!” When I spend time in God’s word, Talk to Jesus in prayer, I sing, “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!” (repeat chorus)


A List of Worship Songs

Songs that are prayers or are especially reverent

The Lord’s Prayer Into My Heart Father, I Adore You God Is So Good

__________________

__________________

Songs of praise and thanksgiving

The Doxology

It’s a Great Day to Praise the Lord

__________________

__________________

Songs that reflect a spirit of giving and sharing

This Little Light of Mine

Give Him Your Heart

__________________

__________________

Songs of dedication and commitment

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Redeemed!

__________________

__________________

Songs from God’s Word

Seek Ye First

If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments

Psalm 91

__________________

__________________

Songs about God’s Works

He’s Everything to Me

Days of Creation

__________________

__________________


A Joyful Worship Activity

Can you answer these Bible questions? (See how many you can answer without looking up the texts, then practice you “Bible sword skills” by

checking all the answers in your Bible!)

1. Who sang at Creation? (Job 38:6,7)

2. Who sang after they crossed the Red Sea? (Exodus 15:1)

3. Who sang when Jesus was born? (Luke 2:13, 14)

4. Who sang in prison? (Acts 16:25)

5. What city fell down at the sound of trumpets and shouting? (Joshua 6:1-5)

6. How did David make Saul feel better? (1 Samuel 16:23)

7. Who became very angry at hearing some women sing? (1 Samuel 18:6-9)

8. What did Jehoshaphat and his army do as they went into battle? (2 Chronicles 20:21)

9. What is the “song of Moses and of the Lamb” that we will sing in Heaven?

(Revelation 15:3, 4)

10. When did Jesus and the disciples “sing a hymn”? (Mark 14:26)

Now see how many more Bible “singing” questions and answers you can come up with on

your own. You can write them down below.

11. _______________________________________________________________

12. _______________________________________________________________

13. _______________________________________________________________

14. _______________________________________________________________

15. _______________________________________________________________


“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

…

I’ll give Him my heart. –Christina Rossetti


How do I give to God?

“Each one should give, then, what he has decided in his heart to give. He should not give if it makes him sad. And he should not give if he thinks he is forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily. And God can give you more blessings than you need. Then you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:7, 8

I can give my heart. Jesus wants me to love Him “with all [my]

heart, soul and mind.” Matthew 22:37. "Give to God the most precious offering that it is possible for you to make; give Him your heart.” God’s Amazing Grace 96. When I’ve given Jesus my heart, I will show it by my actions.

I can give my things (toys, clothes, food). When Jesus was a boy, He “showed a loving interest in all [people]. Every suffering one whom He met, He tried to help. He had little money to give, but He often denied Himself of food in order to help others. . . . To those who were hungry and thirsty, He would bring a cup of cold water, and often would give them the food intended for his own meal.” The Story of Jesus 38. I can be like Jesus by sharing what I have.

I can give my time. When I rake the leaves for my neighbor, or bake cookies for someone who can’t get out much, or help Mom in the kitchen, or read a story to my little brother or sister, I am pleasing Jesus. He says, “Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.” Matthew 25:40

I can give my money. Even though God is the King and Owner of everything, He asks me to help Him in His work by sharing my money. We call this “returning tithe and offerings”. What is tithe? The word tithe comes from the Greek language and means one tenth. In Malachi 3:10, God says to His children, “‘Bring to the storehouse a tenth [tithe] of what you gain. Then there will be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord of heaven’s armies. ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out more blessings than you have room for.’”


Imagine that you just had a birthday, and Grandma sent you some money. Or maybe you mowed the lawn, or maybe you received your weekly allowance. The first thing you do is set aside the part that you will give to God. Do you know how to figure out much to put in your tithe envelope? Let’s figure it out!

Income Rename it! Tithe (10%, 1/10)

$1.00 Example:

10 dimes

$5.00

$10.00

$25.00

Challenge Bonus:

$17.00

$36.50

Then remember that this part is your tithe. God says we must return one tenth of our money to Him. So really, you don’t “give” tithe, because your money already belongs to God. He says you can have it, but to help you remember that it came from Him, He tells you to give part of it back to Him. Your tithe money goes to pay people who help teach others about Jesus, such as pastors and evangelists.

Offerings are gifts that you give in love and thankfulness, after you have returned your tithe. Your offering money is used for many different things in the church. When you give your Sabbath School offering, that money is used for mission projects across the world. When you put your offering in a tithe envelope, then you can mark what you would like your offering to be used for.

On the next page is a copy of what a tithe envelope might look like, with an explanation of the main parts and what they are used for.


A Tithe Envelope

Know that God loves to see you give money (and anything else you choose to give to Him) to be used in His work, and

He will bless you for your generosity.

______________________

My Name

______________________

Address

______________________

City State

Date ___________________

God’s Tithe $_____

My Offerings

My church $_____

My conference $_____

My mission $_____

Other: _______ $_____

Total enclosed $_____

“God loves a cheerful giver.”

This is where you write in your personal information so the treasurer can give you a receipt at the end of the year.

10% of your income should be returned as tithe. This goes to your local conference office.

You decide how much offering to give to God in love and thankfulness. When you give it for your church, it stays there. Offerings for your conference and for missions go to help God’s work in other parts of the world.

NOTE: This is an example of a simplified tithe envelope. The one at your church may have more sections. Ask your pastor or treasurer to explain it to you!


“Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show others about the Lord’s death until He comes.” I Corinthians 11:26


What is “Communion”?

Sometimes the Communion Service is also called the Last Supper or the Lord’s Supper. Christian believers take time, usually once every three months, to remember and celebrate Jesus. We remember His sacrifice for us on the cross and His example of how we should live. And we celebrate the promise of His soon return. There are three parts to the Communion Service:

1. Foot washing. Just like Jesus knelt and washed the feet of His disciples, we kneel and wash the feet of a fellow believer. This reminds us that Jesus has asked us to be like servants, humble and ready to help. “If one of you wants to become great, then he must serve the rest of you like a servant. . . . The Son of Man did not come for other people to serve him. He came to serve others.” Matthew 20:26, 28.

2. Bread. The unleavened bread (flat bread, without yeast) is a

symbol of Jesus’ body. “Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body.” Matthew 26:26. Of course, Jesus didn’t mean that the bread is literally part of His body, but it’s something that reminds us of Jesus’ death for us.

3. Wine. The unfermented* wine (fresh grape juice) is a symbol

of Jesus’ blood. “This is my blood which begins the new agreement that God makes with His people. This blood is poured out for many to forgive their sins.” Matthew 26:28. Again, the grape juice is not literally Jesus’ blood, but it’s something that reminds us of Jesus’ death for us. *Jesus Himself refers to it as “the fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18). In Proverbs 20:1, God councils us to stay away from wine. It seems obvious that Jesus would not be giving us something to drink that He knows is not good for us. Ellen G. White also states that the wine was “untouched by fermentation. . . . Nothing corrupted by fermentation, the symbol of sin and death, could represent” Jesus (Desire of Ages 653).


A Bible Study for You

Look up the following texts to find out what is important about each of the ingredients in the Communion Bread. Be sure to ask Jesus to help you understand as you study.

Communion Bread

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/3 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cold water

1. Place flour and salt in a bowl. Mix. 2. Combine oil and water and beat with a fork until mixture is white and creamy. 3. Pour the water-oil mixture all at once into the flour-salt mixture. 4. Lightly stir into the flour. Do not stir too much or knead. 5. Roll out on cookie sheet and score into squares before baking. 6. Bake at 350o for about 20 minutes. Some ovens may be hotter, so watch carefully.

Check after 10-12 minutes. May need to take outside edge pieces off and continue baking.

Wheat. Read Jesus’ story in Matthew 13:24-30 about the “Wheat and the Weeds.” Then check out His explanation in verses 36-39 to find out whom the wheat (and the weeds) stand for.

I learned that wheat can stand for ____________________________.

Salt. What did Jesus say about being salt? Read Matthew 5:13.

I learned that salt can stand for ______________________________.

Oil. Read the story about the Ten Girls in Matthew 25:1-13. What does this story tell you about the importance of having Oil? Who is the one who makes our lights shine? (See Acts 2:1-4)

I learned that oil can stand for _______________________________.

Water. Read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman in John 4:5-15. What does this story tell you about the meaning of Water? How do we get that Living Water?

I learned that water can stand for ____________________________.

So when Jesus and the Holy Spirit come into our lives, we can be like good, nutritious bread. Isn’t it neat to see how Jesus can make our lives into something useful?


They “studied the Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true.” Acts 17:11


How Did Jesus Learn? How Should I learn?

God Himself by His Holy Spirit instructed Mary how to bring up His Son. Mary taught Jesus from the Holy Scriptures, and He learned to read and study them for Himself.

Jesus also loved to study the wonderful things which God had made, in the earth and in the sky. In this book of nature He saw the trees and plants and animals, and the sun and the stars.

Day by day He watched them, and tried to learn lessons from them, and to understand the reason of things.

Holy angels were with Him, and helped Him to learn from these things about God. Thus, as He grew in height and strength, He grew also in knowledge and wisdom.

Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did. We should spend our time in learning only that which is true. Falsehood and fables will do us no good.

Only the truth is of any value, and this we may learn from God’s Word and from His works. As we study these things the angels will help us to understand.

We shall see the wisdom and goodness of our heavenly Father. Our minds will be strengthened, our hearts will be made pure, and we shall be more like Christ.

--Ellen G. White, The Story of Jesus 30, 31


Why Memorize Scripture?

Knowing God’s Word helps me to:

☻ Make the right choices. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

☻ Have an answer when I am tempted to do wrong. Review the story of the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus answered each time: “It is written.”

☻ Be able to answer questions about my beliefs. “Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.” I Peter 3:15

Tips on How to Memorize Scripture

Always ask Jesus to help you. “But the Helper . . . will cause you to remember all the things I told you.” John 14:26

Start easy and gradually work on memorizing longer passages.

Set a goal. How many verses will you learn each week? How much time will you take to learn a passage?

Learn the text (where it’s found) first.

Try setting the verse or passage to music or fitting it in a song you already know.

Keep reviewing the verses you already know. Don’t let yourself forget what you’ve memorized!

When you’re ready to learn a whole chapter, learn it from the end to the beginning (learn the last verse first, then the next-to-last, and so on).

Thy Word Scripture Songbooks are an excellent way to learn many well-known passages from Scripture, including Psalm 23, The Lord’s Prayer, and The Ten Commandments. They may be available through your local Adventist Book Center, or you can call Country Life Natural Foods at 1-800-456-7694 or 1-616-236-5011.

An app called Scripture Typer from Millennial Apps, LLC, has excellent reviews for adults and kids alike. It is currently available from the Apple App Store for $5.99.

See http:// tiny.cc/MemorizeScripture for a news story about a young person reciting three chapters of the Bible. Be sure to watch the imbedded YouTube video of this young lady when she was just nine years old reciting Hebrews 11.

http://tiny.cc/MemorizeScripture


“I look at the heavens, which you made with your hands. I see the moon and stars, which you created. . . . Lord our Master, your name is the

most wonderful name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:3 & 9


A Knowledge of God

Paraphrased from Steps to Christ 85-87

God uses many ways to make Himself known to us and to bring us into communion with Him. Nature speaks to our senses continually.

The listening ear can hear and understand the communications of God through the things of nature. The green fields, the lofty trees, the buds and flowers, the passing cloud, the falling rain, the babbling brook, the glories of the heavens, speak to our hearts, and invite us to become acquainted with Him who made them all.

If we will only listen, God’s created works will teach us precious lessons of obedience and trust. From the stars that follow the path God set for them, down to the smallest atom, the things of nature obey the Creator’s will.

And God cares for everything and sustains everything that He has made. He who holds the countless worlds in space, at the same time cares for the wants of the little brown sparrow that sings its humble song without fear.

As your senses delight in the attractive loveliness of earth, think of the world that is to come, that will never know the ugliness of sin and death; where the face of nature will no more wear the shadow of the curse. Let your imagination picture the home of the saved and remember that it will be more glorious than your brightest imagination can portray.

The poet and the naturalist have many things to say about nature, but it is the Christian who enjoys the beauty of the earth with the highest appreciation, because he recognizes his Father’s handiwork and sees His love in flower and shrub and tree.


Some Sabbath Nature Activities (Of course, these could be done on other days, too!)

Go for a “Rainbow Walk.” Look for things God made in each of the colors of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple). Don’t pick or move things unless you know it’s OK. Or try an “ABC Walk.” Look for things in nature that begin with each letter of the alphabet. You might have to get pretty creative to find something for every single letter, but it would be fun to try! Instead of collecting things to show, make a list. This idea is different, but really fun! Go on a “Silent Walk.” Listen for as many different sounds as you can. Focus on natural sounds—water running, birds chirping, frogs croaking, mosquitoes buzzing, trees creaking. . . . There are so many things to hear when you’re quiet! If you are in a place where you can move and use natural items around you, create Bible story representations with rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. Be careful not to destroy God’s creation. Become an “expert” on some specific part of creation--rocks, birds, stars, trees, spiders, clouds, flowers--whatever interests you. Borrow books from the library. Ask questions of people who know. Collect things if it’s OK. Stop. Look. Listen. Plan a weekend campout with your whole family. Plan a special Sabbath worship time to learn about God through His creative works. Remember to be reverent! “Outdoors” is God’s house, too. Find something outside that teaches a spiritual lesson. Start with things Jesus used to teach lessons. (Farmers, birds, flowers, etc.) Find the place in the Bible where each lesson is found. Later, you can find your own lessons from nature objects. This is a very important skill. Another Bible walk could be something like this: (Be sure you have your Bible with you!) Look for nature things mentioned in the Bible. See who can get the longest list. (You might divide your family up in teams; make sure there’s someone who can read on each team.) You could even do this nature activity inside on a rainy day!

my worship book - circlecircle.adventist.org/download/myworshipbook.pdf · 2014-12-23 · helpful...

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