Activity 2: Story - This Morning...
Activity time: 20 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Copy of the story, "This Morning... "
- Leader Resource 1, Illustration - Greeting
- LED battery-operated candles, one for each participant (from Activity 1)
- Optional: Fidget basket (see Session 1, Leader Resource 2, Fidget Objects)
Preparation for Activity
- Read the story so you will be comfortable telling it to the group.
- Prepare to tell or read the story to the group using the greeting illustration.
- Optional: If you have a basket of fidget objects for children who will listen and learn more effectively with something in their hands, make the basket available during storytelling. See Session 1, Leader Resource 2, Fidget Objects for a full description of fidget baskets and guidance for using them.
Description of Activity
The group hears a story about many different ways members of the congregation take care of each other.
Tell participants the story they are about to hear is full of different actions people take to care for each other. Then read or tell the story.
Then say that you will share the story again. This time, when someone in the story does a caring action, they may stand up (or raise a hand) and hold up a lighted candle. Pass out the LED, battery-operated candles used in Activity 1. Read the story slowly. Then, process the story with these questions:
- Name some of the ways people cared for each other in the story.
- Have you ever noticed any of those actions at the congregation? Have you done any of these caring actions yourself?
- What are some other ways we care for each other in our congregation?
- Why do we take care of each other in this congregation?
- How would you describe a caring person?
Choose an example of a caring action from the story-for example, Kamal sharing his hymnbook with a visitor, or the baby's mother telling Kamal she was sorry his friend Abby was sick-and ask, "How do you think the person being cared for felt? How do you think the person felt who did the caring action?"
Invite the children to think of a time they helped somebody, in a big or small way, either here at the congregation or someplace else. Ask for volunteers to tell the group what they did and how it felt.
Affirm that you are glad that the participants are caring people.
Including All Participants
If standing will be difficult for any participants, ask the group to hold up their candles or shout, "I care!"