The Bestest News Ever!

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December 7, 2014 .:. Elephant & Lion Rooms

Pathways Church Early Childhood Ministry

This Weeks Scope

Theme: The Bestest News Ever
Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Key Question: Why is Jesus special?
Bottom Line: Jesus is Gods Son.
Memory Verse: God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. John 3:16, GNT
Bible Story: The angel told Mary she would have a special baby.
The Angel and Mary Luke 1:26-33, 38, 46

Memory In Motion
Our Memory Verse for this month goes like this:
We have a new Bible verse and its one of my favorites! I cant wait for you to learn it. It says: God
loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, John 3:16. That is the bestest news ever!
Now lets try it with the motions. Watch me and try to follow along the best you can.
God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise your arms overhead to form a circle) so much
(stretch your arms out as far as possible) that He gave (place your hands together with palms up in
front of you as if youre offering something) His only (point up) Son (hold your arms as if youre
cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Open your hands like a book.)
Great job! Lets say it again! (Repeat as many times as desired.)
The angel told Mary in our story today that God was sending His Son, Jesus, to be our friend forever.
That is the bestest news ever! Do you remember why its the bestest news ever? (Pause.) I mean, why
is Jesus so special? (Pause.) [Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son! Yes, He is. Jesus is Gods only
Son and that makes Him very special.
Repeat with the children several times until you feel they have learned this months verse.

Make It Real (Small Group)

SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): Today we heard the first part of the true story of Christmas.
Remember how the angel told Mary the bestest news ever? (Pause.) He told her she was going to
have a special baby named Jesus. And why is Jesus special?
CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son.

SGL: Thats right! Our new Memory Verse says (open Bible), God loved the world so much that He
gave His only son, John 3:16. God gave us Jesus to be our friend forever because He loves us. Lets
say our verse together with the motions.
CHILDREN and SGL: God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise your arms overhead to
form a circle) so much (stretch your arms out as far as possible) that He gave (place your hands
together with palms up in front of you as if youre offering something) His only (point up) Son (hold your
arms as if youre cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Open your hands like a book.)
SGL: One more time!
CHILDREN and SGL: God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise your arms overhead to
form a circle) so much (stretch your arms out as far as possible) that He gave (place your hands
together with palms up in front of you as if youre offering something) His only (point up) Son (hold your
arms as if youre cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Open your hands like a book.)
SGL: Perfect! Today I want to write all of our names in our journal. Then, when I pray, I want to thank
God for giving each of us Jesus to be our friend forever. That really is the bestest news ever!
(Remember to print the childrens names so they can recognize the letters.)
There! Would anyone like to say your own prayer to God before I pray?
(Give each child that wants to pray the opportunity to do so and then close with a prayer that includes
the list the children made.)
Prayer
SGL: Dear God, this is such a special time of year. We are so thankful You loved us enough to give us
Jesus to be our friend forever. Thank You for giving (name of child) Jesus to be his friend. Thank you
for giving (repeat with each childs name). And thank You for giving me Jesus to be my friend. Knowing
You love us and that Jesus is our friend forever is the bestest news ever! We love You, God. In Jesus
name, amen.

Make It Fun
How Did Gabriel Get There
How Did Gabriel Get There is a movement activity that allows the child to have fun while using critical
thinking skills.
What You Need: No supplies needed
What You Do:
Before the activity: Help the children line up in front of you.
During the activity: Ask the children how many ways they can think of that Gabriel could have come to
Mary. Could he have crawled, flown, marched, jumped, or run? Have the children act out each of these
activities as you say them.

At the end of the activity: Ask the children what Gods message was that Gabriel told Mary.
What You Say:
Before the activity: Today in our story God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary to give her a special
message. Can you think of how many ways Gabriel could have come to Mary?
During the activity: Gabriel could have crawled to Mary. Can you show me how Gabriel could have
crawled? (Allow the children to crawl). He could have flown to Mary. Can you flap your arms and show
me how you can fly? (Allow the children to pretend to fly.) He could have marched. Show me how you
can march. (Allow the children to march.) Great! He also could have run and jumped. Can you show me
how you can run and jump? (Allow the children to run and jump.) Awesome!
At the end of the activity: Gabriel came to Mary to give her a very special message. Do you remember
what that message was? (Pause.) Yes! Gabriel told Mary that she was going to have a very special
baby named Jesus. Why is Jesus special? (Pause.) You got it! [Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son!

Make It Fun
Christmas Stories
Christmas Stories is an activity that allows the children to have a relaxing reading time that they can
do alone or with a friend. This activity also will help the child distinguish the difference between made
up stories and the true Christmas story.
What You Need: Several Christmas books (these books can be any childrens Christmas story; if
possible, do not include any book that talks about Santa Claus so that the children will not be confused
and ask hard questions) and pillows or cushions
What You Do:
Before the activity: Place the pillows or cushions around the activity area, and lay out all of the books.
During the activity: Allow the children to pick their own book to read and look at the pictures. Encourage
them to relax on the pillows as they enjoy their book.
At the end of the activity: Introduce the upcoming Bible story as the TRUE story of Christmas.
What You Say:
Before the activity: Look at all of these books. I love to read! These books are all about my FAVORITE
time of yearChristmas! Choose a book and find a cozy place to lay or sit and read your book.
During the activity: I love the way you are all reading so nicely. If you would like you may join a friend
and read a book together. Christmas stories are always so much fun to read!
At the end of the activity: Those were some awesome books and so much fun to read. My favorite
Christmas books are those with the REAL Christmas story! We heard from our Bible story the REAL
Christmas story! Do you remember the bestest news that Gabriel told Mary? (Pause.) YES! Gabriel told
Mary that she was going to have a very special baby named Jesus. Why is Jesus special? (Pause.)
[Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son! Thats right! [Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son!

Coloring Page
During the activity: Give each child a copy of Angel and Mary. Demonstrate for the children how to
trace the lines with your pointer finger and then ask them to do the same with their finger. Next, instruct
the children to trace the lines with a marker. Once they have traced all five lines, tell them to color the
pictures. Briefly discuss the Bible story while the children complete their page.
What You Say:
During the activity: Look at the paper I just handed you. Who is this on the left side of your paper?
(Point to the angel.) Yes! That is an angel. God sent an angel to give Mary a special message in our
Bible story today. Who is this on the other side of your paper? (Point to Mary.) Right again! This is Mary.
The angel told Mary she would have a special baby named Jesus. Why is Jesus special? (Pause.)
[Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son. I want you to trace the lines going from each angel across the
page to Mary with your finger like this. (Demonstrate.) Good job! Now I want you to trace the lines
again, only this time use a marker. When you are done tracing your lines you can color the pictures.
At the end of the activity: You did a great job helping the angel find Mary so he could tell her Gods
special message. Who remembers what the special message was? (Allow children to respond.) You
got it! The angel told Mary she would have a special baby named Jesus. And why is Jesus special?
(Pause.) [Bottom Line] Jesus is Gods Son.

Need More
If you happen to finish up with these activities early feel free to use any of the activities in the preschool
game binder. If you are unsure as to where to find this binder, please contact your service coach.