Pentecost

Games Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

In this workshop, the learners play charades as a way to understand communicating without common words. They will act out ways to tell the world about God’s love and Jesus.

Supplies:

• The Children’s Bible;
• newsprint,
• marker;
• slips of paper with phrases, mixed up in a container;
• roll of red crepe paper;
• glue or tape;
• poster board with memory verse.

Teacher preparation:

• Read the Bible passages.
• Read over the background material included in your teacher packet.
• Read over the entire lesson plan and become familiar with the crepe paper prayer activity.
• Try to plan your discussion so that you can begin the charades game by at least 9:55 a.m.

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs.

Dig:

1. Gather together in the tent area and read the story of Pentecost from The Children’s Bible, pp. 384-385 (stories 338-339). Refer to the poster board and repeat the memory verse together. Following the reading, explain briefly about Pentecost. Pentecost was a Jewish holiday. During this holiday, Jewish people were expected to travel to Jerusalem to worship God. So at the time of our story, people from all over the world were in Jerusalem to celebrate this Pentecost. That is why there were so many languages spoken in that place at that time. Ask the children to name some languages people speak.

Define the use of the word tongues. In this context, it means to be able to speak the language of the listener, whatever that might be. Though many people in the crowd were from foreign places and spoke different languages, they all could understand Peter.

2. Discuss other ways to communicate besides language. Suggestions may be sign language, pantomime, actions or works. Ask, “How does the church speak about God?” Answers may be that it speaks through its worship, its Sunday School, or its missions. There probably will be others.

3. Using the newsprint on which to write suggestions, brainstorm ways (or tongues) we each can use to tell the world about God’s love and about Jesus. Write down their suggestions, and try to steer them to the following suggestions:

smile
be kind to people
make smart choices
say “please”
say “thank you”
do acts of kindness
do chores at home
come to worship
come to Sunday School
don’t fight with siblings
sing worship songs
come to Kids of the Kingdom or youth group
visit an elderly person
help at a homeless shelter
bring an offering to Sunday School or worship
bring food for Second Harvest Food Bank

4. Tell the children that the class will be playing a game of Charades. It is a game in which participants act out phrases, using no speaking, and others guess the phrases. Tell them that they will be acting out some of the phrases mentioned above (on the newsprint) about ways we each can tell the world about God’s love.

5. Divide into 2 teams, if there are enough children, or just let the children take turns acting out a phrase for the rest of the class. Feel free to take a turn yourself and ask the shepherd if they want a turn, too.
At his or her turn, have the student draw a slip of paper with a way to share the good news of Jesus. They will then act it out for the rest of the team or class. Be sure to move the game along enough to give everyone a chance. Do as many phrases as you can until 10:20 a.m.

Reflection:

Have the children stand around the room. Show the roll of red crepe paper and tell them that it represents the Holy Spirit, like the red tongues of fire in the story for today. Remind them that the Holy Spirit gave the disciples in our story the courage to tell the good news of God’s love, so when they are holding the paper they will feel the courage and strength to pray here today. Tell them you will start a prayer and toss the paper to someone else. When they receive the paper, they can add a word, phrase, or sentence to the prayer. After they have added to the prayer, they should toss the paper to someone else, making sure they hold on to a part of the crepe paper so it will unwind as it is tossed. You may suggest that the children turn around once before tossing the roll so that the paper surrounds them. Make sure the paper stays relatively loose or it will rip. If it does, that’s OK. Have the child grab the 2 ends and continue tossing and wrapping and praying.
Begin the prayer as follows:

Loving God, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to the apostles so they had courage to spread the good news of God’s love. Thank you also for sending the Holy Spirit to us so we can feel your strength and your love, too.

(Toss the paper to someone else and help the children continue the prayer.)
When everyone has had a chance to hold on to the crepe paper “web”, close the prayer with Amen.

Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals. Let the children tear off 1 or 2 pieces of the red crepe paper. Glue or tape one in their journal and ask them to write down something they can do to tell about God’s love. Let them take another piece of crepe paper with them if they want, to remind them of the strength the Holy Spirit gives us.

Adjustments for younger children:
The Beginner class may need more help in acting out and guessing the phrases. They will probably do better having the whole class guessing instead of having teams. You and the shepherd may need to split up with one helping the “actor” and the other helping the “guessers.”

References:
Pentecost Lesson Set from Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church, Cary, North Carolina. https://www.kirkofkildaire.org/rotation-lessons/

A lesson posted by member Jan Marshall,
Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church,  Brentwood TN