Worship:

Engaging in praise and worship helps us prepare our hearts to hear from God. It is also an important way we can give God glory and focus on who He is. At NCC Kids, we start our Sunday experience with singing and dancing, bringing a joyful sound unto the Lord. 

You can access this week’s worship song videos here. Ask your child to help you learn the motions so you can follow along!

Story:

Each week at NCC Kids, our Elementary kids view a new Bible story video. Every month there is a theme that ties the Bible stories together week to week. You can access this week’s Bible story videos here. 

This month’s Elementary theme is DIY: Forgiveness is Up to You.


 

Activities:

For this week’s Elementary activity, download the file here to print or view at home. 

What You Do:

  • Look up Matthew 5:23-24 and read together.
  • Discuss the verses and ask the questions below.
  • Encourage your child to write down their own answers on the Activity Page in the appropriate spot on the page.
  • Questions:
    • WHO: Who is this verse talking about? (Us)
    • WHAT: What are these verses saying? (Forgive first and be quick to forgive)
    • WHEN: When and where should we do this? (BEFORE anything else)
    • WHY: Why is this an important truth to apply to our lives? (Because forgiveness fixes the relationship)

What You Say:

  • When you read your Bible, it’s important to ask questions like these. Who is this written to? What is it saying? When or where should I do this? Why is it important?”
  • Today’s verses remind us that forgiveness fixes things. Why is it hard sometimes to ask for forgiveness or to forgive someone else? Do you sometimes just want to stay mad? How does choosing to stay mad hurt your relationship with others? (Allow a few moments for kids to respond.)
  • Before we do anything else—even before we worship God—we should make things right. When we’ve hurt someone, the first thing we should do is to ask for forgiveness. When someone hurts us and wants forgiveness, we should give it! Jesus tells us that forgiveness comes first. Refusing to forgive or make things right not only hurts our relationship with others, it also hurts our relationship with God. He loves you and He's Forgiven you. Let’s take the first step to forgive others.
  • Make it Personal: Tell about a time when you chose to forgive someone instead of holding onto your anger. If you could share an example from around the time you were the age of your child, that would be ideal. 

God Time Cards: A Daily Reflection

As an additional resource, consider using the God Time card to prompt daily reflection on this week’s Bible story. Depending on the age of your child, they can complete this activity independently or you could work on the prompts together.

You will find God Time cards to download or view here. There are three options you can choose from: K-5th grade, K-1st grade, or 4-5th grade.

Parent Resources:

As parents, you have the important role of guiding your child through new situations and challenging seasons, whether it be personal situations or those on a global scale. In addition to the Sunday NCC Kids online experience, we hope to provide you with resources to support parents during this season. Here are a few resources from trusted ministry partners that we hope you find valuable:

Managing Fear and Anxiety During a Health Pandemic- a blog post for parents on managing anxiety during any number of life disruptions: https://bit.ly/2Q6kJTG

Helping Kids Navigate Anxiety Podcast- In this episode, Sissy Goff, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, shares tools for leaders helping kids process anxiety. https://bit.ly/2TZx1OR

Anxiety Conversation Guides- Helping a child with anxiety is a challenge. Parents can download these age-appropriate resources to find tips and practical ways to help their children. https://bit.ly/38LkjZs

 

Above all, please take care of yourself and your family. For many, the spread of this virus has caused fear and anxiety. We know that God has given us a spirit of love, not fear. Let’s work together to serve our church family and community in a way that demonstrates trust in a God who is in control. Let’s pray together for healing for those who are infected and affected; let’s pray together for those who are fearful or feel alone through this. Let's be a light in the midst of darkness, a beacon of hope in the midst of distress, and a source of service and sacrifice for the sake of the world.