We’re getting ready for a children’s service this Saturday.  Today has involved preparing some goody bags to pass out for this and brainstorming for the service.  Would you like to brainstorm with me?

What brought this on?

I’ve come to the realization that I only have these two weeks free to fit the summer list into before heading off to camp and a VBS in Indiana.  Our church vacation Bible school didn’t seem to work out.  Neither did the other three vacation Bible schools I was asked to do.  And yes, I am having guilt over it all.

My husband Todd has had physical issues this summer that have included two trips to emergency rooms.  (The most dramatic one was on the last night of Colorado camp.  But we have learned a lot, like if you collapse in a church service, you WILL get a lot of prayer!  And you will also be surrounded by a lot of support and love!)

I thought that we would be able to fit more in this summer, but with Todd’s blood pressure issues, we have cut back.  I still wanted to do something at our church, so I thought maybe I could fit in a single children/youth service on July 3rd before our cookout.  I am not sure if this will be a success or not, but I thought I would share the ideas with you here in case anyone has the same idea.

Here’s to brainstorming with you…

Freedom Service

A memory Verse…

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Galatians 5:1

Our plan is to do one of our most common methods, words on the balloons.  We say the verse and pop the balloons, one at a time.  Our twist for the freedom theme service is to offer small fireworks like tanks, pop-its, and small fountains for prizes in memorizing the verse.

Object Lessons on Sin…

Sin is like these special glasses.

We  bought special glasses off of Amazon that are actually in a game.  Here is the link.  We justified the $20 that they cost by realizing that we will use these glasses in more object lessons and games, so they are an investment.

There are tasks that come with the game that is with the glasses.  We may play the game, asking volunteers to try to complete different tasks with the glasses on.  The glasses give an upside-down view of everything.  This should make it difficult.  The lesson is how that sin changes how people look at things and do things.  The glasses are going to represent sin.  With sin’s glasses, people do things they would not do otherwise.  They see the world wrong.  God wants to change your glasses!

Sin binds.

This is a more normal object lesson where someone has string wrapped around a volunteer.  Even something as small as string, when enough is wrapped, is hard to break loose.

Freedom in Christ object lesson

Use this activity HERE  with two volunteers and explain how Jesus can free you and that He is the answer.

Character Story

Honestly, if I had not told our children the Amanda Smith Twice Free story, this would be a great time to tell it with a theme of freedom.  But since I have already told the Amanda Smith story, I will probably be getting something else before Saturday.

Bible Story

Some of our favorite freedom Bible stories are the man at the tombs who Jesus delivered and the young woman who Paul and Silas cast the demon out.

Special Activity/Craft

We bought small water bottles and $1 microfiber cloths from Dollar Tree.  We will cut the end off of the water bottles.  The children will attach their microfiber cloth on the end of the bottle using a rubber band.

We will put dishsoap and water in the bottom of a tray or bucket.  If the children will dip the end of their microfiber in this mixture, they can blow bubbles out the end.  Cool bubbles! 🙂 (This is called “snake bubble” if anyone wants to look further into it.)

The original directions called for putting food coloring in the dish soap/water mixture which ends up making the bubbles look really neat; however, the food coloring gets on everything when the bubbles are popped.  We really aren’t wanting a mess, so we are planning on not putting in any dye.

 Now I’ve shared some of our ideas.  Do you have any ideas that would work great with a “Freedom Service” theme?  I’d love to hear them!