Preschool: The First Church: Session 1—The First Church (April 7)

1s & 2s— Build a Church

Bible Story: The First Church Acts 2
Life Point: People gather at church to learn about God and Jesus.
Weekly Verse: The people met together in the temple. Acts 2:46

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, cardboard blocks

• Lay the teaching picture with the blocks.
• Invite preschoolers to build a church with the blocks. Ask the children what they like to do at church. Say people gather at church to learn about God and Jesus.
• Point to the teaching picture and talk about the Bible story. Say the Weekly Verse to the preschoolers.

3–Pre-K— Make a Verse Poster

Bible Story: The First Church Acts 2
Life Point: People gather at church to learn about God and Jesus.
Weekly Verse: The people met together in the temple. Acts 2:46

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, poster board, markers, crayons, dot painters, stickers  

• Print the Weekly Verse in the center of the poster board. Arrange the poster and other art materials on a table. Display the teaching picture nearby.
• As children join, show the teaching picture and tell the Bible story. Explain that this was the first church, a gathering of people who believed Jesus is God’s Son.
• Point to each word of the verse as you read it aloud to the children. Ask them to talk about things they like to do at church that help them learn. Say that people gather in church to learn about God and Jesus.
• Encourage the children to decorate the poster with pictures and/or words about what they like to do at church. Display the poster in your classroom for children to see all month.

Kindergarten— Learn Words in Other Languages

Bible Story: The First Church Acts 2
Life Point: People gather at church to learn about God and Jesus.
Weekly Verse: The people met together in the temple. Acts 2:46

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, index cards, pen or marker, electronic tablet (optional) 

• Print the words Jesus, Bible, and baptize onto separate cards. If you cannot use a tablet, look up these words online and print them in Spanish, German, French, and Japanese. If you are using a tablet, you can use a translation program (such as Google) to pronounce the words in each language. Also consider finding the words in sign language.
• Show the teaching picture and tell the Bible story. Comment that when the disciples started talking, every person heard in their own language.
• Show the English words printed and help kids read each one. Talk about how each word relates to the Bible story.
• Help kids research how to say the different words in each language. Comment that missionaries often have to learn other languages before they move to their new place. 
• Tell kids that people gather at church to learn about God and Jesus.