T*H*A*N*K*F*U*L

A November lesson on being thankful.... 

(we are doing this tonight, so no pics today! but I will post them after the lesson is over.)

Learning Target:  Clubbers (age 5-8) will think about (meditate in small groups) the word THANKFUL and will recognize we should thank God regularly for who He is by completing an acrostic for THANKFUL with descriptive words (characteristics) of GOD from the Bible.

Through this 20 minute lesson we will explore and define using the Bible:  

• WHO we are thankful to and WHY we are thankful to God. 
• We will define the word THANKFUL and look at truths about WHO God is using an acrostic (as the children work in small groups to synthesize from the Bible characteristics of God.)
• We will review that to be thankful to God for Who He is, we must know Him personally.  

 

 Have a banner that says THANKFUL  or THANKFUL displayed on the wall. The links will share the two printable banners we used. 

Anticipatory Set: 

Introduce the lesson by asking leaders or older children to read 'thank you' in other languages. (The link has 26 ways with pronunciation) Why did I think we needed to talk about this TODAY? (it's november, thanksgiving is near,....)

? discussion on the word thankful

• Ask your children what it means to be ''thankful" or how to define "thankful"
• Dictionary Definition Here (my definition-- being grateful or happy about or for something)
• Who are you thankful to? 
• Why are we thankful? 
• What does the Bible say about thankfulness? 

Group Time

 Look at the Word time.....

Create a handout:  acrostic letters and 2-3 verses/passages for each letter, with a place to write in what each letter stands for and why?

Give each group 1-2 letters (based on how big your large group is) to write their LETTER WORD on, and to report WHY that word is something we are thankful for.  As time allows, each group should do this for the other 7 letters.  

 Here are the letters and references, we used.....
 

T- John 14:6 John 17:17

H-Psalm 33:20 Psalm 121:2

A-James 1:17 Psalm 57:05 Psalm 108:5

N-Daniel 6:26 Psalm 90:2

K-1 Timothy 6:14-16 Revelation 19:16

F-Romans 5:8 1 John 1:9

U-Jeremiah 33:3 Romans 11:33 Psalm 145:3

L-John 3:16 Psalm 106:1 1 John 4:9

Task Card for leaders (to be sure they know what to do, give one to each adult)

1. read the verses.
2. DISCUSS:
1. as a group decide what descriptive word from the scripture might fit your letter.
2. why? is word/characteristic something we are thankful for?
3.  Write down what you decide on your handout, and with a marker put the WORD for your letter on that paper.
4. Post your LETTER paper on the wall. 
5. repeat with as many of the other 7 letters as you have time on the handout.

When all the small groups have posted their letters on the wall (and solved as many of the other letters as you have time for)... 

Ask this WHOLE GROUP ?

• If you look at ALL the letters/words we just posted, what is the overall theme? (names, characteristics, descriptions, adjectives about GOD)
•  Besides being words you found in the Bible, how do all these words relate? (they all talk about God and His Word.)
•  Can everyone be thankful for who God is?  Why not?  (only those who know Him personally and have accepted His gift of eternal life, can respond with a heart of gratitude/worship for who God is!) 

Then REPORT from the small groups to the whole group, 

• report what each letter is, Truth, Help, Above, Never ending, King of Kings, Faithful Forgiver, Unsearchable, Love
• why that word/characteristic is something for thankful for
• ask if any groups have MORE to add.

Take Away:  tell or show your parents one of these things...if time ask and let the children share with an elbow partner.

• What is your definition of thankful? How has your defintion of being thankful changed tonight? 
• How can you show God this week that you are thankful for Him?  
• Tell them one or two new words about God that you learned tonight.

Next week, we will see two stories of men who met Jesus and how they were thankful!   

Close in prayer, thanking God that He is True, Help, Never ending, King of Kings, My Faithful Forgiver, Unsearchable, and Love.