Jesus


EVERYONE IS SPECIAL.

WE ARE FAIR AND KIND TO OTHERS.

CHURCH IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN LEARN TOGETHER.



UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ALPHABET

Please read the Overview before using this Plan.


J j Letter J introduces Jesus and some of his teachings.


MATERIALS: Construction paper with hole punched in top, yarn for necklace
Snacks—Juice, jelly, jam

GETTING STARTED:
Welcome. After each person says his or her name, the group responds, “Welcome, (name).” For a child who is attending for the first time this year, add name to the letters that have been posted and to the attendance sheet, and make a nametag during or after the session. Leave an empty chair for someone who is not present or for someone who has not joined the group yet.

The Letter of the Day:

SPECIAL PERSON: Jesus. (There were no Unitarians or Universalists when Jesus lived, but his teachings are an important part of our heritage.)
Jesus was a great teacher who was concerned about everyone. He said that children are special because of their willingness to learn and to look at things in a new way.

Jesus went to church to learn. Once, when he was about twelve years old, he was so interested in talking to the teachers in the temple, his church, that he forgot that he was supposed to be going home! His parents were worried about him, because they did not know where to look for him. They were surprised when they found him in the temple. He told them that he was always interested in learning more. And the temple or the synagogue was the place for him to learn about his religion, just as you come to church.

Jesus helped people who were sick and wanted his help. He taught that we need to help others, even if they are different than we are. One of the stories that he told was about a man who had been hurt on a road. Some of the religious and political leaders passed by him, because he was not just like them. But one man stopped, helped the man who was hurt, and took him to a place where he could receive care. Jesus said that we should help, like this man did.

Jesus taught that God cares about everyone. He taught us that God is love and can always be with us. There are many stories about Jesus that were told by people who lived around the time that he did and knew about him. Sometimes the facts in stories change from being told so much. But these stories tell about the kind of person that Jesus was.

These teachings and stories about Jesus are in the book called the Bible, particularly in the four gospels, or the stories about Jesus told by four different people. There are no pictures or paintings of Jesus, but people have painted pictures of how they think he might have looked.

We celebrate his birthday at Christmas.

(Select a story or stories about Jesus or his teachings. If you use pictures of Jesus, try to have a variety of hair and skin colors.)

AFFIRMATION: Everyone is special
We are fair and kind to others.
Church is a place where we can learn together.

THE LETTER J IN THE CHURCH






A-B-C
Animals: jackal, jaguar

Body (add to the Body Picture): Jaw, joint

Calendar: January, June, and July

CLOSING: Gather around the Special Place where the things related to the letter have been placed. "We give thanks for the Letter J. We have shared and learned about special people and animals and ourselves and our church. May we leave in love and peace. Next week we will meet again. Our letter will be ____ and our leader(s) will be ____________________." Make sure that people take home things that need to


VARIATION FOR OLDER CHILDREN

Invite people from the congregation to talk with the group about their favorite stories or teachings of Jesus, and why they are meaningful. Unless this is done intentionally at Christmastime, use stories other then the Christmas stories.

Have a Bible to show the children where the stories are, and have other books of stories available if families want to use more stories.

© Helen Zidowecki, 10/2007