Feeding the 5000
Faith Community Lutheran Church

Scripture Basis: John 6:1-13
Bible Memory Verse: "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like these little children." Matthew 19:14

Contents of this Lesson Set

Bible exploration - brainstorm "Small things that I can do or share to help feed hungry people", coloring books and math calculations

Video Workshop - mission video, make mission banks

Cooking Workshop - Zanzibari Arab pancakes

Mid-week program - 4 weeks of activities and games from a variety of sources

Theme: Jesus cares!
Objectives: Kids will
1. discover how Jesus takes care of our physical and spiritual needs.
2. discover how they can share and care for others.

-------------

BIBLE EXPLORE
1. Have kids find John 6:1-13, in the GOOD NEWS Bibles in the room. (There is such value in finding the Bible story. Make sure kids open their Bibles.)Have them take turns reading the passage, if they would like. First and Second graders can follow along in the Bibles.
2. Watch only the 6 minute intro to and Feeding the 5000 story from "Jesus Cares" section from Jesus Stories video.
3. Discuss: What is a miracle? (A wonderful thing only God can do.)
How was the feeding of the five thousand a miracle?
Where did all of the extra food come from?
What did the little boy do that was so special?
What word could you use to describe the boy's action? (sharing, caring etc)
How does this story relate to hungry people in the world today?

4. On a whiteboard - write the following heading.
LOAVES AND FISHES I HAVE TO OFFER
(Small things that I can do or share to help feed hungry people)

Brainstorm ideas. Encourage kids to use whiteboard markers to add to the list.

5. Then have kids assemble their own "Loaves and Fishes I Have to Offer" coloring books. Talk about each of the ways they may help others in the world who may be hungry. (Remind kids that the hungry are not just in Africa - In the United States, one in six kids lives in poverty and with inadequate food.) On the blank page in the back of the coloring book, encourage kids to add additional ideas. Allow time to color. . .allow older kids the opportunity to take the coloring books home. Have them do the additional activity at the end of this workshop. (Kids will be making banks to collect their donated money in the Movie Theater workshop.)

6. Close in prayer, having kids contribute to prayer of "loaves and fishes they can offer" to those who are hungry.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY: Have kids figure these out. . .
#1. Did you notice? Only the number of men was counted to get the 5000. See John 6:10. The women and children were not included in the number 5000, but Jesus fed them supper too! Okay, . . .
Let's imagine that each group of men sitting in the grass contained the same number. The number of each group of men is the same as the number of people in your classroom right now. How many groups of men would there have been to equal 5000?

#2. If each group of men received a basket containing 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, how many loaves of bread and how many fish would there have to be to feed all of the groups?

#3. Now. . .figure the problem including the twelve baskets of leftovers.

-------------------------------------------------
MOVIE THEATER
1. You will need a large map of the world.
­ Locate the country of Zaire, Africa. (also called the Democratic Republic of Congo)
­ Locate the capital - Kinsasha
­ From the map, try to discover what the country must look like (rain forest)
­ Find the name of one river, one additional city, one country which borders Zaire.
­ The official language of Zaire is French. However, 212 languages are spoken in the entire country.
2. Play video now. Mission Explorers - Africa. Show only the Zaire portion (about 11-12 minutes. Stop video when the world map appears.

3. Discuss: Who takes care of us? (moms, dads - take care of physical needs)
How do Pastors, Sunday School teachers (as well as parents when they bring us to church and Sunday School) take care of us? (spiritual needs)
How do we know Jesus cares for us?
What is a missionary? (See if kids remember from video)
How do missionaries care for others?
As people far away from Africa (refer to map), how can we help care for
missionaries and those who they tell Jesus about? (prayer, money
donations etc.)

4. Kids will be making Mission Banks - (They will be creating coloring books in the Bible Explore workshop which will tell of creative ways to collect money to put in their banks. Money from these banks will be collected after the last week of this rotation. Kids will receive Bible Bucks at the opening for returning the money from their Mission Bank on February 9).
­ Each child will need one soup can (make sure there are no sharp edges!)
­ Each child can select a die cut doll body, clothes, hair to glue on the outside of the can.
­ Each child can add additional cut outs to the outside of their can.
­ Each child will need one Bible memory verse label to put on the outside of the can.

5. On a small slip of paper, have kids write one prayer they can offer up each day for missionaries, the hungry, children who do not know Jesus, children who are cold etc.

6. Close in prayer, having kids read their prayer from the slip of paper. After they have prayed, they may place the prayer in their bank - - to pray each day.

-------------------------------------------------
COME! TASTE! SEE!
1. Have kids prepare the pancake batter below. Be sure to include the kids in measuring, stirring, etc. One workshop leader may then continue to make the pancakes in an electric skillet while workshop leader #2 continues with the following life application activity.

2."It's Not Fair" activity from elca-org.hunger booklet. (May want to use oyster crackers instead of the more costly animal crackers. Discussion questions are powerful. Give kids ample time to think and problem solve.

3. Before eating pancakes, pray the prayer included in the "It's Not Fair" Activity. (Kids may also want to eat the oyster crackers.)

Mkate wa ufute
(Zanzibar) makes 8-10 pancakes
This Zanzibari Arab pancake can be eaten with meals, or as a snack with jam.
1 teaspoon dried yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2/3 cup warm water
1 cup flour, 2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, vegetable oil for frying
· Put yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour on the warm water, letting it sit for 3-5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
· Shake or sift flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, stirring as you pour.
· Gradually add milk, stirring continuously to make a thick batter.
· Heat a little oil in a frying pan. When it is very hot, spoon some batter in the pan and spread it out with the back of a spoon to make a circle. Cook two minutes on one side, and then turn to brown the other side.
· Sprinkle on the sesame seeds in the final minute of cooking; remove and keep warm.
Recipe from The World in Your Kitchen by Troth Wells, Second Story Press, 1993, p. 113

4. If time allows, have kids make the "Go Bananas" string creation. Directions are attached. (taken from Kids Multicultural cookbook. Pgs 88-89)

-------------------------------------------------
Wednesday Night Live! - Jesus Cares!

Scripture Basis: John 6:1-13
Bible Memory Verse: "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like these little children." Matthew 19:14

Theme: Jesus cares!
Objectives: Kids will
3. discover how Jesus takes care of our physical and spiritual needs.
4. discover how they can share and care for others.

WEEK 1 January 8
1. Fish and Chips from Incredible Edible Bible Fun (Group Publishing) (pgs. 62/63) - May want to use the John 6:1-13 passage for reference, instead of the Matthew version listed on the card. (Make sure to photocopy the recipe cards for kids to take and make at home. This is also a good way for parents to understand more about what the kids have learned tonight.
2. If time allows, have kids brainstorm actions to help them memorize the verse above. Then have kids "perform" the verse.

WEEK 2 January 15
1. Review the story of the Feeding of the 5000 with the kids with this fun "Bloopers Bible Story". Give kids a chance to stand up and turn in a circle each time they hear a blooper. Have them tell the correct answer before going on.

Crowds of people had been following Jesus all night (all day). Some people had come from a long way away, and everyone was feeling tired and hungry. Jesus asked his disciples where they could buy some hamburgers (Bread) for the people to eat.

The disciples told Jesus it would take months to earn enough money to buy even hot dogs (bread) for all those people. But a little girl(boy) offered to share his small lunch. The disciples didn't think that two chickens (fish) and five packages of potato chips (bread) would feed all those people. Boy, were they in for a big surprise!

Jesus prayed for the food, then the disciples started passing it out. Jesus fed over 50 (5,000) people with the boy's lunch. When everyone had eaten as many fishsticks (pieces of bread/fish) as they wanted, the disciples gathered up 2 (12) baskets of leftovers. Everyone was amazed, and they knew Jesus must be God's Son.

2. Play a fun game of "Feeding Folks the Fish" - like the familiar game, "Duck, Duck, Goose". Have the kids sit in a circle with their backs to the outside of the circle. Have one child (disciple) take the large stuffed fish. Walk slowly, quietly, around the circle, dropping the fish behind the back of one of the kids. That child then quickly stands up, picks up the fish and chases the disciple round the circle, ending up at the empty space in the circle. Continue for an allotted time or until each child has had a turn.

3. Close in a circle prayer giving each child an opportunity to offer a prayer. Pass the large stuffed fish from child to child around the circle. As the fish comes to him, the child may choose to offer a prayer or pass by handing the fish to the person next to him.

WEEK 3 January 22
1. As kids arrive, give them each a 3 ounce Dixie cup filled to half with water. As kids measure 1 teaspoon of the "Magic twists" koolaid powder (remove the label so kids cannot tell what color it will be), talk about what color the powder is before it hits the water. Then have kids use a plastic spoon to stir the liquid - it changes color! Then, have kids drink the koolaid and talk about what flavor it is (Not lime like green should be, but strawberry!) Discuss: How many think that was a miracle? (No) Lead in to discuss that A miracle is a wonderful thing only God can do. Discuss with kids if they have ever witnessed a miracle. Give kids ample time to discuss.

2. Jesus performed a miracle with something to drink. Only he didn't use Magic Twist Koolaid. He changed water into wine! Miracles changed the people around Jesus when he was teaching. Miracles change us every day! Read "Jesus Miracles" pr 114-122 from Play and Pray Bible (Group)

3. Close in prayer, having kids contribute miracles in their lives. (Remember, each one of them is a miracle.)

WEEK 4 January 29
1. GAME NIGHT! Jesus cares for each one of us. Have kids use care and consideration AND a spirit of sharing while playing any of the games or puzzles in the two large tubs at the bottom of the closet in room 106.

2. Close by having kids say the memory verse for the month. . . Matthew 19:14. (May want to use "performances" the kids developed on January 8.) May also want to close by singing "Jesus Loves Me" .



Exchange Volunteer added UBB Code to improve readability. - Carol
Exchange Volunteer added detail to summary of workshops. - Amy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Amy Crane,