Rotation.org Writing Team

ELISHA

BANNERS/TEXTILES

PASSAGE

Bible Story: 2 Kings 2:1-15

Key/Memory Verse: “Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.’” 2 Kings 2:9b

PURPOSE

The story of Elisha receiving his teacher's mantle tells children about their role in the church and the purpose of learning God's Word. It helps them understand the choice they have to pick up and continue in God's work. See Bible Background for details.

Objectives

Children will:

Locate the story in the Old Testament portion of the Bible.

Tell the story in their own words.

Define prophet, disciple.

Discuss the relationship between Elijah and Elisha -- teacher/disciple.

Explore the meaning of Elisha's request for a double portion of Elijah's spirit.

Explore the meaning behind Elijah's passing the mantle to Elisha.

Discuss ways they learn from parents and teachers and pick up their "mantles."

Memorize 2 Kings 2:9b.

PREPARATION

Materials

• Bible
  
• Gift Cards
  
• Pencils
  
• Potholder Looms – 1 per child
  
• Weaving loops
  

ADVANCE PREPARATION

Read the Bible Background.

Borrow or purchase potholder looms and weaving loops at a craft store or from an online source.

Prepare a sample of a finished potholder.

PROCEDURE

Open - Introduction

Welcome the children as they arrive and open with a prayer.

Prior to reading the Scripture, describe to the children the relationship between Elijah and Elisha up to this point. Read the Bible Story. Divide the children into three groups and invite each group to listen for a part of the story. For instance, have group one listen for anything Elijah says, group two listens for anything Elisha says, and group three listens for anything the other prophets say. Older children can be asked to read if they wish.
After the story has been read, invite each group to report what they heard from each character. Clarify any points of the story that they might have missed. Explain what a mantle was and discuss the meaning of Elijah passing his “mantle” to Elisha.

Dig – Main Content

Many churches participate in a “prayer shawl” ministry, in which knitters create shawls or blankets. During the time they are creating the shawl, the knitters pray for the person who is receiving the shawl. Shawl recipients may be ill, or in need, or having a baby, or in need of emotional support, and so on. In many prayer shawl groups, knitters pass their unfinished shawls around to each other to work on, so that many different people’s prayers are “knitted in” to each shawl. The important thing is not so much why the person is receiving the shawl, as that it is a symbol of the passing on of faith. Faith in God’s actions, faith in the power of prayer, faith shared in love. In this same way, Elijah passed his mantle on to Elisha as a way of passing on his faith and prayers and relationship with God.

Explain to the class that because knitting a prayer shawl takes a great deal of time, they will be working on prayer potholders. These potholders can be given to a particular recipient, someone the child knows that could use an expression of love, or the potholders could be a present for the church. Before they begin, each child should decide for whom he or she will pray during the project.

Demonstrate the loom and how the loops are placed on it. The first line or two of actual weaving are the most difficult, and the time when the children are most likely to need help until it is time to remove the work from the loom. Once the projects are underway, lead the children in a simple prayer over their work. Every few minutes a basic prayer can be prayed while the children continue working, such as “Dear Lord, I am praying today for ___________ (each child fills in the blank). Help them to know about God’s love.”

Reflect -- Closure

As the potholders are completed, invite the children to fill out the gift cards with a simple message such as “This potholder was created for you. Our Sunday School class prayed for you as we worked.”

Close with prayer for all the persons in the room and all the persons who were prayed for as the potholders were created.

POSSIBILITIES

If your congregation has a prayer shawl ministry, invite one of the knitters to come and share their work.

Adaptations – Younger Children

Preschool children may have a difficult time with the creation of a potholder. Easier weaving projects can be found at most craft stores or online. A plastic canvas bookmark is one possibility.

Adaptations – Older Children

Older children could work on one potholder for a while, then pass their project on to the next person, telling them the name of the person for whom they are praying.

CONTRIBUTOR: Kim Trimboli