The children will listen to adults share how they have experienced God.
The children will have a conversation with and interview the adults.
PREPARATION
Read Bible Background.
Materials List
Battery, fully-charged and/or power plug Bibles Blank tape Copy machine or Printer Paper, 8 1/2" x 11" Video camera VCR and Monitor/Screen
Advance Preparation Requirements
Arrange for enough adults to come to your class so each child in your group has one person to interview. Be sure the adults have walked with God, experiencing God’s majesty, and are willing to be videotaped for the project. Tell the adults to prepare by reading Psalm 8.
Duplicate a set of questions for each adult/child team.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
What do you think is the most awesome thing in all of creation?
I wonder how God made that awesome creation?
The psalmist says, “O Lord, how majestic is your name!” Majestic means magnificent, noble, and belonging to a supreme ruler. What are some of the names we use for God?
Which name seems most majestic to you? Why?
PRESENTATION
Open - Introduction
Distribute Bibles and read Psalm 8 with the children. Talk about how we experience God’s majesty using these and other questions:
What do you think is the most awesome thing in all of creation?
I wonder how God made that awesome creation?
The psalmist says, “O Lord, how majestic is your name!” Majestic means magnificent, noble, and belonging to a supreme ruler. What are some of the names we use for God?
Which name seems most majestic to you? Why?
Dig – Main Content
Tell the children they are going to get to explore Psalm 8 with a person who has experienced God’s majesty for many years. Have the above questions written so the child and/or the adult visitor can read them. Allow the child to add any additional questions that would help him or her learn more about Psalm 8 from the guest. Have the visitors come into the room and pair up with the children. Allow them to talk about Psalm 8 and the discussion questions for a while before starting the video camera. Let each pair decide which questions they want to ask and answer for the video. When one pair is ready, run the camera while the child interviews the adult. Encourage the children to answer some of the questions for themselves too. Continue until all have been interviewed.
Reflect – Closure
The guests can be excused, if desired. Or they can stay and watch the video with the children. It will be fun for the children to see themselves and their partner on the video, but they will also be interested in and learn from the others on the tape. Let the children share any additional information they learned about God and God's majesty and awesome creation from the adults.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Adaptations - Younger Children
Ask younger children to each illustrate a verse from Psalm 8 in bright, full color. On a computer, scan their pictures and type the words of the verse on each slide. Create a presentation using a program, such as PowerPoint or Media Shout. Use Psalm 8, with the children’s illustrations, in a worship service.
Adaptations - Older Children
Older children may want to write their own psalm using modern language in the style of The Message, by Eugene Peterson. With the children, read Psalm 8 in The Message. Let the children pick a theme (inspired by Psalm 8) like God’s glory and majesty or creation, to guide their writing. Have each person write one verse. Then put all the verses together to make one psalm of praise. Next have each child read his or her verse as another child or adult videotapes the reading. You might want to do the videotaping outside in creation. This reading could be used to show at an all-church gathering or in worship. Or use the child-created psalm in the liturgy in a worship service.
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