P.O.P.S. - PALM SUNDAY STORY: Jesus’ last welcome to Jerusalem—received as Messiah
Wilson Chapel UMC, Birmingham, AL

THEME: Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus was recognized by most of his own people as messiah.

OVERVIEW of all 4 workshops in this Rotation:

Drama: enact the story from Luke. Discuss the feelings of the participants.

Art: Make paper or felt mini-banners to be carried in procession by the children during Palm Sunday worship.

Video: watch the video Great Bible Discovery: Discovering The Empty Tomb.

Computers: Children’s Activity Bible [Exchange Volunteer notes: This CD is out of print, Play & Learn has a lesson that could be used in place of it and Amazing Expedition Bible.] Lesson uses Life of Christ for older children.

BIBLE REFERENCES: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-48

MEMORY VERSE:
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:8-9)

OBJECTIVES:
1. To teach the children the story behind our Palm Sunday celebrations.
2. To teach the children the meaning of "messiah," and Jesus’ fulfillment of "messiahship."
3. To teach the children the importance of Jesus’ "messiahship" in their lives.

REFLECTIONS:
1. "Messiah" means "anointed one," taken to mean "God’s anointed one." In the context of 1st Century Judaism, there was widespread hope that God would provide the Jews with a messiah, who would lead the nation to correct all of its ills. Their hope was grounded in scripture, the 300+ prophecies pertaining to the Jews’ deliverance from foreign powers, wickedness, injustices, poverty, etc.
2. Christian hopes and beliefs are that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, but that his messiahship was established in an unexpected way, i.e., crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
3. What has been called Jesus’ "triumphal entry" to Jerusalem was an event that demonstrated his followers’ acclaim. By the time Jesus made this last trip to Jerusalem, his miracles, teachings, forgiveness, love, prophecies, and powers were well-known in Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and the surrounding region. According to his reputation (and to his genealogy), Jesus was entitled to be King of Israel, hence, the shouts, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
4. In the week following Palm Sunday (and several times to the 12 apostles before Palm Sunday), Jesus made it clear that he would choose not become the kind of king that most of his people expected. When he chose to fulfill messiahship in God’s way, instead of his people’s expected way, everyone turned against him.
5. How can we truly celebrate God’s deliverance of us through Jesus, knowing that we humans reject both God’s chosen way for accomplishing deliverance and God’s only-begotten Son?

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ROCK OF STAGES - DRAMA WORKSHOP - PALM SUNDAY

WELCOME: Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Call the children by name. Use name tags if needed.

ATTENDANCE: Make sure that attendance is recorded and that "We miss you" cards will be sent to those absent.

OPENING PRAYER: (Make it brief and understandable for the age group.)

MEMORY VERSES: Begin by repeating the memory verses and by having the children repeat memory verses. Younger children memorize only verse 9 or a part of it. Use this exercise to focus attention and to "set up" your telling or reading the Biblical story.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Read or tell the story from your choice of Bibles. Always tell the children where in the Bible the story is found. If the children bring their own Bibles, help them find the story you are reading.

DRAMA ACTIVITY:
1. Enact the story of the first Palm Sunday, using props of palm branches, biblical robes, even a "stick horse" donkey for "Jesus" to ride on!
2. Use the story as told in Luke’s gospel, for it has the wonderful dialogue between the Pharisees and Jesus: "And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.’"
3. If time and numbers allow, enact the story several times, and let the children play different roles in each enactment.

Discuss the following:
· Focus on imagination and senses. What sights did you see, as the story was read, told, and/or enacted? What sounds did you hear in your imagination? What smells did you sense in your imagination? Did you taste or touch anything in your imagination? Talk about it.
· Focus on the feelings of the "actors." How did the one(s) who played Jesus feel, during the enactment? How did the one(s) who played crowd members feel? What were the feelings of the apostles? The Pharisees?
· Focus on the imaginings, the senses, and the feelings that we Christians experience in worship. What are the similarities and differences between our worship experiences today and the Biblical "Palm Sunday" celebration? What pleased Jesus then, and what pleases Jesus now?

CLOSING:
1. Summarize discussion and what children have learned.
2. Go over the memory verses again.
3. Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.
4. Offer an age-appropriate prayer and/or involve children in the prayer.

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SAND ART STUDIO - ART WORKSHOP - PALM SUNDAY

WELCOME: Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Call the children by name. Use name tags if needed.

ATTENDANCE: Make sure that attendance is recorded and that "We miss you" cards will be sent to those absent.

OPENING PRAYER: (Make it brief and understandable for the age group.)

MEMORY VERSES: Begin by repeating the memory verses and by having the children repeat memory verses. Younger children memorize only verse 9 or a part of it. Use this exercise to focus attention and to "set up" your telling or reading the Biblical story.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Read or tell the story from your choice of Bibles. Always tell the children where in the Bible the story is found. If the children bring their own Bibles, help them find the story you are reading.

ART/CRAFT PROJECT: Make paper or felt mini-banners to be carried in procession by the children during Palm Sunday worship.

Materials
1. Paper/felt material in purple, green, gold, etc.
2. Several palm branch patterns
3. Several letter patterns—enough to spell "Hosanna," "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," etc.
4. Other patterns, e.g., donkey, Jesus, and/or other decorations
5. Glue
6. Scissors
7. Dowels
8. Nylon or decorative cord

Procedure
1. Pre-cut purple paper/felt panels for the mini-banners.
2. Fold over a hem and glue along the top.
3. Allow or help the children to choose from among the patterns to be arranged on their banners.
4. Allow or help the children to trace the patterns onto the paper/felt and cut them out with scissors.
5. Allow or help the children to glue the cut-outs into place on their mini-banners.
6. Cut the dowel to a length 2 inches longer than the width of the mini-banner.
7. Cut a length of cord 1.5 times the length of the dowel.
8. Slide dowel through the hem and fit the cord to the dowel ends. Slotting the dowel will help.
9. Explain how the children will carry the banners during the church’s Palm Sunday celebration.
10. Discuss questions below while doing the art/craft project.
For younger children the patterns can be pre-cut from paper/felt.

Questions
· Explain what the title "messiah" meant to the Jewish people of Jesus’ day. Try to explain it at the children’s level of understanding. Ask, "What would messiah look like today?" "What would messiah do today?"
· Ask the children to compare Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem to various kinds of parades—Rose Bowl Parade, World Series Victory Parade, Independence Day Parade, Veterans Day Parade, etc.
· Discuss why the people in the Biblical story waved branches of trees and threw down parts of their clothing.
· What kinds of celebration of Jesus’ messiahship please God today? What kinds of celebration please us?

CLOSING:
1. Summarize discussion and what children have learned.
2. Go over the memory verses again.
3. Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.
4. Offer an age-appropriate prayer and/or involve children in the prayer.

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"ROCKSY" THEATER - VIDEO WORKSHOP - PALM SUNDAY

WELCOME: Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Call the children by name. Use name tags if needed.

ATTENDANCE: Make sure that attendance is recorded and that "We miss you" cards will be sent to those absent.

OPENING PRAYER: (Make it brief and understandable for the age group.)

MEMORY VERSES: Begin by repeating the memory verses and by having the children repeat memory verses. Younger children memorize only verse 9 or a part of it. Use this exercise to focus attention and to "set up" your telling or reading the Biblical story.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Read or tell the story from your choice of Bibles. Always tell the children where in the Bible the story is found. If the children bring their own Bibles, help them find the story you are reading.

SNACK: Serve the popcorn before the video and drinks after the video.

VIDEO PRESENTATION: The Great Bible Discovery Series: Discovering the Empty Tomb - The Easter Story.
Exchange Volunteer adds a link to purchasing this video from Vision Video.

Materials
1. Video
2. Popcorn and drinks.
3. VCR and TV

Procedure
Cue the video at the point where the narrator begins to discuss "prophets." Stop the video after "Judas betrayal" to discuss the questions below.

Questions
· What were some of the prophecies that pointed to Jesus? Ans: Born in Bethlehem; John the Baptist’s preparations; Jesus’ preaching and miracles; disciples’ witness; riding on a donkey.
· What personality trait was associated with riding on a donkey? Ans: humility.
· Who were some people who reacted against Jesus and why?
· Jesus angered even more people at his people’s temple; how and why?
· How, why, and by whom was Jesus betrayed?
· Ask students to share times when they have felt exalted, then betrayed.

CLOSING:
1. Summarize discussion and what children have learned.
2. Go over the memory verses again.
3. Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.
4. Offer an age-appropriate prayer and/or involve children in the prayer.

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CORNERSTONE - COMPUTERS WORKSHOP - PALM SUNDAY

WELCOME: Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Call the children by name. Use name tags if needed.

ATTENDANCE: Make sure that attendance is recorded and that "We miss you" cards will be sent to those absent.

OPENING PRAYER: (Make it brief and understandable for the age group.)

MEMORY VERSES: Begin by repeating the memory verses and by having the children repeat memory verses. Younger children memorize only verse 9 or a part of it. Use this exercise to focus attention and to "set up" your telling or reading the Biblical story.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Read or tell the story from your choice of Bibles. Always tell the children where in the Bible the story is found. If the children bring their own Bibles, help them find the story you are reading.

DIGITAL LEARNING EXERCISES:
Materials
1. Software: Children’s Activity Bible [Exchange Volunteer Notes: This CD is out of print, Play & Learn has a lesson that could be used in place of it or Amazing Expedition Bible]
2. Software for older children: Life of Christ

Procedure
1. In Children’s Activity Bible, click on Play and Learn, then New Testament, then Jesus is Coming! Work through the lesson and allow children to print certificates.
2. In Amazing Expedition Bible, click on Bible Timeline, then Jesus’ Crucifixion, then The Saddest Day, then the "Read" button at the bottom of the screen. Next, click and read The Last Week, Arrested, and On Trial.
3. Discuss learning.
4. Let children select and play their favorite game software.

1. In Life of Christ, click on Continue Exploration to get into the program. Click on the Orange Crate, then click on Road to the Cross, then, in turn work through Lessons 28 and 29.
2. Go to the Main Menu and click on the File Cabinet. Play the Jerusalem video and look at the Jerusalem slides.
3. Discuss learning.
4. Let children select and play their favorite game software.

CLOSING:
1. Summarize discussion and what children have learned.
2. Go over the memory verses again.
3. Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.
4. Offer an age-appropriate prayer and/or involve children in the prayer.

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Note: Do not email "rhondab" for questions about this lesson. Rhondab is a volunteer poster for this lesson set, not the author.

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A second Exchange Volunteer modified title of post for clarity and improved readability and added summary of lessons at the beginning.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CreativeCarol,