Jesus Calms the Storm

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The students will learn about the story of Jesus calming the storm. They will discuss the “storms” in their lives and the ways their faith in Christ can support and sustain them. They will make “worry” cans (small canisters covered in colored papers) and “worry” stones: stones with Biblical verses and messages reminding them that God is always with them; that God calms the storms in our lives sometimes by calming the storm and sometimes by calming us.

For our rotation on "Jesus Calms the Storm" we did a wonderful art lesson.  This was so powerful for the kids that we also did this in our women's group.  I'll attach a copy of the lesson plan as well as post it here

Scripture:

Mark 4:35-41

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture passage and bookmark it in your Bible
• Familiarize yourself with the lesson plan.
• Gather all the materials for your project.

Materials List:

• glass stones
• paper messages
• Modge Podge
• paint brushes
• paper plates
• colored papers
• glue sticks
• canisters/cans
• scissors
• pens
• strips of paper

Before Class:

• Make sure there are Bibles on the tables for the students.
• Set the craft materials on the side table

Presentation:

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction: 

Introduce yourself to the students and tell them something about yourself that is really “WOW”.

Say: This morning we are going to be thinking about this month’s story “When Jesus calms the storm” from a different perspective.  We are going to focus on how Jesus helps us to calm our own worries and fears.  But let’s read the Scripture first.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection: 

Say:  We find this story in the New Testament in the book of Mark. It’s in the Fourth chapter, verses 35-41.  Let’s find this passage in our Bibles.  (When the students have located the book in the Bible continue.)  Mark is one of the Gospel writers.

Ask:  Can you tell me who the other Gospel writers are?  (Mathew, Luke, John). 

Does anyone remember what the word “Gospel” means?  (Good News!)

Say: Mathew and Luke also tell about this incident in their gospels but we are reading Mark’s version this month. Let’s read what Mark has to say.  (Read the Scripture.)  

Ask:  What do you think is important about this story of Jesus?  (Accept all answers)

Say:  Jesus tells the Disciples that if they have faith they have no need to be afraid. 

Ask: Do you think Jesus would say the same thing to us?  (Yes) 

What are some of the things you are afraid of?

Say: We’re going to take a few minutes to write down some of things that we’re afraid of or things that we worry about.  (Pass out the strips of paper and pens. Give the students time to write. When they are done give each of them a canister.)  Let’s put our worries and fears in these canisters.  We’ll decorate the canisters later.

Ask: Do you think that God makes the storms in our lives disappear the way our worries and fears “disappeared” when we put the papers in these canisters?  (Sometimes.) 

What if God doesn’t take away a storm, a worry or a fear? (Accept all answers.) 

Do you think that if God doesn’t take away the “storm” that He has forgotten you?

Say: It may feel that way but it isn’t the truth.  It’s important to remember that feelings aren’t facts.  It might feel  like God hasn’t answered a prayer but God answers all prayer.   Something I want you to think about is that if God doesn’t calm a “storm” in your life—if He doesn’t “fix” the thing you are worried about, if He doesn’t change the person who is bothering you, if He doesn’t turn the lights on when you are afraid of the dark—God can still calm the “storm” in you.  He can change something in you so that you can feel differently, so that you can fix the problem, so that you can figure how to remain calm until you can figure out what to do.

Say:  There’s a well-known story that illustrates this:  

Once upon a time, it began to rain and overflow the river next to a farmer's house. As it rained the water rose higher and higher.  Soon the water was up to his front door.   

"God," said the farmer, "save me!" 

As he is standing there praying, a boat came up. And the man in the boat says, “Jump in, and I’ll take you to safety.” 

The farmer says “Oh no thanks, I put my trust in God.” The boat goes away. The water gets higher and higher.  Soon another boat comes along.  The man in the boat says to the farmer, who is now at the second floor window, “Hurry, jump in. I’ll save you.”  

The farmer again says, “Oh no thanks, I put my trust in God.”  

The boat goes away. Now the water is up to the roof. The farmer stands on the roof and calls out “God, save me!”  Just then a helicopter comes and drops a ladder. The pilot yells down to the farmer, “I’ll save you. Climb the ladder.”  

The farmer yells back, “No thanks, I put my trust in God.” 

The helicopter goes away. The water continues to rise and sweeps the farmer off the roof into the swiftly moving water. Unfortunately, he drowns. 

The farmer goes to heaven. God sees him and says, “What are you doing here?”

The farmer says, “I put my trust in you, and you let me down.”

God says, “What do you mean, I let you down? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!”

Ask:  What do you think about the farmer? 

What do you think about what God said?

Say:  God promises to answer our prayers.  God promises to comfort us, save us, calm the storms in our lives.  But sometimes, like with the farmer, we may be expecting God to act one way when God is really helping us in another way.

Ask: Do you think coming to church and Sunday school is a way God helps us? 

Do you think praying is a way God helps us? 

Do you think having a close family and friends is a way God helps us? 

Do you remember the prayer books we made last fall when we studied the story of Daniel?  (Hopefully they do)

Say:  When you need to remember that God is with you just open your prayer book and read some of those prayers. This morning we are going to make “worry” stones which will be another way we can be reminded of the ways God is always with us. These are going to be small stones that have words written on them. You can keep them in your canister.  When you need one just take it out and read the message. You can hold on to it or keep it in your pocket if you like. The stones are smooth and it can feel soothing to rub them. If you want you can write down a worry or fear, put it in the canister and take out a stone. When the canister is full of papers you can take them out, read through them, and throw out the ones that are no longer worries or fears! You’ve already started your canister. Let’s make the stones.

Stone Art project:

Hand out the paper with messages written on them, a paper plate & stones.  Have each student pick a few quotes to start with.  If there is enough time they can make more later.

The glass stones magnify the quotes. Write their name on the paper plate.  Use the glass stones and the quotes, which have been cut to fit the size of the glass stones. Using a small amount of “Modge Podge” glue the quotes onto the back of the stones with the paint brush.  Put glue on stone and on the paper once attached.  Leave them to dry on the plates until the next week.      

 These are just a sampling of some of the scriptural passages and memes we used.

Worry Can Craft:

Once the stones have been made have the students choose from the variety of scrapbooking papers, which one they would like to use. Using a glue stick, cover the canister. They can also add a label from among those available. They can take the canisters home with them and pick up the stones the following week.

Closing: 

Close with a prayer.

A lesson written by Cathy Munsey-Ballou
from Lebanon United Methodist Church, West Lebanon, NH, USA

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