Cooking Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Teaching "Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of the Shepherds, Angelic Host, and the Stable" in Sunday School.

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The following lesson was creating using an idea posted by member Jan Napa

Thought I’d share an idea my 13-year old son and I had that I'll be developing into a cooking lesson in December. In reading through the Christmas story in Luke 2, we came up with this idea to go with our theme of “Messengers of the Good News” …

Cooking Workshop

Shepherds and Angels:  messengers of the Covenant

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Children will read the story in Luke 2 and match key persons, things, or concepts to an edible ingredient which will be individually added to create sweet treat to eat together while discussing how the message of the birth of Jesus was spread to others and how they may also spread the message.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 2:1 and Luke 2:8-12

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson set.
• Gather the materials.

Materials List:

• Easel, chalkboard, or whiteboard
• Bible
• One or more pictures of the key persons, things, concepts on display
• A mixing bowl and spoon or spatula for each student
• Tablecloth or covering if unable to work at a kitchen counter
• Small individually wrapped candy canes (to be crushed)
• Whipped cream or Cool Whip for dairy allergies
• Star sprinkles or white dot sprinkles
• Angle food cake crumbled or cut up into bite-sized pieces
• Yellow sprinkles
• Gummy Lifesaver candy
• Mini marshmallows
• Paper plate for each student

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Cover table with cloth
• Have ingredients ready to use:  placed in bowls with scoops or spoons and cover with some light dishtowels.

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction

Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Cooking Workshop.  Introduce yourself and any other leaders.

[Note:  The Shepherd will be taking care of attendance while you are starting your lesson.}

SAY:  Today we will hear the story of the angels and the shepherds and how they were messengers of the Good News of the birth of Jesus.  Let's begin with a prayer.

Ask for any Joys or Concerns that the students or other leaders would like to share.  Ask if anyone would like to lead the class in prayer.  Be prepared to lead the prayer yourself, including any Joys or Concerns shared and end with the Lord's Prayer.  A suggestion:  "Loving God, you did something so amazing that the news needed to be spread far and wide.  Thank you for sending  Jesus to lead us and teach us how to follow you and make a way for us to come close to you.  Thank you for the shepherds and angels who were some of the very first messengers.  (End with the Lord's Prayer" Amen."

Dig - Main Content and Reflection

Ask:

• Who is someone that might deliver good news?
• What are ways that they might deliver the good news?
• Have you ever received good news in the middle of the night?
• Have you ever received good news and then shared it with someone else?

Say:  The good news that we will be learning about today is about the birth of Jesus and how this good news was delivered and shared.

Ask:  What are some of the pictures that you see you surrounding us today?

Ask:  Do you see anything on our table today that reminds you of the pictures?

Say:  Today we are going to read the part of Jesus' birth story when the good news begins to be shared.  The books of the Bible where the story is told are called the Gospels.

Ask:  Does anyone know the meaning of the word Gospel?  (It means good news!)  Listen to our story and gaze at our pictures as you listen.

Read Luke 2:8-12

Ask:  What were some things that you both saw in the pictures and heard in the story?

Say:  Next we are going to wash our hands and then listen to the story again.  As you listen to the story, look at the delicious supplies on our table.  When you hear something in the story that reminds you of one of our supplies, say "pause!"  We will each have a bowl and place that food in our own bowls.

Give the kids each an empty bowl and uncover the bowls of supplies.

Foods will be …

• Shepherds … candy cane (Keeping the candy canes in their wrappings the students will crush them and then unwrap and then put in their bowl.)
• Flocks … whipped cream
• Night … star sprinkles or white dot sprinkles
• Angel of the Lord … Angel food cake bites
• Glory … yellow sprinkles
• Jesus … gummy “life saver” candy?
• Heavenly host … mini marshmallows
• Spread the word … stir up the ingredients and then spread it out

Discussion:  (while students are eating)

Once the story is read and the treat is mixed, distribute spoons to the students.

Say:  Now we may enjoy our treat as we think about spreading the good news.

Ask:  Who were the messengers who spread the good news in the story?

Ask:  How might you spread the good news...share about the love of Jesus to kids your age?

Ask:  Why might someone consider the gospel sweet?

Extra Activity (if there is more time left)

May follow up with the “story of the candy cane” (here is a blog post with one version) and have them make/decorate cards with the story and attach canes to give to those they want to share the message with.

_{A volunteer representative of Rotation.org fleshed out this idea into a lesson plan format.}