Ecclesiastes

Music Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Compare/Contrast Secular and Christian views of Ecclesiastes & Compose a New Song

Scripture Reference:

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

Supplies List:

• Find a copy of the Bryds' song “Turn Turn Turn”
• Rebecca St. James song “That’s What Matters” from her CD, God.

Leader Preparation:

• You may want to make copies or type out the words to each of the songs if you have readers.
• You may also want to look up some background information on the two groups.

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduction yourself.

Open with a prayer.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Begin by giving some background on Ecclesiastes.

SAY:  It was written by a man who had everything anyone could ever want – wealth, power, houses, land, money, etc. But all this stuff did not make him happy. The book tells how he tried lots of different ways to make himself happy, but none of them worked. In the end he concluded that the only point of life was to “fear God and keep his commandments.”

We are going to listen to two different songs based on the book of Ecclesiastes. The first is by the Bryds, called “Turn Turn Turn.”

Play the song.

• How does this song make you feel? 

Next we are going to listen to a song by Rebecca St. James called “That’s What Matters.”

Play the song.

• How does this song make you feel?
• How are the songs the same?
• How are the songs different?

The Bryds were not Christians, but they were very popular and by the end of their careers, very wealthy musicians.

Rebecca St. James is a Christian musician.

• How do you think these facts affected the songs that they sang?

Questions for discussion:

• What kinds of things do people think will make them happy?
• Does trying to get stuff make us happy? Why or why not?
• How does having God in your life change the way that we live our lives?
• How does God give us hope?

Now that you have listened to two songs based on Ecclesiastes, you have a chance to write your own.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Then have the kids write lyrics of their own based on the scripture.

Pick a simple tune like "Row, row, row Your Boat" or "Jesus Loves Me."

Closing:

End with a prayer.

A lesson written by Deborah Ward from: Williams Lake Church of the Nazarene
Waterford, MI 

Copyright 2009 Williams Lake Church of the Nazarene, Waterford, MI
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material.

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