Hannah and Samuel, A "Mission-focused" Lesson Idea
Our church has a "baby shower" mission project where we collect newborn needs for a local "store" that provides needed items for teenage moms.
In this lesson, our students learn the story of Hannah's dedication of her son to God, and help prepare gift tags for gifts brought in by our members. 
If you don't have such a mission project, perhaps you could find a local need by speaking to a labor and delivery nurse, or women's shelter. Kids could also collect money to purchase and gift a collection of children's Bible books to mothers of newborns in your own CONGREGATION. For example, the inexpensive "ARCH" Bible storybooks from Concordia are quite good. In some churches, the children of the church participate in a child's baptism, or you could have your kids create "welcome to the family" cards for newborns in the congregation.
For the Bible Study:
If you haven't already used them, consider watching the excellent short video: "Hannah" from the Crossroad Kids' "God's Story" series free on YouTube. You can also watch their "Samuel" video to show what God did with her child to bring blessings to Israel.
Possible questions:
- How did God turn a difficult problem into a blessing?
- What was Hannah's response to God's goodness?
- What promise have your parents made to God about you?
- How will you honor to their promise and answer God's call to you?
Materials List:
- Bring together all the gifts people have brought in. (Diapers are popular!)
- Bags/baskets for sorting collections into gift bags.
- Colored paper
- Markers
- Stickers
Our Baby Shower Mission Activity:
Children will sort all the collected items and place in baskets/bags. Children make cards on colored paper to send with the items. Brainstorm and write on the board a series of "card" sentiments children can use, such as, "Welcome to God's family, little one!" and "You have big brothers and sister in Christ who will keep an eye out for you."
Directions:
- Have children sort through all the collected items and group like items together.
- Place the items in bags or baskets.
- Have children make cards to send with the items. They may use stickers to decorate their cards.
For our closing:
Perform a "laying on of hands" blessing over the gifts/cards. This ancient tradition embodies the sense that we all work together and through the Spirit to touch other's lives with goodness.
A lesson sketch from Jaymie Derden and Neil MacQueen
