Paul's Journeys

Music Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

In this workshop, the learners will learn some joyful songs to sing.

Supplies:

• The Children’s Bible; hymnals;
• CD player;
• CD “Songs Kids Love to Sing”; song sheets,
• 1 for each person; poster board with the memory verse on it.

Teacher preparation:

• Read the Bible passages.
• The story will be read from The Children’s Bible, so you might want to preview this, too.
• Read over the background material included in your teacher packet as you review the lesson plan.
• Listen to the CD to be familiar with the songs and their places on the CD. We have picked out some to use, but you may want to include more if you have time.

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs.

Dig:

Read the story from The Children’s Bible, pp. 397-399 (stories #351 and #352.) Since the memory verse is from the NRSV Bible and not The Children’s Bible, use the poster board with the verse on it and go over it with the children.

Following the story, recap a little using the following:

• Who remembers what happened to Paul and Silas when Paul made the evil spirit leave the servant girl? (Since she couldn’t tell fortunes any more, her owners had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in prison.)
• While in prison, did they cry and moan and complain? (No.)
• What did they do? (They prayed and sang.) Yes, they prayed and sang songs to God and were very joyful, even though they were hurting and in prison. This caused others in the jail to wonder about them and believe them when they told them about God’s love and about Jesus.
• What else happened to them while they were in prison? (There was an earthquake and they were able to get out of their chains and could get out of prison. But they didn’t do that.)

 
Today we are going to learn how to be like Paul and Silas. We are going to learn some songs we can sing when we are scared or sad and will help others learn more about God and Jesus.

“Amazing Grace”
Pass out the hymnals. Have the children find the hymn “Amazing Grace”, number 502. Talk with the children about the composer of “Amazing Grace.” Tell them that he was a man who was involved in slave trading until he had an experience with God that was much like Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. (Help the children remember that story.) The composer became a Christian and gave up his slave trading business. He was so overcome by God’s love and mercy that he wrote “Amazing Grace,” one of our best-known hymns.
Go over the words to “Amazing Grace” and sing it together.

Pass out the song sheet, and using it, go over the words to as many of the songs for which you have time. These songs are on the CD provided, so after the words have been read, play the song through as everyone sings to it. Feel free to let the children have fun with the songs and express joy as they sing and, if desired, dance around.

Let the children request songs to sing again. Sing them as much as you have time.

Reflection:

Remind the children that how we handle difficult situations is up to us. We can choose to moan and groan and complain, or we can choose to be joyful and have hope, just as Paul and Silas did. Remind them that whenever they are in times of trouble, they can remember the love of God expressed in the gospel and they can choose to be joyful, singing any one of the songs they learned today.

Closing:
Close with a prayer of your own, or use the following:
Loving God, thank you for your love and for Jesus. Thank you for the songs we can sing to keep us joyful even in times of despair. Help us to be joyful because of the life we have found in you. Amen.

Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals. Ask the children to answer the following question:
What was your favorite song you learned today?

Adjustments for younger/older children:
You should go over the words to the songs orally with the Beginner class, and possibly play the song through a time or two for the children to learn it. You might not have time to learn all of them this way.

Based on lesson ideas found at Rotation.org 

Song Sheet

Down in My Heart
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart to stay.

Chorus
And I’m so happy, so very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart
And I’m so happy, so very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.

I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart.
I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart to stay.

Chorus

I’ve got the peace that passes understanding
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart.
I’ve got the peace that passes understanding
Down in my heart (where?)
Down in my heart to stay.

Chorus


If You’re Happy and You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (Clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (Clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (Clap, clap)

If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (Stomp, stomp)

If you’re happy and you know it, say “Amen.” (A-men)
If you’re happy and you know it, say “Amen.” (A-men)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, say “Amen.” (A-men)

If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, A-men)
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, A-men)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (Clap, clap, stomp, stomp, A-men)


I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.
Though none go with me, still I will follow.
Though none go with me, still I will follow.
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me.
The world behind me, the cross before me.
The world behind me, the cross before me.
No turning back, no turning back.


Kum Ba Ya
Kum ba ya, my lord, kum ba ya.
Kum ba ya, my lord, kum ba ya.
Kum ba ya, my lord, kum ba ya.
Oh Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s singing, Lord, kum ba ya.
Someone’s singing, Lord, kum ba ya.
Someone’s singing, Lord, kum ba ya.
Oh Lord, kum ba ya.

Someone’s praying, Lord, kum ba ya.
Someone’s praying, Lord, kum ba ya.
Someone’s praying, Lord, kum ba ya.
Oh Lord, kum ba ya.

Originally posted by member Brenthaven Church

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability