Lydia: A New Believer!

A "Hospitality ~ Welcome" Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Cildren will make hospitality "welcome" signs for the church lawn or entryway or to take home. These will remind them of Lydia’s "welcome hospitality" to Paul and Silas and the "welcome" they shared with her by sharing the Good News and welcoming her into the family of faith through her baptism.  "Hospitality" and invitation are major practices in the New Testament Church. Lydia's story helps us learn about it and make sure we are practicing it!

In addition to a DIY option you might come up with, making signs for the church yard is really easy an inexpensive when you search Amazon for "blank yard signs."  Many are less than 50 cents each and come with the wire stand that you use to display them in the lawn.

TIPS:
Cut large yard signs in half to save, Use BOTH sides of the plastic board.
Use paint pens with bright colors to make your message stand out.

If you prefer to make "Welcome" sign that goes home with the student, look at the simple embroidery option below. Hoops are not expensive in bulk on Amazon.

Preparation and Room Set Up:

• Review background information, teaching tips and lesson materials.
• Iron the freezer paper to each piece of fabric for the children.
• Draw on the board or have several copies of Christian symbols for the children to use as a guide when tracing their words or symbols onto the fabric.
• Gather necessary supplies.
• Cover the tables with old tablecloths.
• Iron a piece of freezer paper to fabric pieces prior to class. This allows the children to draw on the fabric without stretching it out of shape.
• Place an embroidery hoop over the center of the fabric pieces and trace the inside of the hoop. That will act as a guide for the children as to where they should write and draw pictures for the sign.
• Prepare a sample to show the children.

Supplies for the Church Yard Sign Option

• If you will be making yard signs like "This way to great snacks and Good News" and "God welcomes Lydia and you" Acts 16:14" --order a pack of blank yard signs and their "H" stakes. Double check online pricing as some larger signs are less expensive when you cut them in half!  Precut these sheets.
• Discuss with your pastor what message the kids may want to emphasize and where they can put their signs.
• Check your paint pen supplies. They are best for writing/drawing on the plastic board.

Supplies for the Embroidery Take Home Project:

• 7” wooden embroidery Hoops
• Muslin cut into 9” round or square pieces (fabric should be washed without fabric softener and dried before being cut)
• Freezer paper
• Parchment Paper
• Purple spray dye (found in craft stores)
• Glue – blue gel glue
• Pencils
• Designs drawn out for the children to use as a guide (Examples: dove, “welcome,” cross, fish or any other Christian symbol)
• Scissors
• Iron and ironing board

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Explain what they'll be doing and learning about today.

Say: "I want to pretend with you for a moment, I'm going to be a member of our church and you're going to be walking in our doors for the very first time, GO!"   (Now do a really bad job of welcoming them or ignoring them. Pretend a couple of other scenarios, such as, "your friend wants to know what church you go to but you put it down because you don't want to look uncool," or "a new classmate walks in and you ignore them and avoid eye contact."

Study:

Introduce today's Bible story about Lydia and Paul with these words or something like them...
Our Bible story this month takes place after Jesus was raised from the dead and went to heaven. It takes place during a time we call the early church – a time when Jesus’ followers continued to get together and remember Jesus and what he taught and to worship God. This was also a time for missionaries… What is a missionary? (A missionary is a person who travels to different places making friends with the people there and telling them about God.) The stories of the early church are found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Now Paul was one of the greatest missionaries that ever lived! Paul did not begin his life as a Christian. He was born in a town called Tarsus and was very committed to the Jewish faith. He even persecuted the early Christians. What does it mean to persecute? (to harm or abuse people for thinking or acting differently than you do). Paul was a young boy when Jesus was crucified. Years later, Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute and imprison Christians when God met Paul by speaking through a blinding light. At that point, Paul became a follower of Jesus and began his work as a missionary in order to spread The Good News that Jesus had died for our sins. Paul took four different mission trips. On the second mission trip, he and a few followers went into Europe and ended up in Philippi (Show a map).

Paul and his friends ended up in Philippi on the Sabbath, the day reserved for worshipping God. There wasn’t a synagogue where people could worship, so they wandered around outside the town. They found a group of women by the river. They were praying together. One of the ladies was named Lydia. Lydia was a businesswoman in Philippi. She sold purple cloth. Lydia was able to get the purple dye from a certain type of shell in the river and dye her cloth purple. She must have been a very busy woman. She apparently took time to pray, and she was very interested in learning about Jesus from Paul. When Paul told Lydia about the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we would have eternal life with God, Lydia became a believer and wanted to be baptized as a Christian. After her entire family had been baptized, Lydia invited Paul and his friends to stay with her and her family in their home. Lydia’s home became the first Christian house church in Europe. Lydia was a remarkable woman for two main reasons. First, she opened her heart so that the message of Jesus could enter and as a result was the first woman in Europe to be baptized. Secondly, she opened her home to Paul and the other missionaries, which enabled even more people to hear the word of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Memory Verse: Each rotation we encourage the children to memorize one verse. Locate the verse and review with the children at this time. Children with their own Bibles, should highlight the verse with the Bible highlighters. Please do not mark in the classroom Bibles.

“Say with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’. Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Discuss:

• What did Lydia do? (Sold purple cloth, made from dye from shellfish)
• Who was Paul? (Great New Testament missionary)
• Where did she meet Paul? (By the riverside in Philippi)
• What happened to Lydia there? (She believed in Jesus and was baptized)
• Before she mat Paul, Lydia believed in God, but not in Jesus. How is this different? (Jesus is the One sent from God to make us right with God. By dying and rising again Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins – when we believe and accept this)
• Why do you think Lydia believed the message about Jesus? (God had prepared her heart)
• Why is baptism important? (It shows that we belong to Jesus, for infants it is a promise that parents and the church make to raise a child to know and love Jesus. For believers it shows others that we believe in Jesus and have been forgiven of our sins)
• How was Lydia’s life changed? (she had the first home church in Europe, she became a follower of Jesus, she shared her home with others)
• How did Lydia show hospitality? (invited Paul and his fellow travelers to stay at her house)Have you ever shared something you had?
• How can you show hospitality to others?
• Have you ever taught someone about Jesus?
• Who teaches you about Jesus?
• How can you become a Christian? (believe in Jesus, confess your sins, accept that Jesus died and rose again for you)
• Have you believed in Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Savior?
  
  

Bible Study: Grades 4-6

Introduce the Story:
Our Bible story this month takes place after Jesus was raised from the dead and went to heaven. It takes place during a time we call the early church – a time when Jesus’ followers continued to get together and remember Jesus and what he taught and to worship God. This was also a time for missionaries… What is a missionary? (A missionary is a person who travels to different places making friends with the people there and telling them about God.)
Now Paul was one of the greatest missionaries that ever lived! Paul did not begin his life as a Christian. He was born in a town called Tarsus and was very committed to the Jewish faith. He even persecuted the early Christians. What does it mean to persecute? (to harm or abuse people for thinking or acting differently than you do). Paul was a young boy when Jesus was crucified. Years later, Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute and imprison Christians when God met Paul by speaking through a blinding light. At that point, Paul became a follower of Jesus and began his work as a missionary in order to spread The Good News that Jesus had died for our sins. Paul took four different mission trips. On the second mission trip, he and a few followers went into Europe and ended up in Philippi (Show a map).

Paul and his friends ended up in Philippi on the Sabbath, the day reserved for worshipping God. There wasn’t a synagogue where people could worship, so they wandered around outside the town. They found a group of women by the river. They were praying together. One of the ladies was named Lydia.

Let's read her very brief story found in Acts 16!

That is a very powerful message for such a short story. Lydia was a businesswoman in Philippi. She sold purple cloth. Lydia was able to get the purple dye from a certain type of shell in the river and dye her cloth purple. She must have been a very busy woman. She apparently took time to pray, and she was very interested in learning about Jesus from Paul. When Paul told Lydia about the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we would have eternal life with God, Lydia became a believer and wanted to be baptized as a Christian. After her entire family had been baptized, Lydia invited Paul and his friends to stay with her and her family in their home. Lydia’s home became the first Christian house church in Europe.

The same Spirit that moved Paul and his fellow travelers to come to Macedonia moved in Lydia’s heart. As Paul explained the gospel message to her, she believed and was baptized. Lydia’s story is a good example of God’s prevenient grace – how God woos and draws us to Christ, before we even know what the gospel is about. When Lydia accepted the gospel message Paul preached, and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, she was justified (made right with God) – this is God’s justifying grace. As God’s Holy Spirit continued to work in her heart and life, we see an example of God’s sanctifying grace – helping Lydia and all believers to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. This is the goal of the Christian life – to become like Jesus!

Lydia was a remarkable woman for two main reasons. First, she opened her heart so that the message of Jesus could enter. Secondly, she opened her home to Paul and the other missionaries, which enabled even more people to hear the word of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Discuss:

• Before she mat Paul, Lydia believed in God, but not in Jesus. How is this different? (Jesus is the One sent from God to make us right with God. By dying and rising again Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven for our sins – when we believe and accept this)
• Why do you think Lydia believed the message about Jesus? (God had prepared her heart)
• Why is baptism important? (It shows that we belong to Jesus, for infants it is a promise that parents and the church make to raise a child to know and love Jesus. For believers it shows others that we believe in Jesus and have been forgiven of our sins)
• What is prevenient grace? (God’s Spirit drawing us to Him, before we actually understand about God)
• What is justifying grace? (being made right with God – justified – when we believe in Jesus)
• What is sanctifying grace? (the continued work of God’s Spirit within us, to help us grow more like Jesus)
• What is the goal of the Christian life? (to become like Jesus)
• How was Lydia’s life changed? (she had the first home church in Europe, she became a follower of Jesus, she shared her home with others)
• How did Lydia show hospitality? (invited Paul and his fellow travelers to stay at her house)Have you ever shared something you had?
• How can you show hospitality to others?
• Have you ever taught someone about Jesus?
• Who teaches you about Jesus?
• How can you become a Christian? (believe in Jesus, confess your sins, accept that Jesus died and rose again for you)
• Have you believed in Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Savior?

Instructions:

1. Have the children Write the word “WELCOME” across the middle of the circle, using a pencil.
2. Above the word “welcome”, they may draw any Christian symbol they like- (fish, dove, cross). Instruct them to make the picture very simple, as they will be tracing their writing with glue. They may embellish the border of the circle if they like with “drops of water” that would symbolize their baptism.
3. Using a bottle of glue, trace the writing and drawing. Let the glue soak into the fabric.
4. Spray the purple dye all over the fabric (the part that is covered with glue will not absorb any dye).
5. Place a piece of parchment paper over the fabric.
6. Iron the fabric on both the parchment side and the freezer paper side (approx. 30 sec. each).
7. Peel the papers off and rinse the fabric with cool water.
8. Center the fabric and secure it in the embroidery hoop.

Closing:

• Have everyone share their "Welcoming" project.
• Practice pretending to "welcome" each other to church, inviting each other to Sunday School, etc.
• Our actions and attitude are God's best "welcome sign."
• Close with prayer.

A lesson by Jaymie Derden with updated by the Rotation.org Content Team
Note: This lesson could use some "sign suggestions" and we trust you'll run with these great ideas and improve on them.

Lydia: A New Believer!
Computer and Tech Workshop Ideas and Resources

The wonderful "Sunscool" Bible app has the story of Lydia in two places depending on which age level you select when opening the app:

In the main menu under the "Life of Apostles - BibleTime I Part 1" section...

• A10-1 :  Paul in Prison (Level 3- grades 2-4), Paul in Philippi (Level 4 - older kids) Man of Macedonia, Lydia, Paul and Silas in Prison, Earthquake
• A11-3: Paul meets Lydia in Levels 1 and 2, preschooler-1st grade

Learn more about the Sunscool Bible app and see it's full listing of Bible stories at https://www.rotation.org/topic...-resources-and-links

"Life of Paul" software program is now free to the supporting members of Rotation.org, learn how!

Learn more about all 6 programs in this series.

Below are two sets of directions guiding you and your students to Lydia content within the Life of Paul software

Where to go in the Life of Paul software for content about Lydia:

Directions:

1. Gather children around one computer to demonstrate how to use the software.
2. Click on Hall of Fame in Main Menu.
3. Click on People Paul Knew (to left)
4. Click on Silas. Listen to narration.
5. Click on Lydia. Listen to narration.
   
   Divide the children into pairs at the computer stations. Pass out the handouts for navigation and worksheet to each station.
   
   
6. Click on the back finger (on left) to return to Hall of Fame.
7. Click on Life of Paul Exhibit.
8. Click on Paul Kills Christians. Listen to narration.
9. Click on Paul Becomes a Christian. Listen.
10. Click on A Special Dream. Listen
11. Click on Lydia Becomes a Christian. Listen.
12. Click on Main Menu at bottom tool bar.
13. Click on Discover the Bible.
14. Click on the finger at the lower right to navigate to Acts 9:16-20. Click on the Bible at the lower right.
15. Read “Life then, Life Now: Synagogues.”
    Synagogues were places Jews met to learn about God and worship.
    What was not allowed in synagogues? (sacrifices)
16. Click on finger at the lower right to navigate to Acts 9:29-33. Click on the Bible at the lower right.
17. Read “I Wonder…. What is the Good News?”
    The good news is that God came to earth as a human being, paid for our sin and wants us to live with him in heaven. Who was this person? (Jesus)
18. Navigate to Acts 13:8-11. Click on the Bible icon at the lower right.
19. Read “Paul’s Journeys.”
    What ways did Paul travel? (walked, rode donkey, by ship)
    Find Philippi on the map.
    Who did Paul meet there? (Lydia)

Life of Paul Handout for Grades 2-6

Directions:
Follow the guide as you go through the Life of Paul software. Be sure to answer all the questions on this sheet.

1. Click on Hall of Fame in Main Menu.
2. Click on People Paul Knew (to left)
3. Click on Silas. Listen to narration.
4. Click on Lydia. Listen to narration.
5. Click on the back finger (on left) to return to Hall of Fame.
6. Click on Life of Paul Exhibit.
7. Click on Paul Kills Christians. Listen to narration.
8. Click on Paul Becomes a Christian. Listen.
9. Click on A Special Dream. Listen
10. Click on Lydia Becomes a Christian. Listen.
11. Click on Main Menu at bottom tool bar.
12. Click on Discover the Bible.
13. Click on the finger at the lower right to navigate to Acts 9:16-20. Click on the Bible icon at the lower right.
14. Read “Life then, Life Now: Synagogues.”
    
    Synagogues were places Jews met to ____________________________________ and
    ____________________.
    
    What was not allowed in synagogues?
    
    
15. Click on finger at the lower right to navigate to Acts 9:29-33. Click on the Bible icon.
16. Read “I Wonder…. What is the Good News?”
    
    The good news is that God came to earth as a ______________________________, paid for
    our _______________________ and wants us to live with him in ______________________
    
    Who was this person?
    
    
17. Navigate to Acts 13:8-11. Click on the Bible icon at the lower right.
18. Read “Paul’s Journeys.”
    
    What ways did Paul travel?
    ________________________
    ________________________
    ________________________
    
    
19. Find Philippi on the map.
20. Who did Paul meet there?

Lydia: A New Believer!

"Dinner with Lydia and Paul" ~ a Purple Cooking Workshop

Summary:

Students will prepare and eat a "purple" meal, and do so "silently" as they explore the story of Lydia and Paul and her hospitality. Mixing and eating purple-colored food will be a lesson and meal they won't forget!

Scripture:

Acts 16:13-15

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Lesson Plan

Open:

Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing and learning today. Do not tell them that all the food will be purple or that the meal will be largely silent!

Introduce the story:
After Jesus was raised from the dead and went to heaven, his followers continued to gather together to tell his stories and to worship God. One of Jesus’ followers was a man named Paul. Paul had originally hated Christians – in fact he put them in jail and even killed some, but he was changed when he had a vision of Jesus. Then he became the greatest of all the apostles. Paul and his friends traveled on many journeys to share the good news of Jesus with others. More and more people became Christians because of Paul’s visits.

On his second missionary journey Paul planned to visit churches that he started during his first missionary journey, but God had other plans. The Bible says that the “Holy Spirit prevented them from entering” some regions of Asia Minor. Paul had a vision. “He saw a man standing and begging him. ‘Come over to Macedonia…Help us!’” (Acts 16:9-10) So Paul and his companions ended up going to Philippi instead, and there they met a woman named Lydia who asked to hear the stories of Jesus.

After we begin eating our meal, we're going to hear how Paul and Lydia met and what happened when they did!

Prepare the Purple Meal

Prepare several purple foods by adding blue/red food coloring to them, mixing them, and then putting them into serving bowls with serving spoons. Your meal is "family style."

1. Purple grape juice
2. Purple Mac and Cheese ~ Make "White Cheddar" Mac and Cheese from Kraft (or similar)
3. Purple Pears (canned pears)
4. Purple Pudding for Dessert

While some mix the purple foods, have others set a purple table with some purple streamers, plates, and spoons.

Let's Eat!

1. Announce that no one may serve themself!  Everyone has to pay attention to your needs and make sure you get food served and anything else you need.

2. Only the teacher may speak!  This is a quiet meal, sometimes called a "monastic" meal. (There will be a discussion time when you can speak.)

3. When it is time for dessert, have students feed each other with the rule that they are not allowed to feed themselves.

Teachings and Questions to be Shared During Part of the Meal

1. Read the Scripture passage and ask, "What do you think made Lydia want to hear stories about Jesus?" Why do YOU want to hear stories about Jesus? -- what can they teach us?
   
   
2. Purple in Lydia's world was a very expensive color because it was made from sea shells. Have you every seen a sea shell with purple in it? (Show one if you one, or show a picture). That meant only RICH PEOPLE could afford purple, and they would wear it to show their wealth!   
   
   What does God want us to be purple-rich in?  (It's not money or fame. How about love? patience? kindness?)
   
   
3. Christians in the early day of the Church had to depend on each other for housing, food, protection, and teaching. Can you give me examples of what each of those things might include?
   
4. Being welcoming and taking care of fellow believers is called "hospitality," -- being hospitable, a good host and helper. But as Jesus taught, hospitality was not just for Christians, it was how Christians were to treat EVERYONE. Who are some people in our world that you think it would be hard to be "hospitable" to?   (Think enemies, or a homeless person, a Muslim or non-believer, a kid who doesn't like you but comes to your church etc.)
   
   
5. Show me what hospitality LOOKS and SOUNDS LIKE!  Show me a hospitable/welcoming, "I am your friend" FACE, BODY POSITION, TONE OF VOICE.

Finish with the purple Dessert that you must feed each other

• Be hospitable to the person you are feeding. Don't be goofy. Show them you care.

Close with a prayer asking God to help us be PURPLE:
purposeful about sharing and caring and passionate about following Jesus, and always praying.  Invite students to come up with other words that start with "p" for the prayer

A lesson by Neil MacQueen with help from Jaymie Derden

Lydia: A New Believer!

Puppet Workshop for Young Children

Summary:

Children will create their own storytelling pouch with inexpensive people puppet sticks" to retell the story of Paul and Lydia found in Acts 16.

Note: If you're short on time, just focus on making the puppets and using them to retell the story with the included script.

Preparation and Room Set Up:

1. Set up tables for puppet-making activity.
2. Make one male and one female puppet as samples for the children to see.
3. Cut the muslin into 18 X 18 inch squares, using pinking shears to minimize fraying.
4. Cut the fabric scraps into rectangles for the puppet clothing – 2.5 X 6 inches using pinking shears (older children can do this on their own, prepare them ahead for younger children).
5. Fold the fabric rectangles in half with the fold at the top. Snip an opening about .5 inch down from the center of the fold and across the fold on each side. This will allow the head of the craft stick to come through. (Older children can do this part on their own – prepare them ahead of time for younger children).
6. Cut some purple fabric into 3 X 5 inch rectangles.
7. Get a carpenter friend to help prepare the stands. Cut 1 X 1 inch wooden blocks from a 1 X 4 piece of lumber. Use a band saw to create a slice in the middle of the block about halfway down. The slit should be wide enough for the base of the craft stick to slide in so that the stick stands upright and is secure. Make one block for each craft stick puppet.

Supplies:

• Simple script of the story
• 18 X 18 inch squares of muslin – one for each child
• Markers
• Purple yarn or ribbon (12 inches per child)
• People-shaped wood craft sticks – 2 per child (do an online search - the ones pictured are 5 3/8" long and come with both male and female)
• Fabric scraps (including purple fabric)
• Yarn scraps (brown, black, tan)
• Scissors
• Craft Glue
• Chenille sticks
• Masking tape
• Wooden blocks 1 inch X 1 inch
  
  

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Welcome the children and explain what they'll be doing today and what you hope they will learn.

Introduce the Story Using Your Own Collection of Pre-Made Stick Puppets:

After Jesus was raised from the dead and went to heaven, his followers continued to gather together to tell his stories and to worship God. One of Jesus’ followers was a man named Paul. Paul had originally hated Christians – in fact he put them in jail and even killed some, but he was changed when he had a vision of Jesus. Then he became the greatest of all the apostles. Paul and his friends traveled on many journeys to share the good news of Jesus with others.

One night Paul had a dream. He saw a man standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia… Help us!’” (Acts 16:9-10) Paul realized that God had called him to preach the good news in Macedonia. (Macedonia is a region in modern-day Greece.)

So Paul with his friend, Silas, Paul traveled to Philippi.

Whenever Paul visited a new town, he always looked for the synagogue so he could preach there.
There was no Jewish synagogue in Philippi, but a group of women who loved God met at the river for prayer. So… Paul went to the river to meet with the women there. And it is there that he met Lydia.

Christians are people who believe in and follow Jesus. Where would we find a story about the early Christians in the Bible? (New Testament) This story is found in the book of Acts. This book tells about the “acts” of the people who were the first followers of Jesus.

Let’s find the story in our Bibles now and read it.

Follow Up Questions for Discussion

1. Why are some people interested in learning more about Jesus?  What is it about Jesus that attracts them?
2. What is it about Jesus that attract YOU to him?   
3. Who is a "Paul" in your life --- someone who goes around talking about Jesus?
4. Who is a "Lydia" in your life -- someone who is welcoming, makes you feel comfortable, and likes to feed you?
5. When did you start to believe in Jesus?
6. Who is helping you learn more about Jesus? How can you thank them for caring that you hear about people like Lydia, Paul, and Jesus?

Let's First Make a Puppet Sack for our Puppets:

Directions:

1. Set out the supplies on a table.
2. Give each child two craft sticks (1 male, 1 female)
   a. Paul
   b. Lydia
3. Have children decorate the faces of the craft sticks, adding yarn for hair if they like.
4. Use small fabric scraps to add clothes to the stick puppets. These can be attached by tying yarn around them or by using small pieces of chenille sticks.
5. Set aside the puppets to dry.
6. Make a backdrop for the puppet show using the muslin squares. Give each child a muslin square. Have them use markers to draw a river scene on the muslin. (tape the muslin to the table to make drawing easier) Have children write “Lydia Believes” and their name on the backdrop.
7. When finished, invite the children to use their story set to act out the story as you read the script.
8. To store, place the stick puppets in the center of the backdrop. Bring up all four corners of the backdrop to the center and tie with purple ribbon or yarn.
9. Encourage the children to tell the story to their family and friends this week.

Option: If you have additional time, children may make more women puppets and Silas.
Give children a small wooden cross and a seashell to place inside their puppet sacks.

Modifications for K-1 graders:
Cut the fabric scraps for clothes before the children arrive.
When acting out the story, have all the children follow along as you read the dialogue and demonstrate.

Puppet Script: Lydia Believes!

Note: As you tell this story and the puppet-player each perform its actions, add more actions and point out "good" actions (participation).

Paul and his friend Silas were missionaries. They traveled many places to tell others about the good news of Jesus. They wanted everyone to know about God’s amazing love and how God had sent Jesus to the world so that we could be forgiven and be close to God. They even sailed in a boat to a faraway place called Macedonia so they could tell others about Jesus.

(move Paul and Silas puppets around as if traveling, go up and down, under and over, trudge and walk and whip around really fast!)

One day they came to a town called Philippi. There weren’t very many Jewish people living there so there wasn’t a synagogue. “Where can we worship?” they wondered. They walked around the town and they came to the river. There were women there. They were praying. So Paul and Silas began to talk to them. They told them about Jesus and all he had done. They told the women how Jesus had been born and about all the miracles he did. They told them how he had died on a cross and then rose again on the third day.

(bring Paul and Silas to the river to be with the women)

Now one of the women there at the river was named Lydia. She was from a city called Thyatira. She made beautiful purple cloth and sold it. When Lydia heard Paul and Silas talking about Jesus she knew it was true. She believed with all her heart that Jesus was God’s Son, the one who came to save us. She asked Paul to baptize her right there in the river! She was so excited! She felt new and wonderful inside. By being baptized Lydia showed everyone there that she believed in Jesus. It showed that Lydia was part of God’s family.

(pretend to dip Lydia in the water to baptize her, or pass around a bowl of water so they can dip their puppet for real!)

All of the people in Lydia’s family decided to follow Jesus and they were baptized, too! It was a wonderful day for Lydia! She must have been very grateful to Paul and Silas. She invited them to come and stay at her house.

(have everyone put their puppets together and go as a "group" to Lydia's house)

Where they undoubtedly had a HUGE meal!

(pretend to eat)

And probably needed to rest

(pretend to snore)

Before continuing to talk about Jesus late into the night before everyone fell asleep with a smile on their face.

(pretend to fall asleep and wiggle-smile)

In the morning, they probably jumped out of bed (pretend that)

ate breakfast (pretend)

hugged Lydia and the members of their family (pretend)

and then Paul and Silas waved good-bye as they set out on the road to go tell others about Jesus. (pretend)

Meanwhile, Lydia was so excited about being a believer in Jesus that she wanted to share it with everyone. She opened her heart to Jesus and her home to others! Soon many people were coming to Lydia’s house to worship. (pretend gathering all the puppets)

And her house became so popular, that it is known as the first church in Europe!

(bring puppets together and bow them down as if worshiping)

Lydia was changed that day at the river. Before she had just known about God. But now she knew about how much God loved her and how he sent Jesus to be her Savior. She had accepted Jesus’ love for her and understood that he died for her sins.

Now Lydia was a believer in Jesus. She was a Christian.  Amen!   (pretend cheers and claps)

A lesson by Jaymie Derden from: State Street UMC Bristol, VA
with updates from the Rotation.org Content Team

One way you can use the following storyteller's script is to give kids a list of questions that they are to listen for answers to in Lydia's story. After they meet Lydia and hear her story. Below the following script are 7 questions for students to answer.

Following the story and question/answer challenge, consider doing a "purple cloth" dying activity.

Take a piece of white muslin cloth and use a white crayon to draw a message from Paul or Lydia on it, plus some simple illustrations, then dip it into some purple dye, squeeze and dry with a hairdryer. The portions of the cloth colored with crayon wax will not take the dye.

Lydia's Story!

A Storyteller's Script

Good morning everybody. I’m so glad to be here to tell you my story. There is so much to tell. My life has changed so much! I feel like a new person! It’s just so exciting! But, wait…. I have forgotten my manners. You are probably wondering who I am, aren’t you?

My name is Lydia and I am from a region in Asia that has my same name…. Lydia. But my hometown is the city of Thyatira. Thyatira is known for its beautiful purple dyes, dyes that are used to color cloth – it’s quite a big business there. (show children your purple cloth….) That is my job – I buy and sell purple cloth. Now purple is a very important color – it’s very expensive you know…. It’s the color of royalty and kings. Only the very wealthy can afford to buy purple cloth! Did you know that the Romans buy purple cloth to make their official togas?

You’re probably wondering why purple cloth is so expensive…. After all, it’s just an ordinary color, even though it is pretty…. It’s just a color like any other right? Well, actually it’s not. The purple dye comes from tiny little shellfish. When you crush the shells, the dye is released. It’s a very time-consuming and difficult thing to do and it takes LOTS of patience and LOTS of shells. (show the children your shells)

Oh, my…. Now where was I? Oh, yes… I was telling you about my new life….

I often spend time in the city of Philippi where I sell some of my purple cloth. One morning, I went down to the river with a group of women. It was a beautiful day – the sun shone on the water and it was warm and so lovely…. We met there to pray and to worship God. I loved to worship God…. I loved to pray and sing with the other women. I didn’t realize it but this day, was going to be even more special.

As we were singing, I looked up and saw some men approaching. They introduced themselves as Paul and Silas. Paul said they were missionaries and that they had come from far away to share the good news about a man named Jesus Christ. They had traveled by boat to many places already and now they had come to Philippi to tell the people here about Jesus. They wanted everyone to know about God’s amazing love and how God had sent Jesus to the world so that we could be forgiven of our sins and be close to God forever and ever.

I was curious. Who was this man Jesus that they were talking about? I knew about God. I had learned about God from the Jewish people who lived near me in Thyatira. I believed in God and I worshiped him. But I had never heard of Jesus before. And so, Paul and his friend Silas began to tell us about Jesus. They told me what Jesus had done, how he had been born and about all the miracles he did. They told me how he had died on a cross for my sins and then rose again on the third day. Paul even told me his own story – how he had persecuted Christians, putting them in prison and killing them, until one day Jesus himself spoke to him in a bright light and changed his heart! As Paul spoke, I felt my own heart growing warmer…. And it was as if God himself was speaking to me and telling me, “Yes! It’s true! Listen to Paul.” The longer I listened to Paul the more I understood and the more that warm feeling inside me grew and grew. Everything Paul told me about Jesus is true! Jesus is the Son of God. He died to take away my sins. And here’s the really important thing -- it was more than just knowing in my head… I BELIEVED with all my heart, too!

And so I told Paul –“I am sorry for my sins. I believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that God raised him from the dead. Tell me what to do now.” Paul said I needed to be baptized. So, right there in the river he baptized me – dunked me under the water. My whole family believed and they were baptized, too! (let children feel the water from your jar) As I came up out of the water I felt clean and new –Paul said I had a new life now, that I belong to God’s family and that God’s Holy Spirit had come to live in my heart forever. God’s Holy Spirit is teaching me and helping me to grow more and more like Jesus every day!

Well, that was the most exciting day of my entire life – way more amazing than any of the big business deals I had made in the past! My life was truly changed! Jesus became the most important thing in my life! I wanted to do something to thank Paul and his friends for all they had done for me…. And so I invited Paul and his friends to come and stay at my house while they were visiting in Philippi. And they did! It was wonderful to have them in my house. We talked and talked about Jesus and I learned so much from them! I was so happy to show them hospitality – to share my house and my food with them. It seemed like such a small thing to do after all they had done for me!

It feels really wonderful to know that I am a believer in Jesus and that I am following him. I am a Christian now. I want everyone to know the good news about Jesus, and to follow him, too! And I am getting that chance, because now we have church in my home! Paul says it’s actually the first church in this part of the world!

Well, that’s my story…. about how I became a Christian. How about you? What’s your story? Are you a Christian? Are you sorry for the wrong things you have done? Do you believe Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for your sins and was raised from the dead? Are you ready to follow Him?

Questions for Students to Answer after hearing Lydia

1. What is the name of my hometown?
2. What is my hometown famous for?
3. Why is purple dye so expensive?
4. Who did Lydia learn about Jesus from?
5. When I told Paul that I believed in Jesus, what did he say I needed to do next?
6. What did I do to thank Paul?
7. What did I say makes me feel "really wonderful"?

Just a couple of photos from our puppet lesson at First Pres. Jackson, TN.  We used the puppet drama script posted above but didn't make our own puppets.

Thanks Lisa. Happy looking kids!