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Workshops:

  • Art:  By creating a torn paper collage of fruits, students will have a visual reminder of the type of behaviors they should be showing to the world.
  • Drama: the children will act out different life situations and decide whether or not the characters in their role-playing dramas are showing Fruit of the Spirit inspired behavior.
  • Games / Science:  The children will explore what a Fruitful life looks like while playing a Fruity-Fun Giant Board Game. They will also see a science object lesson that illustrates that even though we can't see the Holy Spirit, people can see signs that He is in our lives.


Editor's Note:  Be sure to see the situation cards in the Drama and the Board Game Cards for lots of great ideas about how the fruits apply in our lives.


Fruit of the Spirit

Take-home Flyer

Scripture Reference:

Galatians 5:16-26

Paul wrote his Letter to Galatians to churches he would have started on his missionary journeys in Galatia (now part of Turkey). He wrote to prove that what some leaders were teaching was false. Some leaders said that Gentile believers must obey the Jewish Law in order to be saved. Paul reminds the believers that we are saved by faith and that we are to live by the Spirit, not by the Law. During this four week Rotation, we will explore what a life controlled by the Holy Spirit looks like.

Memory Verse:
“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23a (NLT)

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of the rotation, the students will:

  • know that Paul wrote letters to new believers as he traveled, and that Galatians is one of those letters. The students will be able to find Galatians in the Bible.
  • understand that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are awarded to those who live by faith.
  • know that the Holy Spirit will help them make the right decision.
  • know the memory verse.


Workshops:

In the Art Workshop, the children will develop an understanding that the Holy Spirit can help them control their actions. The key to being fruitful (living a life that exhibits “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) is to experience God’s presence daily by reading the Bible and by praying. By creating a torn paper collage of fruits, students will have a visual reminder of the type of behaviors they should be showing to the world. Students should be encouraged to look at their artwork daily and to think about whether or not they have spent time with the Lord in prayer or Bible study so that their fruit tree (their life) can receive nourishment and their lives can be fruitful.
The children will watch part of the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast in Movie Time and then reflect on behaviors that exhibit having a life filled with Fruit of the Spirit.
In Drama, the children will act out different life situations and decide whether or not the characters in their role-playing dramas are showing Fruit of the Spirit inspired behavior.
The children will explore what a Fruitful life looks like while playing a Fruity-Fun Giant Board Game in the Games Workshop. They will also see a science object lesson that illustrates that even though we can’t see the Holy Spirit, people can see signs that He is in our lives.

The offering collected during the RiverKidz gathering time will go to the Heifer Project International in order to buy a heifer (whom we are calling “Milky Way") for a family in a poor area of the world.

Family Time with God
devotion by Karen L. Maudlin, Psy. D.
This article first appeared in the July/August 2000 issue of Christian Parenting Today. Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188.

Get Ready:
Let your kids help you with the setup for this devotional. Look at the list of “fruits” in the memory verse, then have your kids think about which real fruit most typifies each characteristic. For example, you might choose a lemon for joy because it has so much zest. Once you’ve made your list of fruits, look through old magazines to find a picture of each fruit. Cut out the pictures, paste each fruit to an index card and label the card with the appropriate characteristic. You’ll also need a pad of paper or a notebook to serve as a family journal.

Talk It Over:

Week 1: Growing Fruit: Put all the fruit cards in a bowl on the table. Read the passage, then have three family members each pick a fruit card from the bowl. Ask each person with a card to define that fruit of the Spirit. Have an older child write those definitions in your family journal and on the back of the appropriate card. Then, talk together about ways you can demonstrate that fruit with one another. Ask each family member to choose one of the three fruits to work on this week. Post the cards on the refrigerator and end your time by asking God to help you produce good “fruit” this week.
Week 2–3: Fruits of the Family: Read the passage and talk about how well each of you practiced your “fruit” from the week before. Then, repeat the devotional from Week 1 until you have talked about all nine fruits of the Spirit. As you get the hang of this, feel free to deepen your discussions. Talk about which fruit of the Spirit you could work on as a family. For example, say your family wants to work on peace. Have each person finish the sentence, “Our family feels peaceful when …” A child might say, “I feel peaceful when only one person talks at a time during dinner.” A parent might add, “I feel peaceful when we work out a problem without yelling.” For the rest of the month, try to catch each other practicing your family “fruit.” You can even make a chart for mapping your success. End your time by thanking God for sending his Spirit to help you become more like him.
Week 4: Fresh Fruit: Read the passage. Now that you have discussed each fruit of the Spirit, talk about the ways you’ve seen the fruits in each other this month. Ask one person to write these responses down in your family journal. Talk about the new attitudes you might have noticed in your family and think of ways you can continue to practice the fruits of the Spirit. List these ideas and post the list someplace where everyone can see it and refer to it often.
Remember This: “Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.” (Matt. 7:20)

For more activities for different ages: https://www.todayschristianwom...julyfruitspirit.html

Thank you to our Fruit of the Spirit Rotation Team:
Movie Time:
Games:
Drama:
Art:
Shepherds:
Music Leader:
Curriculum writers: Cathy Greenwood, Judy McIntyre, Jamie Senyard and Amy Crane
Sunday School Coordinator:

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.


Fruit of the Spirit


Scripture Reference:

Galatians 5: 16-26

Background Notes:
Paul wrote this letter to churches he would have started on his missionary journeys in Galatia (now part of Turkey) to refute some who were teaching that Gentile believers must obey the law in order to be saved. Paul reminds the believers that we are saved by faith and that we are to live by the Spirit, not by the law.

“Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and his promptings.” (Life Application Study Bible notes)

“It is significant that love stands first in the list which describes the content of that life. Love, joy, peace, etc. are not to be regarded as separate Christian virtues in the ordinary sense. One does not achieve them by one’s own heroic effort, but receives them by faith. By God=s grace, in the power of the Spirit, one=s whole life is transformed, and these are the marks of that transformation C not to be confused with the “gifts of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Life by faith, in the Spirit, is also life in and with Christ, to whom the Christian belongs as the old self is crucified.” ( Victor Paul Furnish, Interpreter=s Concise Commentary: Acts and Paul=s Letters. )

See also NOTES by Rev. Dr. Lonnie Atkinson from Rotation.org website posting: “SPIRITUAL SALAD - A Healthy Way To Feed The Body of Christ”. Lesson plans posted at Rotation.org website from St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.
https://www.rotation.org/topic...l-ontario#3346088121


Sources:
Furnish, Victor Paul. Interpreter=s Concise Commentary: Acts and Paul=s Letters. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1983.
Life Application Study Bible notes. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986.

Other Resources for Shepherds (just in case you have some extra time to fill or a quick or uninterested journaler):
Fruit coloring pages: http://www.coloring.ws/fruit.htm


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

Last edited by Neil MacQueen
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Fruit of the Spirit

Art Workshop


Scripture Reference:

Galatians 5: 16-26

Memory Verse:
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a (NLT)

Purpose:
The purpose of this workshop is for children to develop an understanding that the Holy Spirit can help them control their actions. The key to being fruitful (living a life that exhibits "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control") is to experience God's presence daily by reading the Bible and by praying. By creating a torn paper collage of fruits, students will have a visual reminder of the type of behaviors they should be showing to the world. Students should be encouraged to look at the picture daily and think about whether or not they have spent time with the Lord in prayer or Bible study so that their fruit tree (their life) can receive nourishment (encouragement from the Holy Spirit) and their lives can be fruitful.

Objectives for the Fruit of the Spirit rotation
(see listing above)

Additional objectives for the art workshop: 
At the end of the session, the students will be able to

  • Use the torn paper collage as a self-assessment tool (HOW DID I DO TODAY?).

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ...
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
  • Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
  • The bin with supplies is located in the Children’s Ministries Office. .
  • If you have never read any of the children's books by Eric Carle, please go by a public library and check one or two books out. His books are illustrated in the style that your students will use to create their fruit of the Spirit collages. Some titles by Eric Carle to check out are The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Grouchy Ladybug, The Busy Spider; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, or you can visit his website on the Internet at www.eric-carle.com and view his illustrations there.
  • A sample of a completed fruit of the spirit collage will be placed by the supplies for the teacher’s to look at, but it is not to be shown to the students!

Room set-up:
You will need tables for students to work at. They can either stand or sit.

Supply List:

  • Whiteboard or flipchart to do brainstorming on and a dark marker to write with.
  • Sheets of papers that have been watercolored (or different colors of tissue paper).
    Pre-cut pieces of mat board for pasting the collage on
  • Gluesticks (one for each child)
  • Scissors (one for each child)
  • Printed Bible verses
  • Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar to show students the style of the art work
  • Fine tip Sharpie markers for use by older students
  • If possible, a basket of real fruit to use as inspiration!

 



Lesson Plan


Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Explain the purpose of this workshop. Use kid friendly words to give a brief overview of what the children are going to learn and do.

Scripture/Bible Story:
Read the scripture: Galatians 5: 16-26. (Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses.)

Dig:

Application:
Begin by pointing out to students that the fruit of the Spirit is really behaviors and that today we are going to make a collage of fruits to remind us of the NINE GOOD behaviors that the Lord wants to see in our lives!

Ask students to name different kinds of fruit (Example: apples, pears, grapes, etc.) Tell them we are going to try to name 50 fruits in 3 minutes! Write their responses on the whiteboard or flipchart (the Shepherd can write while the Workshop Leader calls out what he/she hears). Be prepared to write FAST! Stop at 3 minutes and leave the responses where everyone can see them!

Tell the students that their collage should contain 9 fruits. They can choose and create any 9 they want from the list. Point out to students that apples can be many different colors, and so can grapes! God loves variety and they should, too! There are thousands of different kinds of fruit in the world!

Show the students the Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar (turn to the fruit pages) and ask them how they think he made his pictures. Students should realize Eric Carle cut out shapes from pre-painted pages to illustrate his book. Tell them that today we are going to work on our collage in the style of Eric Carle. They can either cut out shapes or tear out shapes. Give them each a piece of mat board and a stack of pre-painted pages, the pre-printed memory verse, a glue stick, and scissors.

Students can then begin working on their collages. The Workshop Leader and Shepherd should begin individual interactions with students encouraging them to think about how they behave on a daily basis. Point out to students that placing fruits in front of each other to create their design is acceptable and pleasing to the eye. They will tend to want to "float" their fruits individually on the mat board. Encourage them to cut out or tear out all of their fruits before gluing them down---that way they can place them and view them all together along with the Bible verse before they glue! Tell them artists are good at noticing how things are shaped and colored. In order to learn to draw, an artist must first learn to SEE!

When their collages are glued down, have the older children write the names of the 9 fruits of the Spirit---one by each piece of fruit with a fine tip Sharpie pen. If they write the word around the outline of the fruit, it becomes a part of the design. (Have the memory verse posted to help with spelling.)

Each child should put their name on the back, and many compliments about their artistic ability should be handed out! No matter how a child chooses to do this activity, his or her work should be praised.

Talking Points: While the children are working, talk about whether or not the children have ever noticed a tree or bush or plant in their yard that did not produce fruit. Ask them if they think that could happen in a person’s life also. Could a person be unfruitful? At the old church office, there were many fig trees. Some of them were loaded with fruit, and some weren’t. What would a Christian's life look like if it were unfruitful (guide the children toward thinking of opposite words for “love, joy, peace…”)? Ask them if they want to be fruitful and then discuss how! Fruit is born by believers when they are “fertilized by” the WORD of God in the Bible and when they pray.

Reflection:

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

  • Ask the children what the fruit of the Spirit behaviors would look like. [EXAMPLES: Self-control might be exhibited when another child hits you and you don’t hit back. Patience might be exhibited when you have to wait for a turn to play with a toy. Faithfulness might be exhibited when someone talks meanly about a friend and you defend your friend.]
  • Discuss what you really want to do, and what God/Jesus wants you to do. How do you get help behaving in a “fruit of the Spirit” way? [By connecting daily with the Lord---through prayer and Bible study!]


Encourage students to hang their Fruit of the Spirit Collage in their home in a place where they will see it daily. Tell them to look at it and think about whether or not they behaved “fruitfully” that day! If not, then tell them to ask for forgiveness and to connect with God through prayer and Bible study and then the Holy Spirit will help them behave “fruitfully!” They cannot do it on their own---they have to have help from the Holy Spirit in order to live in a way so that others can see “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” exhibited in their lives. Have them encourage their own families to do this on a daily basis.

Review the memory verse (Use the Fruit of the Spirit song to practice the 9 names of the good fruits!)
The fruit of the spirit is not a banana.
The fruit of the spirit is not a banana.
If you want to be a banana
You might as well hear it
You can’t be a fruit of the Spirit cause
The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control-o-o.
Hey!
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
[Repeat with coconut, kiwi fruit, lemon and watermelon.]

At 11:50 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a fruit shaped eraser as a reminder of the Bible passage.

Shepherd Time:
Journal writing topics (some children like words and some are allergic to them so offer a choice to either respond by writing or by drawing!)

  • Name 3 ways I can be joyful or kind today (or choose any of the 9 behaviors!)
  • Write a prayer asking God/Holy Spirit to help me behave in a “fruitful” way!
  • Draw a picture in my journal of me standing like a tree with my arms out as branches and draw the 9 fruits hanging from my arms! Label the fruits. Draw roots from my feet down into the Bible.


You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing prayer:
Prayer suggestion: “Lord, We ask you to send the Holy Spirit to help us behave in a way that others can see we are joyful people, that we are full of goodness and gentleness, that we are not angry, that we are faithful and loyal to you and to each other, that we have patience in situations where others are impatient, and that we just OOZE love for others! Thank you Lord for the peace you give us when we are fruitful people!
AND ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN SAID:
AMEN!”

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Older children: Be careful that the children do not NAME other children who have hurt them with bad behavior when they give examples. Tell them not to use names when they give examples! The older children can write the names of the fruits on their collage if they wish to.

Younger Children:

  • The children may wish to cut out their fruit shapes instead of tearing them. Whatever works for them is fine. Some young children do not have very good fine motor skills and have trouble using scissors so let them try both ways and choose the way that works for them.
  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible using the table of contents and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.

 


Resources:
Children’s author and illustrator, Eric Carle: www.eric-carle.com

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.


This lesson was written by Judy McIntyre for River Community Church in Prairieville, Louisiana.
Copyright 2003 Judy McIntyre. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer

Fruit of the Spirit

Drama Workshop


Scripture Reference:

Galatians 5: 16-26

Memory Verse:
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a (NLT)

Purpose:
In this workshop, the children will act out different life situations and decide whether or not the characters in their role-playing dramas are showing Fruit of the Spirit inspired behavior.

Objectives for the Fruit of the Spirit rotation
(see listing above)

Additional objectives for the Drama Workshop
At the end of the session, the students will be able to

  • decide whether or not a decision is inspired by the Spirit.
  • recognize the signs of a Spirit-filled life.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ....
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • Print the attached role-play suggestions on cards.
  • Make memory verse poster and memory verse cards.


Room set-up:
You will need the area clear for the dramatists and audience.

Supply List:

  • a shiny apple and a rotten banana
  • situation cards (12 situations in the lesson below; you may add more or different ones)
  • memory verse written on some sort of poster hanging in the room
  • two sets of memory verse index cards with each word of the memory verse on a separate card.


Lesson Plan


Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Explain the purpose of this workshop: Today we will explore how we are to live our lives if the Holy Spirit is in our life. Remember when we talked about Pentecost, how we learned that the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives will help us to live our lives for Jesus. Today we will hear the Apostle Paul tell us in a letter he wrote what signs we should have in our lives if we live Spirit-filled lives.

Scripture/Bible Story:
Read the scripture: Galatians 5: 16-26. (Show the children how to use the table of contents in their Bibles to find Galatians. )

Discuss their understanding of each of the qualities which Paul said come with the Spirit.

Dig:

Application: [the following introduction is adapted from a posting by Jan at FPC Napa at link
When we eat plant fruit, we pop it into our mouths and it’s gone! No one can see it anymore. But our “life fruit” shows to other people all the time. Think about the words you use, the things you do, and the way you treat others. That’s our “life fruit.” Does the way you talk and act show others that you know and love Jesus? Do your family and friends know by your “life fruit” that you belong to Jesus?

Is your life fruit like this? [show shiny apple] Or like this? [show rotten banana] Which do you think God prefers us to be like?

Matthew 7:20 says, “Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.”

Today we will explore how we can live lives that show the Fruit of the Spirit. When we say we believe in Jesus and choose to follow him, then God’s Holy Spirit comes into our lives to guide us and to show us how to be a follower of Jesus.

Just like a tree grows “plant fruit” we grow “life fruit.” The life fruit is the Fruit of the Spirit.

Have the children find partners or assign partners. If there is an odd number of children, form one trio or the Shepherd can be a partner.

Tell the children: In role-playing, we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and experience how that person might feel and act. You will select one situation card for your group. Then take some time with your partner to think about “What happens next?” What should the people in the situation do? Remember that there are no right or wrong answers. Just decide whether you want your skit to show people who have the Spirit in their hearts, or people who do not have the Spirit. Think about what sort of people your characters are. Talk about what they would say and how they would say it. Work out a brief skit with your partner (you will have three minutes) and then we will watch each pair act out their skit and try to decide if they have the Spirit or not. [Each role-play should only last a few minutes. The Workshop Leader and Shepherd should wander around the classroom to help partners think.]

Give the children a warning that time is almost up at the end of two minutes. At the end of three minutes, have all the children sit facing the end of the room that is the “stage.” Remind them that the audience should show the same sort of respect that they would want when it is their turn to do their skit. Ask for a volunteer to go first, or go in the number order on the situation cards.

At the end of each skit, have the class vote on whether or not the characters in the skit were living Spirit-filled Fruitful lives. If they chose to role play a non-Spirit led response, ask the class for suggestions of Spirit led responses.

Applaud the actors and select the next pair.

SITUATION CARDS: (adapted from “Kid’s Choices-Pocket Edition.”)
#1
Your grandparents live 500 miles away. They only see you two or three times a year. They called to say that they were driving through town, but could only stay overnight. You had plans to go to your best friend’s birthday sleepover that night. What will you do?

#2 *
Christmas is coming. You don’t have much money to spend, but there is something you really REALLY want to buy for yourself. You could buy something for yourself and then buy cheaper gifts for others. What will you do?

#3
You are sitting in church with a friend who does not want to listen to the sermon, but wants to write notes. Will you do this?

#4
You have just found out that your very best friend has been spreading lies about you to a lot of people. You are very, very angry and talk to her about it. She apologizes and says she is sorry and that it won't happen again. Will you forgive her?

#5
Your class just received their report cards. Yours is great. One look at your friend’s face tells you about his. Will you tell him about your grades?

#6 *
You know that nothing pleases your mom more than when you help her without being asked. Just as you are thinking of doing that, a friend calls and ask you to come over to play. Do you go?

#7
You are the captain of a team at school. The worst player in your class wants to be on your team. If that person is on your team, you are less likely to win the game. Will you choose that person to be on your team?

#8
You take piano lessons because your mother wants you to learn. You don’t like it and she knows it. She went next door to visit a neighbor and told you to practice. Will you do it?

#9 *
You are told you must clean up your room before going outside. Suddenly, you realize you could shove all of the mess in your closet. What will you do?

#10 *
You borrowed your sister’s favorite earrings without asking and lost them. Even if you had the money, they cannot be replaced. What will you do?

#11 *
You have a very good friend who knows nothing about God. You really want to invite the friend to church, but you are afraid your friend will say, “No!” What will you do?

#12 *
You have a friend at your home. Your mom reminds you that you told her you would clean your room before the friend came and you have not done it. Will you clean it now?

Reflection:

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

  • What keeps plants from growing and producing fruit?
  • What would keep you from growing physically?
  • What would keep you from growing mentally?
  • What would keep you from growing spiritually?
  • I wonder how we can make sure we continue to grow Fruit of the Spirit in our lives?


Review the memory verse. Read the memory verse from a poster together. Divide the class into two groups. Give each group a set of index cards with one word of the verse written on each card. Have them put the words in order.

At 11:45 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker or some memento to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or activity.

Shepherd Time:
Think about the different Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

  • Which quality is hardest for you to show everyday? Why?
  • Which quality is easiest for you to put into action?


Write some ideas about how you can show more Fruitful behavior in your life, or draw a picture of yourself doing something that shows that you have the Holy Spirit in your life.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing prayer:
Ask each child which fruit they plan to put into action this week; what do they want to focus on strengthening?
Offer a prayer mentioning each child’s name and the fruit he or she would like the Spirit to help him/her strengthen.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
For smaller classes, if time permits allow each team to select another situation to act out.
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Older children:
Have them do two skits for each situation: one that shows a Fruit-filled life and one that doesn’t.

Younger Children:

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible using the table of contents and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Situation cards with “*” are especially appropriate for younger children. Consider limiting the role-playing to these situations.
  • Instead of having pairs work independently (and all at the same time) on their skits, have one pair at a time pick a situation card and read it for them. Then, everyone should make suggestions and help them think about the choices. The pair then does their skit. Then the next pair chooses their situation card, and so on.
  • For the memory verse activity, have someone read the cards to the children and help them sort the words. Make sure there is a poster on the wall with all the words so the children can see it and use it to guide them.




Resources

Catherine. Posting at rotation.org: “Getting to Know You”

Jan at FPC Napa. Posting at rotation.org under “Fruit of the Spirit - Intergenerational”:
https://www.rotation.org/topic...from-first-pres-napa

Situations adapted from “Kid’s Choices-Pocket Edition.” Grand Rapids, Michigan: Rainfall, 1993.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.


This lesson was written by Jamie Senyard and Amy Crane for River Community Church in Prairieville, Louisiana.
Copyright 2003 Jamie Senyard and Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

Fruit of the Spirit

Games Workshop


Scripture Reference:

Galatians 5: 16-26

Memory Verse:
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a (NLT)

Purpose:
The children will explore what a Fruitful life looks like while playing a Fruity-Fun Giant Board Game. They will also see a science object lesson that illustrates that even though we can’t see the Holy Spirit, people can see signs that He is in our lives.

Objectives for the Fruit of the Spirit rotation
(see listing above)

Additional objectives for Games workshop
At the end of the session, the students will:

  • have explored ways that they can “live the Fruit of the Spirit” so that people can see that the Spirit is in their lives.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ....
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • Practice the science experiment.
  • If you don’t have a life-sized game board, you can create one on canvas painter’s tarps using the instructions from Jaymie Derden (State St. UMC) at the rotation.org website: link.. (Or you can create tabletop sized game boards on posterboard using the same game path format.)
  • Game cards: copy the text for the cards (at the end of the lesson plan) into your word processor and print them out on cardstock. Use three different colors if you follow the State Street UMC directions with three different types of activity spots. Otherwise, combine and adapt the cards to fit your game board. (Make sure you shuffle the game cards, as they are listed here in a rather repetitive order.)


Room set-up:
If you are using a life-sized game board, spread it out on the floor. Set up tables and chairs if you are using a smaller game board.

Supply List:

  • game board (see advance preparation);
  • die (you can buy oversized dice at various "game" websites including http://www.trainerswarehouse.com, make one out of a cube shaped box, or use a regular sized game die, available at most discount stores);
  • game cards printed on three different colors of cardstock (see advance preparation);
  • buttons or some sort of marker tokens if you are not using a life-sized game board;
  • whiteboard or flipchart and markers;
  • world map;
  • science experiment supplies: small drinking glass, paper towel, bowl or tub filled with water.
  • Optional: fruit stickers (for journal pages).
  • FOR SHEPHERD TIME: sample of a vine (either a cut live vine, silk vine garland, or a photo of a vine); plain piece of paper with John 15:1, 4 printed at the top with room for sketching below: Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ... Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.” (NLT)




Lesson Plan


Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Explain the purpose of this workshop. We are going to have some fun (some of it silly) as we learn about how we should live with the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Scripture/Bible Story:
In the Bible Jesus and others used fruit to teach us about how God wants us to live. Today we are reading from a letter written by Paul that describes the fruit our lives will produce when the Holy Spirit is living in us.

Read the scripture: Galatians 5: 16-26. (Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. Show them how to use the table of contents.)

Dig:

Application:
(Adapted from Amazing Science Devotions for Children’s Ministry)
Remember the story of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to the believers with wind and fire and the ability to speak other languages? Have any of you ever had flames on your heads? Felt a great wind indoors? No? I wonder if that means you don’t have the Holy Spirit?
Let’s do an experiment to help us understand that even though we can’t see God’s Spirit in us, He is very real.

What do you think will happen to this paper towel if I put it in this bowl of water? What if it is in this glass? [Scrunch the paper towel into the glass.] Now watch carefully. [Turn the glass upside down and push it straight down into the water. Make sure the water is deep enough so you can hold the glass all the way underwater for a few seconds so everyone can see it. Then carefully pull the glass straight up out of the water, still upside down.]

[Have a volunteer take the paper towel out of the glass.] What do you notice about the paper towel? How can it still be dry?

The glass looked empty, but it was actually full of air. When I pushed the glass into the water, an invisible wall of air pushed back against the water and the paper towel. This wall of air kept the paper towel from getting wet. We can’t see the air, can we? But it’s still there. We saw evidence of it because the paper towel stayed dry.

You can’t see the Holy Spirit, so how do you know He is in your life? [Listen to suggestions.]
Other people can see evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life in the way you treat them. Do you treat other people the way Jesus wants you to?

What helps us to know that something is there when we’re not able to see it?
By faith, we know that God’s Spirit is in us. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” We can’t see the Spirit, but we can be sure He’s there, in us, helping us to live like Jesus wants us to. Just as the air kept the paper towel dry, the Spirit helps us live a Fruit-filled life.

Today, we will explore what it means to live a Fruit-filled life as we play a Fruity-Fun Giant Board Game.

Play the game. Divide the class into teams of 3-4 players each. All answers given/performed should be agreed upon by the entire group. Do not allow one person to shout out an answer. Bibles are an important tool in this game. Encourage the students to use them. If a team cannot come up with an answer, others may make suggestions, but the team still has to agree on their final answer.

Have the team with the youngest or shortest player go first. (Remind the children that the meek — those who are not judged by the world’s standards to be strong and powerful — will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5)

If you are playing with a life-sized game board, all of the students on a team should move together and try to squeeze onto a space together. If another team lands on the same spot, squeeze them on as best you can.

If a roll of the die puts a team on a plain space, their turn is over and they wait there until their next turn. If they land on a space with a cross, star or dynamite (or whatever symbols your board has), they follow the directions on the card that corresponds to that space. They should work as a team to decide on an answer, and they may use their Bibles. Answers should be shared so all the teams can hear. (Some of the questions may be repeated, as the cards are placed at the bottom of the deck after being used. Teams should try to come up with different answers for the questions that require “creative” responses -- that is, the Activity and Life Application questions.)

The object of the game is not to be the first to reach the end, but for all teams to reach the end (or get as far as time permits) and to have fun doing it. If a team gets to the end of the path before the end of class time, they can begin again at the first square or they can sit to watch the others finish.

Reflection:

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):
Reflection questions were included in the game.

Review the memory verse. Several teams should have practiced the memory verse during the game. If time permits, read it or recite it out loud together. If it is near the end of the rotation, ask for volunteers to stand up and say the verse alone.

At 11:50 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journal paper and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a fruit sticker to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or activity.

Shepherd Time:
Pass out the journal sheets and read John 15: 1, 4. Show the children some vines. Ask them to sketch a vine with their face on the fruit.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing prayer:
Dear God, thank you for sending your Spirit to be with each one of us always. Help us to feel your Spirit, to hear your Spirit, and to follow your Spirit as we are led to live lives that show the world that we are yours. Amen.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Younger Children:

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible using the table of contents and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Leave out question cards marked with *.
  • The youngest children will need an older student or adult to read them the game cards and help them find the Bible passages (or a helper can look up the Bible passages and read them to the class). Also, consider using the NIRV translation (New International Reader’s Version).


Older Children:
Make sure each team member has a chance to be the team spokesman and give the answer.


Resources:

  • Game board idea inspired by Jaymie Derden, State St. UMC: link.
  • Halasz, Sheila and Lori Niles, editors. Amazing Science Devotions for Children’s Ministry. Loveland, Colorado: Group, 1999.
  • http://childrensministry.com/- available free online, but you need to register as a user.
  • Catherine. Posting at rotation.org: “Getting to Know You.” https://www.rotation.org/topic/295011598215960508
  • Jan at FPC Napa. Posting at rotation.org under , “Fruit of the Spirit - Intergenerational”: https://www.rotation.org/topic...from-first-pres-napa
  • Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Question Cards for the Fruit of the Spirit Game:

Fact questions (landing on spots marked with a cross; encourage the teams to use their Bibles to answer these; they may move only if they answer the question correctly):

  • Where in the Bible can you find the Fruit of the Spirit? Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • What are the names of the four Gospels? Move ahead 1 space.
  • The letters of Paul are in the (NEW, OLD) Testament. Move ahead 1 space.
  • Paul wrote that we are to live by the (LAW, SPIRIT). Move ahead 2 spaces. (See Galatians 5:18 if you need help.)
  • Paul wrote that we are saved by (the LAW, FAITH). Move ahead 2 spaces. (See Galatians 3:10-11 if you need help.)
  • Who wrote the letter to the Galatians? Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is love. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is joy. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is peace. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is kindness. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is gentleness. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is anger. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is meanness. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is selfishness. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is honesty. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is self-control. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is cuteness. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is self-esteem. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: one fruit of the Spirit is harmony. Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:25 for help.) Move ahead 1 space.
  • True or False: A person who has patience goes around telling everyone, “Get out of my way!” Move ahead one space.


Activity questions (landing on spots marked with a star):
All the team members say the memory verse together. Move ahead four spaces.

  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “love.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “joy.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • * Create a quick mini-drama that shows “peace.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “patience.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “kindness.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “goodness.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • * Create a quick mini-drama that shows “faithfulness.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “gentleness.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Create a quick mini-drama that shows “self-control.” All team members must have a part. Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Sing one verse of “I’ve Got Peace Like a River” – make up river motions to go with it. Move ahead 2 spaces. (If you don’t know the tune, make one up.) (“I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul. I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.")
  • A song includes the words, “I’ve got joy like a fountain.” Work as a team and use your bodies to make a ‘working fountain.’ Move ahead 3 spaces.
  • Pretend to eat a banana. Move ahead 1 space.
  • Pretend to cut and eat a watermelon. Move ahead 1 space.
  • Pretend to climb a tree, pick a fruit, and eat it. Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • Read John 15:4. Move ahead 1 space.
  • * Read Matthew 7:17-20. Move ahead 1 space.
  • Work as a team to draw a fruit tree on the whiteboard. Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • Paul wrote a letter to the people of Galatia (present-day Turkey). Find Turkey on the world map. Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of love, read Matthew 19:13-15. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of joy, read Luke 2:8-14. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of peace, read what Jesus says in John 14:27. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of patience, read what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: 15:5-6. Move ahead two spaces.
  • * For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of kindness, read about Ruth and Boaz in Ruth 2:10-12. Move ahead two spaces.
  • * For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of goodness, read about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of faithfulness, read Galatians 3:8-9. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of gentleness, read Proverb 15:1. Move ahead two spaces.
  • For a Bible reading which will help you understand the fruit of self-control, read Proverb 25:28. Move ahead two spaces.


Life application questions (landing on spots marked with dynamite; while there are no right or wrong answers, require thoughtful, serious answers from the team):

  • To whom can you show love today? Move ahead one space.
  • To whom can you show patience today? Move ahead one space.
  • To whom can you show kindness today? Move ahead one space.
  • To whom can you show faithfulness today? Move ahead one space.
  • To whom can you show gentleness today? Move ahead one space.
  • How can you show love today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show joy today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show peace today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show patience today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show kindness today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show goodness today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show faithfulness today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show gentleness today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • How can you show self-control today? Move ahead two spaces.
  • You were following the desires of your sinful nature and you quarreled with your team members about whose turn it was to roll the die. Move back one space.
  • You were following the desires of your sinful nature and were jealous of your friend’s new shoes. Move back one space.
  • You were following the desires of your sinful nature and you yelled at your mother when she told you to put away your clean laundry before you go outside to play. Move back one space.
  • You were following the desires of your sinful nature and were gossiping about one of your classmates and how he always strikes out in baseball. Move back one space.
  • Someone you don’t know well at school comes up to you and says that they see there is something special about the way you live and treat others. You tell them about Jesus. Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • Someone you don’t know well at school comes up to you and says that they see there is something special about the way you live and treat others. You mumble “Thanks” and walk away. Move back 2 spaces.
  • Mandy has always teased her little sister. But now that she is a Christian, her pastor says she should live her life in a new way. Mandy doesn’t know how to begin. What should she do? Move 2 spaces.
  • Your friends are all talking about how Chris was homesick and cried at the Scout campout last weekend. You know that because you are living a new life with Jesus in your heart, you should not gossip. What do you say? Move ahead 2 spaces.
  • You are at the Scout campout. You see that Chris is really homesick and is crying non-stop. You sort of know her from church. What should you do and say? Move ahead 2 spaces.



This lesson was written by Amy Crane for River Community Church in Prairieville, Louisiana.
Copyright 2003 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

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