Matthew 14/Mark 6/John 6
Action Words:
Jesus: touch each palm with the middle finger of the other hand
Miracle: say WOW whilst putting your hands up to your face in amazement.
Crowds: loud whispers
Disciples: shake hands
Hungry: groan and rub tummy
Food: pretend to eat and say nom nom nom
Little boy: aaaawww
Loaves and fish: hold up 5 fingers and then 2 fingers
Thanks: place fingers to mouth (fingers closed palms facing in) and then raise them upwards
Story:
Jesus spoke to his disciples and said ‘we have been so busy caring for the crowds of people, let’s go to an ‘out of the way’ place to rest.
So Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and sailed away from the towns to an out of the way place.
But the crowds heard where they were going and followed them!
When Jesus saw the crowds and saw their need, he had compassion and he taught them and spent the day healing them. Many miracles were performed.
It came to evening and the disciples said to Jesus, teacher it is late and the crowds are getting hungry. Send them away to the villages for food. But Jesus replied feed the hungry yourself.
The disciples were shocked! How could we feed such a huge hungry crowd? It’d take a whole year of working to pay for all the food.
Then Jesus asked them, well what food do we have? And they showed him the lunch that a little boy had given to share around. There were 5 loaves and 2 fish. How can we possibly feed over 5000 people with only 5 loaves and 2 fish from a little boy’s lunchbox?!
But Jesus gratefully took the food, gave thanks to God and told the disciples to start handing it out to the crowd. They were amazed when everyone ate their fill of food and they collected leftovers. It was a miracle!
When telling a Bible story it is important to read the story from the Bible first so that you get the entire background, context and information before looking at it from a Children’s Bible. Then it is recommended that you pick one point that you want the children to go away understanding and build your Sunday Club programme around that one point. When choosing how to tell a story decide between an Action Story, Story Book Time, Circle Time, Godly Play, Mystery Story Bag/Box method or a repetition story.
Where possible use illustrations, either props or actions or drama or pictures so the children can understand what you are saying through more than your words. Sermons4kids have a page of illustration sketches for different Bible Stories some of which have enough pictures for a powerpoint of slides to accompany a story. See here for more details: http://www.sermons4kids.com/henry_martin.htm
All Age Worship: This can be done with the whole congregation and/or with the Sunday Club. We have taken it from http://www.barnabasinschools.org.uk/the-sounds-of-holy-week/