Bethany Lutheran Church

GODLY PLAY CURRICULUM CALENDAR 2011-2012

Sep 11             Creation                                  Brunch for teachers and families at 10:30

Sep 18             Noah

Sep 25             Abraham and the Great Family

Oct 2               Exodus

Oct 9               The Law (Ten Best Ways to Live)

Oct 16             The Ark and a Tent for God

Oct 23             The Temple, a House for God

Oct 30             David, Singer of Songs

Nov 6               Exile and Return

Nov 13             Jonah

Nov 20             Advent 1

Nov 27             Advent 2

Dec 4               Advent 3                                                          Advent Fair, 10:30 – 12:00

Dec 11             Advent 4                                                          Christmas Program at 10:30

Dec 18                         CHRISTMAS BREAK

Dec 25                         CHRISTMAS BREAK

Jan 1                          CHRISTMAS BREAK

Jan 8               Boy Jesus in the Temple

Jan 15             Jesus’ Baptism

Jan 22             Parable of the Good Shepherd

Jan 29             Parable of the Mustard Seed

Feb 5               Parable of the Good Samaritan

Feb 12             Parable of the Sower / Leaven

Feb 19             Parable of the Great Feast

Feb 26             Jesus and the Children / Bartimaeus

Mar 4               Jesus and Zacchaeus                                      Journey to the Cross

Mar 11             Jesus the King

Mar 18             Jesus’ Last Passover

Mar 25             Jesus is Risen

Apr 1                           PALM SUNDAY – NO CLASSES

Apr 8                           EASTER SUNDAY – NO CLASSES

Apr 15             The Road to Emmaus                                                 

Apr 22             Baptism

Apr 29             The Good Shepherd and the Lord’s Supper

May 6               Ascension

May 13             Pentecost

May 20                         CLOSING PROGRAM & ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Kids’ Light 2011-2012:  Witness God’s Awesome Power and Love

Sep 11, 18, 26, Oct. 2 Creation / Psalm 8 Gen 1:1

Concepts:

• God created the world and everything in it; everything he made was good.
• God created us in his image; He continues to preserve, protect, and provide for all of our needs out of His goodness and mercy.
• God was there first and always.

Objectives:

• God wants us to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him.
• God gives us the responsibility of caring for His creation.
• Explore what it means to be created in the image of God.

Bible Memory Verse:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  Psalm 24:1 NIV

Oct 9, 16, 23, 30                              Jacob and Esau

Concepts:

• Jacob and Esau are twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah, and grandsons of Abraham and Sarah.  These are the three generations of patriarchs of the nation of Israel.
• God acts through ordinary, imperfect people to accomplish his purposes; we see God’s plan at work in the life of Jacob, despite his faults.

Objectives:

• Explore the consequences of lying and dishonesty.
• Understand that a loving, forgiving God is at work in our lives, and we need patience and courage to trust God and to wait for God’s timing.

Bible Memory Verse:

“Surely the Lord is in this place – and I did not know it!”  Genesis 28:16

Nov 6, 13, 20                                    Elijah, Prophet of Courage

Concepts:

• The Lord is the One true God, who has power over the forces of nature and over life and death.
• Elijah was a prophet in Israel who courageously spoke God’s message.  He told people to follow the true God, not idols.

Objectives:

• Know that God is great enough to care for us in all situations.
• Know that God wants us to believe and worship only Him.
• Recognize false gods that people worship today, and remember that a strong faith in God helps us resist false gods in our life.

Bible Memory Verse:

“You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other.”  Deuteronomy 4:35 NIV

Nov 27, Dec 4                                   Christmas Dreams

Concepts:

• Throughout the story of Jesus’ birth dreams and visions provided courage and wisdom to face difficult situations.
• God planned from the beginning to bring Jesus into the world to save the world.
• Jesus is our Savior; he came to save all people from their sins.
• Jesus is our Immanuel (“God with us.”); in this child God himself came to live in the world.

Objectives:

• God’s greatest dream for us is that we realize how great God’s love is for us.  That dream comes true when Christmas is not a season but a way of life.
• God works through ordinary people who obey him.

Bible Memory Verse:

“ You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. “  Matthew 1:21

Jan 8, 15, 22, 29                              Feeding the 5000

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15

Concepts:

• Jesus’ miracle helps us know and believe that He is the Son of God and to show how much God loves us.
• God can do great things with our gifts to him.

Objectives:

• Discover that Jesus not only supplies food to satisfy physical hunger, but he is the ‘Bread of Life’ to satisfy spiritual hunger.
• Thank Jesus for his miraculous gift of daily food; use his gifts well and share them with people in need.

Bible Memory Verse:

“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.  You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”   Psalm 145:15, 16

Feb 6, 12, 19, 26                              Man Through the Roof

Concepts:

• Jesus showed that he had God’s authority and power to heal the sick and to forgive sins.
• In healing and forgiveness we glimpse God’s promise of life for us all.
• The faith and persistence of the lame man’s friends shows that our faith in Jesus can help others, even if there are obstacles.

Objectives:

• Be confident in Jesus’ ability to supply our needs – physical and spiritual.
• Understand that the forgiveness of sins is the greatest gift Jesus gives us.
• Show our faith by helping and praying for others.

Bible Memory Verse:

“I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!  Philippians 4:19 CEV

Mar 11, 18, 25, April 15                 Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Concepts:

• Jesus is human:  he had friends; he felt sadness.
• Jesus is God.  He performed the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating his power over sin and death.

Objectives:

• Hear the promise Jesus gives us about our own life, death, and resurrection.
• Understand that we have a new way of living:  Jesus sets us free, unbinding us from our sins.
• To be able to talk about the reason Jesus did this miracle – to show God’s glory, so that others would believe that God sent Jesus.

Bible Memory Verse:

“I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live…”  John 11:25 NRSV

Apr 22, 29, May 6, 13                     Road to Emmaus

Concepts:

• Jesus appeared to his followers after his crucifixion.  They didn’t always recognize him immediately, but when they did, this helped them understand and believe the resurrection.
• Jesus revealed himself in breaking the bread and continues to be revealed in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
• Jesus is alive and always with us, and when we recognize him in our lives, we grow in faith.

Objectives:

• Realize that we can open our eyes to seeing and accepting Jesus through the people we meet.
• Believe that Jesus is alive and always with us; we need to look for Jesus in our everyday lives.
• Understand the call to share the good news of Jesus.

Bible Memory Verse:

“Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.  Luke 24:31a

Sunday School Classes for children and youth are offered at 9:00 a.m.  Please visit the Sunday School page to learn more.

Godly Play (Preschool);

Kids’ Light (1st – 5th grade);

Middle School (6th – 8th grade);

High School (9th – 12th grade)