Sunday School Nov. 18 (combined lesson)

This week was our monthly combined Sunday school lesson for grades 6-12. It's been fun to continue on with the "community Sunday" trend (we also do communion, everyone wears nametags, and there's always a lunch afterwards) up in the youth wing because the lessons are topical and the kids are fun. Both age groups are learning about theology in their separate classes so the combined lessons are always more creative and interactive. I love it!

This week the lesson was about the 3 T's - Time Treasure and Talents - and we spend the morning talking about how God has blessed us and how we can serve Him with what He has given us. First, we read the parable of the talents to see what Jesus had to say about giving back to God. Then the kids worked in groups as they rotated through three stations (one for each T).

Here's the station breakdown:

Time:
Groups were given a clock and asked to write ways we waste time and use it wisely next to each number on the clock (12 of each). Parents can follow up with their kids by asking what some of the common time-wasters were, how important they are to our lives, and what some strategies are for cutting back on time-wasters and using more of our time to serve God and others.

Talents:
Students worked together to fill out a chart with each person's name, a skill or talent, and how they could use that for God's glory. It was fun to listen to thr groups because some skills were easy (e.g. being friendly = welcoming newcomers at church) and some were a bit tougher. Parents can follow up by asking their child what they are good at and whether or not they are using that for themselves or others as well. You could also brainstorm ways to use those skills to help others at school, home, church, our city, and beyond.

Treasure:
This was the hardest station - students were asked to answer 3 questions on their own (what is your source of income? what are your most prized possessions? how does your wealth compare with teens around the world?) and then as a group they focused on the second question. They were asked to brainstorm how they could use their things (since most of them are young and don't have jobs or a lot of money!) to serve God - again, some were easy (guitar = leading worship) and some were tough. Parents can follow up by asking about the discussion, asking the same questions of their teen, and even continuing the brainstorming process - get creative!