PRELUDE SOCIAL STORY WORSHIP GROUPS HOME€¦ · licensees to tailor 252 Kids ... PRELUDE SOCIAL STORY WORSHIP GROUPS HOME 25 MIN 10 MIN 25 MIN 15 MIN PRELUDE: Setting the tone for

©2020 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.ThinkOrange.com

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THREE K-5S TA R T E R

PRELUDE SOCIAL STORY WORSHIP GROUPS HOME

TEAM USER AGREEMENTOrange gladly grants permission to churches, schools, and other licensees to tailor 252 Kids® materials to fit their unique leadership requirements, locale and format preferences, and physical environment needs. However, if you wish to edit the content substantively, including Bible stories, learning activities, scripts, and any other content in which biblical principles and concepts are presented, you are obligated to do so within the doctrinal guidelines we’ve expressed in our Statement of Faith. These resources are intended to be downloaded and printed for use by the subscribing entity only and may not be electronically transferred to or duplicated by other non-subscribing entities. Any unauthorized reproduction of this material or incorporation into a new work is a direct violation of US copyright laws. ©2018 The reThink Group. All rights reserved. 252 Kids® and the 252 Kids® logo are trademarks of Orange and the reThink Group.Scripture marked “NIrV” is taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION®.

Copyright © 1996, 1998 Biblica. All rights reserved throughout the world.

Used by permission of Biblica.

Scripture marked “NIV” is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®,

NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.

All rights reserved worldwide.

CEOReggie Joiner

DIRECTOR OF MESSAGINGKristen Ivy

DIRECTOR OF CHILDRENS STRATEGYMike Clear

CREATIVE TEAMMolly BellElloa DavisElizabeth HansenBrandon O’DellGreg PaynePhil PierceDan ScottMike TiemannJon Williams

WRITERSJodi BlackwellSharon CareyBecky JarrettErin MashawJulie TiemannAdam Walsh

EDITORSMolly BellDana Wilkerson

ORANGE SPECIALISTAbbey CarrAmy FentonAmy GrishamBarbara GravesTerri JonesMisty PhillipsStephanie PorterJackie RaihlAnnette StickneyPhil SummersCourtney TempletonGay Tucciarone

Upside Down: Jesus changes everything

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B I B L E S T O R Y

Lean on MeServant PrinciplePhilippians 2:3-8

M E M O R Y V E R S E

Don’t do anything onlyto get ahead. Don’t do itbecause you are proud.

Instead, be humble. Valueothers more than yourselves.

Philippians 2:3, NIrV

L I F E A P P

Humility—Putting othersfirst by giving up whatyou think you deserve

B O T T O M L I N E

Put others first becauseJesus put you first.

B A S I C T R U T H

I should treat others the wayI want to be treated.

©2020 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.ThinkOrange.com 2


25M I N

10M I N

25M I N

15M I N

PRELUDE: Setting the tone for the experienceFor Leaders OnlyCreate the EnvironmentMonthly Overview

SOCIAL: Providing time for fun interactionEarly ArriverMystery Bag

STORY: Communicating God’s truth in engaging waysWelcome/OpenerWorshipCommunicationPrayer

WORSHIP: Inviting people to respond to God“Thank You God” from Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop“I Can Always Trust You” from Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

GROUPS: Creating a safe place to connectGo First Art ProjectServe It Up!Human Tic-Tac-ToePrayer

HOME: Prompting action beyond the experienceGodTimeParent Cue

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25 MINUTES 10 MINUTES



“If I say, ‘Simon says hop on one foot,’ then what would you do? (Pause to see if they get it.) Yes, you would hop on BOTH feet. But if I don’t say ‘Simon says,’ then you wouldn’t do it, right? If you mess up, you’ll have to sit down for the rest of the round, but don’t worry—I’m sure we’ll get to play a few rounds. Everyone up on your feet; let’s play ‘Simon Says’: Upside Down Edition!

SFX: Fun music

Use the printed Upside Down “Simon Says” Actions sheet to call out different actions. If you have enough time, play a few rounds so that even those who get out early have a chance to play some more.

“Well done, everyone! I declare ‘Simon Says’: Upside Down Edition officially over, and you can stay up on your feet because it’s time for us to worship God together.”

WORSHIPL E A D E R : “I’m so thankful for God’s love and forgiveness! Let’s sing this song to Him now and thank Him for being so good to us.

SFX: “Thank You God” / track 9 from Can’t Stop, Won’t StopOptional Video (Media Package): “Thank You God” Dance Moves Music Video

“Jesus put us first when He came to earth to be our Savior, and I am so thankful! In Psalm 28:7, David wrote: The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him (NIrV). It’s true. [Basic Truth] We can trust God no matter what. Let’s sing and praise Him now.”

SFX: “I Can Always Trust You” track 1 from Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

During the intro video, set up the bulletin board on stage.

VIDEO: One Big Story IntroCG: Blank Bottom Line Slide

STORYSETTING UP THE STORYL E A D E R : “Last Sunday was Easter, and we celebrated the fact that Jesus came to be our Savior. He died on the cross for our sins, and then He came back to life! Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection changed the way everything works—including the way we see others and the way we treat them.

“The apostle Paul explained this in a letter we call the book of Philippians. (Hold up Bible.) Paul was writing to people in the town of Philippi who were followers of Jesus. Listen to what Paul wrote.

Open the Bible to Philippians 2:3, 5-8 (NIrV) and read.

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“Remember what Paul wrote:

Open the Bible to Philippians 2:5 (NIrV) and read.

“As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.

“We can choose to put others first because JESUS put us first. We can choose to value them and think about what THEY need—not just what WE need.

“So tell me what you think. What are some ways we can put others first?”

As the kids shout out answers, write them in shorthand on the multicolored cards.

Examples in case the kids get stuck: Let someone else go first. Let your sibling pick the movie or restaurant. Let someone else have the last piece of pizza. Do chores for your parent without being asked. Make your sibling’s bed or clean their room. Help pick up after a church event.

Keep going until you have more of these cards than the number of kids in the room. Collect the colored cards in a stack.

HOW?L E A D E R : (Hold up the stack of colored cards.) “These are all great examples of putting others first. Let’s think about how this might play out in real life.

“For example, [kid’s name] lets [kid’s name] go in front of her in line at school.

Pin the “Go first” card in between those two kids’ names on the bulletin board.

“[Kid’s name] lets [same kid’s sibling’s name] have the last piece of pizza.

Pin the “Pizza” card next to the first kid’s name on the bulletin board.

Continue to pin up the colored cards next to different kids’ names. Try to include an example for each kid, if possible.

“When we all show humility, we serve each other. We [Basic Truth] treat each other the way we want to be treated. And EVERYONE feels valued. Everyone gets taken care of!”

WRAPPING UP THE STORYL E A D E R : “But all of this (point to all the cards) is only possible because Jesus (point to ‘Jesus’ at the bottom of the board) put US first.

“We should follow Jesus’ example and put others first, because He put US first. As Paul wrote:

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“Remember what Paul wrote:


“As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.

“We can choose to put others first because JESUS put us first. We can choose to value them and think about what THEY need—not just what WE need.

“So tell me what you think. What are some ways we can put others first?”

As the kids shout out answers, write them in shorthand on the multicolored cards.

Examples in case the kids get stuck: Let someone else go first. Let your sibling pick the movie or restaurant. Let someone else have the last piece of pizza. Do chores for your parent without being asked. Make your sibling’s bed or clean their room. Help pick up after a church event.

Keep going until you have more of these cards than the number of kids in the room. Collect the colored cards in a stack.

HOW?L E A D E R : (Hold up the stack of colored cards.) “These are all great examples of putting others first. Let’s think about how this might play out in real life.

“For example, [kid’s name] lets [kid’s name] go in front of her in line at school.

Pin the “Go first” card in between those two kids’ names on the bulletin board.

“[Kid’s name] lets [same kid’s sibling’s name] have the last piece of pizza.

Pin the “Pizza” card next to the first kid’s name on the bulletin board.

Continue to pin up the colored cards next to different kids’ names. Try to include an example for each kid, if possible.

“When we all show humility, we serve each other. We [Basic Truth] treat each other the way we want to be treated. And EVERYONE feels valued. Everyone gets taken care of!”

WRAPPING UP THE STORYL E A D E R : “But all of this (point to all the cards) is only possible because Jesus (point to ‘Jesus’ at the bottom of the board) put US first.

“We should follow Jesus’ example and put others first, because He put US first. As Paul wrote:

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“Don’t do anything only to get ahead. . . . Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves.

“It’s not easy to humble ourselves to serve others. If we’re honest, it’s a lot easier for us to ignore the people around us who need help. But God can help us serve others with humility—like Jesus did.

“Remember:

CG: Bottom Line Slide

“Put others first because Jesus put you first.

“Let’s talk to God about that.”

CG: Blank Bottom Line Slide

PRAYL E A D E R : “Dear God, we’re so thankful that Jesus showed us what it looks like to live with humility. He put US first when He chose to follow Your plan. Please help us follow His example with the way we treat people this week. We know we need Your help to do that. Please give us the strength to put others first because Jesus put us first. We love You, and we pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.”

CLOSERCG: Timeline

L E A D E R : “God created a perfect world, but unfortunately, Adam and Even disobeyed Him. They chose to sin. We have ALL sinned, and sin breaks our relationship with God. It separates us from Him. But God had a plan to save us. That meant Jesus had to give up everything to come to earth and save us. And that’s exactly what He did!

CG: Blank Bottom Line Slide

“After Jesus’ death and resurrection, people talked about what He did. He was full of humility. This was what people remembered about Jesus—how He gave up everything for us.

“As we live our lives and interact with the people around us, we need to remember what Jesus did. That will encourage us to do the same for others as we choose to put them first . . .

CG: Today’s Story Image

Optional: Place Today’s Story Image on your timeline.

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“. . . and show that we value THEM more than ourselves.

“Remember this:

CG: Bottom Line Slide

“Put others first because Jesus put you first. Say that with me.”

L E A D E R A N D K I D S : “Put others first because Jesus put you first.”

L E A D E R : “Let’s talk about that some more in Small Group. You can head that way now . . . Simon says!”

Dismiss kids to their small groups.

SFX: Play high-energy music as the kids exit.CG: Theme SlideOptional Video (Media Package): Theme Loop

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L I F E A P P


B O T T O M L I N E


B A S I C T R U T H


C R E A T Ean activity that explores spiritual ideas through the process of

drawing, building, and designing

25 MINUTES



1. GO FIRST ART PROJECT W H AT Y O U N E E D : Heavy art paper; art supplies: glitter glue, scented markers, stickers, washi tape, paints, gel pens, etc.

W H AT Y O U D O :• Give each child a piece of paper, and place all the art supplies in the middle

of the work area. • Make sure kids notice that these are special supplies. • Tell them the rules of this project:

ú They can use any art supply on their picture, and they can create anything they want.

ú The catch is: They can’t take anything for themselves or ask for anything, they can only pick up a supply and offer it to a friend first.

ú If the friend accepts, great! They hand over the supply. ú If the friend declines, they can use it themselves. ú No one can begin working until everyone has at least one supply.

• Make sure all kids are offered some supplies and no one is left out. • Encourage kids to use what they know about each other to offer art supplies

that someone else is likely to want. • Allow time for kids to work on their creations.

W H AT Y O U S AY:“Our Bible story today teaches us to put others first and to not always grab the best stuff for ourselves. When are we most tempted to get grabby? (Invite responses.) How does it make you feel? (Invite responses.) No one feels great after being selfish. Even if you get what you want, you feel hard and mean inside.

“How did it feel to have someone offer you the color paint you really like, or your favorite art supply? (Invite responses.) That feels great, huh? I know that I feel valued when someone puts me first and asks me what I’d like.

“How does it feel to make someone else feel valued and appreciated? (Invite responses.) When you put others first, you get to feel generous and kind and happy that they are happy, even if you didn’t get exactly what you wanted. That mix of feelings is humility.

T A L K A B O U T G O D B I B L E S T O R Y

R E V I E W

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L I F E A P P


B O T T O M L I N E


B A S I C T R U T H


C O N N E C Tan activity that invites kids to share with others and

build on their understanding

25 MINUTES



L I V E F O R G O D

A P P L I C AT I O N A C T I V I T Y

* 2. SERVE IT UP! W H AT Y O U N E E D : Will vary depending on your project: toy cleaning supplies, car window washing supplies, hospitality supplies, etc.

W H AT Y O U D O :• Gather your group and explain the service project you’ve planned. • You can clean preschool toys, wash windshields of cars in the parking lot

(this might require a quick heads-up to parents first), help your church’s hospitality team serve after-church snacks, or work on the type of project that your group can make progress on during Small Group time.

• Once you’ve reached your stopping point, put away your supplies and gather for discussion.

W H AT Y O U S AY:“That was a big job! And I’ve got to say, it might not be my favorite way to spend a Sunday morning. How did you feel while we were working? How do you feel right now?

“I did like that we all got to put others first because Jesus put you first. How can you do that this week?” (Invite responses: help out at home, do extra cleaning chores at school or the gym, assist an elderly neighbor or grandparent, etc.)

[Make It Personal] (Share the most meaningful service project you have ever participated in; or share a time when you were served with humility and felt loved by God in a sincere and tangible way.)

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L I F E A P P


B O T T O M L I N E


B A S I C T R U T H


C O N N E C Tan activity that invites kids to share with others and

build on their understanding

25 MINUTES



L I V E F O R G O D

A P P L I C AT I O N A C T I V I T Y

* 2. SERVE IT UP! W H AT Y O U N E E D : Will vary depending on your project: toy cleaning supplies, car window washing supplies, hospitality supplies, etc.

W H AT Y O U D O :• Gather your group and explain the service project you’ve planned. • You can clean preschool toys, wash windshields of cars in the parking lot

(this might require a quick heads-up to parents first), help your church’s hospitality team serve after-church snacks, or work on the type of project that your group can make progress on during Small Group time.

• Once you’ve reached your stopping point, put away your supplies and gather for discussion.

W H AT Y O U S AY:“That was a big job! And I’ve got to say, it might not be my favorite way to spend a Sunday morning. How did you feel while we were working? How do you feel right now?

“I did like that we all got to put others first because Jesus put you first. How can you do that this week?” (Invite responses: help out at home, do extra cleaning chores at school or the gym, assist an elderly neighbor or grandparent, etc.)

[Make It Personal] (Share the most meaningful service project you have ever participated in; or share a time when you were served with humility and felt loved by God in a sincere and tangible way.)

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L I F E A P P


B O T T O M L I N E


B A S I C T R U T H


M O V Ean activity that increases the oxygen in the brain and

taps into the energy in the body

25 MINUTES



H E A R F R O M G O D

M E M O R Y V E R S E A C T I V I T Y

3. HUMAN TIC-TAC-TOEW H AT Y O U N E E D : Bibles (opened to Philippians 2:3); prepared tic-tac-toe grid on the floor

W H AT Y O U D O :• Create two teams in your group. • Use the masking tape to place X’s on the back of one team’s shirts and

O’s on the other. (Enlist older kids to help with this.)• Arrange teams on either side of the grid on the floor. • Read Philippians 2:3 out loud, but omit a word. • Give the first person on the X’s team a chance to say the missing word. If

they do that correctly, they can move onto the grid. • If they are incorrect or don’t know, the O’s can steal and take a place on

the grid. • Play until one team has three in a row, or until there’s a “draw/stalemate.” • Play as many rounds as time allows.

W H AT Y O U S AY:“This game brings out the instinct to be first, to win, to block our opponent’s every move! That’s fine in a game, but how would that attitude hurt you and others in real life? (Invite responses.) The best way to win at being humble—to show others God’s love for them by what you do—is to imitate Jesus and put others first because Jesus put you first.”

Optional Discussion Questions for Older KidsIf you lead 4th, 5th, or 6th graders, consider asking these discussion questions: • Who in your life is hardest to put first? Why? • How do you know the difference between putting someone first and

someone taking advantage of you? ú For example, say you have a friend who always chooses what you do

together. You know that you’re supposed to put others first and let them choose, but ALL the time? What do you think about that situation?

• If you’re not sure how to put others first in a particular situation, who can you ask, and what can you do?

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L I F E A P P


B O T T O M L I N E


B A S I C T R U T H


R E F L E C Tan activity that creates space for personal

understanding and application

25 MINUTES



PRAY AND DISMISSW H AT Y O U N E E D : No supplies needed

W H AT Y O U D O : • Take time to again discuss your service project. • Talk about the people who will be helped by your hard work. • Pray for those whom you’ve served this week.

W H AT Y O U S AY:“Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue us. Thank You that Jesus humbled Himself by putting us first and sacrificing Himself for us. Please be with the people we served today. Show them Your love in a special way through our hard work. Amen.

“Remember to talk with your families about the ways you can put others first because Jesus put you first.”

As adults arrive to pick up, talk to them about the service project. If your church has a service project going, or if you know of a ministry that needs help, use this time to invite families to participate.

P R A Y T O G O D P R AY E R

A C T I V I T Y

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C R E A T Ean activity that explores spiritual ideas through the process of

drawing, building, and designing

25 MINUTES



“Jesus showed the ultimate humility when He came to earth and lived here among people, when He loved people who rejected Him, and especially when He died on the cross to rescue the world from the consequences of sin. Jesus knew that our ultimate best good would mean that He had to give up a lot to put us first.

“When you’re not sure how to put someone first, or even if you want to, remember you can put others first because Jesus put you first.”

T A L K A B O U T G O D B I B L E S T O R Y

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“Don’t do anything only to get ahead. . . . Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves. . . . As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did. . . . Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact. Instead, he made himself nothing. He did this by taking on the nature of a servant. . . . He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to his death.

“I know that’s a lot to take in at once, so let’s break it down a little bit.

“First, I need your help with something.

Pass out the white notecards and pens.

“Go ahead and write your name down on a card. Just your first name is fine. Then hand your card and pen back to me.

Have the kids write their names on the white cards, and write one for yourself as well. As kids finish, collect the cards and pens. Begin pinning the cards on the lower half of the bulletin board with the push pins. (Don’t push the pins in too far; you want the cards to easily flip upside down later when you turn the board upside down.)

WHO?L E A D E R : (Referencing the bulletin board) “Each of these cards represents one of us in this room. We are all made in the image of God.

“Then there’s Jesus.

Hold up the card that says “Jesus.”

“God’s Son. The King of Kings. If you were placing Jesus on this board, you’d put Him up here, right?

Place the “Jesus” card at the very top of the bulletin board.

“But Jesus changed everything when He came. He turned things upside down.

Flip the bulletin board upside down. Ideally, all the cards will flip around and now be readable upside down, but you can go through and quickly flip any that didn’t turn on their own.

“Jesus is equal with God, but He didn’t use that fact to get whatever He wanted. Instead, He chose to be humble. He obeyed God completely, even though it meant He had to die on the cross.”

WHAT?L E A D E R : “We can see how Jesus put US first. He died on the cross for our sins so we could have a relationship with God that will last forever.

“Now our job (point to the cards) . . . is to follow His example (point to the ‘Jesus’ card).

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PRELUDE SOCIAL STORY WORSHIP GROUPS HOME€¦ · licensees to tailor 252 Kids ... PRELUDE SOCIAL STORY WORSHIP GROUPS HOME 25 MIN 10 MIN 25 MIN 15 MIN PRELUDE: Setting the tone for