Re: Chapel ideas

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On 11/07/10, a4my wrote:
> Well, I thought I'd be smart and sign up for my chapel early
> instead of at the end of the year. I thought Thanksgiving
> would be easy but it's hard to find something simple. I have
> fourth graders. I thought about each student taking a letter
> in Thanksgiving and talk about what what they are thankful
> for. Any good ideas out there??? thanks

Thanksgiving, to me, is a response to what God has done for
us. I believe that we honor God by responding to His gifts to
us and what He has done and continues to do for us, by doing
for others...random acts of kindness without any expectation
of thanks being given to us.

I don't know exactly what you mean by "simple." I know kids
leading chapel is preferable to the teacher doing a lecture
style.

I am not well versed in computers, but could you put together
a simple power point of pictures of people doing things
around church and school and have kids read appropriate
scripture readings and have songs interspersed?

I am thinking, for example, of starting with a picture of
Jesus and a scripture reading like "God so loved the
world...."

Our preschoolers-Grade 2 kids sing a song "For My Family, For
My Family, God gave me a Mother...." Then repeat for each
family member when kids from the congregation suggest family
members...sometimes even pets. The lines go "For my family,
for my family, God gave me a Mother. For my family, for my
family, Thank you, thank you, God." Just keep repeating the
key phrase and substitute family member names as suggested by
the children. Hmmm...don't know where to access the tune for
that...but may be able to do a search using Quote marks with
the lines.

For power point, then show pics of Pastor, school secretary,
food collection box if you have one, some teachers at work,
some students such as kids reading together...bigger kids
with younger kids, the lunch ladies, etc. Take some pics at
home...staged of kids setting the table, taking out garbage,
interacting with a grandparent (sitting on a lap in a rocking
chair...talking to the senior), raking leaves...anything
showing some sort of service happening or kindness being
shown.

Once I used a VBS song "I want to walk in the footsteps of
Jesus." Some similar song may be done to make the connection
to help others "....Love one another as I have loved you."
"They Will Know We are Christians By Our Love."

You could write and have kids lead a simple responsive litany
with the kids in the congregation. For example: if you don't
know the tune to "Thank you, thank you, God," Just Write
words like:

Reader: For all you have done for us, Dear Lord...
Congregation: Thank you, Thank you, God.
Reader: For health and strength and daily bread...
Congregation: Thank you, Thank you, God.
Reader: For families and friends...
Congregation: Thank you, Thank you, God.

etc.

Not a powerpoint person...Hold up pics you can find or have
kids draw them and label them and hold them as you do each
part of the litany.

You could do a food drive in conjunction...each child brings
one can good and puts it in a box at the front of the church
as he/she arrives...these go to local food pantry.

I've also had classes prep. thankful notes to classmates
prior to chapel. I take the class roster and #1 student
writes #2 student a positive thing he/she likes about that
person and 2 writes for 3, 3 writes for 4 and at the end the
last class person writes for #1. These are shared during
class, then put in a box and can be given like an offering of
thanks for our friends during chapel. (It helps students to
see each other in a new light and that they are appreciated
as a gift from God.) Thanks for the gift of
friends/classmates.

Close with Lord's Prayer and some song of Thanks.

Long winded here, but maybe just one idea is worth
pursuing....

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