This week’s Sunday School Lesson gives children many ways to celebrate our freedom!  We have dozens of ways to help your children make the 4th SPARKLE!  We have crafts & activities to help them celebrate.  They can create stars on your lawn using baking flour, cover frozen bananas in red, white & blue frosting, design a patriotic Solo cup wreath, build a charcuterie board using, strawberries, yogurt pretzels and blue berries and blow patriotic snake bubbles!

We have lawn games incorporating dice, ladders, wind, catapults, marshmallow shooters, golf, water and chalk!

We also have random acts of kindness ideas that they can offer their neighbors!  What a grand way to celebrate our military HEROES!
Our Military service members are servant leaders as they protect our freedom.  Think about how you can be a servant leader in your neighborhood. In the same way that Jesus was being a servant as he washed the disciples feet, consider how you can go among the community and find ways to do kind gesture for others.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

- give a water bottle to a homeless person
- stick up for your friend or sibling in a disagreement
- make cookies for a neighbor
- send your grandparents a letter
- donate clothes to a shelter
- offer a stranger your smile
- pick-up garbage in a park
- offer to pick citrus for a neighbor
- THANK a military hero!
Wishing everyone a WONDERFUL 4th of July!
http://www.nsumckids.info/fourth-of-july.html
​

​Walking by faith isn’t easy, especially if it means walking on water! In this week’s Bible story, Jesus had just finished feeding more than five thousand people. As the crowd began to leave, Jesus instructed his disciples to go on ahead to the other side of the lake. The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions. The Bible says that Jesus went up on a mountain to pray. Evening came, and soon the disciples found themselves fighting a mighty headwind. By morning, they were far from land, but then something totally surprising happened—the disciples saw the figure of a man coming toward them, walking on the lake. “It’s a ghost!” someone exclaimed. Then Jesus made himself known: “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s really you,” Peter said, “let me walk out to you on the lake.” Jesus invited Peter to come. Peter took a few steps onto the surface of the water, but when he looked at the wind and waves, he began to sink. He called out to Jesus, “Save me!” Jesus reached out and grabbed him and said, “You of weak faith! Why did you doubt?” It is easy to read Jesus’ words as a stern rebuke. Perhaps they were, but maybe not. Now let’s reread Jesus’ words and imagine those words being given with a smile and a wink. Even a little faith is better than none.

Is it really the amount of faith we have or what we put our faith in that makes the difference? People put their faith in lots of things every day. We place our faith in how much money we have in the bank. We place our faith in how our interpersonal relationships are going. We place our faith in vehicles to get us from point A to point B each day. There’s nothing wrong with putting faith in these things, but sometimes we fail to examine where we are placing our faith. Peter was challenged to examine where he put his faith. In that moment, he chose to place his faith in Jesus. Because he did, it allowed him to do the impossible: to walk on water. We may not see large-scale miracles occur often, but in a little way every day, we can see how our faith in Jesus can protect us.  Like the disciples, we can hear Jesus say, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.”
 
Since the Arizona thermometers were over 110 degrees all week, our children need a little respite from the heat!  Our Sunday school lesson offers up ice boat races, ocean slime, gummy bear popsicles, and water games.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)-  Many prefer to call this the "Parable of the Loving Father."  Jacob is the youngest son of a wealthy farmer.  He boldly chooses to ask his father for his inheritance.  The father agrees to give him the money and then Jacob takes off for the big city. 
 
Jacob excessively enjoys the “big city” and the temptations it offers.  He ends up making quite a few “not-so-great” choices.  So many that he ends up broke and homeless.  When he reaches the point of envying the food that the pigs on the farm are eating, he finally comes to his senses:

Luke 15:17-21 The Message (MSG)
17-20  “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.
20-21  “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
 
What a relief for Jacob!  After all he had done he was still welcomed into his father’s loving arms.
 
When Jesus told parables He wanted to communicate a spiritual lesson with his audience.   The lesson of this scripture, allowed us to witness that if a person is truly remorseful of their mistakes, they will be extravagantly welcomed with open arms by God.  Isn’t that what our earthly father does for us?  He is excited when we learn new lessons.  He is joyful when he sees growth.  He loves us “just because.” We aren’t born with all the knowledge; it is acquired.  When we look to both our heavenly Father and our earthly father we know we will find love and extravagant compassion on our journey.
 
What is really sweet about this story is that Jacob knew in his heart that his father would accept him.  He returned fully aware of all the mistakes he made and he still thought that there was a chance to be welcomed by his father.  I hope you all have a loving relationship with your earthly father and remember that your heavenly Father is ALWAYS there for you, too.  Whenever. Where ever. No matter what.  You are loved. That’s what HIS GRACE is all about!

This week we invite families to create gifts for the father figures in their lives.  Check out these fun ideas <<<HERE>>>.

“The Parable of the Pearl” Sunday School Lesson
 
What is the best thing to have?  When we see a candy bar we might think that it is the best thing in the world at that moment, but if we see brussel sprouts or okra we might shrug our shoulders.

So which one would YOU choose? 

Many would want to inhale that decadent candy bar, but haven’t we been told that we need the vegetables because they are good for us.  They will make us grow big and strong and brilliant, but at that one moment that candy bar is calling our name we really crave it!  As we reflect on our wants and our needs we can observe that our “wants” are so much more tempting and exciting.   But are our “wants” really infinitely more satisfying?

Jesus told a parable about a man who had a need to search for the finest treasure that would make his life complete. Jesus used a pearl to tell the story.  Jesus said that when the man found a pearl that he thought was the most exquisite, he sold everything that he had so that he could buy it. (Matthew 13:45-46)

That man found something that he thought was worth giving everything he owned so that they could have it. Do you know what this thing was that Jesus was talking about? He wasn't talking about that beautiful pearl (or okra), he was talking about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is the greatest treasure one could ever desire. It is more precious than silver, gold, or jewels.

What could be more fulfilling than walking a spiritual life?  This journey can lead us to the kingdom of heaven and allow us share a whole lot of grace on the way!
​
This week’s Sunday School lesson includes lessons on “wants vs needs,” Lego car races, pearl crafts and oyster cookie recipes!  We encourage you to share your creations on your journey!