Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister.
Yours sincerely, Arnold. Age 8, Nashville

Dear Pastor, Please say in your sermon that Peter Peterson has been a good boy all week. I am Peter Peterson.
Sincerely, Pete. Age 9, Phoenix

Materials
Make a list of impossible tasks.

As long as we look for some kind of pay for what we do, as long as we want to get something from God in some kind of exchange, we are like the merchants. If you want to be rid of the commercial spirit, then by all means do all you can in the way of good works, but do so solely for the praise of God. Live as if you did not exist. Expect and ask nothing in return. Then the merchant inside you will be driven out of the temple God has made. Then God alone dwells there. See! This is how the temple is cleared: when a person thinks only of God and honors him alone. Only such a person is free and genuine.

Materials
On small slips of paper write down the names of numerous athletes.

A Sunday school teacher asked her students to draw a picture of the “Holy Family.” After the pictures were brought to her, she saw that some of the youngsters had drawn the conventional pictures….the Holy Family and the manger, the Holy Family riding on the mule, etc.

by Charissa Ee
Firsts & Lasts, What Happened to the In Betweens?

A couple of weeks ago, my best friend Audra posted a photo of her daughter Lyn in her first dress. I was oohhing and ahhhing because it was such a sweet photo. But it got me thinking a bit about the firsts in my life.

Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44

Summary
Elijah mentored Elisha as both were used by God to carry his words to the Israelites.

Questions

1. Who are the mentors in your life? Who are your role models, the people you look up to? Do you have spiritual mentors? If so, who? Are you a mentor to other youth?

Materials
1. Choose a variety of items representing the obstacles Elisha faced. You might use an empty box of cereal, a tombstone, a glass of water, an empty coin purse, a crown (you can make one from yellow paper, etc.
2. Place two tables side by side with a gap between the two tables big enough for a person’s head.
3. Cover the tables with a sheet or cloth, including the gap. Line up the items along the top two side by side tables.
4. Arrange a youth in advance to hide beneath the table with his head sticking up between the two tables. Be sure to choose someone who is a good sport and won’t get upset with what will happen later.
5. Cover each item with a cardboard box, including the youth’s head between the two tables.

Materials
Cardboard or newsprint, or paper large enough to block the door of the room.

What to do

1. Using cardboard boxes block off the entrances to the classroom. You can even tape paper over the door if nothing else. You might paint it or draw bricks on it so it looks like a wall.