Ready to use resources: January ’23

 

Each month we provide you with some great ready to use (RTU) resources. Some of these are linked to the Bible passages used in Together, while our Music and Movie columns use current songs and films as ways into talking about faith.

You can access each month’s session plans and resources here.

This month…

  

Together

Our Together resource is, as always, jam-packed full of ideas and activities to help the children and young people in your groups discover more about God, grow in faith and deepen their friendship with Jesus.

Together is a curriculum resource for churches to use in their Sunday groups, midweek clubs or adapt for other contexts. It follows a Bible plan – each month you get four sessions on a theme or Bible book.

 

It’s the new year and there is lots to discover this January. We’re exploring some of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. We’ll be helping children discover something of what the Beatitudes mean, alongside Jesus’ teaching on giving and worry. Choose the sessions and activities that best fit what you want to do:

 

1. Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)

Jesus starts his Sermon on the Mount with a set of sayings about the nature of being truly ‘blessed’ or ‘happy’.

 

2. Salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16)

What use is salt if it’s lost its saltiness? Or light if it’s under a bowl? We need to be salt and light to those around us, telling people about Jesus.

 

3. Giving (Matthew 6:1-4)

Our giving shouldn’t be showy and extravagant. If it is, aren’t we just hoping that people will see and think we’re great?

 

4. Worry (Matthew 6:5-15)

God looks after even the things that seem the most insignificant and plentiful in creation, so won’t he look after us more? What use then is worry?

 

There are three different age groups:

First Steps Together (for younger children), Growing Together (for older children) and Journeying Together (for young people). You can follow an individual age group or mix and match to suit the children or young people you’re working with.

 

Ready to use resources

Each month we provide you with some great ready to use (RTU) resources. Some of these are linked to the Bible passages used in Together, while our Music and Movie columns use current songs and films as ways into talking about faith. This month…

 

Together focused

RTU All-age service

Explores the concept of worry and seeks to help all age groups to understand Jesus’ teaching.

 

RTU Parable

Takes Jesus’ teaching about being salt and light and transposes it into an unusual party invitation in the parable ‘Esther and the Eurovision evangelist’.

 

RTU Journal 

Gives space for older children and younger teens to explore the idea of being ‘blessed’..

 

RTU Craft 

Provides a craft idea to go alongside each of this month’s Together sessions. Use them in your groups, in intergenerational worship or use them in a craft club.

 

Story for home 

Written especially for us by expert storyteller Bob Hartman, also follows the Together passages. This month, Bob uncovers Jesus’ teaching on giving through his story called ‘Watch out!’

 

General resources

RTU Games 

While away those cold evenings with some board game recommendations.

  

RTU Mentoring 

Our mentoring expert, Joel Toombs, introduces the idea of ‘base-zero’ relationships.

  

RTU Music 

We’re opening our streaming app and playing the controversial song ‘Messy in heaven’.

 

RTU Movie 

What do you think of Derren Brown? Well, get ready to be challenged by his special The Push. How far will an ordinary person go?

 

And if you have anything you’d like us to cover, or any feedback on the resources, then drop us a line!