Ready to use resources: July ’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.

In July, we encounter four parables of Jesus, each looking at what the kingdom of heaven is like. Each one confounds our expectations about what is important!

Choose the sessions and activities that best fit what you want to do:

1. The treasure and the pearl (Matthew 13:44-46):

A man find treasure in a field, another finds the best pearl. Both sell everything they have to buy what they desire.

 

2. The unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35):

A servant is let off a huge debt by the king, but then in turn insists that someone who owes him a small amount pays him back.

 

3. The workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16):

A farmer hires workers throughout the day and pays them all the same wage. 

 

4. The talents (Matthew 25:14-30): 

Three servants are entrusted with their master’s money, but not all of them make good use of it.

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There are three different age groups:

• First Steps Together (for younger children)
• Growing Together (for older children)
• 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 meaning of the parable of the pearl of great price. 

 

RTU Parable

Takes the parable of the unforgiving servant from Matthew 18 and transposes it into the head teacher’s office in the parable ‘Freddy and the false forgiveness’.

 

RTU Journal 

Gives space for older children and younger teens to explore the parable of the pearl of great price.

 

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 explores the parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20.

 

General resources

RTU Games 

Make your vacation go with a swing with our holiday games!

  

RTU Mentoring 

Our mentoring expert, Joel Toombs, discovers what we can learn from different kinds of parenting.

  

RTU Music 

Is it Rita, or another singer? No, it’s definitely Rita Ora. Explore her latest hit, ‘Praising you’, in our latest music column.

 

RTU Movie 

This month, go back in time and fire up the VHS player with an episode of The Simpsons all the way from 1995.

 

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