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Galatians 5:22 & 23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against this there is no law".

"When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in their heart. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit produces Christian virtues in the believer's life. These virtues are the fruit of the Spirit and we become more Christ-like. We will exhibit the fruit whether we are aware of it or not, it happens completely through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can't produce fruit by our own effort, it comes from God's presence and interaction in our lives."

Offner, Hazel. Fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 1987

Objective: The objective of  The Zoo Children's Ministry is to reach kids with the Gospel message and to teach them about God's love and how to live as Christians in today's world.

The purpose of this particular series is to present salvation and explain that when they make a decision for Christ the Holy Spirit will live in their hearts. They can have the fruit of the Spirit begin to show in their lives.

Themes: We have chosen to divide the fruit of the Spirit into sets of three. With each set there will be a different theme. All props and stories will teach the lesson but incorporate the theme.

Wild West Days Theme

"Wild West Days" is an exciting theme. A backdrop with an old western town and a clothes line with wool socks and long johns helped to create the atmosphere. The puppets were dressed in cowboy hats and plaid shirts. Children's toys are helpful. Stick horses and stuffed animals were used as props. Western music also enhances the area.

Lesson Seven Faithfulness

God is always there, even when we are in the midst of troubled times or just the routine busyness of everyday life. God never leaves and his hand is on our lives. He has a plan for each of us that will be worked out in us if we follow him. He will be faithful.

Goals

• To teach the children that God is always near.
• To teach them to be faithful to Him.

Opening Act: Puppet Song

A song was used to set the theme and introduce the "Wild West" idea that was incorporated into the lessons. Song called: "Hallelujah Yippee Kie Yah" Kids Sing Cowboy Songs c 1994 Brentwood Music Inc.

Rules

A western slant to the standard rules makes it more interesting. Change the wording of the rules: e.g. "Don't bother the cowpoke next to you." Use your imagination to adapt your rules.

Prayer

Although new themes are exciting it is important to pray that the message will be clear and apparent in the midst of the fun. It is after all the goal of the Sunday School program to introduce the children to the message of the Bible.

Music

If any songs that the children know can be adapted to have a country/western flavour this would be effective.

Games: Wild West Theme

Barrel Ride

Select two players from the girls group and two players from the boys group. This is an obstacle course game. Each child is given a hobby or stick horse. They have to ride around the barrels set up in a course and when they arrive at the last barrel, there are two foam horse shoes to throw in a bucket. After the two horseshoes are thrown, the contestant rides back and passes their horse back to the next player.

Snake Sweep

Select two boy/two girls. One team member is given a bucket and the other is given a broom. There are sections of hose that are cut up, they are snakes. One member sweeps the snakes off the stage and the other catches them in a bucket. The team with the most snakes wins.

Memory Verse

The format for this memory verse is slightly different. It is still an interaction between puppets and people but it is adapted.

Western music plays. The memory verse is delivered by "Pony Express". It is written on brown paper and wrapped around a brick. When it is tossed onto the stage, the leader unwraps it and begins to teach the verse. While they are teaching the verse they stand very close to the puppet stage and a bandit sneaks up behind them. The puppet wears a banana over his nose and a cowboy hat. He is known as the "Memory Verse Bandit". After the verse is taught the Bandit steals it. The leader calls the sheriff (another volunteer). They post a reward sign for the Bandit and the Sheriff promises to be back next week to watch for the Bandit.

This provides the leader with an opportunity to teach the importance of remembering verses, the importance of hiding them in our hearts.

"It is required in stewards that one be found faithful" 1 Cor 4:2.

The Bandit is silent so the following is an example of how the leader goes about teaching the verse.

Leader: Ok kids! It looks like the "Pony Express" just came by. That is how they used to deliver mail before there were cars. It looks like they gave us a package. Let's unwrap it. Oh it's the memory verse. Why don't we learn it? Let's read it together.

Have the children repeat the verse until they can do it without looking at the sheet.

Object Lesson

Story

Parable of the Talents "Wild West Style"

Mr. Winslow is the owner of a horse ranch outside the town of "Fox Hollow". He has a large stable where he keeps the horses of people who come to visit the town. He has a number of people that work for him.

Last week he gave each of his workers a job to do before he went on vacation. He told Cowgirl Ann, who was really good at taking care of the horses to brush them, feed them, and give them water everyday. Mr. Winslow told Cowboy Franklin who was really good at cleaning to make sure that the stables were clean everyday and to make sure the troughs that horses ate out of were clean too! Mr. Winslow told Cowboy Lucas who was good at fixing things to fix the broken shutters on the stable windows.

Each had a big job to do and Mr. Winslow expected it to be done when he returned. So Mr. Winslow left....

Cowgirl Ann was taking care of the horses (she comes up behind the stage patting the horses).

Cowboy Franklin was busy cleaning ( throw some hay over the stage).

But Cowboy Lucas was sitting back on a bail of hay drinking "sasperilla", that's like cowboy Kool aid. He didn't do any work and the shutters weren't fixed.

Then Mr. Winslow came back from vacation. He called Cowgirl Ann into his office. "I see that the horses were well looked after while I was gone, they look healthy and happy. Well done my faithful ranch hand, you deserve a promotion. I will now let you oversee all of the other people who work for me."

Then Mr. Winslow called Cowboy Franklin into his office. Well Franklin, the stables are even cleaner now then when I left. You did fine work faithful rancher, you deserve a promotion. I will make you the Ranch hand in charge of the stable."

Then Mr. Winslow called Cowboy Lucas into his office. "Lucas!, what happened? I can see that the shutters are not fixed. You didn't do any work the whole time I was gone. I guess I have no choice, you are fired." And Lucas was asked to leave the Ranch immediately.

Leader's Conclusion:

The first two ranch hands were very faithful. They did what they were asked to do and were rewarded for their work. Lucas was not faithful, he didn't do the job.

Did you know that God gave each and everyone of us talents and abilities? He expects us to use them for him. We have a job and that is to be faithful with what he gives us. If we are faithful then we will be rewarded in heaven and we will make God happy.

Copyright 1996, Bread of Life Ministries