Product Overview
Surprises
Wonder about the stories of Easter and Eastertide in Surprises unit from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible. This unit begins with the story of the women finding an empty tomb in the early on Easter morning. Reflect on how great surprises can be in our own lives and how Jesus' surprise was the greatest surprise ever! Wrestle with the story of Thomas and his doubts about Jesus overcoming death. Let children ponder what questions they would have for Jesus if they were Thomas. Explore the story of The Road to Emmaus and how the breaking of bread together plays a role in our relationships. Sessions included in this unit:
• Women at the Tomb (Luke 24:1–12)
• Memory and Surprises (Luke 24:13–35)
• Mary Finds Her Friend (John 20:11–18)
• Thomas Wants to See (John 20:19–31)
• Jesus Gives Peter a Job (John 21:15–19)
Surprises has an at-home kit guide as an accompanying download found at the bottom of this page. This guide helps you put together a kit of supplies and activities from this unit for families to do at home. Equip families for doing at home faith formation with the at-home kit guide.
Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum invites children and their leaders to wonder, play, and connect with one another as they develop a better relationship with God. By exploring the stories in Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible, children and their leaders learn more about who God is and what their relationship is with God. This curriculum has 35 units filled with 148 stories from the story Bible that dive deep into characters and themes in the Bible. Children and their leader will read the story together from the story Bible, pause to allow the story to resonate, and then engage with the story and wrestle with their place in that story.
Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum is written for ages 5–10 and is intentionally multiage, meaning that children are all grouped together. Grouping children this way brings a relational focus to the sessions and fosters a collaborative spirit. The curriculum also includes an intergenerational component with four suggestions for intergenerational and home ideas for each session within a unit. Those ideas include suggestions for things to do in worship, more education-focused ideas, ways to connect with one another, and mission ideas. This adds another dimension to learning and helps the children connect to the congregation, creating a holistic approach to children’s ministry.