Checking The Roll Group
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Checking the Roll"

Scripture Reading:  John 20:24-30

NAIL POSTER: (Option 1) Give each child a very large nail (a horseshoe nail or a cement nail, etc), to tape or glue onto their poster. Let children write sayings on their poster that are from today's story such as "Stop doubting and believe"; "Jesus was nailed to the cross but now He is ALIVE", Thomas didn't believe, John 20:24-25, etc.
(Option 2) NAIL CARD - Give each child a colorful 3 x 5 card and stick the nail into the top area of the card and then back through the bottom part of the card. Write HE IS ALIVE on the card to put in their Bible or to set on their dresser at home.

NAIL NECKLACE: Tie some yarn around a very LARGE nail or a drawing of a nail on a piece of poster board that the children can color and hang around their neck to help them remember the story about Doubting Thomas and how Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

DOUBT AND ABSENCE CHART: Have the children write or trace the words DOUBT and ABSENCE on a chart to show or say that when we're absent from church, we begin to doubt, just like Thomas did! ATTEND AND BELIEVE could be drawn on the other side of the paper. The DOUBT AND ABSENCE side can have sad faces and arms down on drawings and the ATTEND AND BELIEVE side can have happy faces and arms raised high.

DOUBTING GAME: Have the children take turns taking a slip of paper from a little bag. Each slip will have something on it that the child will read or have it read out loud and then will say either, I DOUBT IT or I BELIEVE it! Following can be discussion about DOUBTING THOMAS and when he said he believed later when he SAW Jesus! (Teacher can use imagination for ideas on the slips of paper, depending on the class age and interests).

DOUBTING LIST: Have the children help the teacher make a list on a large poster of ways that THEY doubt things every day. After list is completed and discussion about doubting compared to believing, a child or the teacher can write over the top in bright colors - MY LORD AND MY GOD... I BELIEVE!!!

CHEERIO BELIEVING: Give each child a little cup of cheerios (or similar cereal) and a piece of construction paper with the word BELIEVE lightly traced on each child's paper. Let children glue the cheerios on the letters of the word BELIEVE. Children could be given a cheerio treat as well. ("Puppy Chow" made with cheerios works great. Find a recipe online.)

WORSHIP POSTER: Give children supplies to create their own WORSHIP POSTER to take home and hang on their bedroom wall to remind them to worship Jesus. Poster could have the words, WE HAVE COME INTO THIS HOUSE AND GATHERED IN YOUR NAME TO WORSHIP YOU AND TO PRAISE YOUR NAME or something similar that the child would like to write. Decorate the poster with bright colors, stickers, glitter glue, etc. Various colors can be used to write the WAYS TO WORSHIP as well!

NO DOUBT Bible bookmark: Provide the children with construction paper, markers, stickers, and glitter, to make a FOLDED Bookmarker. Fold length wise. On one side of the fold let the children draw pictures or write the words JESUS IS ALIVE. On the other side of the fold, the children can write (or trace, for younger children) NO DOUBT! Children can lightly color their markers and add a red ribbon in a hole punched at the top to stick in their Bibles. (Older children might enjoy using punch out letters or sticker letters to form the words for this book marker.

I BELIEVE HAND PRINTS: Let the children trace their hand on a piece of light colored paper. Draw a HOLE mark in the palm of the hand and write one of each of these words on each finger of their hand (Thumb - "I"; pointer finger BELIEVE; middle finger JESUS, ring finger IS; pinky finger ALIVE"). These traced hands can either be cut out and glued to brightly colored paper, or just decorated on the paper that the hand was traced - (The children could change the I BELIEVE, for NO DOUBT, for the first two fingers).

Song:  "Only Believe" by Paul Rader, arr. by Charles Kirkpatrick

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click and save to your computer. (Two measures introduction and sing twice.)

Song:  "He Is Lord"  arr. by Charles Kirkpatrick

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click and save to your computer.