Slides and Printables.zip

Slides and Printables

Slides.zip

Slides

7 Min Countdown

03 sec Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 3

2 Min Countdown

Big Story Video

H&R Big Do Slide

8 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Act 2

5 Min Countdown

Herman and Rusty Title

Herman and Rusty Act 1

H&R BIG REVIEW Bumper

H&R 5 Min Countdown with Rules

Alex believes that he can only pray once per month about his big problems.

Large Group Full Program

Question of the Day: Who do you talk with on the phone the longest?





Engage 3 Prep: Print 2 copies of the Big Verse and cut apart the words. Keeping the sets separated for 2 teams, blow up multiple balloons and put the words into some of them.

Countdown / Rules

The **Host** and **Co-Host** enter wearing lab coats. This game requires the kids to “wake up” and find a hidden alarm clock. You can hide the alarm clock under a pile of old clothes, costumes, or blankets. Just use whatever you have available. Plan to have an alarm clock sound effect so you can time its ringing. For fun, you could even have the kids wear oversized pajamas over their clothes.





**Co-Host**

You were four seconds late welcoming the kids.



**Host**

Four seconds?



**Co-Host**

Time is a big deal. If you’re four seconds late five times, then we’re…



**Host**

20 seconds late?



**Co-Host**

Oh yeah, never mind, we have plenty of time. I’m taking a break.







**Co-Host** stands quietly for a moment.





**Host**

Since we have so much extra time, why don’t we fill it with a game. We’ve chosen two kids to play. I don’t know about you, but I don’t love hearing the alarm clock in the morning. In this game, the contestants will lay down and “go to sleep.” When the alarm clock rings, they have to find it so they can turn it off. The first one to find the alarm clock wins that round.



Have the kids lay down on the stage with the pillow and blanket. Have some fun and encourage them to snore or toss and turn. At random times in each round, play Alarm Clock sound. The kids run and find the clock. Play as many rounds as time allows.



**Co-Host**

Some things you mainly do in the morning, like waking up, and some things you primarily do in the evening, like going to bed. But today we’re going to hear about something you can do at any time of the day.



**Host**

First let’s check in at the lab.



Welcome

Worship

**Co-Host**

Alex makes a pretty good “Cat in the Hat.” I just wish all of that bad stuff hadn’t happened to his play.



**Host**

True, but Rusty gave him a great idea. Praying and chatting with God is the best decision because God can help us.



**Co-Host**

When should they start?



**Host**

Our Big Point will tell us that answer. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.





**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.







**Co-Host**

You will read it for us after we count down from three.









**Host**

Let’s all say it together, **“I Can Pray Anytime!”** 

**Co-Host**

Our Big Point makes it clear that we can pray at any point in the day. If something comes up that you want to share with God, then you can just stop and chat with Him about it right away.



**Host**

Let’s see how this works. Look at these slides. On each one we’re going to see a reason why someone might think that he or she can’t pray. 

Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-a.jpg



**Host**

When you think of a pillow, what do you think of? Sleeping. Look at this verse from the Bible, 

Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-b.jpg

**Host**

Psalm 121:4 (NIrV) says, “In fact, He who watches over Israel won’t get tired or go to sleep.” God is always awake and available to listen and talk. 

Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-c.jpg



**Co-Host**

What about this picture? It looks like a traditional church building. Do you think that Sundays or Wednesdays are the only time when a person can really pray? 





Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-d.jpg

**Co-Host**

John 4:24 (NIrV) says, “God is spirit. His worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Jesus said that to let us know that now we can worship God anywhere. 

Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-e.jpg



**Host**

Of course, we know that is planet…Earth, right. No matter where you are on earth, you are never too far from God to speak to Him. Listen to

Engage 1 Slides - lc-elem-l2-engage-1-slide-f.jpg

**Host**

Deuteronomy 4:7 (NIrV), “The Lord our God is near us every time we pray to Him.” You don’t have to wait for the earth to rotate to a new day to talk to God. Let’s see what happened when Rusty and Alex prayed.

Engage 1

**Host**

I can’t believe Rusty and Alex think that they can only pray at a certain time.



**Co-Host**

I can’t believe they made Herman rhyme. You’re right, they should listen to the Big Point. Let’s say our Big Point, 

**Co-Host**

**I Can Pray Anytime!**



**Host**

Let’s turn to the Bible and learn our Big Verse.





**Host** and **Co-Host** choose a kid to volunteer.





**Co-Host**

After we count down from three, read the Big Verse. 







**Co-Host**

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIrV) says, “Never stop praying.” Does that verse mean something like this? I need a couple of volunteers to help us. (Bring up two kids) It’s time for a race. When I say, “Go,” read this without stopping to take a breath. Keep reading it as long as you can without stopping. I’ll time you on my phone. Go!





Have the two kid volunteers read the statement, “Never stop praying” at the same time as fast as they can and as many times as they can without stopping to take a breath. You can have them try a couple of times or bring up new kids to try it. Time them to see who can go the longest.







**Co-Host**

They did a good job, but they both had to stop. Can we really never stop praying?



**Host**

That verse doesn’t mean that we can’t take a break from praying or that we can’t breathe or that we can’t have conversations with other people. It means that prayer should be something we utilize all the time.



**Co-Host**

So, God wants us to pray throughout the day, even if we can’t pray out loud, like in the middle of a math test.



**Host**

Yes, chatting with God can be such a normal thing that we just chat with God everywhere we go, even if we do it quietly or in our minds. That’s actually something Jesus did. Before we hear that story, let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.



Engage 2

Do you know that you can actually use the Bible to pray? Praying the scriptures we read in God’s Word is a great way to pray the way God wants us to pray. Our Big Verse is a great one to pray. Let’s do that now. Repeat this prayer after me, “Dear God, help me to never stop praying and chatting with you.” (Repeat 3x) That’s called meditating on God’s Word, and it's a great way to keep praying throughout the day.





Big Story

The **Host** and **Co-Host** enter. For this Engage, print out two copies of the Big Verse. Cut both copies into three pieces. Place those slips into six different dark colored balloons. Inflate them, along with other balloons that don’t have any paper in them.

**Co-Host**

I’m glad that Rusty and Alex discovered they can pray anytime.

**Host**

They’re on their way to a great performance. While He was here on earth, Jesus prayed all the time. He spent time with His Heavenly Father. Jesus is a great example of our Big Point,

**Host**

**I Can Pray Anytime!**



**Co-Host**

That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do. 



**Host**

Chat with God in a place where you’ve never prayed before. You could pray on the playground, in the car, or even in the bathtub.



**Co-Host**

Our Big Verse told us to never stop praying. In this final game, your job is to not stop popping balloons until you find the Big Verse. Each team must keep popping balloons until they find all the words in our Big Verse, but you cannot use your hands. You must use only your feet to stomp them. Are you ready? Go!







Play optional game music. Have two teams of three kids compete to find the Big Verse. 





**Host**

Great job to our winners. Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about prayer.



Engage 3

Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following. 





 - Do you have a place or time where you normally pray? Do you think it’s okay to pray at other times or in other places? Why? 

 - Why did Jesus pray often? **He loved talking with His Father and wanted to make sure that He always said and did exactly what His Heavenly Father told Him to say and do**. Why do you think it was important for Jesus to pray on the night before He died on the cross? **It helped Jesus prepare for the difficult time ahead**

 - Why would it be helpful for a kid to pray when they face a problem at school? **They can pray and ask for God’s help right when a problem happens, or they could pray for wisdom or what to say**.  How could it help them to pray right away and not wait? **They could get answers right away, receive peace and help.**

 - What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? **Pray somewhere you’ve never prayed before**



Small Group

Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.

 - Our Big Point says I Can Pray _____!

    - **Anytime**

    - At Night



 - How often did Alex think he could pray?

    - Once a week

    - **Once a month**



 - What did Jesus do on the night before he died on the cross?

    - Partied

    - **Prayed**



 - While Jesus prayed, what did His disciples do?

    - **Slept**

    - Prayed



 - Jesus didn’t really need to pray while He was on earth.

    - True

    - **False**





 - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIrV), “Never _____ praying.”

    - **Stop**

    - Start



 - Name one place where you can pray.



 - Jesus’ disciples learned their lesson, and later in their lives, they prayed often.

    - **True**

    - False



 - Name a reason why it might be a good idea to pray right away at school instead of waiting.



  - What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? **Pray somewhere you’ve never prayed before**

Big Review

Large Group Abbreviated

The **Host** and **Co-Host** enter wearing lab coats. 

**Host**

Since we have so much extra time, we could introduce today's topic.

**Co-Host**

Some things you mainly do in the morning, like waking up, and some things you primarily do in the evening, like going to bed. But today we’re going to hear about something you can do at any time of the day.

**Host**

First let’s check in at the lab.

**Co-Host**

Our Big Point makes it clear that we can pray at any point in the day. If something comes up that you want to share with God, then you can just stop and chat with Him about it right away.



**Host**

There's no specific place or time of day required for you to talk to God. Let’s see what happened when Rusty and Alex prayed.

**Co-Host**

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIrV) says, “Never stop praying.” Wait. Can we really never stop praying?



**Host**

That verse doesn’t mean that we can’t take a break from praying or that we can’t breathe or that we can’t have conversations with other people. It means that prayer should be something we utilize all the time.

**Co-Host**

So, God wants us to pray throughout the day, even if we can’t pray out loud, like in the middle of a math test.

**Host**

Yes, chatting with God can be such a normal thing that we just chat with God everywhere we go, even if we do it quietly or in our minds. That’s actually something Jesus did. Before we hear that story, let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.

The **Host** and **Co-Host** enter. For this Engage, print out two copies of the Activity Page. Cut both copies into three pieces. Place those slips into six different dark colored balloons. Inflate them, along with other balloons that don’t have any paper in them.



**Host**

Chat with God in a place where you’ve never prayed before. You could pray on the playground, in the car, or even in the bathtub.

**Co-Host**

I can hardly wait to find a cool new place to pray this week!

**Host**

Me too! Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about prayer.

Midweek / Classroom

Hey guys, welcome to the Lab! Everyone, show me what your face looks like in the morning when you first wake up. (Allow the kids to show you their expressions). Now show me your face when you first get to school. (Allow the kids to show you their expressions) It looks like there are many mixed emotions about these different times of the day. No matter what your favorite part of the day is, any moment is a great time to chat with God. We can even do it right now. Let’s stand up and worship!



You guys did a great job worshipping God! It’s now time to break up into your small groups. Go ahead and turn to your Small Group Leaders now. (Split into groups)



Use these two minutes to introduce yourself to your kids and go over the rules you have for your group. This will set the expectation and show the kids clear boundaries, setting your group up for success. The ball can be used as a tool to signify whose turn it is to respond. 

To prepare for this segment, set out all the supplies in order so the relay race is ready to go.



It’s time for Lab Wars! During Lab Wars we battle it out, team against team, until one group stands victorious. For tonight’s battle, you will team up with other groups to see which team can complete their tasks the fastest. Let’s have each Small Group Leader send up one person to represent your team. 

Split the kids into two teams, such as girls against boys. 

This is a relay race. Each person on the team must complete a task, starting with breakfast and ending with climbing in bed. When it’s your turn, complete your task, then run back and tag the next person on your team. 

 - Eat a banana

 - Complete a math problem

 - Ride the tricycle around a cone and back to the next person in line

 - Put PJs on

 - Lay in “bed” and cover up

 



Is everyone ready? On your mark, get set, go!  

Wow, that was an exciting race! Throughout our days, we do different activities and go to various places. But no matter what time it is or what we are doing, we can chat with God. Let’s see what our friends in the Lab have going on in their day.  



Lab Wars

To prepare for this activity, cut out the clock, available in printables, and attach the arrow with a brad. You can make it more of a game by purchasing a spinner piece on Amazon.

Alex can’t seem to catch a break with this new play he is in. I’m glad Rusty gave him some good advice. Praying and chatting with God is always the best decision because God can help us. When do you think they should start praying? Our Big Point will help us answer that question. I need a small group to help me count down to reveal what it is! 



**I Can Pray Anytime!** Our Big Point makes it clear that we can pray at any point of the day. If something comes up that you want to share with God, then you can just stop and pray right away. Let’s turn to our small groups to do an activity that illustrates this truth.

Each small group has a clock spinner with different icons. Each icon represents a scenario that may happen in their day. Allow the kids to take turns spinning the spinner and answering the question below. The scenarios are also listed for reference.  



"How can you chat with God at this moment?" 



 7:00 am – You get into a fight with your parents.

11:00 am – At lunch your friend tells you something sad that is happening in his life.

1:00 pm – You forgot you have a test today.

3:00 pm – Kids make fun of you on the bus as you ride home from school. 

5:00 pm – When you get home, you are tempted to disobey your mom. She said to do your homework, but you know your friends will be playing video games. 

8:00 pm – You can’t sleep because you had a scary dream. 





No matter what goes on in your day, where you are, or what time it is, you can chat with God. He wants to help you the moment a problem comes up. Our Big Point is true,



 **I Can Pray Anytime!** Let’s see what happened when Rusty and Alex prayed.



I can’t believe Rusty and Alex really think that they can only pray at a certain time. They should listen to the Big Point. Let’s say it together, 

**I Can Pray Anytime!** Our Big Point actually comes straight out of the Bible. You can find it in our Big Verse. I need a small group to help me count down to reveal what it is. 



1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIrV), “Never stop praying.”  Does that verse mean we can’t do anything other than pray? Does it mean we can’t stop to eat, play, or talk to our friends? Of course not! It means that prayer should be something we turn to all throughout our day. Sometimes we just need little reminders. In a moment, we will make something in our small groups that will remind us to pray each time we see it. Let’s do that now.

Pass out the supplies to each kid. Each child should receive a string attached to a keychain. Place the beads in the center. Let the kids decorate their keychains, spelling “PRAY” and adding assorted beads. As they create the keychains, ask the following question:

- When is it hardest to chat with God? 

- When is your favorite time to chat with God?

Those keychains look great! We want you to take yours home with you and put it on your backpack or in your room. Each time you see it, remember that you can pray right then! Chatting with God can be such a normal thing that we just chat with Him wherever we go, even if it’s quietly or just in our minds. I hope this keychain reminds you to follow our Big Point, 



**I Can Pray Anytime!** Jesus set the perfect example of how to pray. Take a look at this story. 



Optional: Play Soft Instrumental Music. Leader enters.

Jesus prayed often and about anything. God wants us to do the same. No matter what happens during your day, you can pause and chat with God. It can be quiet or in your own heart. Let’s turn to our small groups and talk about how we can practice our Big Point, 



The goal in this segment is to create a place where kids can openly share and to bring accountability as they become more like Jesus. Do this by truly listening, responding with love, and showing them what it looks like to be a friend and follower of Jesus.





 - Have you ever felt like you can only pray at a certain time or a certain place? Tell me about it. 



 - Why is it helpful to know that you can pray at any moment throughout your day? **Because you can ask God for help when a problem comes up no matter what time it is or where you are.**



 - When is a time you could try to pray when you haven’t before? 



Sometimes we don’t pray because we don’t know what to pray. Did you know we can pray our Big Verse? Let’s do that now. Repeat after me, “Dear God, help me to never stop praying and chatting with you.” (End by praying for your group)





God is always available to chat. He never leaves or takes a break. So, the next time you face something hard, stop and pray. He will help you and give you the strength to face whatever lies before you. When we practice our Big Point, it can change our lives. Let’s say it altogether,

I’m glad that Rusty and Alex discovered they can pray anytime. They’re on their way to a great performance. While Jesus was here on earth, He prayed all the time. He spent time with His Heavenly Father. Jesus is a great example of our Big Point,



**I Can Pray Anytime!** That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do. 

Chat with God in a place where you’ve never prayed before. You could pray on the playground, in the car, or even in the bathtub. It’s a great way to put our Big Point into practice. Let’s turn to our small groups to finish up tonight’s service.

Use this time to hand out any positive reinforcement tools (i.e. Candy, stickers, prize coupons, etc.) Tell your group how much you enjoyed spending time with them this week. Finally, end your time together with a prayer and maybe a group cheer.





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Large Group Full Program Instructions

Large Group Full Program Instructions