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Series Note
Each Summer to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while keeping the focus on Biblical truth. Venues can be done during the first 30 minutes of service or final 30 minutes of service. If you are also utilizing Summer to the Max Junior lessons, consider keeping one venue at the beginning and one at the end. That will keep costs down by allowing both groups to enjoy the same venue. Each lesson offers multiple venue options at different price points to accommodate your budget. Promoting the venues ahead of time will build excitement for Summer to the Max!
Venue Ideas:
Lesson 7 (Up): Choose one of the following venue options or create your own.
Serve Sunday: Give the kids an opportunity to serve others. The best option is to choose a serving project that matches your giving project. Check with the organization or missionary and ask if there are any projects your kids can complete in serves.
Passport to the World: Create stations in classrooms or around your auditorium highlighting missionaries and/or missions’ organizations your church supports. Show pictures, discuss the ministries, and allow the kids to try some food or treats from that country.
Host
Welcome to Summer To The Max at the Movies! It’s Up Week.
Prior to this Engage, choose 4-6 kids to play this game. Two teams of kids will attempt to find 2 Grape Soda badges within the balloons. You can find “Up” themed badges online or make your own using two metal lids from a glass bottle of grape soda. Prior to the game, place the two lids inside two of the balloons.
Co-host
I love that movie. Especially the dog. Does anyone remember his name? (Pause) Yes, his name was Dug. Do you remember what Dug was constantly distracted by? Squirrel!
Host
What I love about Up is that the story is all about helping each other. Russell helps Kevin, the bird. Carl helps Russell, and Russell helps Carl.
Co-host
Do you remember what Russell earned at the end of the movie? Russell was a wilderness explorer who wanted to earn a badge. Carl gave him a badge made from a grape soda lid to thank Russell for his help.
Host
The badge was a special gift Carl’s wife had given him. We need your help to find it because it seems that we’ve lost it inside these balloons.
Co-host
We have two teams that will look through these balloons to find the missing badge. You can’t shake the balloon or lift it. You can only pop it to find the badge.
Host
Let’s see who can find it first.
Suggested game music: Married Life from the movie soundtrack. Play the game. The first team to find one of the two badges wins.
Host
Great job to our winners. As followers of Jesus, we should help others and treat them well, especially other Christians. Making yourself the most important isn’t how to become a useful and fruitful Christian. Let’s see what we can add to our lives by checking out the Big Point.
Co-host
Let’s all say it together, I Can Treat Others Well! Kindness is something that God wants us to add to our lives. Jesus was and is kind, so it only makes sense that we copy Jesus’ attitude.
Host
Jesus told us to treat others the way we want to be treated. Obviously, none of us want people to be mean or hurtful to us, so that’s the way we should treat others.
Movie Moment
There is a scene in the movie Up where Carl pulls a rope, discovering that Russell, Kevin, and Dug are all hanging on and safe. As his house floats away, Carl looks sad—but he realizes rescuing his friends was more important than holding onto the past. Later, he shows up at Russell’s ceremony and proudly pins him with a badge. If your church has the proper licensing you may choose to show this clip. If you cannot show the clip, simply summarize the moment or describe it to the kids.
Host and Co-host enter. This engage uses a digital wheel. It can be purchased from crowdcontrolgames.com.
Host
Let’s say the Big Point again together,
Host
I Can Treat Others Well! I love the ending of Up when Carl gives Russell the “Ellie Badge.”
Co-host
That movie shows that it doesn’t matter how young or old you are, anyone can help others. Helping is a big part of showing kindness.
Host
That’s true about God’s big plan. God can use any of us to show others His kindness. He uses kids and adults and grandparents and even great-great-grandparents. We can all be Christians who treat others well.
Co-host
Let’s see what the Bible says about kindness. We need everyone to count down from three, and then we’ll read the verse.
Host
1 John 4:21 (NIrV), “Here is the command God has given us. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” If you love God, then you must love others. You can’t pick and choose who receives your kindness.
Co-host
Let’s have a little fun with the spinning wheel of kindness. We’re going to have kids take turns spinning the digital wheel. When it lands on an act of kindness, I will poll the audience to see how easy or hard it would be to do that for your actual brother or sister.
Digital Wheel / Wheel Options:
Clean up their mess
Give a hug in front of others
Use your money to buy them a present
Share your candy or treats
Give up your turn on the tablet
Give them part of your allowance
Host
Do you ever find it hard to do things like that for your brother or sister? Why? Do you think that it’s important to show kindness to your family?
Co-host
The Bible says that we, as Jesus’ followers, are part of God’s family. That makes us like brothers and sisters. It’s especially important to show kindness to each other.
Host
If we’re unkind to our fellow Christians, what do you think that would make others think about following Jesus? (Allow for answers) They might think that following Jesus is a bad idea. We don’t want that.
Co-host
Our kind words and actions have power. Not only can they help others, but they can show the world how awesome Jesus is. That’s why we should make treating others well a priority.
Host
Even the early Christians struggled at times with showing kindness. That was put to the test when an unexpected person wanted to join the church.
Host
I’m glad Peter and the other Christians accepted Saul. He had been unkind to them, which made it tempting to reject him. Instead, they welcomed Saul as a brother. Saul went on to share the good news about Jesus around the world.
Take a moment where you are sitting to think about your choices. Are you showing kindness to others? Are you making some choices that are rude or harmful? Maybe you are having trouble with kindness for everyone. Let’s stop and talk to Jesus. Let Him know where you’ve been struggling and ask His forgiveness. He can also help you make better choices going forward. Do that now. (Pray) Let’s stand and worship God.
Share info about the giving project you have chosen to support. Consider donating all summer offerings to a local ministry or global missionary.
Co-host
Some people say that being kind doesn’t cost you anything. That’s not totally true. Sometimes, it does cost you to be kind because you give up something you want or share something valuable. Kindness may even force you to do the thing you don’t feel like doing. Regardless of the cost, kindness is the right choice.
Host
That brings us to this week’s Big Do.
Host
Put each family member's name in a container, then have everyone draw a name. Do one kind thing for that person every day. At the end of the week, try to guess who had each name.
Co-host
Let’s say our Big Point again,
Co-host
I Can Treat Others Well!
Host
Let’s connect in our small groups and discuss today’s lesson.
Gather the kids into Small Groups and discuss the following.
Why do you think it matters if we are kind to others? Our kindness helps others learn more about Jesus. What are some ways that we can be kind to our fellow Christians?
Why was it hard for the Christians to accept Saul? He had been responsible for persecuting them by placing many in jail. What did Barnabas do to help Saul? He stood up for Saul and vouched that Saul was a changed person. How did Peter and the other Christians react? They accepted Saul into the church.
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
Series Note
Each Summer to the Max lesson incorporates a special venue into the service. Adding a venue allows the summer schedule to change while keeping the focus on Biblical truth. Venues can be done during the first 30 minutes of service or final 30 minutes of service. If you are also utilizing Summer to the Max Junior lessons, consider keeping one venue at the beginning and one at the end. That will keep costs down by allowing both groups to enjoy the same venue. Each lesson offers multiple venue options at different price points to accommodate your budget. Promoting the venues ahead of time will build excitement for Summer to the Max!
Venue Ideas:
Lesson 7 (Up): Choose one of the following venue options or create your own.
Serve Sunday: Give the kids an opportunity to serve others. The best option is to choose a serving project that matches your giving project. Check with the organization or missionary and ask if there are any projects your kids can complete in serves.
Passport to the World: Create stations in classrooms or around your auditorium highlighting missionaries and/or missions’ organizations your church supports. Show pictures, discuss the ministries, and allow the kids to try some food or treats from that country.
Host
Welcome to Summer To The Max at the Movies! It’s Up Week.
Prior to this Engage, choose 4-6 kids to play this game. Two teams of kids will attempt to find 2 Grape Soda badges within the balloons. You can find “Up” themed badges online or make your own using two metal lids from a glass bottle of grape soda. Prior to the game, place the two lids inside two of the balloons.
Co-host
I love that movie. Especially the dog. Does anyone remember his name? (Pause) Yes, his name was Dug. Do you remember what Dug was constantly distracted by? Squirrel!
Host
What I love about Up is that the story is all about helping each other. Russell helps Kevin, the bird. Carl helps Russell, and Russell helps Carl.
Co-host
Do you remember what Russell earned at the end of the movie? Russell was a wilderness explorer who wanted to earn a badge. Carl gave him a badge made from a grape soda lid to thank Russell for his help.
Host
The badge was a special gift Carl’s wife had given him. We need your help to find it because it seems that we’ve lost it inside these balloons.
Co-host
We have two teams that will look through these balloons to find the missing badge. You can’t shake the balloon or lift it. You can only pop it to find the badge.
Host
Let’s see who can find it first.
Suggested game music: Married Life from the movie soundtrack. Play the game. The first team to find one of the two badges wins.
Host
Great job to our winners. As followers of Jesus, we should help others and treat them well, especially other Christians. Making yourself the most important isn’t how to become a useful and fruitful Christian. Let’s see what we can add to our lives by checking out the Big Point.
Co-host
Let’s all say it together, I Can Treat Others Well! Kindness is something that God wants us to add to our lives. Jesus was and is kind, so it only makes sense that we copy Jesus’ attitude.
Host
Jesus told us to treat others the way we want to be treated. Obviously, none of us want people to be mean or hurtful to us, so that’s the way we should treat others.
Movie Moment
There is a scene in the movie Up where Carl pulls a rope, discovering that Russell, Kevin, and Dug are all hanging on and safe. As his house floats away, Carl looks sad—but he realizes rescuing his friends was more important than holding onto the past. Later, he shows up at Russell’s ceremony and proudly pins him with a badge. If your church has the proper licensing you may choose to show this clip. If you cannot show the clip, simply summarize the moment or describe it to the kids.
Host and Co-host enter. This engage uses a digital wheel. It can be purchased from crowdcontrolgames.com.
Host
Let’s say the Big Point again together,
Host
I Can Treat Others Well! I love the ending of Up when Carl gives Russell the “Ellie Badge.”
Co-host
That movie shows that it doesn’t matter how young or old you are, anyone can help others. Helping is a big part of showing kindness.
Host
That’s true about God’s big plan. God can use any of us to show others His kindness. He uses kids and adults and grandparents and even great-great-grandparents. We can all be Christians who treat others well.
Co-host
Let’s see what the Bible says about kindness. We need everyone to count down from three, and then we’ll read the verse.
Host
1 John 4:21 (NIrV), “Here is the command God has given us. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” If you love God, then you must love others. You can’t pick and choose who receives your kindness.
Co-host
Let’s have a little fun with the spinning wheel of kindness. We’re going to have kids take turns spinning the digital wheel. When it lands on an act of kindness, I will poll the audience to see how easy or hard it would be to do that for your actual brother or sister.
Digital Wheel / Wheel Options:
Clean up their mess
Give a hug in front of others
Use your money to buy them a present
Share your candy or treats
Give up your turn on the tablet
Give them part of your allowance
Host
Do you ever find it hard to do things like that for your brother or sister? Why? Do you think that it’s important to show kindness to your family?
Co-host
The Bible says that we, as Jesus’ followers, are part of God’s family. That makes us like brothers and sisters. It’s especially important to show kindness to each other.
Host
If we’re unkind to our fellow Christians, what do you think that would make others think about following Jesus? (Allow for answers) They might think that following Jesus is a bad idea. We don’t want that.
Co-host
Our kind words and actions have power. Not only can they help others, but they can show the world how awesome Jesus is. That’s why we should make treating others well a priority.
Host
Even the early Christians struggled at times with showing kindness. That was put to the test when an unexpected person wanted to join the church.
Host
I’m glad Peter and the other Christians accepted Saul. He had been unkind to them, which made it tempting to reject him. Instead, they welcomed Saul as a brother. Saul went on to share the good news about Jesus around the world.
Take a moment where you are sitting to think about your choices. Are you showing kindness to others? Are you making some choices that are rude or harmful? Maybe you are having trouble with kindness for everyone. Let’s stop and talk to Jesus. Let Him know where you’ve been struggling and ask His forgiveness. He can also help you make better choices going forward. Do that now. (Pray) Let’s stand and worship God.
Share info about the giving project you have chosen to support. Consider donating all summer offerings to a local ministry or global missionary.
Co-host
Some people say that being kind doesn’t cost you anything. That’s not totally true. Sometimes, it does cost you to be kind because you give up something you want or share something valuable. Kindness may even force you to do the thing you don’t feel like doing. Regardless of the cost, kindness is the right choice.
Host
That brings us to this week’s Big Do.
Host
Put each family member's name in a container, then have everyone draw a name. Do one kind thing for that person every day. At the end of the week, try to guess who had each name.
Co-host
Let’s say our Big Point again,
Co-host
I Can Treat Others Well!
Host
Let’s connect in our small groups and discuss today’s lesson.
Gather the kids into Small Groups and discuss the following.
Why do you think it matters if we are kind to others? Our kindness helps others learn more about Jesus. What are some ways that we can be kind to our fellow Christians?
Why was it hard for the Christians to accept Saul? He had been responsible for persecuting them by placing many in jail. What did Barnabas do to help Saul? He stood up for Saul and vouched that Saul was a changed person. How did Peter and the other Christians react? They accepted Saul into the church.
Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
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