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Mission Statement: SundaySchoolNetwork.com brings over 25 years of experience to children's ministry. Our
Bible lesson plans and activities
are designed to lead children to Christ, helping them grow in their faith, so they can proclaim the good news message to the next generation.
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Father's Day Lesson: When
Dad's Are M.I.A.
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The following question was submitted by one of the teachers from our
network:
We have a very small Sunday School with only about 8 kids in 1st-5th Grade. Several of them are being raised by Grandparents and/or Aunts and Uncles due to accidental death or poor choices made by their parents.
Do you have any ideas for a good lesson on Father's Day that won't upset these kids?
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This question hits home, it is very personal. One of my
earliest childhood memories is staring in a mirror in the bathroom at school
and thinking, “Even though no one loves me, I know that God loves me.” I
was about seven years old at the time. My evaluation was half-right. God loved
me. However, I had misinterpreted my situation at home. Kids do that. Adults
do that too. You see, my father had descended into mental illness. So even
though my dad lived at home, he wasn't there emotionally for me or my
siblings. There was a lot of stress and verbal fighting between my mom and
dad, particularly the night before. From their fight I surmised that my
parents didn’t love me. It wasn’t true. Yet, it was true for me at the
time. So it didn’t matter if it was true or not. I took that thought in and
allowed it to shape how I thought about myself. I believed I was unlovable.
Yet, even so, I knew God loved me! I am very thankful that God gave me a
glimpse of his love as a young child. I am grateful he never allowed me to
forget that moment! I think it is one of the many reasons I have a heart for
children’s ministry today.
As I thought about how to answer this question of ideas for a good Father’s Day
lesson, my first thought was, "point them to the Heavenly Father." Is this not our task as children’s ministers, regardless of whether children come from broken or healthy homes?
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I also thought about Jesus and his earthly father, Joseph. The following lesson is relevant for everyone, whether or not your dads are here and actively part of your
lives or they are missing in action!
Get today's Father's Day lesson, When Dad's Are
M.I.A. "Missing In Action."
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Do
you have a Father's Day lesson or activity to share? Please respond to this
email: sstn@sundayschoolnetwork.com
Your
webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
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Copyright 1997 -
2015 / d.b.a. "S. A. Keith of Creative Imaginations Reproducing
in any medium, commercial or noncommercial, is strictly prohibited
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