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Growing the Good Stuff

Week 3 - PEACE   

Part 1

Lead-in session DRAMA

Outline for Leaders

One of the neighbours from number 10 in Orchard Street is making a lot of noise (possibly a party or loud radio). This is quite disconcerting to the neighbour next door at number 8 who is elderly. Lloyd, the Community Policeman sorts out the problem reminding them that PEACE is in the neighbourhood code.

Characters: Lloyd (Community Policeman), Fred, Sylvia.   

Props:  Front doors numbered 10 and 8, policeman’s helmet, street set-up, music from CD player or PA desk, walking stick.

Orchard Street stage set: Same for each week comprising - cardboard doors, green patch of grass, flowers in flower pots, Orchard Street road sign, house brick back drop.

Sketch - The Peace is disturbed in orchard street

Narrator: Today down in Orchard St it is far from quiet and peaceful, someone is having a party at number 10 and the music is very loud, to say the least. Fred at number 8 is elderly and not very well. He ventures out of his front door and who should be coming down the street but Lloyd. He can hear the loud music and he stops to talk to Fred.

Fred: (Coming round to his front door,and leaning on his walking stick) Hi Lloyd, how are you? I think they are having a party at number 10 but the music is too loud for me and I'm not feeling very well today. They are disturbing the peace!

Lloyd: Don't worry Fred I will have a word with Sylvia, I’m sure she’ll understand.

Narrator: Lloyd is knocking on Sylvia’s door but no one is answering, it seems that they can’t hear above the music. He’s knocking again, this time for longer. Oh, looks like he’s made himself heard. Sylvia’s at the door now but the music is loud and they can’t hear each other properly.

Sylvia: (Comes to the door dancing and clicking her fingers to the music and with a load voice) Oh hello Lloyd everything alright?

Lloyd: (Raising his voice a little to be heard) Well not really. Fred isn’t feeling too good today and he would appreciate it if the music could be turned down so that he could get some peace and quiet.

Sylvia: Oh I hadn’t realised how loud the music had become, I'll turn it down straight away.

Lloyd: I'm sure that Fred would so appreciate that. It wouldn't be a bad idea if you popped round to Fred and apologise for the music being so loud. 

Sylvia: Yes you're right, I'll go straight away.

Lloyd: That's great, it's good to remember that PEACE is an important thing that everyone should strive to maintain in Orchard St. Oh and what's the party for?

Sylvia: It's my birthday!

Lloyd: Happy birthday, is there any cake?

Sylvia: Of course there is, I'll take a piece round to Fred and you are welcome too! 

PEACE really is important isn’t it kids, we should all try and keep PEACE with our friends and neighbours. PEACE is our theme this evening, the world would be such a better place if everyone worked for PEACE and we’ll hear more about this later.

PART 2

Bible Chat

Jacob and Esau make Peace - Genesis chapter 35                                                                                                         This Bible chat is presented in the form of a character sketch, told from Jacob’s perspective. Some kind of basic costume is good for this. As you tell this story, start by sitting at a table but facing the kids, then vary your position, move around, use your hands and facial expressions to bring emphasis. Use the props to add interest as the story is told.

Props: Some kind of basic costume, table, a cooking pot, bowls, ladle, jug. Possibly a car blanket or similar on the table to look like an old table covering.

Bible Chat
Hi I’m Jacob and I want to tell you about me and my brother Esau. You can read about us at the very beginning of the Bible. I lived a long time ago, 2000 miles from here in Israel.

Esau was my older brother, and because he was the oldest, in the time that I lived, he had special rights, which meant that when our father died he would own many of my father’s things. I was jealous. I wanted those special rights.     

One day Esau had been out working in the fields. He came in quite worn out. I’d made some stew and Esau asked me for some of it. So I said to Esau look, I’ll give you some of my stew if you give me your special rights.  Esau just turned away. He wasn’t having any of it, we both knew that Esau’s special rights were worth far more than a bowl of stew!

But he asked again and I gave him the same answer, (waving the stew under his nose) I’ll give you some stew, you give me your special rights. Still he wasn’t interested in the offer but then all of a sudden he gave in saying, ''what good are my special rights if I die of hunger first?'' I couldn’t believe it, it was a cheat really, he must have been crazy but it was done, my stew for his special rights.

Some years went by, we were both a little older and something else cropped up where I tricked Esau again. Actually, this time it was a much bigger thing that I tricked him out of. No time to tell you in detail but it's enough to say that Esau was furious, I hadn’t asked him I just took it and he was mad.

Esau was so angry that I had to run away from home. I ran off to stay with my mother’s relatives a long way away where Esau couldn’t get at me.

Many years went by, over twenty years and in all that time I didn’t see my parents or Esau my brother. I married and had children. Then one day I knew it was time to go home and take my family with me. I also knew that I would have to face Esau.

Whilst I’d been away I’d come to know and trust in God, I realised the right way to live, was not to lie, cheat or trick my brother. I knew that God would always want me to make peace and live in peace. I was afraid but I just knew that I had to go back to my brother and make peace.  I thought about what Esau would do to me, might he kill me?  I got together my wife and children, along with the sheep I owned and started the journey home.

We travelled a long time but eventually arrived at where I grew up. I had prepared some gifts for Esau and sent them on ahead. I was frightened, wondering how Esau would greet me. Whilst I was on the way, one of my men came back with the report that Esau was coming to meet us and that there were a lot of men with him. I was worried but we carried on. But I need not have worried and he wasn’t interested in my gifts.

Esau ran to meet me, threw his arms around me, he was pleased to see me. Most of all, he forgave me and we made peace. PEACE is so important, especially in your family!

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE LESSON

To teach children about peace, you could use a puppet. Below is a script for a puppet sketch (a bird) called Henry to get across the message.

Puppet Script

Brian – hello Henry, how has your day been today?

Henry – Oh it’s not been a good day today.

Brian – I’m sorry to hear that, what has happened?

Henry – I’ve fallen out with my best friend Bertie.

Brian – But you have been friends with Bertie ever since you was a little chick.

Henry – I know but he didn’t want to play with me today, he said he was too busy and so I had a really boring day. If he was my friend he would make time to play with me.

Brian – Maybe he wasn’t feeling very well or maybe he was tired, did you ask him why he didn’t want to play with you?

Henry – No I didn’t ask him.

Brian – Well why don’t you give him a call tonight and ask him, I’m sure there will be a good reason and you can be friends again.

Henry – No, he can call me if he wants to be friends.

Brian – You know Henry, God asks us to be peacemakers, to make peace with each other and live at peace with everyone.

Henry – Where does it say that in the Bible?

Brian – It says it in Romans chapter 12 verse 18 ‘make every effort to live at peace with everyone.’

Henry – So I need to make the first move then?

Brian – Well if you want to be a peacemaker then, yes.

Henry – (reluctantly) okay then I’ll call him.

Brian – Good that’s the right thing to do. I’m proud of you Henry.

Henry – Thank you, I think I’m proud of myself!

PART 3 - RESPONSE TIME

Ask the children what they think the word peace means.

Possible answers: No fighting or war, quietness, calmness, restfulness, peace of mind, no worries.

PowerPoint below may be used to discuss aspect of peace and peacemaking with the children. PowerPoint downloadable from bottom of this page.

The Bible describes Jesus as the Prince of Peace, He paid for our sins on the cross, so that we can have peace with God. When people leave God out of their lives they sometimes find that they make choices which do not bring them a sense of peace. Jesus wants us to know the peace He can bring to us, a peace that no one else can give in the same way.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies and be peacemakers, it's not easy to do this on our own but Jesus will help us. We just need to ask Him. 

Put the last slide up with the following verse:

Jesus said - "Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them His children." Matthew 5 v 9 (GNB)

Maybe things around us are not always as peaceful as we would like. Jesus cares about us and the difficult situations we sometimes find ourselves in. He cares for you, you can pray for peace in your heart and life and for those around you too! 

WK 3 DOWNLOADS

Drama script, Bible Chat and response time leaders’ notes.
PowerPoint Week 3 - Key phrase slide
PowerPoint handshake of peace and friendship
PowerPoint with images for response time discussion