PYCLS— 1) FIND ALL REFERENCES TO ROCK & FOUNDATION. 2) BRING IN SOME ROCKS. 3) FUN LESSONS IN A TUB OF SAND.
4) ADD TO YOUR LONG-TERM SYNONYM PROJECT. 5) ILLUSTRATE THAT THERE’S NO HOME FOR ERROR IN TRUTH.
CEDARS PYCLS, Possible Younger Class Lessons, for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Truth”
for July 24, 2022
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com (314) 406-0041
PYCL #1: HAVE FUN FINDING ALL THE REFERENCES TO ROCK AND FOUNDATION.
Give each child a paper copy of the lesson and a highlighter and have them highlight all the places they can find “rock” or “foundation”. Why are these words linked to the subject of Truth?
Why is truth foundational to everything we do that is lasting or successful, or brings happiness, stability, harmony?
Can they think of reasons?
Think about how people treat us when we are reliably honest, for example.
Are we given greater trust and freedoms? Greater joy is certainly built on truth and integrity.
And you can talk about the expanded meaning of integrity to encompass structural integrity, meaning a structure without weaknesses or voids. This is not referring, of course, to some kind of superhuman “perfectionism”, but rather to the nature of Truth’s building, or maybe “building materials”, which we reflect.
PYCL #2: BRING IN SOME ROCKS.
Bring each child a rock to paint or decorate with words that “rock” can symbolize.
Words like: strength, integrity, unchanging, reliable, sturdy, enduring, faithful, fearless-and so on.
Then they can each take the rock home with them.
Alternatively, you can make the list on paper and send them home with the list and a rock as its symbol.
PYCL #3: DO YOU STILL HAVE A TUB OF SAND IN YOUR CLASS?
Use the sand to illustrate how unstable it is to build something on it. Allow them to try building small structures on top and then shake the tub, or pour some water in there. Then allow them to build by digging down to the bottom of the container and moving all the sand away. How does the little structure act then to such forces?
Now talk about what that symbolizes in our lives.
When we build our lives on the “sand” of being popular, materially successful or rich, superior to others in competition, smart in school, or any other goal that is material in nature we are building our lives on sand.
Our desires might be admirable, but our motives need to be pure, or unselfish in order for the basis to be firm.
We will find that there are always people who are more beautiful, more popular, or successful, or smart and so on.
There has to be something more solid on which to build our lives!
Now make a list together of what kinds of “granite” qualities we want to express in order to build our lives on solid ground. We might want to focus on things like: unselfishness, kindness, generosity, helpfulness, diligence, obedience, honesty, tenderness, and so on.
PYCL #4: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ADD TO YOUR LONG-TERM SYNONYM PROJECT?
We have discussed having some kind of long-term synonym project over the last two weeks. By long- term, I mean a project that continues through the next lessons on the synonyms. You can add to that, whether a mobile, train, or painting mugs, ornaments, charts etc.
How does Truth fit into this project?
PYCL #5: ACKNOWLEDGE NO HOME FOR ERROR IN TRUTH. ILLUSTRATE THIS IDEA.
This statement is grabbed from citation S7/282:17-18 and it is followed by a passage including Jesus’ statement about a fountain sending forth sweet water and bitter. I love discussing this with children in terms of purity of source.
When something comes from God, or Truth, it is all Godly, or Truthful. It doesn’t have just a little bit of error in it.
Usually I bring in an unopened box of some kind of treat or juice and we talk about how there is nothing in that jar or box other than what it says. You would be totally surprised to open a bottle of grape juice and have apple juice come out!! (You might want to get something that is clearly labelled 100% apple or grape or orange for this example).
In the same way, when we are facing a struggle with some kind of inharmony, we can go to this fact that we know about Truth having no error and apply it to the situation. If we are in an argument with a friend or sibling, we might pause and think about this fact.
Truth doesn’t mean that we have to always agree, but there is no permanent room for anger, or sadness, or fear.
We can find a solution that has good for all, or that is reflecting the justice of Truth.
If emotions are too high, we may have to get some impartial help to sort the problem out. But there is a solution that doesn’t involve error and truth “mixing”.
If you aren’t feeling well, you can look to Truth for an answer.
Is there sickness in God? Does God send us sickness? No!
So, we can rest assured that even if we are not feeling well at that moment, that we are not trying to “get rid” of something real, but are looking to Truth to tell us what is true about our being.
Make a list of all the true things that we embody, or that make up “us”. Look only to Truth for answers about who we are.
Don’t mix your prayers with questions about what is wrong (what is the error), or where did the lie come from?
Recognize these questions as sneaky thoughts to side track us from Truth and Truth’s power.
Then, when you are done coming up with these kinds of Truth treatments for error, you can share the juice or other food that you brought in to illustrate this idea.
Have an awesome week in Sunday School!
