Reverence is love and respect for God: 1st Week Sharing Time Idea for November

IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (seeing a picture and playing a game): Show a picture of a child praying, and explain that the child is showing love and respect for God.  Tell the children that you are thinking of a nine-letter word that means love and respect for God.  Draw nine blanks on the board, one for each letter in the word reverence, and invite the children to guess letters.  As they guess correct letters, write them in the appropriate blanks.  You may want to have an older child help you.  For younger children, show the picture and ask they how they know the child is being reverent.  Have the children say together, "Reverence is love and respect for God." 

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (reading a scripture and singing a song): Ask the children to open their scriptures and read John 14:15.  (If the children memorized this verse last year, you may want to ask them to recite it.)  Ask the children how we show our love for Jesus Christ.  Sing "Reverence is Love" (CS, 31).  Ask the children to put their hand on their heart each time they hear the word "reverence" or "reverent".

ENCOURAGE APPLICATION (discussing reverence): Divide the children into small groups, and have them discuss ways they can show reverence for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in one of the following situations: when they are at church, when they pray, and when they are at home or with friends.  Younger children could draw pictures of what they could do.  Have some of the children share their ideas with the whole group.  Encourage them to share their ideas with their families at home.

Sharing Time Ideas from Little LDS Ideas

I know I am really late posting ideas for this week. I was thinking about ideas and had a game planned, and then I thought 'The lesson is on Reverence, so that means we should probably do a reverent Sharing Time'. Right? Having a fun, rowdy game would probably defeat the purpose of teaching the children the importance of reverence. :) 

I really like the idea that is given in the outline, but I found a few ideas that I also liked, so I thought I would share them.

I saw this idea and thought it would be great for this week:

#1 Reverent Tour:"Take the younger children on a tour of the meetinghouse. Have them think of ways they can show reverence for it, such as by putting litter in the wastebasket, taking good care of the grounds, opening and shutting classroom doors quietly, whispering in the chapel when they need to talk, walking (not running) in the halls." (From Oct. 1992 'Friend' magazine)

#2 Reverent Search: I think the children will really enjoy the 'Identify Doctrine' section from the outline (because what kid doesn't like hangman). But it's always hard to play these types of games for Jr. Primary since most of them don't read. So, I thought you could write each letter of 'Reverence' on a piece of paper, but place a number up in the corner of each page (example: R-1; E-2; V-3; E-4, etc). On a chalkboard have 9 squares labeled #1-9 (this is where the papers with each letter will go). 

Hide the pages around the room, underneath chairs, or just set them face-down on a table and have the children 'reverently' find them. Have the children place the letter in the appropriate numbered box. Once all the letters have been found read the word aloud.

To make it a little more fun you could have the person finding the letter wear special 'Reverent Glasses' or hat. Have them fold their arms as they search for the letters.

#3 Reverence Puzzle: Get a picture of a child sitting reverently or praying. Cut the picture into several pieces. On each piece have a way we can show reverence, a scripture about reverence, or a song about reverence. Hide the puzzle pieces around the room and have the children find the puzzle pieces. As they find the puzzle pieces have them put the puzzle together.

#4  I just saw this idea on Sugardoodle and thought it was a great idea for Jr. Primary (I'm sure Sr. Primary would love it too. )

 "The Family Home Evening Resource book has excellent lessons on Reverence. Borrowing from that, I am going to talk to the kids about the Savior's appearance to the Nephites in Bountiful, specifically pointing out the following verses: 3 Nephi 11:5, 12 - 17. I will ask the kids how they would feel and how they would act if the Savior were to come to our primary that day. Then explain that when we show respect and love for God, we are being reverent, which invites His Spirit to be with us always. Then I will have the kids choose potato head parts out of brown paper sacks that spell the word REVERENCE. I will ask them to explain how we can use that body part to show reverence. Then they will put the parts on a pumpkin (since it's November)"

What a great idea. Thanks Krista for Sharing. :)

#5 Reverent Jars: In this month's Friend there is an idea for a Reverence Jar. Such a simple idea, but you can use it several different ways. The idea in the Friend is probably directed more toward families to use for FHE. For the idea you will have a jar and strips of paper with different ways we can be reverent while at church. You are to place the strips of paper inside your 'Reverence Jar' and pick one out each Sunday and work at that specific task.

Examples:

Think about Jesus Christ during Sacrament

Speak quietly at church. Don't run or yell.

Be kind to others.

Great idea for FHE!

Click Here to view this idea from The Friend.

But here are a couple ideas using the 'Reverence Jar' idea:

-Have 2 jars, one labeled 'Reverence Jar' and the other could have a frowny face or 'Irreverent'. On pieces of paper, balls, or some other kind of object, write different scenarios that we might be reverent and irreverent. 

Invite a child to come to the front and choose a paper/ball and read it aloud. Then have them place it either in the 'Reverence Jar' or the 'Irreverent Jar'.

-Have 3 containers/jars labeled 'At Church', 'When I Pray', and 'At Home or With Friends'. Once again have different scenarios that have to do with showing reverence at each of the above places/actions. Have a child choose one and read it aloud. Then have them decide if that is a way we can show reverence at Church, when we pray, or while at home or with friends.

You could even have a sad bucket where all the irreverent scenarios go.

OK. I think that's it for me. Have a wonderful week and a great Sharing Time.