Shannon Kelly

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Act of the Apostles Lesson Plan

Scripture: Acts 9:36-43

Today we hear how God uses Saint Peter to raise Tabitha, a faithful woman, from the dead. The story helps us to see that God’s work and Jesus healing did not stop, but can be found in the followers of Jesus, even today. The story invites us to consider how Jesus is active in our own life and how we offer healing and comfort to others.

Download the lesson plans for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

LPTW Easter 4, Year C, Acts, Younger Children
LPTW Easter 4, Year C, Acts, Older Children

Third Sunday in Easter, Acts of the Apostles Lesson, Year C

Scripture: Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)

Today we hear the story of Saint Paul’s conversion. Saul, as Saint Paul was known before this time, is traveling to go and hurt Christians. Jesus comes to him on the journey and confronts him and invites him to love instead of hurt. Jesus does this for each of us, inviting us to follow him.

Download the lesson plans for the Third Sunday in Easter

LPTW Easter 3, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Easter 3, Year C, Acts, Older Children

Second Sunday in Easter, Acts of the Apostles Lesson, Year C

Scripture: Acts 5:27-32

Note: During Easter, we read from the Acts of the Apostles rather than from the Old Testament as we focus on Jesus’ life and ministry and the life and ministry of the apostles.

Today we find Peter & the apostles preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. It is not always easy to do something you know is right. This is especially true when you face peer pressure or punishment. Today’s lesson invites us to think about how we might find strength to do the right thing, even when it is hard.

Download the lesson plans for the Second Sunday in Easter

LPTW Easter 2, Year C, Acts, Younger Children
LPTW Easter 2, Year C, Acts, Older Children

Easter Sunday, Acts Lesson Plan, Year C

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43

Note: During Easter, we read from the Acts of the Apostles rather than from the Old Testament as we focus on Jesus’ life and ministry and the life and ministry of the apostles.

Today we find Peter preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. It is not always easy to stand up and say the things you believe, especially when you are telling people that a dead guy really is not dead. Today’s lesson reminds us that God gives us the courage to be signs of Jesus’ life and resurrection.

Download the lesson plans for Easter Sunday

LPTW Easter, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Easter, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

Palm Sunday, Year C, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-9

It is Palm Sunday! Isaiah 50:4-9 is read in all three lectionary years, regardless of which Gospel account is given. This reflects the long understanding of the Christian church that Jesus is the suffering servant described in Isaiah.

Download the lesson plans for Palm Sunday

LPTW Palm Sunday, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Palm Sunday, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year C, Old Testament

Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21

We have moved from the story-telling kind of narratives in our Hebrew Scripture lesson, to the more poetic voice of Isaiah. (You might want to remind the children that the Bible is made up of all kinds of writing, such as stories, letters, laws, and songs.) We don’t listen to this kind of writing the same way that we listen to a narrative story. Today’s reading is a kind of poetry through which we still hear the voice of God. This passage from Isaiah references the stories we have heard in the past few weeks, but calls us to move past simple remembrance into participation into God’s new and ongoing action in the world.

Download the lesson plans for the Fifth Week in Lent

LPTW Lent 5, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Lent 5, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year C, Old Testament

Scripture: Joshua 5:9-12 

In this week’s lesson, we move forward in time again, to the time of Joshua, just after the people of God have ended their 40 years of post-Exodus wandering in the desert, and have crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. The lesson today takes place between this river crossing, which has many parallels to the crossing of the Red Sea in the Exodus story, and the battle of Jericho.

Download the lesson plan for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

LPTW Lent 4, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Lent 4, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

Third Sunday in Lent, Year C, Old Testament

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-15

In this week’s lesson, we move forward in time from the story of Abraham, to the time that the people of God are slaves in Egypt. We hear how God calls Moses to lead the people to freedom, and promises to be with Moses as he does this. Through Moses’ action, God will fulfill the promise made to Abraham that his descendants will live in the land that God had given him.

Download the lesson plan for the Third Sunday in Lent

LPTW Lent 3, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Lent 3, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

Second Sunday in Lent, Year C, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

In this week’s lesson, we turn to one of the foundational stories of our faith, which tells us how God made a promise to Abram and Sarai to make them the starting place of the family of God, even though it seemed impossible, as they had no children of their own.

Download the lesson plans for the Second Sunday in Lent

LPTW Lent 2, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Lent 2, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children

First Sunday of Lent, Year C, Old Testament

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

In this week’s lesson, the people of God are hearing a reminder of God’s covenant/promise as they are about to end their time in the desert and cross over into the promised land. We hear this story as we are crossing into Lent, into our time in the desert as a reminder that this period of time is not forever, and that God keeps God’s promises, even when things are difficult. They remember God’s promises as they anticipate their future with God.

Download the lesson plans for the First Sunday of Lent

LPTW Lent 1, Year C, Old Testament, Younger Children
LPTW Lent 1, Year C, Old Testament, Older Children