Student - Urban Ministries

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Jacob dreamed of God coming down to him on
a ladder from heaven. What brings you closer to
God? On the ladder below, write the actions you
could take to be closer to God (example: pray,
read the Bible, etc.) on each rung.
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HIGH FIVE
God loves when we honor and enjoy His creation,
and this quarter’s HIGH FIVE winners did just that! They
overcame huge obstacles to interact in a real way with
the earth God created.
Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman (1892–1926) explored God’s creation from an airplane. The first African
American female pilot, she held an international pilot’s
license and regularly performed in air shows that drew
huge crowds. She attended a segregated school and
faced tough opposition because she was both Black and
female. She overcame enormous odds to pursue a career in civil aviation.
Guion Bluford (born 1942) explored God’s creation
from an even higher platform—space. The first African
American in space, Bluford flew aboard NASA shuttle
Challenger as a mission specialist in 1983. He logged
688 hours in space during his career, and earned a
Ph.D. as well. Like Bessie Coleman, he blazed a trail for
African Americans in a new field.
George Washington Carver (1864?–1943) improved God’s earth from the ground. Focusing on agriculture, Carver invented rubber substitutes, dyes, adhesives, and many other products from natural substances
like peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes. These inventions improved crops as well as the health of farmers. This great inventor began life as a slave, but overcame this harsh start to accomplish great feats that would
improve the health of God’s creation.
What can you do to explore or help God’s creation?
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Lesson 1 • September 1: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: (based on Psalm 104:5–9, 24–30)
God’s Creation
What’s It All About?
On the way home from school, Shannon noticed her
neighbor Lana struggling to carry her new puppy to the
porch. “What happened to Kerby?” Shannon asked.
“He was hit by a car,” Lana whispered to Shannon in a
shaky voice—as if she was about to cry. Shannon helped
her take the puppy to the porch and waited while Lana’s
mother gathered her car keys and purse to take Kerby to
the veterinarian.
“Thank you, Shannon,” Lana said as she finished loading Kerby onto the back seat. “I thought I was the only
one who cared about Kerby. Some of my friends think
pets are for little kids, but I love Kerby … a lot!”
Shannon smiled at Lana and headed home. She knew
what it was like to care for a family pet. Shannon had two dogs at home. She’d picked them out at the animal
shelter when she was small.
Do you think animals are a part of God’s creation? Why or why not? Did Shannon do the right thing? Do
you think God cares how we treat animals?
Learning From God
This quarter you will learn that God created all things. You might be surprised to learn that even things we take for granted, like the ocean, the clouds,
and the trees, are all God’s creation. As a child of God, you should practice
taking care of the things that He has created, including pets, plants, and other
important things that make up God’s creation.
Psalm 104:5–9, 24–30, NIV—He set the earth on its foundations; it can
never be moved. 6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains. 7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; 8 they flowed over the
mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. 9 You set a boundary they
cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.
24 How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and
small. 26 There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. 27 All creatures look
to you to give them their food at the proper time. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you
open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are terrified; when
you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. 30 When you send your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
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Keep In Mind
God’s love is concerned for all people and all creation. He is pleased when we take good care of the
things He has given us, and that includes the animals and all of the beautiful things that make up the
environment. These verses help you to see that God
made all things—the earth, waters, mountains, and
all of the creatures that live among us. The earth belongs to Him and He wants us to help care for what
He has created.
“How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you
made them all; the earth is full of your creatures”
(Psalm 104:24, NIV).
Choosing What’s Best
Do you think that God wants us to care for the
environment and other creatures? Explain.
What I Have Learned
___________________________________ True or False
Below are some things we should or should not do
if we want to show God that we care for the things
He’s created. If these are things we should do to care
for God’s creation, write TRUE next to them. If not,
write FALSE.
___________________________________ 1. Throw trash on the ground _________
___________________________________ 2. Plant flowers and trees _________
___________________________________ 3. Mistreat our pets__________
___________________________________ 4. Recycle_________
___________________________________
5. Participate in activities (like dog fighting) that
___________________________________
cause harm to animals ________
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________
Doing My Part
Your challenge is to create a list of things that your
Sunday School class and community can do to help
take care of God’s creation. Once your list has been
created, work with your teacher and family to decide
which projects you can complete.
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