Session
Praise for God’s Creation
2
Psalm 8
Main Idea
Thank God for the creation!
Something to Remember
How majestic is your name in all the earth!
—Psalm 8:1
Background for Teachers
Read several times this song about God’s majesty
and humanity’s relationship with God and the rest
of creation. Think about ways that you embrace
the majesty of God. This psalm points to the
greatness of God and the distance between God
and creation (specifically, between God and human
beings [v. 4]).
Two words often used to describe the relationship
between God and the created world are immanence
and transcendence. Immanence refers to the way
you see God in the closeness of the world around
you—the nearness of God. Transcendence refers to
how God is beyond the limits of comprehension
and ordinary experience. In this time in your life,
does God seem far removed or closer than your
next breath? When have you revered the greatness
of God? What does this feeling do to you?
The psalmist addresses two relationships in these
verses: the relationship between God and humanity
and the relationship between humanity and the
created world. First, the poet writes that humans
(you) have been made a “little lower than God.”
How does this understanding affect the way you
see yourself?
The relationship between humanity and the rest of
creation is addressed in verse 6. The psalmist says
that humans (you) have been given dominion over
the works of God’s hands and that God has “put all
things under their feet” (v. 6). The word dominion
is controversial. Some Bible students believe the
use of this word suggests that we can do anything
we want with the earth. What imagery does such
a term suggest for you? In what ways do you feel
responsible for caring for creation?
Tweens are becoming more responsible for taking
care of things. They may have home chores to do or
help with. They may take care of a pet. They may
have the opportunity to plant and take care of a
garden or potted plants. It is beneficial to help them
see these activities as part of the life of faith.
Too few tweens are reminded that they are
beautiful and unique creations of God. While we
cannot completely counter other messages these
tweens receive, we can help to instill in each of
them the belief that she or he is created by, loved
by, and claimed by God.
Question 6. How do you love God?
By respecting what God has created . . .
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Session 2
Welcome
Greet the tweens. If it is your practice, take
attendance and collect an offering.
Assemble
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
Index cards, pencils
New Song Leader’s Guide
New Song CD, disc 1
CD player
Bible Study
❑❑ Bibles
Digging Deeper (optional )
Option 1
❑❑ Bibles
❑❑ Bible dictionaries
Option 2
❑❑ Bibles
❑❑ Newsprint, markers
Claim
Assemble: God Calls Us Together
Give each person an index card and a pencil. Have the tweens
complete the sentence “I’m the only one who . . . ” with something
unusual about themselves and write that phrase on the card. Collect
the cards, shuffle the deck, and redistribute the cards. Have the
tallest person begin by reading aloud what’s written on his or her
card. The group should try to guess the writer’s identity. Continue
until all the cards have been read. Ask:
What new things did you learn about one another?
Remind the tweens that the Bible says that God thinks highly of
everyone (Psalm 8), that God knows the number of hairs on each
person’s head (Matthew 10:30), and that each person is called by
name (Isaiah 43:1). Ask them how they feel about God’s knowing
them so intimately. Ask:
Do you think God cares about your future?
What signs do we have that God is involved in our lives?
Choose one or more activities:
Gaze at Stars
❑❑ Copies of Resource Sheet 6
(p. 18)
❑❑ Scissors
❑❑ Large straight pins
❑❑ Craft sticks
❑❑ Tape
❑❑ Light source
Clay Creations
❑❑ Clay or play dough
Tweens’ Issue
❑❑ Copies of Resource Sheet 7 (p. 19)
Tweens’ Challenge
❑❑ Copies of Resource Sheet 8
(p. 20)
Depart
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
Self-adhesive notes
Pens
New Song Leader’s Guide
New Song CD, disc 1
CD player
Play the song “Come, Now is the Time to Worship“ (New Song CD,
disc 1, track 2) as the tweens join in singing.
Opening Prayer
O great Creator, we thank you for all of earth’s precious
wonders. We ask you to help us care for all of creation
with the same love that you care for us. In Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Bible Study: We Hear God’s Word
Explain that the story for this session comes from the book of Psalms.
Tell the tweens that, even before Jesus lived, God’s people used
the psalms in worship. Open your Bible to the book of Psalms, and
explain that it is still an important book for Christian people.
Distribute Bibles and have the tweens find Psalm 8. Explain that
you will read the odd-numbered verses and they will read the evennumbered verses. Read the psalm together.
Ask the tweens questions such as the following to further their
thinking about Psalm 8:
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Session 2
Praise for
God’s Creation
Psalm 8
How do you think the person who wrote this psalm felt about
God? About the world? About human beings?
What questions do you have after reading the psalm?
Digging Deeper (optional )
Option 1
Read Psalm 8. Provide Bible dictionaries for the tweens to do a word
study on dominion (v. 6). Discuss these questions:
What does it mean to have dominion over the works of God’s
hands?
What is the relationship between God and creation?
How does God treat humanity?
How does God want humanity to treat God’s creation?
What is God’s intent in setting the order for creation?
Option 2
Distribute Bibles and invite tweens to find Psalm 8. Go around
the group and allow each tween to read a verse until the psalm is
finished. As each person reads a verse, invite him or her to rephrase
the verse in more familiar language. Encourage the tweens to use
their own words to give their interpretation of what the writer
means. As the tweens say the lines aloud, write them on newsprint.
Ask the following questions:
What does it mean for God to be called sovereign? (Consult a
dictionary if necessary.)
What do babies and infants have to say that can silence the
enemies of God’s people? What words do you remember babies
saying? What were your first words as a baby?
The writer of Psalm 8 looked at the moon and the sun and the
stars and wondered why God would care about people. Why
do you think that person thought that way? Why do you think
God cares about people?
The writer of Psalm 8 wrote that God has made people just a
little lower than God. What does that mean to you? Why would
God make people so important?
Claim: We Respond to God’s Word
Choose one or more activities:
Gaze at Stars
Give each person a copy of Resource Sheet 6. Have the tweens
poke holes in the center of each star (dot) with a pin. Then have the
tweens cut out the constellation circles and attach each circle to a
craft stick. The tweens may hold the circles up to a source of light to
view the constellations.
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Session 2
Praise for
God’s Creation
Psalm 8
Talk with the tweens about the awesomeness of God’s creation by
asking questions such as these:
How does it feel to know that God created pictures in the sky?
What do you think about when you look at the stars?
How does looking at the stars make you feel about God?
If you live near a planetarium, arrange to visit it with the tweens.
A star show can be an awesome experience.
Clay Creations
Provide enough clay or play dough for the participants to create a
replica of something they care about. Have them show what they
created and explain why and how they care about that creation. Ask:
How would you react if someone destroyed the thing you just
made?
Tweens’ Issue
Read and discuss Resource Sheet 7. If preferred, make multiple
copies of Resource Sheet 7 for pairs of tweens to discuss the
situation. Following a specified time, convene the group and ask
each pair to report its thoughts.
Tweens’ Challenge
As a group, decide on a program the tweens can participate in, such
as recycling or cleaning the community, that will enable them to care
for God’s creation. Assign tasks and set preliminary dates for the
project.
Ask the tweens to note how many instances of society’s abuse of
creation that they see during the coming week on television shows,
in magazines, and in movies.
Ask the participants to complete the following three statements on
Resource Sheet 8:
• Personally, I can __________ to be a better caretaker of God’s
creation.
• I can ___________ to help my family take care of God’s creation.
• I can ___________ to help my church take care of God’s
creation.
Remind the tweens to perform one action for each of the above
statements during the coming week. Say something like: “Do
something on your own to take better care of God’s creation, do
something with your family to help them become better caretakers of
God’s creation, and do something with our church that enables it to
be better caretakers of God’s creation.”
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Session 1
Praise for
God’s Creation
Psalm 8
Depart: God Sends Us into the World
Have the tweens write on self-adhesive notes what they have
learned about worship today. Affix these notes to newsprint. Display
throughout the quarter; each session will provide an opportunity for
this kind of review.
Have the tweens listen to the song “So Good to Me“ (New Song CD,
disc 1, track 14). Invite the tweens to listen to or sing the song.
To help the tweens think back on the session, ask questions such as
this one:
What things come to mind about Psalm 8 when you sing this
song?
Pray:
God of the night,
God of the day,
God of the stars,
God of the seas,
we see the great things
in your creation.
We see your work
all around us.
Teach us to look at nature
with new eyes
and new hearts.
Amen.
Send Home
• Constellation circles
• Clay creations
• For the Home 2 (Director CD)
or e-mail it home
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Resource Sheet 6
Session 2, Tweens
Note to teacher: Photocopy this resource for each person.
Materials: Pins, craft sticks, scissors, tape
Directions: Poke holes in the center of each star (dot) with a pin. Then cut out the constellation circles.
Attach each circle to a craft stick (to use as a handle) and hold the circles up to a source of light to view
the constellations.
The Arrow
The Big Dipper
The Lile
Dipper
The
Swan
The Lion
The
Twins
© 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation.
Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material.
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Resource Sheet 7
Session 2, Tweens
Each day Steve and his friends walk home from school. On their way,
Steve’s friends stop at a local store for snacks and drinks. Steve rarely
buys snacks with his friends, because his house is the closest to the
school and he prefers to enjoy snacks with his younger brother. He
notices that every day the boys throw their trash on the street. This
bothers him, but he is afraid he will upset his friends if he says anything.
How should Steve handle this situation?
What can he do to take care of God’s creation?
What, if anything, should he say to his friends?
© 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation.
Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material.
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Resource Sheet 8
Session 2, Tweens
Complete the following three statements:
Perso
nally,
I can
_____
__
to be _________
__
a
of Go better car ___
et
d’s cre
ation. aker
I can
_____________________
to help my family take
care of God’s creation.
I can
_
______
_
_
_
_
_
___
h take
c
r
______
u
h
c
my
.
to help od’s creation
G
care of
During the coming week, perform one action for each of the above statements. In other words, do
something on your own to take better care of God’s creation, do something with your family to help
them become better caretakers of God’s creation, and do something with your church that enables it to
be better caretakers of God’s creation.
© 2012, 2014 CMP, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation.
Permission to reproduce this page granted to purchasers of this material.
We Worship God
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