Hebrews: Angels
Hebrews 1:4 – Angels
Scripture reference: “having become so much better than the angels…”
Objectives:
1. Children should know that angels are the messengers of God.
2. Children should be able to name at least the 2 archangels, Michael and Gabriel.
3.Children should be able to remember some instances where angels have appeared in the Bible.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Show a picture or icon of an angel (the Annunciation will do nicely). Do you know who this is? Tell the students that angels are the messengers of God. Do they know what a messenger does? Illustrate by whispering a message to one student and have him tell another student. The second student can tell the class the message. Who was the messenger? Repeat for each student.
How about a snack today? Angel food cupcakes? Or sugar cookies shaped like angels? Or make marshmallow angels with the children. Use 2 large marshmallows for face and body, clove for eyes, yellow lifesaver candy for halo, pretzel sticks for arms, and add chocolate bar or pretzels for wings with a dab of icing.
- Who is Gabriel? To whom did he take what message? (He told Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus and Zachariah to name his son John.) Show this in the icon of the Annunciation. Who is Michael? What is his role? (He is the leader of God’s army.)
- God gave each of us a guardian angel. He watches over us and protects us, even though we cannot see him. He is with us at all times. Let each child say hello to his guardian angel. Sing the old spiritual: "All Night, All Day"
- During Liturgy we speak of certain types of angels: seraphim and cherubim. Can you think of any such times? (e.g. Cherubic Hymn, Megalynarion) Listen closely in church next week.
- Angels and people are alike in some ways, and different in others. Fill in the blanks below with “Angels”, “People”, or “Angels and people”:
______________were created by God. ___________never die.
______________have bodies. ___________have names.
______________have spirits. ___________think and do things.
Most angels are good, but some sinned and were cast out of heaven. The greatest of these was Lucifer, who thought he was equal to God. He is now known as Satan and the other fallen angels are called demons.
- Make an angel:
Make a cone of white construction paper. Stick a white Styrofoam ball on for a head. Attach paper wings to back with tape. Glue yarn on for hair. Use a pipe cleaner for a halo.
- Alternative craft: Make a guardian angel prayer booklet. Fold a piece of construction paper into a “card”. On the front, print the name of the child and the words “My Guardian Angel”. Inside, color a picture of a guardian angel and glue on one side and copy and glue a copy of the prayer to the guardian angel on the other side.
10. Close with prayer.
