Hello Chapel Hill Families!

Celebrate Wonder is a Sunday school curriculum that engages children’s natural sense of curiosity to help them understand God’s love. It creates a safe environment for kids to ask big questions — helping them explore the Bible in ways that feed their imagination and encourages creativity. Through carefully-selected Bible stories, songs, videos, and hands-on activities, Celebrate Wonder gives children the tools to explore their faith while incorporating it into their daily lives.

Since we are not able to meet in person, I have been mailing Sunday School Kits to families each month with printed lesson plans, activity sheets and craft supplies. November Sunday School Kits were mailed out last week. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please sign up by clicking the button below.  I will also continue to attach digital copies of the material to our weekly e- news for you to print at home if you prefer that option.

Each month, our weekly stories will align with a Faith Word. The Faith Word for the month of November is, “Blessing”.

Jacob and Esau were very different in character. Esau liked to hunt and eat game. Jacob was quieter and enjoyed home life and cooking. It is thought that Esau was Isaac’s favorite son, while Rebecca favored Jacob.

One day Esau came in from the field very hungry and demanded food from his brother Jacob who was making stew. So Jacob agreed to feed his brother, but he first asked for his brother’s birthright in exchange. A birthright was something given to the oldest son. It gave the firstborn the status of being the leader of the family and gave him the right to the family’s inheritance.

Esau was very hungry so he gave Jacob his birthright for some food. He gave up his birthright, the right of property and blessing, for a bowl of stew. This seems like a very impulsive decision. Esau wanted his immediate needs met and may have forgotten about the importance of his birthright. He may not have considered the consequences of his choice.

In our society, we sometimes act like Esau. We want things right here and now! We do not always think about how our actions could affect the future. Children can understand this concept. Children often want something right way. Have you ever seen a child beg for a toy in a store? or insist on watching just one more cartoon? Sometimes, children have to learn how to wait.

Adults also have to make hard choices. It might be easier to make an impulsive decision that meets our immediate need. But, this story helps us to evaluate our actions and encourages us to take time to stop and think through our choices. If we take time to think, pray, and reflect before responding or deciding, we might just find the outcome is even better.

This week practice STOP:

S- Stop

T- Think through your actions

O- Offer your choice to God

P- Pray, and then Proceed

Check out last week’s video featuring the Peters kids! Session 9- “Jacob & Esau” (Genesis 25:19-28)