48 - Taking Care For The Church of God

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen

Lesson No. ( 48 )

References: 

The Precious Gem (Alkhareeda Al NaFeessa). 

Notes for Servants 

i Ibrahim el Goharybore witness to Christ in a dark age. He was a high government official. We, as Christians, need such a good example to follow. 

i Although he was rich, he did not neglect his duty towards God and the church. His position as a minister did not make him neglect his responsibility towards building and mending the churches. i He did not threaten those who persecuted his brother. The Spirit of Christ that abode in him taught him how to love and forgive people although he was able to avenge. 

Objectives 

General: Taking care of the churches. 

Specific: 

The children will be able to... 

1. Care for the churche’s building and belongings. 
2. Give offering gifts and donations and feel happy to do that. 
3. Pray so that the Lord may establish a church in every place that in need. 

Bible Verse 

" I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. " 

( Psalms 1 22:1 ) 

Teaching Aids 

A picture of Ibrahim el Gohary - Models of churches or their pictures. 

Instruction 

(1) Review last week's lesson. 

(2) Who remembers the verse? 

(3) Remind the children about the church occasions for the coming week. 

(4) Teacher should prepare the appropriate questions to emphasize the objectives during the lesson.

Story Time 

We remember how King Solomon laid the foundation of the Temple. What did he need? How did men volunteer to carry wood, stones, etc. and how did they build the temple and decorate it? How did they make the tools? 

He loves it when we love His house and care for building churches everywhere. This was the virtue of a great man named Ibrahim el Gohary. He lived in the 18th century during the reign of the Mamelukes and Mohamed Ali. He was the Chief Clerk of the Prime Minister at that time and he had great authority and was very rich. He was a pious Christian who practised means of grace, give examples. 

He was promoted to the position of ChiefClerk of the whole country of Egypt because he was competent and honest. He was a true Christian and thought only of how to please Christ and glorify His name through that post of his. 

He spent his money on the poor and the needy, but he was not satisfied. He thought of doing greater deeds. He asked the priests and the people. He noticed that there were places without churches although many Christians lived in them. Other places were very poor and to these he sent a lot of money and he mended the churches that needed mending. He mended the monasteries and sent them what they needed such as oil, wheat, candles, incense, etc. The endowment contracts he devoted for the churches and the monasteries reached 238 contracts. 

(The Servant gives appropriate questions for each stage) 

Discussion 

1 - Follow up the story by talking about it with the children. 

2 - Continue the discussion while they do the activity. 

Learning Activities 

Activity Sheet.