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THE METHODIST CHURCH IN ZIMBABWE

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Youth & Children’s Ministry Coordinator

Rev M. Chiwara

Theme: Ambassadors for Christ: 2 Corinthians 5 vs 20

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 APPRECIATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Special appreciation goes to those who diligently prepared the Youth

Week 2024 material. We thank the inaugural Youth President Ms.
Audrey Muzavazi (nee Moyo) (1994-1996), for her immeasurable
contribution in the preparation of the Sunday School, Youth Week
2024 material. Many thanks goes to the Youth Coordinator, Rev M
Chiwara, for the illustrations and activities for junior Sunday School.

We also wish to thank the MCZ Community and all those who
continually support the Sunday School work. The Department will
forever cherish the support from The Presiding Bishop, General
Secretary and Mission Director. We remain indebted to, all the MCZ
Schools, MCZ Diaspora Fellowships, Societies, Districts,
Organisations, Youth Pastors and Advisor’s for their support as we
endeavor “to raise and nurture” the young Christian believers.

May God bless the Sunday School!

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PREAMBLE

Our theme for this year is “AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST” (2

Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador is an important official who
represents his or her government in a foreign country. Our theme this
year teaches us that, as Sunday Scholars, we have been send by God
to represent Him in our communities, in our homes, at school and
among our friends.

Youth Week is a time set apart to celebrate the place and role of
young people in the Mission of God and the Mission of the Church,
and this includes Sunday School. The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
cherishes the Doctrine of Priesthood of all Believers. This doctrine
teaches us that God calls both adults and young children to serve Him.
God can use everyone to preach His Word, it is from this teaching,
that we as Sunday School, respond to the call to be “Ambassadors
for Christ”.

The bible teaches us that, through the ages God has always inspired
young men and women, who have stood up against the odds and
represented His Kingdom. Some of the young people whom God used
were even our age! Similar to the young people in the bible God is
sending us into the world to represent Him.

Let us rise as children of God and represent Him, and show the world
that indeed we are Ambassadors for Christ.

Arise Young Soldiers of the Cross and lift up His Royal Banner!

Rev Marry Chiwara

CONNEXIONAL YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

COORDINATOR

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 NOTE TO TEACHERS:

 The Sunday School Youth Week Material was prepared

following the weeks in the month of February. We note that
in some cases it might be difficult for Sunday Scholars to
meet for mid-week services hence the weekly guide. We
implore all the teachers to take this time to spread the spirit
of the Youth Charter i.e. celebrating Youth Week among the
Sunday School Children.
 Teachers are encouraged to read and prepare for the lessons
a week ahead. Make arrangements to print out copies of
Activity Sheets for the children for each week.
 Parents and Church leaders are encouraged to assist
teachers to get the materials needed i.e. printed Activity
sheets and coloring pencils and crayons for each lesson.
 Preachers/Ministers can also be engaged to help facilitate
the weekly Youth Week Lessons
 Sunday Scholars are also supposed to be part of other youth
activities that fall within the Youth Week e.g. Community
service, Launch and Youth Week Fundraisings.

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WEEK 1

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

2 Corinthians 5 verse 20

An ambassador is a representative of one government to another

country or a person who is chosen by authorities to stand in their
place. This means that this person will represent the interests of the
one who sent him/her. Our theme for this year tells us that we are
ambassadors for Christ. This means that we stand for Jesus in this
world. We represent Jesus in the world.

Our task as Sunday School is to show love to everyone; to love even

those we think are not worth to be loved. Some children are mean not
because it is their nature but because they have never been loved and
therefore, do not know how sweet it is to love and be loved. Small
acts of kindness towards them will change their hearts and open up to
Jesus and eventually they will become good.

We must remind our peers that Jesus cares for them and wants to have
a good relationship with them. Jesus does not care how bad they have
been. So, He gives them another chance to come to Him and be
transformed to be God fearing children who will mirror His character.
We, as ambassadors for Christ must live what we preach so that our
peers will not doubt our message to them. Matthew 5 tells us that we
are the light of the world and verse 16 in particular gives us a hint on
how we can win others to Christ. We must be like a candle shining

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bright in the darkness. Let us not be overpowered by the darkness
around us instead, let us beat it dismally.

Activities

Sunday School Infant Class

 Colour the picture of the little Girl Servant who spoke about
God to her master in a foreign land

Senior Class

 Discuss the several ways through which we can represent God

among our peers at home, at school and in the community?
 Memorize the theme verse and prepare to recite it in Church the
following week.

Homework

 Look for one young boy and one young girl who represented God
in the Bible (one from the Old Testament and one from the New
Testament.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for choosing me to be your ambassador. Please

help me to keep my light shining so that I will always attract more of
my peers to you. Give me the strength to love even the unlovable just
as you loved the sinful world. Amen

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 WEEK 1 ACTIVITY (Infant Class)
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
 Co l o u r th e pi ct u re of th e li t tl e Gi r l Ser v an t
2 Kings 5: 2-3 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a
young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only
my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

Name…………………………………………………………………
Society…………………………………………………………………

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WEEK 2

BEHAVIOUR OF A TRUE AMBASSADOR

Romans 12 verses 9 – 21, Ephesians 6:1

An ambassador for Christ is expected to behave in a way that pleases

both Christ who sent him/her and the world in which he/she has been
sent. In this reading the apostle Paul, one of the greatest ambassadors
for Christ teaches us to show a certain behaviour that is
commensurate with the job of an ambassador. Today we are going to
learn about behaviour that makes us good Ambassadors for Christ.

a. Love
- An ambassador shows love to everyone without pretending or
being a hypocrite. Paul urges us to treat one another as brothers
with kindness and compassion.
b. Diligence
- We are encouraged to work for God with all our might and do
away with laziness. This calls us to do our best in attracting our
friends to Christ.
c. Prayerful
- A representative of one country to another is in constant touch
with the government that sent him/her. Likewise, we must also
always communicate with Christ to ensure we are on track.
Prayer inspires us to carry on even if we feel discouraged. It
rejuvenates us so that we get new strength in the face of despair.
d. Obedience.

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- As young ambassadors we must be obedient. Luke 2:51 teaches
us that Christ was once a child like us and obeyed His parents.
Young ambassadors must obey God’s word, for His message
comes through the word. Ephesians 6: 1 teaches us that we also
must obey our parents for us to be good ambassadors.
e. Humility
- As ambassadors we are expected to be true images of the one who
sent us. Jesus was humble and never boasted even after
performing such amazing miracles in His life. He continued to
serve His community and sometimes asked people He had helped
not to tell anyone who it was who had helped them. He continued
to maintain a low profile till His death. This is a character we
must emulate.
f. Forgiveness
- Christ forgave us of our sins even before we knew him.
Forgiveness is not easy but if we commit to God our intentions
to forgive those who have hurt us, He will make it possible for
us to do so. The apostle Paul teaches us that we should never
seek revenge for any wrongs done against us neither should we
begrudge anyone. Instead, we must continue to do good to all
regardless of how they treat us.

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 Activities

Infant Sunday School Class

- Sunday Scholars to work on the good behaviour/bad behaviour

worksheet

Senior Sunday School Class

- tackle the word search below.

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 WEEK 2 ACTIVITY (Senior Sunday Class)
BEHAVIOUR OF A TRUE AMBASSADOR
…………………………………………………………………
 Search the table for the words listed below which define the behaviour of an
ambassador for Christ.

WORD SEARCH
A K C I T E H T A P M E R T J
F A T U H O S P I T A B L E E
K D I R U C T O G I C Y U F S
O R I E M O H E H O P E F U L
U D E Y I E O R I U O W S I Q
R I G A L O N T I E R D S S D
G L A R I T O R U S B Y V F F
F I L P T I U U H Y T I N U G
T G U E Y X R H E G A L E V J
R E I A M B A S S A D O R G K
U N T C O D B A E N I V E N O
M C N E A S L D F L S I K I P
O E E F B Y E D G S H N J C N
D L I U H E R T E Y U G M I M
G O O L X C V N B N M Q W O W
N E A L B L E S S I N G D J V
I N P T E V R N A T I O R E G
K O K B R O T H E R L Y E R B
I R R O E S P O M C I B I R N
G J F S S E N D N I K O J E R
Ambassador Loving Peaceful Forgiveness
Christ Brotherly Prayer Hopeful
Diligence Empathetic Blessing Rejoicing
Kindness Honourable Patient Hospitable
Unity Humility Good Kingdom

N.B. The teacher must make enough copies of this page for the number of upper
grade groups there is in the Sunday School way before the day of the activity.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please help us to be ambassadors whose conduct truly resemble
yours. Help us to conquer evil with good. Amen

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 WEEK 2 ACTIVITY (Junior Sunday Class)

…………………………………………………………………
 Colour the pictures below, cut and paste happy faces on good behaviour, cut
and paste sad faces on bad behaviour

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Week 3
Stewards of God’s Creation
Genesis 1:26 and 28ff;
Today we are learning about representing God by taking good care of
the environment. When God created the earth, He did this with great
passion and at the end of each work day He looked at His work and
was satisfied that it was good. He then created Man and Woman
whom He appointed to take care of all His creation, so that everything
remains good.
One of our responsibilities as young ambassadors for Christ is to take
good care of God’s creation. Some of our activities have deeply hurt
the environment. Litter is found in every wrong place; some areas
have lost most of the trees that the Creator had beautifully created.
Farming, while providing food for us has caused soil erosion. Sand
mining has created great pits and gulleys on the earth. Unregulated
mining activities have also created gulleys and destroyed arable land
thus destroying people’s livelihoods. Industrial water is being drained
into the rivers thus killing aqua life. Gases from industries pollute the
air we breathe and are slowly destroying the ozone layer. This has
resulted in the heating up of the environment and exposure to harmful
rays of light.
This is our generation’s natural inheritance; a destroyed and harmful
environment. Floods and heat waves have become regular
occurrences. It is our responsibility as young ambassadors to see to it
that we take good care of environment. We therefore need to put our
efforts together and reclaim our environment.
Activity
Sunday School Infant class.
Boys- Colour the picture of the Young Boy picking litter
Girls- Colour the picture of the Young Girl throwing litter in the bin.

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Sunday School Senior Class
Find and cut pictures or make a drawing of the beautiful natural
environment you want to live in. Using the drawings and pictures you
collected make a collage which shows the beautiful natural
environment you want to live in. Display this on the church notice
board or wall.
The teacher can ask the Sunday Scholars to bring old magazines for
use during this activity.
The teacher must provide a piece of manilla sheet or big old calendar
on which to stick these pictures to make a beautiful collage for
display in church.

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 WEEK 3 ACTIVITY (Junior Sunday Class-Boys)
AMBASADORS FOR CHRIST TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE ENVIROMENT

 Colour the picture of the Boy picking litter

NAME……………………………………………………..

Genesis 2: 15 “The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to
cultivate and care for it”

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 WEEK 3 ACTIVITY (Junior Sunday Class-Girls)
AMBASADORS FOR CHRIST TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE ENVIROMENT

 Colour the picture of the girl picking litter

NAME…………………………………………………….
Genesis 2: 15 “The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden
of Eden, to cultivate and care for it”

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Week 4

You are Blessed, Unique and Special Before Jesus Christ

Psalm 139:14 1 Peter 2:9 Mark 10:14 Luke 9:47-48

People who are appointed to do God’s work sometimes fail to do so

because they lack courage and confidence in themselves. As young
ambassadors we may feel intimidated when we have to share Christ’s
word with people who are older than us. In 1 Timothy 4:12 Paul
encourages Timothy not to allow anyone to look down on him
because He is young. Instead, he urges him to show good character so
that even the elderly will receive his message without doubt. As
discussed earlier our conduct has a bearing on how our ambassadorial
message is received.

We must also have some in-built self-assurance that we are wonderful

before God so our age and physical appearance will not hinder us
from executing our duty. We were created in His own image so
nothing makes us inadequate for the job Christ has appointed us to do.
We must develop a positive self-image.

As young representatives of the Kingdom of God the bible tells us

that we are special. We are called to proclaim the gospel of Christ
who saved us from the darkness of the world to His light. Jesus
blessed us so the world cannot take away what He put in us. We must
look in and around us and see the blessings we have been given and
find ways we can effectively use them to fulfil our calling.

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Ground has already been prepared for us in that Jesus uses one of us
children to teach people to be hospitable to those who bring the good
news of salvation. He also says whoever receives us and our message
receives Him and God who sent Him. We therefore must not be
afraid knowing that God is with us and with us in this.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for making us your special ambassadors and

blessing us in the face of the hostile world. Help us to build the
confidence we need to overcome any criticism that lays ahead of us.
Amen

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 Week 4 ACTIVITY (Junior Sunday School Class)
You are Blessed, Unique and Special Before Jesus Christ
 Colour the verse, picture frame, and draw a picture of yourself in the centre.

NAME…………………………………………………………………………

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 Week 4 ACTIVITY
Word Scramble
You are Blessed, Unique and Special Before Jesus Christ
 Do the word scramble, write the memory verse and memorise it

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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