If your class is meeting online, invite students to bring supplies with them to class.

Our memory verse today asks us to acknowledge our godly leaders. Our pastors work hard for us, care for us, and even have the sensitive job of helping us see when we are not making godly choices.

Think back to the video we watched earlier. Those students joined together to honor their classmate. Let’s consider how we can join together to give our pastor a sense of strong support and encouragement, not because the pastor is ill but because the pastor is doing the Lord’s work, ministering to us.

Ask your students to call out the name(s) of your pastor (or pastors). Write the name (or names) on the whiteboard (or screenshared document). Use a church directory or website to make sure you list all the pastors if you attend a larger church.

• What are some of the jobs the pastor(s) performs? (Answers will vary: studies, teaches, preaches, visits, presides at weddings and funerals, serves the community, counsels, resolves conflict, listens, leads meetings, advises, etc.)
• What hours does the pastor work? (Answers will vary: Sundays; every day; always on call; day and in the middle of the night, etc.)

Distribute paper, markers, and scissors (or invite students to have supplies ready at home). Ask the students to trace two copies of their hands and cut them out.

Think about what you might say if you give the pastor a “high five.” Is there something you might say thank you for? Is there a part of the pastor’s job that is particularly meaningful to you? Is there something you might apologize for (not paying better attention during the sermon, etc.)? Is there something encouraging you might say? Is there something you like that the pastor does during the worship service?

Instruct each of your students to write a “high five” message of honor and support on one of the hands they traced. If possible, have different students cover the senior pastor, worship pastor, youth pastor, etc. If you have a very large church and there aren’t enough hands to acknowledge them individually, help your students construct generic messages that will cover all of their hard work and dedication. Allow them to glue the hand with the message to a piece of poster board to make a big group “high five” for the pastor’s office. Be sure you contribute your own high five. 

If possible, arrange for the students to deliver this to the pastors’ office themselves.

On the other hand that you traced, write something you can pray for this week as a way to support our pastor(s). Take the hand home with you and use it as a reminder to continue to “high five” the pastor(s) by honoring them before the Lord in prayer.

Close in prayer asking for God’s hand to be on your church leaders, praying for each one by name.