An activity related to a story book helps preschoolers make connections to learn more from the book. In helping preschoolers learn about your church, read the downloadable book I Like to Go to Church. Take the ideas below and extend the story for more learning about your church and missions.

Our Mission Friends took turns holding the extra-large knitting needle with one hand and pulling the yarn around with their other hand. Mrs. Mary Ann showed them how to make a stitch. She also showed them the baby booties and small caps made by the knitting group at our church. They give the caps and booties to preemie babies at local hospitals. Mrs. Mary Ann told our Mission Friends that this is how our “knitting ladies” show God’s love to the families of the little babies.

As preschoolers grow in missions awareness, we want them to know how their own church tells others about Jesus and shows His love to others. The objective of WMU states this as “participate in the work of the church and denomination,” but for preschoolers, I think of it as “my church and missions.” Preschoolers need to know about the ways their church reaches out to others in Jesus’ name. They also need to know that their church works with other churches to send missionaries in North America and around the world.

As we talked about the ministries of Ryan and Seané Rice in New Orleans this month, my little Kathryn said, “I went to New Orleans.” I could tell a spark of recognition in her expression. Then I was able to ask her what she saw there and what she did in New Orleans.

Ryan and Seané Rice’s lives revolve around relationships with people. “Living in New Orleans as a church planter is all about building relationships with people. In fact, this is what our city is all about,” says Ryan. Though Ryan grew up loving VBS and Sunday School as a kid, when he got older, he stopped going and, even disliked the idea of church. He started to go his own way and, in his words, became his “own sort of god.” When he met his wife in college, Ryan began to slowly take the truth of the gospel seriously. Seané would invite him to church and, of course, he tagged along.