Clowning Around!

‘Roll up!  Roll Up!  See the clowns learn about the Fruit of the Spirit!’  Brothers Gabrielle and Pierre Durand carry on the long family tradition of taking their circus throughout Europe, travelling by caravan to towns and villages, and delighting children of all ages.   There’s Maximilian the Strong Man and Madam Zelda the trapeze artist.  Helene the bare back horse rider,  Rollo the Rubber Man and Mick the Hot Dog vendor.  But everyone’s favourite performers are circus clowns Ko-ko, Fizz and Jingles.

Story 1:  Love and Joy

Maximilian the Strongman is a bully but when he drops a dumbbell on his foot the clowns choose to show their love by looking after him, using the joy of the Lord as their strength.

Visit: https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-1-Love-and-Joy.pdf

Story 2:  Peace

The Mayor is going to attend the evening’s performance under the big top.  The pressure is on and Ko-ko is desperate to add pizazz to their clown act finale. He and Jingles fight and Fizz learns to be a peace maker instead of a tale bearer.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-2-Peace.pdf

Story 3:  Patience

Ko-ko the clown boss is trying to teach Fizz how to ride a unicycle but he has no patience with the apprentice clowns attempts.  Now Fizz feels he is such a useless clown he must resign from the circus.  The Durand Brothers think of a way to turn the tables on Ko-ko so he learns the benefit of growing patience.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-3-Patience.pdf

Story 4:  Kindness

The Durand Brother’s Circus is parading into town to the sound of cheers and clapping.  No one wants to lose their place in the parade but the clowns see an old women beckoning to them.  She needs help!  Will the clowns give up their place of honour to help a stranger?

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-4-Kindness.pdf

Story 5:  Goodness

What a job.  All the sawdust in the circus rings has to be replaced.  The clowns are asked to help.  The other circus performers want them to take the easy way out or downright refuse to do the job.  Fizz gets called a goody-goody.  The clowns discover being good can be hard work.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-5-Goodness.pdf

Story 6:  Faithfulness

The Durand Circus is resting as the performers take a well-earned break.  But something is wrong.  There are rumours flying around faster than the trapeze act!  Ko-ko, Fizz and Jingles are faithful.  They don’t encourage the gossip and defend brothers Gabrielle and Pierre.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-6-Faithfulness.pdf

Story 7:  Gentleness

Ko-ko is having a tough time being gentle.  He steps on Jingle’s foot, trips over a tent peg and scares Helene’s horses.  He needs to learn the qualities of being kind and tender.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-7-Gentleness.pdf

Story 8:  Self-Control

Fizz the clown loves to eat.  A surprise birthday party for the Durand brothers means the performers are baking goodies.  Fizz helps himself to all kinds of teatime delights on his quest to taste test the Birthday Cake until his tummy tells him he is in serious need of some self-control.

Visit:  https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Story-8-Self-Control.pdf

Crafts and Activities:

• Make popcorn
• Use sheets to construct a circus tent in the lounge room and put on a show
• Use one of the stories as a play and act it out
• Hula hoop fun
• Make a fruit salad
• Try balancing (make an obstacle course in the backyard)
• Be a motorcycle stunt person using your bike
• Make juggling balls and learn to juggle
• Make a clown tie or hat
• Dress up as a clown and design your own makeup
• Learn and perform a Fruit of the Spirit song (You Tube)
• Bake and decorate clown cupcakes
• Try your hand at balloon animals
• How about hot dogs for lunch?
• Create a flag to wave or make some circus bunting for your room
• Fruit smoothies, anyone?

The nine Fruit of the Spirit are in eight lessons because Love and Joy are combined in Story 1.  When I wrote the series, many years ago, it was customary for Children’s Church programs to coincide with Australian school terms of nine weeks.  That meant eight lessons plus one Fun Day and then holidays for everyone.  How times have changed.  I don’t know of anyone who sticks to the same theme for eight weeks anymore and many Kid’s Ministries no longer stop for school holidays.   But however you choose to share ‘Clowning Around’ I pray your kids will have an energetic, fun and fruitful time learning about and growing the Fruit of the Spirit.

God bless you,

Deborah Wassenberg