Leader:

Good morning! Raise your hand if you have ever put together a puzzle. (Most all the children will raise their hands.) Good, because I need your help. (Pull out the puzzle.) I brought a puzzle with me today, and I wonder if you’d help me put it together.

Children:

Sure!

Leader:

(Open lid and look inside, pull out a couple of pieces and look at them.) Oh, I see, they all fit in this box. (Put the pieces back in.) Well, that was easier than I thought; all the pieces are already together.

Children:

No, you have to put the pieces together.

Leader:

(Surprised) You mean they don’t just go in the box?

Children:

No, you put them together.

Leader:

(Take two pieces out again.) Okay, so you take two pieces and put them together (force the two pieces together so it is obvious they are not a match). Like this?

Children:

No, that piece doesn’t go with that one. They have to fit together.

​Leader:

(Looking at the pieces) You’re right; these two pieces don’t fit together. I guess we won’t need them (toss puzzle pieces over your shoulder and reach in the box for two more).

Children:

No, don’t throw them away. They go with the puzzle.

Leader:

(Retrieve the pieces.) Oh, okay. So we need every piece.

Children:

Find the pieces that fit together.

Leader:

Okay, so somehow all the pieces in this box fit together.

Children:

Yes. Now do you get it?

Leader:

(Find two pieces that fit together.) Like this?

Children:

Yeah. . . . Didn’t you know how to put a puzzle together?

Leader:

I like to put puzzles together! But today I wanted your help for a special reason. You see, we can learn something about church from putting together a puzzle. We are all like pieces of a puzzle (hold up a piece). Each one of us is unique and special. Some of us are big and others are small. Some are women and others are men. Some are young and others are old. We come from different neighborhoods. We may be different colors from different cultures or groups of people. But all of us are children of God, belonging to the church. And when we come to church, our main concern shouldn’t be how we fit in, but how we fit together. We all fit together in some unique and special way. When we do, we make up the body of Jesus Christ. Should I throw away any one piece (hold up a piece of the puzzle)?

Children:

No, you’ll need it!

Leader:

That’s right, each and every piece is one of us, and each and every piece is needed. Each one of us is important to the body of Christ, and each one of us ​is special, and we all fit together in a special way. Let’s pray. (Prayer)