God’s Green Acres
All twelve months

Unit 01 · January

Winter’s Hidden Life & New Beginnings

Seeds of Faith

Scripture & Jesus with us

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

— Isaiah 43:19

Jesus invites us to look for the new thing God is already starting, even when everything looks asleep.

“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

— John 12:24

Jesus uses a seed to explain His own death and resurrection — and ours. New life often begins hidden.

“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

Jesus makes us new from the inside out. We get to watch it happen in creation and in our own hearts.

Three-class breakdown

Class 1 — Wonder & Observation

Discovery trays with dormant seeds, pinecones, evergreen branches, and a jar of soil. Families examine with magnifying glasses. “I wonder what is happening inside this seed right now?” Short window or outdoor walk for hidden life — buds, roots, tracks.

Class 2 — Scripture & Teaching

Read the seed verses together. Tell the story of a seed that looks dead but is waiting. Object lesson: soak or crack a seed to show the tiny life inside. Jesus is the One who points out the new thing already springing up.

Class 3 — Creation Response

Families plant Hidden Seed Jars. Journal: “What new thing might God be starting in our family this year?” Bless each jar and each family. Send with clear care instructions.

Signature take-home

Hidden Seed Jar — Watch Winter Roots Grow

  1. Use a clear wide-mouth jar.
  2. Line with damp paper towels or a little soil.
  3. Add 4–6 large seeds (beans, peas, or corn) pressed against the glass.
  4. Keep in a warm spot. Water gently every few days.
  5. Draw or photograph changes each week.

Parent tips

Sit together once a week. Ask: “What do you think is happening that we can’t see yet?” Read Isaiah 43:19 over the jar. Celebrate tiny roots as God’s faithfulness.

Journal: Weekly page: date, drawing of what is visible, one-sentence prayer or “I wonder…” note.