Object: A small potted cactus. (An unusual pot will elicit more interest from the children.)

Lesson: Prayer; spirit.

As the children gather on the steps they see I am holding a small cactus planted in a pot shaped like a cat. "What did I bring with me this morning?" I ask them.

"A plant in a cat!" some of them respond.

"Yes, a cactus in a cat," I tell them. "What does this cactus need to live in this pot?"

"Sunshine!" says one little boy.

"Yes, it needs sunshine. What else does it need?"

"Water," replies a little girl.

"Yes, it needs water. And there is something else it needs." I start to tilt the pot to the side as I speak. "What are its roots in? What is holding it in the pot?"

"Dirt!" most of them say triumphantly.

"That's right, dirt. The cactus gets food from the dirt.

"We…