There are so many exciting things in this Topz that I don’t know where to start! We look at our amazing bodies, and what God means when He talks about ‘His body’. Then there’s an introduction to Jesus’ team and the kind of people He picked to be part of it – people just like you and me, with all their faults and foibles!

Swimming along next is a very fishy tale involving a man called Jonah. I remember singing the ‘Jonah-man Jazz’ at a school concert, and that’s how I still remember the whole story of Jonah and Nineveh! Watch out – I can still sing most of the words J

December starts with the Gang rehearsing for their school nativity (yes, I did get to be Mary one year, inn-keeper, sheep and angels the other times), and later on starting their Christmas shopping. Also in December we find out what worship is all about, and we end with the greatest gift that God has given us: Himself, in the form of Jesus. In the build-up to Christmas this year I do hope and pray you will enjoy all the wonderful, fun things that happen at home, in church and in school – but that above all, you’ll enjoy the fact that God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to earth for us all. Knowing that makes it a Happy Christmas for sure!

‘‘The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father’s only Son’ (John 1 v 14).

P.S. The price of Topz has to go up to £2.85 from January 2012 ... still a bargain for all that’s in it!

Hello!!!IN THIS

TOPZ ...

BOdy TalkPage 3

JeSuS aNd HIS Team Page 14

a fISHy TalePage 23

TOPZ BITZ: ReadeRS’ OwN CluB PageS

Page 36

wHy wORSHIP?Page 46

aNSweRZ aNd TOPZ ORdeR fORm

Page 73

THe gIfTPage 58

TOPZ ON STagePage 40

gOd wITH uSPage 65

TopzNov-Dec2011.indd 1 23/6/11 14:16:02

the bible books How to use

1: Each day in Topz there’s a Bible reading. It’s shown like this:

2: To find this, turn to the Contents page near the front of your Bible and look for the name of the book – which in the example above is Genesis. Now find the page this book starts on and turn to it.

3: You will have to turn on a few pages now

to get to the right chapter.

4: Now look for the verse numbers which will be in smaller type. The chapter and verse will look like this: Chapter Verse

5: After reading the Bible passage, go back to the Topz page and see what it says. Each day ends with a prayer and sometimes an action point too. To solve the puzzles in Topz you will need a Good News Bible. If you don’t want to turn to the Contents page of your Bible all the time, you will see we’ve listed all the Bible books in order for you (see left). The ones you’ll be reading from in this Topz are highlighted with a star . Use this Topz Marker to keep your place in Topz. Cut it out and stick it to a piece of card to strengthen it.

It may be that some of you haven’t looked inside a Bible very much before. If so, here are a few helpful hints:

Genesis 25 v 2–5

OLD TESTAMENTGENESIS ExoDUSLEVITICUSNUMBErSDEUTEroNoMYJoSHUAJUDGESrUTH1 SAMUEL2 SAMUEL1 KINGS2 KINGS1 CHroNICLES2 CHroNICLESEzrANEHEMIAHESTHEr JoB PSALMSProVErBS ECCLESIASTESSoNG oF SoNGS ISAIAHJErEMIAHLAMENTATIoNSEzEKIELDANIELHoSEAJoELAMoSoBADIAH JoNAHMICAHNAHUMHABAKKUKzEPHANIAHHAGGAIzECHArIAHMALACHI

NEw TESTAMENT MATTHEW MArK LUKE JoHN ACTS roMANS 1 CorINTHIANS2 CorINTHIANSGALATIANS EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANSCoLoSSIANS1 THESSALoNIANS2 THESSALoNIANS1 TIMoTHY2 TIMoTHYTITUSPHILEMoN HEBrEWS JAMES 1 PETEr2 PETEr 1 JoHN2 JoHN 3 JoHNJUDE rEVELATIoN

TopzNov-Dec2011.indd 2 17/6/11 11:48:55

We can say things with our bodies as well as with words. What do you think Benny’s actions are ‘saying’ about his

history lesson? He can’t understand it and it’s boring? Well, just as we use our bodies to say things, when the Bible

talks about God’s ‘body’ it means something too ...

Z Z ZZZZZZ

Let’s take a

BOdy Talk

3

TopzNov-Dec2011.indd 3 17/6/11 11:48:56

l k out!

Josie! Go and pick that up! See me after school.

She’s got eyes in the back of her

head!

The teacher hasn’t really got eyes in the back of her head! But sometimes it seems like she has because she knows what’s going on behind her back.

out for people you can help today.

Thank you, lord, that you are watching

over me now. amen.

Crack the code:

Draw your eyes and colour them in:

No teacher can keep an eye on everybody

all of the time though! But today’s verses tell us about Someone who can.

4

TUESDAY1ST NOVemBeRJob 24 v 22–24

TopzNov-Dec2011.indd 4 17/6/11 11:49:01

Deaf people can’t hear voices, but we can ‘talk’ to them using our hands. Topz are learning some sign language, so that they can talk to deaf people.

Try out these signs ...

JELLY MONKEYICE CREAM

When does God hear us?

Today’s Bible reading tells of some poor people who cried out to God because they were treated badly by

some rich, greedy, selfish people. God heard their cries.

lord, thank you that you always

listen to me. amen.

Always listen carefully to other people.

Can you guess this one?

Clue: an animal.(Answer on page 73)

What did one ear say to the

other?

Between you and me, we

need a haircut.

oke

enny’sB JB J

5

ear! ear!WEDNESDAY2Nd NOVemBeRJames 5 v 1–6

TopzNov-Dec2011.indd 5 17/6/11 11:49:06