Treasures of Hope. Resource for celebrating Lent to Pentecost Year A. Resource for teachers and leaders of Ministry with Children & Young People

Transcription

1 Treasures of Hope Resource for celebrating Lent to Pentecost Year A Resource for teachers and leaders of Ministry with Children & Young People

2 Children s Ministry Archdiocese of Brisbane 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this resource may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher. The purchaser of this resource may print one complete copy and show the PowerPoint presentations for local use only. NIHIL OBSTAT: IMPRIMATUR: The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a publication is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted ecclesiastical approval agree with the contents, or statements expressed. They do not necessarily signify that the work is approved as a basic text for catechetical instruction. Acknowledgments Author: Rina Wintour Editorial team: Carole Danby, Lorraine Wynne Secretarial assistance: Percy Pamo Lawrence Unless otherwise stated, quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Other Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission. ISBN Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 2

3 Introduction Treasures of Hope has been produced to assist all those who work with and minister to children and young people. It is a resource for use during the Lent and Easter seasons and contains suggestions and ideas for prayer, reflection, discussion and meditation as well as valuable background for leaders relating to the seasons Sunday Scriptures. What is in the resource for children, young people and adults? Background information focusing on the Sunday Scripture readings for Lent to Pentecost. The background information for adults and leaders is interwoven with the gospel text and is strongly supported by material referenced from a variety of authors like Fr Denis McBride C.Ss.R, Fr Frank Andersen msc, Dr Megan McKenna, Judy Cannato, and Bishop Tom Wright. Reflective process for exploring Scripture with children and young people Two different processes are included, one for use with children from 5-10 years of age and one for older children and young people aged years. The process involves children reflecting on the Scripture passages via I wonder statements. Watch and Wonder Narrated Bible Stories Children can listen to the Scripture passages whilst watching accompanying PowerPoint images. This method may appeal to the visual learners in your group and is a great resource for use in children s Liturgy of the Word celebrations. Prayer journal The same questions and statements used in the reflective processes (above) are available in separate Prayer Journals which children and young people can use to record their thoughts, prayers and reflections. Weekly Prayer suggestions These ideas are suitable for use with children and young people. Teachers and leaders would need to make choices according to the age and experience of the children with whom they are working. PowerPoint stories Each week a PowerPoint story of the gospel is available for children to view and discuss. Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 3

4 Prayer rituals Each week there is a simple prayer ritual for use with children and one for use with young people. These are based on the Sunday Scriptures. Music suggestions are also provided. Guided meditations Each week there are two guided meditations, one for use with children (5-10 years approx) and one for use with young people (11-15 years approx). Adult prayers and reflections Each week a suggested prayer or reflection is provided for use by teachers and leaders at staff meetings, parish meetings or for personal use. Leader Preparations It is recommended that teachers and leaders gather the following for use during the Lenten season: Purple candle Purple scarf or stole Bible Purple material Stones and tray of sand (week 1) Large stones or something to represent a mountain (week 2) Pens and/or pencils Red candle and material, wooden cross (Passion Sunday) White cloth, white candle, white scarf or stole (Holy Thursday) It is recommended that teachers and leaders gather the following for use during the Easter season: White or gold cloth White or gold candle White or gold scarf or stole Bible Bowl of water and a leafy twig for a sprinkling rite (Easter) Red candle and material (Pentecost) Creative techniques used in this resource Chorus stories These require adults or older children to be the readers whilst the whole group of children is the chorus. The responses for the chorus group can be written on large sheets of paper or presented as part of a PowerPoint presentation. Alternatively, one child could be assigned Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 4

5 the task of chorus leader and provided with a copy of the story. This child says the chorus part which the rest of the group repeats. Two voice reflection This is a simple technique involving two (older) children or young people reading the story in a flow on, conversational tone. Liquid pictures A liquid picture is a form of drama which allows a story to be presented in a flowing or liquid manner. The process follows this pattern: 1. The story is written in short simple statements (provided). 2. Choose a child to say a statement two or three times whilst doing a simple action then take up a frozen pose until the end of the story. 3. Have the children line up in front of, and facing, the rest of the group. 4. One by one the children say their line a couple of times, do a simple action, then freeze. 5. A simple statement to both introduce and conclude the liquid picture is provided. The leader or an older child could read these. Tableau or Curtains up, curtains down This is a very powerful way to present Scripture stories and involves a minimum of preparation. 1. The chosen story is divided into sections or scenes (provided). Required is a reader and children to form a frozen tableau of each scene suggestions are also provided. 2. The leader gives the rest of the group the command Curtains down, which is an invitation to close eyes. During this short time, the children forming the tableau take up their frozen positions. 3. Once in place the leader gives the command, Curtains up which means Eyes open. The group sees the frozen tableau and hears a part of the Scripture story being read or told. 4. To change to the next scene, the leader again gives the command Curtains down, (Eyes closed) allowing time for the children to take up a different frozen position. 5. Once in place the leader again gives the command, Curtains up (Eyes open) and so the story continues. Echo mime The story is presented (in this resource) in a table format comprising two columns. On the left side of the table is the story rewritten in simple sentences. For younger children, a simple word or phrase is all that is required. Beside each statement is a suggested action. A leader is chosen to say each statement and perform a simple action. The rest of the children copy or echo the leader. Several children could take the leader s role. Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 5

6 Reference material Andersen, Frank: Jesus: Our Story Harper Collins, Sydney, 1994 Byrne, Brendan: Byrne, Brendan: Cannato, Judy: Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew s Gospel in the church today St Pauls Publications Strathfield 2004 The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke s Gospel St Pauls Publications Strathfield 2000 Quantum Grace: Lenten Reflections on Creation and Connectedness Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana, 2005 Chittister, Joan: In the Heart of the Temple Bluebridge, New York, 2004 Chittister, Joan: The Liturgical Year Thomas Nelson, Nashville 2009 Chittister, Joan: McBride, Denis: McBride, Denis: Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Cambridge, UK 2003 Season of the Word: Reflections on the Sunday Readings Redemptorist Publications, England 2011 The Gospel of Luke: A Reflective Commentary Dominican Publications, Dublin 1991 McBride, Denis: Waiting on God Redemptorist Publications, England 2003 McKenna, Megan: McKenna, Megan: And Morning Came: Scriptures of the Resurrection Sheed & Ward, Maryland 2003 And Morning Came: Scriptures of the Resurrection Sheed & Ward, Maryland 2003 McKenna, Megan: Lent: Sunday Readings Dublin, Veritas Publications 2008 McKenna, Megan: Like a Hammer Shattering Rock: Hearing the Gospels today printed in the United States by Doubleway Religion, an imprint of the crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York 2013 McKenna, Megan: Matthew: The Book of Mercy New City Press, New York 2007 Reilly, John SJ: Praying John St Pauls Homebush, Sydney 1996 Reilly, John SJ: Praying Matthew St Pauls Homebush, Sydney 1995 Wright, Tom: Wright, Tom: John for Everyone Parts 1 and 2 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London 2002 Matthew for Everyone Parts 1 and 2 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London 2002 Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 6

7 Prayer resources Gathered for Giving Lent to Pentecost Resource Year A Resource for Leaders of Children s Ministry Youth & Children s Ministry, Faith & Life, Brisbane 2007 One Light Many Journeys Lent to Pentecost Year A Resource for Children aged 5-9 Youth & Children s Ministry, Faith & Life, Brisbane 2004 One Light Many Journeys Lent to Pentecost Year A Resource for Children aged Youth & Children s Ministry, Faith & Life, Brisbane 2004 Family Prayer Time: Lent to Easter Year A: Youth & Children s Ministry, Faith & Life, Brisbane 2007 Praying together: Bible stories, prayers and meditations Youth & Children s Ministry, Faith & Life, Brisbane 2008 Prayers in Common Use The Liturgical Commission Brisbane, 1997 Sanctuary: Where Heaven touches Earth Trisha Watts and Gabrielle Lord, Willow Publishing Pty Ltd, Brookvale, NSW Blessings and Prayers compiled by Geoffrey Duncan Twenty Third Publications, Mystic, CT 2005 Treasures of Hope: Introduction Children s Ministry, Archdiocese of Brisbane Page 7