A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Transcription

1 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God EIN FESTE BURG Designed for children in grades 1-6, contents include: Teaching Steps Hymn Score Author and Composer Information Hymn Activities Harmony Map Dramatic Reading Growing in Grace, a division of Celebrating Grace, Inc. (877) Peake Road, Building 800 Macon, GA Hymn Discovery Series

2 Luther s hymn, written in 1529, has been translated into nearly every language. The first line of the hymn is inscribed on the tomb of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. These powerful words continue to encourage us today. The hymn was sung at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1969 and was included in the National Service of Prayer and Remembrance, held shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks against America. KIDPages Use these pages: With children who arrive early In a small learning group As a take-home page. If a page is sent home, suggest that parents and children work on the puzzle together. True/False Hymn Quiz Have children read Martin Luther: The Great Reformer to learn about Martin Luther and to prepare for the true/false quiz sheet. Katharina Luther, The Morning Star of Whittenberg After children read the story, have them follow the directions to fill in the blanks. Match the Meaning Use this page to help children learn the definitions of some words in the hymn. Harmony Chart Perform this chart with Boomwhackers or bells. These instruments may play alone or with piano accompaniment. Reproduce this chart for each player or enlarge it and display. God Is Our Refuge A Dramatic Reading Enlist and rehearse two readers to present this dramatic introduction. True/False Hymn Quiz Answers: K A T H A R I N A S A L V A T I O N Katharina Luther, the Morning Star of Bethlehem Answers: S W M C U L T I V A T E F A I T H N F R R E R I I N S A U N I V E R S I T Y G A R D E N E Unscrambled word: M I N I S T R Y Match the Meaning Answers: mighty - strong fortress - protective building bulwark - protective wall amid - in the middle mortal - human body that dies ills - sickness/problems prevailing - winning over us ancient - very old foe - enemy doth - does seek - try woe - bad things craft - skills and abilities armed - having weapons

3 418 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God 1. A might y for tress is our God, a bul wark nev er fail ing; 2. Did we in our own strength con fide, our striv ing would be los ing, 3. And though this world, with dev ils filled, should threat en to un do us, 4. That word a bove all earth ly powers, no thanks to them, a bid eth; our help er He, a mid the flood of mor tal ills pre vail ing. were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God s own choos ing. we will not fear, for God has willed His truth to tri umph through us. the Spir it and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sid eth. For still our an cient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are Dost ask who that may be? Christ Je sus, it is He; Lord Sab ba oth, His The Prince of Dark ness grim, we trem ble not for him; his rage we can en Let goods and kin dred go, this mor tal life al so; the bod y they may great, and, armed with cru el hate, on earth is not his e qual. name, from age to age the same, and He must win the bat tle. dure, for lo, his doom is sure; one lit tle word shall fell him. kill: God s truth a bid eth still, His king dom is for ev er. WORDS: Martin Luther, ca. 1529; tr. Frederick H. Hedge, 1853 (Ps. 46) EIN FESTE BURG MUSIC: Martin Luther, ca WO MU 20 Hymnal.indd

4 Martin Luther: The Great Reformer Martin Luther ( ) was a Christian leader who helped bring important changes to the Christian church. At a time when only church leaders had the scriptures, Luther rewrote the Bible into words that common people could read and understand. In a day when worshippers mostly watched church leaders conduct rituals, Luther composed new hymns so that everyone was inspired to sing and participate in worship. In Luther s day, when church leaders did not get married, he married a former nun. Their home created a wonderful model for all ministers families which followed. When Luther was young, people were taught that only good works would please God. Luther tried and tried to make himself good enough for God. As he studied the Bible, Luther learned that salvation is a gift of God s grace. Luther began to share and teach this good news. He nailed an important paper, called the 95 Theses, to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. This paper asked the Roman Catholic church to reform and make needed changes. The paper made church leaders angry. They resisted Luther s ideas, and demanded that he change his teachings. Luther refused to withdraw his message of grace. He stood before his accusers and said, Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen. So the church leaders declared Martin Luther an outlaw, and Luther went into hiding. Eventually, Luther came out of hiding. He married, established a home and ministry, and continued to write and help make changes in the church. Luther saw his ministry as a battle of good against evil. God is good, and He offers grace through Jesus Christ. The devil is evil, and fights against this message of God s grace. In his hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Luther uses strong words about the fight between God and the devil. Luther reminds us that God will win the battle!

5 True/False Hymn Quiz Circle the correct letter in the True or False column, then fill that letter in the matching numbered blank at the bottom of the page. You will learn the name of Martin Luther s wife. Unscramble the remaining letters to discover God s free gift. True False K A N H T R L N A A 1. Luther brought change and reform to the church. V 2. Luther rewrote the Bible into words that common people could read and understand. T 3. Only church leaders were allowed to sing Luther s hymns. A 4. Luther s wife was a former nun. A I I O S 5. Luther always taught that only good works could bring salvation. 6. Luther nailed 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg. 7. When church leaders demanded it, Luther changed all his teachings. 8. Church leaders declared that Luther was a outlaw. 9. Luther taught that good would win over evil

6 The Morning Star of Wittenberg e C op y Katharina Luther ( ) became a nun in After studying the teachings of Martin Luther, Katharina and other nuns became unhappy with some teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. They decided that they did not want be nuns any longer. They fled their home in the convent and escaped to Wittenberg, where Martin Luther lived. Martin Luther helped the former nuns find homes, work, or husbands. Katharina became a teacher and studied at the university, but she could not find a husband. Finally, Martin Luther himself proposed and married Katharina. Their marriage soon matured into a deep relationship of mutual love and respect. Martin Luther called his beloved wife the morning star of Wittenberg because she went to work before sunrise to cook meals, tend the garden, keep an orchard, cultivate fields, raise farm animals, treat the sick, manage the finances, teach children, and read her Bible. Martin and Katharina became true partners in marriage and ministry. Katharina s faith stayed strong to the end of her life. Her last words show the strong faith of a wife and mother: I shall cling to Christ as a burr clings to a coat. Sa m pl Find the eight highlighted words in the story. Each of the eight words has a different number of letters. Count the number of letters in each highlighted word, and write the word in its matching space in the puzzle. Unscramble the letters in the gold stars to discover one way Katharina was a partner with Martin.

7 Match the Meaning The shield is a symbol of God s protection. The cross is a Christian symbol that reminds us that Christ died for our sins. Through Christ, God offers us the free gift of salvation. The cross has taken many forms through the years, as seen on the shields. does

8 Pitches needed: Harmony Map

9 God Is Our Refuge op y A Dramatic Reading God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) Reader 2: Martin Luther s hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, written nearly five hundred years ago, still encourages us today. Reader 1: When trouble or evil comes, we can find refuge in the mighty fortress of our God. Reader 2: This hymn reminds us that we have an ancient foe -- the devil, who constantly strives to pull us down. He is a crafty, powerful enemy. e pl But he is also a doomed enemy. God s kingdom is forever, and Christ Jesus will win the battle. m Reader 1: C Reader 1: When we are threatened by fear or pain, or when we don t know what to do, we remember that God is our refuge and strength. Reader 1: Instead of fighting the battle on our own, we turn to God, our refuge. Reader 2: When we place our struggles in the hands of God, we know that He will win the battle. Sa Reader 2: Reader 1 and 2: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.