Summary of Today s Story

Lesson 29 Jesus Ascends into Heaven Summary of Today s Story For 40 days after his death, Jesus appears to his apostles and promises them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus is taken up to heaven while they watch. Key Concepts Ascension Jesus imprint Believing is seeing Where You ll Find Today s Story In the Bible We recommend the New Revised Standard Version Bible. Acts 1:1-11 In Our Sunday Lectionary Today s story is told in church on the following Sundays: Year A: Ascension Day and the Seventh Sunday of Easter Year B: Ascension Day Year C: Ascension Day

2 Lesson 29 Jesus Ascends into Heaven Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 Weaving Our Story with the Biblical Story There are times when God disappears to put us on our own. God wants persons, not puppets. And yet there is a sense in which Jesus did not go away at all. Jesus is God with us (Emmanuel), which means that the reality of God s presence is tied to the very existence of Jesus, not just to his acts or his miracles or his teachings. As he ascends into heaven, he brings us with him. Jesus had said to his disciples (and to us), I will be with you to the end of the age. Where he had once dwelt among them, he now dwelt within them. In some ways, he was more real than he was before. They could reach him wherever they were, in a deeper and more abiding relationship. And so it is with us. Jesus dwells within us. Though we have never seen or known Jesus in the flesh, as his disciples did, Jesus is as much with us now as he was with them at his ascension. When he ascends to heaven, he becomes available to all of us, at all times and in all places. His ascension signifies the total assurance and fulfillment of his promise to us. He has made our reconciliation with God happen; his work is complete, so he can now join his Father in heaven. The Episcopal Thread Ascension Day falls on a Thursday, 40 days after Jesus resurrection. This follows the biblical text, which says that Jesus walked on the earth as the risen Christ for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. Even though Ascension Day falls on a weekday, it is one of the seven Principal Feasts observed in the Church. Hymns sung in honor of this day are #214-222 in The Hymnal 1982 (New York, NY: Church Publishing, 1985) and are often sung on the Sunday between Ascension Day and Pentecost, so are very familiar: Hail the day that sees him rise (#214); See the Conqueror mounts in triumph (#215); Hail thee, festival day! (#216) Gathering Check-In Invite group members to sit comfortably, giving them an opportunity to visit with each other, establish friendships and build community. Relationships are an important dimension of Christian formation, so a few minutes of visiting will enrich their spiritual development. This is also the perfect time to check in with your group members by asking them to share how they are feeling at the time or what kind of a week they had. Jesus ascension into heaven is not the end of the story for us, but the beginning. Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will be with us.

3 Lesson 29 Jesus Ascends into Heaven Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 matches cross Prayer small table with cloth to cover it taper candle or one pillar candle After all group members have a few minutes of fellowship time, gather them together for a simple opening prayer. Ask one of the members to light the candle while saying these words from Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Explain that you are inviting the light of God to be with all of you. (You might consider posting this verse from Psalm 119 in the meeting room). Invite the member who lit the candle to read this prayer: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. From him, we learned to be confident that we would never be alone. We are not afraid, O God, because you are ever in our hearts. Amen. Telling the Story Set the scene: Before you begin the story, ask the group one leading question: Can you think of something you know exists even though you have never seen it? Today s story is a story full of awe. Keep this sense as you tell the story, either reading from a Bible or telling it in your own words. The concept of ascension may be one that raises questions even expressions of doubt from some members of your group. Allow them to express those feelings! This is the perfect time to talk about seeing and believing. At this time you do not need to explain or discuss the story. This is the time for the youth to hear the story. For now, simply let them absorb it in their minds and in their hearts. Later, use the discussion or arts time to help the group members draw appropriate and meaningful connections between the story and their own lives.

4 Lesson 29 Jesus Ascends into Heaven Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 Activities: Arts, Crafts, Games, Drama, etc. Select one or more activities to supplement and enhance today s story. For each lesson, there are five suggested activities, one from each of the REACT categories. For a detailed explanation of REACT, see page 10 of the Introduction. All activities are meant to reinforce the concepts that were central to the day s lesson. Activities for This Week s Session Additional activity ideas can be found on pages 2-6 in the Appendix where we ve provided suggestions and directions for a variety of general activities that can be adapted to any lesson. Also included are outreach and service projects that can be done at any time.

5 Lesson 29 Jesus Ascends into Heaven Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 Weaving Our Faith Lesson Box 1 3" x 5" index card for the day s scribe pen or pencil a file box in which to store the cards Ask for a volunteer or assign a group member to act as scribe. Then, ask the group to articulate the most important lesson gleaned from the day s reading. As a prompt, you might ask: How do you know God is with you? Do you ever have doubts? What do you do then? Once the group has agreed on its wording, ask the scribe to write the lesson on the card, date it and file it in the box. By the end of the year, you will have a wonderful and thorough summation of the lessons covered in the participant s own words. Closing Prayer Before the group leaves, say a closing prayer to send them into the church worship service or back to their homes with the knowledge of God s guidance and love. Feel free to make one up with the group (a prayer of thanks is always appropriate), or use the prayer/poem below: Because we believe, we see. We know what is right in our lives. We feel the good in other people. We value dear friends and loving families. We enjoy the beauty of nature. We revel in just being alive. We see God s gifts every day. And because we see, we believe. Amen. End the lesson with a dismissal that is used in church, such as: The peace of the Lord be always with you. The participants respond: And always with you.

A LASTING IMPRINT Just as Jesus left a lasting imprint on the hearts and minds of the disciples, so too have we all been influenced by special people in our lives. Group members remember people they ve known who have left lasting imprints on their lives and hearts. copies of A Lasting Imprint worksheet (p. 7), 1 per participant pens or pencils Preparation: Make copies of the A Lasting Imprint worksheet (p. 7) for all in the group. Directions: 1. Before you hand out the worksheet, talk briefly with the kids about people who have been special in their lives. 2. If possible, try to get them to name people who are no longer with them: (someone who has moved, a teacher who has transferred, a grandparent who has passed away, etc.) 3. Hand out the A Lasting Imprint worksheet and pens or pencils. 4. Allow about 10-15 minutes for group members to complete their worksheets. 5. Regather and ask the volunteers to share their stories. Do not force sharing. 6. Invite group members to bring to next week s session pictures of the people they wrote about, and to post the photos with the worksheets on a bulletin board in your meeting space. 6 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY

A LASTING IMPRINT Think about people who have left lasting imprints on your lives, your hearts. What sets them apart? Why do you remember them so well? How did they affect you? What did you do together? What did you learn from these people? Is there something special that always reminds you of them? Use that information to fill in this sheet. Don t worry if you cannot fill the entire sheet! Who is/was this person? What two words describe him/her? What do you remember most about him/her? What did you learn from him/her? What reminds you of him/her? Name Date 7 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY CONTINUED

SEEING IS BELIEVING; BELIEVING IS SEEING Group members watch a movie about faith, trust, unshakable belief and baseball! DVD player and monitor DVD of Field of Dreams (Los Angeles, CA: Gordon Production Company, 1989) snacks and drinks Directions: 1. Before you start the movie, tell the group of a famous quote from another wonderful movie about having faith, Miracle on 34th Street (Los Angeles, CA: 20 Century-Fox Corporation, 1947): Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. 2. Show the movie in its entirety. This will, of course, require starting early or going late. 3. When the movie is over, ask for feedback, especially about the question of faith and lack thereof. Some points to consider from the movie: What led Ray to start on this crazy idea? Why did he believe so firmly? At what point did Terence begin to believe? Why were Ray, his wife and daughter, and Terence the only ones who could see the field and players (at first)? When did Mark begin to see? What role does faith play in this movie? Note: The Copyright Act permits the display of excerpts from copyright-protected movies when used in the course of face-to-face teaching activities by a non-profit educational institution, and if made using a lawfully made copy of the movie. Although we believe that your use of these film clips in Weaving God s Promises for Youth will comply with those provisions of the Copyright Act, all copyright issues relating to use of such film clips are solely your responsibility and neither Morehouse Education Resources nor any of its distribution partners have any liability to you if your use is found not to comply. 8 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY

TALKING ABOUT FAITH, TRUST AND DOUBT Whom and what do you trust? What are you sure of? In this activity, group members talk about doubts and beliefs their own and others. long strip of butcher paper large marker a printout of the How Sure Are You? statements (p. 10), cut apart scissors optional: container tape Preparation: Print and cut apart the How Sure Are You? statements (p. 10). Place the strips in a container of some kind or fold them so the group members cannot read them ahead of time. Mix up the strips! Cut a long strip of butcher paper, approximately 1' x 5'. Create a Certainty Scale on the paper: Draw a straight line the length of the paper. Write the numbers 1-10 along the middle of the line, evenly spaced. By the number 1 write No faith or Trust. By the number 10 means write Absolutely Certain. By the numbers 5 and 6 write Could Go Either Way. Directions: 1. Before you start the experiment, ask the group: Whom and what do you trust? Of what are you certain? 2. Make it clear that, in life, there are degrees of certainty, just as there are degrees of good and bad, healthy and sick, dangerous and innocuous. 3. In this activity, each group member will randomly choose a slip of paper on which is written a statement about a person or event. 4. They will tape these slips on the Certainty Scale according to how strong their own trust is. Note: Others in the group may disagree with the placement of some slips; that simply shows how trust varies from one person to another, one situation to another. 9 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY

HOW SURE ARE YOU? The sun will rise tomorrow. Better days are ahead. You can do anything you set your mind to. Everyone feels down now and then. One day, the world will be at peace. God hears your prayers. Loved ones who have died are looking down on us. Some people should not have pets. God is with you always. Hip hop music is here to stay! Our country will be okay. A best friend would never lie to you. Where there is life, there is hope. You ll do fine in high school. Global warming is a big threat to the earth. Scientists will find life in other galaxies. God answers prayers. Animals have feelings. You will, one day, have a great job. You are good just the way you are. Texting beats talking face to face. You are self-confident. 10 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY CONTINUED

PRAY-PER AIRPLANES As a reminder of Jesus ascension into heaven, participants make a variety of paper airplanes, write a line of scripture or a short prayer on each, and send them soaring! With permission from the rector, they could be flown in church at the end of the service! 8½" x 11"paper, assorted colors scissors glue sticks pens and pencils Directions: 1. Most adolescents know how to make a basic paper airplane. However, there are scores of patterns from which to choose: big, small, sleek, complex, etc. For additional paper airplane patterns, check out the following websites: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr= yfp-t-701- s&va=best+paper+airplanes http://bestpaperairplanes.com http://www.ehow.com/how_839_make-paper-airplane 2. Invite each participant to choose a line from today s lesson about Jesus ascension and write it on his or her airplane or compose a short message about the lesson s main idea, for example: Do not be afraid. I am with you always. Have no fear, God is here! Greetings! Make disciples of all nations. Spread the Good Word! Let me tell you about Jesus! 11 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY

HAIL THEE, FESTIVAL DAY! Group members take part in a picnic commemorating Jesus ascension into heaven. picnic lunch for the group (feel free to involve parents, at least with the food) napkins, paper plates bubble-blowing materials (Yes, adolescents still love to blow bubbles!) kites balloons (filled with helium, 1 per member) optional: small pieces of paper; pens and pencils Preparation: Plan a picnic for your group, making sure that everyone has a lunch. This may mean arranging to have supplies brought in by some of the parents. Find out from your municipality if you are allowed to release balloons into the air (some towns and cities have banned this because it is a hazard to birds and to the environment). If it is allowed, either purchase the balloons already filled with helium or fill them at church with a rented tank. For directions on making giant bubbles, go to www.ehow.com/how_2366591_giant-soap-bubbles To buy Bubble Kits go to www.chinaberry.com/p/bubble-thing.cfm?tid=920060301 Directions: 1. Take the group outside to a spot where they will not disturb the service. 2. If they choose, they may write short messages or prayers on the slips of paper and tie them to the balloons before letting them go. 3. This activity is meant to be a relaxing yet joy-filled event to remind the group that the Easter season continues as does God s presence! 12 LESSON 29 JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN Weaving Our Faith, YEAR 1 ACTIVITY