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Year 2: Weaving TOgeTHer THe FamilY OF gOd

BaCKgrOUnd FOr TeaCHerS

A Curriculum for Children in the Episcopal Church

JOanna leiSerSOn

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Edited by Andrea Lee, Sue MacStravic, Jeanne Fyfe, Tess J. FordIllustrations by Paula Becker

© 2011 by Joanna Leiserson.All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America.

Weaving God’s Promises is copyrighted material. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The scripture quotations used herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Weaving God’s Promises: An Introduction to the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Our Focus This Year: Weaving Together the Family of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sharing the Gospel with Our Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

How to Plan Your Curriculum around Your Church Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Walking through a Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Talking about Baptism: A Pastoral Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

The First Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Ta B l e O F CO n T e n T S

* Contains several stories; may be divided into more than one lesson© 2011 By Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved.

Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

SeCOnd Year OvervieW: Weaving TOgeTHer THe FamilY OF gOdSupplemental materialsFound Online under Year 2

Background for Teachers (this document) Our New Testament Focus: John

Found Online under Materials for All YearsEarly Pentecost: Overview of the Church Season and LessonsLate Pentecost: Overview of the Church Season and Lessons Advent: Overview of the Church Season and LessonsEpiphany and Lent: Overview of the Church Season and Lessons Easter: Overview of the Church Season and Lessons

late PentecostLessons from the Liturgical Calendar (found online under Materials for All Years)

The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the Blessing of Animals (October 4) All Saints’ Day (November 1)Christ the King (Sunday before Advent)

Lessons from the Bible: Old Testament 1. *Abraham and Sarah Receive God’s Promise 2. *Isaac Is Born, and God Tests Abraham 3. *Jacob and Esau 4. *Jacob Meets Angels 5. *Joseph’s Story 6. Joseph: Ruler in Egypt 7. Moses: Agent of Deliverance 8. Gideon 9. *Samson 10. Ruth and Naomi 11. *Stories of David 12. *Jeremiah 13. *Amos and Micah 14. *Daniel 15. Jonah

* Contains more than one story; may be divided into more than one lesson© 2011 By Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved.

Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

advent and ChristmasLessons from the Liturgical Calendar (found online under Materials for All Years)

Advent (Four Sundays Before Christmas)

Lessons from the Bible 16. *Waiting for the Coming 17. Zechariah and Elizabeth, Parents of John the Baptist 18. John the Baptist 19. Jesus Is Born

epiphany and lent to easterLessons from the Liturgical Calendar (found online under Materials for All Years)

The Season of Epiphany The Season of Lent

Lessons from the Gospel of John 20. The First People in Jesus’ Ministry 21. *Jesus Shows His Power in Cana and at the Temple 22. Nicodemus Pays a Secret Visit 23. The Woman at the Well Spreads the Word 24. *Jesus Heals the Sick 25. *People See Signs and Miracles 26. *Who Does Jesus Say He Is? 27. The Judeans Turn against Jesus 28. The Man Born Blind 29. Jesus Brings His Friend Lazarus Back to Life 30. Jesus’ Ministry Draws to a Close; Mary Prepares Him for Burial 31. Jesus’ Hour Has Come; He Prepares His Disciples at the Last Supper 32. *Jesus’ Arrest, Trial and Death 33. Jesus Is Alive!

easter and BeyondLessons from the Liturgical Calendar (found online under Materials for All Years)

Ascension Day (Thursday between the Sixth and Seventh Sundays of Easter)The Day of Pentecost (Sunday following the Seventh Sunday of Easter)

Lessons from the New Testament 34. The Risen Jesus Comes to Dinner 35. Jesus Helps Catch Fish 36. *The Story of Peter: From Fisherman to Saint

© 2011 By Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

* Contains more than one story; may be divided into more than one lesson

37. Stephen, the First Christan Martyr

Easter People: A Sampling of God’s People in the Church 38. *Bridgid and Patrick of Ireland 39. *Three Early Bishops: Nicholas, Martin and Ambrose 40. *Francis of Assisi, Clare and Her Little Sister Agnes 41. *Five Medieval Women 42. William Tyndale, Translator of the Bible into English 43. Thomas Cranmer and Friends, and the Book of Common Prayer 44. Constance and Friends: Martyrs of Memphis 45. John Newton and “Amazing Grace” 46. What a Name! What a Life! Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky 47. *Women Who Struggled for Freedom 48. *Men Who Struggled for Justice


* Contains more than one story; may be divided into more than one lesson

Weaving God’s Promises is a Christian education program for children from age 3 (preschool) up to ages 11-12 (5th-6th grades). The curriculum is titled Weaving God’s Promises after our process of faith formation in which we learn how God’s promises of salvation are inextricably woven into our lives.

The goal is to teach children the way of Christ, not only in the church but also in the world, and to give them a solid preparation for entry into the youth program, which in turn will prepare them for Christian adulthood.

Through this church school curriculum, we hope to foster the spiritual formation and growth of our children in Christ’s love and mercy, to teach the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, and to send our children out into the world as Christ’s ambassadors.

guiding Scriptures...be encouraged and woven together in love.

—Colossians 2:2 (NRSV)

Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

—John 14:23

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

—1 Peter 2:9-10

The ThemesThe curriculum follows a three-year cycle, covering the following basic themes.

First Year: Weaving Our FaithThe lessons of the first year cover the story of our salvation, our story from the Fall of humankind to our redemption by Jesus Christ, and how we, as individuals fit into this story. The theme is God’s love for us and how God stays with us, no matter what, to bring us back to God’s divine love. The New Testament lessons focus on the Gospel of Matthew, with its emphasis on the Kingdom of God. Later lessons focus on our Anglican tradition and faith.

a n i n T r O d U C T i O n TO T H e C U r r i C U l U m


8 | BaCKgrOUnd FOr TeaCHerS | Weaving TOgeTHer THe FamilY OF gOd, Year 2 9 | BaCKgrOUnd FOr TeaCHerS | Weaving TOgeTHer THe FamilY OF gOd, Year 2


Second Year: Weaving Together the Family of godThe lessons of the second year cover the story of how we become God’s people and part of the household of God, the Communion of Saints. The theme is Once we were no people, but now we are God’s people. The New Testament lessons focus on the Gospel of John, with its stories of the encounters of individuals with Jesus and their transformation in the light of his love. Later lessons focus on the “Easter people,” the saints in the Church up to the present time.

Third Year: Weaving god’s Beloved CommunityThe lessons of the third year cover the story of how we are called by God to live in loving community with one another, to fulfill God’s promises for us in the healing of all creation. The New Testament lessons focus on the Gospel of Luke, with its emphasis on our holy calling to care for others. The children will learn what constitutes God’s beloved community, including the gospel values of welcome, inclusion, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, justice and liberation.

The Building BlocksWeaving God’s Promises is a comprehensive program designed to provide children with basic knowledge of Church teachings in Christian education, worship and service, the three elements essential to the practice of our faith. Like a three-legged stool, each is dependent on the other in order for the faith to stand firmly.

In order to help build this foundation of faith, the following areas will be covered during the course of the program.

Holy ScriptureThe great stories of the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament, are the core of the lessons, with special emphasis placed on the life and teachings of Jesus. Basic Bible knowledge will be encouraged, including some memorization for older children.

The ChurchChildren will more fully appreciate worship in the church as they learn about the church and its practices. The curriculum includes information about: ■ church history ■ the seasons of the Church year ■ church practices ■ the use of the Book of Common Prayer ■ our Anglican and Episcopal tradition ■ the principal sacraments of our church, Holy

Baptism and Holy Eucharist

Christian livingThe application of Christian principles to our lives is essential to a living, growing faith. Reaching out in service to others is a natural outgrowth of a meaningful relationship with Christ. These principles and practices of Christian living are taught in this program through: ■ prayer ■ outreach and service ■ Christian ethics ■ contemporary issues

The Structure modeled after the Family of godClasses are structured to encourage bonds of fellowship within the church, to help participants hear and share stories of faith and to support the practice of acting worshipfully while gathered in our class groups as part of the family of God.




modeled after the eucharistic liturgyClass sessions follow the model of Holy Eucharist in their order of activity, as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer: ■ gathering together ■ telling the sacred story (Liturgy of the Word) ■ prayer (Prayers of the People) ■ sharing (Holy Communion) ■ the dismissal or sending forth (“Go in peace to

love and serve the Lord.”)

O U r FO C U S T H i S Y e a r:

W e av i n g TO g e T H e r T H e Fa m i lY O F g O d

The People of godOne of the themes of Weaving God’s Promises is, “Once we were no people, but now we are God’s people.”

This year, children and leaders together will explore what that means. Who are we? What is our identity as God’s people?

God called us to be God’s people out of love for us. In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, we read, “It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you. . . It was because the LORD loved you.” The Bible also says that we have been set apart as God’s holy people for service to God. How then do we respond to God’s love, to the love offered to us who have been chosen as the holy people of God?

There are many ways to name who we are as bearers of the faith: the people of God, the family of God, the household of God, the Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints, the Easter people. All of these terms mean that we come together as a community bound to the Lord in love, faith and obedience.

The Bible is the story of how God called us to be God’s own and how God stayed with us no matter what, in spite of our faithlessness, rebellion, hard-heartedness, laziness and indifference. And finally, God sent Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, to show us the Kingdom of God and to reconcile us to God’s self.

Stories of god’s FamilyThis year lessons focus on The Story, as well as the stories, of God’s people. The thread running through our stories addresses these questions: ■ How are we the family of God? ■ What makes us God’s people? ■ And what does that mean for us?

The story begins with God’s call to Abraham and Sarah to leave their land and family and travel to Canaan. God promises to Abraham and Sarah descendants “as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore”—us.

Old TestamentLearners will follow God’s people through Israel’s history, beginning with Abraham and Sarah and including several Old Testament prophets, asking, How do they behave as God’s people? How do they live their lives? What is their relationship to God and to the world around them? We see in Jacob, Joseph, David and others that they were certainly not perfect. But in them, as in others, we see the qualities that make them saints—faithfulness and faith, obedience and devotion to God, and concern for justice and for the poor and the oppressed.



new TestamentIn the New Testament lessons, learners follow the Gospel of John from Epiphany to Easter, with its stories of Jesus and his encounters with individuals and of their transformation in the light of his love and power. Here we see God made flesh, the divine with us on earth to bring us back to the divine. In John’s Gospel, we see how different people respond to the coming of the Word made flesh. We see the forming of the family of God through Christ. In John, Jesus’ disciples come together at the Last Supper no longer as servants but now as friends, and they learn finally what it means to “abide in Christ.”

For more about the Gospel stories in Year 2, see The Gospel of John: Our New Testament Focus (also found on the website under Year 2 Supplemental Materials).

Our anglican TraditionAfter Easter, the lessons focus on God’s people in the church, “Easter people.” Learners explore the stories of a sampling of saints who followed God’s call up to the present time. Most of these special people are honored in our church calendar (see the Prayer Book calendar, pp. 19-30) with designated days with special prayers and Bible readings, which you can find in the book Lesser Feasts and Fasts. This book is updated regularly as new saints are added and others are removed.

We too are part of the Body of Christ; so Weaving Together the Family of God will also help children explore how they fit into the Body of Christ and the Church. How do they as Easter people follow their own call to serve God?

S H a r i n g T H e g O S P e l W i T H

O U r C H i l d r e nClass StructureWe have modeled the class sessions after the Holy Eucharist, as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. This class structure makes a lot of sense because it focuses on (1) telling the story and (2) worship. Each session presents an integrated lesson in which telling God’s story and worshiping God become one. Classes also follow the general order of worship in the church and so make liturgical sense.

Following are the main parts of a typical class.

gatheringIn church, we usually prepare ourselves for worship by kneeling in prayer, listening quietly to the music preludes

and looking over the worship service leaflets. In church school, we can help the children prepare for the lesson by having quiet music playing as they arrive and providing simple story-related activities to help get them focused on the lesson to come.

As an option for older children we suggest offering a short time of fellowship, allowing them to connect with each other and build relationships, which is an important part of being in “the household of God.”

A short opening prayer ends the gathering time and signals to the children that it is time to begin the lesson.

The episcopal ThreadTeachers and older children can explore the connections between the lessons and our Anglican faith. We invite you to look at the Book of Common Prayer

for echoes of biblical themes that are covered in




the lessons, in our prayers, our Baptismal Covenant and our liturgical rites—especially the rites of Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist. We also invite you to look at familiar hymns, which also reflect the ideas and themes of our stories. And, finally, we invite you to look at our whole Anglican tradition, and especially what the Anglican tradition is all about within the context of Christian life and formation.

Telling the Story The story is the heart of the lesson. We are telling our children the story of God in history and in the lives of God’s people—us. We urge you not

to ask the children to read the story from the Bible because they tend to read without meaning. Telling the story—especially when enhanced with story aids such as pictures, puppets, flannel boards, etc.—allows the children not only to absorb the story, but also to feel its power. In the numbered lessons of Year 1, you will find scripted stories that you can use in place of reading from the Bible or telling the story in your own words. These stories always follow the lesson introduction and precede the section of activities.

PrayerHere, in worship to God, we acknowledge the story and we give thanks for God’s presence with us. Worship time begins with a

reading of a few verses from the lesson’s scripture. This helps the children make the connection between the story they just heard and the Bible.

We recommend the reading be done the way it is done in church, beginning with “A Reading from the book of (name of book)” and concluding with “The word of the Lord.” This is a way for the children to learn how we customarily read the scripture during our church worship service.

Following the reading, children are invited to join in prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession, familiarizing the children with another part of our church liturgy (The Prayers of the People).

SharingFollowing Prayer, we allow a time for fellowship and sharing a snack. This act has links to

our great sacramental feast, the Holy Eucharist. This time of sharing food and eating together is a natural time for community, and so the phrase “breaking bread together” has both religious and social significance. To encourage a spirit of thanksgiving and supplication to God for the nourishment that God gives us, we suggest saying a simple grace to begin the sharing time.

Sharing time, when everyone is relaxed, is also a good time to initiate a conversation about the story that has just been told. This is an opportunity to invite the children to share their reactions to the story and begin to explore its message.

activities: art, Crafts, games, drama, etc.To supplement and enhance the lesson’s story, the children are

invited to participate in a variety of story-related activities. Outreach and service projects are also encouraged at this time.

Closing PrayerThe class concludes with a closing prayer, which sends the children into the church worship service or

back to their homes with God’s love and blessing.

We encourage you to follow the closing prayer with a dismissal that is used in church, such as: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” The children respond: “Thanks be to God!” In this way, children become accustomed to another of our church worship practices.



Threads At the end of each of the numbered

lessons of Year 1 you will find a two-page take-home paper for families called Threads. Threads provides parents with a briefer version of the information on scripture and Episcopal faith found in the introductions to the lessons, as well as multiple suggestions for household activities and prayer. Parents can use Threads to continue each child’s classroom experience at home throughout the week. We suggest duplicating and distributing these two pages to children and/or their parents at the end of each lesson.

Telling the StoryIn her book Offering the Gospel to Children, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard says of our traditional way of doing Bible lessons for children:

We carve up the Bible into “Bible Stories,” so that few children even suspect that the story of God’s people—our story—is not a collection of object lessons or heartwarming anecdotes, but a long story of unbearable loss—and unbearable hope.

...the power of the Gospel is not, primarily, that it gives us the tools for an intellectual understanding of our relationship with God. Its power is imaginative, and speaks to our inmost feelings in ways that even as adults we can hardly describe... It deserves to be told—our children deserve to experience it—over and over again, directly as gospels and liturgy, and also as it is mirrored in fairy tale, myth, and other works of art.2

The stories of the Bible—as summarized in the readings of the Great Vigil of Easter—can be described in one sentence:

Once we were no people; but now we are God’s people.3

The story of our becoming God’s people needs to be taken as a whole, though we traditionally learn it in bits and pieces. But the whole story is one that begins in a garden and moves through a long drama of alienation in our world and in our lives now. The climax of that story is that God, in God’s immeasurable love, has chosen not to leave us in exile but to be with us, though at great cost—the cost of God’s own life.4

How can we teach the children about this story—the story of our fall and exile and then our redemption by God? By telling the story—without trying to shield the children from the hard parts or reducing the story to a content lesson.

Children will see the complexities in the story of God, even if they cannot yet articulate them. So we don’t really need to tell them how a story connects to our everyday lives. Often they already know that! What we want them to hear is how the Bible story is part of our story, the story of how we have become God’s people. So for us, the story of Cain and Abel is not just about how one should not murder his younger brother! That story—as is each small gem of scriptural story—is a part of the larger story of God working for us and for our salvation. Even as adults we do not understand it very well intellectually. But the power of the story works in our hearts and in our children’s hearts even if we just tell the story and let the children hear it, then allow them to reexperience the story through art and drama.

Telling the story of God is more helpful than having the children read the story straight from the Bible. For centuries, storytelling has been the main way of transmitting the faith and passing on the tradition of the church. Storytelling has deep roots. Remember the stories of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Lost Sheep? Jesus’ stories!

When we tell stories or read to our children, they can relax and listen. They are not under pressure to




read well, or to know all the words, or to perform in the ways that are part of the secular school’s learning-to-read program. In church school, our emphasis is not on how to read or even on how to read from the Bible. Our focus for children is on hearing and inwardly digesting the story.

That is why we tell the stories over and over, why children in the fourth year of this three-year cycle will hear the same story that they heard four years ago. Children of different ages will hear the same story and elicit different meanings from it as they mature and grow in faith. As they grow older, they will remember these stories and begin to see and understand how the stories fit into their own lives. Such a familiarity with the scripture and with the messages that the scripture provides will give them confidence and comfort as they face challenges throughout their lives.

The Bible is a love story! We want our children not only to know the scripture but to encounter God in the scripture. And we want them to love the scripture and to love the God who is revealed in the scripture because once we were no people, but now we are God’s people.

1. Jerome Berryman, in Godly Play (Minneaplis, MN: Augsburg, 1995) calls this time “The Feast,” and it is done solemnly and with great ceremony to bring out its sacramental qualities.

2. Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, Offering the Gospel to Children (Lanham, MD: Cowley, 1992), pp. 13-14.

3. 1 Peter 2:10, paraphrased by Carolyn Chilton, Diocese of Virginia.

4. Pritchard, Offering the Gospel to Children

H O W TO P l a n T H i S

C U r r i C U l U m a r O U n d

Y O U r C H U r C H S C H e d U l e

How the Curriculum is OrganizedWeaving God’s Promises is intended to be used in church school classes to complement the observance of the Church year, in particular, the church seasons and the special holidays and feast days that we celebrate as Christians.

Most of the lessons are stories from the Bible—from the Old Testament until Advent and Christmas, from the New Testament until the end of the year. This format helps children begin to gain a familiarity with the Holy Scripture, which is the source of much of our knowledge about God. However, we also weave special themes into this basic biblical structure, which you may wish to incorporate into your teaching schedule. These are found on the website under the section titled Materials for All Years. ■ Church seasons: Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter,

etc. are included and intended to be taught on the first Sunday of each season.

■ Special holidays and feast days: You may add to or replace one of the Old Testament lessons with one of these lessons on the appropriate date.



Planning Your lesson ScheduleThere are more lessons in each year of Weaving God’s Promises than you will probably be able to use in a single church school year. You will need to make some choices. Most of the lessons are arranged in order of the stories in the Bible, in conjunction with the church seasons. For example, we begin the season of Advent with appropriate Advent lessons. We assume that you will want to include these lessons, along with other lessons from the liturgical calendar.

Here’s how you can plan your church school schedule to fit your needs: ■ Find or create a calendar that lists special church

dates. You will need to know not only such dates as Easter and Ash Wednesday, but also the dates of Christ the King Sunday and other days of celebration that your church may observe.

■ Fill in your church’s basic church school schedule for the year. Indicate the first and last days of church school. Take note of the Sundays on which the church school does not meet and block those out.

■ We recommend using the suggestions for The First Day, found on page 19, as your lesson—or at least part of your lesson—for the first day of church school. Pencil this in your schedule.

■ If you want to teach lessons from the liturgical calendar celebrating events that follow the Church year, such as All Saints’ Sunday or Advent, fill these in your schedule.

■ Find the Bible lessons (the numbered lessons) that you want to teach for this year. You may pick and choose, but these lessons should be kept in order, as they are in historical sequence and will not make much sense if taken out of order. Here are a few things to consider as you make your choices:

— Some lessons are more difficult than others. If you’ll be working with younger children, you may wish to skip the more difficult lessons such as Lesson 2 (Isaac is Born and God Tests Abraham), and Lesson 37 (Stephen, the First Christian Martyr).

— Some lessons are long (such as the story of Abraham and Sarah) and may be difficult to fit into one class session. You may want to spend more than one week on these lessons. Lessons containing several stories are marked with an asterisk (*) in the table of contents and noted at the beginning of the lesson.

— Some lessons are shorter or can be easily abbreviated. You may want to combine them into one lesson.

■ Once you have penciled in your schedule, record the dates on the first page of the lessons that you plan to use.




Wa l K i n g T H r O U g H a

l e S S O n Where You’ll Find Today’s Storyin the BibleHere we’ve listed where in the Bible you will find the stories. We recommend using the New Revised Standard Version.

in Children’s BiblesIf you plan to use a children’s Bible for storytelling, you’ll need to choose a Bible and locate the story. Here we’ve provided space for you to write in the page numbers of the story in the Bible that you choose.

in Our Sunday lectionaryThis section tells when the story or scripture passages are read in our Sunday worship service as part of the Old Testament, epistle or gospel reading. The lectionary refers to the Episcopal version of the Revised Common Lectionary.

Some stories may be told more than once a year, and some stories may be told only in part. This will be true especially of the longer stories, such as the Exodus story.

Year A, B or C refer to our lectionary year, which begins on the first Sunday in Advent. (Year A begins in Advent 2013, then again in 2016.)

When we refer to Proper 12 or Proper 28, these terms mean the specific Sunday in Pentecost. Since the weeks in Pentecost are set by the variable date of Easter, the Episcopal calendar assigns propers to the different weeks in Pentecost. You will find the three-year lectionary cycle online at the official

Website of the Episcopal Church in the US: www.episcopalchurch.org.

Summary of Today’s StoryThis is a brief account of the story on which the lesson focuses.

Weaving Our Story with the Biblical StoryThis section tells the context in which the particular story fits into the great

story of the Bible and of our salvation. Some thoughts about how this story fits into our own story of faith are also included.

The episcopal ThreadThis section is for you and the older children. Use the Book of Common Prayer to explore how the day’s lesson connects with our Episcopal faith as

reflected in the Prayer Book.

You can also discuss how the Anglican tradition incorporates the themes, theology and ethics of the lesson as part of our faith.

gathering (5-10 minutes)This is the time when children begin entering the classroom.

To keep the children busy as other children filter in, provide them with a simple, fun activity that relates to the lesson. Younger children enjoy drawing or molding figures with play dough. Older children enjoy word games and puzzles. You will find an online resource for creating puzzles under Gathering Ideas on pages 1-2 in the Appendix.

Simple lesson-related entry activities are suggested in each lesson. In some lessons, Gathering Activity



handouts are provided in the activity section at the end of the lesson. Additional Gathering activity ideas can be found on pages 1-2 in the Appendix, also found on the website.

As an option for the older children, you might offer a brief fellowship time, giving the children a chance to visit with each other, share past news and establish friendships. This social time is important for building community in the church school class and we encourage you to offer this fellowship time on a regular basis.

Mark the end of the gathering time with an opening prayer. For younger children, we suggest using the same simple prayer each Sunday, such as: ■ Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing us all

here together today. Thank you for all the children who are here, and bless and remember those who are absent today. (You may name individuals.) Amen.

Telling the Story (5-10 minutes)This is the storytelling time. We recommend that you read the story

to the children from a children’s Bible or tell the story in your own words. The emphasis is on the story, not on the words, so we encourage you to tell the story as you would tell a story from your own life.

Occasionally we give suggestions for how to enhance the story with puppets, drama or other lively storytelling methods. There are more ideas in the Appendix on pages 2-3.

We suggest that you not try to analyze or discuss the story at this time, but wait until the story has sunk into the hearts and minds of the children. We are encouraging an appreciation for the story as a whole, without adding our analytical “thinking” ideas yet. Bible stories are powerful, and most of them are clear in their meaning and their message.

Prayer (5-10 minutes)This is the worship time. Have the children set up the worship center

with a simple altar, placing on the altar any special items they might have made during Gathering time. This is a way to help give the children a sense of true participation in the worship of their Lord.

Begin the worship time with a short reading from the lesson’s scriptures. This will help the children connect the Bible story that they have just heard to the Bible, itself. Scripture suggestions are provided in each lesson.

We recommend you do the reading as it is done in church, with the preface “A reading from the book of...”, followed by “The word of the Lord.” The children then respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Then lead the children in prayer, inviting each child to offer prayers of thanks, praise and petition.

Sharing (5-10 minutes)This is a good time to give

the children their physical nourishment, after the spiritual nourishment of the word of God.

Begin the sharing time with a simple grace, either using the one provided in the lesson or sharing one that you or one of the children say at home. Additional graces can be found on pages 12-13 in the Appendix.

This is also a good time to discuss the story and the children’s feelings about the story. Mealtime often makes conversation easier and more open than a formal discussion time. You will want to encourage the children to speak and ask questions freely, but you will need to guide them in staying on the subject of the lessons and what they may have




learned or feel about the story. Conversation starters are provided in every lesson.

For the very young children (preschoolers), a discussion of the story will not be beneficial. Let them just enjoy the stories and the activities connected with the stories.

activities: arts, Crafts, games, drama, etc.

(10-20 minutes)This is the activity time when you can reinforce and enrich the story by offering the children a variety of story-related activities. While the children are doing an activity, be sure to talk about the story so they make the connection.

Suggested story-related activities are provided at the end of every lesson. This document includes suggested arts and crafts activities for four age groups: preschool (up to age 4), primary (kindergarten to first grade), elementary (second and third grades), and intermediate (fourth to sixth grades). Other suggested activities include videos, drama, games, discussions, field trips to parts of the church and visits by others, including clergy. These may be done instead of or in addition to an art or craft project.

In addition, a variety of general activities that can be adapted to any lesson can be found in the Appendix on pages 3-6. Feel free to use your own ideas.

memorization (variable time)To enable the older children to better

participate in the church service or do Bible study, we recommend some memorization. It is especially important for the children to know the books of the Bible and certain passages from the Bible (such as the Ten Commandments) and from the Book of Common Prayer. Other Bible passages are important as “spiritual guideposts.” We suggest memorization exercises in each lesson.

We’ve provided suggestions for ways to help children with their memorization on page 15 in the Appendix, also found on the website.

Note: Though memorization is recommended primarily for intermediate-aged children, some passages, such as the Lord’s Prayer, may be appropriate assignments for younger children.

Weaving Our Faith (2- 5 minutes)As God’s people, our faith and our lives are woven together from the sacred story of God and our own personal and

sacred stories. In order to know how God’s story is connected to our own stories, we first need to be able to tell God’s story. Then, to weave the story into our faith and our lives, we need to understand the story so we can absorb it in our minds and hearts.

As the class draws to a close, help the children begin this weaving process by asking them a few questions such: ■ What was our story about today? ■ Who (or what) did we talk about? ■ What did we learn from the story?



Such questions help the children assimilate the story and also provide them with a simple synopsis of what they have learned.

Closing PrayerA closing prayer sends the children into the church worship service or back to their homes

with God’s love and blessing. Try to say a closing prayer before the first child has to leave (choir members or acolytes may need to part early). We provide a sample prayer in every lesson.

End the class with a dismissal that is used in your church, such as: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” The children reply: “Thanks be to God.”

Ta l K i n g a B O U T B a PT i S m : a Pa STO r a l

P e r S P eC T i v eThe Episcopal Church often draws people from other denominations who bring those theological traditions with them, including beliefs and practices about baptism and Eucharist. It is possible that some children in your class have not yet been baptized, and you may wonder how to handle church school lessons and activities that focus on baptism.

The Episcopal Church is a sacramental church. Sacraments are held to be essential to the faith, especially the two commanded by Christ himself: baptism and Eucharist. So in our church, baptism is the norm, and both infant and adult baptisms are celebrated. When one is baptized as an infant, the parents make the baptismal promises on behalf of the infant, but the promises and the covenant are firm.

Children who have not been baptized may be worried that they do not “belong” in the church, or that they are not “saved,” or that they will not “get to heaven.” Others who are baptized may be worried about unbaptized friends.

So how can you talk about baptism in your class, with pastoral sensitivity to any children who are not baptized? Here are some thoughts:

a Simple Theological PrincipleAll of us in this world are children of God. All of us belong to God. There is nobody outside of God’s care.

Why We BaptizeOur Lord Jesus Christ commanded us, in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” So we baptize to nurture disciples, and we baptize because Christ told us to do so.

In some churches like the Episcopal Church, the way in which we recognize and affirm our relationship with God, and commit ourselves to God in Jesus Christ, is by being baptized. By being baptized, as the Prayer Book says, we become “full members of Christ’s Body the Church.”

This does not mean that we get special privileges from God that the unbaptized people do not receive. Nor does it mean that people who are not baptized do not belong to God.

What our baptism does mean is that we now have entered into an intentional relationship with the Church. In that relationship, we enter into a “life in Christ” (BCP, p. 303). In other words, we are expected to “grow in the knowledge and love of God, and in [our] responsibility as members of his Church.” (BCP, p. 298) We have made promises




to turn away from evil and to follow God in Jesus Christ. We also make promises to go to church, to be an example of Christian living, to love our neighbors and to seek justice and peace.

So being baptized is not so much a privilege of membership but rather a responsibility of commitment and relationship.

When a Child Has not Been BaptizedWhether to baptize an infant or child is a parent’s decision. That decision usually comes with multiple reasons, including the religious background of the parents, differing views by each parent, and the traditions and beliefs of the wider family. The young child has not made this decision.

So it is important that, when a child in your class has not been baptized, you approach the topic of baptism with sensitivity. It is important to avoid making a child feel left out, or less loved by God, or in any way a lesser or less beloved person than any baptized child.

adapting activities for Children Who are not BaptizedSeveral lessons in Weaving God’s Promises include activities that use baptismal symbols and messages. When you prepare for those lessons in advance of Sunday, alter the activity as needed for any child in your class who isn’t baptized. It can be as simple as changing the message “I am a baptized child of God” to “I am a child of God.”

a Conversation with ChildrenAt the beginning of the church school year, it may be wise to find out which children are and are not baptized. This may show up on your class

registration forms, or you might ask the parents discreetly. Often the children themselves do not know, especially if they have been baptized as infants.

If any children in your class are not baptized, if the subject of baptism comes up, you may bring up the topic like this:

“When we talk about baptism and being baptized, we are talking about a time when, in the church, we made some promises to God—promises to go to church, to follow Jesus and to love our neighbors.

“Some of you may have been baptized when you were babies. You might not even remember the day you were baptized, but you may have photos of that special day.

“In our church, we baptize people whenever they or their caregivers think this is an important step to take in their life. So if you were baptized as a baby, your parents decided that it was important for you to be baptized in the church. If you’re not baptized as a baby, as you get older, you may make your own decision to be baptized. So the church will baptize people when they are children, or youth or adults.

“Some of you are not baptized. You may be, in the future. But know that, whether or not we are baptized, we are all children of God. All of us belong to God. There is nobody outside of God’s love. That never changes.

“What changes when you are baptized is that you will become more aware of the promises you made to God. You will keep being reminded to go to church, to pray, to share the bread and wine in church, to care for other people. You will start to have a life that is more deliberately Christian. You will be expected, as you get older, to live the way God wants you to live.

“And whenever we all say the Baptismal Covenant—which we do when someone is baptized—you will



start to think, ‘Hey! That’s me! That’s what I’m promising to do! That’s who I’m promising to be!’

“If you have not been baptized, and if you and your parents talk about it, you may decide, ‘Hey! That’s how I want to be connected to God! I want to be a part of those promises!’ When you’re younger, that’s a decision for you and your parents to make. When you are older and are at an age when you make those kinds of decisions by yourself, the door to baptism is always open.”

T H e F i r ST d aYThe first day of church school (Sunday school) is often chaotic and hectic. Parents are there with their children. Enrollment forms need to be filled out. Teachers and children meet each other for the first time. Children meet each other for the first time or greet each other after a summer’s absence.

There is a lot to do and a lot to share. We recommend that you spend the first day of church school—or at least part of the first day—forming bonds and setting goals as described below.

Our FocusJesus gave us two commandments: love God and love one another. Similarly, we focus on two essential elements in the church school class: encountering and loving God and building community and loving each other in our community. The first day will be a good beginning if you can move the class in this direction.

We want our children to know at the beginning that they are here to encounter God, especially God in Jesus Christ. Sharing this fundamental goal with them is important in setting the tone for the rest of the year.

We also want to encourage the children to build community and friendships within their group. As Christians, our spirituality includes life with others. It is important that we worship together, break bread together, serve one another, seek God together. In church school, this building of community, together seeking God, is part of what the Church is all about.

Forming Bonds and Setting goalsAfter the paperwork is finished, the children are properly enrolled and the parents have left, you can begin the class. Following are some suggestions.

WelcomeWelcome the children warmly and introduce yourself. Have the children introduce themselves. If you wish, make name tags for this Sunday and perhaps for the next several Sundays until everyone has learned each other’s name.

getting-acquainted gamesYou may want to begin the class with one or two getting-to-know-you games. Older children especially enjoy these games. (Preschool children may be too young for this kind of activity.) You will find two icebreakers at the end of this section, on pages 272924.

Sharing Ask the children to sit down and invite them to share something about themselves. If they are older, you may ask them to fill out a questionnaire for your use, asking such questions as favorites, special days and special interests or concerns (these questionnaires should be confidential). For group sharing, introduce topics that are easy to talk about and not threatening, such as school likes and dislikes, family vacations and hobbies or sports.




Church School introduction Take a few minutes to talk about church school, saying: ■ We are here to learn about God who created us,

loves us, sustains us, protects us. We will learn especially about how God showed God’s love for us by sending God’s Son, Jesus Christ to live and die among us and for us.

■ The story of God-with-us is in the Bible, and we will learn how the Bible is not just the story of God but the story of God-and-us.

Tell the children—in greater detail if they are older—what you hope the class will learn during the year and what you plan to cover (scripture, seasons of the Church year, special days, sacraments, etc.).

rules It is important at this time to go over the rules of the class in order to ensure that the class runs smoothly. It may be a good idea to have the rules posted on the wall for children old enough to read.

SnackProvide simple snacks. Food encourages togetherness and fellowship! When was the climax of Jesus’ ministry with his disciples? At the Last Supper!

god and meAs an introduction to the focus of the church school, an activity that encourages the children to begin thinking about their own relationship with God may be helpful. You’ll find directions for this activity at the end of this section, on pages 25-26.

For very young children, a simple coloring activity (such as coloring a picture of Jesus with children) will work.

Class or individual CraftsYou may want to work on a craft that establishes the identity of the group or of each child within the group.

For the younger children, something like an individual pennant would be a fun way to help the children celebrate who they are as a prelude to celebrating whose they are. (We belong to God!) Another idea would be to have the children make placemats for themselves, which they can use during each lesson’s Sharing time. You’ll find directions for these activities at the end of this section on pages 22-23.

For older children, a group banner or symbol would be fun and help create a group identity through a shared project. To further enhance their community, have the children give their group a name that they can identify with. (One church school had groups call themselves Funky Fish, Silly Stars, Trippin’ Turtles and Cool Cats, with a special banner for each.) You’ll find directions for this project at the end of this section, on page 24.

PrayerWe suggest that you open and close your class with a prayer to God, giving thanks for bringing everyone together and asking for God’s guidance during the year.

You might also ask to be shown the light of God’s love, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember, our focus is to learn to love God and to love one another. And have fun this year!


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i a m S P eC i a l P l aC e m aT Sfor Preschool, Primary

Children make place mats to honor their individual uniqueness.

materialsconstruction papercrayons or markersany special decorative items you wishclear shelf paperscissors

directions:Invite each child to make a placemat. Help the younger children as needed. Give the children these directions:

1. In large colorful print write I am special on a piece of construction paper.

2. Add your name then decorate your placemat.

3. Cover your placemat with clear shelf paper and trim the edges.




i n d i v i d U a l P e n n a n T S for Preschool, Primary, elementary

Children make pennants celebrating their special qualities.

materials:instant print camera with film or digital camera and printerconstruction paper or felt scissorsdowel or balloon sticksmarkers or crayons

Preparation:Cut the construction paper or felt into pennant shapes, one for each child.

directions:Take a photo of each child and invite each child to make a personal pennant. Help the younger children as needed. Give the children these directions:

1. Glue your photo onto a pennant shape then decorate your pennant with markers or crayons.

2. On your pennant write a word that describes what God sees in you (helpful, loving, gentle, kind, creative, etc.) then add a word on others’ pennants to describe what God sees in them.

3. Tape a dowel stick or balloon stick on the end of your pennant.



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C l a S S B a n n e rfor elementary, intermediate

Children give the class a name and make a class banner.

materials:2 dowel sticks large construction paper or butcher papermasking tapemarkersdecorative materials (ribbons, streamers, felt)scissors

directions:Invite the children to work together to make a class banner. Give the children these directions:

1. Tape two dowel sticks together, either like this:

Or like this:

2. Decide as a group what the class name should be, then design a symbol if you wish.

3. Work together to design your banner, then draw the design with markers on the large sheet of construction paper or butcher paper.

4. Decorate the banner, then tape it onto the taped-together sticks.

5. If desired, use ribbons or streamers to decorate the ends.




g O d a n d m e : P e r S O n a l CO aT O F a r m S

for intermediate

Children make personal coats of arms.

We use our character, our gifts and our talents in God’s service. Here the children begin to find out what some of these are.

materials:coat of arms pattern (p. 26)markers and pencils

Preparation:Make copies of the coat of arms pattern, one for each child.

directions:Distribute copies of the pattern and invite each child to make a personal coat of arms. Give the children these directions:

1. On your coat of arms, draw a picture or symbol that tells something about you or your family: — church involvement — greatest achievement — leisure activities — community or school involvement — most important thing in your life — future plans

2. Add to the drawing three words to describe your family (or a three-word family motto). Enter these words on the banner line (7).

3. Use this personal coat of arms to introduce yourself.

This idea comes from Encountering Christ in the Episcopal Church by Charlotte N. Molrine and Ronald C. Molrine (NY: Morehouse Publishing, 1999), p. 3.



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g e T T i n g -TO - K n O W-Y O U g a m efor elementary, intermediate

Make copies of pages 27-28, 1 per child. Distribute and ask the children to follow the instructions. Allow about 10 minutes to complete the list.

Find someone else in the room who:

...has the same favorite book, story or author as you.

...uses the same color toothbrush as you.

...wears the same size shoe as you.

...has the same favorite toy as you.

...has the same number of brothers and sisters as you.

...was born in the same month as you.

...owns the same kind of pet as you.


...has the same favorite animal as you.

...ate the same thing for breakfast as you.

...has the same favorite TV show as you.

...can say “prickly pickled porcupine Popsicle” with you three times.

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W H i C H a r e Y O U l i K e ?for Primary, elementary, intermediate

Children choose which of two contrasting but related items they are more like, helping them develop a sense of themselves and others and encouraging them to get to know each other.

You can play this game at the very beginning of the session or as a break from other activities.

Preparation:Before the class, make up a series of pairs of related but contrasting items that children can relate to, such as breakfast/dinner or summer/winter. Include fun and even silly things that kids know about. Some examples:

couch or rocking chairattic or basementbath or showergreen or redSaturday or Wednesdaywater or dirtchocolate or strawberrypizza or ice creambeach or mountainonion or applesnow or suncandle or flashlightbreakfast or dinnerkite or ballrunning or hoppingTV show or bookcow or mousepaper or rockT-rex or brontosauruseyes or ears




directions:Invite the children to play this icebreaker game.

1. Choose two opposite sides of the room to be the bases—one side for the first choice, the other side for the second choice.

2. Call out one pair of items, asking the question “Are you more like (name an item) or (name a contrasting item)?”

3. Children run to one side of the room if they are like the first thing named, and to the other side if they are like the other thing. Call out the choices fast!

What is the point?God loves us so much that God gave God’s only Son to be with us. All of us are different and God loves each and every one of us. Jesus probably had his favorites when he was here with us! What do you think he liked? Even if he liked different things than we do, he loves us just as much!

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g O i n g -TO - C H U r C H B O O K S for Primary, elementary

Children make books of pictures showing what they do at church.

materials:church pattern (p. 32)white drawing papercrayons or markersscissorsstaplerfine-tipped marker

Preparation:Make copies of the church pattern, several copies for each child.

directions:Give each of the children several copies of the church pattern and invite each child to make a going-to-church book. Give the children these directions:

1. Write (your name) Goes to Church on one of the church outlines. This will be the cover of your book.

2. On the cover draw the church’s door, window and other details.

3. On other pages, draw and color pictures of what you do at church, using as many pages as you wish.

4. Staple the book together.



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C H U r C H - a n d - C H i l d P i C T U r e Sfor Preschool, Primary

Children decorate church cut-outs that frame their photos.

materials:church pattern (p. 34)poster board or construction paperinstant camera with film or digital camera and printerscissorsgluecrayons

Preparation:Make copies of the church pattern on poster board or construction paper. Cut out one church for each child. Then cut a door, large enough for a photo, in each church.

directions:Hand out the church cut-outs and invite each child to make a church-and-child picture:

1. Take a picture of each child.

2. Carefully put glue around the borders of each photo and place a church picture on top as a frame.

3. On the church, write the words (name of church) welcomes (name of child) or (name of child) goes to church. Primary children may be able to write the words themselves, or at least their names.

4. Invite the children to color their churches.

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