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Spring 2020 Godly Play Schedule
All Godly Play Storytelling this Spring will be on Zoom from 10:30-11:00 am on Sunday mornings. Zoom invitations are sent directly to parents. We will meet each Sunday through June 7! Resources for June 7th: Paul's Discovery - the Power of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a wonderful gift of God that comes into us and is as close to us as our own breath. This is a concept that both children and adults can use their imaginations to understand and experience. We can practice paying attention to the presence of the Spirit in our daily lives. The website Beaming Books has a blog page, "7 Mindfulness Exercises for Young Children" which serve well as prayer exercises, too. Here are a couple examples to try: Make a mind jar. Find a glass jar––a Mason jar or an old sauce jar will work perfectly. Fill the jar with water, glitter, and glue (or glitter glue, if you want more sparkles). Ask your kid to shake the jar and imagine that the glitter is their thoughts. When you’re upset, your thoughts whirl around and make it hard to see clearly. Remind them that this is normal! Even adults experience this. Then, have them watch what happens when they are still for a couple of moments. What happens to the glitter when it’s given a chance to rest? When you’re calm, your thoughts start to settle and you can see more clearly. Deep breaths can help a lot when we feel like our thoughts are swirling. Use breathing exercises. Breathing is a critical part of any mindfulness practice. Here are a few of our favorite, kid-friendly breathing exercises.
Paul's Missionary Journey
Download the map of Paul's journeys and follow along as the Godly Play story names the cities he visited. A YouTube version of this story is on this page.
Craft Activities for May 24th and 31st: Holy Spirit Paper Flame Hats
Create headgear featuring the flame of the Holy Spirit for your family to celebrate the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost! The "Pentecost Hat Template" is from the website Drawn 2B Creative. You can find more directions at that website for creating this out of paper plates and colored tissue paper! On the Pentecost page of the Building Faith website you will find a similar craft for a Tongue of Fire Craft. Make a Pentecost hat for every member of your family! And be sure to come to the Pentecost Party on Saturday, May 30th at 11:30 am (Zoom meeting). Contact Pastor Donna for the invitation. 
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Stories this Spring 2020
Note: Craft activities for each week are on Faith Formation-Resources in Time of Crisis page. April 26 - The Disciples in the Easter Story Storyteller Nancy Horton May 3 - Knowing Jesus - in Absence and in the Breaking of Bread Storyteller Gayle Aten May 10 - Knowing Jesus in Doubt and in the Morning Storyteller Lynn McKown May 17 - Knowing Jesus in - Making Him Known Storyteller Gayle Aten Knowing Jesus - In Waiting Storyteller Nancy Horton May 24 - Knowing Jesus in the Holy Spirit Storyteller Lynn McKown May 31 - The Mystery of Pentecost Storyteller Pastor Donna June 7 - Paul's Discovery - the Power of the Spirit Storyteller Lynn McKown | ||||||
Godly Play? What is it?Godly Play is a creative and imaginative approach to faith formation with children.
Children have an innate sense of the presence of God. The Godly Play approach helps them to explore their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience though wonder and play. Using a discovery method (think Montessori), young people learn a verbal and non-verbal language that helps them connect the Judeo-Christian story with their own story. Symbols, beautifully crafted materials, rituals, and silence as well as stories are used to convey biblical traditions and practices of the Christian church. It is a deeply spiritual practice for both the adults that lead it and the children that participate. What Happens In a Godly Play Class?
At the Threshold: A greeter waits by the door to the Godly Play classroom, warmly welcoming children as they arrive. Building the Circle: Children make their way into the room and sit in a circle around the storyteller. She/he talks quietly and easily with the children, building a community where each and every participant is warmly welcomed. When everyone is ready, a prayer is said and the offertory box is passed around the circle. A child is chosen to move the arrow ahead on the Circle of the Church Year. Presenting the Lesson: The storyteller goes to get the materials for the story and brings them to the circle. Slowly, deliberately, she/he brings out the story figures and objects, gently moving and arranging them as she tells the story. The children’s eyes and hands focus on the small wooden figures, painted plaques, or beautifully finished props moving in the circle. The lesson concludes, and the storyteller sits back and says, “I wonder what part of the story you like best?” Response: The storyteller invites the children to choose the work they would like to do in response to the lesson. What work will keep the story close to their heart? Some children play with story materials, some choose to create with arts and crafts, and older children often search for more information about the story in the Bible. Feast: The children work together to serve a healthy snack. A prayer is said, and the feast is shared. Saying Goodbye: Each child is thanked for coming. WANT MORE INFO?
Download the file below titled, "What Happens in a Godly Play Session" to read more about what occurs during a typical session, like the one's we'll be having every Sunday.
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Parents & GuardiansRegister your child(ren) by clicking the button below!
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