A CATECHISM CLASS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Bible Verses will be read from The Catholic Children’s
Bible
I.
The Sacraments
This section will cover Baptism and the Mass because these are the Sacraments
ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel and because at this age these are the only two the children are exposed to on a
regular basis.
August 5, 2007
A.
Baptism :
In baptism God
makes us his children, members of the
church, the Body
of Christ. The Episcopal Church recognizes baptism in other Christian bodies, done with water in the name of the Trinity.
1.
If you have photographs of your baptism – please bring them in, as well as a copy of your baptismal certificate.
We will place copies of these in our notebooks.
2.
Discussion: how a baptism is performed, what is worn, what godparents are, and what the Baptismal Creed
is.
3.
Color pages, craft: make a gift for godparents.
4.
Bible Verses: Luke 3: 1-21
5.
Parents’ Sheet
September 2, 2007
B.
The Mass/Eucharist –Part 1
In the Holy Eucharist
Episcopalians recall the saving acts of God and enter communion with Christ and Christians of all times and places. In this
sacrament we are fed spiritually with the Body and Blood of Christ.
1.
Discussion: the symbolism of the consecrated Bread and Wine, gestures performed during the Eucharist.
2.
Color pages, craft: make a Missal or Mass Book for the children to use.
3.
Bible Verses: Matthew 26:26-36
4.
Parents’ Sheet
October 7, 2007
C.
The Mass/Eucharist – Part 2
We will review the Eucharist and the
responses.
1.
We will visit the church with our Missals and go through the
liturgy of the Eucharist.
2.
We will practice blessing ourselves with holy water, genuflecting, making the sign of the cross, bowing
when the cross processes, and bowing during the Nicene Creed.
3.
Parents’ Sheet
II
The Church Calendar
Why is it that Christian follow a cycle of seasons and holy days?
The main reason is that by following this cycle, called ‘the church year’ or 'liturgical calendar,’
we can get into the rhythm and flow of the Christian story, to experience it, to learn it, to relive it through the telling
and the doing. The church calendar helps the Christian believer to bring their faith into every day of their lives, every
time of year.
November 4, 2007
A.
Advent
We prepare for God's coming among us. We get ready for the happy occasion by making our own way straight, hearing
John the Baptist's call.
1. Discussion: what we are doing to prepare for God in our life.
2.
Color pages, craft: advent wreath made out of playdo and
birthday candles.
3.
Bible Verses: Luke 1:26-36
4.
Parents’ Sheet
December 2, 2007
B.
Christmas
We celebrate the birth of Jesus, who is God with
us, the ultimate Christmas gift. We remember that by that same Jesus and
through the Holy Spirit, God is still with us today, and has not abandoned us in the crush of daily life.
1.
Discussion: The Christmas Story
2.
Color pages, craft: “stained glass” windows – crayons and wax paper.
3.
Bible Verses: Luke 2
4.
Parents’ Sheet
January 6, 2008
C.
Epiphany
We celebrate Jesus' revealing Himself to the
whole world. Like the three magi with the Christ child, and those looking on when Jesus was baptized, we too are
amazed at what God has done, and we realize it was not just for us, but for all.
1.
Discussion: How does Jesus reveal himself in our lives?
2.
Color pages, craft: make a mosaic tile candle holder to symbolize the light of Christ.
3.
Bible Verses: Matthew 2:1-12
4.
Parents’ Sheet
February 3, 2008
D. Lent
Begins on Ash Wednesday
(which in 2008 is on Feb 6th). In Lent, we take a hard, sober look at our own role in bringing about Jesus' death. We discover
our own sin, and realize how weak and two-faced we are in facing it. We turn to God, who is the only One with the power
to forgive us and change us. In the Paschal (or 'Holy') Week which ends Lent, we relive Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
('Palm Sunday'), His last commands and His being seized ('Maundy Thursday'), then abandoned, and executed ('Good Friday'), and then the stillness of the tomb. The bleak days of Christ's death are called
by the Latin "Triduum" ('three days'). Yet even so we look toward Easter morning and the empty tomb, where even
death does not stop God's forgiveness, and in fact helped to put it into effect.
1.
Discussion: What it means to be sorry for something we have done.
2.
Color pages, craft: make a chart of the things we need to improve on in our lives – i.e. picking
up our room, eating our vegetables.
3.
Bible Verses: John 12: 1-8
4.
Parents’ Sheet
March 2, 2008
E.
Easter (March 23rd)
We celebrate God's answer: We humans killed Jesus,
but He didn't stay dead ! And God has forgiven us!
1.
Discussion: How we see Christ in the world today.
2.
Color pages, craft: plant beans to symbolize new birth.
3.
Bible Verses: Luke 24: 1-11
4.
Parents’ Sheet
April 6, 2008
F. Praying
the Anglican Rosary
The Anglican Rosary is a
relatively new form of prayer which uses a blending of the Roman Catholic Rosary and the Orthodox Jesus Prayer Rope. Since
the earliest times, people have used pebbles or a string of knots or beads on a cord to keep track of prayers offered to God.
Some form of a rosary or prayer beads can be found in virtually every major religious tradition in the world.
1.
Discussion: Why do we pray?
2.
Color pages, craft: make a child’s rosary
and prayer book.
3.
Bible Verses: Luke 11: 1-4 The Our Father
4.
Parents’ Sheet
May 4, 2008
G. Pentecost
A feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, fifty days after
the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the "feast
of weeks" or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). Whitsunday is so called from the white garments which were
worn by those who were baptized during the vigil; Pentecost ("Pfingsten" in German), is the Greek for "the fiftieth"
(day after Easter).
1. Discussion: How we are going
to praise God every day.
2.
Color pages, craft – We will have a “feast”
and a year end party.
3.
Bible Verses: Acts 2
4. Parents’ Sheet
Church School ends
with the May 4, 2008 class.
