2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plans

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Preschool to Kindergarten

2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plan:
Preschool to Kindergarten

THEME:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” JOEL 2:28

GOALS:

To prepare students for participation in the Creative Arts Festival.
To help students understand the theme well enough to express it in art, poetry, prose, or photography.
To learn more about the Holy Spirit, not just to hear His Name.

OBJECTIVES:

To identify Joel as a prophet who lived a long time ago.
To understand that a prophet speaks what God wants him to say.
To tell what happened at Pentecost in the Early Church.
To learn that the Holy Spirit was given to all people on Pentecost.
To know that we celebrate what happened at Pentecost on the Feast Day of Pentecost in the Orthodox Church.

TIME: 45 Minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Icon of Christ
Candle or votive for icon corner
Icon of Pentecost
12 large pre-cut “tongues of fire” for use in the Activity
1 large “tongue of fire” for each child to color and take home
Crayons for each child

FOR THE CATECHIST:

This theme is about the Holy Spirit.

The sentence used for this year’s theme comes from the Book of Joel in the Old Testament. The Prophecy of Joel is read at Vespers on the Feast of Pentecost in the Orthodox Church. Joel 2:23-32.

The Apostle Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy when he speaks to the crowds on that first day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is given to “all flesh.” Acts 2:16-18.

The Epistle reading for Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Pentecost is Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11.

Joel’s prophecy is rich in imagery and meaning about the Promise of the Father who will send His Spirit, not just to the few elect of Old Testament prophets and judges, but for ALL of God’s people.

For this age group, however, you will want to focus on the event of that first Pentecost. This may or may not be new information to your students. The Holy Spirit may be hard for many to understand, but give your students the words used by the Church. In time, as your students mature in their Faith, they will mature in understanding of the Spirit.

You can help your youngsters understand the importance of Joel’s prophecy by talking about keeping promises. Joel tells us that God will send His Spirit to all people, not just a few. In Acts 4-6, we read how Jesus commanded the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and to wait for the “Promise of the Father.” This Promise is the coming of the Holy Spirit.

You will want to use the Sign of the Cross to identify the Holy Spirit and explain how the Spirit came upon the disciples and all the people at that great day of Pentecost.

If your church school is few in number, you may want to combine preschoolers-grades three for the activity where they dramatize what happened at Pentecost.

Although many people like to tell children that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, you may want to discourage children from drawing birthday cakes as their entries for the Creative Arts Festival.

In all that you do with your students, try to impart something of the wonder, the vision, the glory of what can be experienced in the Church—because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Capitalize upon the preschool-K child’s natural sense of wonder and joy in being alive! None of that is possible without the Holy Spirit!

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Acts Chapters 1 and 2
Orthodox Study Bible, “Chrismation,” p. 274. See also notes for Acts 1-2.
Gospel of John 7:37-52; 8:12. See notes in Orthodox Study Bible, p. 232; p. 234.
“O Heavenly King”

THE LESSON PLAN

OPENING:

Have students stand before the icon and make the Sign of the Cross. This will be your opening prayer, and it will be the focus of your introductory remarks.

INTRODUCTION:

Refer to the Sign of the Cross, which the children have just made. You will want to mention that you will be talking a lot about the Holy Spirit. Tell students that this year’s theme for the Creative Arts Festival is all about the Holy Spirit.

You might say, “We are going to find out how the Holy Spirit came to the disciples on Pentecost.” We’re also going to hear about a man named Joel who lived a long time ago and knew that Jesus would send us the Holy Spirit. Today, we will learn what this means.”

(You will most likely need to remind students that the disciples were Jesus’s friends after He rose from the dead.)

CONTENT:

Talk about Joel as a man who lived a long time ago, long before Jesus was born.

Tell students that Joel was a prophet. This means that he listened to God and was chosen by God to tell other people what God wanted them to know.

When Joel was living, people didn’t always do what God wanted them to do, so Joel had to remind them. Joel said there would come a time when God would send His Holy Spirit to everybody, not just a few people. This would happen after Joel died, and after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.

Also emphasize that God had promised His people that He would send them this Holy Spirit. God kept His promise! It happened on Pentecost. (You might need to have children talk about keeping promises. Children remember what adults have promised them. And woe to the adult who breaks his promise!)

Begin talking about what happened on Pentecost.

Set the scene by reminding students that after Jesus rose from the dead, He stayed on earth for 40 days. Then Jesus was getting ready to go to heaven. Our Church says Jesus ascended into heaven. But before He ascended to heaven, Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. And God kept His promise!

Tell the story about Pentecost. (You might gather your students around you in comfortable seating on the floor.)

Peter and the other disciples were sitting together when suddenly there was the sound of a big, noisy wind. Then there were tongues of fire over each of the disciples! And all the people could understand one another, even if they were from different countries and spoke different languages. Peter was amazed, but the other people were even more amazed and they thought people had too much to drink. Peter told them, no, it wasn’t that at all. It was the middle of the day. Peter remembered that there was a man named Joel who had spoken about how God would send the Holy Spirit. Peter told the people about Joel. Peter told them, “What Joel the Prophet said a long time ago has come true.”

God remembered His promise to His people. God sent His Holy Spirit to them so they wouldn’t be lonely. Now we have the Holy Spirit in our Church, too.

Say to your students (and perhaps one or two students will provide examples):

The Holy Spirit helps people do all kinds of things that will make God happy.
The Holy Spirit helps people to know about Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit wants us to become Christians.

Find out whether any student has seen a baptism. Very briefly explain that the baby is put in water three times “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Then you might explain that after being baptized, we are anointed with a special oil. (You might need to explain that the priest uses a brush filled with oil and puts it on the baby’s forehead and hands and other parts of the body.) That means that we can become part of the Orthodox Church and receive Holy Communion. If we didn’t have the Holy Spirit, we couldn’t do any of that.

ACTIVITY:

Your students can act out what happened at Pentecost. (If your church school is few in number, you might do this activity with the older children, as well.)

Arrange some students, ideally 12 of them, sitting in a line to represent the disciples.

Have as many others stand behind the “disciples.” These students will hold “red tongues of fire” and be ready to place them over the heads of the “disciples” at the appointed time. Make a point of saying that there were twelve disciples at that first Pentecost (especially if you have fewer than twelve children in line).

Tell everyone else that you need their help. Ask everyone to make a sound like “shhhhhhhhhh.” Keep the sound going as you signal the children with the “tongues of fire” to place them over the heads of the “disciples.” Keep this “shhhhh” sound going for a minute or so. Ask the students to tell you what they have just done. Help them to verbalize that they have pretended to be the disciples on the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit like the sound “of a rushing mighty wind” came upon the disciples and ”filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Acts 2:2.

Tell students that you will read to them now from the Bible where we hear about what happened at Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4

(For older students, you might also say that this happened 50 days after Easter and that Pentecost comes from a word meaning fifty.)

Then ask students to tell in their own words what happened when The Holy Spirit came down on the disciples. Afterward, emphasize that we remember what happened and celebrate it in Church on Pentecost. You might explain some of your parish’s local customs in celebrating this Feast, e.g., using green-colored vestments; strewing bundles of greenery around the church or the church floor, etc.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:

Depending on the number of students in your preschool class, you might want each student to color a picture of the “tongue of fire” that appeared and “sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:3). Provide them with the prepared sheets, red crayons, and scissors.

You might also use the tongues that they have colored as the props for the dramatization activity of what happened on Pentecost, as described above.

If your parish has scheduled for your students to begin work on their entries for the Creative Arts Festival, provide a stretching activity, bathroom break, etc. before beginning the work.

CLOSING:

ADDITIONAL FILES:

"Tongues of Fire" Handout - Suitable for printing one copy for each student to color and cut out.
"Tongues of Fire" Pack - Collection of various printing options: single design sheets, pre-colored designs, and multiple designs per page to conserve paper.

Grades 1-3

2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plan:
Grades 1-3

GOALS:

To prepare students for participation in the Creative Arts Festival.
To help students understand the theme well enough to express it in art, poetry, prose, or photography.
To learn more about the Holy Spirit, not just to hear His Name.

OBJECTIVES:

To identify Joel as a prophet who lived a long time ago.
To understand that a prophet speaks what God wants him to say.
To learn that the Holy Spirit was given to all God’s people on Pentecost.
To know that we celebrate what happened at Pentecost on the Feast Day of Pentecost in the Orthodox Church.

TIME: 45 Minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Icon of Christ
Candle or votive for icon corner
Icon of Pentecost
1 large “tongue of fire” for each child to color and use in the Activity
Crayons and scissors for each child (or you may cut out 12 “tongues of fire” in advance and simply have the children color them)

FOR THE CATECHIST:

This theme is about the Holy Spirit.

The sentence used for this year’s theme comes from the Book of Joel in the Old Testament. The Prophecy of Joel is read at Vespers on the Feast of Pentecost in the Orthodox Church. Joel 2:23-32.

The Apostle Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy when he speaks to the crowds on that first day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is given to “all flesh.” Acts 2:16-18.

The Epistle reading for Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Pentecost is Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11.

Joel’s prophecy is rich in imagery and meaning about the Promise of the Father who will send His Spirit, not just to the few elect of Old Testament patriarchs, prophets, and judges, but for ALL of God’s people.

If your church school is few in number, you may want to combine preschoolers-grades three for the activity where they dramatize what happened at Pentecost.

Although many people like to tell children that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, discourage children from drawing birthday cakes as their entries for the Creative Arts Festival.

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Acts Chapters 1 and 2
Orthodox Study Bible, “Chrismation,” p. 274. See also notes for Acts 1-2.
Gospel of John 7:37-52; 8:12. See notes in Orthodox Study Bible, p. 232; p. 234.
“O Heavenly King”

THE LESSON PLAN

OPENING:

Have students stand before the icon and make the Sign of the Cross. Say (or sing) “O Heavenly King.” Remind students that we have said a prayer to the Holy Spirit and that in our Orthodox Church we say this prayer before lessons, meetings, and at the beginning of our private prayers. You might use the term Trisagion prayers and tell which prayers they are. When bishops gather for some important meeting, they will say this prayer at the beginning of their meeting. Before each Divine Liturgy, the priest stands in front of the altar and says this prayer to the Holy Spirit.

INTRODUCTION:

Refer to the Sign of the Cross, which the children have just made. Mention that you will be talking about the Holy Spirit. Tell students that this year’s theme for the Creative Arts Festival is about the Holy Spirit.

You might say, “We are going to find out how the Holy Spirit came to the disciples on Pentecost. We’re also going to hear about a man named Joel who lived a long time ago and knew that Jesus would send us the Holy Spirit. Today, we will learn what this means. We also will talk about how the Holy Spirit is given to each of us after we are baptized.”

CONTENT:

1. Talk about Joel as a man who lived a long time ago, long before Jesus was born.

Tell students that Joel was a prophet. Use prepared placards with the words prophet, prophesy, and prophecy and their respective definitions.

A prophet listens to God and is chosen by God to tell other people what God wants them to know. The prophet prophesies. (Notice the S spelling in the verb form of the word.)

When Joel was living, people didn’t always do what God wanted them to do, so Joel had to remind them to love God. Joel said there would come a time when God would send His Holy Spirit to everybody, not just to the patriarchs, prophets, and judges of the Old Testament. This would happen after Joel died, and after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. The words in the theme come from this part of Joel’s prophecy.

2. Talk about the Promise of the Father. See Acts 1:4.

Talk with students about keeping promises. Ask for examples of someone promising something; of breaking a promise. (Children remember what adults have promised them. And woe to the adult who breaks his promise!)

You will want to emphasize that God had promised His people that He would send them the Holy Spirit. God kept His promise! It happened on Pentecost.

3. Review briefly what happened on the first Pentecost.

Tell the story about Pentecost, since most students will be unable to read. Unless you have an easy rendering in a children’s Bible, you might use the story as simplified below. (You might gather your students around you in comfortable seating on the floor.)

Peter and the other disciples were sitting together in the Upper Room. That was the same place where they had met with Jesus for the Last Supper. Suddenly there was the sound of a rushing, noisy, and very strong wind. Tongues of fire came over each of the disciples! And all the people could understand one another, even if they were from different countries and spoke different languages. Peter was amazed, but the other people were even more amazed and they thought people had too much to drink. Peter told them, no, it wasn’t that at all, since it was the middle of the day.

Peter remembered that there was a man named Joel who had made a prophecy about how God would send the Holy Spirit to His people. Peter told the people about Joel. Peter told them, “What Joel the Prophet said a long time ago has come true.”

God remembered His promise to His people. God sent His Holy Spirit to them so they wouldn’t be lonely. The Holy Spirit would comfort them and make them able to know the Truth about Jesus and about God. Now we have the Holy Spirit in our Church, too. When we make the Sign of the Cross, we say, “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Help children access their imaginations by describing in sensory terms what it must have been like to experience the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. For example,

Soaked up by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit – Joel’s term “pour out.”
Feeling you might be swept away by a rushing, mighty strong wind.
Feeling and knowing something powerful was coming upon you.
Knowing that no one was hurt by any of this, and everyone could understand one another.

4. Give information that tells what the Holy Spirit can do for us.

Say to your students (and perhaps one or two students will provide examples):

The Holy Spirit helps people to know about Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit helps us to become Christians.
The Holy Spirit helps us do good things that will make God happy.

(Note: The Apostle John uses the word “Helper” to describe the Holy Spirit and what He can do for us. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things….” See John 14:26.)

5. Give information about the Sacrament of Chrismation, our “personal” Pentecost.

Ask whether any student has seen a baptism. Very briefly explain that the baby is put in water three times “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Then you might explain that after being baptized, the baby is anointed with special oil, called Holy Chrism. Tell students that this is called Chrismation. Also say that this is another sacrament in our Orthodox Church.

You might need to explain that the priest anoints different parts of the body with the Holy Chrism. (If students don’t know what it means to be anointed, remind them of when they kiss the cross on a feast day and the priest anoints them with oil on their foreheads. This is plain olive oil, however. Holy Chrism is used only for Chrismation.)

You might want to explain that the Holy Chrism isn’t poured or rubbed on the baby; instead, the priest uses either his fingers or a brush filled with Holy Chrism.

You will want to stress what the priest says as he anoints the baby: The priest traces the Sign of the Cross with the Holy Chrism on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, chest (breast), hands, and feet, each time saying, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Ask students to repeat this phrase.

Make a point of talking about what it means to receive a gift and what it means for something to be sealed (kept safe and secure forever). We receive the Holy Spirit as a gift from God. The gift is sealed in us, safe and secure. (You might also use the image of a stamp or embossed seal that is placed on something important.)

After Chrismation, the baby is a member of the Orthodox Church and can receive Holy Communion, even as an infant. If we didn’t have the Holy Spirit, we couldn’t do any of that.

You could also explain that just like the Holy Spirit came down upon each of the apostles at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes down upon the baby at Chrismation.

ACTIVITY:

Organize your students around a work space for coloring. Distribute to each a sheet with a large “tongue of fire.” Give each child crayons and scissors. Have children cut out and color the “tongue of fire.” (Or have children color “tongues of fire” that have already been cut out.) Tell students that you will use the tongues of fire in something coming up next. Allow time for clean-up.

Your students can act out what happened at Pentecost. (If your church school is few in number, you might do this activity with the preschool/kindergarten group or with older children as well.)

Arrange some students, ideally 12 of them, sitting in a line to represent the disciples in the Upper Room. Have as many others stand behind the “disciples.” These students will hold the “red tongues of fire” they just made and be ready to place them over the heads of the “disciples” at the appointed time. Make a point of saying that there were twelve disciples at that first Pentecost (especially if you have fewer than twelve children in line).

Tell everyone else that you need their help. Ask everyone to make a sound like “shhhhhhhhhh.” Keep the sound going louder and louder as you signal the children with the “tongues of fire” to place them over the heads of the “disciples.” Keep this “shhhhh” sound going for a minute or so. Ask the students to tell you what they have just done. Help them to verbalize that they have pretended to be the disciples on the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit, like the sound “of a rushing mighty wind,” came upon the disciples and ”filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Acts 2:2.

Tell students that you will read to them now from the Bible where we hear about what happened at Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4. Remind students that the Prophet Joel spoke about this hundreds of years before Christ was even born on earth. Remind them that Joel was a prophet.

You might also say that the Holy Spirit was sent 50 days after Christ’s Resurrection and that Pentecost comes from a word meaning fifty.

Then ask students to tell in their own words what happened when The Holy Spirit came down on the disciples. Remind them that we celebrate this in Church on Pentecost. For older students, tell them the Church calls this feast “Descent of the Holy Spirit.” Remind students that when we receive Chrismation, the Holy Spirit is given to us, just as it was given to the disciples on the first Pentecost.

You might explain some of your parish’s local customs in celebrating this Feast, e.g., using green-colored vestments; strewing bundles of greenery around the church or on the church floor.

If students are scheduled to begin work immediately on their entries for the Creative Arts Festival, provide a stretching activity and bathroom break before beginning the work.

CLOSING:

Gather students around the icon corner to make the sign of the Cross. You might want to speak louder when you come to “and of the Holy Spirit,” in order to emphasize to students that we call upon the Holy Spirit each time we make the Sign of the Cross—the same Spirit that came to us on Pentecost. You will want to explain that in Orthodox worship, we always call upon the Holy Spirit at the beginning of an activity, not at the end.

ADDITIONAL FILES:

"Tongues of Fire" Handout - Suitable for printing one copy for each student to color and cut out.
"Tongues of Fire" Pack - Collection of various printing options: single design sheets, pre-colored designs, and multiple designs per page to conserve paper.

Grades 4-5

2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plan:
Grades 4, 5

GOALS:

To prepare students for participation in the Creative Arts Festival.
To help students understand its theme well enough to express it in art, poetry, prose, or photography.
To encourage students to become more aware of and participate in the Holy Mysteries (sacraments) of the Orthodox Church.

OBJECTIVES:

To identify Joel as an Old Testament prophet and to locate his book in the Bible.
To learn the meaning of the words prophet, prophecy (noun) and to prophesy (verb).
To know what happened at Pentecost in the Early Church.
To learn that the Holy Spirit is given at Pentecost to all God’s people, not just the elect of the Old Testament.
To hear that Jesus Christ comes to fulfill the “law and the prophets.”
To learn the terms Chrismation and “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
To begin to understand that by the Power of the Holy Spirit we are given “power” to live a new life in Christ.
To have students consider what the Holy Spirit means for his or her personal life

TIME: 45 Minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Icon of Christ
Candle or votive for your Icon Corner
Icon of Pentecost
Text of prayer “O Heavenly King” and text of Troparion for Pentecost
Bible (Old Testament and New Testament)
Placards showing the words prophet, prophecy (noun), prophesy (verb) and definition
Orthodox Study Bible as room reference
Large sheets of newsprint to be used either with an easel or to be taped on wall
Masking tape
Different color heavy markers

For Students:

Text of theme with instructions regarding rules and deadlines
Individual Bibles
Web worksheet
Pencils or markers

Optional Materials:

Icon of the Holy Trinity

FOR THE CATECHIST:

This theme is about the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Joel foretells the wonderful potential available to humankind by the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets through Jesus Christ and the sending of His Spirit, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth.

The sentence used for this year’s theme comes from the Book of Joel in the Old Testament. The Prophecy of Joel is one of three Old Testament readings heard at Vespers of Pentecost (Joel 2:23-32). We can read this reference to Joel again in the Acts of the Apostles 2:16-21.

Read Acts Chapters 1-2 in their entirety, as this will help give you a sense of the sequence of what happened at Pentecost and also how the Apostle Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy and expands on it. You will need to know about the Promise of the Father and the importance of everyone at Pentecost being able to understand one another’s language. Note Peter’s reference to the Prophecy of Joel in Acts 2:16-17.

As you present concrete facts to your students, speak with the conviction expressed by the Prophet Joel that indeed with the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world, we have all been given the potential by God to transform this world, our very lives, to be all that God desired when He created the world and its people and said, “it is good.”

Christ did all He said He would. Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven. He was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again. He said He would send His Spirit, and so He did. We are not left alone. As Luke writes in the Acts of the Apostles, Christ commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem

“…but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5

Depending on how much your students already know, you’ll need to review what happened on Pentecost, emphasizing that God’s Holy Spirit is given to all God’s people, not just a few chosen ones as happened in Old Testament times. This is the crux of Joel’s prophecy: Now sons and daughters of future generations are given the potential to become blessed and holy; the young and the old can share in the vision of the Eighth Day, the parousia, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Because Pentecost refers to the sending—and receiving—of the Holy Spirit, you might talk about the sacrament of Chrismation when we receive the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Yes, you could mention the Sacrament of Baptism, but here is an opportunity to provide specific information about Chrismation, which is less well known among the faithful. We sometimes forget about the importance of Chrismation because it follows right after Baptism, and the faithful tend to lump together these separate sacraments and call them simply Baptism. More correct, would be to use the word mystery when talking about the grace given by the Holy Spirit, rather than sacrament. Your students are most likely more familiar with the term sacrament, however.

In Chrismation, the priest anoints the newly-baptized with Holy Chrism, the visible sign of the “mystery.” Each time the priest anoints certain parts of the body, he says, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” As your students hear this phrase over and over, they might begin to realize that the Holy Spirit is a gift and that we are sealed with this gift.

In your discussion with your students, you might consider that the gift of the Holy Spirit begs a response. What do we do with this gift given in Chrismation?

Most students in Grades Four and Five are familiar with the technique of webbing, which takes a central idea and asks the student to come up with words or phrases that connect to that central idea. You can refer to the sample WEB which is provided with this guide. You will note that the central idea seen in the center of the web is The Holy Spirit. As you prepare your lesson, do your own webbing to stretch your thinking (and understanding) of what the Holy Spirit means for you personally, for others, for the Orthodox Church.

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Acts Chapters 1 and 2
Orthodox Study Bible, “Chrismation,” p. 274. See also notes for Acts 1-2.
Gospel of John 7:37-52; 8:12. See notes in Orthodox Study Bible, p. 232; p. 234.
“O Heavenly King”

THE LESSON PLAN

OPENING:

Say or sing “O Heavenly King.”.

INTRODUCTION:

Refer to the prayer, “O Heavenly King” which we say before any meeting or gathering of Orthodox Christians. The priest says the prayer at the altar before starting Divine Liturgy.

Find out what students know about this “Heavenly King.” Help them to know that this prayer is said to the Holy Spirit. Emphasize the descriptive phrase “Spirit of Truth Who is in all places and fills all things.

When you discuss the theme, you’ll be talking about how the Spirit pours himself on all flesh, as stated by the Prophet Joel. This aspect of “all flesh” is important, because as promised by the Father, the Holy Spirit is sent to all God’s people, not just the patriarchs, prophets, and some judges of the Old Testament. (See Acts 1:4.) Christ came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

Tell your students that this year’s theme is about the Holy Spirit.

CONTENT:

1. Introduce the text of the theme, read it aloud for your students/or have them follow along with a printed text. Ask if anyone knows who Joel is.

2. Discuss that the Joel is a prophet who wrote a Book of the Old Testament. Have students locate the Book of Joel. Ask student(s) to locate the sentence being used as the theme. Joel 2:28.

3. Help students become familiar with the terms prophet, prophecy, and to prophesy.

Note that the word prophecy (noun) is spelled with the letter C. The word prophesy (verb) has the letter S and is pronounced “pro-feh SIE.” You might use prepared placards that show these words with their definitions.

The prophet tells what will happen, whether good or bad, to God’s people. The prophet prophesies. Emphasize that the prophet is not a fortune teller but one who is inspired by God to reveal God’s truth and plans for his chosen people.

The prophecy is the message told by the prophet. The message reveals good things or bad things that will happen to God’s people, but the message always comes from God.

4. Discuss the connection between Joel’s prophecy and Pentecost.

Explain that we hear Joel’s prophecy when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Joel’s Prophecy from the Old Testament is read at Vespers. (Joel 2:23-32.)

Remind students that Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter. Remind them that “pente” means fifty, and that this is where we get the name Pentecost for the feast day. The Orthodox Church calls this feast “The Descent of Holy Spirit.” Perhaps a student will explain why the Church uses “Descent.” (The Spirit comes down to us and rests on the apostles.)

Display an icon of the Feast of Pentecost and have students note the tongues of fire over the apostles and explain that this was a manifestation (showing) of the Holy Spirit over these men. Emphasize that the people could understand one another’s languages when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles. (There were 12, since Matthias had already been chosen to replace Judas.)

Ask a good reader to read aloud the event of Pentecost from Acts 2:1-4, which describes the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles gathered in the Upper Room. Also read Acts 2:14. Have students repeat back what happened: the rushing mighty wind, the tongues of fire, everyone being able to understand one another, but not drunk with wine.

Ask someone in your group to read aloud from Acts 2:16-17. Students will realize that this is the same text as spoken by Joel. This happening at Pentecost is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, and He did so—on Pentecost. You might also point out that the disciple Peter speaks for the group of disciples—“Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said…” (Acts 2:14).

Explain to students that without the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t have the Church. (Some people like to think of Pentecost as the birthday of the Church. Try to discourage artwork showing birthday cakes for Pentecost!)

5. Discuss the Promise of the Father and fulfillment through the Holy Spirit.

Ask students to read Acts 1:4 where Christ tells the apostles to wait for the Promise of the Father.

Help students understand that Joel prophesies that some day in the future God’s Spirit will be poured out on all God’s people, not just certain people as it was in Old Testament times. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was given to only a few people: patriarchs, the prophets (such as Joel), and some judges. Biblical commentary says that Joel meant the Spirit would be poured out on all the Jews, not just to the elect among the Jews. When Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy on Pentecost, he realizes that now the Spirit is poured out not only on the Jews, but on all flesh—on all generations to come who will have been baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit in Chrismation and will have become members of the Church. The apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, will now go out into all the world to spread the Gospel in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, all future generations, old and young can prophesy, dream dreams and see visions.

You might also refer students to the Troparion for Pentecost: “By sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; thou didst draw the world into Thy net.” Remind students that the apostles were fishers by trade; here they are called “fishermen as most wise.” Just like fishers draw fish into their net, the apostle by preaching to the world, will draw all the people into the life of the Church.

6. Discuss the Mystery of Chrismation at which the baptized Orthodox Christian receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Briefly explain that when we are baptized, we become Christians. For Orthodox Christians there is an additional Mystery called Chrismation that is given to the newly baptized, usually right after baptism in the same service.

In Chrismation the person is anointed with Holy Chrism on different parts of his or her body. You might explain that this Holy Chrism is made from olive oil and special spices and is used only for Chrismation. Only the bishop can prepare Holy Chrism.

Tell students that in Chrismation, each person is given the Holy Spirit. It is as though each person experiences his or her own personal “pentecost.” The person now has the possibility—the potential—to live a life with Christ in the Church. Chrismation is the gift of the Holy Spirit for each one personally.

Emphasize the phrase “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The person is anointed with Holy Chrism on certain parts of the body. The priest traces the Sign of the Cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, the breast, the hands and feet, each time saying, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Liken this anointing to the way a tongue of fire came down upon each one of the apostles at Pentecost: “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Acts 2:3

Spend a few minutes talking about how the gift of the Holy Spirit is special to your students. Answers will vary, of course, but encourage understanding of the wonderful grace we receive personally by our having been chrismated and as participants in the mysteries (sacraments) of the Church: Baptism, Chrismation, confession, Holy Communion, Healing. And in the future, perhaps marriage and ordination.

7. Discuss ways we know the Holy Spirit is present in the Church and in our lives.

Use a blackboard or large sheet of paper on an easel or wall to record answers. Use a web format as model for the students’ activity to follow. Possible responses include

As Mysteries (sacraments)
When a baby is baptized/chrismated
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:16)
When God created the world Genesis 1:2
When God breathed life into man Genesis 2:7
When the Holy Spirit came down on Pentecost Acts 2:1-4
The beginning of the Church Acts 2:1-4
When we pray “O Heavenly King”
Any time we pray
Any time we pray to the Holy Trinity: God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit
Any time we make the Sign of the Cross
When anything grows, plants, animals, humans
“Everywhere present and fillest all things”
When we behave in ways pleasing to God
When we receive Holy Communion (We have seen the True Light; we have received the Heavenly Spirit….”)

ACTIVITY:

Webbing:

Organize students around a work space and tell them they will now make their own webs. This will give them a chance to write down or draw what they now know about the Holy Spirit. This can help them get started on ideas for what they will produce for the Creative Arts Festival.

Using the web worksheet included in this lesson plan, students can create their own webs of associations of the Holy Spirit from their personal and liturgical experiences, as well as acquaintance with references from Scripture. You might provide citations for some references.

After students have completed the webs, ask them to select one or two words or phrases that seem particularly meaningful to them. You might say,

“You have written down many different phrases about the Holy Spirit.
Choose one phrase or idea you think you would like to work with.
See if you can come up with an idea to draw or portray in art.
If you want to write a poem or an essay, jot down ideas about what you will say.
If you want to enter a photograph, talk with me now about how you should submit your photo.”

Provide the materials and timeframe within which students will work.

NOTE: If your church school is few in number, you might include Grades 4 and 5 in the activity for PreK-Kindergarten and Grades 1-3 where the children act out what happened at Pentecost. Coordinate with the other church school teachers in your parish. This can be done in addition to the webbing activity in class.

CLOSING:

Gather students around the icon corner for a prayer customary for your parish. Many parishes sing “It Is Truly Meet” at the close of a gathering.

You might inform students that you would not normally sing a hymn to the Holy Spirit at the end of a session, since we ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit before we begin a task or worship service.

ADDITIONAL FILES:

"Webbing Activity" - Suitable for printing one copy for each student.
"O Heavenly King" and "Troparion for Pentecost" - Suitable for printing.

Grades 6-12

2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plan:
Grades 6-12

GOALS:

To prepare students for participation in the Creative Arts Festival.
To help students understand its theme well enough to express it in art, poetry, prose, or photography.
To encourage teens to become more aware of and to participate in the Holy Mysteries (sacraments) of the Orthodox Church.

OBJECTIVES:

To identify Joel as an Old Testament prophet and to locate his book in the Bible.
To review what happened at Pentecost in the Early Church.
To learn that the Holy Spirit is given at Pentecost to all people, not just to the elect of the Old Testament.
To learn that Jesus Christ comes to fulfill the “law and the prophets.”
To review the meanings of Chrismation and “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
To begin to understand that by the Power of the Holy Spirit we are given “power” to live a new life in Christ.
To consider what “the gift of the Holy Spirit” means for one’s personal life.
To discuss what the Holy Spirit does “to make all things new.”

TIME: 45 Minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Icon of Christ
Icon of the Feast of Pentecost
Candle or votive for your Icon Corner
Text of prayer “O Heavenly King” and Troparion for Pentecost
Bible (Old Testament and New Testament)
Orthodox Study Bible as reference
Large sheets of newsprint to be used either with an easel or to be taped on wall
Masking tape
Different colored heavy markers

For Students:

Take-home sheet announcing the theme from Joel
Desk-size sheets of writing paper and manila paper or newsprint
Pencils and markers
Individual Bibles
Sheets with quotations from Scripture

Optional Materials:

Icon of the Holy Trinity
Placards showing the words prophet, prophecy (noun), prophesy (verb) and definitions

FOR THE CATECHIST:

This theme is about the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Joel foretells the wonderful potential available to humankind by the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets through Jesus Christ and the sending of His Spirit, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth.

The sentence used for this year’s theme comes from the Book of Joel in the Old Testament. The Prophecy of Joel is one of the Old Testament readings during Vespers of Pentecost. We hear from Joel 2:23-32.

We hear this reference to Joel again in Acts 2:16-18.
The Gospel reading for Matins of Pentecost is John 20:19-23.
The Epistle reading for the Feast of Pentecost is Acts 2:1-11.
The Gospel reading for Pentecost is John 7:37-52; 8:12.

Themes to present include

Promise of the Father
Review of what happened at Pentecost
Restoration of unity: Tower of Babel versus tongues of fire at Pentecost
The Spirit given to all flesh, not just to the elect
The Holy Spirit given to each baptized person in Chrismation
The Holy Spirit given to the Church and, therefore, to the entire world.

Depending on what your students already know, you may present instruction about all the themes as an overview or focus on parts of what is suggested in Content.

It will be helpful to read Acts of the Apostles, chapters 1 and 2, so rich in their telling about the Coming of the Holy Spirit—and the reference to the Prophecy of Joel.

As you present concrete facts to your students, speak with the conviction expressed by the Prophet Joel that indeed with the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world, we all have the potential given by God to transform this world, our very lives, to be all that God desired when He created the world and its people and said, “it is good.”

However, it is important to keep in mind that we proclaim the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit does not exist in isolation. God sent His Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into the world. Christ is resurrected and ascended to His Father. Then the Spirit is sent into the world.

“…He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39.

Christ did all He said He would. Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven. He was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again. He said He would send His Spirit, and so He did. We are not left alone. As Luke writes, Christ commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem

“…but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, you have heard from Me;” for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now...” Acts 1:4-5

And the Spirit came on Pentecost, the same Spirit prophesied by the Prophet Joel.

You’ll need to review what happened on Pentecost, emphasizing that God’s Holy Spirit is given to all God’s people, not just a few chosen ones as happened in Old Testament times. This is the crux of Joel’s prophecy: Now sons and daughters of future generations are given the potential to become blessed and holy; the young and the old can share in the vision of the Eighth Day, the parousia, the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Old Testament preached “the law and the prophets.” The New Testament—Christ—preaches fulfillment with the coming of the Spirit. “Behold I make all things new.”

The prophet Joel foretold that God’s Spirit would be poured out onto all flesh (scholars say flesh here means to all Jews, not just to a few chosen elect among the Jews). Peter, when he quotes the prophet Joel at Pentecost, means all people, not just the Jews! Perhaps you could impart to your students something about this vision of new times, the new life in Christ. With the coming of the Holy Spirit to all people in the Church, the world enjoys the potential for so much good. What visions and dreams can our young sons and daughters foresee for the future of God’s Kingdom on earth?

Because Pentecost refers to the sending—and receiving—of the Holy Spirit, you might talk about the sacrament of Chrismation when we receive the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Yes, you could mention the Sacrament of Baptism, but here is an opportunity to provide specific information about Chrismation, which is less well known among the faithful. We sometimes forget about the importance of Chrismation because it follows right after Baptism and the faithful tend to lump together these separate sacraments and call them simply Baptism. More correct, would be to use the word mystery when talking about the grace given by the Holy Spirit, rather than sacrament. Your students are probably more familiar with the term sacrament, however. Hopefully, your students already know something about Chrismation so that you do not have to spend too much time reviewing information about this personal “Pentecost.”

You might need to explain that chrism is used to anoint the person during Chrismation. Chrism, the visible sign of the “mystery,” is prepared only by a bishop from olive oil mixed with certain spices. Each time the priest anoints a part of the body, he says, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” As your students hear this phrase over and over, they might begin to realize that the Holy Spirit is a gift and that we are sealed with this gift.

In your discussion with your students, you might consider that the gift of the Holy Spirit begs a response. What do we do with this gift given in Chrismation?

For this age group, you can also analyze the meaning of key words in the text of Joel’s prophecy. Suggestions for doing this are given in the Content of the lesson.

As you prepare your lesson, consider what the Holy Spirit means for you personally, for others, for the Orthodox Church.

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Acts Chapters 1 and 2
Orthodox Study Bible, “Chrismation,” p. 274. See also notes for Acts 1-2.
Gospel of John 7:37-52; 8:12. See notes in Orthodox Study Bible, p. 232; p. 234.
“O Heavenly King”

THE LESSON PLAN

OPENING:

Say or sing “O Heavenly King.”

INTRODUCTION:

Refer to the prayer, “O Heavenly King” which we say before any meeting or gathering of Orthodox Christians. The priest says the prayer at the altar before starting Divine Liturgy.

Find out what students know about this “Heavenly King.” Be certain that all understand that this prayer is said to the Holy Spirit. Emphasize the descriptive phrase “Spirit of Truth Who is in all places and fills all things.

(When you discuss the theme, you’ll be talking about how the Spirit pours itself on all flesh, as stated by the Prophet Joel. This aspect of “all flesh” is important, because as promised by the Father (Acts 1:4), the Holy Spirit is sent to all God’s people, not just to the patriarchs, prophets, and some judges of the Old Testament. Christ came to make all things new. This is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit.)

CONTENT:

1. Tell students that this theme is about the Holy Spirit. Ask one of your students to read the theme aloud while the others follow along with a printed text of the theme. Ask if anyone knows who Joel is.

2. Discuss that Joel is a prophet who wrote a Book of the Old Testament. Have students locate the Book of Joel. Ask student(s) to locate the sentence being used as the theme and read it aloud. Joel 2:28.

3. Be sure your students are familiar with the terms prophet, prophecy, and prophesy.

Note that the word prophecy (noun) is spelled with the letter C. The word prophesy (verb) has the letter S and is pronounced “pro-fe SIE.” You might use placards that show these words with their definitions.

The prophet foretells what will happen to God’s people. He prophesies. Emphasize that the prophet is not a fortune teller but one who is inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth and plans for His chosen people.

The message told by the prophet, whether good news or bad, is the prophecy. Most prophecies refer to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, and of His saving mission to the world.

4. Discuss the connection of Joel’s prophecy with Pentecost.

Explain that we hear this prophecy when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Review that Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter. The Orthodox Church calls this feast “The Descent of the Holy Spirit.” Remind them that “pente” means fifty, and that this is where we get the name Pentecost for the feast day.

Display an icon of the Feast of Pentecost and have students note the tongues of fire over the apostles and explain that this was a manifestation (showing) of the Holy Spirit over these men.

Have students read aloud Acts 2:1-4, which describes the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples gathered in the Upper Room.

Next, read aloud Acts 2:16-17 in which the Apostle Peter refers to what was spoken of by the prophet Joel. Have students note that what is written here is the same text as the theme for the Creative Arts Festival. This happening at Pentecost is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, and He did so—on Pentecost. You might also point out that the disciple Peter speaks for the group of disciples—“Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said…” (Acts 2:14).

Discuss the significance of people being able to understand one another’s languages when the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples. Contrast this with the pride of the people who built the Tower of Babel. See Genesis 11:1-9. Elicit responses to show the contrast between prideful people who built the tower and could no longer understand one another’s language versus the tongues of fire on Pentecost in which all men could understand one another’s language! As the Church sings at Vespers of Pentecost,

“The arrogance of those who built the tower caused the tongues to be confused, but now the tongues have been made wise through the glory of the knowledge of God.
There the impious were condemned,
Now Christ has enlightened the fishermen with His Spirit!
There the confusion of tongues was done in retribution;
Now harmony is restored for the salvation of our souls.

Aposticha, Vespers of Pentecost, Tone 8

5. Discuss the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) and fulfillment through the Holy Spirit.

Joel’s message, given centuries before Christ, tells that God promised to pour out His Spirit on all flesh, not just to the elect of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was given to only the patriarchs, the prophets (such as Joel), and some judges. Biblical commentary says that Joel meant the Spirit would go to all the Jews, not just to the elect among the Jews. How more significant is Peter’s reference to Joel at Pentecost! Now the Spirit is poured out not only to the Apostles and those other Jews standing nearby. Now through the work of the Apostles guided by the Spirit, God’s Spirit is poured out truly on all flesh—all those generations to come who will have been baptized and anointed in Chrismation and become members of the Church.

Jesus many times told his disciples that the Spirit would come. In Acts 1:4, have students note that Christ says to wait for the Promise of the Father

“which…you have heard from Me.”

Refer students also to John 7:37-39. Emphasize 1) Jesus tells that the Holy Spirit will be given; 2) the Spirit will be given after Christ is glorified (ascended to His Father).

God has promised the Spirit; Christ has told His disciples about it, and after His resurrection and ascension, allows for the Spirit to be given (poured out) not only to the disciples gathered in the Upper Room but to all people there present.

And likewise, through the Apostles, the Spirit can be given to the entire world.

You might want to point to the words of the Troparion for Pentecost where the image of apostles as fishers of men is carried through:

“...Who has made the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit Thou has drawn the world into Thy net….”

The Holy Spirit has touched the disciples, now called apostles, and with that grace the apostles go out into the entire world in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. With the grace of the Holy Spirit all future generations, old and young, can be holy—and maybe they will be so filled with God’s Spirit that they might even prophesy.

You will also want to point out that Acts tells us how the disciple Peter talks about the fulfillment of that Promise. When those people gathered at Pentecost asked what they should do, Peter mentioned three actions:

“Then Peter said to them, “(1) Repent and let everyone of you

(2) be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;

(3) and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord Our God will call.”

Acts 2:38-39

6. Discuss the Mystery of Chrismation in which the baptized Orthodox Christian receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Tie this in with Peter’s exhortation of what people should do.).

Briefly explain that when we are baptized, we become Christians and are united in Christ. (die and rise with Christ) (It is enough for students to hear the words the Church uses. As they grow in spiritual understanding, they will know better what it means to be united in Christ.).

For Orthodox Christians, there is an additional Mystery (sacrament) called Chrismation given to the newly baptized, usually right after baptism in the same service. Ask students if they recall hearing the phrase “of water and the Spirit.” You might draw on the board or on large paper:

Baptism with water
Chrismation with chrism–specially prepared olive oil with spices.

The person is anointed with Holy Chrism (hence, Chrismation) on various parts of the body. The priest traces the Sign of the Cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, the breast, the hands and feet, each time saying, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” For older students, you might point out that Sign of the Cross includes all three Persons of the Holy Trinity, emphasizing that the Spirit does not work in isolation from the Father and the Son because the Trinity is “One in essence and undivided.”

Baptism and Chrismation are two separate Mysteries (sacraments), both given by the power of the Holy Spirit, each manifested by a different symbol, e.g., water, and chrism. Some have said that Baptism and Chrismation are inseparably related in the Christian message, just as Easter and Pentecost are inseparably related. Baptism is the personal Easter for each person in the Church; Chrismation is the personal Pentecost.

Once the person is chrismated, he or she is a member of the Orthodox Christian Church and able to receive the other mysteries—even an infant can receive the Eucharist (Holy Communion).

7. Ask students to analyze what the phrases in Joel’s prophecy mean. Write key phrases on a blackboard or large sheets of paper displayed on an easel or wall:

pour out                                 all flesh
dream                                     visions
sons and daughters                old men
young men.

Note the contrasts in this prophecy:

Sons and daughters vs. old men
Old men dreams vs. Young men visions.

What does this mean?

We usually think of the old as seeing visions, and the young as being dreamers. Joel is telling us that amazingly, the old will now dream of the future, and the young will be wise visionaries. You might refer to Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech to bring home the idea of a “dream” which is also a conviction, and how that can change the world.

And again, in the Old Testament, only a few were chosen.

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh.

In the Old Testament, only the chosen could prophesy.

In the New Testament, all flesh (sons and daughters) can prophesy by virtue of receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit. (You might refer to St. Seraphim of Sarov and his “acquisition of the Holy Spirit.)

8. You might ask students to consider what the Holy Spirit means for their lives.

Possible responses include:

The Holy Spirit helps us to know the Truth about Christ.
The Holy Spirit offers grace to each person in the mysteries.
We call upon the Holy Spirit when we say, “O Heavenly King….before meetings, before church, in our daily prayer. Notice that when we start the Trisagion Prayers, we start with “O Heavenly King,” not Our Father!
We can pray anytime to the Holy Spirit to help us in our decision-making, or to know what to do in our lives.

ACTIVITY:

Provide each student with a study sheet of questions and various Scriptural citations that pertain to the themes of Promise and Fulfillment; to Chrismation and to other biblical references to the Holy Spirit. Suggest that they answer the questions posed, use the citations and quotes as inspiration, and try to think of different references to the Holy Spirit in their church life and personal life. You might also ask students to work in pairs to either discuss or share answers.

Before students begin working with the study sheet, ask them to turn the sheets over and listen carefully to what you say next:

Impart to students an image of the POTENTIAL given to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. For younger students, you might want to use the phrase, WHAT IS POSSIBLE. You will be asking students to do their own work now. Remind them of key words already displayed from previous discussion. See No. 7 under Content.

CLOSING:

Gather students around the icon corner for a prayer customary for your parish. Many parishes sing “It Is Truly Meet” at the close of a gathering.

ADDITIONAL FILES:

"O Heavenly King" and "Troparion for Pentecost" - Suitable for printing.
Study Guide - Suitable for printing for each student.