FAITH CHALLENGE
Paul’s Travels
Scripture: Acts 16:11-15
Memory Verse: "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:4
·
Jesus calls us to treat everyone as equals
·
The good news about Jesus helps us put aside our prejudices
·
We respond to God by sharing our gifts.
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Students will hear the story of
· Students will create designs on purple cloth to use at the communion table during Lent.
1.
At the beginning
of each class, the Coach greets arriving students and supervises snacks. The
Guide and Coach remind students to write prayer joys and concerns on the Prayer
Wall and to place their offering in the offering jars.
2.
As each student
arrives, give them a clip board, pencil, and The Church Calendar Quiz (attached
at end of lesson). Ask each student to
complete a quiz—and tell them the highest score wins a prize.
3.
After most
students have arrived, snacks are ended, and most have completed the quiz, the
Coach leads an opening prayer. This can be brief and may or may not involve the
prayer chain.
1. Direct students’ attention to The Church Calendar Quiz and review the questions and correct answers (attached).
2. Award the student(s) with the highest score a small candy bar.
3. Tell students that today they will create purple liturgical cloths to use on the communion table during Lent. Remind them this is a way they can share a gift of design and creativity with the congregation.
4. Ask each student to choose one strip of purple cloth. Explain there are three parts to this project:
· Write their name (or initials) on the long edge of the cloth using a “sharpie” or similar permanent marker. This should be small but legible.
· Draw a Christian symbol or design along the length of the cloth. They can use “sharpies” or fabric markers. If they do not want to draw a design that extends the full length, it should be placed toward one end rather than in the middle. Remind them their cloth will hang along the front edge of the communion table in the sanctuary which means the symbol/design should be simple and distinct so it can be seen from a distance. Suggestions of symbols or words that could be drawn are: a cross, dove, lamb, chalice with or without bread, a sheaf of wheat, words such as peace, hope, Jesus, Lent, crucifixion.
· Ravel 1-2 inches of one or both ends of the cloth to make a fringe. See example provided by Hope Brown.
5. Tell
the class they will now have a visitor to talk with them while they work. The guide invites “
2. Clean up supplies.
1. The Coach conducts the closing prayer time. All students and adults gather around the prayer chain. The Coach begins and ends the prayer. The Coach asks each student to contribute a joy, thanksgiving or concern in turn.
2. Close/lock the door and turn off the lights.
1. Copy the Church Calendar Quiz—one per student
2. Set up tables with stools for students to work on their cloths.
3. Post the map of Paul’s travels
4. Cut strips of cloth
5. Post a list of possible design symbols/words
1. Purple cotton fabric, cut or torn into 5-6 inch strips—one per student.
2. “Sharpies”, permanent markers, and/or fabric markers
3. Small candy bars such as Hershey kisses, or snack size Snickers, Kit-Kat, etc.
Susan Mazzara’s Bible study notes
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003
The
Church Calendar Quiz
True or False?
1.
______The church year is divided into four
seasons.
2.
______One of the seasons of the church year
is called “Ordinary Time”
3.
______The season of Advent begins on Ash
Wednesday.
4.
______Each season of the church year is
associated with a color.
5.
______The color associated with Lent is
red to relate to Jesus’ crucifixion.
6.
______The season of Lent is 40 calendar
days before Easter.
7.
______The liturgical calendar is the name
of all the special seasons and days in the church year.
8.
______The banners and the cloths on the
communion table and pulpit are the same color all year long.
9.
______On February 25 this year, the sanctuary
colors change from purple to green.
10._____On April 11 this year, the worship
color changes to white.
The Church
Calendar Quiz
Answers
1. __F___The church year is divided into four seasons.
There are
six seasons: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Easter, Pentecost,
2. __T____One of the seasons of the church year is called
“Ordinary Time”
3. ___F___The season of Advent begins on Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent.
4. ___T___Each season of the church year is associated with a
color.
5. ___F___The color associated with Lent is red to relate to
Jesus’ crucifixion.
The color for Lent is purple related to royalty for Jesus as king.
6. __F____The season of Lent is 40 calendar days before Easter.
Lent is 40 days plus Sundays (the Sundays do not count in the 40
days)
7. __T____The liturgical calendar is the name of all the special
seasons and days in the church year.
8. __F____The banners and the cloths on the communion table and
pulpit are the same color all year long.
The color of the banners and cloths change to match the color
associated with the season of the church year—purple for Lent, Advent; white
for Christmas and Easter; green for ordinary time, and red for Pentecost
9. __F____On February 25 this year, the sanctuary colors change
from purple to green.
February 25 is Ash Wednesday and the color changes from green to
purple
10. ____T___On April 11 this year, the worship color changes to
white.
April 11 is Easter and the color changes to white.
The monologue below was written using
Susan Mazzara’s Bible study notes. The
adult portraying
“Hello, I’m
“As you recognize, my name is Greek, not Jewish. I am called a Gentile because my parents were not Jewish. My family did not worship in a synagogue and did not practice Jewish traditions. But I have always been fascinated by the God of the Jews. Now that I’m an adult, I often pray with other Gentiles here that are interested in the God of the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But, more about that later.”
“First, let me tell you something about myself and my city.”
“My name—
“As you know, poor people wear beige or brown clothes because that is the
color of the cotton or wool used to make their clothes. But rich people like to dress in beautiful
colors. That requires the cloth to be
dyed. Plants and other natural materials
are used to make the dye. Purple dye is
difficult to make because it comes from a shellfish in the
“I learned to make purple dye a long time ago and now I have my own business selling purple cloth. I buy only the finest undyed fabric and then my workers and I dye it purple. Only important business and political leaders can afford my cloth. My business has been very successful the last few years.”
“Even though I enjoy dealing with the rich people of
“When a town has ten Jewish men, they gather for a formal worship service. But around here, we can’t seem to get that many Jewish men together. So, instead of formal worship, a few Jewish men, and some Gentiles, like me, gather by the river on the Sabbath to pray. Sometimes there are only two or three of us—sometimes we have more. I enjoy the people who gather there—and I feel better after the prayers.”
“One Sabbath, it was very different, though. It was only women that day—maybe four or five of us. We were by the river and two men joined us. We’d never seen them before—they were foreigners. At first I was frightened. It is unusual to have strangers stop by, and we didn’t know why they were there. They introduced themselves as Paul and Silas. They seemed kindly enough—but I felt still uneasy.”
“They started talking and before I knew it, the one named Paul really grabbed my attention. He knew all the Jewish laws and traditions—more than any of the other Jewish men around here. I could have talked a long time about all of that.”
“But Paul didn’t want to stop there. He said there was so much more to God than just the Jewish laws. He told us about a man named Jesus. I’d never heard of him before—but Paul said that Jesus was God’s son! I couldn’t believe it. The stories he told were amazing—Jesus healed people. Jesus cared about everyone—women, tax collectors, fishermen, even children.”
“But then Paul told the most amazing part. He said Jesus was crucified by the Romans about 20 years ago but was still alive! This couldn’t be true. God’s son dead and then alive?! But Paul was so convincing! He even said Jesus appeared to him when he was walking along a road. After that, Paul said Jesus’ strength and love had been with him ever since.”
“Now really, how could all this be true? But Paul was so convincing. He spoke like he’d really seen and talked to Jesus—like Jesus was really his friend and close by his side all the time.”
“I took it all in. I was amazed. God opened my heart to hear Paul’s message. Before I knew it, I was asking Paul how I could know Jesus, too. Paul told me about baptism—a simple ceremony of being washed in the river, asking forgiveness, and asking God’s spirit to take us over.”
“We were by the river. I wanted to be baptized. But then I remembered my family—they were all at home. I wanted them to know this excitement, Jesus’ love and peace. Paul was so patient and kind. He was not in any hurry. I ran home to get everyone I could find.”
“Some of my household workers thought I’d lost my mind. They wondered if I’d seen a vision. But it was like when Paul talked to me—as I talked to my family, they became more and more interested.”
“Finally they came with me to the river. Paul was still there—talking to others, answering questions, telling about Jesus again. There were some men there now and Paul was engaged with them. I expected to wait until all the men finished talking for Paul to recognize me. But this was amazing, too. As soon as Paul saw me with the others, he stopped his conversation and welcomed us warmly.”
“I told Paul I wanted to be baptized—and before I knew it someone from my family—I think it was my sister first—said she wanted to be baptized, too. And then another spoke up, and another, and another.”
“So right there in that river—I can show you the exact spot—my whole family and I were baptized!”
“When Paul finished, I felt new and excited. My heart was light. I felt loved and cared about. And then I did something really unexpected—I asked Paul and Silas to come to my house.”
“Now really, I’m a Gentile woman. These were foreign Jewish men—and I asked them to my house?! At first, they politely declined. But I just wouldn’t let them refuse. This surprised even me—usually I don’t push myself on others. But I knew Paul and Silas didn’t have anyplace to stay. They had to be hungry; we’d been there all morning. And, you could see from the clothes and sandals they’d been traveling a long time.”
“I asked and asked them to come to my house for food and rest. Finally they agreed. How wonderful to share what I have with these men who brought so much to me!”