Faith Quest

The Last Supper (Revised)

March 12-April 9, 2006

Apostle’s Playhouse

Scripture: Luke 22:7-23 or Mark 14:12-26.

Memory Verse: Jesus said”Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19 (CEV)

Offering: One Great Hour

Concepts:

· Jesus taught us how to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and wants us to do it to remember Him.

· The Holy Spirit is with us in Communion.

· Celebrating Communion is one way to give thanks to God.

· We treat the bread and wine with respect because they are special symbols of God’s love.

Objectives:

1. Through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Picture”, the children will experience the Last Supper.

2. The children will have a better understanding of who the disciples were and what part they played in the Last Supper.

Procedure:

Welcome and Introductions:

1. Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name tag. Make sure the children are wearing name tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week that may not know you.

2. Explain the purpose of this workshop. In this class we meet the disciples who were with Jesus at the Last Supper and we will make our own real life last supper picture.

Scripture/Bible Story:

Spend some time on the scripture passages referenced above. In these few verses, much is covered. The first few verses set the stage. It is the Jewish festival of Passover and the disciples prepare to eat the Passover meal. The next section is the actual sharing of the Lord’s Supper, where Jesus gives new meaning to the elements of bread and wine that are used in the Passover meal. The last section deals briefly with Jesus’ betrayal and the disciples’ response to Jesus’ words.
Have the kids use their Bibles and locate the scripture. If this is in the first weeks of the rotation, have the children follow along as you read the story. If this is not the first week of the rotation you may choose to ask the class to retell the story in their own words.
Show the class a copy (either a large copy or several smaller ones) of Da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper.” The Kirk has at least one matted copy in the office. Have the children note how many people are in the picture. Do they know who the people are? What is happening in the picture? What is on the table?
Tell the class they are going to recreate the “Last Supper” painting and that they are going to assume the poses of the people in the painting. Before they make the frozen picture, they will read or hear a little bit about the character/disciple they are going to become in the painting.

Application:

1. Prior to starting the acting, take a few minutes to share some information with the class about Da Vinci and the famous painting. There are many children’s art books at the library that contain information about him and show pictures of other famous paintings (Mona Lisa). Tell the kids where he lived, when he lived, and any other interesting information you feel reflects the concepts of the lesson.

2. Ask the class again who the people in the painting are. You might want to write them down on a large chart or poster. After the children have given you as many names of disciples as they are able to, tell them the names that Da Vinci used. We know this information based on other pictures that Da Vinci painted in which he identified those same characters. They are sitting in the following order from left to right: Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, and Simon.

3. Drama! Decide who is going to play the 13 characters (12 disciples and Jesus). If there are more than 13 in the class some children can be prop managers and help set the scene. If there are not enough have some adults help fill in spots. Prior to the class have two tables set length wise on the stage to make one long table. Use table cloths or sheet to cover them. Allow the prop managers to set the table and help everyone pick out a costume.

4. Place the children in the correct order in the painting. Give each their monologue according to their character. Allow each character to read his/her monologue aloud. For younger classes the shepherds and workshop leader can read. After the monologues are read or listened to, prepare to pose the painting. Either the shepherds and workshop leader or the prop manager can pose the class using the painting as a guide for each pose.

5. Once the characters are posed take a digital and a Polaroid picture of the scene. The room is a bit dark for good Polaroid pictures (use all available lighting) but the children enjoy seeing them. If the digital camera is used a picture can be printed later and displayed on the wall. The classes and parents will enjoy seeing all the photos weekly.

6. Clean Up! At 10:30 you will need to have the class put away costumes, props and clean up the area.

Reflection Time:

At 10:35 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker or some memento to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or activity.

Ask each child to share a detail from the painting that they noticed. Remind them that God notices the many “details” of our lives just as they noticed details in the painting. Remind them that the bread and wine in the painting are special symbols for us – they remind us of Jesus and what Jesus did for us.

Closing:

Prayer (suggestion): Thank you God for giving us special symbols like our communion bread and wine so that we may remember Jesus. Amen

Teacher preparation in advance:

1. Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.

2. Prepare a closing prayer or use suggestion provided.

3. Find some information about Da Vinci from the library or internet. The library has some very nice children’s art books.

4. Find copies of the Last Supper painting. There is at least one matted print in the office.

5. Decide what props, tables, chairs, bowls, cup, etc., you will need to pose the painting. Set the tables up the morning before the first class.

Supply List

· Drama props

· Costumes

· Biographical information of Da Vinci

· Copies of “Last Supper” painting

· Polaroid/Digital cameras

· Bibles

· Copies of monologue cut into strips

References

Who’s Who in the Bible, Reader’s Digest, 1994

Disciple’s Monologues for “Last Supper” Frozen Moment

The disciples are listed in order as they appear in the painting, left to right, as you look at the painting.

Bartholomew

My name is Bartholomew. I am the son of Tolmai and one of Jesus’ not so well known disciples. Some people say I am also the disciple called Nathaniel. I once asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” I now know that Jesus is something good that came out of Nazareth.

James the younger

My name is James-James the younger! I am called “the younger” so that you won’t confuse me with the other James. He is a fisherman – I am not. I am sometimes called Jesus’ brother. I stay in the background and keep pretty quiet. Jesus is the important one, the Son of God, that people come to hear. I am happy to just watch, listen, and learn.

Andrew

My name is Andrew. I like to tell people that I was Jesus’ first disciple. I am a fisherman, like my brother Simon Peter. We make our living fishing the Sea of Galilee. When I realized who Jesus was, I immediately went to my brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messiah!”

Judas

My name is Judas. I am close to Jesus, very close. I am important to all the disciples too because I am the treasurer of the group. I have great hopes for Jesus. He is going to a great leader and get rid of the Romans! Of course, he may need my help.

Peter

My name is Peter – that is what Jesus called me. Before I met Jesus I was called Simon. The first time I met Jesus he said that I should be called Peter, which means rock. I know that Jesus is the Messiah, but I sometimes forget and doubt him. I really wanted to be able to walk on the water like Jesus did that time in Galilee but just as I nearly reached Jesus, I was afraid and began to sink. I wish I could be strong and not feel unsure.

John

My name is John. I am the brother of James and the son of Zebedee. I am one of Jesus’ first disciples. Like my brother James, I am a fisherman. I have seen many wonderful things that Jesus has done. I even saw him bring Jairus’ daughter back to life! This morning Jesus asked Peter and me to prepare the Passover meal we are now sharing. Jesus is very special- I wonder what will happen next.

Jesus

I am Jesus of Nazareth. I have gathered my friends in this place tonight to share this last meal with me. They do not know all that is to happen in the next few days, but I do. Tonight I will share bread and wine with them. I will use those simple foods as symbols to help remind my friends of me when I am taken from them. I want to remind all who love me that even simple things like bread and drink can help them remember and have faith.

Thomas (with finger raised)

I am Thomas. I am not one of the more well-known disciples, but I have spoken out one or two times. For instance, just in the past few days, Jesus decided we had to return to Jerusalem. Many of the disciples think Jesus is crazy for wanting to go to Jerusalem. There are people here who want to arrest him and execute him! I told the others, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I love Jesus and will stand by him.

James

My name is James. I am the older brother of John- you have already met him. I was a fisherman with John, Peter, and Andrew. Like John, I am very close to Jesus. I have seen many of the miracles that Jesus has done. Once Jesus called John and me “sons of thunder”. I guess that means Jesus knows we can get a little worked up about things. I am embarrassed to tell you this, but once John and I even went so far as to ask Jesus if we could sit at his right and left, places of great honor, when Jesus got his kingdom.

Phillip

I am Phillip. I live in the same fishing village, Bethsaida, as Andrew, Simon, James, and John. I know a lot about the scripture and I know that Jesus was the one the prophets foretold. I don’t always seem to understand what Jesus is trying to tell us. Like the time Jesus fed 5,000 people. I was worried about how much we could buy with the little money we had. I couldn’t even imagine that Jesus’ miracle was to feed them all. I wonder what will happen at this meal?

Matthew

I am Matthew. I was a tax collector. People do not like tax collectors. I was not a good person before Jesus called me. I collected more than I had too. I lived a rich life! I was amazed when Jesus ate at my house that time. What a wonderful thing that was. Jesus told me to follow him and I did!

Thaddeus

I am Thadeus. My name is hardly mentioned in any of the stories that are told about Jesus. Some people call me Jude, son of James. I followed Jesus but I wasn’t a leader. I watched, listened, and learned. Those are important things too.

Simon

My name is Simon. I am known among the disciples as the eager one. At one point in my life I was sure that Jesus was the leader we were looking for to help us force the Romans out of our land. Now, I am not so sure that Jesus is that kind of leader. My eagerness has changed – I am even able to call Matthew the tax collector, my friend. I would have never been part of a group with Matthew before I met and followed Jesus.