FAITH QUEST

 

Parable of the Talents

 

April 18 –May 16, 2004

 

Holywood

 

Scripture:  Matthew 25:14-30 NRSV

 

Memory Verse:

“Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others.  So use your gift well.”  1 Peter 4:10 CEV

 

Concepts:      

  1. God has given each of us special gifts and talents to use, not hoard.
  2. God’s faithful followers use their gifts to serve God and others.
  3. Everything in life is a gift from God so we must use our gifts responsibly (time, abilities, possessions).

 

Objectives:   

1.     Children will view the video Mother Teresa – Seeing the Face of Jesus.  The video, through addressing the life of Mother Teresa from a child until the time of her death, does an amazing job at addressing the concepts.

2.     Reinforce the concepts through discussion.

 

Procedure:                

Welcome and Introductions:

1.     Greet the children and introduce yourself.  Wear your nametag. Make sure the children are wearing nametags. 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 to the children that the purpose of this workshop is to learn about how we can use our special God-given gifts to serve God and others.

 

Scripture/Bible Story:

Read the Bible story. Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses.  You may want to ask the children to read or you may want to read the scripture yourself.  If a child does not want to read that is perfectly fine.  Be creative in giving suggestions for retelling the story in weeks 3-5 when the children are more familiar with the story. You may want to ask them what happened first, second, etc.

 

Application:

1.     Show the video. It’s about 35 minutes long if it is cued after the beginning credits.

 

2.     When the video is over turn the lights on.

 

3.     Discussion Questions (feel free to add any you may think of)

  • Do you remember Mother Teresa’s name as a young girl?  Agnes. 
  • Growing up not only did Agnes attend school and church but what did she help her mother do?  Care for others. 
  • When Agnes’ father dies, what business did her mother open to support her family?  Embroidery business out of her home so she could continue to take care of her children.  
  • When they were helping the poor, what did her mother tell them to look for in each person?  The face of Jesus. 
  • As a student, Agnes learned about the missionaries and their service throughout the world.  She read about India and the people who lived in slums.  She began to feel God’s calling for her to go and help these people.  Do you think that this is possible since she was so young?  Answers will vary.  The point to stress is that she did feel that she was being called. 
  • Agnes began praying about becoming a nun.  When she was 18 she heard about the sisters of Loretto who taught in Christian schools around the world including India.  What did Agnes do when she heard this?  She decided that yes she was indeed being called by God; it is God’s choice, so she decided to become a nun.
  • Describe Mother Teresa’s talents.  She helped the sick, poor, taught children to learn, etc.

 

 

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 on their journal page as a reminder of the story or activity. 

 

Remind them that the offering from this rotation will go to the New Vision Home for orphans in Jamaica so they may learn about Jesus’ love and share their many talents in His name.

 

Suggested prompts for journal writing include asking the child to write about an activity he/she participates in, e.g., pennies for hunger, canned food for the food bank, coats for children, singing in the children’s choir, etc.  You may want to ask the first and second graders to draw a picture of something they do with other people to help them.

 

At 10:45 ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:

Prayer: Suggestion for the closing prayer.  Dear God, Thank you for our many unique talents.  Please help us to us our talents to serve others each day.  In your name we pray.  Amen.

 

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean up popcorn before they leave Holywood.  Wait until after class to pile up the beanbag chairs. The kids tend to throw them. Wipe out popcorn machine thoroughly, do not use water.

 

Teacher preparation in advance:

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

2.     Prepare a closing prayer.

3.     Check out the workshop room before your first Sunday so that you know where everything is located.

4.     PRACTICE OPERATING THE POPCORN MACHINE.

 

Supply List

·        Video will be given to you at the Workshop Leaders’ Bible Study.

·        Journal pages will also be provided at the Bible study or the first Sunday of the rotation.

·        Stickers if you want to put them on the journal pages.

 

References

Lori Houck, Kirk Faith Quest Bible Study Leader

Mother Teresa, Seeing the Face of Jesus video 1998 Morning Light Media, 10300 Watson Rd. St. Louis, MO  63127, ISBN 1-889387-11-8