September 2020
September 2020
Getting Started on the Journey through the Bible
Here are some ideas for introducing the Bible as God’s Story to your class in preparation for next week
What is the Bible?
Explore what the Bible is.
Bible Infographics for Kids pages 6-7 gives many facts and figures about the Bible
RE:Start has a range of videos that introduce the Bible: https://request.org.uk/restart/2015/12/08/an-introduction-to-the-bible/ https://request.org.uk/restart/2014/05/23/the-bible/ https://request.org.uk/restart/2015/01/21/the-bible-3/
The Big Story
You may already be using Understanding Christianity as a resource in Religious Education – you could revisit the Frieze and concepts and remind pupils that although the Bible is a collection of books, Christians believe it is one story – God’s Story connecting everything together
RE:Start have a Bible timeline resource here: https://request.org.uk/restart/2017/05/15/bible-timeline/
Videos
Listen to voices from across the diocese talk about why the Bible is important to them here
Creation and Covenant - Creation
Gather
Set up your worship table or centre of the class circle with the normal time (green) cloth and take out the Bible, cross and light candle.
Opening responses
If you have school responses or opening words for collective worship say them together or say the following:
We take out the Bible
– and think about God the Father
We take out the cross
– and think about God’s son, Jesus
We light the candle
– and think about God , the Holy Spirit
If you are using this for class worship – take out the items in the box (see notes for the teacher) and place them in the centre.
Big question
I wonder what we are going to be thinking about today?
Hold up or point to the Bible and explain that this year we are going to be journeying through the Bible together in our collective worship.
When we read a book where do we start?
That’s right at the beginning . . .
Engage
Read
Genesis 1
The Lion storyteller Bible – In the beginning
You can use the items in the box to help tell the story
A brief overview for the teacher
Every story has to have a beginning and the Bible starts with an account of how our earth was formed. Genesis literally means beginning and in its early chapters this book presents a poetic progression of creation that begins with light. It moves on to describe the origin of sky, land and sea and how they are populated with plants, sea creatures and animals. In a final act humans are given responsibility for this world; a planet that is repeatedly described as good.
God chose to plant a garden called Eden for his people, Eve and Adam; a place for them to tend and enjoy. It was a perfect place to live, but sadly, they broke the rules that God had laid down, and not only was creation spoilt, but the family relationship between the creator and his people was permanently damaged.
Wondering questions
I wonder which one of these days you like best?
I wonder which day is most important?
I wonder if we can leave out any one of these days and still have all the days we need?
Respond
Ask pupils to think about what they are thankful for and draw or write about what they are thankful for on their paper leaf. Display the classes’ thankfulness in your reflection area and encourage pupils to add to it through the week. (Download PDF Template) |
Have a large basket with paper leaves and ask each pupil to choose one (if it is class worship you could go outside and choose some leaves). Talk about the wonder of the natural world and how no two leaves are the same.Send
Reflection and Prayer
Ask some volunteers to read out their ‘thank yous’ from the paper leaves
It’s All Good (Beautiful World) – Bob Hartman’s Rhyming Bible Songs – Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/ZeqnkUd2sh4
Notes for the Teacher
In the collective worship box each week
Cloth with the colour of the Church year (this week is green)
- Bible
- Cross
- Candle
For this week – have a small globe, some animals and fish, leaves and flowers, a moon and sun picture, a torch, 2 Lego people or figures
Making links
This connects with the concept of Creation and panel 1 of the Understanding Christianity frieze you could include the creation concept symbol in your box
Digging deeper and learning more
The biblical narrative begins with a poetic account of the creation of the world, it tells us little about the creator, God, simply suggesting the pre-existence of the deity. There is a logical progression to this description of how our world was formed, moving from the creation of light to the formation of land sea and sky, which was then populated with plants, then animals and finally humanity. Two prototypical humans are placed in a specially planted garden, but fail in their obedience to God; from this spring all the hazards of life.
The title Genesis literally means beginnings; in its unfolding chapters it accounts for the foundation of the Hebrew nation and God’s first covenant or agreement with the created world. The opening chapters do not pretend to offer a scientific explanation, nor offer complex details of any particular evolutionary progression. It is instead a timeless tale accessible to people throughout history, independent of esoteric knowledge, framed in myth, legend and story but featuring individuals who are revealed as only too human.
Creation and Covenant – Tower of Babel
Gather
Set up your worship table or centre of the class circle with the normal time (green) cloth and take out the Bible, cross and light candle.
Opening responses
If you have school responses or opening words for collective worship say them together or say the following:
We take out the Bible
– and think about God the Father
We take out the cross
– and think about God’s son, Jesus
We light the candle
– and think about God , the Holy Spirit
Can anyone remember what our story last week was all about?
Today we are going to move forward a few chapters in God’s big story but we are still in the book of Genesis
If you are using this for class worship – take out the items in the box (see notes for the teacher) and place them in the centre
1 minute challenge
Have a box of building blocks available. Can pupils work in 4 or 5 small groups and see who can build the highest tower?
Big question
Looking at the clues in the box, I wonder what our story might be about today?
(Painting: Tower of Babel by Bruegel)
Engage
Read
Genesis 11 – The Lion storyteller Bible – The Tall Tower
You can use the items in the box to help tell the story.
A brief overview for the teacher
In the United Kingdom there are many regional accents or we may speak a different language; this can make communication between people difficult. This story recalls a time when everybody spoke the same language. People came together and started to build cities, places where traders and merchants bought and sold. These city dwellers became increasingly proud of their achievements and boasted that they could achieve whatever they wanted, including a tower that would surpass God.
While there is nothing wrong with mutual support and cooperation, God could see that these people were at risk of becoming arrogant and planning mischief and wrongdoing. He therefore chose to confuse the languages that people spoke, making it much more difficult to plot together. Gradually different groups of people spread out each with their own distinct language, and so new nations were formed.
Make connections
Back to the story of creation when everything God created was good but now people thought they could do it better, be the best, be better than God.
Wondering questions
I wonder if you can think of a time when people did not listen to each other and it all went wrong?
I wonder if you can think of a time when someone just did something to help themselves and just wanted to be the best ignoring advice from others?
I wonder what would happen if everyone in your class spoke a different language: How would you play together? How would you learn together?
I wonder if you can think of a time when you helped others to be the best?
Respond
Give every pupil a post it note and ask them to write a thought or prayer for the school community. Each pupil can stick their post it note on to a Duplo, Lego or Jenga block. Place them in the reflection area building up a tower. Encourage pupils to add to it during the week.
This is adapted from an activity from Prayer Spaces in schools. you can use the instructions if you wish for your reflection area.
Send
Prayer
Dear God
Thank you that we are all created different. Thank you that we are all unique and have so many different ways of thinking and doing. Help us to work together, to listen to each other, to care for what other people are feeling and saying. Help us to be a community where we can grow together. Amen
You could reword this to include parts of your school vision in the prayer.
Notes for the Teacher
In the collective worship box each week
- Cloth using the seasonal colour of the Church’s year (this week is green)
- Bible
- Cross
- Candle
For this week
Duplo blocks, Lego blocks or Jenga blocks, the word ‘Hello’ in lots of different languages
Making links
This connects with the concept of the fall and panel 2 of the Understanding Christianity frieze you could include the fall concept symbol in your box.
Further resources
You could show a video of the story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW-NXNzdZhM&list=PLactllEFMk_I73tCXAAhZVmjHeUGZmx8k&index=11&t=0s
Digging deeper and learning more
The archaeological record suggests that a civilisation developed in Mesopotamia in the fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. One feature of this society was their stepped buildings, ziggurats, presumed to be temples of some sort, apparently reaching high into the heavens. The creation narrative implies that humanity developed from one common stock, presumably sharing the same spoken language. This would aid the ready transition of ideas and the swift deployment of technological advances. While this ability to cooperate had obvious advantages, there appeared to be an inherent risk. The story of Babel reflects on the besetting weakness of humankind, pride in their achievements and a tendency to self-aggrandisement. Not content with their civil engineering skills they were soon claiming that they could do whatever they wanted. God’s concern for the risk that this posed for the created world was so great that intervention was necessary. The simple confusion of languages was sufficient to prevent the perceived catastrophe, people were less able to work collaboratively.
Creation & Covenant – Abraham & Family
Gather
Set up your worship table or centre of the class circle with the normal time (green) cloth and take out the Bible, cross and light candle.
Opening responses
If you have school responses or opening words for collective worship say them together or say the following:
We take out the Bible
– and think about God the Father
We take out the cross
– and think about God’s son, Jesus
We light the candle
– and think about God , the Holy Spirit
If you are using this for class worship – take out the items in the box (see notes for the teacher) and place them in the centre.
Can anyone remember what our story last week was all about?
Today we are going to move forward another few chapters in God’s big story but we are still in the book of Genesis.
If you are using this for class worship – take out the items in the box (see notes for the teacher) and place them in the centre.
Big question –
Looking at the clues in the box, I wonder what our story might be about today? Have you ever been on a journey and you didn’t know where you were going?
Today we are going to hear about Abraham and his family who went on a long journey but God send some signposts to guide them on their way.
Engage
Read Genesis 17:1-8, 18:1-15, 21:1-7
A child called laughter (Bob Hartman’s Rhyming Bible)
You can use the items in the box to help tell the story.
A brief overview for the teacher
Abraham is the founding father of the Hebrew nation, the Israelites, and his story starts with a journey that God asked him to undertake. A journey which began in the city of Ur. Abraham and his family first travelled around seven hundred miles north-west to Haran and then moved on another seven hundred miles or so southwards to Canaan where they eventually settled in the hill country. Although God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, they both became impatient and tried to organise events for themselves. This did not turn out well; but eventually, when they were both extremely old, their son Isaac was born. The promise that Abraham would have more ancestors than there are stars, contained the seed of another great promise, that through him the whole earth would be blessed.
Wondering questions
I wonder what went through Abraham’s mind every day on his long journey? I wonder what kept him going?
I wonder Have you ever made any promises? Have you been able to keep them? We should only make promises that we can keep!
I wonder how Abraham felt when he was told his descendants would outnumber the stars? How many stars are there in the Sky? That’s a lot of descendants!
Respond
Use the family tree activity from Prayer Spaces in Schools https://www.prayerspacesinschools.com/resources/29
You could begin this as part of your reflection time in collective worship and encourage pupils to add their thank yous for people through the week.
Send
Prayer
Ask some pupils who want to say thank you for people in their class and school and those who guide them and help them.
You could set a home challenge this week.
God promised Abraham his descendants would outnumber the stars. Every time Abraham looked up at the stars, he would be reminded about God’s promise that God would make him the father of a great nation. Go outside when it is dark and see how many stars you can count. See what constellations you can spot. As you look at each star say ‘thank you’ for something.
Notes for the Teacher
In the collective worship box each week
- Cloth using the seasonal colour of the Church’s year (this week is green)
- Bible
- Cross
- Candle
For this week
a map – some stars – the word ‘Promise’ a picture of a baby – a picture of a tree
Making links
This connects with the concept of the people of God and panel 3 of the Understanding Christianity frieze you could include the people of God concept symbol in your box.
You could develop learning further in class using Rublev’s icon also known as ‘the hospitality of Abraham’ here are some ideas https://www.barnabasinschools.org.uk/idea/what-christians-believe-about-trinity-classroom-activity
Additional resource – Bible Infographics for Kids pages 12-13 ‘God builds his nation?’
Digging deeper and learning more
Abraham and his family group migrated some nine hundred kilometres up the valley of the Euphrates river to Haran. In the book of Genesis we read that God instructed Abraham to move from here to a new land, with this came the promise that Abraham would be the father of a great nation and through him the entire world would be blessed. Obediently Abraham with his wife Sarah and all their household travelled around six hundred kilometres southwards where they settled in the land of Canaan. Although God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, they both became impatient and tried to organise events for themselves. This did not turn out well; but eventually, when they were both extremely old, their son Isaac was born. Years later Abraham sent a servant back to Mesopotamia to find a suitable wife for his son as he was wary of the local people who worshipped other gods. Isaac and Rebekah married and settled in what was to become the ancestral homeland of the Hebrew nation.