This was our week of First Communion enrollment. The 2nd graders were invited to write their names in gold pen and present themselves for enrollment in First Communion preparation. Each child's name was posted on a beautiful board that is placed near the prayer table. The children's names will be read each week as part of class prayer.
It was very sweet to see the how excited the 3rd graders were to see the board: "Hey, look it's our names... No, they're not!" We did show the children the special box where all of the enrollment cards from past First Communicants are kept, and this was of special interest.
The First Communion children had a few presentations (based on the child) this week. The Synthesis of the Mass work was expanded to include prayer cards. This work goes deeper into the Mass with prayer cards (which they have to place in order) along with the Missal work (where they make their own Missal). This work continues the color-coded organization of the mass parts that was begun in Level I--Liturgy of the Word, Preparation, Liturgy of the Eucharist, etc.--and which will come into play even more in the Level III atrium.
Another material we presented this week was the "Found Coin" work. I love this work, as the woman, her 10 coins, and the broom that she uses to "sweep out" her room really help us to think together with the children about how hard that woman must have looked for her coin. The neighbors are my favorite, though, because they have their arms raised to heaven, sharing her joy. We ask the children, "who do you think this coin represents?" They will have time to meditate on this presentation again during their special First Communion Bible studies.
So much is going on in the atrium, that with our 40 children, we really do have 40 stories a week to share (or more!) Besides receiving new presentations, some children have busied themselves working on their Missals (a small white binder into which they copy our "control missal"), some have been studiously copying Scripture booklets, some have been working on the altar work, and many have been working with the Books of the Bible (more on that next week). The favorite is still the leaven work: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed with 3 measures of flour, until it was leavened through."
The last story I will leave you with is about the simple prayer we prayed at the beginning of class on Sunday. We (the Sunday class) have begun by singing the "Hail Mary" each week, but this week we added a "Glory Be." I realized that this prayer has a lot to do with that big blue strip that is hanging on the wall in the atrium. It is titled: "The History of the Kingdom of God." It really is a timeline that begins with Creation, continues through the Redemption, and through to the Parousia, the time when "God will be all in all."
As we prayed the "Glory Be" we walked over to the Blue Strip and prayed the beginning part: "Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit" and then continued while walking along the strip with a hand outstretched: "...as it was in the beginning, is NOW, and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN!" When we got to the part about "world without end" we made our fingers wiggle like a fringe on a piece of ribbon that represents eternity. It was very cool, and the kids remembered the prayer at the end of class! It was a great chance to review the Parousia and the Plan of God and to offer GLORY to God for all of his great work!
God Bless!
Mandie DeVries,
CGS Catechists
Director of Religious Education
No comments:
Post a Comment