KS1 - Year 2

Key Stage 1 Year 2

A Fertile Heart Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Love is creative.

To have a fertile heart is to love, grow and make a positive difference.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love Panda Press Publishing would like to thank the following contributors to A Fertile Heart: Kathryn Lycett, John Cook, Mary Dickenson, Maryanne Dowle, Bernadette Eakin, Christopher Hancox, Louise Kirk, Gavin McAleer and Rebecca Surman Thanks also to Dr Charlie O’Donnell, Joe Smiles, Michael H. Barton, Mary Flynn, Rev Dr Stephen Morgan and Fr Wayne Coughlin for their kind support.

ISBN: 978-0-9930555-7-7 A Fertile Heart KS1 - Reception Scripture quotations taken from various authorised translations.

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Printed and bound in the UK and published under licence by Panda Press Publishing Ltd, 1 Newcastle Street, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8JU Company Number 11786188 Printed, bound and distributed in Australia by Createl Publishing, 98 Logistics Street, Keilor Park, Victoria 3042, t: 03 9336 0800, f: 03 9336 0900, www.createl.com.au Keep in touch Facebook @afertileheart Linkedin.com/company/a-fertile-heart Twitter @afertileheart visit A Fertile Heart at www.fertileheart.org.uk Version 7, September 2021

Imprimatur:

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Nihil Obstat for KS2, 3 & 4: Reverend Jonathan Veasey.

Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham, 30th November 2020.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

04/07/2018

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Coat_of_arms_of_George_Stack.svg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Coat_of_arms_of_George_Stack.svg

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Foreword His Grace George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel “The Glory of God is humanity fully alive”. Thus wrote St. Irenaeus in the 3rd century. His words remain true to this day. They mean that God is the creator of the gift of life. In that gift, each human person receives a share in His own creative love. His revelation in life and love, as well as through creation, is pure gift. This is the ‘grace’ of which we speak, in order that “we may have life and have it to the full” (Gospel of St. John 10:10).

This truth lies at the heart of the Gospel. It is what it means to be truly human. The gift of life is bestowed

by God in order that we may flourish and thrive. We do this in the first place simply by living with gratitude.

We do it by responding to His love in a life of joyful communion with Him. We express it by actively engaging in the good of others so that mutual ‘flourishing’ may take place. The more we give, the more we receive.

The ‘Gospel of Life’ outlined above is, indeed, ‘Good News’. It is revealed in every aspect of human nature and creation itself. This is the life-giving teaching we seek to hand on to our children who are “the messages we send to tomorrow”. The Rite of Baptism reminds us that parents are the first and best teachers of their children. The Catholic school exists primarily to educate children to receive and respond to God’s love for each one of them and for all. Our schools are designed to help parents fulfil their God given task of caring for their children in the school of love. The Catholic school is not just a place for professional education – existing for improvement in learning - important though that is. It is a place of formation, a place in which ‘lessons for life’ are imparted, received and shared. The whole school community teaches and learns these lessons in a truly Catholic environment.

Human relationships are obviously at the heart of life and flourishing. We are made to relate to each other, body, mind and spirit. The physical, emotional and spiritual reality of our being are part and parcel of the ‘holy trinity’ of each one of us. Thus affective sexuality education is a crucial part of human formation.

A Fertile Heart is the culmination of several years work of dedicated individuals [teachers, theologians, education advisers and parents] from within the dioceses of Birmingham, Cardiff, Clifton, Arundel and Brighton and Shrewsbury. They have worked tirelessly to create a resource which puts the human person and the flourishing of our pupils at the heart of the Catholic school. It is offered as an important aid to pupils, parents, teachers, governors and clergy to remind us all that “We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning God had meant us to live it” (Ephesians 2:10).

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Introduction Welcome! It’s such a privilege to help a young child grow in understanding anything; doubly so when it means them understanding themselves. We are all created in love, to live and grow - but maybe that’s particularly obvious though the wonder of a child’s eyes.

Content In Reception, we focused on being loved, happy, beautiful children of God - whom God calls to grow in body, mind and heart, and invites us to cooperate in this. Year 1 is structured by the Hail Mary separated into three parts: helping us to receive God’s love so that we can love ourselves, each other and the whole human family, respectively.

Through the Annunciation, backed up by the parable of the Good Shepherd, we deepen the children’s understanding of God’s personal love for them, encouraging them both to see their gifts as an expression of that love, and to give God thanks by courageously using them to help others. All this helps them understand that everyone is special - we are all important because we are all loved, all belong and all have something to offer.

The Visitation, supported by the story of Zacchaeus, helps the children see that being loved by God helps us love ourselves, and both of these help us love each other, with God’s love. We think through the many people who help them grow, and the small ways they can help others.

The parable of the Forgiving Father/Prodigal Son helps the children see the whole of humanity as God’s forgiven family, encouraging them to love everyone as brothers and sisters in Jesus. Finally, the Last Supper helps the children understand that they are on a journey from now to heaven - a journey we are all on together. This sensitively brings up the subject of dying in the context of meeting Jesus face to face, and how all this is connected with the Mass and loving service. It also opens up some very simple lessons on safeguarding. Lessons 1f1 and 1f2 are the deepest lessons of the year.

The great strength of all this is that it communicates - in a joyful, life-giving way - the truth behind healthy living and good relationships and firmly links it all to our faith, so that the children don’t only learn the externals of good practice, but gradually understand and own the reasons behind it.

Structure and Methodology The general structure of the year is 6 modules - perhaps one every half term - each with three lessons. Each module focuses on a Bible story, with a modern story to help us understand its truth. Please, as a school, buy these contemporary books - the course is impoverished without them, and the authors etc. have a right to just remuneration. Each lesson has an Introduction, a Respond and Teach element - as reflective Circle Time, example activities and a mission. There is a lot of music used - normally two songs per lesson, sometimes repeated - that helps immerse the children in the beauty and joy of the message. All lessons can easily be delivered in smaller chunks to suit your class and timetable.

After a lot of reflection and discussion, we decided to write down nearly every word of the lessons. There are several reasons for this: to save you the spade work; because we found it easier to write down a set of questions and answers than try and explain in abstract what they are trying to achieve; and because doing it this way really allows the important strands of A Fertile Heart to be gradually built up. We hope the fuller text gives you confidence in the lessons, and allows you to focus on what you do best - teach the children! Included in this, we haven’t added so many ‘mindmap’ and ‘discuss’ pointers as in Reception modules, due to space - trusting that you know the best way to make the lessons dynamic and interactive. We are firm believers that you are the best resource you have in the classroom and we want our course and colourful powerpoints to help you as much as possible.

Truth and Love We are in a culture where many of our children do not experience the traditional family structure. This is important to acknowledge, while still presenting Jesus’ vision of what family is called to be. As well as this, many of our children sadly carry wounds that need great sensitivity. We have tried to allow these truths to shape how we communicate Christ’s life-giving message of love, without it preventing us talking of God as Father, family life, forgiveness, trust, etc. - in a spirit of equality, tolerance, compassion and dignity. We can only help you in this with our words and prayers; you are the one who will best know how to deal with anything that arises. Sensitive issues need to be dealt with sensitively, not ignored.

The RHE themes at the start of each module relate to England and Wales CES’s given themes, based on Department for Education guidance and agreed with them.

A Fertile Heart is so called, because we all long to be fertile in the deepest sense - to grow, to help others grow, to make a difference: and ultimately it is love that achieves this. So we invite you to add your fertile heart to ours, and to Jesus’ and Mary’s - so that we can all help our children’s fertile hearts grow too.

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Year 2 Introduction Welcome! It’s such a privilege to help a young child grow in understanding anything; doubly so when it means them understanding themselves. We are all created in love, to live and grow - but maybe that’s particularly obvious though the wonder of a child’s eyes.

Content In Reception, we focused on being loved, happy, beautiful children of God - whom God helps to grow in body, mind and heart, and invites us to cooperate in this. In Y1 the Hail Mary guided us to deepen our love for ourselves, each other and the whole human family, through receiving God’s creative love of us, and responding generously and joyfully, as Mary did.

Year 2 is structured by the Our Father, separated into six parts. Healthy, life-giving relationship is founded firstly on self-knowledge. We cannot truly know ourselves except in the light of Genesis 1-3. We are lovingly created in the image of God as his helpers and friends. Year 2 starts with the sad story of the Fall of Adam and Eve - which helps us understand why we and the world aren’t perfect, and need saving. It is a hard module - and 2a1 and 2a2 are longer - because it is so important for the children to understand this story correctly: but the reward is that it helps the rest of the year go much more smoothly. The children learn that sin hurts our special journey to full happiness with God, but in Jesus, can’t stop it: he is both our vaccine for sin and our satnav guide through life.

The parable of the Good Samaritan helps the children understand the joy of giving, and that we are called to build up God’s kingdom through loving service of each other. Jesus’ Calming of the Storm calls us to trust in God’s loving will for us even when it feels dark and scary. It also helps the children see that our real journey is an ‘inside one’ not an ‘outside one’: a spiritual journey. The parable of the Talents develops the children’s understanding that God feeds our body, mind and heart with the daily bread of food, truth and love - and that we can cooperate in all of these: growing more when we share our gifts. The parable of the Unforgiving Servant calls the children not just to be forgiving, but to have a forgiving heart. It offers ways to overcome our emotions in order to do this. Accepting that we are all loved sinners can be both freeing and uniting. Finally, the story of Joseph and his brothers, and his journey to Egypt, helps the children understand how to help God lead them away from temptation. They also learn that nothing can stop our journey home to God. Within these, we also deal with some safeguarding issues, helping the children to understand how to be ‘kind but careful’ - hopefully in a way that will give them confidence without panicking them.

The great strength of all this is that it communicates - in a joyful, life-giving way - the truth behind healthy living and good relationships and firmly links it all to our faith, so that the children don’t only learn the externals of good practice, but gradually understand and own the reasons behind it.

Structure and Methodology The year begins with an introduction to the Our Father, and in particular the meaning of ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. This is followed by 6 modules - perhaps one every half term - each with three lessons. Each module focuses on a Bible story, with (except for 2f ) a modern story to help us understand its truth. Please, as a school, buy these contemporary books - the course is impoverished without them, and the authors etc. have a right to just remuneration. Each lesson has an Introduction, a Respond and Teach element - as reflective Circle Time, example activities and a mission. There is a lot of music used - normally two songs per lesson - that helps immerse the children in the beauty and joy of Christ’s message. All lessons can easily be delivered in smaller chunks to suit your class and timetable.

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

After a lot of reflection and discussion, we decided to write down nearly every word of the lessons. There are several reasons for this: to save you the spade work; because we found it easier to write down a set of questions and answers than try and explain in abstract what they are trying to achieve; and because doing it this way really allows the important strands of A Fertile Heart to be built up slowly. We hope the fuller text gives you confidence in the lessons, and allows you to focus on what you do best - teach the children!

Included in this, we haven’t added so many ‘mindmap’ and ‘discuss’ pointers as in Reception modules, due to space - trusting that you know the best way to make the lessons dynamic and interactive. We are firm believers that you are the best resource you have in the classroom and we want our course and colourful powerpoints to help you as much as possible.

Truth and Love We are in a culture where many of our children do not experience the traditional family structure. This is important to acknowledge, while still presenting Jesus’ vision of what family is called to be. As well as this, many of our children sadly carry wounds that need great sensitivity. We have tried to allow these truths to shape how we communicate Christ’s life-giving message of love, without it preventing us talking of God as Father, family life, forgiveness, trust, etc. - in a spirit of equality, tolerance, compassion and dignity. We can only help you in this with our words and prayers; you are the one who will best know how to deal with anything that arises. Sensitive issues need to be dealt with sensitively, not ignored.

The RHE themes at the start of each module relate to England and Wales’ CES given themes, based on DfE guidance and agreed with them.

A Fertile Heart is so called, because we all long to be fertile in the deepest sense - to grow, to help others grow, to make a difference: and ultimately it is love that achieves this. So we invite you to add your fertile heart to ours, and to Jesus’ and Mary’s - so that we can all help our children’s fertile hearts grow too.

Modern Texts Max Lucado - The Oak Inside the Acorn Publisher - Tommy Nelson ISBN-13: 9781602522732 Shel Silverstein - The Giving Tree Publisher - Harper & Row ISBN-13: 9780060256654 Angela Elwell Hunt - The Tale of Three Trees Publisher - Lion Children’s Books ISBN-13: 9780745917436 Marcus Pfister - The Rainbow Fish Publisher - North-South Books ISBN-13: 9780735820845 John Steptoe - Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters Publisher - Puffin ISBN-13: 9780140559460

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Contents: Year 2 The Our Father is used this year to unite the different modules together. This will reinforce the prayer for the children, but also, hopefully enrich the prayer for them every time they pray it. A short introductiory lesson presents the Our Father to the children, and explores ‘on earth as it is in heaven’.

1) ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.’ The Fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3): This story, like Genesis 1 and 2, tells us so much about being human, and why we are like we are. This deals with the bad part - our turning away from God, and sinning. The children explore how we can all want to decide what is right and wrong, but trusting God as Father means we trust that he knows and wants what is best for us. God promises to save Adam and Eve even after they have chosen not to trust him; he is still Our Father, even after we choose not to trust him. This is why his name is ‘hallowed’ or holy. It is Jesus who is our Saviour - he is our vaccine against sin and our satnav on our ‘inner journey’ of growing in love.

2) ‘Thy kingdom come.’ The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37): This is the clearest and simplest of Jesus’ parables calling us to serve and help each other. First of all it teaches us that Jesus is the Good Samaritan who heals us and the whole human family; then it calls us to help him by being like the Good Samaritan ourselves, by serving others and the whole human family whatever our differences. We are called to lend everyone a helping hand when we can and when it is safe - and to find joy in the giving itself, not in any reward.

3) ‘Thy will be done’ The Calming of the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27): There can be storms in our lives. It can seem like Jesus is asleep. But he never leaves us, and the storms will never cause us to sink. He has power over all creation, and nothing bad can happen that he cannot being good out of, if we trust him. God has plans for us that are even more amazing than our wildest dreams!

Trusting this protects us from loving money, power or fame, which take us on a meaningless ‘outer journey’, whereas Jesus invites us to a life-giving inner journey.

4) ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30): We explore further the idea that God feeds us with food, truth and love. And that every gift from God helps us daily grow in body, mind or heart. The parable of the Talents helps us see that we cooperate with this daily growth by using our gifts to the best of our ability. Thankfulness and trust in God give us the courage to use our gifts lovingly. Jesus’ deepest truth is that when we give gifts, or love, to another, we in some way give ourselves too. This is why he gives himself to us as daily bread: on the Cross, in Mass and Holy Communion. We have life to the full (Jn. 10:10) when we have completely become a gift to God and others.

This is heaven.

5) ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35): Through Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant, we explore the importance of forgiveness and the link between God forgiving us, and us forgiving each other. We reflect on what forgiveness is, and isn’t, and what emotions can stop us wanting to forgive - or wanting to say sorry - and how to overcome them. We learn that forgiveness comes from a generous, forgiving heart which frees both of us to be happy. We then look at the ‘Lord have mercy’ in Mass, and the beauty of us all knowing that we are a family of forgiven sinners.

6) ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ Joseph and his brothers (Gen. 37, 39-41): The story of Joseph introduces two topics which we would all rather avoid: that there is a serpent whose voice can tempt us; and that there is human evil, which we seek to protect our children from, through safeguarding. Firstly, then we think through choices that lead us away from or into temptation. Then we offer a foundation for the school’s safeguarding lessons. In particular, trust in God gives the children confidence to seek appropriate help and to learn appropriate skills, so that they can still learn to be kind, but in a careful way. We finish the module and the year on a positive note - that ultimately, God will always protect us, even if our difficulties on the way can be deep and real.

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

2c

Trusting in God when things go wrong Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of Jesus Calming the Storm.

Lesson 2: To trust that God wills what is best for us.

Lesson 3: To know that our journey to heaven is an inside journey not an outside journey.

Teacher Notes We turn to the third part of the Our Father: ‘thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’.

Module 2a focused on trusting God instead of choosing what we wanted - not giving in to our own impulses for pleasure.

Philosophers call these our (misguided) concupiscent desires for life and growth. The virtue we are called to is temperance.

This module focuses on still trusting in God when things go wrong - when the fear of being hurt, isolated or even dying tells us to panic.

These are called our irascible desires for avoiding being harmed. The virtue we are called to is courage or resilience.

This doesn’t mean we ignore fear, but that trust in God helps us to not panic - so that we can face fear in a rational way.

Obviously, we will only be communicating some of this to the children - and in a simpler way.

The Bible story we focus on is Jesus’ Calming of the Storm, and this is complemented by Angela Elwell Hunt’s The Tale of Three Trees, which teaches the children that our lives might not go quite according to our plans and desires, but that God’s plans for us are even bigger and better - as you’d expect from a loving, almighty Father.

The lessons help the children to see that the desire for money, fame and power can set them off on an ‘outside’ journey, whereas love, truth and trust in God guide them on an ‘inside’ journey to heaven.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God: 1,1,1,4, 1.1.2.1, 1.1.3.1, 1.1.3.2, 1.1.4.1, 1.1.4.4, 1.1.5.1.

Theme 2: Created to love others: 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.4, 1.2.2.5, 1.2.4.2, 1.2.4.6, 1.2.4.7.

Theme 3: Created to live in community: 1.3.2.2, 1.3.3.4.

Bible Text Matthew 8:23-27 - The Calming of the Storm The children will hear the story of Jesus Calming of the Storm, where Jesus gets into the boat and falls asleep while a storm rages. The disciples, in a panic, wake him up and question whether he cares. He challenges their lack of faith and calms the storm with a word. The disciples are left in amazement at who this man is.

Modern Text Angela Elwell Hunt - The Tale of Three Trees This is a story of three trees who all have dreams for the future. They interpret their dreams in a clear way, and after waiting and waiting, have to cope with the disappointment of not achieving what they wanted. However, God had deeper plans, and the life and death of Jesus fulfils their dreams in specific ways that they could never have expected.

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2c1 To know the story of Jesus Calming the Storm

Explain: we are now going to think about the third part of the Our Father - ‘thy will be Lesson Objectives done, on earth as it is in heaven’.

‘Will’ is another name for wanting. Sometimes we want different things to what Mum or Dad want for us - and we can feel it’s not fair, and before we know it, we are feeling that they are being mean to us. Then, later, when we’ve calmed down, we realise we were being silly - of course Mum or Dad want what is best for me.

The same can happen with us and God - when things seem to go wrong we can think that God has forgotten us, or isn’t being fair to us. Sometimes we have to wait a bit longer to see that he was caring for us all along. When we pray that God’s will be done - not ours - we are trusting that God knows what is best for us - even when it doesn’t feel like it. Let’s pray the Our Father, and really mean those words.

“Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith?”

Matthew 8:26

Watch: Tomkin - The Our Father (0:40).

Introduction Ask: Who likes the sea? Who likes being on a boat?

Explain: Lots of us, but maybe only when the sea is calm and the sun is shining!

Sometimes the sea, or even big lakes, can be very stormy! Then it’s a bit scary, as the waves get bigger, and the boat seems to get smaller and smaller! Let’s watch a video of a boat in some very stormy seas.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZSM5ZbdpWw&t=360s Ships in Horrible Storms (from 6:00 up to 8:48 - or as long as is needed).

Jesus calms the storm.

Explain: Jesus lived near a big lake called the Sea of Galilee.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzPwRXytr7U Jesus Calms The Storm (2:08).

Check understanding. The following questions may help.

• What was the weather like when they got in the boat? Calm and sunny.

• What happened as it got darker? A storm started.

• What were the big waves doing to the boat? Nearly sinking it.

• What did the disciples feel? Panic, fear.

• What was Jesus doing? Sleeping on a cushion at the back of the boat!

• What did the disciples do? Wake Jesus up and ask for help.

• Jesus saw the big storm, and the frightened disciples: what did he do?

He told the wind and the waves to be quiet and be still.

• What happened? They did!!

• What did Jesus then ask his disciples? Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

• What did the disciples feel then? Terrified of Jesus - as in awestruck, because of his calm and what he’s just done.

• What did they say? Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him.

Explain: The disciples did right in going to Jesus for help - but he wanted them to trust even more: to simply feel safe because he was with them. That’s what we mean when we say we trust in Jesus, when we say ‘your will be done’.

We are all afraid of lots of things.

Walking with God through storms and through sunshine.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJU3te81Dg I will trust you (4:07).

Of course I care. Be at peace.

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene.

Explain: This story helps us to learn how to deal with our fears.

• Do you have fears? Yes. • What fears do we have? (This might need sensitive handling.) Common answers would probably include the dark, shadows, spiders, snakes, the unknown, thunder and lightning, blood; some children’s situations might lead them to franker answers of illness, losing mummy or daddy, death; and there are in between answers such as the dentist, crossing the road, being in an assembly, or moving class/school/home.

Jesus understands that we have fears. He doesn’t expect us not to be afraid of things.

If you remember, he got very afraid the night before he died - not surprising at all!

But he does want us to have courage.

• What helps us find courage? Does talking to others about my fear, help?

It can - we can be encouraged by the other person, the more we can trust what they say, the more we will be encouraged.

Who can we go to if we are worried or afraid? Any grown-up you trust - family, me, both.

There are also organisations who can help us in different ways, some of which we will be learning about later.

We can also learn ways of protecting ourselves - so we can always be ‘kind but careful’ but even as grown-ups we can’t always protect ourselves.

Courage comes from being able to trust the person who is protecting me. And, in the end, that is always God. Trusting in God gives us confidence to share with a trusted grown-up and to learn ways of protecting ourselves - God loves us through others.

Ask: • The disciples were afraid of the storm. What did they do?

They woke Jesus up, wanting him to help.

• Was that a good thing to do, or a bad thing?

A good thing - they went to the right person for help.

• However, what did they say to him? Master, don’t you care if we drown?

Oh dear, that sounds a bit like they didn’t trust him - a bit like when we are scared and start thinking that mum has forgotten me, or dad doesn’t care.

• After Jesus had calmed the storm, they were able to not be afraid.

Why was it easier for them then?

It had stopped! It’s very easy to be brave once the storm is over!

We might think that turning the light on will give us courage about the dark but it doesn’t really: it just removes the dark.

Real courage is being able to trust when it is dark, when we are in a storm.

• How did the disciples feel after even the wind and waves had obeyed Jesus?

It says they were terrified of Jesus!

• What does that mean? Full of awe and wonder at what they had just seen.

Jesus had just calmed a whole sea in three words! (Quiet! Be still!)

This ‘fear’ is a good fear. It comes from us knowing the power of God, and knowing that our loving God is all powerful helps us trust.

Fear of God gives us courage against all other fears.

That’s an important thing to remember.

Explain: One last thing: trusting God doesn’t mean we never feel afraid, it means the feelings aren’t as strong, and don’t stop us being happy.

Fear is like the waves: if they’re just gentle waves they don’t bother us; if it feels like I’m drowning that’s different! Trusting God means knowing that whatever happens I won’t drown in fear. And that keeps me smiling!

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpkQ-Bb78sU With Jesus in the boat we can smile through the storm (1:27).

Example Activities 1. Create storm soundscapes using percussion instruments - starting from calm and gradually getting stormier.

Maybe record their compositions on a graphic score.

2. Re-enact the story in small groups, using the percussion accompaniment either ‘live’ or using a recording.

3. Hot-seat or interview the disciples before, during and after the storm.

“Why are you afraid?

Have you no faith”?

Faith begins when we realise we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we founder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives.

Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. “ Pope Francis, from St Peter’s Square, solitary, at the beginning of the pandemic

Mission Next time you are afraid of the dark, tell Jesus it’s okay because he is with you.

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2c2 To trust that God wills what is best for us

Explain: Remember, to will something is to want something - so what God wills is Lesson Objectives what God wants to happen - and since he is almighty God, what he truly wants to happen happens, but it is a lot easier and a lot better if we try and help him. So, when we pray ‘your will be done on earth’, we’re saying we trust he wants what is best for us, and will help it happen.

Watch: Tomkin - The Our Father (0:40), and pray it with him.

Introduction Explain: Imagine your family are taking you out on a trip. All week you are excited about where you might be going. Will it be swimming? The cinema? A play park?

• What would happen if you found out the treat your family had got for you wasn’t what you wanted: would it be fair to be sad?

No, because your family had made an effort to make you happy.

And do you know what? They know more than you, and they know you very well so there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy their choice even more than your own.

“The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:7

Explain: today’s story is about three trees, and about what they wanted from life.

Read The Tale of Three Trees, by Angela Elwell Hunt.

Check understanding. The following questions may help.

• What did the first tree dream of being?

A treasure chest, holding precious gold and diamonds.

• And the second tree? A mighty ship that carried kings and queens.

• And the third tree? The tallest tree in the world, so that when people looked up at him they would think of God in heaven.

They all slowly grew, and waited, and finally people chopped them down for wood.

All three trees got excited - looking forward to their wishes coming true.

• What was the first tree used to make? A feedbox for animals. Oh dear.

• And the second? A simple fishing boat. Oh dear, oh dear.

• And the third? Large beams - just planks of wood. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

The years went by, and nothing happened, and the three trees began to even forget their dreams.

• Then one day, what was the feedbox used for? To hold a newborn baby in the hay.

• And who was that baby? Jesus. And the first tree realised he held the greatest treasure of all - far greater than gold and diamonds.

• And later on, who got in the simple fishing boat?

Some fishermen - one of whom fell asleep.

• And what happened while they were in the boat? There was a big storm.

• And what did the sleeping man do?

He woke up, and told the sea to be at peace - and it went calm, the storm stopped.

• And who was that man? Jesus.

• And do we recognise this story? Yes. What is it called? Jesus calms the storm.

Yes, and the second tree realised that he was carrying not just kings and queens, but the king of heaven and earth.

• And later on, what happened to the beams of wood?

They were made into a cross, and a man was nailed to it and died.

• And who was that man? Jesus.

• Yes. And what happened three days later? He rose again from the dead.

And the third tree realised that he had become a great sign of God’s love for us all, and from then on, anyone who looked at him would think of God in heaven.

• So, did all the trees’ dreams come true? Yes. How they expected? No. Better than what they expected? Yes. Yes, and our lives are like that - if we let God’s will be done.

Trusting that God wills what is best for me.

The Tale of Three Trees.

Explain: Let’s allow this song to help us think what we can learn from the story.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j61cwtyn9to A Prayer for Tomorrow (2:25).

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Entrusting our hopes to God.

Explain: So, if we trust in God, who has bigger dreams for us that we do, we offer him our hands, our feet and our hearts - to do his will.

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene.

Explain: This story has helped us think about our own dreams, and God’s will. Have you ever been in a room when someone has said something, and you didn’t hear it properly, but another person did? Or you were watching the TV and didn’t understand something, so you ask mum or dad what was said? It’s a bit like that with us! Your heart ‘speaks’ about what you really want. And your mind hears it. And God hears it. But you don’t always hear it right. But God does. So God offers to help us follow what we really want - not what we think we want!

That’s a bit confusing - but the story helps us understand it.

• What did the first tree really want? To hold a great treasure.

• What did he think he really wanted? To hold gold and diamonds.

• Is that what he really wanted? No. He made the mistake of thinking that gold and diamonds were the greatest treasure.

• What did the second tree really want? To carry important people.

• What did he think he really wanted? To be famous for carrying kings and queens.

• Is that what he really wanted? No. He made the mistake of thinking that being famous was more important than serving.

• What did the third tree really want? To guide people to know God. • What did he think he really wanted? To make people look to God. • Is that what he really wanted? No. He made the mistake of thinking that he had to make people look up to see God. • Some children want to be rich when they grow up to have lots of money. What can they learn from the first tree?

That Jesus is our real treasure: if we have him in our heart, we don’t need money or diamonds.

• Some children want to be famous when they grow up.

What can they learn from the second tree?

That serving makes us happy, not how many people like us, or whether we are on TV or not.

• Some children want to be powerful when they grow up.

What can they learn from the third tree?

That love is more powerful than strength.

These are very important lessons. A lot of children and grown-ups you meet might want to be rich, famous or powerful - and that can make us want the same. But money, fame and power aren’t part of God’s dream for you and if you are listening to those people, you aren’t listening to God. • In the story, did what the trees really want come true?

Yes - in a way they didn’t even dream of.

• What needed to happen for their real dreams to come true?

Three things. They had to wait, and wait and wait; they had to trust in God even when it seemed to be going wrong; they had to learn from what happened to them.

So, every time we pray the Our Father, let’s remember this story and learn from the three trees.

Example Activity 1. Learn and sing Only a Shadow, by Carey Landry (The love I have for you my Lord). You may need the music coordinator or lead to help!

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.”

St John Henry Newman

Mission Share with someone your dreams for your future - and then ask God what his dreams for you are.

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To know that our journey to heaven is an inside journey not an outside journey

Explain: we have been thinking about God’s dreams for us, and our dreams for LessonA Objectives ourselves. mistake we can make is that God wants to take us on an ‘inside’ journey, but we sometimes are thinking of an ‘outside’ journey. So, it helps to remember that heaven is simply being like Jesus and with Jesus.

Watch: Tomkin - The Our Father (0:40), and pray it with him.

Introduction Recap - explain: we heard the real story of Jesus Calming the Storm, and then we heard the made up story of the three trees. If you remember, that helped us think about our dreams and God’s dreams for us, and trusting what he wants trusting his will.

Watch: A Prayer for Tomorrow (2:25).

Recap - watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEAUHUjq7nI 62 Jesus Calms the Storm (1:00).

“[The hidden wisdom of God teaches us about] the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond our imagination: all that God has prepared for those who love him.” cf. 1 Corinthians 2:7, 9

Check understanding. The following questions may help.

• What did Jesus and his disciples want to do? Sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

• What did Jesus do on the boat? Sleep. That showed that Jesus trusted his disciples he wasn’t worried at all about safely crossing the sea.

(Teacher note: recall the words of Only a Shadow: My own belief in you, my Lord, is only a shadow of your faith in me…)

• What suddenly happened? A great storm.

What was it like? Waves crashing into the boat, wind whipping around the disciples.

Do you remember the video we saw of the boat in trouble?

And do you remember our percussion recordings?

• The disciples panicked, and woke Jesus. What did they say?

Don’t you care that we are drowning?

• What did Jesus reply? Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith at all?

• Jesus tells the wind and waves to be calm. What happens?

Straight away they are calm.

• What do the disciples say about Jesus?

Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him?

Journeying to be like Jesus.

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene.

• What is heaven like? Happy, fun, loving, etc. Yes, but what is it like?

We don’t really know. God hasn’t told us.

In fact, he deliberately hasn’t told us… because it isn’t important!

Let’s listen to what the Bible tells us about heaven…

Maybe ask a child to read out 1 Cor. 2:9, which is in the margin.

Ask the class what they think he means.

Explain: We can’t even imagine how beautiful heaven is.

And God hasn’t told us either. Now why is that?

• What makes heaven, heaven? What is going to be the best bit about heaven?

God. Being with God. • What’s the second best thing about heaven? Being with each other.

Yes, the best bit about heaven is being with God and each other being together in love. One family.

• Can you remember from the Good Samaritan, what two things did Jesus tell us to do? To love God and to love our neighbour.

So, on earth we are learning to love God and each other, so that in heaven we can be happy loving God and each other.

That’s our journey of love!

So, God doesn’t tell us what heaven looks like, because it doesn’t matter what heaven looks like!

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

What does a journey to heaven look like?

Our journey is an inside one growing in love.

Our journey is a journey on the inside, not on the outside.

Example Activities 1. Draw a picture of Jesus, you and some of his disciples on a boat in a storm, all still smiling. Include a speech bubble each for Jesus, a disciple and you.

2. Sing ‘With Jesus in the boat we can smile through the storm’ at a school assembly. (Maybe play the children’s percussion recording before the song to set the scene.)

We have to choose an inside or outside journey.

• Does anyone remember what we mean by inside and outside? Outside is about what we look like, our body; inside is about the things we can’t see - our mind and heart.

It doesn’t matter what the ‘outside’ part of heaven is like - what we can see - what matters is that everyone there loves each other.

Just like it doesn’t matter what our ‘outside’ is like - what we can see, our body - what matters is that we love.

So, sometimes we don’t quite understand what we really want because we are dreaming of ‘outside journeys’ whereas our heart and mind long for an ‘inside journey’.

• Is wanting money about an inside journey or an outside one? Outside.

• Is wanting to be famous about an inside journey or an outside one? Outside.

• Is wanting to be powerful about an inside journey or an outside one? Outside.

Yes, and so what makes wanting them wrong is that they take us on the wrong journey!

• But what about love, is that about an inside or an outside journey? Inside.

• And truth and honesty - do they help us on an inside or an outside journey? Inside.

• And trusting God - does that help us on an inside or outside journey? Inside.

So if we decide money, fame and power are important we will go on an outside journey: and we will be sad because we won’t understand God who is taking us on an inside journey.

But if we decide love, truth and trust are important we will go on God’s inside journey for us: and we will keep smiling even if bad ‘outside’ stuff happens.

Watch: With Jesus in the boat we can smile through the storm (1:27) and sing along with it on your inside journey!

“Heaven is not a place in the Universe. It is a condition in the next life. Heaven is where God’s will is done without any resistance. Heaven happens when life is present in its greatest intensity and blessedness - a kind of life that we do not find on earth.”

YouCat, 52.

Mission Next time you are asking for money remember that Jesus is your real treasure.

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A Fertile Heart Receiving & Giving Creative Love

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