What is taught must be in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus; (If your school is outside of Cambridgeshire: the S.C.A.A Model 2 syllabus has been included to help in matching this lesson plan with your local Agreed Syllabus).
Cambs Agreed Syllabus:
PE (People)
Enable pupils to:
understand that the church is a community of Christians from all races and nationalities.
Pupils should consider this:
Who, or what, affects / influences our actions & behaviour?
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S.C.A.A. Model syllabuses:
KEY TEACHINGS / FOCUS:
CHURCH
The Church as an international fellowship of Christians.
AT1 Talk to Christians about the importance of the Church in their lives.
AT2 Consider what commitment to a religious group may involve.
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RESOURCES:
Optional: Internet
STARTER:
Draw or describe a Church near you, or a Church that you know of.
(Teachers note:Try to bring in the different types: Anglican Parish Church, Baptist or Methodist Chapel, a Community Church that meets in a school or hall, etc.)
Optional: You could visit Church Websites eg: (1) An Anglican Church: www.htb.org.uk/ (2) A Baptist Church that meets in a Chapel: www.westminsterchapel.org.uk/ (3) A Baptist Church that meets in a school. (There is a 2 minute video on the website): www.rockbaptist.org.uk/ (4) A Brethren Church: www.request.org.uk/main/churches/brethren/brethren/01.htm (5) A Methodist Church: www.methodist.org.uk/ (6) A Community Church that meets in a school: www.cthree.org/ (7) A Roman Catholic Church: www.stmarybatley.co.uk/
Q. What makes one Church different from another?
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(Possible answers: Stained glass windows, ministers dressing differently, no candles, big old building....etc)
But these things are not important!
It's the people who go to the Church that give that Church it's 'character'
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Comparative example:
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You've got to choose which car can go the fastest:
Q. Do you choose the red, blue, green or yellow car?
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Answer: No
Because you can't make the correct choice by just choosing a colour; It is the size of engine, weight of the car, etc, that is important.
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So whether a Church has got a spire, or hasn't got a spire, etc, is irrelevant.
Some Churches will have modern lively music, others will have quieter traditional hymns & many will have a mixture of both.
Some will have carved wooden pews & others will have modern comfortable chairs (which can be moved around for different seating layouts).
Some leaders will be dressed in a cassock & surplus, others will wear just a 'dog collar', & some will wear everyday clothes.
Some Churches will have a Vicar, some a Minister, some a Pastor.
None of these things are vitally important, REMEMBER it's the people that make the Church.
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MAIN TEACHING:
Q. What is a Church? (Remember it's nothing to do with spires, etc.)
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The word 'church' has got 2 meanings.
It often means a building. It also means a group of people. So a group of Christians meeting together can correctly be called a Church.
(Teachers note: Not all Churches are Christian, eg: Spiritualist Church, The Church of the Latter Day Saints, Mormon Church, etc.
All Christians have the Bible as their authority, these other Churches have either altered the Bible to suit their beliefs, or they have got something else as their authority).
But that is not all:
Because the Church is made up of people, then the Christian Church consists of every believer in the whole world.
The Church is a community of Christians from all races and nationalities.
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Q. So why are there different Churches?
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To answer the question, ask this question:
Q. What did you have for breakfast?
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Q. Does that make the "Coco Pops family" better than the "Shreddies family"?
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Of coarse not!
They are still a family, whatever the breakfast.
It's not that important.
Which breakfast you decide to have is a matter of personal taste:
You prefer Weetabix, you're not so keen on Corn Flakes...
It's the same for different Churches.
It's really a matter of personal taste.
One person prefers a quieter service, someone else likes a noisy, energetic service.
One is not better than the other.
It's all to do with styles & personal taste.
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Q. Why do Christians go to Church?
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(Possible answers: to sing songs & hymns, to pray, to get married, to be christened, to hear a sermon,)
Firstly, they go to worship.
Christians will worship on their own at home, or wherever they are.
Church is not the only place where they have to worship.
But it is good for Christians to experience worship together as a group.
(Teachers note: The subject of worship will be dealt with in the next Lesson Plan).
The second thing Christians do in Church is that they pray.
Q. What is prayer?
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(Possible answers: You pray when you're in trouble, it's asking God for things, )
Praying is talking to God.
(Teachers note: The subject of praying will be dealt with in a later Lesson Plan).
The third thing Christians do in Church, is that they want to hear from God.
Q. How do Christians hear from God?
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(Possible answers: They listen very hard!)
God speaks to them through the Bible - not in a voice that can be heard.
Some sentences, or a story from the Bible may impress them.
Perhaps the story in the Bible is similar to a situation they find themselves in, so they trust that God is speaking to them.
The talk given in Church, is sometimes known as a 'sermon' or 'the message'.
It should be based on a portion of the Bible.
(Teachers note: The subject of the Bible will be dealt with in later Lesson Plans).
The importance of going to Church.
Going to Church is important for Christians.
It is a big commitment to go regularly, but Christians enjoy doing it.
Q. What sort of influence would this have on Christians?
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(Possible answers: they would have many friends there, they would be encouraged to obey the 10 Commandments, )
Christians would make friends there.
They would all have a similar purpose & morals in their lives.
The British culture sometimes disagrees with what the Bible says, so a Christian can at times find it difficult to live a "Christian life".
So by spending time with other Christians they can encourage one another to behave correctly.
Q. Who, or what, influences your actions & behaviour?
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(Possible answers: certain TV programmes, a parent, a relative, friends,)
Here is something from the Bible, it says:
"bad company corrupts good character." (1 Corinthians 15:33 NLT)
Q. What does that mean?
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Here is something else from the Bible, it says:
"...let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good." Hebrews 10:24 (Living Bible)
Q. What does that mean?
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Christians choose to spend time with people who try to live good lives, so that it is then easier not to get led astray by others.
Q. Are you happy with your mates?
Do they encourage you to live a 'good' life, or do they lead you astray?
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PLENARY:
End the lesson by asking the children this question:
Q. How important is it to have good influences in your life?
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Either take a short time to discuss it, or leave it with them.
(Teachers note: There are two worksheets to accompany this lesson plan).