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: RP (Rites of Passage) Enable pupils to: learn about the varied Christian ceremonies that mark significant events in the lives of individuals and their communities, including baptism, ...confirmation, weddings. Pupils should consider this: Why do we have ceremonies to mark special occasions in our lives? What sort of things do we mark & how? Why do you think people want to share special occasions with others? |
S.C.A.A. Model syllabuses: KEY TEACHINGS / FOCUS: CHURCH Commitment, shared identity & belief in the power of the Holy Spirit seen through baptism (& confirmation). AT1 Listen to stories associated with important festivals (baptism, confirmation, etc) AT2 Consider the importance of ritual & ceremony in life, eg birthdays, anniversaries,sports day.
|
RESOURCES:
Clear glass tumbler containing muddy water. A bowl of clean water. A tray, or dish containing sticky mud.
Some tissues to clean things!
STARTER:
Q. What sort of special events do people celebrate & how?
(Possible answers: birthdays, weddings, anniversary's, Christening, baptism, etc).
Q. Why do you think people want to share special occasions with others?
(Possible answers: to have a party,)
Q. Why do couples have a wedding day? Why not just say: "We're married now"?
1) It declares to a large group of people, (friends, family & relatives), in a formal way: "We are married".
2) It is an occasion where the couple make promises to each other to stay together no matter what. (In many weddings the promises are made to God as well).
3) It is a definite date to look back at & remember the day.
4) At the wedding the words are declared: "You are now husband & wife". It's someone else confirming that the couple are married.
5) The giving of rings on that day shows that they are married.
MAIN TEACHING:
Q. When someone becomes a Christian, is there a special event that celebrates that?
Yes, the event is called 'baptism'.
Q. Why do they have this event? Why not just say: "I am a Christian."
The answer is very similar to what has just been said about the wedding day:
1) It declares to a large group of people, (friends, family & relatives), in a formal way: "I am a Christian".
2) It is an occasion where that person shows that they have a faith in Jesus Christ, & that they intend to do that for the rest of their life. (In other words a promise).
3) It is a definite date to look back at & remember the day.
4) The minister will in some way confirm their decision to be a Christian.
5) Although there is no ring given on that day, Christians believe that God gives them His Holy Spirit as a "seal" (as a "ring").
"Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)
Where does this idea of being 'baptized' come from:
It is in the Bible. Peter said:
"Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." Acts 2:38 (NIV)
The word 'baptized' means to "dip, immerse or wash in water", & 'sins' are all the wrong things that we do.
So to become a Christian means; that someone turns away from the wrong things they do, & turn to God.
And the event to celebrate this is called 'baptism' or to be 'baptized'.
There are 2 options to choose from:
[1] Parents who are Christians themselves want their baby to be baptized:
At the Baptism Service the parents, & godparents, make certain promises.
(Godparents are chosen by the parents to help in training the child in the Christian faith.)
Here is what the minister would say in an Anglican church:
"Children who are too young to profess the Christian faith
are baptized on the understanding
that they are brought up as Christians within the family of the Church.
As they grow up, they need the help & encouragement of that family,
so that they learn to be faithful in public worship & private prayer,
to live by trust in God, & come to confirmation.
Parents & godparents, the child whom you have brought for baptism
depends chiefly on you for the help & encouragement they need.
Are you willing to give it to them by your prayers, by your example, & by your teaching?"
The parents & godparents answer: "I am willing".
Q. In your own words, what are the parents & godparents promising to do?
When the child is old enough to accept the Christian faith for themselves, a special "Confirmation Service" is held.
Q. Why is it called a "Confirmation Service"?
Because they are now 'confirming' the promises for themselves, that were said then.
[2] The other option, is when someone is old enough to make the decision to become a Christian, & they want to be baptized:
So a Baptism Service can be organised.
The person being baptized can make certain promises, &/or they would tell of the reality of their own faith.
The actual 'baptizing' can be done in several ways:
a) By sprinkling water on the head or forehead.
b) By standing in water, & sprinkling or pouring water on the head.
c) By totally immersing the whole body quickly under water.
b) & c) are usually carried out in a 'baptistery' (a small pool set in the floor of a church), or a river, lake or in the sea.
Baptism indicates a change of lifestyle:
First let's look at the example of the wedding.
Prior to the wedding, ideally, there were two individuals living in two different houses with two separate lifestyles. When they get married, that old life ceases, it's dead & gone, & a new 'married' life begins. They share a house, eat together, etc, they have started to live this new life together.
Q. How does Baptism mark a change of lifestyle?
Think of the wedding example.
Baptism marks a new life together -
Baptism symbolises being washed:
Q. Why would we need washing?
Christians believe that living independantly of God is wrong. It would be having a bad attitude towards God.
(Teachers note: Fill a clear glass tumbler with dirty water in it (add soil or ink).)
This tumbler represents a person, & the liquid represents their attitude towards
God -
But when a person becomes a Christian, that attitude changes. Instead of pushing God away, they now want to please Him.
So that bad attitude has gone. (Teachers note: Rinse out tumbler & replace with clean water).
So baptism symbolises that washing.
But we need to continue the illustration further. Just because this attitude has changed, it doesn't mean that this person is now super clean, & will remain super clean!
(Teachers note: Pick up the tumbler with the clean water in it, & push it through a tray containing sticky mud)
As they live their everyday lives they do wrong things, they say wrong things, & they should have done good things but they don't!
Their overall attitude is still wanting to please God -
But they make mistakes so that is why there is all this dirt on the tumbler.
They don't need to get baptized again!
They need to say sorry to God for these things. (Teachers note: clean the outside of the tumbler).
PLENARY:
Design a poster showing:
Why couples have a wedding day, or why someone gets baptized.
(Teachers note: There is a worksheet to accompany this lesson plan).
Back to menu