Oct. 17 St. Ignatius of Antioch: Brought
October 21st Lesson PreK
**Remember to pray for your seminarian**
Their picture should be located by the
crucifix/door in your classroom. Feel free to send
cards and letters throughout the year
Prayer for Holy Vocations
Heavenly Father, make us more holy
each day, we pray.
Help us to embrace the way of life
You planned for us, our call;
And as priests, deacons, religious sisters or brothers,
married couples or chaste singles, help us to find joy
in giving You our most, our best, our all!
This we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
about the right teaching and practices of the
faith
Oct. 18 St. Luke: Luke's unique perspective
on Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and
eighteen parables not found in the other
gospels. Luke's is the gospel of the poor, of
mercy, and of social justice.
Oct. 22 St. John Paul II: This Pope was so
filled with the love of God it was contagious. A
talented and gifted "man of letters", a
playwright, a philosopher, an intellectual giant,
a poet, but more importantly, a genuine human
being with a heart that embraced the whole
world, like the Heart of the One whom he
represents on earth. He truly has been the
"Vicar of Christ", representing the Lord, the
King of Kings, for so many millions throughout
the world. He began The Luminous Mysteries
*St. John XXIII: Remembrance of beginning
Vatican II on October 11th
Welcome:
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Play gathering music softly.
Have children glue different items seen at Mass onto a large piece of butcher paper/color
Encourage children to talk about themselves and to the others sitting nearby.
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Announce that when the music gets softer the children should meet you in the prayer space
Prayer:
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Have the children quiet themselves and “center” themselves to talk God.
Welcome the children. Ask: What do you like inside our church? Allow responses. What does
it sound like in church? Allow responses. Church is a special place that we go to worship God.
Are you glad we have a special place to praise and worship God? Allow responses. Let’s thank
God for our church.
Assist children with the Sign of the Cross
Dear God, thank you for our church. It is a special
place for us to gather. When we are in our church,
we can praise and worship you. We pray and sing
and learn more about you and Jesus.
Ask children if they have prayers to add
Amen
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Assist children with the Sign of the Cross
Discovering:
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Say: Today we are going to hear a story called “A Special Place.” It is about what is in our
church building. Church buildings are special because they remind us of God. Jesus often
prayed in a special building called a Temple. He taught people about God when he visited the
Temple.
There are many special things in our church building. Here is a story about the things that are in
it:
Anna liked to go to church. She felt happy and safe there. She liked to look at the things she
saw inside. She saw an altar. An altar looks like a table. The priest stands by the altar during
Mass. (Show the picture of the altar) Anna saw a crucifix. A crucifix is a cross with Jesus on it.
It reminds us that Jesus loved us very much. (Show a crucifix) Anna saw a baptismal font. She
remembered when her little cousin was baptized there. (Show the picture of a Baptism) Soon
father Mark came to celebrate Mass. He was dressed in vestments, or special clothes. The
vestments are different colors for different times of the year. (Show a priest in vestments or a
chasuble)Father Mark uses a paten, hosts, a chalice, and wine when he celebrates Mass. The
paten is a special plate used to hold the hosts. Hosts are a type of bread. During Mass, through
the actions of the priest, the hosts become the Body of Christ. The chalice holds wine that, also
through the actions of the priest, becomes the Blood of Christ.
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Additional pictures are provided for discussion: stole, alb, tabernacle, ambo, presider’s chair
ciborium, cruets, sacramentary, and lectionary
After you have taught the children church vocabulary you want them to know, review the words
by pointing to the objects (either in the pictures or on the butcher paper) and have children
name them. OR play a game by giving hints such as,” I am thinking of the special clothes that a
priest wears during Mass. What are they called?” Children can point them out/name them to
you.
**For more discussion if time permits**
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Say: When we go to someone’s house, we have to behave a certain way. This shows that we
respect the house and the people that live there. We go to God’s house, the church. When we
go inside we walk and use a whispering voice.
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The first thing we do is bless ourselves with Holy Water. Do the Sign of the Cross and
bless yourself. Holy Water reminds us of our Baptism.
In the Chapel we will find the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle has a red flame beside it
called the Sanctuary Light. We genuflect toward the Tabernacle because Jesus is
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present there as the Eucharist. Demonstrate genuflecting with the right knee down as
you do the Sign of the Cross. Have children practice genuflecting.
Activity: Create a Church
Materials: 8x10 colored paper, business envelopes, glue/glue sticks, markers, craft sticks
See attached photos of the craft suggested
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Glue an unsealed envelope (upside-down) to the color paper
Draw a cross on the steeple and doors
Decorate craft sticks to look like people
Place the “people” inside the open envelope
Sending/close:
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Play music while children clean up and gather the things. As music gets softer they should join
you in prayer space.
Allow children to center themselves.
Explain that that it was a wonderful time to be with friends and teachers. Explain: We learned
about our church today. The church is a special place where we gather to worship God and
learn about Jesus. We also learned about special items we use at Mass to help us celebrate. Let
us pray:
Practice the Sign of the Cross
Dear Jesus, thank you for our beautiful church.
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Complete with the Sign of the Cross (assist children if needed)
Pass out any information/ materials/projects needed for families
7:30 Dismiss Children at school’s main doors