How are we doing so far?

JUNE: Learning Objectives:
2 BIG questions to be explored and answered this summer
Who am I? and Why am I here? Both answers will be discovered as we study Genesis 1-2

What do I want them to KNOW . . . I want the kids to know that God created the universe, the cosmos in which we live in. I want them to understand that God has given humankind the responsibility to work and care for his creation/cosmos, and that He created us to be in relationship with Him and one another – people, animals, creation.
(This reflects the 10 commandments: 4 commands were focused on our relationship with God,
6 commands were focused on our relationships within the community)

What do I want them to FEEL . . . I want the kids to feel the incredible awesomeness of God’s creativity, His love through the in which He created our cosmos, His desire and pleasure to be in relationship with his creation [us], particularly with Humans

What do I want them to DO . . . I want the kids to daily respond to God’s invitation to spend time with him, to identify ways they are personally responsible to care for the world/cosmos,live simply so others can simply live.

Man Gave Names to the Animals

Here's some lyrics that the 5-6th graders wrote to the Bob Dylan song:

New verse:
I saw an animal in the grass
No other animal could run so fast
The mane and tail were so coarse
. . . ahhh.. . . think I’ll call it a horse

He saw an animal over the reef
Long gray body with razor sharp teeth
There was no sun, but in the dark
. . . ahhh. . . . think I’ll call it a shark

He saw an animal bright blue and green
He pecks his feathers to keep himself clean
Talking in a way that was kind a fudgie
. . . ahhh . . think I’ll call it a budgie

Aren't they great?

The Coolest Lesson EVER!

I'm not saying that all the other lessons haven't been cool...this one was just the coolest. Even Jeff said so. He said to me, "Jen, wasn't church today the COOLEST???" Yep, it was! Where else would you:

1. Decorate grocery bags with things God has made
2. Recycle!
3. Brush your teeth
4. Put your hand in a "blind box" with animal furs
5. Play Plinko
6. Make Earth bracelets

Westwinds is the only place where all of this would come together in a cohesive lesson on creation, and caring for God's earth. The kids looked so cute when they were brushing their teeth...all foamy! I took some pictures but they are on Lori's camera, so I'll post them if I can. Suffice to say, Sunday was awesome!

Creation!

Hey there readers! I know it's been awhile since I've written any personal reflections here. I've been busy moving!

Last Sunday was our first official week of our summer curriculum, and we're starting at the beginning. Genesis, that is. Creation. One of my absolute favorite passages of the Bible. Here I see my God moving and creating, loving us and everything else into being. It's incredible. I'd encourage everyone right now to pick up your Bible, turn to Genesis 1-2, and absorb it slowly. Read and reread. Sit with it. Think about it, as Allie would command. Because here in this passage we find answers to many of life's greatest questions:

Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here?

People spend their lives wrestling with these questions, our society constantly discusses these publicly. But here, in the first chapters of the Bible, we read that we are God's children and treasured creation. God created us to be in relationship with him, and to take care of the rest of God's creation. It's fascinating, it's beautiful.

So in class, to help teach this passage, we made a collage showing what God made on each day. Then we read the book "In The Beginning There Was No Sky" by Walter Wangerin and Lee Steadman. Highly recommend this book!