The Meeting of the Lord
THE MEETING OF THE LORD
Objectives:
- Children should be able to tell the story of the meeting of the Lord.
- Children should be able to identify Simeon and Anna, as well as Jesus, Mary and Joseph in the icon.
- Children should know what churching is and that this feast is its origin.
- St. Simeon’s prayer is our memory work this week.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with St. Simeon’s Prayer: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people, Israel.
- Read the story of the meeting in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 282-285, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 173-174, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 266-269. You can supplement with the Golden Children’s Bible. Review the story with the icon, identifying each character. What is the role of each? Why were Simeon and Anna there? Why were Mary, Joseph, and Jesus there? What is Joseph holding and why?
- True/False Questions:
True False
Mary & Joseph brought Jesus to the temple. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the playground.
Simeon was an old man. Simeon was an angel.
Simeon and Anna were waiting for Jesus. Simeon and Anna were eating lunch
Simeon and Anna were god-fearing people. Simeon and Anna hated God.
- Bring an infant baby doll, wrapped in a blanket. Tell the children that each baby is brought to the church when he
or she is a few weeks old. Just as in the days of Jesus, the mothers and fathers thank God for their new child and ask Him to take care of their baby and help him to grow up as a good member of God’s family. This is called churching. Act out a churching, with the teacher as priest, and a little girl holding the baby, a little boy as father.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, purify this woman, (name), from all sin and bless thou the child, (name), who is born of her. (Make the sign of the cross over the child.) As Thou, O Lord, wast brought on the fortieth day as an infant in to the Temple according to the Law by your mother, Mary, and wast carried in the arms of Simeon the Just, do Thou, O Master, bless this baby who is brought here. For unto thee are due all glory, thanksgiving and worship. Amen.
- We bless candles on this feast day. Simeon and Anna were two old people who had been waiting a long time for Jesus, who would be the light of the world. We celebrate the light of Jesus with the blessing of candles. We use candles made of beeswax because God gives us His bees to make the wax. Sing the children's song, "This Little Light of Mine. "
Make Peanut People Finger Puppets: Break peanuts in half for each puppet. Draw on faces and add cloth or paper headcoverings, yarn hair and beards, etc. Practice telling the story with the finger puppets. Someone in the class allergic to peanuts? No problem. Take small strips of paper, tape into cylinders, and decorate in the same way as paper finger puppets.- Another option if peanuts are a problem: Review all the events surrounding the birth of the Lord with the coloring ornament. Color all the icons, cut on dark lines, fold on dotted lines, and you have a cube. Hang on your tree or in a window!
- You can also use any one of many candle crafts. Take a week-long tall glass votive candle used in your parish. Color the icon picture of the feast and cut to fit. Apply Mod-Podge and attach to candle, covering with thick coat of Mod-Podge on the outside. Use it all week along with the icon of the feast at home or in your sanctuary.
- Close with St. Simeon’s Prayer. Recite the prayer line by line with the children repeating. Or try singing it a couple of times like we do at vespers. Do it all together at the end with lighted candles.
