We revisited the story of Pentecost and reflected on how the Apostles felt and what they were doing before the Holy Spirit came, and how this changed afterwards. We discussed the difference the Holy Spirit made in their lives—from sadness to joy, from fear to bravery, and from hiding to going out to meet others. We also talked about how God the Holy Spirit wants to help us in our own lives. When we feel lonely, sad, or afraid, He can help us if we ask. We can talk to the Holy Spirit anytime, as Jesus sent Him to be our helper and friend.

We learned that when the Holy Spirit lives in us, good things can grow, such as love, joy, kindness, and gentleness. We call these the fruits of the Spirit, because they grow in us like fruit on a tree. The children were invited to think about times at school when they might need to show these qualities.

A basket of fruit with words written on them (kindness, love, joy, and gentleness) was shared. Each child chose a fruit and asked the Holy Spirit to help this quality grow in them. Some children drew their chosen fruit, wrote the word on it, and hung or stuck it onto a tree display.

The children were reminded that the Holy Spirit is their friend and comes to live in us at Baptism. He is always with us, ready to help us—like an invisible friend. Although we cannot see the Holy Spirit, we know He is with us, listening and guiding us. We explored how the Holy Spirit is represented in the Bible and art, such as through wind, fire, water, and a dove. After looking at paintings together, the children painted their own pictures of the Holy Spirit as our friend.

The children also used iPads to take photographs showing joy and gentle behaviour, demonstrating how the Holy Spirit lives in us.

Week 4

We listened to Acts 2:42–47 and discussed what happened after Pentecost. We talked about how the Apostles began to tell everyone about Jesus and to baptise people so they could join them in living like Jesus. This way of living included meeting together to pray and helping one another by sharing food and money. Many people joined them, and the number of followers grew and grew. We call this the Early Church. When we go to church today to pray and receive Jesus, we are continuing the way of life the Apostles taught us. When we pray together, help one another, and show love, we are carrying on the important work Jesus gave us and trying to live as He did.

We discussed how one of the most important tasks Jesus gave His friends was to tell everyone that Jesus loves them. To explore this, the children played a “passing-on whisper” game using simple messages about Jesus (for example, Jesus loves us, Jesus died on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead, and Jesus healed people). We compared the final message with the original to see how it changed.

We also talked about how the Apostles in the Early Church used a secret fish symbol to show they were followers of Jesus and to let others know where to meet, as some people wanted to stop Jesus and His followers. We discussed how they praised God by praying and singing together. The children then sang praise songs and played instruments.

Book Title: Molly’s Circus                                            Author: Esther Kent

Last week, we explored the story “Molly’s Circus” by Esther Kent, after noticing that the circus had arrived in our town. The children enjoyed linking their own experiences to the story and came up with very imaginative drawings and sentences to accompany it.

Vocabulary: show man, balancing, flustered and somersault

Animation: Piper created by Pixar

This week, we are using a 4-minute Pixar clip called “Piper,” a short that shows a sandpiper persevering to find a snack and demonstrating his newfound skills to others. The children will discuss and relate their own experiences to the setting and create their own character and adventure.

Vocabulary: submerged, crustacean, sandpiper and determination.