Pilgrims Lesson Plan

A Pilgrim in Poland

“There are no coincidences,” Blessed Pope John Paul II observed more than once. The insight reflected his belief that the central events and people that shaped his life and set him on the path to Rome were part of a divine plan revealed over time through the crucible of the cross.

This was the cross that cast its shadow on his own life and that of his beloved native land, forcing every believer to grapple with the mysterious purposes of a loving God who permits suffering, war and infirmity to serve as the “refiner’s fire,” silently and painfully advancing the pilgrim’s progress through the valley of death.

Yet, it’s one thing to read the statement — “There are no coincidences” — and something else to retrace the path of a man and a nation that clung to their hope in Christ as evil forces sought to destroy everything they held dear.

A weeklong pilgrimage to Poland barely scratches the surface of Karol Wojtyla’s own earthly existence. Still, the luminous beauty of his holy witness, nourished amid the defiant religious convictions of Polish Catholicism, draws the uninitiated into a direct confrontation with his mystical vision.

John Paul II had been a hero of mine for many years. I read George Weigel’s biography Witness to Hope and its sequel The End and the Beginning and marveled at the dramatic events of his life that drew him ever closer to Christ, through his devotion to Mary.

While completing a graduate degree at the Pope John Paul II Institute for the Study of Marriage and the Family in Washington, D.C., I also read the Holy Father’s vast trove of theological and philosophical works, including the “theology of the body” and encyclicals like the Gospel of Life .

So, when I heard that Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh would lead a pilgrimage to Poland to visit all the holy places associated with the life of the late Pope, I decided to join the trip, which was sponsored by Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.

Our Lady of Częstochowa

On July 3, my fellow traveler Marianne Fleury and I met up with the rest of the pilgrims in time to travel to the Monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage centers in the world. It is the home of the “Black Madonna,” the miraculous icon that, according to tradition, was painted by St. Luke on a tabletop constructed by Jesus.

Thanksgiving Sunday School Lesson Plan: Ideas for Preschool Bible ...

Teaching children to be thankful is a fun and rewarding thing to do. There is no better time to do a Bible lesson on thankfulness than at Thanksgiving. Use the ideas presented below to help plan your Thanksgiving Sunday school lesson. You can also find great ideas for a Thanksgiving party at Preschool Sunday School Central.

Every Sunday school lesson plan should be based on scripture verse, but when it comes to being thankful there are a lot to choose from. The most common verse used for Thanksgiving lesson plans is Psalm 107:1, which reads, " Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." This verse is perfect for small children teaching them to give thanks to God first and foremost.

This is the time to teach the children in your class about the first Thanksgiving. This is a classic story about sharing with others and how to be thankful for who and what you have in your life. Explain the differences between the Pilgrims and the Indians. Explain how it was all set aside to give thanks. Now is also a good time to explain that many people believe different things when it comes to God. But even for these differences, the Pilgrims and the Indians were able to give thanks.

Thanksgiving Preschool Craft - Thanksgiving Poem Placemat

Use the following poem to cut and paste next to a picture of a basket full of fruits and vegetables. Have the children color the picture while telling each other what they are thankful for. When they are done coloring, glue each picture to a piece of brown construction paper. If available, use a sheet of laminate over the top of the picture. This will make a cute placemat for Thanksgiving dinner.

The Poem:

Thanksgiving Snack Time - Thanksgiving Turkey

You will need:

Directions: Place the marshmallows on the toothpicks. Stick the toothpicks in the apple so it looks like the feathers of the bird.

Thanksgiving Game - Pin the Feathers on the Turkey

Use this familiar game to help preschoolers remember what they are thankful for, and a chance to win a prize.

New kid in school, using literature to help children in transition

The Congregationalist

History for Little Pilgrims

The Congregationalist and Christian world

Public school methods