About Faith Beginnings
An ecumenical collaboration of Capitol Heights Presbyterian
Church and the 10:30 Catholic Community
Due to the coronavirus, in person classes are currently not taking place.
Many church activities are now offered online and we encourage you to
check out some of the lessons and activities included in this document.
Our Faith Beginnings classes are attended by youth from the Capitol Heights
Presbyterian Church, the 10:30 Catholic Community, and by friends and
neighbors from the larger Denver community. Biblical stories are often told
using the Godly Play approach. A Montessori style method designed by
Jerome Berryman, Godly Play helps children explore their faith through
story, gain religious language, and enhance their spiritual experience though
wonder and play.
There is lots of talent within our church community and longtime teacher
Debbie Yeager is grateful to frequently tap into the gifts among us. This
includes having pottery lessons throughout the year with our local potterer,
Bibiana Hager, and special art classes offered once a month by professional
artist Barb Baer. Children and youth also have the opportunity to play
handbells and participate in our services by singing or reading.
Bible Lessons and Activities
Check out the side column and the boxes below to find
biblical stories, history, and activities you can explore
Lesson on the Prophets ‣ p. 2 Isaiah 43 excerpt. p. 3 Isaiah 43 coloring sheet Lesson on the Peacable Kingdom ‣ p. 4 The Beatitudes p. 5 Isaiah 11 coloring sheet
Lesson of the Good Samaritan & the "Shema"
‣ p. 6 Parable and coloring sheet p. 7 the Shema (with coloring sheet)
PAGE 8
Matthew 5:14-6
"Light of the world"
from the Sermon on the
Mount
PAGE 9
Psalm 85: 8, 10-11
"God will speak peace
to God's people"
PAGE 10
Luke 18:17
Children and the
Kingdom of God
AUTUMN 2020
Faith Beginnings
2
from the prophet Isaiah
CHAPTER 43, Verses 1-2 and Verses 16-19
But now thus says the L
ORD...
Do not fear, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed
you;
I have called you by name, you
are mine.
When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they
shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you
shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not
consume you...
Thus says the L
ORD,
The prophet Isaiah lived over 2,700 years ago from around the years 742 - 741 B.C. He wrote much of the book in the bible we call "Isaiah" and after he died other anonymous authors added another 26 chapters. You can find the book of Isaiah among the writings of "The Prophets" in the Bible (after the Psalms but before the New Testament.)
"The Prophets," make up the second part of the Hebrew Scriptures, following the "Torah" (the "law" or "teaching" in the first five books of the Bible.) Together these writings are referred to as "the law and the prophets."
The writings of the Prophets sometimes compliment the Torah and sometimes are a voice of protest. The prophets often ask us to look ahead toward a yet unfulfilled future where God is.
In the verses from Isaiah above, you will read one of the most frequent commands in the entire Bible, the command of "Do not fear."
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched
like a wick:
Do not remember the former
things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not
perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. ~ Isaiah 43
4
from the
Sermon on the Mount
found in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5
"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming
the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among
the people. So his fame spread throughout all of Syria... and great crowds followed
him...
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down
he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they
will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are
the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are
you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in
the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"
The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with
the kid,
the calf and the lion and the
fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them...
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
6
from the Gospel of Luke
CHAPTER 10, Verses 25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind: and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hand of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Did you know? The Gospel of Luke is found in the New Testament part of the Bible. The first four books in the New Testament are called "Gospels" because they tell the "gospel" (a word from the Anglo-Saxon that means "good news" or "good tidings") of Jesus Christ, that is, his birth, baptism, ministry of teaching and healing, death, and resurrection.
In the story above, the lawyer first answers Jesus by referencing many biblical texts including Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which is part of the "Law" (or Torah) of the Old Testament. While the lawyer intends to define the limits of his duty to be righteous ("justify himself,") Jesus instead expands those limits when he tells the parable of The Good Samaritan. In the parable the Priest represents the highest religious leadership. The Levite was the designated lay-associate of the priest. In contrast to both of them, it was the Samaritan, a foreigner not expected to show sympathy to the lawful citizens who was moved with pity and in fact shows us what it means to be a neighbor.
Look on the next page for a coloring sheet that has a quote of Deuteronomy 6:4-5, also called the "Shema" which the Lawyer quoted in this parable.
Hear, O Israel: The L
ORD
is our God, the L
ORD
alone. You shall love the
L
ORD
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
8
Orthodox Icon, Anonymous
To color in your own Icon see page 10 where there is an image of "Jesus and the Children."
from the "Sermon on the Mount"
(found in the Gospel of Matthew CHAPTER 5, Verses 14-16)
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on
the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same
way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
Painting by John August Swanson
