Background Notes for Parents/Carers

About the theme – Local Church

After Christmas children will explore the theme of Local Church, which is our story. The parish is where people gather together to celebrate and practise care and love for each other. The diocese is the community of the Christian faithful. The Local Church theme focuses on the people of God, gathered in Christ, united in the journey of faith, in care for one another, in sharing their story and in celebration.

The experience of community is an essential and enjoyable part of life for people of every age and faith. The cycle of a year and the span of a lifetime contain occasions for regular celebrations as well as unexpected surprises, when people want to celebrate with family, friends and communities.

The Church’s celebrations are also community occasions. On Sundays, the parish family gathers together. It is a time to remember how much there is to celebrate; a time to say thank you; a time to know that God’s love is offered and made visible here and now in Jesus and in people. Sacraments are more formal special moments: signs of ‘God-with-us’, who journeys with his people; signs of strength and blessing for life.

Overview

Key Vocabulary

YEAR 2

Books

LOCAL CHURCH THEME

The scriptures are the treasured Word of God for the Jewish and Christian communities. The books used by the Christian community record and hand on its story. The lectionary which is used at Mass contains the scriptures used by the community throughout the year.

Children will know and understand:

• About the different books used at home and in school

• The books used in Church on Sunday by the parish family

See the Background Notes for Parents and Carers

Week 1: Explore, discuss and investigate the many books which we use at home and at school and how and where each one might be used.

Week 2: Children to learn that there are four Gospel writers each with their own story to tell. They will then retell the story of Jesus’ baptism.

Week 3: Children to learn that there are lots of different books we use in Church. They will then design an information leaflet explaining how each book is used in the mass.

Week 4: Look at the key vocabulary for this topic and use it to help your child remember all that he/she has learnt about Books.

Celebrate with a simple Act of Worship (see below).

books

library

text book

reverence

respect

Scripture

lectern

Gospel

Bible

New Testament

Old Testament

genre

Missal

Lectionary

Year 2

In Year 2 the children learn that different books used at home and in school and go on to look at the books used in Church on Sunday by the parish family. They will listen to the story of the Baptism of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel and will know that it is a story from the Bible.

Week 1:

Display a range of books, fiction, reference and information. Explore, discuss and investigate the many books which we use at home and at school and how and where each one might be used. Share together favourite books, why they are favourites and notice how people choose the same and different types of books.

Task: Sort the provided images into groups. Discuss where each book might be used as well as their similarities and differences.

Week 2:

Show the children a copy of an adult Catholic Bible. Explain how the Bible is God’s special book. There are two main sections in the Bible. The Old Testament tells us about the time before Jesus. The New Testament tells us about Jesus and the beginning of the Church. Some of the books are called by the name of the person thought to have written them: Mark, Jeremiah, Peter. Some are named after the person the story is about: Job, Ruth, Jonah. One is called after an event: Exodus. Others tell you about the content of the book: Genesis (Beginnings), Psalms, Proverbs, Letters. The Bible is like a library of different books. (See picture below.) It is all about how much God loves and cares for people. Describe how the Bible is the most important book that Christians use, because it is God’s Word, so it is always treated with reverence. Like all special books we take care of it, make sure our hands are clean before we use it and keep it in a safe place.

Look at the image from God Story 2 below. Explain that there were four Gospel writers and each writer has different stories to share.

Task: children to focus on Matthew’s Gospel and retell the story of Jesus’ baptism in their own words. Discuss why this is such an important story in the Bible.

Week 3:

Talk about these books which are used in church and look at the provided images.

· Altar Missal: the book that contains the prayers the priest uses during Mass.

· Lectionary: the book containing a collection of scripture readings.

· Book of the Gospels: the Gospel stories that are used for the celebration of Mass and Sacraments.

· Hymn Books: used by the parish family to sing together

The Lectern or Ambo is the stand from which the Word of God is proclaimed.

Task: Design a simple information leaflet about the books we use at church and describe how and why these books are used.

Week 4: Look back at the key vocabulary and help your child to remember what they have learnt about Books.

Celebrate together with a simple Act of worship (see below)

Resources

Week 1

· What types of books are there at home and at school?

· What uses do books have? (e.g. a timetable, telephone directory, text books, photo albums etc.)

· How do these books differ?

· What books do you like and why?

· What would a world without books be like?

Week 2

Week 2

· How many Gospels are there?

· What are the names of the Gospels?

· How do the Gospels help us?

Week 2 The Baptism of Jesus,

At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptised by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. “I ought to be baptised by you,” John said, “and yet you have come to me!” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.” So, John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and alighting on him. Then a voice said from heaven, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17

Week 3 Books we use in church

Hymn Books or HymnalsParish Mass Book

· Which books are used on the Lectern/Ambo and how?

· Which books are used by the parish community and how?

· Who would read from the Book of the Gospels and why?

LecternLectionary

Week 4

Act of Worship

“BOOKS”

Year 2

Gathering

Together

You might like to set up a Focus table with some of the following: a cloth, a candle, different books (spread on floor) any religious books (if possible, for example, prayer book, children’s Bible)

We have come together to celebrate and pray In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Welcome to our celebration. The theme of our celebration today is Books. There are some books displayed here today: stories, poems, nursery rhymes. There are special books too, that are special because they tell us of stories of God’s messages for us, stories about Jesus or prayers to God.

The most important books is Bible, God’s special book. This great book is in two parts - the first part is all about God and his dealings with people, and the second part is about the life of Jesus on earth, and his message of God’s love – which He wants us to share with everyone.

We are going to listen to a very important story now. This tells us of Jesus’ baptism. Before Jesus started his ministry of teaching and healing he asked John the Baptist, his cousin, to baptise him.

The Word

Of God

A reading from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, (remind the children to make the sign of the cross on their heads – to know and understand God’s Word; lips – to speak God’s Word and heart – to love God’s Word)

Glory to you, O Lord

At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptised by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. “I ought to be baptised by you,” John said, “and yet you have come to me!” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.” So John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting on him. Then a voice said from heaven, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us think quietly for a few moments about this story. Let us remember some of the many blessings, which God has given to us– especially that of Jesus, his own dear Son.

Response to

the Word.

Now let us join together in prayer to thank God, and Jesus, and his message of love for us. The response is We thank you, God.

For all these books which we enjoy so much. We thank you, God.

For the love you have shown us. We thank you, God.

For the gift of your own Son, Jesus. We thank you, God.

For Jesus’ message of love and kindness to all. We thank you, God.

For the Bible, which tells us of all these things. We thank you, God.

Going

Forth

To show that we know and understand God’s message of love and kindness, which is written in the Bible, try to find some more stories from the Bible to read and share with your family.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen.