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LEARNING OBJECTIVE •Tounderstandourdependenceonseafarersforourwayoflife.

SUCCESS CRITERIA • Iunderstandwhyseafarersaresoimportant.• Iunderstandthesacrificestheymakesothatwecanshareand enjoymanynicethings.• IknowhowIcansupportseafarersallovertheworld.

LINKS TO R.E. CURRICULUMRevelation:•ThewaysinwhichpeopleoftodaycanhearandrespondtoGod’scall.TheChurch:•ThegiftoftheHolySpirit,whichisgiventoindividualsandgroupsfortheserviceofthewholecommunity.•Waysoftakingpartinthelifeandworshipofthedomesticandlocalchurches.•Howthelocalchurchis‘goodnews’forpeopleandhoweveryonecanhaveapartinthis.•Theschoolcommunityhasopportunitiestobe‘goodnews’forothers.Celebration:•Thewaysinwhichloveandcommitmentareimportantinhumanlife.•Avarietyofprayersandprayerforms,formalandinformal,usedforpersonalandcommunityprayer.LifeinChrist:•Thevaluesofsharing,showingrespectandcareforothers.•Ways‘loveofneighbour’canbeshownathome,atchurch,locallyandglobally.•TheChristianvalueswhichinform‘loveofneighbour’andoneself.

RESOURCE MATERIALS •Candle•Post-itnotes•Templates•Likes/dislikespaper

KEY WORDS seafarer,sacrifice,port,God,Jesus,family,friendship,loneliness,love,faith,trust,chaplain.

THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

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OVERVIEW AND TIMINGS

THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

Thechildrensitinacirclearoundthefocalpointofacandleandapictureofaship.

Readthefollowingmeditationtothechildren.Theyneedtoclosetheireyesandimaginethattheyarethemanworkingonboardtheship(theseafarer).

I stood at the departure gate at our local airport looking at my beautiful wife and my amazing children, thinking about how much I was going to miss them and wondering how much my children would change in the 9 months that I would be away.

They announced that my flight was boarding and I knew it was time for me to say goodbye. I could feel my stomach churn and the tears began to well in my eyes. I gave each member of my family a kiss and hugged them all tightly before walking through the gates into the departure lounge. I closed my eyes. I could picture the large container ship that I was about

Introduction

Timing:10mins

Resources:• candle• pictureofaship

Sit the children in a circle around the focal point of a candle and a picture of a ship.

INTRODUCTION

QUESTIONS

ACTIVITY & CLASS DISCUSSION

THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA

ACTIVITY

PLENARY

FINAL REFLECTION

The children will be given a hand to write a message to a seafarer. Explain to them that these messages will need to come back to school so you can send them to The Apostleship of the Sea so they can make sure seafarers receive them.

arrival

10mins

10mins

10mins

5mins

15mins

5mins

5mins

home-work

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to fly out to meet. I could see its huge containers filled with an array of goods and all the crew members standing on the deck. I thought to myself, ‘This is going to be my home and my family for the next 9 months’.

My cabin is basic but comfortable. I have a bed and a desk where I like to sit in the evening and keep a log of all the events that have happened during the day. I have hung a photograph of my family on the cabin wall above my bed and I say goodnight to them every night before I go to sleep. I miss them so much.

It is hard at sea as we can be travelling for weeks before we get to the next port. There is no phone signal at sea so I cannot speak to any of my family. I have to wait until we reach a port and then find a phone or a computer to contact them. I love speaking to them via telephone, Skype, email and Facebook, but I find it hard to say goodbye. I remember that even though I am away from them for long periods of time, the money I earn is sent to them to help them have a good life.

The food on the ship is filling but it is not what I am used to and I miss the food I eat at home with my wife and children. The people on board the ship are very friendly and I have made lots of new friends, but I do miss the company of my friends at home.

There is always so much to do on board the ship, I am very busy. I work for six hours and then have six hours off duty. In the six hours’ break I like to sit quietly and reflect on what’s happened during the day. I pray to God to look after my special family, and to keep my friends and me on board the ship safe.

Christmas time is the hardest when I am at sea. I am reminded of what I am missing at home. Going to Mass in the morning, the dinners, opening presents with the children, games and lovely walks. The other crew members decorate the ship with tinsel, fairy lights and paper chains, which is festive but it is not the same as being at home.

What keeps me going is praying to God and the Masses that are held when we visit a port. I also look forward to speaking to a chaplain and going to Confession. Chatting to the chaplain helps me pray and feel closer to Jesus. As much as I care about all my friends on the ship, it is nice to speak to a different person, a new face. It does sometimes become difficult always seeing and being around the same people.

I look forward to the day when I can fly home and see my beautiful family waiting for me, and the moment when I can hold them all in my arms again.

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Discusswiththepersonnexttoyouthefollowingquestions.Shareideaswiththecircle.

What do we call people who work on ships at sea?(Seafarers – but you might get captains etc. Guide them to the term seafarer.)

Why do you think we need people to work on ships? (Point out that they carry important cargo- food, clothes etc.)

What would happen if we did not have seafarers?

How do you think seafarers feel when they are out at sea?

What do you think comforts them when they feel some of these emotions? (Guide them to Jesus wanting to be close to them and filling their hearts with the Holy Spirit.)

Would you like to be a seafarer? Why or why not?

What does the word sacrifice mean?

Do you think seafarers sacrifice anything to do their jobs?

Do you think they find it hard to sacrifice these things? Why?

(AT12iii,AT22i,AT13iii,AT23i,AT14iii,AT24i)

THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

Questions

Timing:10mins

Activity & Class Discussion

Timing:10mins

Resources:• likes/dislikespaper• post-itnotes• questionprompts

ACTIVITY

Onthecarpetnexttothepictureoftheshiphave2largepiecesofpaperlabelledLIKESandDISLIKES.

Askchildrentoconsiderwhatitwouldbeliketobeonboardashipandhowtheywouldfeel.

Sharingwithatalkpartner,childrentowriteonpost-itnotestheirideasof:

• Whatlifemightbelikeasaseafarer?

• Howtheymightfeelduringthelongvoyages.

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THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

(Theycanwriteasmanyideasastheyhaveinthetimegiven.

Questionpromptstosupportthisactivity:

What is the weather like at sea?

How might that make you feel?

What do you think the facilities are like on board?

How do you think that you would feel being at sea for long periods of time?

How do you think you would feel towards other seafarers on board your ship?

How would you feel visiting other places?

Who would you speak to when you are feeling unhappy and lonely?

CLASS DISCUSSION

Lookatandsharethedifferentideasfromthechildren’sresponses.Selectsomeappropriatestatementstodiscuss.

The Apostleship of the Sea

Timing:5mins

ThereisacharitycalledtheApostleship of the Sea,whichisamissionoftheCatholicchurch.ItsupportsseafarersbymakingsuretheyhavesomewheretogotopraytoGod,togotoConfessionandcelebrateMass.ThecharitydoesthisbecauseitunderstandsthatthemostimportantthingforanypersonisthechancetofeelclosetoGodandthesupportoftheCatholiccommunity.

TheApostleshipoftheSeaalsomakessurethatwhenshipscomeintoaportthereareportchaplainsandvolunteerswhowillvisittheseafarersandhelpthemcontacttheirfamiliesbytelephoneortheinternet.Itprovidesseafarerswithplacestorelax.Thecharityalsogivesseafarerstheopportunitytovisitinterestingplacesandmakessuretheyreceiveanymedicalcaretheymayneed.

The 2nd Sunday in July eachyearisaveryimportantSunday.ItiscalledSea Sunday.ThisisawonderfulopportunityforCatholicchurchesalloverthecountrytoprayforseafarersandtohaveacollection.ThemoneycollectedisgiventotheApostleshipoftheSea,sotheycanhelpseafarers.

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THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

Activity

Timing:15mins

Resources:templatesofT-shirtsandcoffeecups

Discuss:How could you help the Apostleship of the Sea support seafarers?

Invitechildrentoshareideaswithinthecircle.Remindthemthatitisnotjustaboutraisingmoneybutalsoaboutkeepingseafarersinourprayers.

ChildrentobegivenanoutlinetemplateofaT-shirtorcoffeecup.Insidethetemplate,writeanddrawwaysinwhichtheywillhelpsupportthecharity.(AT12ii,AT12iii)

Ext:Childrentoexplainwhytheyaregoingtohelpandwhytheyhavechosenthatactivity/fundraiser/prayeretc.

How will their actions help seafarers?(AT13ii,AT14iii)

How might the seafarers feel?(AT13iii)

Ext:ChildrenwriteaprayerontheothersideoftheirtemplateaskingGodtoguide,supportandkeepsafeseafarersallovertheworld.IncludeintheirprayersreasonswhytheyareaskingGodtohelpthem.(AT14i)

Plenary

Timing:5mins

Bringchildrenbacktothecarpetinacircle.Askthemoneatatimetoplacetheir‘cargo’inthe‘cargooflove’shipandastheydotheyneedtosayaltogether‘weprayforyou’.

ReadchildrenthestoryfromthebibleMark4:35–41.

Jesus calms the storm.

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

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THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Thedisciplesleftthecrowdandtravelledoffinaboat,justlikeseafarershavetoleavetheirfamilies.Jesuswillguideseafarersandkeepthemsafe,justlikehedidwiththedisciples,becauseweareallJesus’disciples.

Scripture quote taken from The New Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. and used by permission.

Final Reflection

Timing:5mins

Resources:Successcriteria

Closeyoureyesorfocusonthecandleinthemiddleofthecircle.WearebringingallourideasandprayerstoGodandareaskinghimtohelpusfollowinJesus’footstepsbyhelpingothers,especiallythoseseafarerswhoworkveryhardtomakesurewehavethefoodandclothesweweartodayandeveryday.

Dear God,

HelpustobefilledwiththeHolySpiritandtobeyourtruefollowers.Watchoverusaswedoourbesttosupportthoseoutatsea.

Jesus, help seafarers to know that you are walking with them even when thingsfeelstormy.Maythoseseafarersfeelyoureternalloveforthem.

Helpustoknowthatyouareclosetoustoo.

WeaskthisthroughChristourLord.

Amen.

Showchildrenthesuccesscriteria.HowwellhaveyoumettheLO?Childrentoshowwiththeirthumbs.

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THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

Homework

Resources:Handtemplates

Thechildrenwillbegivenapaperhandtowriteamessagetoaseafarer.ExplaintothemthatthesemessageswillneedtocomebacktoschoolsoyoucansendthemtotheApostleshipoftheSeasotheycanmakesureseafarersreceivethem.

Makechildrenawarethattheyarewritingonhandsasasymbolofthe‘helpinghand’theyaregivingseafarersthroughprayersandfundraising.

Throughquestioningandtaskchildrenwillcoversomeofthefollowingassessmentareas:

AT1:2ii,2iii3i,3ii,3iii,4i,4iiiAT2:2i,2ii,3i,3ii,4i,4ii

ASSESSMENT

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THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEALESSONPLANFORKS2

Please let us know if you have used this resource and how useful it was.

Email:johngreen@apostleshipofthesea.org.uk

Thankyou.

ProducedincollaborationwithTenTenTheatre

WrittenbyLauraNagle

©TheApostleshipoftheSea

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