Parable of the Talents

Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

This workshop uses the book: The Quiltmaker’s Gift. by Jeff Brumbeau. Orchard Books, 2000.

In this workshop the learners will hear the story The Quiltmaker’s Gift and will compare it to the Parable of the Talents.

Supplies List:

• The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories
• The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, ISBN: 9780439309103.
• pencils

Teacher preparation:

• Read the Bible passage. Read over the background material included in your teacher packet as you review the lesson plan. Become familiar with the Bible story and the book The Quiltmaker’s Gift.

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs if there are new students or visitors.

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:

Lesson Plan:
1. Have the students sit where you would like them to during the reading of the story from the Bible. Hand out Bibles.

2. Read the story from The Children’s Bible, page 353, story number 311.

3. Discuss the story by explaining to the children that the Bible uses the word “talent” and back in ancient times that was an enormous sum of money. Today, we have come to think of the word “talent” as meaning God-given abilities.

4. Ask the following questions:

• What does the story tell us happened when the master returned?
• What do you think this means for us? Accept any answer but lead the children to God expects us to use our “talents” (money and abilities) to the fullest in furthering God’s kingdom. Furthering God’s kingdom might be interpreted to the children as being loving and caring toward all people, treating everyone like we would want to be treated, helping those in need, being faithful to our church (whatever denomination that might be), etc.

5. Tell them we are going to read a story today about one person who had a God-given talent and another who had great wealth. As we read the story have them think about how each used their “talents” and what made them happy.

6. Read the story The Quiltmaker’s Gift. Be sure to let the children enjoy the pictures as you read. The story will take at least 15 minutes to read and enjoy the pictures, or longer if you take time to look closely at each picture.

7. Ask the children the following questions:

• How was this story like our bible story? Accept any answer. Some might be that it is about using talents. Using talents to help others made them happy.
• What might we learn from the story about what we should do with our “talents”? Accept any answer. Some might be: use them to help the needy wherever they might be; to be happy we must give to others, not just things we don’t want anymore but some that we do, and that we must give of ourselves, too.

Closure:
Point out to the children that we must give of ourselves as well as our talents. The king found out he was happiest when he not only gave away what he had but, as we could see in the pictures, when he participated with the community. The gifts he gave were not just his old stuff like what we would take to Goodwill but stuff he liked. This story should teach us that we have “talents” we must share with others and be faithful managers of what we are given.

If time permits talk a little about the ways to be a faithful manager of talents--giving a tenth of money to the church, giving to charity, spending time with older people or making them a gift of a song or drawing or something they have written, helping the needy like at Safe Haven when the adults go to serve a meal, being friends to kids that are not very likable, being nice to brothers and sisters, etc.

Closing:
Close the class with a prayer of your own, or use the following:
Loving God, thank you for our talents. Help us to discover them and to use them to benefit others and to show your love to all. Amen.

Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals Have the children respond to the following:
One thing I can do to be a faithful manager of my “talents” is to . . .

During 2013 renovation of this forum, a reviewer suggested that a follow-up "quilt making" "personal coat of arms" art project.... each student making a square that suggested one of their talents. To this could be added a quilt square/coat of arms section represented faith and the church.

A lesson posted by member JanMarshall from: Brenthaven Church

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.