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Drama, Reader's Theater, Storytelling, and Puppet Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for the Lord's Prayer

Post your Sunday School drama, reader's theater, storytelling, and puppet lessons, ideas, activities, and resources for the Lord's Prayer.

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Lord's Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-13, Our Father, who art in heaven, Kingdom come, How to pray, etc.

Bible lessons and ideas about the Lord's Prayer -with Drama, puppets, scripts, skits, acting, newsroom, etc.




This lesson was actually a breakout session at summer camp, Camp Feliciana, 2000. The children would have discussed the story a bit more in small groups before they came to me for the drama workshop. We had an hour and a half for this lesson, one of the goals of which was to present a rather unpolished performance for the rest of the campers that evening (this lesson plan was actually used in the closing worship service on Friday).
In other words, you may want to spend a bit more time digging into the story than the lesson plan calls for.

The Lord's Prayer

Reader's Theater/ Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:
Readers Theater of the catechism questions related to the Lord’s Prayer; each question is accompanied by a tale or scripture reference. Everyone learns to tell the parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee.

Scripture Reference:
Matthew 6: 5-15 and Luke 11: 1-4; also Luke 18: 9-14.

Workshop Objectives:
At the end of the Rotation, the students will

  • Locate the four Gospels in the New Testament and know they are the Good News about Jesus.
  • Relate the story of Jesus teaching his disciples to pray.
  • Know the Lord’s Prayer.
  • Understand the Lord’s Prayer through the framework of the Catechism questions.
  • Tell a Bible story that relates to one of the key concepts contained in the Lord’s Prayer.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read background notes
  • Gather materials from supply list.
  • Write the parable key words (below) on the flipchart, using two alternating colors (for the two group/back and forth retelling). That is "parable" would be written in red, "sure" in green, "two" in red, "pray" in green, and so on.


Supply List:

  • Props, scenery, costumes.
  • Bibles, pencils, paper, flipchart and markers.
  • Books: there are illustrated versions of the Lord’s Prayer (although many have unattractive illustrations). Also look for picture book collections of New Testament stories and parables and collections of prayers.


Lesson Plan

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Welcome kids.

Group time:
Open with prayer.

Read the scripture: Matthew 6: 9-13 and Luke 11: 1-4

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Application:

Do you sometimes feel that you need someone to teach you how to pray? Jesus disciples felt they needed help talking to God.
If time permits: Compare the Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) to how we say the Lord’s Prayer.

Lesson Activity:
Bringing the story to life: Storytelling

Teach the story: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Luke 18: 9-14

  1. Tell the story.
  2. Tell the story with listeners following the key word list:
    parable
    sure
    two
    pray
    Pharisee
    tax collector
    apart
    thank
    greedy
    like
    fast
    one-tenth
    distance
    raise
    beat
    pity
    tell
    tax collector
    right
    great
    humbles

  3. Tell the story a third time, with listeners visualizing key words.
  4. Divide into two groups, each responsible for half of story (assigned via color-coded key words).
    • Have two groups tell the story. (It will be a back and forth telling, like a ping pong match.)
    • Switch colors so each group can learn the other half of the story.
  5. Ask a few volunteers to tell the story (okay to use key word list).
  6. Give them a copy of the story, divide into pairs, and take turns telling the story back and forth, trying not to peek.
  7. Ask for volunteers to try telling without the list.

Congratulate all on a job well done!

Practice the choral reading of the catechism questions and related scripture. Decide who will read what for the closing worship performance. Decide who will tell the story the group learned. Encourage volunteers to learn other stories that can also be part of the performance.

If time permits: students may select a different story to learn for the performance.

Discussion/Reflection:

  • Why do we pray to God? (Catechism question #46: Because we were created to live with God, who desires the prayers of our hearts. Our hearts long for God, for we need God’s help and guidance every day.)
  • When are some times that you talk to God in prayer?
  • What are some ways that you talk to God in prayer?
  • Is there a right way and a right time?


Closing:

Say the Lord’s Prayer together.


Script:

The Lord’s Prayer: A Choral Reading with Bible Stories
Based on Belonging to God: A First Catechism - see resouces.

Reader: How did Jesus teach his followers to pray? [Question #48]

Reader: He taught them the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
In the book of Matthew, Chapter 6, it is written
All: Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.

Reader: What do we mean when we pray to God as “Our Father”? [#50]

Campers: As Jesus taught us, we call upon God like little children who know that God cares for them and loves them. Because Jesus prayed to God as his Father, we too can pray to God in this way.

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-5

Reader: When we pray to God as our Father, do we mean that God is male? [Question 51]

Campers: No. Only creatures who have bodies can be male or female. But God is spirit and has no body.

Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Reader: What do we mean when we pray to God “in Heaven”? [#52]

Campers: We mean that God draws near to us from beyond this world and hears our prayers.

Scripture: Luke 2: 13-14.

Reader: What do we mean when we pray “hallowed be your name”? [#53]

Campers: We pray that God’s name will be honored in all the world and everywhere treated as holy, because God’s name really stands for God.

Scripture: Exodus 3:13-15

Reader: What do we ask when we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”? [question 54]

Campers: We ask God to fulfill God’s purposes for the whole world. We also ask God to make us able and willing to accept God’s will in all things, and to do our part in bringing about God’s purposes.

Scripture: Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 3: 7-13

Reader: Why do we pray “Give us today our daily bread”? [question 55]

Campers: Because all good things come from God. Even in our most ordinary needs, God cares for us completely.

Scripture: Psalm 78: 23-29

Reader: What do we ask when we pray “Forgive us our sins”? [#56]

Campers: Telling God we are sorry, we ask God not to hold our sins against us, but to accept us again by grace.

Storyteller: Luke 18:9-14

Reader: Why do we continue with “as we forgive those who sin against us”? [question 57]

Campers: Because we are to forgive others, just as God has forgiven us.

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Reader: What do we ask when we pray “Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil”? [question 58]

Campers: We ask God to protect us, especially when we most need it. We pray for God to free us from all desires that would lead us to sin, and to shelter us from the powers of evil that may threaten us.

Scripture: I Corinthians 10: 12-13

Reader: What does it mean to pray “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever?” [question 59]

Campers: We praise God for being able and willing to do everything we have asked in this prayer. We give ourselves over to God’s wise and gracious rule, because we know that God can be trusted to make all things work together for good, now and forever.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29: 10-12

Reader: Why does our prayer end with “Amen”? [question 60]

Campers: “Amen” means “so be it” or “let it be so.” It expresses our complete confidence in God, who makes no promise that will not be kept and whose love endures forever.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20

All: Amen!


The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18: 9-14
(adapted from Today’s English Version)

Jesus told this parable
to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everyone else:

“Once there were two men
who went up to the Temple to pray:
one was a Pharisee,
the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed,
‘I thank you, God,
that I am not greedy and dishonest like everybody else.
I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there.
I fast two days a week,
and I give you one tenth of all my income.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance
and would not even raise his face to heaven,
but beat his breast and said,
‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’

I tell you,” said Jesus,
“the tax collector, and not the Pharisee,
was in the right with God when he went home.

For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled,
and everyone who humbles himself will be made great.”


Resources:




A lesson written by Amy Crane for Camp Feliciana, Norwood, LA

Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

Last edited by Amy Crane
Original Post

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The Lord's Prayer

Reader's Theater Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity: 

Readers Theater of the catechism questions related to the Lord’s Prayer; each question is accompanied by a tale or scripture reference. Everyone learns to tell the parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee.

Rotation Notes:

this lesson is most appropriate for grades three and up (proficient readers)

Background comments on the story:

The Lord’s Prayer is included in the Temple Service instruction portion of the Sermon on the Mount. It is “the very center of the Sermon on the Mount, structurally and theologically” (Boring). Jesus is not teaching that long and/or public prayers are wrong. Rather, he is telling his listeners to be aware of their motives for doing what they do. The prayer form Jesus teaches is similar to that of other Jewish prayers, and consists of an address to God and two sets of three petitions.

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 6: 1-18 (and Luke 11: 1-4)

Workshop Objectives:
At the end of the session the children will be able to:

  • Locate the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and know the Gospels are the Good News about Jesus.
  • Relate the story of Jesus teaching his disciples and others to pray as part of the instructions included in the Sermon on the Mount.
  • Know the Lord’s Prayer.
  • Understand the Lord’s Prayer through the framework of the Catechism questions.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read background notes
  • Gather materials from supply list.


Supply List:

  • Props, scenery, costumes.
  • Bibles, pencils, paper, flipchart and markers.
  • Books for sharing before and after class: there are illustrated versions of the Lord’s Prayer (although many have unattractive illustrations). Also look for picture book collections of New Testament stories and collections of prayers.


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:

Welcome kids.

Group time:
Open with prayer.

Early arrival activity: Compare the Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) (Matthew 6: 9-13 and Luke 11: 1-4) to how we say the Lord’s Prayer. (Do this in groups of two or three.)

Read the scripture:  Matthew 6: 1-18

Assign the 11 scripture passages and help the students find them. Give them time to read through their assigned passages and help them pronounce any words they find difficult. Remind the students to state the scripture reference (e.g. “This reading is from the book of Matthew, chapter 18, verses 1 to 5) before reading the scripture.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection

Application:

Do you sometimes feel that you need someone to teach you how to pray? Jesus disciples felt they needed help talking to God.
If time permits: Compare the Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) to how we say the Lord’s Prayer.

Lesson Activity:

Bringing the story to life: Choral reading

  • Practice the choral reading of the catechism questions and related scripture.
  • Decide who will read which parts.
  • Have the class split in half and designate one group “left” and the other “right;” select Reader 1 and Reader 2. (Depending on the size and makeup of the class, you may wish to re-designate certain parts.)
  • If time permits, you may wish to read through once without the scripture readings, so that everyone can get a feel for the musical nature and rhythm of the choral reading.

 Discussion/Reflection:

  • Why do we pray to God? (Belonging to God: a First Catechism question #46)

Because we were created to live with God, who desires the prayers of our hearts. Our hearts long for God, for we need God’s help and guidance every day.

  • When are some times that you talk to God in prayer?
  • What are some ways that you talk to God in prayer?
  • Is there a right way and a right time to pray?


Closing:

Pray the Lord’s Prayer together.
The Lord’s Prayer: A Choral Reading with Bible Stories
Based on Belonging to God: A First Catechism -

https://www.presbyterianmissio...god-first-catechism/

Reader 1: How did Jesus teach his followers to pray? [Question #48]

Reader 2: He taught them the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
In the book of Matthew, Chapter 6, it is written

All:

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.

Students: What do we mean when we pray to God as “Our Father”? [#50]

Teachers: As Jesus taught us, we call upon God like little children who know that God cares for them and loves them. Because Jesus prayed to God as his Father, we too can pray to God in this way.

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-5

Girls: When we pray to God as our Father, do we mean that God is male? [Question 51]

Boys: No. Only creatures who have bodies can be male or female. But God is spirit and has no body.

Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Right side: What do we mean when we pray to God “in Heaven”? [#52]

Left side: We mean that God draws near to us from beyond this world and hears our prayers.

Scripture: Luke 2: 13-14.

Right side: What do we mean when we pray “hallowed be your name”? [#53]

Left side: We pray that God’s name will be honored in all the world and everywhere treated as holy, because God’s name really stands for God.

Scripture: Exodus 3:13-15

Reader 1: What do we ask when we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”? [question 54]

Students: We ask God to fulfill God’s purposes for the whole world. We also ask God to make us able and willing to accept God’s will in all things, and to do our part in bringing about God’s purposes.

Scripture: Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 3: 7-13

Reader 2: Why do we pray “Give us today our daily bread”? [question 55]

Girls: Because all good things come from God. Even in our most ordinary needs, God cares for us completely.

Scripture: Psalm 78: 23-29

Teachers: What do we ask when we pray “Forgive us our sins”? [#56]

Boys: Telling God we are sorry, we ask God not to hold our sins against us, but to accept us again by grace.

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Girls: Why do we continue with “as we forgive those who sin against us”? [question 57]

Boys: Because we are to forgive others, just as God has forgiven us.

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Reader 1: What do we ask when we pray “Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil”? [# 58]

Students: We ask God to protect us, especially when we most need it. We pray for God to free us from all desires that would lead us to sin, and to shelter us from the powers of evil that may threaten us.

Scripture: I Corinthians 10: 12-13

Students: What does it mean to pray “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever?” [question 59]

Teachers: We praise God for being able and willing to do everything we have asked in this prayer. We give ourselves over to God’s wise and gracious rule, because we know that God can be trusted to make all things work together for good, now and forever.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29: 10-12

Teachers: Why does our prayer end with “Amen”? [question 60]

Students: “Amen” means “so be it” or “let it be so.” It expresses our complete confidence in God, who makes no promise that will not be kept and whose love endures forever.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20

All: Amen!


Resources:


 

A lesson written by Amy Crane for: Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
Tampa, FL

Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

I am not the author of this lesson, see end credits.


The Lord's Prayer

Drama Skit

Our church did The Lord's Prayer for our rotation last spring. However, the curriculum we use never has drama scripts.

The kids in our church love to put on costumes (all the Christmas & other costumes through the years) and have lines and scripts and act it out on the downstairs stage.

Because of this, all the great ideas about having kids brainstorm and act out ideas for The Lord's Prayer weren't going to work for our set.

So, I wrote a Lord's Prayer drama Anyone is welcome to use it, change it, use the version of The Lord's Prayer that you use, etc.


Characters in script

Narrator Narr
Temple priest Priest
Prophet Proph
Follower of Prophet 1 P1
John the Baptist John
Follower of John 1 J1
Peter Peter
Luke Luke
Jesus Jesus
Other disciples Disc
Pharisee Phar
Tax Collector Tax C



Script

Narr: Now, in Jesus’ time, there were many different ways to pray. The disciples noticed this.

The priest at the temple was part of an old system that saw God as far away.

Priest: Come, bring your animal to be sacrificed! God demands that you burn an ox or bird. It will please him to smell it. [prays on knees with arms above] “Oh God, you are so far above us. Look down upon us and do not crush us like ants. Keep your anger far from us.”

Narr: There were other prophets who had followers. They would always teach a prayer or way to pray.

Proph: I know how you should pray. Rip your clothes.

P1: [pretends to rip his clothes] Like this?

Proph: Yes. Now, lay flat on the ground.

P1: [lays on the floor] Like this?

Proph: Yes, but don’t look up. Now lay there for 2 hours and constantly praise God for all the good things in the world.

P1: [muffled on floor] All right.

Narr: John the Baptist had his followers and his ways of following God.

John: You must repent – be sorry for your sins. To show you are sorry, you must be baptized.

J1: John, you have baptized me. What else must I do?

John: Fast – eat nothing and drink nothing to show you are sorry. Pray to God constantly for the forgiveness of your sins.

Narr: The disciples noticed all of this and went to Jesus. Jesus had been praying.

Peter: Teacher, we are confused. We see that you pray all the time.

Luke: Please teach us to pray, like other people teach their followers.

Peter: Yes, like John the Baptist taught his followers to pray.

Disc: [overlapping] Teach us to pray. We need to know how to pray. Please.

Jesus: Pray like this: Abba. . .

Peter: Abba?

Luke: That is “daddy.” How can God be our daddy, our father?

Jesus: God is not far above you. God is with you and within you. God is not angry. God loves you and wants the best for you, like a father.

Disc: [to each other] Can this be true? Does God really care?

Jesus: He wants to have a close relationship with you. Pray this prayer:

Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Luke: Wow! Now when people see us, they will hear us praying this prayer and know we are special.

Jesus: God wants you to be humble and know that every blessing you have comes from God.

You have seen the people pray loudly in public so people will hear them and think they are great.
Disc: Yes we have seen them. Is that how we should pray?

Jesus: Let me tell you a story. Once there were two people who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector.

Phar: [stands proudly, head up] “God, thank you that I am not like other people, bad people like thieves, liars or even this tax-collector. I fast twice a week and I give one tenth of my money.” There, everyone should have heard that!

Tax C: [kneeling, head down] God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Jesus: How do you think God wants you to pray?

Luke: Like the tax-collector?

Jesus: Yes. God doesn’t want you to pray so people will think better of you. He wants you to pray to stay connected with him and to realize how much you are blessed.

Peter: You mentioned forgiving people in the prayer. How many times should we forgive someone, as many as seven?

Jesus: No, seventy times seven, or as often as you would like to be forgiven.

Luke: Teacher, let us pray your prayer.

 [Everyone holds hands and prays]

Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen


A skit written by Susan Johnson from: St. Luke Lutheran Church
Portland, Oregon

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

The Lord's Prayer Reader's Theater (Or Puppet) Script

The Lord’s Prayer According to Fric and Frac

Characters: Fric the Proper Teacher (1) and Frac the Sassy Kid (2)

Summary:
Fric is a very proper teacher who keeps being interrupted by Frac, a sassy little kid. The kid is played by a teen, preferably a girl who can act rather daffy. Think Elmo on Sesame Street and you’ve got the tone and attitude.

The purpose of the reader’s theater script is to introduce a lesson on Lord’s Prayer to a group gathered around Fric. Frac takes up her place among the other kids but near Fric making quite a scene so the younger children are clued in that this is a put-on. Fric grows increasingly impatient with Frac.

After the script might be a good time to help define some words in the Lord's Prayer.

Script:

1 Hello everybody, I’d like to read to you the world’s most famous prayer, the Lord’s Prayer and talk about it
with you. Does anybody know how it begins?. Yes, that’s right, we start by praying the words: Our Father who
art in heaven
2 Excuse, me, excuse me
1 Yes,
2 Who is Art? Is God’s name Art? I never heard God called Art before.
1 What in the world are you talking about?
2 O Father Art in heaven?
1 No, no, I’m afraid you’ve misundertood, Art is a fancy way of saying “who is in heaven”
2 I don’t know
1 You don’t know what?
2 I don’t know who is in heaven. Probably a lot of angels and dead people and stuff, but I’ve never been there
so can’t say for sure.

1 No, no, no....it’s our Father Art, I mean, Our Father who are- is- was and will always be in heaven.

2 No he isn’t.
1 He isn’t what?
2 He’s right here too (pointing to heart).

1 Moving right along.... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

2 O so now you say God’s name is “hallowed”.... so which one is it? Hallowed or Art? Is anybody else
confused?

1 It’s neither.
2 Then why do you keep saying it is. Look, why not just say Our Father in heaven.
1 Because that’s not the way Jesus said it.
2 Oh, Jesus said it that way?
1 Uh huh.
2 Well....I guess he would know. Continue on...

1 Our Father who “is” in heaven, hallowed by thy name
2 (tapping on shoulder)
1 Yes, what?
2 What does Hallowed mean?
1 It’s an old word that means special, great, awesome.
2 Then why didn’t you just say so?
1 I just did —Our father who art in heaven “hallowed”
2 special, great and awesome!
1 BE thy name.

2 Thy? What kind of word is thy?
1 (dirty look)
2 Never mind.
1 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
2 Thy thy thy....Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, why do you keep saying thy?
1 Because....
2 I know, I know....because ”Jesus” said it that way
1 Well no, actually he didn’t.
2 Oh, then why do you?
1 Because that’s the way it’s printed in the version of the Bible we use.
2 Oh.
1 Yeah, “Oh.” Can I continue?
2 If you must.
1 Oh I must, believe me, I might even.....
2 Now now now.....it’s prayer time.

1 Yes, “prayer time” now where was I, oh yes, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
2 They rhyme ya know.
1 What rhymes?
2 Thy kingdom COME thy will be DONE. It rhymes.
1 (Dirty look and sigh) On earth as it is in heaven. (Stares at other)
2 What?
1 Well aren’t you going to stay something about that too?
2 No.
1 Don’t you wonder what “on earth as it is in heaven means” ??
2 Not if you don’t.

1 Arrrggg. Give us this day our daily bread.
2 (Raise hand)
1 Yes. What is it now?
2 Give us our day our “daily” bread. What does that mean?
1 It means give us what we need to live today Lord.
2 Then why didn’t you just say so?
1 Because it’s a poem and poems often say things in flowery ways.
2 I thought you said it was a prayer. Now you’re saying it’s a flower?
1 No, I mean yes, I mean -poems and prayers are often alike.
2 Oh, you mean like, “roses are red, violets are blue, if you don’t get going, you won’t get through?”
1 Exactly.... Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
(looks and waits for other to respond)
2 Well I know what that means. What do you think I am, stupid? (snort snort)

1 And lead us not into temptation....
2. What’s THAT ?
1 It’s what you’re doing right now?
2 What?
1 Leading me into temptation
2. Ohhhh, never mind.

1. But deliver us from evil
2 (pointing to self and shaking head “no” as in “I’m not evil” and acting contrite)


1 For thine
2. Wha—
1 It means “yours,” thine means “yours.”
2 Continue.

1. ...is the kingdom
2 is what?
1 for THINE is the kingdom, and the power and glory forever. Ah--
2 -MEN.....see there, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?
1 (shaking head)

=the end=

Permission granted for non-commercial use, local church use only.

Member Review:
Posted by KArmstrong on January 20, 2004

We used the skit in our Lord's Prayer Rotation that we're currently doing. Our minister does a Children's Focus during every service where he sits on the steps to the altar and the children sit on the church floor all around him.To present this skit, we met at the church on a weekday afternoon and used a videotape to produce a "children's focus" wherein our minister and two of my children had the dialogue (or a version of it) of the skit. I then edited, to take out the laughter, and made a tape that we have shown weekly in our Rock of Ages Stages workshop. The kids have really enjoyed seeing our own minister (and my kids) on tape. Next week is the last week before our minister moves on to another parish...what a great keepsake for us all as well!!

 


A script written by Neil MacQueen
Venice, FL

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

The Lord's Prayer

Clown Skit Idea

Summary of Lesson Activities:

show a section of Godspell DVD, then have kids dressed up as clowns and have the children think up contemporary situations to act out, then video tape.

Moderator adds: Here is a link to a Scene Guide created by Matt Page (UK). Note: the DVD chapter index is done by the Songs.

We just finished a rotation on the Lord's prayer.

The most creative was a drama/video. She showed a section of the video Godspell. Then the kids dressed up as clowns with brightly colored thrift shop clothes and make-up. Each week she emphasized a different part of the prayer and had kids think of a contemporary situation to act out, which she then video-taped. We are hoping to show the completed tape to the whole congregation. The idea to use Godspell in our Lord's Prayer rotation was from a rotation set I downloaded from this site. I can't seem to find the original source now, but wanted to give what credit I could.

Post edited for clarity & some items deleted (repetition), then moved here to Drama Forum by Exchange Volunteer.  Original author of this post unfortunately was lost in the move.

Last edited by Luanne Payne

The following "Candle Performance" could be a worship piece or storytelling script.

Below it are some comments from other members.

 

 

THE LORDS PRAYER CANDLE PERFORMANCE

 

Posted by member Sheila 


This was adapted from "The Lord's Prayer in Color" in 52 Ways to Teach Children to Pray from Rainbow Publishers by an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Connecticut. It was in our CE Newsletter from my Diocese in Indiana.

I will not type the whole thing but give you the basic idea.

You use a large white felt underlay, they recommend 9" by 72", you need 11 candles (see below for colors) and holders, index cards and matches. You break the prayer into 11 parts. You write each of these parts on one side of the card and what that means on the other side of the card. They have a long explanation for each part, remember you are explaining to children and these can be adapted depending on age. If they can, the children read the words of the prayer as its candle is lit and the teacher then explains meaning.

My addition to this is that I always end any candle lighting with remember, the light is only in one place now but I am going to change the light and make it not in one place but in all places, watch. When you snuff a candle let the smoke billow up and then dramatically swoop the snuffer up and the smoke trails away. This is from a Montessori Based Curriculum called Godly Play that I have taught for years. Do this at the end when extinguishing the flames.

1. Our Father (white, means God who is light)
2. Who Art in Heaven (Blue, blue heavens)
3. Hallowed be thy Name (green, enduring, everlasting color like pine trees)
4. Thy kingdom come (purple, royal color)
5. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (brown, color of the earth)
6. Give us today our daily bread (yellow, color of grain)
7. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (silver, coins we pay for our debts)
8. Lead us not into temptation (black* See note below)
9. But deliver us from evil (red, blood of Jesus which saves)
10. For thine is the kingdom, and the power (gold, God's kingdom that is lit by the glory of God)
11. And the glory, forever and ever. Amen (Orange, dominant color in a glorious sunset that reminds us of the glory of God.

 


 

 

Adaption:  How to avoid using scented candles.

 

by member Joan Grady 

 

The lesson The Lord's Prayer in Color is one that we'll be using. However, when I went shopping for 9 different colored candles, I realized I'd be buying 9 different SCENTED candles.

 

In the end, I went with unscented floating candles. By changing the color of the water and/or the items in the water (colored marbles, etc.) I was able to prepare the lesson without having to worry about overpowering someone with too many scents. This is especially helpful for people who have reactions to scented candles or perfumes -- a problem with many of the ladies at our church. Blessings to you! Joan

 


 

A GOOD MODIFICATION:  Be careful about "white and black"

 

by member Laurie McDermott 

 

1. Our Father (white, means God who is light)....

8. Lead us not into temptation (black, represents sin)

I like the idea of using colors to help the kids remember the Lord's Prayer, especially when you tie it in with prayer beads or other art project but I would like to recommend that people be careful about associating white with God and black with sin. As the White mother of a Black child, I try to be careful not to make those kinds of associations which can unintentionally denigrate people of color. (Please note that I am certain no one intended to do so -- I'm simply suggesting that we be aware of possible negative symbolism.)

Suggestion:  Take any color candle and scorch it, or melt it oddly. Sin warps our true nature. God restores.

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, as each line was said, explained and discussed, the kids got a matching bead to add to a cord which was attached to a mini picture frame keychain (ordered through Oriental Trading Co.). In their 1 ½ x 2 inch pop apart keychain they were given in a tiny print out of the Lord’s Prayer and a blank paper the same size. They wrote or drew a picture of their response to Jesus for giving us the Lord’s Prayer.

 


 

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