Welcome to Sunday School 2020-2021– Week One– “Light and Love”

Welcome to SundaySchoolUpdates.com

Hello. I am Connie Goldin and I write about enrichment ideas for Catholic families, discussions about the weekly readings, and I provide art and homework activities for each week. I started this website in 2016, when I began to teach a kindergarten religious education class. I wanted parents to see what we did in class each week, so I started this website, which was designed by Kim N. Buckley, posted the readings, and featured the art of the children. The following year, I taught a second grade class, with a few third graders, to prepare the children for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. After that, I decided to keep writing, learning and creating fun art ideas for families. I was preparing second and third graders for FHC in my new church in Florida when classes came to a halt by the pandemic. The children ultimately were able to receive their First Holy Communion in July. I am excited to prepare new material each week  for the website, and hope that parents and children can learn and have fun exploring artistic ways to learn about God, Jesus, and stories of the Old Testament and the Gospel. Please feel free to communicate with me at conniegoldin@gmail.com. Let’s get started!

P.S. SundaySchoolUpdates.com is a labor of love. I do not receive any money or products, and I buy all the books and materials I use. My goal is to share beautiful information with families. It is a great joy!

 

For Parents to Teach to Their Children

CCC 2221 “The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.”

Source: scborromeo.org

 

“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth

and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters—Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light.”

Source: USCCB.org  “Genesis,” chapter 1:3

Excerpt from Book of Bible Stories by Amy Welborn, Page 208

” In the beginning–the genesis of everything–there was God. Period. There was no space or time. Only God. and God was being and knowing, and loving….Then God created. He didn’t have to. But freely, out of nothing, and out of love, God created.”

Our Art Gallery

“The Story of Creation”

Let There Be Light!”

USCCB.org “Genesis,” chapter 1:31

&

“The Greatest Commandment–Love God and Love Others”

USCCB.org Matthew, chapter 22:34-40

 

 

 Methods and Materials for Art Projects at Bottom of Post

The Greatest Commandment

You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

USCCB.org Matthew, chapter 22:34-40

 

Let’s Celebrate with Song

“All Things Bright and Beautiful” A Video with Lyrics

“This is My Commandment” for Young Children

Sing With Me  #119,  “This is My Commandment” Source: Hymnary.org

[1] This is my commandment, that you love one another
that your joy may be full.
[2] This is my commandment, that you love one another
that your joy may be full,
that your joy may be full, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another
that your joy may be full.

A Reading for Children

“GOD MADE US”

An Excerpt from The New Saint Joseph FIRST COMMUNION CATECHISM

“…God made all things.” Pages 7-8

“God made the earth and the sky.

God also made the sun.

God made the moon and the stars.

God made night and day.

God made rain and snow.

God made hills and mountains.

God made oceans and rivers.

God made the trees and flowers.

God made all animals, big and little.

God made the fishes in the water.

God made the birds in the sky.

God made the Angels.

Angels are spirits.

They have no bodies.

They know much more than we do.

They have great power.”

 

Prayers for Catholic Children

1. The Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

2. The Lord’s Prayer, or Our Father. (Given to us by Jesus, when he taught followers how to pray.)
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen.

3. Glory Be to the Father
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

4. The Hail Mary.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

5. To the Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.  Amen.

6. Grace Before Meals 
Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.  Amen.

7. The Apostles’ Creed.
I Believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

Source: Catholic Kids

Learning from a Saint–Mother Teresa

In this short video, we learn what Mother Teresa of Calcutta taught this priest to do every morning. Begin the day with, “Good Morning, Jesus.”

This is an easy start for all of us each day (kids included!) to strengthen our relationship with Jesus.

Here is how this works:

“Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s Story”  September 5, “Saint of the Day”

“Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the tiny woman recognized throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor, was beatified October 19, 2003. Among those present were hundreds of Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1950, as a diocesan religious community. Today the congregation also includes contemplative sisters and brothers and an order of priests.” Read More Here–FranciscanMedia.org

An Excerpt from Magnifikid!, Vol. 17. Part 10. Section 2. September 6, 2020. Page 3 by Lisa Reno

“Love conquers all”

“In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.’ This is never easy! When we’re hurt, the last thing we want to do is to go to the one who hurt us. We would much rather  go to others to complain about the one who hurt us. Jesus is inviting us to take the first step toward healing our broken relationships. He is teaching us how to love as God loves.” 

Our Art Projects–Methods and Materials

The Creation Story for Children

This project uses watercolors of any type. I also used watercolor paper, a white crayon, school-type glue, scissors (if needed) and painter’s tape, if it is handy. All my projects can be done using whatever you have at home. Improvise! For the Genesis art project, I used the painter’s tape to mark off six boxes on the watercolor paper–two strips going vertically, one strip across the middle. No need for perfection–eye-ball the measurements. Invite your children to use a white crayon (practically invisible on white paper), or whatever color they’d like, to draw six simple illustrations of the six days of creation: Light, sky and water, plants and earth, the sun, fish, and animals. The more primitive the better! Then paint over the drawing, filling the entire box with watercolor paint. The crayon resists the paint showing the white crayon through the paint. Let dry, then carefully remove the tape. If you can see what tape strip went last, start with that one.

Methods For the Two Watercolor Paintings–“Love God. Love Others.”

The supplies and methods are the same as above but don’t require tape unless your child has a fun idea for it’s use! Both of these are actually collages. I used the white crayon method then painted over the white markings. I painted several sheets of hearts with the same method,  until I found two I liked. I cut them out and pasted them onto the painted sheets. I experiment a lot and end up using the scraps for other projects. Tell your children not to panic if they don’t like something they painted. Have them set it aside to be cut-up and glued onto another piece of paper. They might be amazed at the fun results!

*Graphic art on the hearts is by Kim N. Buckley, who designed this website.

Suggested Homework Activities

Parents, this week please read about “The Creation Story” with your child from your family Bible, a Catholic children’s Bible, or use the links provided for the readings on the USCCB.org this week.

Look at the children’s Catholic prayers and make sure your children know the following: “The Sign of the Cross”, “The Glory Be to the Father”, and “The Lord’s Prayer”.

Invite your child to sing along with one of the songs on this post.

Have your child draw or paint about “The Creation Story” in any manner that suits them.

Have fun!