Hymns

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this lesson is to introduce hymns as a means of prayer and praises to our Lord and the importance of hymns in the liturgy prayers. The hymns in the liturgy are reflecting the seasons of the church

INTRODUCTION & HOOKS - 10 Minutes

Ask the kindergarteners about last week's lesson and remind them about the liturgy and why we go to church. We learned last week how the liturgy is a group of several prayers that Abouna and us pray together. But did you notice the prayers are being sung? Abouna doesn't just read words or sentences, he and all of us are singing. Sometimes Abouna is saying by himself and sometimes the deacons inside the altar are singing and sometimes the outside deacons are singing and we sing with them. These different songs are called hymns. Discuss how hymns are ancient chants that we have used to praise the Lord since the beginning of Christianity and even before that. We will see who praised God after a long battle with Pharoah.

Chant abbreviated versions of either of the following two choices or any other hymn that you prefer. The First Hoos connects with the memory verse or the Third Hoos which the kindergarteners may find easier with due to the repetitive response.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him."
Exodus 15:1-2
Memory Verse
"I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously"
Exodus 15:1

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

Where do hymns come from?

When God used Moses to save His people from Pharaoh and his army, what was the first thing they did in their new freedom? "Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord." Imagine how happy and overfull of joy their hearts must have been With this joy, they sang a beautiful hymn that we can read in Exodus 15 and that we sing as the First Hoos in the Midnight Praises (or Tasbeha).
Show the kindergarteners the icon of the Crossing of the Red Sea attached below and point at Miriam with her tambourine, praising God. If there are copies of this icon, it would be wonderful to pass out to the students to add to their prayer corners at home.
Another great king and a prophet was King David who sang the Psalms on his string instrument. Psalms were the basis of the vigils of the early Church, and later on the Church added more prayers from other books in the Bible, as well as from saints and gifted children of the Church.

Why do we use hymns?

Hymns are the work of angels and Heavenly hosts, the job of those that are closest to God; it is a gift that we should be grateful for. St. Basil the Great once said: "the work of praising attracts the service of the angels, because it is a part of their work, and they become attached to those who share in their service." By Praising God, we are in heaven, while still on Earth, because that is what we will be doing in Heaven. "And when that spirit enters into Paradise, it lives by chanting and praising God at all times."

Seasons of Melodies in the Coptic Church

Depending on the season of the Church, the tune of the hymns change, when we are fasting the hymns' tunes are slower and longer but on the feast day the tune becomes more festive. Below are a few examples of different tunes. Besides different melodies, here are hymns for every feast of the Coptic Calendar. For example, there are hymns just for Palm Sunday and Good Friday that are sung only on that day.

APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

We should try our best to sing the hymns with the deacons in the church. Try to follow along and read the words, so that we can pray the hymn with understanding. By praying with understanding, we please God and grow closer to Him. The more we try, the easier it will become, and soon we will be singing the hymns all the time in our minds. The hymns give us the words to pray to our Lord anytime

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Option One

Create a tambourine like Miriam, the sister of Moses

Directions: Have the kindergarteners create tambourines, just like what Miriam the Prophetess used to praise the Lord after crossing the Red Sea.

Materials:

2 paper plates per child
Stickers and markers to decorate plates
Streamers or ribbons (optional)
rice, beans, or dry pasta to shake inside the tambourine
Staplers and lots of staples

First, pass out two plates for the kids to decorate as they wish, making sure their name is on somewhere. Fill one plate with your noisy material (rice, beans, pasta, etc.). If you are adding streamers or ribbons, tape it on the inside of the plate. Finally, staple the two plates together, make sure the staples are close together so the material inside does not fall out. Now, give it a shake

Note: Most kids will be finishing at the same time and need assistance with stapling. Bring as many staplers as possible and have all adults help with stapling the plates to cut down on time.

Option Two

Coloring Page of the Israelites praising God for saving them from the Red Sea and the Egyptians (Attached below).

Recite the memory verse with the children while they are doing the activity

RESOURCES

Praising - the Work of the Angels
An Introduction to Coptic Music
H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Angels, Orthodox Coptic Clerical College, Cairo. Anba Rueiss Press, 1998.

COPTUNES + VIDEO LINK

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Add the Crossing the Red Sea icon to your prayer space at home and discuss the importance of Hymns in how we talk to God. Try to add a simple hymn to your prayer routine at home. Come early to Church with your kindergarteners and encourage them to sing the hymns with you.