How and When to Pray

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this lesson is for kindergartners to adopt prayer in their everyday life. It is important for prayer to become a natural and constant practice.

INTRODUCTION - 10 Minutes

Start a discussion with the children about the conversations that we share with loved ones. Keep in mind that this will lead to teaching the children that prayer is having a conversation with God.

  • Who are our favorite people to talk to?
    • ...our parents, siblings, friends, people we love
  • What do you talk about with them?
    • ...how our day was, things that bothered us or that made us happy
  • How often do we talk?
    • ...as often as we can, when we wake up, before bedtime
  • Where?
    • ...in our bedroom, at home, at school, at church
  • When?
    • ...during certain routines, mealtimes, driving back and forth from school

Define prayer:

  • Prayer is talking and listening to God
  • Prayer is communicating with God
  • Prayer is a conversation with Someone who loves us and someone we love

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse - Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 15 Minutes

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thes 5:16-18)

  • With these verses we want to teach the children that prayer is just having a constant dialogue with our Lord Jesus Christ, a bridge to reach God. Whenever something joyful happens, we can share an "arrow prayer" to the Lord by saying something short, but direct, to the Lord like "thank you, Jesus" or "I love you, Jesus." This way, we can enjoy the presence of the Lord in prayer all day.

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:6)

  • With this verse we want to teach the children that while it's important to pray all day, it is also important to dedicate special time for our Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage the kids to think of routines in their day when it would be practical to say a prayer to our Lord. For example:
    • Thank God for the new day in the morning
    • Thank God for completing the day before bed
    • Thank God for our food and blessings before meals

Teach the children that when we take special time to pray, remember to pray with your whole body to help you focus.

  • Stand on your feet
  • Hold up your hands
  • Close your eyes
  • Always begin and end by making the sign of the cross over your body, saying, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen." The cross is the symbol of our Lord's victory over death and powers of evil. It is a very powerful sign. When we make the sign of the cross over our bodies, we are asking Jesus Christ to bless us and to protect us through the cross.
  • Use the Agpeya, prayer book, to pray. Read the prayers that match the time of day.
  • Make a list of people to pray for and pray for them
  • Write down anything or anybody that needs prayers on a piece of paper and ask Abouna to put it on the Altar for you
  • End with the sign of the cross and kiss the icons as a sign of love to God and the saints, just like we kiss Mom and Dad, we also kiss the images of our Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Mary, and all the saints.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Talk to your parents about creating a prayer space in your house. It can be a corner or even just a wall of your room, where you put up icons and a small table to put your Agpeya and Holy Bible. This will be a special place in your room or your house for prayer.

Pass out a gift to each kindergartener to put in their prayer space:

  • A handheld cross
  • Prayer beads or rope
  • Icons
  • My First Agpeya

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Allow the children to cut out and color the Prayer Wheel (see template below). When complete, finish them by attaching them together with paper fasteners. Discuss having prayer routines that begin and end with the sign of the cross during each of the four activities.

RESOURCES

  1. His Holiness Pope Shenouda on Prayer

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Set up prayer routines during your child's day and pray with them. Remind your child how much the Lord loves them and waits to hear their beautiful voices all day. Check out your Church bookstore for My First Agpeya and pray the hours as a family.

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

KG Week 1 Activity (Spirituality).pdf