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October Week 2
  
Who is a Saint?
pictures from http://www.first-school.ws/t/cp_angels/a11.htm
and http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=177
Materials needed:
A flip chart on an easel
Red, green, and black marker.
Lesson:
Read scripture.
You may remember that the man who wrote these words was talking to Christians who were trying to live the way Jesus wants us to live. They were saints who were caring for each other. In our Protestant church tradition, a saint is anyone who loves God and cares for other people.
Now, I know that many of you know about some saints. So, I have a guessing game for you. There are holidays that we celebrate that have a saint. Like, can you guess this one ( Draw a circle. Draw a red stocking hat on it. Don’t worry about being an artist, kids get this. Put on eyes, nose, beard. Encourage the children guess as you draw.) Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. Did you know that Saint Nicholas was a person who lived a long, long time ago in the land we call Turkey? The story is that there was a poor family that had daughters who could not get married because they did not have the money. Nicholas wanted to help but also let the family keep their honor, so the story tells how Saint Nicholas threw money through the window. Another legend says he put the money down the chimney. Well, what he did was love God and love others. That is what Jesus wants us to do.
How about this ( change the flip chart page and try to draw a heart) What holiday is this. ( It is likely the children will say Valentine’s Day. Correct them and say it is Saint Valentine’s Day.) The story of Saint Valentine is also a story about someone who loved God and others. Saint Valentine some say was put in prison because he married people whom he was not supposed to allow to get married. So, Valentine was taken to jail. And the story goes that while he was in jail, he became friends with a blind girl. He taught her about God. The story says that when he died, he left a note for the girl that wished her well and was signed “from your Valentine.” It is a story of someone who loved God and others.
And what about this ( flip the paper and try to draw a shamrock). Can you guess this holiday? Sometimes you might see rainbows, pots of gold and leprechauns for this holiday. Can anyone guess? (wait) St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick had been captured as a boy in what we call Scotland and was taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped and went to England, became a priest and was sent back to Ireland. He was a person who loved God and he love others, even people who had made him a slave.
Now, ( flip the chart) think of some people you know who love God and help others. (Have the children call out names like Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, etc. As they do, draw stick figures and say “here’s mom,” etc. They understand the images.)
We know a lot of Saints. In some churches, there are more rules about who are saints and who are not saints. In our tradition, anyone who loves God and loves others, that person is a saint.
Let’s sing our song.
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