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Many teachers have found the reflective style of storytelling that has been developed within Godly Play to be a very helpful and effective way of opening up the Bible with children. For similar stories told in this style see Bible Storybags.
The starting
point for this reflective story is to show that the Holy Spirit is present
right from the beginning of creation and that his presence is evident
throughout the whole Bible, not just in the New Testament. The story moves from
creation to Pentecost in seven parts. Each part demonstrates the presence of
God's Spirit in the chosen story and introduces a new symbol of the Spirit as
the story unfolds.
The
presentation involves setting out each of the following objects in order as the
story unfolds.
The words
used for the storytelling come primarily from the Bible, using the Contemporary
English Version (CEV).
Remember to
tell the story slowly, focusing on the objects and on the story itself, not on
the children who are listening. When you have finished telling the story, leave
a short space and then use the reflective questions written out for you at the
end of the piece. When you have finished wondering, slowly and carefully put
the story away in reverse order, naming each object and that part of the story
as you go. Finish by rolling up the white underlay, placing it in the box on
top of the other materials and replacing the lid.
For this
presentation you will need the items below. Choose or make three-dimensional
objects that are both simple and attractive. As part of your preparation, you
will need to ensure that the objects are placed in to the box in such a way
that they can be taken out in the right order without too much fishing around.
You will
need:
Bible references
Genesis 1:1-4a
Genesis 2:4b-7
1 Kings 19:1-13
Psalm 133
Matthew 3:13-17
John 7:37-39
Acts 2:1-4
Pentecost is
the birthday of the Church - the day when the promise Jesus made to his
disciples came true: the day when the Holy Spirit came. God has given us the
gift of his Holy Spirit as a sign that he is always with us - always present in
our lives, helping us to know right from wrong, and enabling us to tell others
the good news of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. I wonder where we
can find his story? I wonder if there is anything in the Bible that can help us
to learn more about the Holy Spirit?
Draw the box
in front of you as you begin the story.
This box is
the colour gold. Gold is a very precious colour, so perhaps there is something
precious, like gold, inside this box. This box also looks like the sort of a
box that a gift would come in. Yes, perhaps this box is a gift box. Perhaps
there is a gift inside this box. ... Well, Pentecost is the birthday of the
Church - the day when the promise Jesus made to his disciples came true: the
day when God gave us the gift of his Holy Spirit as a sign that he is always
with us, always present in our lives. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. I
wonder where we can find his story? I wonder if, as we get ready to celebrate
the Church's birthday, this box has something inside that will help us to learn
more about the gift of God's Holy Spirit? Shall we open the lid and see what's
inside?
Gently open
the box and lean the lid at an angle across the box so that the children can't
see what is inside. Take out the white felt. Unroll it just enough to accept
the black felt square. Place the black felt square on the white underlay and
smooth it out. Carefully place the clear glass (or earthenware) candleholder
(with a tea light inside) in the middle of the square.
In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was empty with no
form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness...
... but the
Spirit of God was moving over the water.
Hold your
hand above the black felt square to imitate the Spirit moving over the water.
God said, 'I
command light to shine!' - and light started shining...
Light the
candle.
... God
looked at the light and saw that it was good.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the black felt square in a sign of blessing.
A flame of
hope - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the heart
of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay just enough to accept the green felt square. Place the
green felt square on the underlay next to the black felt square and smooth it
out.
When the
Lord God made the heavens and the earth, no grass or plants were growing
anywhere. God had not yet sent any rain, and there was no one to work the land.
But streams came up from the ground and watered the earth...
Take the
craft box containing the earth, open it and place some earth in the palm of
your hand. Shape it and breath into it as you say the following words.
Then the
Lord God took a handful of soil from the ground and made a man. God breathed
life into the man, and the man started breathing.
Carefully
place the wooden figures in the middle of the green square.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the green felt square in a sign of blessing.
The breath
of life - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the
heart of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay just enough to accept the purple felt square. Place the
purple felt square on the underlay next to the green felt square and smooth it
out.
There was
once a man called Elijah. Elijah was feeling very unhappy. He had been trying
to tell people about God, but they had turned against him and would not listen.
'It's too much,' said Elijah, and he climbed Mount Sinai, the mountain of God,
and hid himself away in a cave.
Make a
hiding movement with your hands.
While Elijah
was on Mount Sinai, the Lord asked, 'Elijah, why are you here? Go out and stand
on the mountain. I want you to see me when I pass by.' So Elijah left his cave
and climbed to the top of the mountain. When he reached the top he stood very
still. All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks.
Make a movement
with your hands to show Elijah squaring his feet against the wind.
Elijah
squared his feet against the whipping, windswept ground and listened. But the
Lord was not in the wind.
The wind
stopped blowing, and next there was an earthquake.
Make a movement
with your hands to show Elijah squaring his feet against the earthquake.
Elijah
squared his feet against the shaking, shifting ground and listened. But the
Lord was not in the earthquake.
The ground
stopped shaking and after the earthquake there was a fire.
This was too
much for Elijah. He ran down the mountain and back into his cave and listened
to the crackling flames from the safety of the dark. But the Lord was not in
the fire.
Make a
hiding movement with your hands.
The smoking,
smouldering fire burnt itself to nothing and, in the silence that followed,
there was a gentle breeze like the soft whisper of a voice...
When Elijah
heard the soft whispering voice, he covered his face with his coat and went out
and stood at the entrance of the cave. He didn't want to run away any more. He
wanted to hear what God had to say to him.
Carefully
place the shell in the middle of the purple square.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the purple felt square in a sign of blessing.
The soft
whisper of a voice - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes
from the heart of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay just enough to accept the yellow felt square. Place the
yellow felt square on the underlay next to the purple felt square and smooth it
out.
It is truly
wonderful when people live together in peace...
It is as
beautiful as olive oil poured on the heads of those who love God, running down
their faces and the collars of their clothes...
Carefully
place the flagon of oil centre top of the yellow square.
It is like
the dew from the mountain caressing bare feet on early morning grass.
Lay the
small green felt on the yellow square, with the wavy edge sitting across the
centre of the yellow square. Smooth it out.
To live
together in peace is to receive the joy of God, who blesses his people with
life that never ends.
Take the
craft box containing the confetti hearts, open it and sprinkle some hearts over
the yellow felt square and green grass shape.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the yellow felt square in a sign of blessing.
Oil of joy
and healing - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the
heart of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay just enough to accept the grey felt square. Place the grey
felt square on the underlay next to the yellow felt square and smooth it out.
Jesus left
Galilee and went to the River Jordan to be baptised by his cousin, John. But
John kept objecting and said, 'I ought to be baptised by you. Why have you come
to me?'
Jesus
answered, 'For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God
wants us to do.'
So Jesus was
baptised and as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw
the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove...
Gently lower
and raise your hand over the grey felt square in imitation of Jesus' baptism.
Carefully
place the white feather on the grey felt square. Set the model of a dove in the
centre of the feather.
Then a voice
from heaven said, 'This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.'
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the grey felt square in a sign of blessing.
The dove of
peace - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the heart
of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay just enough to accept the blue felt square. Place the blue
felt square on the underlay next to the grey felt square and smooth it out.
On the last
and most important day of the most important festival in the Jewish calendar,
Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, 'If you are thirsty, come to me and
drink! Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep
inside you.'
Carefully
place some blue tissue strands in the centre of the blue felt square. Set the
ornamental fish in the centre of the strands.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the blue felt square in a sign of blessing.
Life-giving
water - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the heart
of God...
Pause.
Unroll the
white felt underlay completely to accept the red felt square. Place the red
felt square on the underlay next to the blue felt square and smooth it out.
On the day
of Pentecost all Jesus' friends were together in one place. Suddenly there was
a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where
they were meeting...
Then they
saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came
and settled on each person there, ...
Carefully
place the three red feathers in a triangle shape on the red felt square.
... their
fear left them and they were filled with joy.
Place the
red candleholder (with a tea light inside) in the centre of the triangle of
feathers. Light the candle.
Pause.
Hold your
hand over the red felt square in a sign of blessing.
Tongues of
fire - this is a sign of God's presence in the world. It comes from the heart
of God...
Pause.
Hold your
hand in a sign of blessing over each object as you slowly recap the seven signs
of the Spirit.
A flame of
hope...
The breath
of life...
The soft
whisper of a voice...
Oil of joy
and healing...
The dove of
peace...
Life-giving
water...
Tongues of
fire...
These are
the signs of God's presence in the world. They come from the heart of God.
Pause.
Sit up,
moving your position as you do so, and catch the eyes of the children as a sign
that the story has finished.
Reflective
questions
