WEEKLY LESSONS

UNIT I THE CHURCH

Lesson 1: The Church is A Building

1. Class Outline

Welcome Exercise

Introducing the Baptismal Covenant (due in December)

Introducing Kierkegaard’s Theater of Worship

Introducing Choices: A Stewardship Journal

Introducing the Interview questions for your parents (due in December)

2. Worksheet: “The Church is a Building” [Coming Soon]

3. Vocabulary

Synagogue (In Hebrew: place of assembly, gathering together)

Ecclesia (In Greek: a gathering or place of gathering)

Koinonia (In Greek: fellowship in community)

Diocletian (Emperor of Rome. Persecuted Christians from 303-313. Blamed them for disloyalty to the Empire)

Catacombs (Underground burial places where Christians worshiped during persecution)

Edict of Milan (An Edict of Toleration declared by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313. It formally legalized Christianity)

Cathedral (Literally the “seat of the bishop.” Early churches that were also administrative centers.)

4. Homework

Complete Choices Journals

Begin Parent Interviews

Lesson 2: The Church is an Organization

1. Class Outline

Stewardship Presentation

Permission Slips for Princeton

2. Worksheet: “The Church is an Organization”

3. Vocabulary

Polity (government structure and rules about decision making)

Session (elected governing board made up of elders and ministers)

Presbytery (regional governing body, elders and ministers)

Synod (judicial and mission coordination)

General Assembly (most inclusive, national governing body)

Deacons (Elected members of a church charged with care of the congregation and a ministry of hospitality)

Forms of Government:

Episcopal (hierarchical government - by bishops)

Congregational (local congregation highest body, direct democracy)

Presbyterian (representative democracy and connectional government. The word presbyter means “elder” in Greek)

Dates:

1660 (SPC founded)

1706 (first Presbytery Meeting in Philadelphia)

1906 (First woman deacon ordained)

1930 (First woman elder ordained)

1956 (First women Minster of Word and Sacrament ordained)

4. Homework

Complete Choices Journals

Continue Parent Interviews

Lesson 3: The Church is a (Body of) People

1. Class Outline

Discussion: Choices Journals

2. Worksheet: “The Church is a People”

3. Vocabulary

None in 2006

4. Homework

Complete Choices Journals

Continue Parent Interviews

Study for the First Quiz

UNIT II HEBREW SCRIPTURE

Lesson 4: Where Did The Bible Come From?

1. Class Outline

Discussion: Choices Journals

Quiz #1: Form of Government, Vocabulary, Short Answer

2. Worksheet: “Where did the Bible come from?”

3 Vocabulary (consider the vocabulary on the worksheet to be words you should know)

4. Homework

Distribute Copies of The Family Story Bible.

Reading Assignment: The Family Story Bible, Part I

Reading Questions: Genesis - Beginnings

Lesson 5: We Are An Old People

1. Class Outline

Discussion: Choices Journals

Return Quiz #1

2. Lecture: We Are An Old People

3. Vocabulary: Intro to the Liturgical Seasons

Advent

Christmas

Epiphany

Baptism of the Lord

Ash Wednesday

Lent

Palm Sunday

Holy Week

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

Holy Saturday (Paschal Vigil)

Easter

Pentecost

Ordinary Time

All Saints/All Souls

Christ the King

4. Homework

Reading Assignment: The Family Story Bible, Part II

Reading Questions: Exodus: Leavings

Introduction to the Family History Project

(Family History Projects are Due: January 14, 2007)

Lesson 6: We Are A Free People

1. Class Outline

Discussion: Choices Journals

Return Quiz #1

Quiz #2

Sign the Covenant as a Class

Introduce Family History Project

2. Worksheet: “We Are A Free People”

3. Vocabulary: The Ten Commandments (postponed until after Christmas)

4. Homework

Reading Assignment: The Family Story Bible, Part III

Reading Questions: Kings and Prophets: Speaking Truth to Power

Lesson 7: We Are A Covenant People

1. Class Outline

2. Worksheet: We are a Covenant People

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

UNIT III THE MISSION IN GALILEE

Lesson 8: A History of Israel among the Empires

1. Class Outline

Recognizing our Family Histories

The Setting of the Gospel

2. Worksheet: Class Reading: Five Important Dates in the History of Israel

3. Vocabulary: A Selection of Important Dates

4. Homework

Assignment: Interview questions for an Elder

Lesson 9: Introducing the Gospel of Mark (Mark 1:2-15)

1. Class Outline

Recognizing our Family Histories

The Setting of the Gospel

2. Worksheet: Characters in the Gospel

Lecture: The Gospel of Rome vs. The Gospel of Jesus, or the Pax Romana vs. the Pax Christi

Handout: Roman Imperial Coins, monuments, and spoils of war

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Mandatory Congregational Meeting (sign in with Stuart)

Assignment: Observation Questions for the Congregation Meeting

Lesson 10: The Mission in Galilee: Jesus as Healer (Mark 1:16 - 3: 35)

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture: Clean and Unclean, Debt and Freedom, Honor and Shame,

The Stories: Peter’s Mother in Law, the leper, and the paralytic.

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Reading Assignment: Jesus: What Did He Say; What Did He Do?, by Stephen Patterson

Lesson 11: The Mission in Galilee: Jesus the Exorcist (Mark 1:16 - 3: 35)

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture: Baptized in holy spirit

The Stories: The unclean spirit and the Gerasene demoniac

Handout: Understanding Worldviews (skipped in 2006)

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Assignment: Read “Identifying the Powers” by Walter Wink (skipped in 2006)

Lesson 12: The Mission in Galilee: Jesus the Missionary Teacher (Mark 4)

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture: An Economy and Sharing (Sabbath Economics)

The Stories: The ‘seed’ parables, commissioning the disciples, feeding 5000.

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Assignment: In class writing assignment (the “seed dialogue”)

Lesson 13:The Mission in Galilee: Friend of Women and Children (Mark 5 - 8)

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture: Women and Children First

The Stories: The 12 year old girl, bleeding woman, and Syrophoenician mom

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Assignment: None

Retreat: FRIDAY - SATURDAY MARCH 10-11

The Jesus Retreat (Mark 8: 27-30)

at the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Holmes, NY

Click Here for a Details, Brochure, and Registration form

Click here to visit the Website for the Camp and Holmes

In addition to the Camp Registration, we need an SPC Permission Slip

Packing info will be given in class. (It’s the standard overnight bag.)

We will leave right after school on Friday at 3:00.

UNIT IV: THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

Lesson 14: The Suffering Servant I: Resistance(Mark 9ff)

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win! (M. Gandhi)

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture: Turn the Other Cheek as Nonviolent Resistance

The Stories: The cheek, the undies, and the extra mile. (from Matthew 6)

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Lesson 15: The Suffering Servant II: Street Theater

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture

The Stories: The Palm Sunday procession, turning the tables, the widow’s mite

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Lesson 16: The Suffering Servant III: The Consequences

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture

The Stories: Betrayal, Crucifixion, Death

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

Lesson 17: Re-Birth

1. Class Outline

2. Lecture

3. Vocabulary

4. Homework

UNIT V: BECOMING A CHRISTIAN

To Be Continued . . .