The Stations of the Cross or "Way of the Cross" has been a meaningful, devotional exercise for Christians for centuries. It involves images of various events from Jesus' final day on the path to Golgotha. One walks from image to image (stained glass, wood cuts, paper or painting), meditates on the scene and prays. Often accompanying scripture is read. Traditionally there are 14 (or 15 if you include the Resurrection) of these stations, but we do not need to follow these exactly.
I've often thought that children would respond very well to this type of devotion as it involves all the modes of learning: kinesthetic, visual, auditory. This year, I'm going to give it a try. If you'd like to learn more, keep reading and I'll share with you all my plans!
This is going to be a pretty big deal for us. We've invited people from church, friends, and some local homeschool groups to join us! Am I crazy? Maybe! My basic plan is as follows:
1) We are offering two sessions: 10:00-11:30 am and then 3:30-5:00 pm. I've asked families to call and sign up for one of the two sessions (they can come anytime during these two sessions).
2) Families will go through the stations together (this not a kids do their own thing while moms chat event).
2) Each station (I'll be using an abbreviated set of 7) will consist of a print out of an image of that station, an object lesson, and a short prayer. Families will move through the stations at their own pace.
3) I'm considering having a final activity at my kitchen table (probably pinning sins to a cardboard cross).
4) Each child will go home with a scroll of the final station, the Resurrection, to be opened and colored on Easter morning. (Shhhh! Don't tell them - that is a surprise!)
5) I'll have very quiet, sombre music playing to encourage a serious, thoughtful mood.
This is my overall plan. Now it is time to start the nitty-gritty planning! Check back tomorrow as I post more of the details. I'll post my entire plan by early next week, in case you'd like to host a similar event for your family and friends.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
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5 comments:
This sounds great! I can't wait to hear your final plans and how it goes. I would love to do something like this with the kids in our church next year, though we would have to host it somewhere other than our tiny house. I love this as an idea to involve our kids more in Lent.
What a neat idea! I look forward to hearing more about it. And that reminds me, I need to make a grocery list for our passover meal. Eek. I can't believe that Holy Week and Easter are just around the corner!
OOO! I want to hear more about your passover meal. This is something I've wanted to do for years, but just haven't gotten it together. Will you share on your blog? I'd love to link to it!
This sounds like an excellent idea and I wish you well with it.
The Stations is such an important part of our remembering our Lord's life and death. This sounds like a fantastic plan. Keep us posted on how it goes.
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