Class Note: Talking to God in Prayer and Sharing with One Another
Subject: Christian Religious Studies (CRS)
Class: Nursery Three
Theme: Our Relationship with God and Others
1. Comprehensive Core Concepts
What is Prayer? (Talking to God)
Prayer is simply talking to God. Just like you talk to your mummy, daddy, or your best friend at school, God wants you to talk to Him too! God is our Heavenly Father, and He loves to hear our voices. We don’t need a telephone to call God; we can talk to Him in our hearts or out loud, anywhere and at any time.
When we pray, we are showing God that we love Him and trust Him. We can pray when we are happy, when we are sad, when we are scared, or when we are excited. There is no "wrong" way to talk to God as long as we speak from our hearts. We usually close our eyes and bow our heads to help us focus only on God, but we can also pray while walking or playing!
The Four Parts of Prayer
To help us remember what to say to God, we can think of these four things:
- Thank You: We tell God "thank you" for our lives, our parents, our yummy food, and our school.
- I am Sorry: If we did something naughty, like being mean to a friend, we tell God we are sorry and ask Him to help us be better.
- Please Help: We can ask God to help us understand our lessons, to heal someone who is sick, or to keep us safe.
- I Love You: We tell God how great He is and how much we love Him.
Sharing with One Another
Sharing means giving a part of what we have to someone else. It could be our toys, our snacks, or even our time. In the Bible, Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sharing is a way of showing that love.
When we share, we make others happy, and it makes God happy too! Sharing shows that we are not selfish. It means we care more about our friends than just our things. Remember the story of the little boy who shared his five loaves of bread and two fish with Jesus? Because he shared, Jesus was able to feed thousands of people! Even though you are small, your sharing can do big things.
2. Real-World Examples
- Example 1: The Morning Prayer: Imagine you just woke up. The sun is shining, and you feel happy. You can say, "Dear God, thank you for this beautiful morning and for my sleep. Please guide me as I go to school today. Amen." This is talking to God first thing in the morning.
- Example 2: Sharing at Break Time: You have two biscuits in your lunchbox, and your friend, Tolu, forgot theirs. Instead of eating both, you give one to Tolu. This is sharing in action!
- Example 3: Praying for a Friend: If your friend falls down on the playground and starts crying, you can stop and say a quick prayer: "God, please help my friend feel better and stop the pain." This is using prayer to show love.
3. Practical Applications: How to Pray and Share
Step-by-Step: The "Five-Finger Prayer"
You can use your hand to remember who to pray for:
- Thumb (Closest to you): Pray for those closest to you (Family and Friends).
- Pointer Finger: Pray for those who point the way (Teachers and Doctors).
- Middle Finger (Tallest): Pray for our leaders (The President, Governors, and Pastors).
- Ring Finger (Weakest): Pray for those who are sick or in trouble.
- Pinky Finger (Smallest): Finally, pray for yourself and your own needs.
Step-by-Step: How to Share Fairly
- Look around: See if anyone looks sad or doesn't have what they need.
- Ask: "Would you like to play with my toy?" or "Would you like some of my snack?"
- Give with a smile: Don't be grumpy when giving. Give happily!
4. Suggested Home Projects (Project-Based Learning)
Project A: The "Prayer Jar"
- Materials Needed: A clean plastic jar or container, small pieces of paper, crayons.
- Procedure:
- Decorate the jar with stickers or drawings.
- Every evening, ask your parents to help you write one thing you are thankful for on a piece of paper.
- Drop it in the jar.
- At the end of the week, open the jar and "talk to God" by thanking Him for all those things.
Project B: The "Kindness Box"
- Materials Needed: An old shoe box.
- Procedure:
- Put toys or clothes you have outgrown (but are still in good condition) into the box.
- With your parents, take the box to a local orphanage or give the items to a child in need in your neighborhood.
- Experience the joy of sharing your "extra" with others.
5. Life Skills Integration
- Communication Skills: Talking to God helps children learn how to express their feelings and thoughts clearly. This builds confidence in speaking with others.
- Empathy and Kindness: Sharing teaches children to think about the feelings of others. This is a vital social skill that helps them make and keep friends.
- Gratitude: Learning to say "thank you" to God helps children appreciate what they have, leading to a happier and more content life.
- Career Connection: People who know how to share and communicate well become great Doctors, Teachers, and Community Leaders because they know how to care for people.
6. Home Practice Activities
- The "Silent Minute": Before bed, sit quietly for one minute. In your heart, tell God about the best part of your day.
- The Snack Challenge: During your weekend snack time, practice "One for me, one for my sibling/friend" until the snack is finished.
- Role Play: Act out a scene with your parents where one person is "God" (listening) and you are the child (talking). Then act out a scene where you share a toy with a "grumpy" doll to show how sharing brings peace.
7. Student Reflection Questions (Assessment through Application)
- Drawing Assessment: Draw a picture of yourself sharing a toy with a friend. How does your friend's face look in the drawing?
- Oral Reflection: If you were very sad because you lost your favorite pencil, what would you say to God?
- Action Assessment: Can you show me how you would sit or stand if you were talking to a very important King? (This checks their understanding of reverence in prayer).
- Scenario Question: "If you have a big cake and your brother has none, what is the 'Jesus-way' to handle the cake?"
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