Lesson plan I found this a difficult lesson to do as many of my younger children will find meditating difficult. I am going to do a short discussion lesson starting at slide 3 up to slide 6. The next day I will use slide 6 to 11 in the morning as a morning prayer session with children reading them. Notes on the Coventry altar of forgiveness are on the next slide for you- info to share with the children. I will tell them about it at the end of the lesson when I show slide 6.That way the meditation session can start with the picture.

The Anglican Cathedral at Coventry During WW2 Coventry was biltzed by the Germans. Eventually the power to the water pumping station was cut and as a result firemen could not get water to fight the fires. The sat and cried as they watched their city burn. It was a beautiful medieval city. The Cathedral also burned. The lead from the roof melted and the old timbers burned. The next day the Dean of the Cathedral walked through the ruins and looked at the city. He picked up two of the timbers and asked a workman to fix them together and he wrote Father forgive on the beams, as he knew he, and others had a choice about how they responded to the tragedy. Their choice was to forgive and when the war ended they were among the first people to offer help to some of the German towns. The first international peace centre was set up in the crypt of the old cathedral and they take as their symbol a cross of nails. A cross made with the nails fallen out of the old charred timbers. A new cathedral has been built but they have kept the remains of the old cathedral. Once the burnt timbers were cleared away, a permanent altar of forgiveness was set up and services are held there.

Today we are learning more about the giving and forgiving nature of God.

Based on the Gospel of Luke Luke 6:36 Be loving in the way God your Father is loving. Don’t turn your back on anyone, no matter what they do; forgive and you will be forgiven. Give generously and you will be given gifts too, so many you’ll scarcely be able to cope with them. The measure you use for others will be the measure used for you.

What does the last sentence mean? What does it tell you about God’s love? Talk about the passage with your talk partners

Be loving in the way God your Father is loving. In what ways is God our Father loving? What good things has he given you?

Don’t turn your back on anyone, no matter what they do; How does it feel when people leave you out? Have you ever left people out, say on the playground?

forgive and you will be forgiven. Who has forgiven you? In your family and in school? Do you forgive others easily?

Give generously and you will be given gifts too, so many you’ll scarcely be able to cope with them. Do you share your talents with those weaker than you? Do you help those who aren’t good at Maths or at football? Do others help you? Thank God for those who help you and for the talents you have.

The measure you use for others will be the measure used for you. Do you judge others? Would you like others to judge you in the same way?

Thank you God that you always love and forgive us. Help us to always love and forgive others. Lord, in your love Hear our prayer