Building Faith Brick By Brick - ChurchPublishing
Building FaithBrick by BrickAn Imaginative Way to Explore the Bible with ChildrenEmily Slichter Given
Copyright 2014 Emily Slichter Given.All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Building Faith Brick by Brick is copyrightedmaterial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publisher.Morehouse Education Resources,a division of Church Publishing IncorporatedEditorial Offices: 600 Grant Street, Suite 630, Denver, CO 80203For catalogs and orders call:1-800-672-1789www.Cokesbury.comIllustrations by Tom Lybeck.Photos provided by the author.ISBN-13: 978-1-60674-192-4
Emily captures the essence of the Christian story in the life of the Christian community.All of us, and children especially, are invited into an experiential, playful, and piece-bypiece exploration and building of the stories of faith. I highly recommend this book, itsmethods, and all the wonderful insights it brings. A must have, must use, must sharebook, and one that is guaranteed to bring meaning for years to come.—The Rev. Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jonesaward winning author of God Created and Jesus the Word,priest for pastoral care and community at Trinity Wall Street in New York CityBuilding Faith Brick by Brick is a fresh and practical approach to whole-communityfaith- formation glued together with a deep reverence for the power of stories retold andpropped up with LEGO bricks! Emily introduces us to pint-sized prophets and largerthan life encounters with a wild Spirit. Her grasp of “boy faith” is brilliant—so neededright now in our churches. Warning: this guide will draw you in. You will not be the sameafter Emily Slichter Given is finished stirring your imagination!—The Rev. Thomas BrackettMissioner, New Church Starts & Missional Initiatives,Episcopal Church Center, New York, NYThe great need in the church today is for resources, centered in Scripture, that deeplyengage each child in their growing life in Christ. Building Faith Brick by Brick is anamazing response to the need and is so impressive because it uses a new language,a LEGO language, for faith expression. Teachers can now teach children in Sundayschool by binding religion and play by entering into a place of Joy and wonder doingtheological reflection that builds upon questions of faith, brick by brick. Children canbuild on their own or in small groups. Everything is awesome because basic blueprintsare included with a FAQ section that is absolutely so helpful to any parent or educator.This curriculum can serve as a powerful tool to aid congregations and Christian familiesas they pursue their goal to pass the faith to the next generation.—The Rev. Robyn Szoke-CoolidgeDean, Stevenson School for Ministry, Diocese of Central PALike some of the more interesting inventions that have shown up serendipitously orbecause of pressing necessity, Brick by Brick is a program that we’ve needed for a whileand didn’t know we needed. The individual lessons are fun, full of good, tasty contentand blooming like the yeast of Jesus’ parables with provocative “wondering” questions.I really appreciated, however, two things that we rarely see elsewhere: Emily’s researchinto what she calls “boy faith” and her advice on doing Bible with kiddos, both in theintroductory section and well worth reading. Building Faith Brick by Brick belongs onthe bookshelves of our congregations; more than that, it belongs in the hands and in theplaybooks of everyone responsible for the Christian Formation of children.—Victoria L Garvey,Associate for Lifelong Christian Formation,Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Building Faith Brick by Brick is a dynamic and palpable approach for children toencounter stories of faith in a rich new way. This acclaimed hands-on method ofChristian Formation invites children’s imaginations to take flight, and when thishappens, the stories soon become real block by block.—Roger HutchisonCanon for Children’s Ministries at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, SCand author of The Painting Table; A Journal of Loss and JoyIn Building Faith Brick by Brick, Emily Given provides a creative, clear, and comprehensive resource for scripture studies with children and LEGO bricks. Whether you finda place for these wonderfully fun and surprisingly deep activities in Sunday School,Vacation Bible School, Children’s Chapel, in school or at home, this is a book that willfully engage both kids and the adults who teach them. It’s also an invitation to explorethe Bible unlike anything else on your bookshelf. You’ll want this book, and chances are,you’ll want lots of LEGO bricks to go with it!—Wendy Claire BarrieDirector of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries,St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York CityBuilding Faith Brick by Brick is a unique way of meeting children where they are andengaging them in God’s story. Giving each child LEGO bricks and a blank canvas,Emily’s pedagogy links theology and practicality, encouraging children to wonder aloudabout God in their midst. This guide helps both novice and veteran leaders facilitate anew way to imagine scripture and engage the energetic and creative children within andoutside our parish walls. With a gentle spirit, Emily encourages and equips children andadults to see Scripture come alive and marvel at God’s creation.—The Rev. Abigail W. MoonAssociate Rector for Christian Education and Outreach,St John’s Episcopal Church, Tallahassee, FL
For the people of Saint Michael and All Angels,who have allowed me to love themand share this walk of faith.For Christina, Suzanne, Cathy, Ana, and Mama,who have been a cheering squad and sacred circle. and for Aberlin and McKenzie,who have shown me the face of God—more than once.
Table of ContentsThe Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Case for Wondering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Few Words About Boy Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Finding Your Own Words: The Gift of Retelling the Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Reading Scripture with Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13The Building Faith Brick by Brick Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Old Testament StoriesThe Six Days of Creation: The First of Two Creation Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Adam, Eve, and the Snake: The Second of Two Creation Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Cain, Abel, and Seth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Noah, the Flood, and God’s Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26The Tower of Babel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Abraham, Sarah, and the Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Abraham and Isaac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Jacob and Esau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Jacob and the Angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Joseph’s Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Moses and Pharaoh’s Daughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40The Burning Bush and a Helper for Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42The Plagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44The First Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Parting of the Red Sea and Songs of Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48The Ten Commandments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50The Tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, and All the Holy Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52The Ten Commandments Are Given Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Rahab and the Spies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56The Walls of Jericho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Hannah and Her Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Samuel, Eli, and God’s Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Jonah and the Big Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Solomon’s Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66David and Goliath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Queen Esther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Valley of the Dry Bones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Fire in the Furnace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74King Darius, Daniel, and the Lions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
New Testament StoriesMary and Elizabeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78The Birth of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80The Wise Men and the Escape to Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82John the Baptist and Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Jesus Calms the Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Feeding the Masses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Jesus Walks on the Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92The Transfiguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94The Parable of the Good Samaritan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96The Parable of the Lost Sheep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98The Parable of the Prodigal Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100The Widow’s Offering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102The Temptation of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Jesus Enters Jerusalem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Jesus Cleans House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108A Dinner in the Upper Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110The Crucifixion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112The Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116The Road to Emmaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118The Ascension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Pentecost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Saul’s Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Paul and Silas in Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
The BeginningMost good ideas spring from a need—often an immediate need. Building FaithBrick by Brick (originally called LEGO MyBible but that led to copyright issues) grewout of an 11th-hour realization that there wasa hole in the midweek family programming.Somehow I had overlooked first grade. Itwas an innocent mistake, since only twofirst-grade boys were coming on Wednesdayevenings. They would be arriving in just afew short hours and I needed to be ready towelcome them.What I knew (deeply) was that one of theboys would engage in nothing unless it wasrelated to Star Wars or LEGO bricks. Thequestion then became, “How do I use this tomy advantage?” Since I have two daughters,I know next to nothing about Star Wars,so in a pinch I turned to a possible LEGO connection.With just an hour to spare, I pooled theentire LEGO collection from the nurseryschool, picked a story that seemed right(Jacob wrestling with God), and headedto the classroom to prepare the space. Iremember praying over that room (small,without a lot of floor space) and thevolunteer leader (surprisingly rigid). It wasone of those “Oh God, here we go” type ofprayers then I offered it up for God to dosomething—anything.The boys were thrilled.The volunteer felt like a champion.I was saved.The combination of God’s grace andmy creativity melded together into a newway of doing theological reflection. We werereaching into the stories of God while diggingdeep down into an enormous bin of LEGO bricks.A divine pairing indeed.A Brick-by-Brick Story: RileyThere is always that story, that child,who shows us the face of God. For me thatperson is Riley (5 years). Riley struggled withcreating anything related to the story andhad a one-track mind that only wanted topray for dead dinosaurs. After five weeks ofdisconnect, something remarkable happened.We gathered as a group for prayer, storytelling, and reflection on the building questions.We looked at suggested images—as weoften did—but this time something waswholly and holy different. Riley workedand worked, digging deep into his bucket,clearly on a mission. When it came time todisplay and discuss his work with me, heproudly presented a tiny creation consistingof three LEGO pieces. It looked like a tinyclam shell with a single LEGO figure nestledinside. After five long weeks, Riley slowlyspoke the wisdom of the ages, “It is Jonah.The fish wasn’t angry. The fish was a helper.This is Jonah and the whale. He was waiting.Waiting for God. Sometimes you need to waitfor God, Ms. Emily.”I was standing in the presence of apint-sized prophet. The Word of God revealeditself in a few plastic pieces. It can happenanywhere if we are willing to show up, bepresent to our children, and wait for God.God was glorified. (Amen!)Introduction9
Another Brick-by-Brick Story: JackWe never know what will bind us togetherin this life. There are times and moments ofconnection that happen each day withoutus realizing their significance. That is, untildifficult times come. One of the children fromthe church I serve walked into the hospitalone day with what we thought was a terriblecase of growing pains. It turned out that hewas beginning a five-month journey throughan aggressive and rare form of cancer.On my way to the hospital, I gathereda healing balm of Pringles, Skittles, and anew set of LEGO bricks, which, when puttogether, formed a prehistoric flying bug.I also brought the ridiculously long prayershawl I had knitted more than six monthsearlier. I never knew for whom I was knittinguntil the call came from Jack’s family. Isuppose it had always been for him.As I sat by the bedside, it was thelanguage of LEGO that created a momentof normalcy. Jack and I were talking abouthow to put the next piece into the prehistoricbug, but what we were really having wasCommunion. We celebrated a Eucharist oflaughter and potato chips that made it clear:God’s love is with us—in all times and allplaces.A Case for WonderingWe have become a culture that expectsprodigies in the halls of elementaryschools and professional athletes on theplaygrounds. Performance and achievementare in hyper-drive in the lives of many ofour children. There isn’t a lot of room fordabbling in a few different interests. An “ATeam” expectation has taken the place ofbackyard fun and school-yard free play.We can find a place to step back fromthose expectations—children and adults10alike. It is time to allow ourselves to enterinto a place of wonder—a place of joyfulunknowing. It may be scary at first, but thatfear can break free into peaceful and fruitfulexploration if we make room in our hearts,minds and schedules.In Bible studies I often say, “I don’t knowhow God really works. If we figured it out,that would make God too small.” I trulybelieve that statement. We can grow in faithand love of God without figuring out the insand outs of the gifts of grace and the miracleof living. We do not need to perfect life, weneed to live it, show up, and enjoy.How? Open our hands. Unclench ourjaws. Step back from the intensity andwonder. Just wonder. “I don’t know” can beone of the most informative and freeingphrases we can utter in our life of faith. Let’shelp to nurture a generation of God’s peoplewho can simply be in the presence of Godand wonder.I have watched the most emotionallyunavailable children open like flowers whenthey have been invited into the processof wondering. I have witnessed the mostactive children become deeply focused andconnected by simply being invited to findtheir wondering places. There have been trulyamazing self-discoveries and theologicalawakenings around the LEGO -My-Biblecircles. Some of my most treasured time hasbeen being present for “God moments” withchildren who, in new and renewed ways,access the holy places of their lives. I have nodoubt that God continues to show up in re
into what she calls “boy faith” and her advice on doing Bible with kiddos, both in the introductory section and well worth reading. Building Faith Brick by Brick belongs on the bookshelves of our congregations; more than that, it belongs in the hands and in the playbooks of everyone responsible for the Christian Formation of children.
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Faith and Social Justice Faith and Film Faith and Ministry Faith and Science Faith and Sacred Art Faith and Drama Faith and Music Faith and Business Ethics In Term Three, all students complete a common unit exploring themes from St John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
The levels of surrender (islam), faith (iman) and excellence (ihsan). 4. The relationship between excellence and surrender and faith. 5. The increase and decrease of faith. 6. Aspects of the effect of faith on actions and vice-versa. 7. An explanation of the six articles of faith. 8. The branches of faith. 1. Faith (Iman) in its Lexical and .
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particular faith group. In this tool kit, we use the terms faith community, community of faith, house of worship and faith-based organization interchangeably. Ministry: This refers to work done by a faith-based organization that is based on or inspired by their faith or religious beliefs, including efforts to meet the needs
inquiry-based instruction supported 5E learning cycle . In the instruction based on 5E learning cycle method, teaching and learning activities and lesson plans were designed to maximize students active involvement in the learning process. The topics included in the lesson plans were about the three units of fifth-grade sciences book; they included: hidden strangles (microbes, viruses, diseases .
