Signs, Symbols and Baptism : Session Structure
1. Opening Music (3 minutes)
2. Opening Prayer and Intro (5 minutes)
3. Group Session (30 minutes)
a. What is a sign? (5 mins)
b. The Trinity (5 mins)
c. What is a symbol? (10 mins + 5 mins activity)
d. Symbols of Baptism (3 mins)
e. Other sacraments (2 mins)
4. Plenary (Please be ready for a 7.45pm start on this!) (15 minutes)
a. Introduction (3 minutes)
b. Prayer (1 minute)
c. Music / dip fingers in oil / dip fingers in water/ light candles / contemplation (5 mins)
d. Closing prayer: Our Father (1 min)
Required Materials:
Large candle
Candle lighter
Nightlight candles for each member of the group
Glass saucer of olive oil
Glass saucer of water
Music CD and CD player
Candidate worksheet
Opening
Easy to be self-conscious in this environment. This piece of music, I hope, will help you to leave your other life behind and open up your minds and hearts to what you can learn from tonight’s session.
Opening Music: Trust, Surrender
Opening Prayer:
Lord,
Tonight, we have gathered here, to learn about your Sacraments.
We pray that you will open our minds and hearts
So that we may understand them and all that they represent.
Bless our efforts tonight, and remind us of your continued presence in our lives.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord
Amen.
Plenary
Introduction –
As you dip your finger in the water, say a silent prayer for God to keep your spiritual life alive
As you dip your finger in the oil, say a silent prayer to God to strengthen us in your effort to live as a Christian
As you light a candle, say a silent prayer to God to bring light to your life and lead the way for you.
Prayer:
Jesus, strengthen me in body and soul
Make me want to change my life,
To make up for the wrong things in my past:
Thoughts, words, deeds and habits.
Make my heart obedient to you,
Ready to do all things for you.
By your holy spirit help me to live a virtuous life.
And let all the holy sacraments I receive,
Bring me to your heavenly kingdom.
Amen.
Music: Draw Me To Your Presence
Signs, Symbols and Baptism
What is a sign?
Signs have been used throughout history and their use continues even today.
A sign points the way or gives information.
Obvious signs include road signs, signs to distinguish between men’s and women’s toilets and shop signs.
Less obvious signs include:
- grades teachers award to your work
- people’s facial expressions
Talking Point: what common signs have you seen today?
The church’s signs are called Sacraments. A sacrament is a sign of what God is doing in our lives.
The greatest sign of God’s love for us is His Son Jesus.
Jesus showed us what God is like. In Jesus, we see God as a caring and loving person. Through studying Jesus’ life, we come to understand the meaning of genuine love, compassion and forgiveness.
Talking Point: what parts of Jesus’ life show us how he demonstrated these qualities of God to us?
The Trinity
As Catholics we believe that God is three persons in one. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
When we make the Sign of the Cross, we are reminding ourselves of The Cross on which Jesus died, but also we are also reminding ourselves of these three aspects of God.
Talking Points
How do you imagine God the Father?
How do you imagine God the Son?
How do you imagine God the Holy Spirit?
What is a symbol?
Symbols are different to signs. A symbol has a deeper and less obvious meaning than a sign.
What do these symbols signify? As well as representing a country, organisation they also stand for values. What values do you associate with them?
First thoughts:
Underlying values:
First thoughts:
Underlying values:
First thoughts:
Underlying values::
Talking Point: Did you see this news story a few weeks ago?
Why do you think people were offended?
Do you think Harry should have apologised?
What symbols do you wear?
What do they say about you?
Do you ever wear any symbols that represent Christianity?
Activity
Imagine that God has asked you to bring Christianity into the 21st Century by designing a new logo which can be worn by Christians as an outward sign of their faith.. It must symbolise the essence of Christianity and its values. It should also show us, simply, something about the nature of God.
What would your logo look like? Discuss with your group about how it might look and sketch out some ideas in the space below.
Symbols of Baptism
The Sacraments are full of symbolism including everyday substances. The first Sacrament we ever experience is Baptism.
Baptism is our introduction into God’s family. The word ‘Baptism’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘to bathe, dip or plunge in water’. Even Jesus was baptised! Jesus’ Baptism, which took place when he was about 30 years old, marked the beginning of his mission to carry out God’s plan for all mankind.
All of these symbols are used in Baptism. What are they?
Draw lines to match the explanation with the symbol.
_ _ T _ _
W _ _ _ _
G ______
_ _ L
_ _ G _ _
Other Sacraments of the Church
Confirmation
The Eucharist
Ordination
Penance
Annointing of the Sick
Marriage
Which is which?
There are hundreds of other symbols associated with Christianity. If you want to find out more about them and their meanings, you could look at this web-page: http://www.christiansymbols.net/index.html