Our Godly Play Journey

We are nearing the end of our third year of teaching Godly Play, a unique and innovative way to foster the innate spirituality of our children by storytelling the Bible and wondering with them about the meaning of the stories. The 14 children who were in pre-kindergarten during that inaugural year will soon be transitioning from 1st grade to the older classroom for 2nd-5th graders. And we will then welcome our newest four-year-old pre-kindergarten students into our magical classroom of Godly Play.
 
One of the first things they will learn is that we have a “feast” each week before our closing prayer and blessing. This feast is provided by our wonderful neighbors in the Fellowship classroom--a juicy halo tangerine, which they learn how to peal. They will also quickly notice the big round calendar that looks like a clock hanging in the room, with green, red, purple and white shapes around the perimeter and one hand like a clock in the middle. This is our liturgical year calendar and will move us through the year beginning with the creation.
 
Old Testament stories follow in our “desert (sand) box”, and the ways that people of God “got close to God” and learned about His will for us through prophets and without the benefit of the Holy Bible. Then we experience the mystery of Christmas with our Advent stories, and begin the new year learning about Jesus, his parables and life, followed by Lent and Jesus’ death. We now begin lessons about how “the twelve” were equipped to carry Jesus’ ministry to others, through Pentecost and the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
 
It is such a natural cycle that explains why Jesus is born and dies every year, and why we continue to learn and understand anew, each time we experience these wonders. Once this foundation is laid there are extension and enrichment second-tier stories that bring us deeper into the Bible and acquaint us with all of the other people who encountered God and have lessons to teach us from their actions, both in following God’s direction for their lives, and in failing to listen to Him.
 
This is just the beginning for these little ones, to grow in both their love and relationship with the Trinity, and in experiencing regular Bible study with their church family. If you have a rising pre-kindergartener or would like to know more about our Godly Play program and how you could volunteer to walk alongside our precious children, please contact me at [email protected]. I’d love to meet with you.
 
Peace and blessings,  
Christy Merritt
Coordinator of Godly Play