Our Response to God's Gifts: Grade 3: Parish Edition (Finding God 2005, 2007) - Softcover

Campbell, Barbara F.; Campbell, James P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0829418237 ISBN 13: 9780829418231

Publisher: Loyola Pr, 2005

Synopsis

Finding God  Grades 1­–6
It’s prayerful. It’s personal. It’s powerful.
A faith-formation program for children in grades 1–6 and the significant adults in their lives. The program mentors children, parents, and adults in cultivating a special place in their hearts to meet with God. Preview samples online at www.findinggod.com/preview.

Program features
· Empowers catechists and teachers to lead children in prayer
· Offers high-quality sessions with a strong   presentation of Church doctrine
· Connects technology and faith through online activities, planning tools, and assessments
· Integrates multisensory opportunities to experience Scripture, music, and prayer
· Provides an abundance of prayer that allows children to nurture a lifelong conversation with God
· Equips parents and adults with components that correspond to the structure of the children’s program

Children’s Book
· Opens every unit with the story of a saint
· Presents doctrine, Scripture, and Tradition through engaging four- to eight-page sessions
· Connects the lesson with their living faith by offering opportunities for reflective prayer, links to liturgy, reading God’s Word, and much more
· Provides three prayer opportunities in each session as well as additional prayer services
· Encourages knowledge of the faith by providing an extensive supplement, Prayers and Practices of Our Faith

Catechist Guide
· Provides clear, concise preparation for each session
· Addresses various learning styles through variety of lesson options
· Offers extensive online resources and support
· Models different ways of praying with opportunities to put them into practice
· Includes reproducible blackline masters with activities and assessments

In the first year of adoption, a free guide is included with every 25 children’s books purchased. 

www.findinggod.com
Online resources for program users
· Family E-Newsletters
· Additional assessments for each session
· Detailed session-planning tool
· Hundreds of additional activities
· Activity Finder searchable by grade level, subject, or learning style
· Sunday Connection linked to readings and activities
· Seasonal resources
· Articles and activities for families
· Additional prayer resources

About this title

About the Author:

Barbara is Vice President for Catechesis and Faith Formation for Loyola Press. Her role involves her in the development of faith formation resources and services designed for the benefit of parishes and schools. Prior to accepting her position at Loyola Press, Barbara served as the Associate Executive Director of NCEA's Department of Religious Education, working primarily in service to members of NPCD, NCEA's national membership association serving parish catechetical leaders. Her experience also includes diocesan and parish work in Religious Education and Youth Ministry as well as extensive teaching experience at high school and college levels. She completed her Doctor of Ministry degree at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. She also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO.

Jim Campbell is Staff Theologian for Loyola Press. His role includes planning and development of catechetical and faith formation materials to be used in parishes and schools. Jim also reviews material from the text editorial and trade divisions. Jim has been a teacher, writer, and administrator in the field of catechesis for over 30 years. He has served as Consultant for Curriculum Development for the Office for Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was Director of the Orange Catechetical Institute, the adult ministry formation program for the Diocese of Orange, California. Jim has taught religious studies courses at Chapman University, Orange, California and the Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa. Jim was the General Editor for Harper’s New American Bible Study Program. He has written Mary and the Saints: Companions on the Journey, Understanding Scripture: The Genesis Creation Story; Stories of the Old Testament: A Catholic’s Guide  and Serving the Catechetical Mission of the Church, all for Loyola Press. Jim has a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Education and Master of Arts in Theology from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. He also has a Master of Arts in European History from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Unit 1
Creator and Father

Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint Ignatius of Loyola recognized God in every living creature in the heavens and on earth. He saw God in plants, in animals, and especially in people.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint Ignatius of Loyola was born in Spain in 1491. He grew up in a noble family in the castle of Loyola. He was a soldier until he was wounded in a battle. He went home to get well. There he read about the lives of Jesus and the saints. He wanted to become a saint too.
Ignatius traveled to a monastery in Spain at Montserrat. There he saw the mountain and many of God’s wonderful creatures. He prayed at the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. He laid down his sword and pledged his life to God. He gave away his fine clothes and dressed as a poor man.
Later Ignatius wrote down what he learned about God and Jesus. His book is called the Spiritual Exercises. He wrote it to help people grow closer to God. He tells us that God cares for all the things he created. If we want to know God, we begin by caring for the world God gives us. Ignatius’s feast day is July 31.

Created to Be Happy
All of God’s creation is good. He wants us to enjoy and care for it. What do you see here that God made for us to enjoy and love?

PRAYER
Jesus, my friend, help me grow closer to God while I care for the things in my world.

Small Wonders
Lorena and her friend Katie walked slowly through a park. They were looking for colorful leaves for a school project.
Lorena picked up a leaf. She knew she had found something special. The colors of the little leaf were so pretty and bright that it made her think about God. She thought how wonderful God must be to give this tiny leaf such beauty.
Lorena thought of how leaves change color and fall from the trees. She knew God would give the trees new green leaves in the spring. She thanked God in her heart for the beauty in her world.
Color this leaf to look like a beautiful fall leaf.

All Creation Praises God
Let all God’s creation praise him, from the animals in the sea to the clouds in the sky. Mountains and trees, birds and animals praise God their creator. People young and old sing praise to God. His name alone is greater than heaven and earth.
adapted from Psalm 148:7-14

A Song of Praise
We have a feeling of wonder like Lorena had when we see the things God made for us. We tell God that we believe in him and love him. We sing praise to God.
Make your own song of praise. On the lines below, write a message to praise God for something beautiful you saw this week.

We Believe in God
When we praise God, we show that we believe in him. We depend on him. We know that God blesses us and cares for us.
We pray a special prayer called the Apostles’ Creed to show our faith. An apostle was a special follower of Jesus. A creed tells what people believe. The Apostles’ Creed tells us what the apostles believed. It states the beliefs of our Catholic faith. This is how the Apostles’ Creed begins. Learn this part and pray it often.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
   creator of heaven and earth.

Reading God’s Word
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Genesis 1:31

Knowing God
The beauty of the world helps us to know God. We see that God created all things because of his love. Because he created us and loves us, we make God important in our lives. We can know about God and creation by reading the Bible, which is the Word of God.
Loving God’s Creation
We can love all of God’s creation. Think of three people, animals, or parts of nature that you love. Draw pictures of them in the hearts. Write their names on the lines.
I love . . .

PRAYER
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
   creator of heaven and earth.
These are the first words of the Apostles’ Creed, our very special faith prayer. Pray these words often.
Knowing that God is in your heart, think about him as Father of Jesus and your Father too. Then think about God making everything in the universe. Tell God how awesome he is! Thank him for his gift of creation. Tell God how you will keep our world beautiful.

Living My Faith

Faith Summary
We believe in God, our Father, who created the world out of love for us. God wants us to know him and love him through the beauty of our world, which leads us to him.

Words I Learned
apostle   Apostles’ Creed   creed

Ways of Being Like Jesus
You can be like Jesus when you love and care for all God’s people and respect his creation.

With My Family
Respect your family and help them care for the world. Work together as a family to keep your neighborhood neat. Help take care of pets. Take care to recycle materials.

PRAYER
Jesus, thank you for helping me to know and love God. Help me to care for God’s world as he cares for me.

My Response
What will you do this week to show you care? Will you pick up litter? Will you encourage your friends to use the recycle bin? Draw a picture of what you will do to care for God’s world.

RAISING FAITH-FILLED KIDS: A Parent Page

Focus on Faith
In Safe Hands With God
An old spiritual tells us “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” It is a vivid personal image of God, one that we are not always used to seeing. Many images of God show him looking at us from a distance. We can even be tempted to think that he is absent from the world. But God’s care for us is always with us. It is ongoing and personal. Our gentle care for our children is like the gentle care of God. Our children may be concerned about what is happening in the world and wondering what will happen in the future. In the caring environment that we create, we can help give the assurance of God’s gentle care and concern. The gentle care that our children experience through us today will help prepare them for recognizing God’s presence in the future.

Dinnertime Conversation Starter
Discuss favorite things you do together as a family and ways you show your love for one another.

Hints for at Home
God teaches us through the Bible, which is his Word. Look at your family Bible or a children’s Bible with your child. In this session your child read Genesis 1:31. The ideas for praising God in this session were based on Psalm 148:7–14. These verses are good choices for reading together.

Spirituality in Action
Emphasize to your child the importance of caring for our world. Separate items at home for recycling and encourage your child to recycle. You might explain that sharing clothes and games with younger brothers and sisters by “handing them down” is one kind of recycling. With your child, go through clothes and toys. Place unused or outgrown items that are in good condition in a “sharing bag” for a homeless shelter.

Focus on Prayer
The Apostles’ Creed is our
special faith prayer. Your child has learned the first sentence of the Creed. Help your child to practice praying this sentence. The complete Apostles’ Creed can be found at www.FindingGod.org.
Your child also has reflected on the wonders of God’s creation and about how to care for the things in our world. Spend some quiet time with your child thinking about the beauty in nature, or take a nature walk together. Share your thoughts, if you wish, or talk with Jesus silently.
 

About this edition

• Publisher: Loyola Pr
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0829418237
• ISBN 13: 9780829418231
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320