Readers Theater Narrator 1: Lazarus of Bethany Was Very Sick. His Sisters

Home , Barabbas, Pontius Pilate

SESSION 3 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Readers Theater Voices needed: Narrator 1, Narrator 2, Martha, Mary, Jesus, Crowd (read by all except Jesus)

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the Narrator 1: Lazarus of Bethany was very sick. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent a message to Jesus:

Mary and Martha: Lord, the friend you love is very sick. Please come.

Narrator 2: When Jesus heard it, he said,

Jesus: This sickness won’t end in death. It will bring glory to God and to God’s son.

Narrator 1: So even though Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. After two days he said to the disciples,

Jesus: Let us go to Judea again. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I will go wake him up.

Narrator 2: When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet him, while Mary stayed at home.

Martha: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that God will

Shine: Living in God’s Light do anything you ask.

Jesus: I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

Narrator 1: When she had said this, she went back and told her sister Mary,

Martha: The Teacher is here and is calling for you.

Narrator 2: Mary got up quickly and went to him. Those who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up and followed her. When Mary reached Jesus, she knelt at his feet and said to him,

Mary: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Narrator 1: When Jesus saw her weeping and those who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.

Jesus: Where have you laid Lazarus?

Crowd: Lord, come and see.

Narrator 2: Jesus began to weep.

Crowd: See how he loved him! But couldn’t the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept Lazarus from dying?

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 85 SESSION 3 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Readers Theater (continued) Narrator 1: Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the Jesus: Take away the stone.

Martha: Lord, it already smells in there. He has been dead four days!

Jesus: Martha, didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?

Narrator 2: So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said,

Jesus: Father, thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I am saying this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.

Narrator 1: When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice,

Jesus: Lazarus, come out!

Narrator 2: The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to the crowd, Shine: Living in God’s Light

86 / Additional resources SESSION 5 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Simplified Seder Meal Preparation: Set a low table with a white tablecloth and nice dishes. Sit on the floor around the table or recline on pillows near it. Have two bowls of saltwater ready, one for handwashing and one for dipping. Make charoset using the

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the provided recipe. Have juice, vegetables, matzah, horseradish, and hard-boiled eggs ready. Materials: • Low table with white tablecloth • Matzah • Dishes, glasses, cutlery • Cloth napkin • Pillows • Charoset (see recipe on the next page) • Juice • Horseradish • Two bowls of saltwater • Hard-boiled eggs • Celery, parsley, or cucumbers Explain that the Seder feast is eaten at the beginning of Passover every year by Jewish families to remember the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. Today they will experience a very short and simple variation of the Seder to get a feel for the event. Read Exodus 12:17; 13:3: “You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of Egypt. You shall observe this day throughout the generations as a practice for all times. Remember the day on which you went forth from Egypt from the house of bondage, and how God freed you with a mighty hand.” Drink a cup of juice. Say a prayer of blessing for your Seder.

Shine: Living in God’s Light Wash your hands by dipping your fingers in a bowl of saltwater. Then dip a green vegetable, such as cucumber or celery, in a separate bowl of saltwater and eat it. Remember the salty tears the Israelites cried as they were slaves in Egypt. Break the matzah, leaving the smaller piece on the table. Wrap the larger piece in a cloth napkin and hide it in the room. Remember the broken bodies and spirits of the people in Egypt.

curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. Have the youngest person in the group ask these four questions: • Why is this night different from all other nights? • On all other nights, we eat leavened bread and matzah. Why, on this night, only matzah? • On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs. Why, on this night, only bitter herbs? • On all other nights, we eat in an ordinary way. Why, on this night, do we eat with special ceremony? Work together to retell the story of God freeing the Israelites from slavery. Include the suffering and hard labor they were forced to endure in Egypt, the plagues and Passover, crossing the Red Sea, and wandering in the wilderness for 40 years until coming to the Promised Land of Canaan. Eat charoset. The dark color and paste-like texture are a reminder of the mud that the Israelites used to make bricks for Pharaoh. Spread horseradish (bitter herb) on a piece of matzah. Remember the bitterness of slavery as you eat it. Remember how the Israelites left Egypt in such a hurry that their bread did not have time to rise. Eat a hard-boiled egg, a symbol of tears and mourning. Have someone find the hidden matzah. Eat it together. Pray: May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, may the One who blessed our mothers, bless this house, this table, and all assembled here; and so, may all our loved ones share our blessing. Sing a joyful song of praise to God.

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 87 SESSION 5 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Charoset recipe

Charoset recipe* Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the

*Contains walnuts! Check for allergies before serving.

Mix all ingredients:

• 4 medium chopped apples

• 1 C / 123 gm chopped walnuts • 1 C / 250 ml grape juice • 1 T / 15 ml ground cinnamon • 1 T / 15 ml brown sugar or honey Serves about 8

Shine: Living in God’s Light

SESSION 6 “Words to Live By” Rhythm Ideas

Experience the “Words to Live By” verse (John 14:6) using rhythm. curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. Option A: Have the leader read the plain print and the group respond with the bold print while also doing the motion listed in italics. Once the group is familiar with it, this could be done with Group 1 and Group 2 rather than with only one leader. I am the way / the way (stomp, stomp), the truth / the truth (clap, clap), the life / the life (snap, snap). No one comes / no way (stomp, stomp) to the Father / to God (clap, clap) except through me / yes, me (snap, snap). Option B: Experiment with tempo and volume using two-syllable words and phrases. Do it once with a leader and the whole group responding, then divide into two groups and alternate who leads and who responds. Try it with loud, soft, high, or low pitches; silly voices; or combine it with movements. (Group 2 can either repeat what Group 1 does, or do the opposite—fast/slow.) I am (I am) . . . the way (the way) . . . the truth (the truth) . . . the life (the life). No one (no one) . . . comes to (comes to) . . . Fa-ther (Fa-ther) . . . ex-cept (ex-cept) . . . through me (through me).

88 / Additional resources SESSION 6 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Story Script Set up four different locations for storytelling. Include the props listed for each location or other things that come to mind. Move from place to place as described, inviting youth to read the specified portions of scripture while the leader

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the reads the summarized portions in bold print. Darken the room to represent night, and light one or more candles.

Location 1: Gethsemane Props: Potted plants to represent a garden, laptop or tablet, candle(s) • Show one or more of these pieces of art: Gethsemane by Michael Cook, Jesus Praying in Gethsemane by He Qi, Agony in the Garden by Paul Gauguin, Jesus Submits to Arrest by Greig Leach • Read Matthew 26:36–39. Then say: The disciples had fallen asleep while he was praying. This happened two more times—Jesus went away to pray, and his disciples fell asleep. • Read Matthew 26:47–50. Then carry the candle as you move to location 2 (Caiaphas’ house).

Location 2: Caiaphas’ house Props: picture of a rooster, candle (from location 1) • Show one or more of these pieces of art: Christ before Caiaphas by Duccio, Jesus before the High Priest Caiaphas by Francesco Bacchiacca, Jesus before Caiaphas in the morning by Giotto di Bondone, Jesus before Caiaphas at Night by Matthias Stom, The Denial of Saint Peter by Caravaggio, Peter Denies Jesus by Ethiopian artist Nebiyu Assefa

Shine: Living in God’s Light • Say: Jesus was taken to the home of Caiaphas the high priest. The temple leaders had gathered there, since they were the ones who wanted him to be put to death. Many false witnesses came forward but weren’t convincing. • Read Matthew 26:62–68. •Say: curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. Peter was out in the courtyard. Three different people saw him and said he had been with Jesus. Three times, Peter denied knowing Jesus. (Show the picture of the rooster.) Then a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered that Jesus had said he would deny him three times. • Extinguish the candle and move to location 3 (Pilate’s headquarters).

Location 3: Pilate’s headquarters Props: coins, purple cloth to represent the robe • Show one or more of these pieces of art: Jesus Faces Pontius Pilate by Greig Leach, Jesus Is Condemned by David O’Connell, Ecce Homo by Antonio Ciseri •Say: Early in the morning, they tied Jesus up and took him to Pilate, the governor. When Judas saw that Jesus was going to die, he felt terrible sadness. (Set out the coins.) He gave the 30 pieces of silver back to the temple leaders and said, “I have sinned and given you a man who wasn’t guilty.” • Read Matthew 27:11–14. Then say: Each Passover feast, Pilate set one prisoner free. He asked the crowd whether he should free Jesus or Barabbas. The crowd chose Barabbas and shouted that they should crucify Jesus. Pilate did not believe Jesus had done anything wrong, but because the crowd insisted, he handed Jesus over to them. The soldiers put a purple robe on him, (lay out the purple cloth) made a crown of thorns for him to wear, spit on him, and hit him. They led him away to be killed. • Move to location 4 (Golgotha).

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 89 SESSION 6 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Story Script (continued) Location 4: Golgotha Props: wooden cross, strips of white cloth to represent burial cloths Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the • Show one or more of these pieces of art: Crucifixión by Norman Adams, Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments from A Life of Christ in Woodcuts by James Reid, The Transport of Christ to the Sepulcher by Antonio Ciseri, Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross by Christina Sweet, The Burial of Christby Titian • Lay out the cross. Read Matthew 27:32–37, 45–46, 50. Pause for several moments of silence. (Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani is pronounced “AY-lo-ee, AY-lo-ee, LAH-mah sah-BAHK-tah-nee.”) • Lay out the strips of white cloth. Read Matthew 27:55–61.

SESSIONS 8–13 “The Word I Need” Verses If you want to connect with youth throughout the week, keep track of the word that each youth chose from the “The Word I Need” Poster. Reach out to youth via email, text message, or social media midweek and send the word and verse to them. PEACE: I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid. —John 14:27 Shine: Living in God’s Light COURAGE: Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9 WISDOM: I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. —Ephesians 1:17

LOVE: Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! —Romans 8:39b curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. JOY: You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful. —Psalm 16:11 STRENGTH: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1 COMFORT: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —Matthew 5:4

90 / Additional resources SESSION 7 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) “Unwrapping Life” Cards Copy, cut apart, and wrap the cards with the specified items for use in Explore (Peace Pursuit). Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the Wrapped item: small bag of wheat flour or wheat germ Wrapped item: hymnal or other item that represents and/or piece of wheat bread music

“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is “Holy Spirit, come with power, breathe into buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is our aching night. never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it We expect you this glad hour, waiting for Your is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself strength and light. many times over. In the same way, anyone We are fearful, we are ailing, we are weak and who holds on to life just as it is destroys that selfish too. life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, Break upon Your congregation, give us vigor, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.” life anew.” —Jesus, in John 12:24–25 (The Message) —Anne N. Rupp, from the hymn “Holy Spirit, Come with Power” Think about how wheat grows—from a small seed that is buried in the ground to a tall plant How has music helped you get through a

Shine: Living in God’s Light that feeds people so they can live. What do you difficult time in your life? What songs help you think Jesus means when he says that we need to celebrate good things that happen in life? Sing let go of our lives to have real and eternal life? or listen to one of those songs together.

“I am so happy to be alive in this world “Now Jesus did many other signs in the I would like to live forever, but I am presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you content not to. Seeing what I have seen may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, has filled me; believing what I have believed the Son of God, and that through believing has filled me....” you may have life in his name.” —John 20:30–31 —Mary Oliver, in her poem “Circles” What about Jesus’ life inspires you to want to What have you seen in nature or in people believe in him? What does it mean for us to around you that fills you with joy? What do “have life” in Jesus’ name? you believe that makes you excited to continue living?

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 91 SESSION 7 “What Does Easter Mean?” Refrain: Verse 3: God raised Jesus on Easter day. It means when we lose our laughter,

What does that mean for us today? God can bring joy back again. Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the

God can always write new chapters Verse 1: and change how the story ends. It means all that Jesus stood for as he lived and taught God’s way Verse 4: was proclaimed as true forever It means God’s way of salvation when Christ rose on Easter day. is now clear for us to see.

It means all of us are welcome Verse 2: to receive God’s grace and peace. It means this world’s hate and violence never will be strong enough Words: Bryan Sirchio, Joan Daggett, and Chrissie Walls Music: Bryan Sirchio to somehow keep Jesus silent. © 2019 Crosswind Music. Used with permission. The last word will be God’s love.

SESSION 8 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Census Cards Copy enough Census Cards so each person can have a blank one to use during Explore (Wrestle). For U.S. locations, look up data.census.gov and type your zip code, town name, county, or state in the search box to find out the data for Shine: Living in God’s Light your area. Canadians can search www12.statcan.gc.ca for information from the 2016 Census. Fill in the correct responses on one Census Card for reference. Use for Explore (Link).

• What percentage of ______(your town, city, county, state, province) is Caucasian______% African American______% Asian______% Latino(a)______% First Nations/ curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. Native American ______Other______. • What percentage is over the age of 65? ______% • What percentage speaks a language other than English? ______% • What percentage has a disability? ______% • What percentage of the families live below the poverty line? ______% Optional: How does our town compare to the rest of the state, country, or province in these categories?

• What percentage of ______(your town, city, county, state, province) is Caucasian______% African American______% Asian______% Latino(a)______% First Nations/ Native American ______Other______. • What percentage is over the age of 65? ______% • What percentage speaks a language other than English? ______% • What percentage has a disability? ______% • What percentage of the families live below the poverty line? ______% Optional: How does our town compare to the rest of the state, country, or province in these categories?

92 / Additional resources SESSION 9 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Basket Template Copy this page for use in Explore (Collaborate). Make enough copies for pairs of youth to have one template. Cut out the basket templates and show youth how to form the baskets following the instructions.

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the 1. Cut around the outside of the template. 2. Cut on the dotted lines to form slits. 3. Place the biggest rectangle down on surface of table, and fold up the four sides along the solid lines to form the walls of the basket. 4. Weave construction paper strips in alternating colors over and under the slits on the sides and bottom of the basket. Trim the strips and glue or tape the ends down. 5. Fold the dotted tabs under and glue them to secure the basket. Shine: Living in God’s Light curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA.

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 93 SESSION 10 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Year of Jubilee Simulation Game Use this for the Explore (Collaborate) activity.

Sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes things go wrong and people go into debt. The Year of Jubilee was Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the designed to give everyone a new start; it leveled the playing field. Every 50 years, land was returned to its original owner, Hebrew slaves were freed, debts were cancelled, and the land was given a year to rest from cultivation. Play this Simulation Game to experience how the Year of Jubilee worked. Sit in a circle. Give each player 10 tokens, preferably a different color token for each player. Poker chips work really well for this, or you can use paper cut into small rectangles. Take turns rolling a die to determine what will happen to your tokens over the next 50 years. Each number on the die equals a particular scenario. Rolling a 1: A flood destroys this year’s harvest. Give one token to the neighbor on your right to buy food. Rolling a 2: A drought destroys this year’s harvest. Give one token to the neighbor on your left to buy food. Rolling a 3: Your neighbor’s house is destroyed in a fire. The neighbor on your right pays you one token for supplies to build a new one. Rolling a 4: Celebrate this year’s productive harvest. The neighbor on your left gives you one token in payment for some of your produce. Shine: Living in God’s Light Rolling a 5: Your herd of sheep is attacked by a wolf. Give two tokens to your neighbor on the left to buy more sheep. Rolling a 6: Your neighbor’s goats get sick. The neighbor on your right must give you two tokens to pay for goats to replace the sick ones. If you don’t have tokens to give when required, then you will need another player to “redeem” you by paying on your behalf. curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. Play continues clockwise until each player has had five turns rolling the die. Then call, “Year of Jubilee!” Everyone counts the number of tokens they have, and then returns tokens to their original owners. After playing a few times, reflect on the questions below: • How did you feel about having all the tokens returned to their original owners at the end of the game? • If you ended the game with the fewest number of tokens, how did you feel? • If you ended the game with the most number of tokens, how did you feel? • What could have happened if the game continued without a Year of Jubilee?

94 / Additional resources SESSION 12 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Readers Theater: An Expansion of Mark 9:33–37 Copy this page so that each person can have one. Assign individuals or small groups to read the regular, bold, underlined, and italicized print. Regular print is from Mark 9:33–37 (NRSV). Bold print is from Mark 9:33–37

Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the (The Message). Underlined print is from Mark 9:33–37 (The Voice Bible).Italicized print is from other parts of the Bible as listed.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” What were you discussing on the road? What was it I heard you arguing about along the way? But they were silent.... The silence was deafening. They looked down at the floor and wouldn’t answer, for they had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest of Jesus’ disciples. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” “Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you.

Shine: Living in God’s Light But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.” (Matthew 23:11; MSG) “You want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.” “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to be a servant—to offer His life as a ransom for others.” (Mark 10:45, VOICE) Then he took a little child and put it among them; curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA. He put a child in the middle of the room. and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” This is the truth: unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. In that kingdom, the most humble who are most like this child are the greatest. (Matthew 18:3–4, VOICE) “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me.” “These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s Kingdom in the simplicity of a child you’ll never get in.” (Luke 18:16–17, MSG)

www.ShineCurriculum.com Additional resources / 95 SESSION 13 (available online at www.ShineCurriculum.com/Extras) Station Cards Copy and cut apart the Station Cards for use in Explore (Words to Live By). Place each card, along with the specified item, at a separate location in the room. Next to each Station Card, set out markers and a sheet of paper

titled “Our Ideas.” Permission is granted to photocopy this page for one-time use with the

Station 1: I was hungry and you gave me Station 2: I was a stranger and you food, I was thirsty and you gave me welcomed me. something to drink. Welcome mat Canned food As more people move to North One of every six Canadian children America from other countries, and faces hunger each year. In the United as people move more within their States, more than one in five children own countries, we see more people are at risk; among African Americans who seem like strangers. How can and Latinos, that figure is one in three. you welcome those who are different What could adults and leaders do to from you at school, at church, in the address this problem? What could you community, and around the world?

do to help someone who is hungry or What welcome would you want to Shine: Living in God’s Light thirsty? Where could you and your receive if you were a stranger in a family go for help if you needed food? new place? curriculum. © 2019 by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Printed in USA.

Station 3: I was naked and you gave me Station 4: I was sick and you took care clothing. of me. Clothing Get well card or balloon What are some groups of people Did you know that being visited when who may need clothing, or don’t have you’re sick helps you feel better adequate clothing for the climate? physically? Studies have shown that What could your church or community visits from caring people stir up “mirror do to address a clothing issue for neurons” in the brain and increase families? What could you do if you feelings of happiness, which can have extra clothing you don’t need? actually help a sick person heal faster. What care and support do you want when you feel sick? What could you do for someone else who is sick, even someone you don’t know well?

96 / Additional resources