Symbols of Faith: Teaching Images of the Christian Faith

by Marcia Stoner

Overview

For centuries, symbols of faith have reminded people of the nature of God and Jesus. Even when people could not read, symbols such as the cross helped people understand God's great love for us through Jesus Christ. Symbols such as the fish, or icthus, identified early Christians to one another, and still identifies Christians today. Symbols of faith are part of our history as people of faith.

This resource includes over 60 Christian symbols with activities designed to teach the background of each symbol. Reproducible patterns included for most symbols.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426734670
Publisher:	Abingdon Press
Publication date:	10/01/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Marcia Stoner is a retired editor of children's Sunday school resources and writer of children's books. She has taught English as a second language both in Japan and in the U.S. She and her husband live in Nashville, Tennessee.
Marcia Stoner is a retired editor of children's Sunday school resources and writer of children's books. She has taught English as a second language both in Japan and in the U.S. She and her husband live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Read an Excerpt

Symbols of Faith

Teaching Images of the Christian Faith For Intergenerational Use

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By Marcia Joslin Stoner

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2001 Abingdon Press
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4267-3467-0

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CHAPTER 1

Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

Manger

The manger symbolizes the birth of Jesus. This symbol also suggests the ordinary life into which Jesus was born. Animbus(halo) surrounding the manger indicates the presence of the holy child.

Activity: Move your Nativity

Use your Nativity set to its full potential by gradually moving the different pieces of the display in the order listed below. This will help create a powerful visual impact by showing the events that led to Jesus' birth and the eventual visit of the wise men.

1. A decree went out from Caesar Augustus. Display the empty manger and place Mary and Joseph (and the donkey, if you have one) at a distance from the manger.

2. There was no room in the inn. Move Mary and Joseph into the crèche. Place the shepherds and sheep on a "hillside" at some distance from the manger.

3. There were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Move the sheep and shepherds closer to the manger each time your group meets.

4. You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. At the last meeting before Christmas, place baby Jesus in the manger.

5. At the first meeting after Christmas (or, if you will not meet for some time after Christmas, do this at the last meeting before Christmas), bring the sheep and shepherds into the crèche. Display the wise men and camels at a point somewhat distant from the crèche.

6. We observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. Start moving the sheep and the shepherds back toward their hill and move the wise men closer to the manger (or into the manger itself if your group meets on Epiphany, January 6).

7. Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. Start the wise men on a different route home and show Mary and Joseph heading out for Egypt.

How quickly the figures of the Nativity set are moved from one point to another will depend upon how often your group meets. If you use this activity at home with your family, you can move the Nativity figures daily. If you are doing this with a group that meets once a week or less, you will have to make a move every week or combine some of the moves.

Manger

Gifts of the Magi

Since there were three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh --brought to the Christ Child, western legend has it that there were three wise men. Gold was considered valuable at the time of Jesus' birth for the same reasons it's considered valuable today. Frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11) were used as incense. Frankincense was also used in medications. Myrrh was used in preparing bodies for burial. Both were considered appropriate gifts for a king.

Activity: Throw a Christmas Baby Shower

Sponsor a baby shower for a local children's home, adoption agency, or homeless shelter as a symbol of the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus. Check with agencies or shelters in your community to discover their needs. Make a list of these needs and set a time to deliver the gifts.

Have your group make "shower invitations" that show the date when all gifts must be collected. Be sure to indicate what types of gifts are needed and where they are to be collected.

Designate a centrally located "collection area," but make sure that it can be locked if the collection is to take place over more than one day. Placing the gifts under a Christmas tree or around a crèche can help to remind people of the reason why they are giving.

Set a time for your group to gather to get the gifts ready for delivery. You will need boxes or large garbage bags in which to put all the baby things. Don't forget to tag the boxes or bags as indicated by the receiving agency.

Deliver the gifts to the agency or shelter as a group. If you'd like, you could provide a little Christmas caroling for the workers of the organization. Be sure to include carols that deal with the baby Jesus, such as "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly," "Away in a Manger," "That BoyChild of Mary," and so forth.

After delivering the presents, return to your church or starting point for hot chocolate and cookies and games. Have the group prepare a report for the congregation about how much was received and donated. This report could be done as an oversized "thank you" card to the congregation to be placed in a central area where all can see it, as an announcement after a worship service, or as a notice in your church newsletter.

Gifts of the Magi

Angel

Angels are messengers of God and appear in both the Old and New Testaments. Art of angels often shows them with wings, which symbolizes their divine mission. Angels brought the news of Jesus' impending birth to both Mary and Joseph, and an angel was at the tomb of Jesus to announce the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10).

Activity: Mosaic Angels

Mosaics were created as far back as 4000 B.C. The earliest-known picture of Jesus is a mosaic that was made in the fourth century A.D. Mosaics were made of stone or ceramic, and present vivid symbols of the faith.

Group Mosaic

You will need:

¼" plywood cut into a square
sandpaper
pencil
scissors
photocopy of the angel symbol pattern (page 13)
craft or wood glue
colored stones or small cermaic tiles

Cut ¼" plywood into as large a square as you desire. Sand the wood.

Use a photocopy of the angel symbol pattern on page 13 (enlarged if desired) as a pattern for the mosaic. Outline the sections of the mosaic lightly in pencil. Then, in paint-by-number fashion, label the colors to be used in each section.

Let the groups work together over several weeks to fill in the spaces with colored stones or small ceramic tiles. Use a good quality craft or wood glue. Place the finished mosaic on display in a prominent area.

Individual Mosaics

You will need:

cardboard, foamboard, or ¼" plywood cut into squares
sandpaper
pencils
scissors
copies of the angel symbol pattern (page 13)
craft or wood glue
colored stones, small ceramic tiles, or colored foam sheets
Cut cardboard, foamboard or ¼" plywood into 8" to 12" squares.

Ask each group member to

• Sand the square (if using wood).

• Trace the angel symbol pattern (page 13) onto the board, or draw an angel.

• Spread glue on ONE area of the picture at a time.

• Press stones, small ceramic tiles, or colored foam sheets (cut into small pieces) firmly onto the glue-covered area. To add colors and textures to the mosaics, sort the stones or tiles by color and use similar stones or ceramic tiles in the same areas.

• Let the mosaics dry completely before hanging them or turning them upright.

Stone pieces, ceramic tiles, foam sheets, and glue are available for purchase in your local craft store, or by calling S & S Worldwide at 1-800-243-9232.

Angel

Star

The star is a powerful symbol for all peoples. For Christians the star symbolizes the promised coming of Christ. Stars can also represent God and the Holy Spirit, and the twelve-pointed star (see pages 118 and 119) can stand for the twelve disciples or the twelve tribes of Israel. The five-pointed star (shown here) is called the Star of Bethlehem or the Star of Epiphany. The wordepiphanymeans "showing forth." Epiphany is traditionally celebrated twelve days after Christmas, though in worship it is usually celebrated on the Sunday closest to the twelfth day after Christmas. The five-pointed star is not a Christmas symbol but an Epiphany symbol and is used in connection with the visit of the wise men, which reminds us of God's revelation of Godself to all the world in the Christ Child.

Activity: A Galaxy of Stars

You will need:

photocopies of the star pattern in various sizes (page 15)
cardboard
pencils
scissors
aluminum foil or gold or silver glitter paint and paintbrushes
paper punch
gold or silver braid

Photocopy the star pattern in various sizes and use these as templates for cutting out cardboard stars. Cover the cardboard stars in aluminum foil or paint them with gold or silver glitter paint. Punch a hole in the top point of each star, thread gold or silver braid through the hole (use different lengths of braid to create depth in your display), and hang the stars from the ceiling to make a spectacular display of a galaxy of stars.

Or, you could purchase ready-made three-dimensional cardboard stars from your local craft store and paint those stars with glitter paint.

These stars make a great "starry night" effect for a drama presentation, a party, or as decorations for any room for the Christmas season.

Star

Shepherd's Staff

The shepherd's staff is an ancient symbol for shepherds. Sheep (also lambs, see the General Christian Symbols section for more about symbols for sheep and lambs) and shepherds are often used as symbols in the Bible. God and Jesus are often referred to as "Shepherd." In the twenty-third Psalm we are told that "The Lord is my shepherd." Jesus told us that he was the "good shepherd" (John 10:11).

The candy cane was made in the shape of the shepherd's staff, specifically as a symbol of the humble shepherds who visited Jesus in Bethlehem. However, while the candy cane is strictly a Christmas symbol, the shepherd's staff is a year-round symbol of the shepherd as caretaker.

Activity: Christmas Symbol cards

You will need:

card stock and envelopes (available at craft stores)
reduced-size photocopies of Christmas symbol patterns (your choice)
pencils
scissors
stamps
pens or felt-tip markers
addresses
sponges and paint or Christmas wrapping paper and glue or glitter
pens

All of the following methods of making Christmas cards will use the card stock paper and reduced-size Christmas symbol patterns. (If you have time, go ahead and decorate the envelopes, too.)

1. Outline a symbol pattern lightly onto a sponge and cut the sponge around the traced shape. Dip the sponge in tempera paint and stamp the shapes onto the card. (It may help to dab the paint-soaked sponges onto paper towels first to soak up excess paint before touching them to the cards.)

2. Cut the symbol shapes out of old Christmas wrapping paper and glue them onto the card.

3. Place a symbol pattern on the card and trace around the pattern with a glitter pen.

Use any type of pen or marker to write a message on the inside of the card, and be sure to include an appropriate Bible message on the front, inside, or back of the card. Send these Christmas cards to homebound persons, missionaries, new people in the community, or anyone you know who might need to hear about the special meaning of Christmas.

Shepherd's Staff

Christmas Rose

The Christmas Rose is a very hardy white rose that blooms at Christmastime. This rose is used as a symbol of the Nativity. It is also used as a symbol of messianic prophecy. Some Bible translations of Isaiah 35:1 use the word rose. Others use the word crocus instead.

Activity: Christmas Symbol Charades

You will need:

reduced-size photocopies of Christmas symbol patterns
small box or basket
index cards (optional)

Make reduced-size photocopies of the Christmas symbol patterns in this book. (You may want to glue each symbol pattern copy to an index card. This way they will be sturdier and harder to see through.)

Fold the photocopies or cards in half, put them in a box or basket, and mix them up.

Divide the group into two teams. Let a representative of the first team draw (without looking) one of the symbols from the box or basket.

This person must act out clues to help his or her teammates guess the symbol within a specified amount of time. (Since many of these symbols are relatively easy, you may want to limit the time to thirty seconds.) If the first team can't guess the symbol, let a representative of the second team act it out for his or her team members.

If the first team does guess correctly, give the second team a chance to draw a new symbol to act out. Keep reversing play between the teams until all the symbols have been guessed.

Note: Several other symbols from later parts of this book—such as the donkey, the lamb, the dove with an olive branch, the open Bible, or any of the symbols for Jesus—may also be used as Christmas symbols. You may want to photocopy these as well for use in the Christmas Symbol Charades activity.

Christmas Rose

Daisy

The daisy is a symbol of the innocence of the baby Jesus, the Holy Child, and was first used as a church symbol in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century.

Activity: Symbols Relay Race

You will need:

Bibles
Index cards
pencils
tape
small box or basket

Write Bible references that pertain to each symbol you use on index cards (one Bible reference per card). Put these index cards in a small box or basket and place this on a table at one end of the room.

Divide your group into teams of four or five. Make sure each team has pencils and a Bible and have the teams stand on the other side of the room in single-file lines facing the table. Label an index card with each group's name ("Team 1," and so forth) and tape these cards to the table to designate where each group's cards will accumulate.

Give the following instructions:

At my signal, the first person on each team will run to the box (or basket) and take a card. The runner will take the card back to the team and hand it to the second person in line. The second person will look up the verse in the Bible and read it to the third person. The third person will write down the name of the symbol being talked about on the card and hand the card to the fourth person. The fourth person in line will write down what the symbol represents (either a person or a topic). Then that person (or, if you have five people on a team, pass the card to the fifth person) will run to the table and place the card on the team's designated spot. The runner then runs back to his or her place in line and the first person goes to the very end of the line. The person who was second in line in the first round now becomes the first person, and so forth.

Continue rotating assignments for several rounds. Then come back together as a group to check everyone's answers.

Some possible Bible references to use include

• Genesis 12:8-9—tent: Abraham

• Micah 7:14—shepherd's staff: shepherd or the care the shepherd takes of sheep

• Matthew 2:1-2—star: Jesus' birth, the Epiphany

•Matthew 2:11—three gifts: wise men

• Matthew 3:11—water: baptism

• Matthew 26:26—bread: communion

• Matthew 26:27—cup: communion

• Luke 1:30—angel: God's messenger

• Luke 2:7—manger: Jesus' birth

• John 12:13—palm branches: Palm Sunday

• John 13:5—towel and basin: washing of the disciples' feet, servanthood

• Acts 2:3—fire or flame: Pentecost

• Revelation 22:13—Alph a and Omega: the Messiahs hip of Jesus Christ

There are many more. Use a concordance to find references for other symbols. (Note: Not all Christian symbols are based on the Bible; many come instead from centuries of tradition.)

Daisy

Advent Wreath

The Advent wreath is full of symbolism. Its circular shape represents the unending love of God. The evergreens are used to represent eternal life. The four candles represent the four weeks of preparation before Christmas and are often purple, to represent Jesus' royalty. Sometimes one of the candles is pink, to represent either Mary, the mother of Jesus, or love. We add a white candle to the center of the Advent wreath on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to represent Jesus. This candle is called the Christ candle.

Activity: Advent Worship

Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Christ. The tradition of celebrating Advent started in France sometime around the fourth or fifth century.

One of the things we do most often in order to prepare for the birth of Christ is to light the Advent wreath. Take time each week to light a candle on the Advent wreath, read Scripture, and pray, either at home or in a church or classroom setting. Add your favorite Christmas music to make this Advent tradition even more special.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Symbols of Faith by Marcia Joslin Stoner. Copyright © 2001 Abingdon Press. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

How to Use This Book,
Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany,
Lent and Easter,
Pentecost,
Puzzle Grid (Crossword / Word Search),
Baptism,
Symbol Search Form,
Communion,
Crosses,
Symbols for Jesus,
Symbol Bingo,
The Trinity,
General Christian Symbols,
Old Testament Symbols,
Disciple Shields,
The Jesse Tree/The Christian Year,
Index of Activities,
Index of Symbols,