Pentecost Prayer Ritual for Early Years

The Holy Spirit brings JOY!!!

Pentecost is a time for JOY!!!

This ritual has been designed for Prep or an Early Years class. As expected, teachers would need to do some preparation with the students in the days leading up to the celebration of the ritual. This will hopefully ensure that the students are able to be truly “present” to the ritual and participate more fully. It should also ensure that the ritual has meaning and relevance for the students and that hopefully they may be able to make the necessary connections.

What the children will need to KNOW before the ritual:
  • Christians celebrate a special time called Pentecost. This is the end of the Easter Season.
  • Tell a simple story about the first Pentecost (What happened? Where and When did this story take place? Who was there? What did they do? How were the friends of Jesus changed?
  • Explore the liturgical colour
  • Make coloured streamers. They are going to help us tell a story about the very first Pentecost.

What the teacher will need to DO before the ritual:
  • Choose a suitable song for the ritual. You may want to use an old favourite like Joy Joy Joy. Other suggestions areSing and Shout for Joy! (Bernardette Farrell) from Great Giftsand We are the Church(Christopher Walker)from Calling the Children.
  • Gather resources
  • Prepare the sacred space
  • Decide on where the ritual will take place and how children will be seated.
  • Draw the outline of a very large flame on black card.
  • Large red or orange candle
  • Bible
  • Brightly coloured cloth or wrapping paper spread out for all to see
  • Balloons.
  • 6 red streamers for the flames of fire
  • 6 blue streamers for the mighty wind
  • Multi coloured streamers for the rest of the class
  • Outline of flame on black background

  • Lead students in talking about what symbols are place in the Sacred Space.
  • Ensure that the outline of the flame is in the centre of the gathering circle.
  • Revisit the reason for the gathering and the celebration
  • Revisit expectations about appropriate behaviours.

Gather children around the sacred space and come to silence and stillness.

Leader:

Close your eyes and become aware of the gentle sound of your breathing.

Listen to your heart.

Make sure that your feet are still; your knees are still, your arms are still, your hands are still, your neck is still; your ears are still etc.

With your eyes closed, think about a time when you have been happy or filled with JOY e.g. your birthday!

Open your eyes and show me what your face would look like.

Invite a parent or adult to light the red candle.

Gathering Song: Sing and Shout for Joy

Sign of the Cross

The Lord be with you

And also with you

Coloured streamers placed in front of each child.

Leader:

Let us listen to a story about the friends of Jesus. This story comes from the Bible.

The friends of Jesus were gathered together in a room. The door was locked.

They were frightened

ALL: VERY FRIGHTENED!

(Show a frightened face)

Suddenly there was a noise like the sound of a mighty wind.

Whoosh!!!!

( children with blue streamers shake them and spin around and make the whoosh sound)

They were frightened

ALL: VERY FRIGHTENED!

( Show a frightened face)

Suddenly they could see things that looked like tiny flames of fire.

(Children with the red streamers shake their streamers coming down from high to low)

They were frightened

ALL: VERY FRIGHTENED!

The Holy Spirit had come to be with them and be their helper and friend.. They started to feel happy and filled with joy.

They were happy

ALL: VERY HAPPY!!!!

(Show a happy face)

Everybody to wave their streamers and shout Hooray!

They raced outside to share their joy with others. They told everybody they met about Jesus.

They were happy.

ALL: VERY HAPPY!!!!

(Show a happy face)

(Everybody to shout and wave their streamers.)

As each prayer is repeated by the children, a group of children are invited to place streamers inside the flame shape in the middle of the gathered circle. These streamers will cover the flame shape.

Litany of Thanks;

Let us pray…..

  • Thank you Holy Spirit for being our helper.

(Children echo)

  • Thank you Holy Spirit for being our friend.

(Children echo)

  • Thank you Holy Spirit for all the people in the Church.

(Children echo)

  • Thank you Holy Spiritfor the joy that we can all share.

(Children echo)

Blessing:

May the joy of the Spirit fill our hearts

Amen

Closing Song:

We are the Church