Candlemas Workshop

We told the story of the presentation at the temple from Luke 2:22-38 to a group of children aged 1-10 years.

We used a story box which contained a picture from the Godly Play 'Mystery of Christmas', two doves (the sacrifice Joseph and Mary offered to God), a candle ('a light to reveal God's will to the Gentiles'), and a wooden sword ('sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart').



Some of the children wondered about the symbolism of light, the sword prefiguring the crucifixion, and the lives and roles of Simeon and Anna.

A focal table was created as part of the response. It contained: the Godly Play temple, a baby doll, candles, a wooden flame puzzle, a pair of doves, a wooden sword, Christ on the cross, the risen Christ, and a picture of Christ as the Light of the World.



Other response activities included: decorating glass candle holders; making moulded wax candles; decorating candles with wax pens; decorating cardboard swords and polystyrene doves; creating red/yellow/orange chalk pictures on black card; glueing dove and flame symbols onto gold paper plates; making models out of yellow glittery play dough.