Rotation.org Writing Team
Peter, do you love me?
Prayer Activity Stations Workshop
Summary of Activities
Students will rotate through several creative "Prayer Stations" to learn the Bible story and explore its life application for us today: Peter, if you love me, then feed, forgive, and pray for my sheep! A handy handout guides the teachers at each station.
Scripture for the Lesson
John 21:1-17 Excited to be with Jesus, Peter jumps out of the boat. Jesus calls upon Peter to show his love by "feeding my sheep."
Key/Memory Verse: John 21:15-17 “Do you love me? ...(then) feed my sheep."
Lesson Objectives
See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives.
Preparation and Materials
- Read the Bible Background and scripture.
- Print the Prayer Stations Handout.
Set up the prayer stations ahead of time.
See the Stations Handout for each station's list of materials.
Lesson and Prep Notes:
We recommend creating individual stations apart from each other, rather than trying to do this at one big table. The movement from station to station will help student differentiate the concepts and practices, and create a nice sense of anticipation. If at all possible, visually separate the stations from each other so that students don't get distracted by the other stations.
Staff each station with a helper, ...someone will take responsibility for setting it up, and will improve their presentation through repetition as students rotate. It's also a great way to get extra people involved without asking them to do a lot.
The prayer activities at the stations are illustrative. They are not intended to be comprehensive on the subject of prayer. The same can be said for what it means to "feed" sheep. In this lesson, we are looking at "forgiveness" and prayer as two of the most important things we can do to "feed my sheep." This workshop is a great example of how using the Workshop Rotation Model to teach key Bible stories, allows us to explore a story's many facets, and teach spiritual disciplines like prayer, within the context of the story, and not apart from it.
Lesson Plan
Overview: Plan on spending 10-12 minutes in the Opening, and about 8 minutes each in Stations 2, 3, and 4. The closing will take about 5 minutes. Start on time and don't be afraid to keep it moving.
Open
Welcome students. Explain today's lesson.
Opening Questions and Comments:
Ask: When I say the word "prayer" or "pray" what do you think of?
Say: Today we will learn some different ways to pray and create some prayers connected to the story of Jesus and Peter after the resurrection.
Ask: What can you tell me about that story? (throw out a few hints to trigger their memory).
Explain how they will be rotating to the different stations (as groups or individuals) and how much time they will have at each.
Station 1: Hearing the Scripture
Have everyone gather together at this opening station (make it a comfy place). Use your favorite storybook-style Bible for younger and older students and read it with energy. After reading it, ask the following questions.
Book Suggestion: Peter's First Easter by Walter Wangerin Jr. can be found on Amazon as a used book. The story is told through the voice of Peter and is very moving. Originally published by Zondervan. Now apparently out of print but available 'used' from various sources via Amazon.
See the Handout for important questions and the point to make after the scripture reading.
Prayer Stations 2 and 3
(see the handout for all the details)
Station 2: Feeding Others with Forgiveness —Loving Jesus means feeding his sheep (ourselves and others) –and one of the most important things we can give to each other is forgiveness. We forgive because we have been forgiven. Students will write in quick-setting cement to illustrate this.
Station 3: Sheep Need Prayers and to Pray. Students will create prayer cloths to tie on a cross & net display indoors (pictured), or tied to a fishing net that is strung in the wind.
Concluding Prayer Activity-Demonstration
Gather around your prayer cloths and have students take a peek at a few of them. Offer a few comments that reinforce today's lesson. Then conclude with a circle prayer in this manner:
1. Have everyone stand three feet apart from each other in the shape of a circle. Have them all fold their hands in prayer.
Say: "Jesus wants us to talk to him any time. But when you tell him that you 'LOVE HIM' in your prayers, how do you think he will respond? Yes! He will say, 'if you love me, then feed my sheep!'"
Say: I want you to imagine that Jesus is at the center of our circle here today. And I know we all want to be close to him, so on the count of three, let's leap off our boat and towards Jesus. 1-2-3!
Point out that when getting close to Jesus means getting close to each other, his sheep.
2. Your students should now be close enough to do this: reach out to either side to put their arms on each other's shoulders. At that point, you simply say:
"When Jesus is at the center of your life when you really love him, you want to respond to that love by reaching out to love, forgive and help others."
3. You may also add this balance illustration by saying,
"And when one is weak in faith, or their sin tries to make them fall, or sadness makes them want to let go because we are close to Jesus, we are able to see what other people's needs are and support his sheep. Let's try that....
Have one student lift up one leg, then both. The circle will support them.) Nobody here is perfect, but because we love Jesus, we are here to support each other. Let's all try standing on one leg (the circle will support all.
Close by pulling out one last strip of cloth and tying it to the net. On it is your prayer of thanksgiving that each of us will put Jesus at the center of our lives, just like Peter did, And through each of us, Jesus will reach out to support each one of us, and through us, be an answer to other people's prayers.
Adaptations
For Younger Students:
If they can't write letters or names or initials, have them draw a picture in the cement of the person they need to forgive. Help them write the word "forgive." (If you have time: Dust the top of the cement with cement dust and place a piece of plastic wrap over it –on which you've already written the word "FORGIVE" in marker. Then have the non-readers trace the lines of the letters –pressing into the cement. Peel back the saran and close the lid. Place the container aside until the lesson is over.
Help them write on the cloth and let them decorate it.
Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Based on a lesson by members Carol Hulbert and Jo Ohrlein
Copyright 2017, Rotation.org Inc.
Photos of children, copyright First Presbyterian Church Birmingham, MI
