What's happening in the atrium this week?

by Carrie Hulbert

Here we are in the midst of Lent, hopefully doing well with our "Prayer and fasting and almsgiving" (your child may know a Lent song from the atrium with those words)!  

In our atrium this week, some students were shown the City of Jerusalem presentation. This presentation was one that really touched me during our training as Catechists.  

It is a 3D model of the city of Jerusalem - complete with city walls, Temple, Upper Room/Cenacle, Garden of Gethsemane, Calvary, the tomb where Jesus was buried and more.

  

The children are able to move each piece onto a "mute" where they can re-create the city of Jerusalem. This helps them become familiar with the city.  The older children may learn of the path that Jesus took during his passion and death.  A catechist in our atrium mentioned that while she was presenting this to some children, her eyes began tearing up as she was "walking" the path that Jesus walked in the final days leading up to his death.  

The atrium is in full swing with other presentations as well.  Students have continued to learn about some parables that Jesus spoke that talk about the Kingdom of God.  You may have heard about the Kingdom of God being like a mustard seed, a precious pearl, and the leaven.  As one child shared, "I want to see the Kingdom of God.  I bet it is beautiful!" 

We have also begun working with the Good Shepherd materials.  This includes 2D figures of the Good Shepherd, sheep, and the gated "sheepfold" where the sheep are kept.  The children love touching the sheep and are really drawn to them.  

Even before I began this presentation to one child in the atrium she wondered aloud, "Why are the sheep in the fenced area?"  She thought for a moment and then continued, "It keeps them safe.  The wolf stays outside, but the sheep are kept inside where they are safe."  Those words can mean so much more if we really stop and think about them.  During the presentation we hear that the sheep follow the Good Shepherd wherever he goes, and that the Shepherd calls his sheep by name.  At the conclusion of the presentation, after some reflection time, I heard her ask, "Is Jesus the Good Shepherd?"  I wanted to say, "YES! He IS the Good Shepherd!" But I wanted her to discover this all on her own, so I instead responded, "Hmm...I wonder...What do you think? Do you think that Jesus is the Good Shepherd?"  Her response was perfect, "I think He is. I think that Jesus is the Good Shepherd."  May we always stay close to the Good Shepherd who calls us by name.