Greetings and welcome to the third unit of our AMC spiritual exploration for young children and their families. 

Ours is a spiritual tradition driven by stories, as are most world religions. How we understand those stories, what they encourage us to think and feel tend to be at the core of our faiths, both as individuals and as communities; we each bring a unique understanding that can help us all grow as we take them into action, dialogue and prayer.

Unit 3 - Giving Thanks

Materials: A Native story of gratefulness:  

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

Suggested Approach:

During the 2 home-based weeks, read the story to/with your children at meal times or bedtimes (whenever works). 

Talk about the story:

•       See what your kids think of it. 

•       Share your understandings of the story and perhaps talk about how you think it relates to the Thanksgiving Holiday ahead (age appropriately of course).

•       Note: A central understanding in first native cultures in North America is that ‘wealth’ is defined as having enough so that you can share it.

•       Imagine with your children how this story might affect things you all do in the everyday world and talk about the things you all would like to share with others (spiritual and material). Have the kids decide on a non perishable food item they want to share with people experiencing food insecurity and have them help you get it, so that they can bring it to church on the 19th of November.

Activity:

Using your art supplies, make pictures of things you want to share.

Calendar

Nov 5: Packets go home

(PDF arrives by Monday or Tuesday in email) Nov 12: At home, reading and discussing story, gathering food items.

Nov 19: Meet in classroom to discuss the story and why the food item was picked. During the offertory, the kids (with adults) will walk behind the plate ushers gathering the food that has been brought in by parishioners. A basket of some of the items will then be carried back to the adults by the kids, to be placed on the altar. 

Nov 26: Off