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Enactment of the Last Supper

Title: The Last Supper Enactment

Subject: The Last Supper

Age: 3 to 10 years

Liturgical Time: Passover

Doctrinal Content: At the Jewish feast of Passover, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover supper for the disciples.

Direct Aims: This re-enactment aims to isolate and lift up the events of the Last Supper.

Indirect Aims: Indirect aims include for the children to be able to participate in Lent more fully through enacting the events of the Last Supper.

Sources: Luke 22:1-20

Materials for the Lesson:
Booklet with the entire story; have the words for each part written out on cards
Name tags: twelve disciples and saints, have older children act Jesus, John, and Peter
White table cloth (scotch guarded), chairs
Full size paten (large gold plate) and chalice, candles and cloth
Grape juice
Matzo crackers (unleavened bread)
Side table with the items set up ahead of time

The Lesson Plan:
Re-enactment with the Children:
Several weeks prior, start preparing with the children who will have speaking parts. Discuss what will happen. "We are going to commemorate the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, which was the celebration that Jesus and His disciples were celebrating at the Mystical (Last) Supper in the cenacle (upper room)."

Pass out the name tags, having prepared them ahead of time. Decide on speaking parts. If the children are too young to read, the catechists read the parts while the children perform the actions. Practice with the children: narrator, Jesus, other speakers.

Ask two of the children (Peter and John) to spread the cloth (either on the table or on the floor). This is done during the reading after Jesus sends them to prepare the room. They also place the chalice with grape juice and plate with one matzo cracker on the table.

Have the children process in as the narrator or adult reads from Luke. All arrive and sit around the table or circle. Adults remain on the outside of the circle.

Continue the narrative. The child enacting Jesus breaks the bread into enough pieces and places it on the paten (large gold plate). The child enacting Jesus then passes the paten around the table and each person takes a piece.

Continue the narrative. Jesus passes the chalice with the grape juice around and each person takes a sip, wiping the chalice clean each time. Optional: Adult will pass the half-full cups to child to begin passing the cups to the others. The child enacting Jesus passes around the cups.

End by singing songs or prayer offering and having a more casual time to eat the matzo and drink the juice.

Activities:
Everyone participates in the cleanup then return to the line. Catechist dismisses each child by name.

Notice: This lesson plan utilizes training and the general philosophy/method of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. Materials found in this document, however, have been created specifically to incorporate the theology and dogmatic teaching of the Orthodox Church. The author of this lesson offers special recognition to Mrs. JoAnne Padget, CGS Instructor, who provided instruction and guidance in the CGS method. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program requires intensive study and strongly recommends that teachers using their program enroll in and complete coursework through an authorized CGS instructor. More information about CGS is available at http://www.cgsusa.org.