There's more. (You might be less confused if you read these 5 posts in order.)
If you look on the web for [Sunday School children Song of Songs], there isn't much there. I did find a Rabbi's translation from the Hebrew which puts Song of Songs doubtlessly back in that sensual category, which left me rethinking yet again whether we should do the simple story with kids or not.
If becoming like children in our faith means receiving the kingdom and maturing in Christ, then we have much to learn from children and how they receive and perceive God, His Word, all that's revealed about Him through His creation. They won't see what we see. And of course, you could always take the more explicit parts out...
Though I really want to see how the kids process the story (G-rated and simply told, not interpreted), it violates something in me to water down the scriptures, change them, or take things out. It seems a mis-handling of the Word which would defeat the purpose of presenting the story, and letting the scriptures speak. . . sigh. . .
I may have to settle for "God made me, God loves me," using all of our senses, looking for words to describe what we see, hear, taste, smell, touch. Those are the words that Solomon used to describe his love and that of his beloved. It would be a good lead-in to Lisa's prayer stations and worship the following Sunday- when they'll learn lots of ways to pray and speak to God of their love for Him.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made, created with a huge multi-sensory capacity for love and communication. In whatever ways we interact with His word and wrestle with His stories His Word will accomplish all that He sends it to accomplish. Still wrestling!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Song of Songs for Kids? Wrestling. . .4
As I read this story over and over, envision different ways to tell it to children, listened to it on tape NIV and try to see and hear it as a child would, a number of things jumped out at me that surprised me.
What surprised me most, is the focus on visual beauty. Isn't our American culture's obsession with visual imagery and outward appearance something that Christians tend to downplay? Samuel at David's annointing? Women adorning themselves with a quiet gentle spirit? So what's with Solomon's obsession with physical beauty? If it were just lust it wouldn't be included in the sacred scriptures, would it? Maybe it's Solomon's acute power of observation, his skillfull ability to capture sensory images with words. Or the beauty of God's creation as seen in man, woman, and the outdoors.
As a writer/creator why did Solomon take the Shulamite's point of view? Was it real? Was it imaginary? Either way, to write about someone loving him like that, does he have not only David's creative gifts but his ego, too?
How is it that in the beginning, the brothers were giving her work in the vineyard, she becomes obsessed with Solomon and at the end these same brothers have a little sister, not spoken for yet... is this a different sister or the same sister? Is she just romanticizing? Is she pretending? Is it not yet time for Israel to stir up or awaken love and become the Bride?
Our fearless pastors have done a lot more research than I have. You can follow the series at the Artisan Church website.
What surprised me most, is the focus on visual beauty. Isn't our American culture's obsession with visual imagery and outward appearance something that Christians tend to downplay? Samuel at David's annointing? Women adorning themselves with a quiet gentle spirit? So what's with Solomon's obsession with physical beauty? If it were just lust it wouldn't be included in the sacred scriptures, would it? Maybe it's Solomon's acute power of observation, his skillfull ability to capture sensory images with words. Or the beauty of God's creation as seen in man, woman, and the outdoors.
As a writer/creator why did Solomon take the Shulamite's point of view? Was it real? Was it imaginary? Either way, to write about someone loving him like that, does he have not only David's creative gifts but his ego, too?
How is it that in the beginning, the brothers were giving her work in the vineyard, she becomes obsessed with Solomon and at the end these same brothers have a little sister, not spoken for yet... is this a different sister or the same sister? Is she just romanticizing? Is she pretending? Is it not yet time for Israel to stir up or awaken love and become the Bride?
Our fearless pastors have done a lot more research than I have. You can follow the series at the Artisan Church website.
Song of Songs for Kids? Wrestling. . .3
Is Song of Songs, in its simplest form, a children's story? Cinderella is. Snow White is. Why not Song of Songs? Song of Songs was the greatest of King Solomon's songs. It's a story song. Kids relate to story songs. It's about a king and a peasant girl and romance that leads to marriage.
Without ever touching the elements of the story that will wait until kids are older, Song of Songs is amazingly full of real concrete images that adults find so elusive when talking with children (sights, sounds, taste, smell). - some of them Middle Eastern sensory experiences that adult westerners haven't even experienced first hand. (the smell of a Henna blossom)
It's full of "outdoors" imagery. Preschoolers love animals. They visit apple orchards and pick apples. Preschoolers learn body parts. They do sensory- identification and sensory memory activites learning to identify, use, and remember objects using their 5 senses . They learn about siblings and friendship. There's a focus in the story on love leading to marriage. There are lots of potential angles.
We can come at it from any of these angles, so why am I still wrestling?
Without ever touching the elements of the story that will wait until kids are older, Song of Songs is amazingly full of real concrete images that adults find so elusive when talking with children (sights, sounds, taste, smell). - some of them Middle Eastern sensory experiences that adult westerners haven't even experienced first hand. (the smell of a Henna blossom)
It's full of "outdoors" imagery. Preschoolers love animals. They visit apple orchards and pick apples. Preschoolers learn body parts. They do sensory- identification and sensory memory activites learning to identify, use, and remember objects using their 5 senses . They learn about siblings and friendship. There's a focus in the story on love leading to marriage. There are lots of potential angles.
We can come at it from any of these angles, so why am I still wrestling?
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Song of Songs for Kids? Wrestling . . . 2
How do we use the time when kids are included in worship? We've tried to focus on the most kid-friendly verses that capture the heart of the message and design a kid's talk and activity sheet around that.
How do we use the time when they have their own time? Should we do something totally un-Song of Songs with this time? We can talk about how "God made me special and He loves me." That's not out of character with the story. Should we tell the Biblical story from Song of Songs in a kid friendly way and let the kids interact with the story? Song of Songs uses all five senses to observe and describe. Should we set up stations to use our eyes, ears, nose, fingers, tongue to identify, describe, or remember (What are you touching in the bag? Which item did I take away? What's that sound? What's that smell? What's that taste?) Should we talk about Jesus? Love? Marriage? What about preschoolers who have been through stormy family times? The old song, "His Banner Over Me is Love" hits all the simple kid-friendly elements, right? Jesus loves me.
So instead of wondering how we could justify R-rated Sunday messages (and they aren't R just PG 13) I began to ponder Song of Songs in the NIrV as a story not just for adults, but for children. Here's an opportunity to tell the story and let the kids respond to the story in it's simplest form. A chance to just let the story and the scriptures speak to them.
But because of the nature of the story, this is ground to tread carefully lest we stir up or awaken something before its time. On the other hand, it may be just as wrong to avoid the story and take the easy way out. Will the Song of Solomon stand as a story in it's simplest form and if so, is it child-friendly? I'm wrestling with this.
How do we use the time when they have their own time? Should we do something totally un-Song of Songs with this time? We can talk about how "God made me special and He loves me." That's not out of character with the story. Should we tell the Biblical story from Song of Songs in a kid friendly way and let the kids interact with the story? Song of Songs uses all five senses to observe and describe. Should we set up stations to use our eyes, ears, nose, fingers, tongue to identify, describe, or remember (What are you touching in the bag? Which item did I take away? What's that sound? What's that smell? What's that taste?) Should we talk about Jesus? Love? Marriage? What about preschoolers who have been through stormy family times? The old song, "His Banner Over Me is Love" hits all the simple kid-friendly elements, right? Jesus loves me.
So instead of wondering how we could justify R-rated Sunday messages (and they aren't R just PG 13) I began to ponder Song of Songs in the NIrV as a story not just for adults, but for children. Here's an opportunity to tell the story and let the kids respond to the story in it's simplest form. A chance to just let the story and the scriptures speak to them.
But because of the nature of the story, this is ground to tread carefully lest we stir up or awaken something before its time. On the other hand, it may be just as wrong to avoid the story and take the easy way out. Will the Song of Solomon stand as a story in it's simplest form and if so, is it child-friendly? I'm wrestling with this.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Song of Songs for Kids? Wrestling. . . 1
I took one long post about working through Song of Songs for kids and divided it into 5 short ones. I've been sitting on it trying to decide whether or not to post. It does perhaps capture one dilemna if you want to include kids in worship every Sunday. Appropriateness of the message for children.
Since Quest and Capax Dei became Artisan Church we've tried to "translate" (for lack of a better word) the text or theme of the adult message into something for kids. As our pastors are pursuing Song of Songs as text for adults during this traditional pre Valentines Day season, the kids will stay in service most Sundays but have a separate time of their own on two of the Sundays.
One of the primary goals at Artisan and for this particular series is to "engage culture." We're engaging, or perhaps challenging, a western culture that embraces the message that love is synonomous with sex - a culture full of sexual/sensual imagery. We are challenging a sensual western culture with God's take on this as expressed through Song of Songs. Many (maybe most) of our congregation are young marrieds and college students in that transitional time when relationships take on new, and potentially permanent, dimensions. (You wouldn't believe what a series like "Sex, Love & God" has done for church attendance, LOL!! Not families with children, however.)
Song of Songs, "the greatest of songs", is included as a part of God's Word. God created us - every facet of our being. He created men and women to marry and enjoy one another. This conflict, this engaging of cultures is significant. It permeates the culture around us from TV to fashion, even children's fashion, but how do we translate this for children?
Since Quest and Capax Dei became Artisan Church we've tried to "translate" (for lack of a better word) the text or theme of the adult message into something for kids. As our pastors are pursuing Song of Songs as text for adults during this traditional pre Valentines Day season, the kids will stay in service most Sundays but have a separate time of their own on two of the Sundays.
One of the primary goals at Artisan and for this particular series is to "engage culture." We're engaging, or perhaps challenging, a western culture that embraces the message that love is synonomous with sex - a culture full of sexual/sensual imagery. We are challenging a sensual western culture with God's take on this as expressed through Song of Songs. Many (maybe most) of our congregation are young marrieds and college students in that transitional time when relationships take on new, and potentially permanent, dimensions. (You wouldn't believe what a series like "Sex, Love & God" has done for church attendance, LOL!! Not families with children, however.)
Song of Songs, "the greatest of songs", is included as a part of God's Word. God created us - every facet of our being. He created men and women to marry and enjoy one another. This conflict, this engaging of cultures is significant. It permeates the culture around us from TV to fashion, even children's fashion, but how do we translate this for children?
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