Way of Light Adult (or Teen) Bible Study

Hey.  Psssst.  It's still Easter.  Did ya know?

My students and I are still discussing (and celebrating) Easter at school using our Way of Light Activities.

In my grown up life, I am talking about the Way of Light as well- this time with the fifity-ish folks that come every week to our Young Adult Bible Study.  It is such a blessing to gather with others to center on God's Word, the Sacraments, and fellowship.

When planning this session of the Bible Study with a dear friend, we threw around a few ideas, and Easter ended up being our hands-down choice.  We developed a study based on both the upcoming Sunday Mass readings during this Liturgical Season of Easter as well as The Way of Light.  We are so excited about the resulting study, and although we are already a few weeks in, we would like to share it here so that someone else can use it.

You could jump in and join us where we are this week (Study 3), or you can file the study away and save it for next Easter, or... you could print this puppy out and use it any time of the year.

Because folks, as Christians, we are an Easter people and alleluia is our song.
(I maybe stole that line from JP2 who stole is from Augustine...)

This study is formatted so that it could be used in several ways. Because of that, I think that it could be used for personal or group study, with an adult group like mine, or even with a youth group.

Here are the details:
-contains seven weeks of study, one two sided printout for each week
-centers around Sunday readings for Year B of the Lectionary (although you really could study these readings any year or anytime of year.)
-includes a list of the fourteen stations in the Way of Light on the back of each week's study along with Scripture References
-lists a theme, Scripture References, and focus on station(s) of the Way of Light for each week
-gives three discussion questions relating and connecting the readings and stations together
-has space for reflections and notes
-You can use all or some of the information, references, or questions.  There is lots of flexibility, which makes it a great fit for a varied group

You can click on any of the images below to download the entire seven week study.

Here is what a sample front page looks like:

and a sample inside page:

and a sample back page:

During this study we are using Lectio Divina, the practice of "Divine Reading" or praying through and with the Scriptures.  If you would like more info on Lectio Divina, this article would be a great place to start.

Click here for a document with guidelines for using Lectio Divina alone or with a group.  It prints out as four bookmarks on a page, perfect to cut up, share, and tuck in a Bible.

I'd love to hear how you are still celebrating Easter, and if this study finds a way to enrich you and/or a group that you are involved in!

The Sound of Easter (and some Divine Mercy activities)

Happy Easter!  If you would like to keep on celebrating the fifty (FIFTY!) days of Easter, how about an Easter playlist?



And, in celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, here are a few activities that you might like:
(Click on the image for the link to the post)

Divine Mercy Watercolor Art:

Pop Out Divine Mercy Chaplet Beads:

Connecting the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Divine Mercy:

Reconciliation and Divine Mercy Lapbook:

Fifty Days of Easter

Easter Sunday may have been a few days ago, but the season of Easter goes on for fifty days.  From now until Pentecost, keep the Risen Christ alive with your kids using some of these activities!

Click on the pictures for the links to the original posts, complete with printables and instructions.

The Way of Light Coloring Book
During Lent, we pray the Way of the Cross, the fourteen stations that tell the story of Jesus' Passion and Death.  During Easter, there is also a set of fourteen stations about the stories that happened between the Resurrection and Pentecost. The Biblical accounts are collected with simple pictures and the Scripture references in this mini coloring book:

 Here you can see a screen shot of the four page printable:

The Way of Light Easter Sunrise
This craft creates a Easter sunrise with a ray of sun for each of the stations of the Way of Light:

The Way of Light Resurrection Eggs
This activity creates a set of Way of Light Easter eggs.  Each egg contains small objects that tell the story of the days of Easter:

The Way of Light Story in a Bag
Using simple objects collected in a bag, this project helps kids be the story tellers of the events of the Easter Season:

Paschal Greeting Printable
The traditional Easter greeting in the form of a simple coloring page, great to hang up in your home or classroom:

Easter Posters
Have some fun with lettering techniques and Scripture verses with special Easter significance while making these Easter posters:

Gospel in an Eggshell
Using tiny objects that fit into a plastic Easter egg, wrap together the story of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection:

New Life Seeds
Connect the death and resurrection of Christ to the growth of seeds this spring time:

Fulton Sheen Quote Coloring Page
"Unless there is a cross in our lives, there will never be an empty tomb; unless there is a crown of thorns, there will never be the halo of light; unless there is a Good Friday, there will never be an Easter Sunday."

Resurrection Eggs
These eggs contain small objects and strips of Scripture that tell the story of Holy Week:

What Easter Looks Like Printable
Black & white and color printable of the symbols of the Easter season:

Regina Coeli Mini Book
During the season of Easter, we do not continue to pray the Angelus, but instead pray the Regina Coeli.  This mini book contains the prayer, some explanations, definitions of words, and pictures to color:

Debunking Resurrection Theories
This graphic organizer contains several of the theories that try to explain away the idea of the Resurrection of Christ.  It could be used as a discussion starter for a middle or high school youth group study on the truth of the Resurrection.

I wish you and the kids in your lives a very blessed Easter season!

Easter Typography Posters

*Update- Use these as inspiration to decorate sideways, your driveway, windows, etc. or to make cards to send to friends and family!

In preparation for celebration of the season of Easter, I helped my students create some typography style posters before we left for spring break.  While I didn't want them to forget about Holy Week, I did want them to think about that all of Lent and Holy Week is a preparation for Easter.  This art project will be hanging up to greet them when they return to school next week, replacing our Lent decorations and Stations of the Cross.

It was an easy project and allowed the kids to be as creative as they wanted.   We talked about how lettering and layout are themselves a kind of art.  We brainstormed different styles of lettering like these:

We then decided to use those styles to create a poster using a quote or Bible verse about Easter.  Here are the quotes that I had up on the board for the kids to pick from:

He is risen!  Alleluia!  He is risen indeed! (traditional Paschal greeting)

Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!

"I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me will live, even if he dies." ~John 11:25

"Behold, I am making all things new!" ~Revelation 21:5

"He is not here, for He has risen as He said." ~Matthew 28:6

"Go quickly and tell the disciples that He has risen from the dead." ~Matthew 28:7

We used oil pastels on black construction paper for an extra pop.  I (and the kids) were really pleased with how they turned out.  I think that the design and creativity that they showed is awesome.  I look forward to using them to brighten the hallways for the students return!

Here are a few examples of what the kids came up with:

Whoops...little spelling mistake :)

What Easter Looks Like

The Liturgical Seasons that our Church has put in place create a beautiful rhythm for Christian life.  I also love the signs and symbols of the seasons, and I have been creating a resource to use with kids as a reminder of the meaning of each season.  You can see the Lent printable here and the Triduum printable here. Now it's time for the season of Easter, 50 days of celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and the new life we have in Him.  I have this printable available in black & white and color.  You can print it out to hang in your home or classroom, or use it for a notebooking or lapbook project.

I hope you and your family have a wonderfully fruitful Easter Season this year!

Click here for the black and white printable: