A Review of “Growing In Justice” Prayer Celebration Activity

The publisher RCL Benziger’s website http://www.rclweb.com/ offers resources for their faith formation series “Blest Are We”.

The activity is a prayer service designed for fifth graders to be implemented during the Lenten season. The focus is “Growing in justice through God’s forgiveness.” The activity suggests setting the environment with a prayer table covered with a purple cloth, a Bible, and a candle. Prior to the prayer service the activity indicates to have the children list the most important things in their lives and discuss them. Then ask them to consider what was most important for Jesus. Then discuss should these things be important to them, too?

The prayer celebration then begins with music then a reading from Philippians 1:8–11, followed by a leader’s prayer, a litany of penitential petitions read by students. All praying the Act of Contrition and a final song draws the conclusion to the celebration.

This week’s readings from the article in the “Anglican Theological Review” on Consumerism and Christian Community reflects on the crazed consumption ideology of the American culture. The article suggests we “are constrained from healthier choices… because we lack courage, wisdom, and social support.” (Anglican Theological Review p. 585). Addressing the important things in an adolescent’s life and reflecting upon the true treasures is significant in cultivating their relationship with Christ. Providing a format for the discovery what is true joy in life and contrition for the awareness of blatant power of consumption is a worthwhile activity for this audience. The activity is basic and would be most effective if it was developed and personalized to fit the individual character of the audience. The penitential petitions could be edited to reflect the immediate issues of the group along with use of current music that would be relevant to the group and topic at hand.