LeSSon 23 The Woman at the Well Spreads the Wordcecmedway.org/resources/FOG_Lesson23.pdfThe...

Summary of Today’s StoryAs Jesus was passing through Samaria on the way to Galilee, he stops at a well to rest. There he meets a woman who comes by to draw water from the well. Jesus asks her for water and she, amazed that he, a Jew, has addressed her, a Samaritan and a woman, asks Jesus how he comes to ask her for a drink.

Jesus then talks to her about the water he gives—living water, by which he means himself. At first the woman does not understand, but as the conversation moves on, she comes to see Jesus as the Messiah. Excited, she goes back to her town to tell everyone, who then begin to believe in him.

L e S S o n 23The Woman at the Well Spreads the Word

Where You’ll Find Today’s StoryIn the BibleWe recommend the New Revised Standard Version Bible.

John 4, especially 1-42

In Children’s BiblesIf you plan to use a children’s Bible for storytelling, write the page numbers of today’s story in the space below.

In our Sunday LectionaryToday’s story is told in church on the following Sundays:

Year A: Third Sunday in Lent

© 2014 By Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

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Weaving our Story with the Biblical StoryThe Samaritan woman that Jesus meets at the well is the exact

opposite of Nicodemus. He is an Israelite, she a despised Samaritan. He has a noble heritage, she has a shameful past. He is a respected teacher of the ruling class, she a common woman with a bad reputation. He is highly educated, she is simple. He comes to Jesus intentionally, she meets him by accident. He has seen signs and knows that Jesus is “from God,” she meets him as a complete stranger. He is skeptical, she is open. He comes in secret, she goes out to evangelize.

But look how the woman opens herself up to Jesus’ words! Each response shows a little more understanding and openness to Jesus. “Sir, give me this water.” “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.” “Come see a man... the Christ!” By stages she opens up to Jesus and his message.

Though she probably never really understands with her mind all that he says, she understands with her heart and her whole self.

She is also not threatened by Jesus’ knowledge of her and of her life: “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband.”

We can look at the woman as a model of a disciple, though she never is counted as one of Jesus’ disciples. In a way, she is the first Christian evangelist and missionary, as she runs back to her town to proclaim Jesus as Messiah.

Imagine us encountering Jesus as we are doing our everyday chores. Would we be as open to him and to his disclosure of himself as the Messiah?

The episcopal ThreadA woman is an early evangelist for Christ, one who was “called” to preach the Good News. The Episcopal Church

has ordained women to the priesthood since the 1970’s, recognizing that gender is not a barrier to a holy calling.

By the same token, the Episcopal Church recognizes that, in one way or other, all are called to preach the Good News of God in Christ. This is one of the promises that we make when we are baptized, and when we renew our baptismal vows (see BCP p. 305). Men, women, children are all God’s agents of hope and reconciliation to the world.



GatheringAs the children enter the room, greet them and engage them in a simple activity that

relates to today’s lesson.

Younger children may be given a gathering activity such as a page to color or the Village to Well and Back Again Maze provided on page 11 at the end of this lesson.

An idea for a gathering activity for children of any age is to give them a blank piece of paper and have them draw a greeting card for the homebound in your church. They can then pass around each other’s cards so that all can sign the cards before sending them out.

For older children, allow a brief time for socializing and for fellowship before the beginning of your lesson. It gives them an opportunity to form closer Christian relationships with each other, which we want to encourage in our church family.

After all the children have arrived and had a few minutes of activity or fellowship time, gather them for an opening prayer: ■ Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have

brought us together today as your church family. Open our eyes and our ears so that we can hear your Word and see your love in this room and in the world. We pray for all of us here, and for those who are absent, asking especially for your blessing on those who are sick today. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Telling the StoryRead aloud today’s story from a children’s Bible, showing the pictures, tell the story in your own words, or read from the version of the story we

provide, found on pages 8-10.

To dramatize this story, set out some stones or make “stones” by opening lunch bags, putting one bag inside another. Make 20-50 “stones.” Pile these stones in a circle to make a “well.” You may also have a pitcher of water to symbolize the water in the story. Use any other props you wish to bring the story to life.

You may want to begin by giving some background about the traditional relations between Jews and Samaritans and between men and women. Then the conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman becomes even more amazing.

Let the children hear the story without analyzing it for them or discussing it. For now, simply let the story sink into their minds and hearts. Later, while having snacks, you can bring up the story again and invite the children to talk about it and explore its message.



PrayerSet up a small worship center in your room.

materials:small table with a cloth to cover it2 candles or a single large Christ candlematchesBiblecrossoptional: flowers (real, artificial or handmade by

the children)

Have the children set up a simple altar with the materials listed above. Invite them to place on the altar any drawings or crafts that they created during Gathering time. Then light the candles.

Read a verse from today’s scripture from a Bible so that the children connect the story they heard with the Bible, which is the word of God. If working mainly with older children, you might expand the reading to several verses.

Suggestions for the readings:

For younger children: John 4:10

For older children: John 4:13-14

Help familiarize the children with our liturgy by doing the reading as it is done in church. Read as follows:

Reader: A reading from the book of John: (Read the selected passage.)

Reader: The word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

Invite the children to sit in a circle and join in prayer. Say a brief prayer yourself, then invite prayers from each child in the circle: ■ Invite prayers of thanks for ways in which God

has been present to them during the past week. Encourage them to notice God’s active role in their lives in concrete ways, such as receiving comfort from someone or help when they’re sick.

■ Ask for prayers for anyone who is sick or in trouble.

■ Recognize birthdays and other celebrations and give thanks to God for them.

■ End by praying the Lord’s Prayer together.

Carefully extinguish the candles.



SharingPass out snacks and say a simple grace, such as:

■ Bless this food, Lord, and the people who made it, who brought it, and who will eat it. Amen.

Or you may invite children to share a favorite grace from home or camp.

This is an excellent time, while sharing a snack, to begin talking about the story that the children have just heard. You may bring up some ideas about the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman at the well. ■ How does she compare with Nicodemus? ■ How is she different? ■ How are we like this woman?

Talk together about baptism and what it means for how we live. We have received the “spring of living water gushing up to eternal life” through the rite of baptism. ■ How does our baptism give us life, and continuing

life? ■ Explore with older children what it means to them

to be baptized. How does it affect their identity (as children of God, as part of the church) and the choices they make every day?

■ If we saw Jesus resting somewhere and realized that he is the Messiah, what would we do? The woman left her water jar and went to town to tell everyone. Many of the people believed in Jesus because of her.

■ Would we do that? Why or why not? ■ How did her response change from the beginning

to the end of her conversation with him?



activities: arts, Crafts, Games, Drama, etc.

After Sharing, begin an activity to supplement and enhance today’s story. While the children are doing an activity, talk about the story so that they make the connection.

Suggested story-related activities are provided at the end of this lesson on pages 11-35.

Additional activity ideas can be found on pages 3-6 in the Appendix (also downloadable) where we’ve provided suggestions and directions for a variety of general activities that can be adapted to any lesson. Also included are outreach and service projects that can be done at any time.

aCTIVITIeS FoR ThIS Week’S SeSSIon

Take-home Paper

At the end of this lesson you will find a two-page take-home paper for families called Threads. Threads provides parents with a briefer version of the information on scripture and Episcopal faith found in the introduction to the lesson, as well as multiple suggestions for household activities and prayer. Parents can use Threads to continue each child’s classroom experience at home throughout the week. We suggest duplicating and distributing these two pages to children and/or their parents at the end of each lesson.



memorizationTwo important and well-known verses in this story may be

memorized: John 4:14 (the spring of living water) and John 4:23 (true worshipers who will worship the Father in Spirit and truth).

An alternative is to continue to encourage older children to learn the books of the New Testament and the people’s responses at the Holy Eucharist, from the Prayer Book.

Suggestions for ways to help the children with their memorization can be found on page 15 in the Appendix at the back of this document.

Weaving the Family of GodAs your time together draws to a close, take a few minutes to help the children summarize the story

and say what they learned today by asking questions such as: ■ Who did Jesus meet in today’s story? ■ What did Jesus tell the woman about water? ■ How did the woman respond to Jesus?

Encourage the children to remember key family of God words and ideas from the story, such as: living water, Spirit, Messiah, believing. Note that believing is a constant theme in this Gospel.

Closing PrayerBefore the children leave, say a closing prayer to send them into

the church worship service or back to their homes with God’s love and blessing. The prayer can be very simple, such as this one: ■ O loving God, you promise to us your gift of living

water, and you promise eternal life to us as we believe in you. Stay with us this week, showing us your love, that we may know you are with us always. And help us to love you and to love our family and friends and neighbors as you love us. We ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

End with a dismissal used in church, such as the words of peace from the Prayer Book: ■ The peace of the Lord be always with you.

The children respond: ■ And also with you!



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John 4:1-42Samaria is one of the regions close to Galilee. But the Jews do not like the

Samaritans. The Samaritans worship God, not at the Temple in Jerusalem, but in other places. But the Samaritan people and the Jewish people all have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their ancestors. A long, long time ago, they were the same people. They were family. But now they are enemies. No Jew goes into Samaria, and no one talks to a Samaritan, because they are enemies.

But Jesus doesn’t see enemies. He just sees people, and friends, and children of God.

One day, Jesus is walking from Judea to Galilee with his disciples. To get to Galilee, he has to go through Samaria. It is a long walk, and now it is noontime. The sun is hot, right overhead. Jesus and the disciples are overheated and tired.

So Jesus gets to a city and sees a well. It is called Jacob’s well, because this used to be Jacob’s plot of land, which he gave to his son Joseph a long time ago. The Samaritan people still think this land is special because it belonged to Jacob.

Jesus, all tired out by the walk, plops down next to the well. The disciples go on ahead to buy some food for them. Jesus is alone.

Then a Samaritan woman stops at the well to draw some water and fill her jug. Jesus looks at her and smiles. He says, “Please give me a drink.”

The woman is surprised. Jews do not talk with Samaritans! Jews and Samaritans are not supposed to be friendly with each other! Her eyes open wide. “How is it that you ask me for a drink? You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan!”



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Jesus does not talk about Jews and Samaritans. Instead, he says, “If you knew what God gives you, and who is asking you for a drink, it would be you asking, and he would be giving you living water.”

The woman peers into the well. Living water down there? She says to him, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket, and that well is deep. I don’t think you can get what you want from that well. So where do you get that living water?”

And then she thinks, Oh! Maybe this man is even greater than Jacob, who gave us this well! Maybe he will make this well even better! So she asks Jesus, “Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob?”

Jesus looks at the water in the well. It’s just water. He says to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. You’ll come back for this water again and again. But anyone who drinks the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. That’s because the water that I will give is different. It is water that will become in you a spring of water that gushes up to eternal life.”

The woman thinks, Oh! His water is different water! And I will never be thirsty ever again! She says to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water, so I will never be thirsty again! And I will never have to come back to this well every single day to get water ever again!” She does not yet understand that Jesus is talking about himself. Jesus himself is the living water that will bring eternal life. She does not yet understand.

Jesus changes the subject. “Go and call your husband, and both of you come back to me.”

But she says, “I don’t have a husband.”

Jesus says, “Right! You have had five husbands! But you don’t have a husband right now, because the man in your life now is not your husband. You are not married to him.”

The woman sees that Jesus knows all about her. But he does not scold her or blame her. He just sees her, very clearly. This is no ordinary man. She says to


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him, “Sir, I see you are a prophet. And I know the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will tell us everything we need to know.”

Jesus says, “You are speaking to him right now. I am that one.”

The woman is excited beyond belief. Just as the disciples are coming back with lunch, the woman turns and runs off to the city. She is so excited that she leaves her water jar sitting by the well. If you cup your ears, you can hear her cry out, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! Come and see him! Can he be the Messiah? Is he the Messiah?”

A crowd gathers around her as she tells how she met a man who would give her living water so she would have eternal life, how he told her that she has had five husbands, how he said that he is the one they are waiting for. They too are excited, and they hurry to the well to find this man who might be the Messiah.

He is still there. The Samaritans ask him to stay with them for a while, so he can teach them. Jesus stays in their town for two days and teaches them, and many of the people grow to see him as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. They don’t want him to leave, but he has work to do. So after two days, Jesus and his disciples move on.


G aT h e R I n G aC T I V I T Y: V I L L aG e To W e L L a n D B aC k aG a I n m a z e

Help the Samaritan woman get to Jesus at the well. Then find a different way back to the village.

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P e n C I L h o L D e Rfor Preschool, Primary

Children make a pencil holder that looks like a well. They may give it away or keep it for their use.

materials:clean, empty cans, such as a soup cans (8 to 10 oz. can), 1 per child“stone well” pattern (p. 13)green construction papergluecrayonsscissorsnew pencilsoptional: tiny artificial flowersoptional: tape

Preparation:Make a copy of the well pattern for each child.

Directions:Invite each child to make a pencil holder as follows:

1. Color the well picture gray, and cut out.

2. Put the picture around a can, with one edge along the bottom of the can. Glue the picture to a can. If you have excess paper at the top of the can, fold it over into the can and glue.

3. Cut a strip of green construction paper 1" x 9". Cut slits along the paper to make a “grass” pattern. Glue this to the bottom of the can.

4. For a pretty effect, tape some tiny artificial flowers along the “grass.”

5. Add pencils for a nice gift for yourself or your family.

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G I F T C u Pfor Preschool, Primary, elementary

Children make mugs to give to others, spreading the living water of love that Jesus gives to us.

materials:Styrofoam® cupscocoa or tea mix in packetspattern for cup cover (p. 15)crayons or markersindex cards, without linesstickers: hearts, stars, picturesscissorsglue

Preparation:Make copies of the pattern of the cup cover, one or two per child. The children may make two each, one for themselves and one to give away.

Directions:Invite each child to make a gift mug as follows:

1. Color a pretty picture on the cup cover pattern, then cut out.

2. Glue the cup cover onto the Styrofoam cup. Glue the handles together.

3. Put an unopened packet of tea or hot cocoa mix into the cup.

4. Write a cheery greeting on an index card and add some stickers. Put the note into the cup.

5. Give the cups to the homebound in your church, to the sick or to family members.



L I V I n G WaT e R o F J e S u S S h a k e Rfor Primary, elementary

Children make an underwater scene that moves like a snow shaker.

materials:plastic water bottles with the labels removed, with the cap, 1 per childblue food coloringcorn syrupwatermetallic sparkles or sequinspaper (white or pastel)gluescissorsmarkers or crayons

Directions:Invite each child to make a living-water scene as follows:

1. Pour ½ cup corn syrup into the bottle. Fill the rest with water.

2. Add a few drops of blue food coloring.

3. Add metallic sparkles to the water. Cover the bottle tightly, sealing with a hot glue gun if necessary.

4. Cut a piece of paper into a strip 2" wide and 1" longer than the circumference of the bottle.

5. Color a water scene on the picture. Glue the picture so that it wraps around the base of the bottle, unless the picture (like a boat or octopus) looks better centered on the bottle.



Pa S S I n G T h e n e W Sfor elementary, Intermediate

Children pass a marble or ping pong ball, pretending it is the Good News of God in Christ.

materials:paper towel tubes or wrapping paper tubes, 1 per childmarbles or ping pong balls (make sure the ball will fit through the tube)

Directions:1. Divide the group into two teams. Have each team line up front to back and spread out.

2. Give each child a tube. Give the first person in each line a ball.

3. The first person will put the ball into their tube and pass it into the tube of the next person, without using their hands to keep the ball inside. The ball is to roll into one end of the tube and out the other end, into the tube of the next player, and so on.

4. When the ball reaches the end of the line, everyone on that team shouts Spread the Good News!

Variations: ■ Have the last person in line run to the front and pass the ball to the front person, and do this relay for two

times. In this way, everyone gets to try to pass the ball. ■ Or gather in a circle as one team and try to pass the ball around the circle.

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T h e W e L L o F L I V I n G WaT e Rfor Primary, elementary

Preschool children would also enjoy this craft, but need a lot of assistance making it. Children make a well filled with the sayings of Jesus. They use magnets to draw up the “living water.”

materials:paper crayonsscissors glue glue gun Sayings of Jesus (p. 19)magnets paper clipstape stringlarge cans, with labels removed (30 oz. cans, coffee cans, round oatmeal boxes, etc.

Smaller cans will also work), 1 per child

Preparation:1. Cut paper to the size of the can, plus an extra inch to allow for gluing.

2. Make a copy of the Sayings of Jesus (p. 19) for each child.

Directions:Invite each child to make a well as follows:

1. Color the cut paper to decorate the outside of the can. You can make a picture of stones for a stone well, or draw flowers, or water buckets or whatever you think might go outside a well.

2. Glue the paper to the can. This is your “well.”

3. Cut out the sayings of Jesus. Attach a paper clip to each saying, using tape or poking the paper clip through the paper.

4. Put the sayings into the can “well.”

5. Cut a length of string. Tape or glue one end of the string to the bucket. Use a glue gun to glue the other end to a magnet.

6. Hold the string and lower the magnet into the “well.” Have the magnet catch one of the paper clipped sayings and lift that out of the well.



S aY I n G S o F J e S u S


This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Let the little children come to me, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.

Seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Be merciful, just as your Father in heaven is merciful.

You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see

your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.


m eG a P h o n e To S P R e aD T h e n e W Sfor Preschool

Children make a megaphone from construction paper and decorate it.

materials:construction papermarkers or crayonsscissorsmegaphone shape (p. 21)tape or glue gun, staplerstickersribbonhole punch

Preparation:Using construction paper and the shape on page 18 as your guide, cut a megaphone for each child.

Directions:1. On the megaphone shape, write for the children Jesus Is Our Lord.

2. Invite the children to decorate the megaphone with markers or crayons and add stickers for fun.

3. Use glue gun, tape or staples to put the megaphone together.

4. Punch two holes on opposite sides, at the mouthpiece end of the megaphone.

5. Cut a length of ribbon and tie it to the holes. The ribbon should be long enough so that the children can hang the megaphones around their necks.



“ S P R e aD T h e W o R D” m e S S aG e C e n T e R

for Preschool, Primary

Children make notepads on a hand-shaped base.

materials:small (1" x 2") Post-It® pads, 1 pad per childposter board, various colorsstringpencilsgolf pencils, 1 per childscissorsgluescotch tapeoptional: twist ties

Directions:1. Make an outline of each child’s hand on the poster board. Let

him or her choose the color. Stop at the wrist.

2. Invite the children to cut out the hand shape.

3. In the center of the hand, glue a post-it pad.

4. Cut a short length of string and tie it to one finger of the hand (the “reminder string”).

5. Cut a length of string around 10". Tie one end of the string to a golf pencil. Tape the other end of the string to the hand, next to the post-it pad.

OR poke both ends of a twist tie into the hand next to the post-it pad. Put a golf pencil in the loop and twist the ends together at the back to secure.



“J u m P I n G Fo R J oY ” W o m a nfor Preschool, Primary

Children use paper and fabric to make a woman with limbs that can move and dance.

materials:pattern for woman (p. 24), 1 per childcard stock, poster board or regular paperpaper fastenersscissorscrayonsstringfabric scrapsglue

Preparation:Make a copy of the pattern for each child. If possible, use card stock instead of regular paper.

Directions:Invite each child to make a woman as follows:

1. Color the parts of the woman and cut out. Be sure to color a face for her!

2. Have an adult carefully poke holes where indicated in the woman’s joints.

3. Use the paper fasteners to attach the different parts together.

4. Cut some fabric for clothes, and glue these onto the body.

5. Write on the doll, I have met the Messiah!

6. Cut a 12" length of string. Thread through the top of the head and tie together.

7. Hold the string and bounce the doll up and down to make her “jump for joy.”



h o P P I n G D o L Lfor elementary

Children make a happy doll like the woman at the well who met Jesus.

materials:3 11" x 18" matching colors of construction paper per childother colors of construction papermarkers or crayonsbuttons and other accessoriesscissorsglueyarn

Directions:Invite each child to make a doll as follows:

1. Cut two of the 11" x 18" pieces of paper in half lengthwise, to make four 5½" x 18" pieces of paper. These will be the arms and the legs of the doll. Fold the arms and legs accordion-style.

2. The third 11" x 18" paper will be the shirt/body of the doll.

3. Cut a head, two shoes and two hands from the other pieces of construction paper. Each piece should be around 8" wide.

4. Glue the hands and feet to the ends of the arms and legs.

5. Placing the shirt/body piece of paper so that it is taller than it is wide, glue the head onto the top of the shirt/body. Glue the arms to the sides and the legs to the bottom.

6. Cut hair from yarn or paper and glue onto the head.

7. Make a hat, ribbons or other accessories.

8. Decorate the shirt and glue on buttons if desired.



P o C k e T P I C T u R efor Preschool, Primary

Children make the woman at the well scene, with a bucket that fits in the well.

materials:picture of woman, well and bucket (p. 27), 1 per childcrayonsconstruction paper, 9" x 12"scissorsgluestringtape

Preparation:Make a copy of the pictures for each child.

Directions:Invite each child to make a picture as follows:

1. Color the pictures and cut out.

2. Help children to put glue on the bottom and two sides of the well, then glue it to the construction paper. Do not glue the top of the well, and leave a little opening at the top.

3. Glue the woman to the paper, near the well.

4. Cut a length of string around 6". Tape one end to the well. Tape the other end to the back of the bucket.

5. Put the bucket into the well. The bucket can be lifted out of the well, using the string.



m a R C h I n G S o n Gfor Preschool

Children pretend that they are going back to the village to tell everyone about Jesus!

Sing this song to the tune of “Hi Ho, Hi Ho,” as you march around the room.

Hi ho, hi hoCome see the Savior now!Hi ho hi hoHi ho hi hoHi ho, hi ho hi ho

Hi ho, hi hoNow Jesus Christ is here!Hi ho hi hoHi ho hi hoHi ho, hi ho hi ho

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Co n T e m P o R a R Y V I D eo o R S k I Tfor Intermediate

Children make up a contemporary version of Jesus meeting the outcast Samaritan woman. Who would be an outcast in your community?

materials:script (p. 30)optional: video recorder and videotape

Preparation:Make a copy of the script for each student, if desired.

Directions:Invite the group to plan the skit as follows:

1. Pick a contemporary scene, and what people normally think of as “outcast” or marginal people. Please be careful that everyone is sensitive to stereotypes, and remember—in this story, it is the outcast Samaritan woman who is the receiver of Jesus’ saving message, and who is the first to hear it!

2. Pick actors to play the different parts: Jesus, the marginal person, Jesus’ friends, the marginal person’s neighbors.

3. You can fill in the script and have someone narrate the story while the other children act it out. Or you can make up your own story, using your own words.

4. Videotape the story and show to others in your church school or to adults. This is a good lesson for everyone on who is open to Christ.

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Co n T e m P o R a R Y S C R I PT: W o m a n o F S a m a R I a

Based on John 4:1-42

Jesus lives in (name of city or town), but he has gone to (name of city or town a distance away). Now he is on his way back. He takes (route, road or highway name) that will take him there, but he gets tired, so he stops at a (rest stop, motel or other place) to rest. There he meets a (category of person) eating some (food or drink). Jesus talks to the (same person), who is named (name). He knows that (name) (why this person is outcast or marginal). (Name) sees that Jesus is from God, the Messiah, and hurries back to (name of marginal person’s hometown) to tell everyone that he/she has found the Messiah. They are very (adjective for a feeling or emotion). Meanwhile, Jesus’ friends have seen Jesus talking to a (category of person). They are (adjective for their feeling or emotion, or judgment), but they don’t say anything.


B e aD e D WaT e R D R o P L e T, R a I n D R o P a n D I C I C L e

for Intermediate

Children string beads onto pipe cleaners to make various water shapes.

Beaded Water Dropletmaterials:

various sizes and shapes of beads, mostly crystal clear, but some pale blue; 12-15 beads per childwhite or white sparkly pipe cleanersliquid glueSee page 33 for definitions of faceted beads, cartwheel beads and rondelle beads used in these crafts.

Directions:Invite each child to assemble a craft as follows:

1. String the beads onto a pipe cleaner to make a water droplet shape, beginning with the top bead. You will probably use around 12-15 beads. See the illustration for a suggestion on what size beads to use, in what order.

2. Leave at least 2" of pipe cleaner at the top, above the top bead, for hanging.

3. Before putting in the last bead, add a drop of glue at the end of the pipe cleaner, then add the last bead. Hold your creation for a minute to let the glue dry.



Beaded Raindrop materials (per raindrop):

1 crystal 25-mm cartwheel bead2 blue 18-mm cartwheels2 crystal 12-mm cartwheels2 blue 10-mm cartwheels2 crystal rondelles2 blue 4-mm facet beads6" white iridescent pipe cleaner

Directions:Invite the children to string the beads as follows:

1. Beginning with a loop on one end, add beads as follows:one 4-mm facetone rondelleone 10-mm cartwheelone 12-mm cartwheelone 18-mm cartwheelone 25-mm cartwheelone 18-mm cartwheelone 12-mm cartwheelone 10-mm cartwheelone rondelle

2. Add a touch of glue to the end of the pipe cleaner and add one 4-mm facet bead.



Beaded Icicle materials (per icicle):

1 crystal 12-mm facet bead1 crystal 8-mm facet2 crystal 6-mm facets1 crystal 4-mm facet5 crystal 18-mm cartwheels5 crystal 12-mm cartwheels5 crystal 10-mm cartwheelswhite pipe cleaner

Directions:Invite each child to string the beads as follows:

1. Thread the beads onto the pipe cleaner in the order listed. 1 crystal 12-mm facet bead5 crystal 18-mm cartwheel1 crystal 8-mm facet5 crystal 12-mm cartwheels1 crystal 6-mm facet5 crystal 10-mm cartwheels1 crystal 6-mm facet1 crystal 4-mm facet

2. Add a touch of glue before adding the last 4-mm facet bead, to hold it in place.

Definitions:Rondelle beads are often called spacer beads and are flatter than faceted beads. You can also use regular “faceted beads” in place of “rondelles.”

Faceted beads are cut to produce multiple flat faces for a dazzling effect. These are beads that are of different shapes but have “facets” so they look like gems or diamonds. They have a lot of different colors and shapes, just like gemstones.

Cartwheel beads are also called snowflakes or pinwheels because of their shape.



Co n V e R S aT I o n J u m P STa R T:T h e R o aD To S u CC e S S

for Intermediate

Name someone you think of as “successful”: _______________________

What do you think it takes to be a success in life? Check all that apply.

___ good grades ___ a good family ___ a nice car ___ a big house ___ lots of friends ___ the right clothes___ being religious ___ lots of money ___ a certain kind of job ___ leadership ability ___ being kind and generous ___ being in the “in crowd”___ pushing for yourself

What kind of work do you think of as a “successful job”?

34 | LeSSon 23 | The Woman aT The WeLL SPReaDS The WoRD | WeaVInG ToGeTheR The FamILY oF GoD, YeaR 2 | ConVeRSaTIon


How will you know you are successful when you are:

25 years old? __________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

45 years old? __________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

65 years old? __________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

When you die, what would you like to have written on your tombstone?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Now see what the Bible says about being successful. Look up Matthew 6:19- 21 and Luke 16:19-25. What do they say? Discuss the meaning of these passages as a group.

35 | LeSSon 23 | The Woman aT The WeLL SPReaDS The WoRD | WeaVInG ToGeTheR The FamILY oF GoD, YeaR 2 | ConVeRSaTIon ConT.

© 2014 by Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

Lesson 23: The WomAn AT The WeLL spreAds The Word

We believe . . .A woman is an early evangelist

for Christ, one who was “called” to preach the Good News. The

Episcopal Church has ordained women to the priesthood since the 1970’s, recognizing that gender is not a barrier to a holy calling.

By the same token, the Episcopal Church recognizes that, in one way or other, all are called to preach the Good News of God in Christ. This is one of the promises that we make when we are baptized, and when we renew our baptismal vows (see BCP p. 305). Men, women, children are all God’s agents of hope and reconciliation to the world.

Today’s storyJohn 4, especially 1-42 The Samaritan woman that Jesus meets at the well is the exact opposite of Nicodemus. He is an Israelite; she a

despised Samaritan. He has a noble heritage; she has a shameful past. He is a respected teacher of the ruling class, she a common woman with a bad reputation. He is highly educated; she is simple. He comes to Jesus intentionally; she meets him by accident. He has seen signs and knows that Jesus is “from God”; she meets him as a complete stranger. He is skeptical; she is open. He comes in secret; she goes out to evangelize.But look how the woman opens herself up to Jesus’ words! Each response shows a little more understanding and openness to Jesus. “Sir, give me this water.” “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.” “Come see a man...the Christ!” By stages she opens up to Jesus and his message. We can look at the woman as a model of a disciple, though she never is counted as one of Jesus’ disciples. In a way, she is the first Christian

evangelist and missionary, as she runs back to her town to proclaim Jesus as Messiah.

Words of Faithliving water – a life-giving, life-sustaining relationship with Jesus

Spirit – the Holy Spirit; the third person in the Trinity; that sustains our daily life

Messiah – one sent from God; Jesus

believing – knowing what is true, and trusting in the truth

Like the Samaritan woman, we can encounter Jesus—with openness and honesty—in everyday life.

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© 2014 by Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.MorehouseEducation.org. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only.

Lesson 23 | The WomAn AT The WeLL spreAds The Word | WeAvinG God’s promises, YeAr 2

sharingRead the story of the Samaritan woman from a children’s Bible, showing the pictures, or from your family Bible.

You may want to begin by giving some background about the traditional relations between Jews and Samaritans and between men and women. Then the conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman becomes even more amazing.

With family members, discuss: ■ How does she compare with

Nicodemus? ■ How is she different? ■ How are we like this woman?

household prayer

Loving God, you promise to us your gift of living water, and you promise eternal life to us as we believe in you. Stay with us this week, showing us your love, that we may know you are with us always. We ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

This Week at home ■ Build the scene and recreate the story. LEGO® bricks or

other construction toys lend themselves to the construction of a well. Either build the figures of Jesus and the Samaritan

woman or use figures that may come with the construction set. Act out the story, improvising additional dialogue.

■ Place yourselves in the story. Imagine that your family was gathered around a drinking fountain at the local mall. Suddenly you realize that Jesus is standing beside you. He asks, “How would you like some living water?” Who speaks first? And what do you say?

■ Draw the Messiah. On a piece of paper, draw an outline of a person. On it, let members of the family add words or pictures that describe what the woman of Samaria might have seen in Jesus that identifies him as the Messiah. How did she know? What made her so sure? What is it that Jesus did or said that made her recognize him as the Messiah? In that short conversation, did he sound wise? mysterious? kind? Did he have a certain smile? Was there an aura around him?

■ Make a book about water. Jesus promised us “living water.” He gave us a good image, for water is a life-giving substance. It is refreshing, cleansing, purifying, cool and essential to life. Make a book showing all the ways that water brings us life. Let each member draw a single page illustrating a facet of water, or have each person make his or her own book. Then compare images of water. How many images have you pictured? How is Jesus like water, but better? How is Jesus “life-giving”?

■ Look at the Rite of Baptism in the Book of Common Prayer. On page 306, the celebrant says a prayer of “Thanksgiving over the water.” Read that together. Recall the stories that the prayer refers to. Then discuss the baptisms in your family. What were they like? Does anyone remember their own, or their family member’s baptism? Talk about how Jesus is in that baptismal water that was poured over you at your baptism. What changes happen in baptism because of that living water?

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