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Lesson Plan: Prayer

Opening Prayers:

We will begin by saying prayers. Please remember to: Sit properly, be silent, sit still, close your eyes, and use a loud, clear and loving voice. I will say the first prayer and then we will take turns in a circle.

“O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.” -`Abdu'l-Bahá

Praise and encourage the children for sitting nicely and saying good prayers.

Lesson:
(# = pause, praise and correct the children's answers)

Today we are going to learn about prayer.
Q: Who can tell me why we pray? #
A: 1. We pray because this is the way we talk to God. `Abdu'l-Bahá says: “Prayer is conversation with God.” When we talk to God, He hears us. He does not always give us what we ask for, but He hears us and does what He feels is best for us.
2. We also pray to help our souls grow. Bahá'u'lláh says: “Remembrance of Me is a healing medicine to the souls.” Fruits and vegetables help our body grow, and prayers help our soul grow.
Q: How should we pray? #
A: Show me how you would sit in the presence of a king. # Praying to God is like praying to the King of Kings.
Q: How much greater is God than a king? #
A: Yes, you are right. He is much greater.
Q: Then, how should we behave when we are praying? # Q:How do you talk to someone you love very, very much? # Q: How do you show them how much you love them with the way you talk to them? #
We should love God more than any person.
Q: So how should we say our prayers? #
A: With the most loving voice
`Abdu'l-Bahá says:“When you wish to pray, you must first know that you are standing in the presence of the Almighty.”
In our Children's Classes, we will have five rules for how to pray.
They are:
1. Sit properly.
2. Be silent.
3. Sit still.
4. Close your eyes.
5. Use a loving voice.
You will also practice saying prayers properly at home.
Q: When should we pray? #
A: We should pray every morning when we wake up and every evening before we go to sleep. We can also pray at any other time when we feel like talking to God. Like when we are happy, sad, lonely, afraid, or when we need help. Bahá'u'lláh says: "Recite ye the verses of God every morning and evening."

Singing:

Snack/break:
Story and coloring:
Show a picture of Shoghi Effendi as a small child. Have the children colour pictures of children praying.
Shoghi Effendi loved to say prayers. One day a pilgrim asked `Abdu'l-Bahá to write a prayer especially for children. When it was finished, Shoghi Effendi was the first to learn it by heart.
When he was very young, Shoghi Effendi kept asking his Grandfather to write him a letter.
“O My Shoghi...,” wrote `Abdu'l-Bahá at last. “Now is not the time for you to read and write, it is the time for jumping about and chanting, 'O My God!', therefore memorize the prayers of the Blessed Beauty [] and chant them that I may hear them...”
So Shoghi Effendi did just that. He learned as many prayers as he could and chanted them so loudly that not only `Abdu'l-Bahá heard him, but everyone else as well! His parents told him to chant more quietly, but Shoghi Effendi said that `Abdu'l-Bahá had told him to chant loudly so that He might hear him, and that he was doing his best!
`Abdu'l-Bahá smiled and told the grown-ups not to stop him.
Review lesson:
Ask the children what they remember learning today. Praise their answers. Explain their homework.
Closing Prayers/Singing:

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