Rotation.org Writing Team

PALM SUNDAY ROTATION

MISSION

PASSAGES

Matthew 21:1-11
Mark 11:1-10
Luke 19:28-40
John 12:12-19

MEMORY VERSES

Mark 11:9

Psalm 118:26

OBJECTIVES

Children will:

Older students will locate the stories in the their Bibles; Younger students will learn that the story is in the New Testament in the Gospels.

Know that Jesus came to Jerusalem along with thousands of others to celebrate the Jewish Passover.

Learn that Palm Sunday remembers Jesus' entry into Jerusalem just a few days before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. This story begins the events of Holy Week.

Discover that Jesus' entry on a donkey signified that he was a humble, peaceful Messiah, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.

Understand the meaning of the word Hosanna; the people expected a king to save them. Yet the crowd misunderstood what sort of Messiah Jesus was.

Objectives for Mission Workshop

Children will learn where palms come from and how to support social, environmental, and economic justice.

PREPARATION

Read Bible Background.

Materials List

• Bibles
  
• Container, clear -- for donations
  
• Crayons and/or markers
  
• Dimes, 2
  
• Glue or tape
  
• Maps of Guatemala and Mexico
  
• Palm branch(es) – real (from florist) or artificial (from craft store)
  
• Pennies, 2
  
• Poster board
  

PROCEDURE

Open – Introduction

Greet the children; open with prayer.

Show the students the palm frond. Ask: Do you know what this is? Do you know where it comes from? What is it for? [Allow responses]

In our story today Jesus is coming into Jerusalem. It is the time of Passover. This story is found in all the Gospels, but we will read from John. Distribute Bibles and read John 12:12-19 together.

Dig – Main Content

Say: The people waved palm branches as Jesus rode into town. Let's look at our map and see where they come from. Show the maps of Mexico and Guatemala. Tell the students that palm-producing areas tend to have poorer people who rely heavily on the palm harvest. Although purchases of palms in the United States may reach as high as $4.5 million each year, the palm harvesters themselves earn very little.

Show the 22 cents – 2 dimes and 2 pennies. Say: If the quality of the palms is good, the worker gets 22 cents for each one. If it's not, they will get less. Take away half the money.

Typically community members hired by local contractors do palm harvesting, who then sell palms to large floral export firms. Payment is based on volume, so the harvesters are motivated to gather a large number of palms without regard for the quality. Sadly, this type of harvesting produces a lot of waste. Sometimes up to 50% or more are discarded due to poor quality and this also harms the environment.

Ask: I wonder what the trees would look like if a harvester just cut branches without looking them over to see if they were good? If a harvester is paid for the amount he collects, do you think he is concerned about the quality? The harm to the environment?

But there is good news in this! In Guatemala and Mexico efforts are underway to develop a new way for harvesting palms that protects the environment and also provides a fair income for the harvesters of the palms.

The new way is called "Eco-palms." The palms are harvested in a better way where the harvesters are paid on the quality of the palms, instead of the quantity. This limits the number of palms they can take from the forest. Also, instead of sending the palms to a distant warehouse for sorting and packaging, the community members do those tasks and sell the palms directly. They get a better price, and the money goes directly to the people instead of a salesman or other company.

Reflect – Closure

Older Children

Make posters with facts about eco-palms:

Approximately 300 million palm fronds are consumed in the United States annually.

A congregation of 1, 250 members orders approximately 700 fronds for Palm Sunday services.

Eco-palms are purchased directly from harvesters at 5 to 6 times the normal payment per frond.

Your purchase of eco-palms helps improve standards of living and protect forests.

Have them do a minute for mission in worship on eco-palms

Have them urge their church leaders to buy these palms (22 cents/stem)

Younger Children:

Color pictures of palm branches or The Triumphal Entry.

Decorate a container with 22 cents written on it. Attach pictures of palms.

Congregation

Make a banner from plain felt. At the beginning of Lent, ask all Sunday school class attendees (children, youth, and adults) to bring 22 cents each week to put into a container. Count the change each week and put a paper palm on the banner for every $5 collected. On Palm Sunday, dedicate the funds to eco-palm projects.

To order eco-palms, check the website each year for current deadlines. For 2007 it is March 12.

Close in prayer.

SOURCES

www.pcusa.org/palms/why.htm.
http://cinram.umn.edu/ecopalms/index.html

CONTRIBUTOR: Julie Burton