#4 will be emphasized: Contemplate God’s amazing creation to discover a feeling of wonder. Discuss ways to pay attention to God’s world so as to nurture this sense of awe.
Objectives for Photography Workshop
The Workshop Leader and other adults will share photos of things God created that inspire awe in them. Then, depending on available equipment and photo opportunities around the church building, children either will use cameras to capture something that inspires awe, or the children will cut out pictures from magazines that inspire awe.
The children will think about, find, and share places and things that make them stop and ponder their place in God’s creation.
PREPARATION
Read the Bible Background.
Meditate on experiences of awe in your life.
Materials List
Bibles Dictionary Glue sticks Library books with photos of awe-inspiring, God-created places and things. Look for art books, such as ones featuring Ansel Adam’s work; space and astronomy books, especially collections of Hubble photographs; travel and geography books; and books with microscopic photos.
Markers Polaroid cameras and film (or disposable Polaroids) OR digital cameras and computer and printer and paper OR magazines with pictures of places and things God created (such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, travel magazines) Poster board
Advance Preparation Requirements
Workshop Leader and Shepherds (or other adult helpers) should bring in photos of things that inspire awe in them (will vary: mountains, oceans, babies, flowers, rainbow, ...). They should be prepared to do some personal sharing about their response to these things.
Be familiar with how to operate the photography equipment and how to print pictures.
OPTIONAL: extend the lesson by requesting awe-inspiring photos from home – either for this lesson, to be brought in and shared the next week, or as a photo/art show in the church.
PRESENTATION
Open - Introduction
Go around the class and ask each child to name something that God created that inspires a “Wow!” reaction from him or her.
Explain that in today’s workshop the children and adults will be thinking about majesty and awe.
Ask for definitions of majesty and awe. Look the words up in the dictionary, if necessary.
Distribute Bibles. Read Psalm 8.
Look at verses 3-4. Ask, “Is the Psalmist (David) saying that people are majestic and awesome? I wonder why God pays any attention to us – we are so small and short-lived compared to the moon and the stars.”
Along with the Shepherd or other adult, talk about your personal experience(s) of awe and share your photos. You may want to use pictures from books and magazines to supplement this discussion.
Talk about: What other things inspire awe in people?
Dig - Main Content
Give the children instructions, such as: Today we are going to capture “awe” with cameras/find “awe” in photos. Try to capture something that makes you say “Wow! Look at what God did! And still God loves me and knows me!” After you take/find your photos, we’ll come back together and talk about them.
After the children take/find their photos, have them glue them to poster board and add a caption, such as “When I look at ____, the work of your fingers, I wonder, ‘What am I that you are mindful of me, what are human beings that you are mindful of them?’”
Go around the room and share photos. Discuss why the particular subjects are awe-inspiring.
Reflect - Closure
You found some great, awe-inspiring pictures of great and glorious things that God has created! Do any of you ever feel little and alone? When?
Do you ever feel great and glorious? When?
Let’s revisit David’s question in verses 3 and 4. Reread Psalm 8:3-4.
God has created so many great and wonderful and awe-inspiring things – why does God notice us at all? How does that make you feel? How should we respond?
Respond by reading the Psalm together in unison. If time permits, ask for volunteers to share the parts of the Psalm that they have memorized, or if it is early in the rotation, read the Psalm (or the memory verse portions) together again in unison.
Close with prayer:
Lord God, Awesome God, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Thank you for loving us and for watching over us. Help us to see the majesty in all of your creation. Guide us as we watch over all the gifts you have given us. Help us to be mindful of all you have done for us and to live lives which are pleasing to you. Amen.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Adaptations - Younger Children
Use magazine pictures rather than cameras, or send the children in small groups with an adult to use the camera.
Adaptations - Older Children
Write a paragraph to go with the photo – describe what it is and the response it evokes.
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