Celebrations and the Local Church
From Advent to Easter, the Christian year has a rhythm of celebration, and the local church lives it out in its community through worship, fellowship and outreach. Learn the festivals and the church's role, and compare how Christians and Muslims gather.
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The rhythm of the year ⛪
Christian life has a rhythm of **celebrations** through the year, from **Advent** to **Easter**. It is lived out in the **local church**, the community of Christians in one place. This module explores the main **festivals** and the **role** the local church plays in its community.
The language of the church year 🔑
Four ideas run through the topic:
Order the church year 🪜
An interactive activity.
Match each festival to its meaning 🔗
- Christmas
- Easter
- Advent
- Holy Week
- The birth of Jesus, God coming into the world
- The resurrection of Jesus from the dead
- A time of preparation in the weeks before Christmas
- The last days of Jesus, from Palm Sunday to the cross
Gathering the community 🤝
Festivals and worship gather a religious community together. This can be compared across religions.
The greatest festival ✝️
What do Christians celebrate at Easter, the most important festival of the year?
- The resurrection of Jesus from the dead
- The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
- The giving of the Ten Commandments
- The end of the harvest season
More than a building 🏘️
The **local church** is more than a building: it is the **community of Christians** in one place. It is a centre of **worship** and **fellowship**, of **teaching** and **mission**, and of **outreach**, running food banks and supporting those in need. The New Testament pictures church leaders as **shepherds** caring for their flock, as taught in 1 Peter 5:1-4. Many churches also practise **ecumenism**, working together across denominations.
Complete the summary 🧩
The season of _____ prepares Christians for Christmas, while _____ prepares them for Easter. At Easter, Christians celebrate the _____ of Jesus. The local _____ is the community of Christians in one place, a centre of worship and _____. Different denominations working together is called ecumenism.
What the local church does ✅
Select the TWO roles a local church plays in its community.
- Running outreach such as food banks for those in need
- Being a centre of worship and fellowship
- Collecting taxes on behalf of the government
- Deciding the national laws of the country
Serving the community 🙌
An interactive activity.
What is Lent? 🕯️
What is Lent, in the Christian year?
- Forty days of preparation and self-denial before Easter
- The celebration of Jesus being born
- A single day of harvest thanksgiving
- The week straight after Christmas Day
Spot the true statements 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Why the local church matters ✍️
An interactive activity.