So, we did a Vacation Puppet Camp
Here is the Puppet Show and the program, followed by the teaching themes for each day. We used the reading for the healing of Jairus' daughter. Each camper made his or her own puppet. You can go to the various Youtube "do it yourself" links for puppet making or google a presentation by famed puppeteer, the late Jim Henson. We presented the Puppet Show on Friday evening of Puppet Camp and at our family liturgy on July 1st when the appointed Gospel was the Gospel paragraph on the healing of Jairus' daughter.
Vacation Puppet Camp
Puppet Show Musical Extravaganza
Faith, Health and Life
Puppet 1: Our puppet extravaganza
from Puppet Camp is called, Faith, Health and Life. And Faith begins in believing that this world
was made and belongs to God.
Song: (all sing)
Tune: This Land is your land, this
land is my land.
This world is God’s
world, this world is God’s world. From Morgan Hill
This world is God’s
world, this world is God’s world. God made this world for you and me.
Puppet 2: Can
everyone say “Salvation?” Salvation is a
very important word. Salvation can mean
that God’s preserves or saves us even after we die. Or Salvation while we live is called
health. How many of you like health?
All Puppets: We like
to be healthy! We don’t like to be sick!
Song: We don’t like to be sick (tune, If You’re Happy and You Know It)
We don’t like to be
sick, no we don’t. We don’t like to be
sick no we don’t. We don’t like to be
sick, we don’t like to be sick. We don’t
like to be sick. No we don’t
(puppet shaking their heads no as they sing)
Puppet 3: God takes care of our afterlife because God
promises us eternal life. Eternal life
is another kind of health. It is
salvation.
Puppet 4: There are many stories in the Gospels about Jesus
healing people. Jesus taught and healed
in a place called Galilee . There was a big lake called the Sea of Galilee
Song: We’re off to Galilee (Farmer in the Dell tune)
We off to Galilee,
We’re off to Galilee . Jesus is there, Jesus is there, we’re off to Galilee .
Puppet 5: Jesus got out of a boat on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee . He
was with his disciples and a very worried father named Jairus was there to meet
him.
Puppet Jairus: Jesus,
Jesus! I need your help. My daughter is so sick that I think that she
is going to die. Come and bless her and
pray for her so that can get better.
Jesus: Jairus: I will go with you to see your daughter.
Song: O Lord hear our prayer
(Taize, O Lord Hear My Prayer)
O Lord hear my prayer,
O Lord hear my prayer. When I call,
answer me. O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord
hear my prayer. Come and listen to me.
Puppet 6: Jairus did the right thing. When he had a problem he came and asked Jesus
for help. We should pray and ask Jesus
for help in our lives too. Do you agree?
All Puppets: Yes, we should pray to Jesus.
(On the way to Jairus’ house, a crowd is following closely)
Suddenly Jesus stopped:
Jesus: Who touched
me?
Disciple John: Jesus,
lots of people are touching you. So many
people are crowding around you.
Jesus: I felt some
healing power go out of me to one person.
Who touched me?
Shy woman: O, Jesus,
it was I who touched you. I am so
sorry. I have been in pain for so long
and I have heard so much about you and I did not want to bother you. I thought that if I could just touch you then
I would have a chance to get better.
Jesus: My friend, I’m
not angry with you for touching me. I
honor your faith. I am glad that you
still have hope even when you were sick.
I am glad that you acted upon your hope and came to me. You are a good example to everyone. Whether we are sick or well, it is good to
have faith.
Shy woman: Thank you,
Jesus. I can already feel that my body
is healed.
Song: I touched Him (Tune: He Touched Me, Bill Gaither)
Refrain:
I touched him. O I touched
him. And O what health came to me. I touched Jesus and now I’m well. O, I touched him and He made me well.
Puppet 6: I hear bad news.
Puppet 7: What kind
of bad news?
Puppet 8: It is very
sad new?
Puppet 9: What kind
of sad news?
Puppet 10: Jesus does
not have to come to the home of Jairus now.
Puppet 11: Why,
what’s happened?
Puppet 12: The daughter of Jairus has died! Everyone is sad and everyone is crying. What can Jesus do now?
Puppet 13: Jesus, what will you do?
Jesus: If you have
energy to have fear, you can take that same energy and have faith. Just have faith and good things will happen.
Song: We’ve got faith
like a River (tune, I’ve Got Peace Like
a River)
We’ve got faith like a
river, we’ve got faith like a river, we’ve got faith like a river in our
souls. We’ve got faith like a river,
we’ve faith like a river, we’ve got faith like a river in our souls.
Peter: Jesus, I’ll go with you into the house of Jairus.
James: I will go with you too. I want to help in anyway that I can.
John: Jairus is my
friend and I want to comfort him. I’ll
go with you Jesus.
All the puppets at the house of Jairus:
Puppets: All are moaning and crying….”Oh the girl has
died. The girl has died.”
Jesus: Why are you
crying so much? The girl is not dead;
she is only sleeping.
Puppets: (laughing)….
Puppet 14: Jesus, we
know when someone is dead. Go and see
the girl and you’ll see that she is dead.
(Jesus and the Three disciples go into the house where the girl is lying on a bed)
Jesus goes up to the girl and speaks in Aramaic
Jesus: Talitha cum.
Little girl get up.
Song: Talitha Cum
(tune: God is so Good)
Talitha Cum. Talitha Cum.
O little girl, Arise, Get up!
(Sing three times)
Little Girl Rachel:
(awakens) O Daddy!
What has happened? I can’t
remember anything? I think that I’ve
been in a deep, deep sleep.
Jairus: Rachel, you
are awake and well. Jesus came and he
made you well again. We are very
thankful for Jesus. He is a great doctor
and healer.
Jesus: Please get Rachel something to eat. I’m sure that she must be very hungry after
such a long sleep.
Song: The Lord Is My
Health (tune: Taize, The Lord Is My Light)
The Lord is my
health. My health and salvation. In him I trust, in him I trust.
(Sung three times)
Puppet 14: What did
we learn today?
Puppet 15: We learned to go to Jesus when we have a problem
in life. So when we are sick we pray to
Jesus to help us get better.
Puppet 16: We learned
that it is important to have faith.
Faith means that we can believe in God’s goodness and love even when we
have a difficult problem.
Puppet 17: We learned
that Jesus wants to restore people to good health. Let us all say, “Thank you Doctor
Jesus!” Amen.
Mark 5:21-43
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, `Who touched me?'" He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Preparation Items:
Puppet Material and a variety of prescribed patterns for the children to choose from.
Research and Instruction on how to do the various puppets. Having a session for those who are going to assist in the puppet making.
Building an extended puppet theatre with two side wings to provide cover for all puppeteers
Lesson Plans for Monday-Thursday with Friday being perhaps a full dress rehearsal before doing the final presentation.
Monday Lesson Theme: Jairus Comes to Jesus and ask for Help
Theme: Prayer and Asking God for help.
Tuesday Lesson Theme: The shy woman touches Jesus in secret;
Theme: Jesus rewards Faith.
Wednesday Lesson Theme: The People deliver bad news about Jairus Daughter
Theme: What do we do in our lives when bad or sad
things happen to us
Thursday Lesson Theme: Jesus restores the health of the young girl whom
everyone thought was dead.
Theme: God answers prayer, God honors faith,
God is interested in our health and
Salvation
Friday: Read the entire Gospel story in a paraphrase version and do a dress
rehearsal and present the final puppet shows for parents.
Monday Schedule
5 p.m. Gathering, table grace and light supper
5:30 p.m. Story leader presents the first Lesson Theme
6 p.m. Start work on the Puppets.
6:30 p.m. Practice the songs and Practice the puppet show. Using empty hands as puppets. Assign spoken parts for the participants.
5 p.m. Gathering, table grace and light supper
5:30 p.m. Story leader presents the Second Lesson Theme
6 p.m. Work on the puppets
6:30 p.m. Practice the songs and Practice the puppet show. Using empty hands as puppets.
5 p.m. Gathering, table grace and light supper
5:30 p.m. Story leader presents the Third Lesson Theme
6 p.m. Finish the puppets
6:30 p.m. Practice the songs and Practice the puppet show.
Thursday Schedule
5 p.m. Gathering, table grace and light supper
5:30 p.m. Story leader presents the Fourth Lesson Theme
6 p.m. Finish the puppets
6:30 p.m. Practice the songs and Practice the puppet show
Friday Schedule
5 p.m. Gathering, table grace and light supper
5:30 p.m. Dress rehearsal (while parents gather and wait for performance)
6:30 p.m. Puppet Show Presentation
Tunes: This Land is your Land
If you’re happy and you know it
Oh Lord hear our prayer
The Lord is my Light
The farmer in the Dell
He touched me (Bill Gaither)
God is so Good
I’ve Got Peace like a River
Monday Lesson Theme: Jairus Comes
to Jesus and ask for Help
Theme: Prayer and Asking God for help.
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side of the sea of
Galilee, he was on the shore and large crowd gathered around him. The churches in the time of Jesus were
called synagogues and a man named Jairus was a leader at the synagogue. Jairus was very sad. He came to Jesus and kneeled down and begged
Jesus to come to his house. Jairus said,
“My little girl is very sick and maybe she is close to death. Would you please come and touch her so that
she can feel better.” When Jesus heard
this, he decided to go with Jairus to his house.
Discussion about when bad things happen to us.
Jairus’ daughter was very sick.
Every parent is sad when their children are sick.
What do we do when we get sick?
Should we get angry?
Should we say, “God, why did you let me get sick? Why did you let my child get sick?”
There are lots of good things in life and lots of bad things in
life. We try as hard as we can to avoid
bad things. We try to be safe and
healthy but even when we try hard, some things like sickness can happen to
us. How many of you have been sick in
your life? And even though we wish that
we didn’t have to get sick, some times it just happens because there is freedom
in our world for many things to happen.
Since there is freedom in our world, some good things can happen and
some bad things can happen. So how do
we prepare for the bad things in life?
How do your parent prepare for you when you get sick? They have medicine, they have a doctor for
you to go to. They have a special way to
treat you when you get sick. They want
you to get lots of rest and they want you to stay home from school. And you don’t have to do as much work when
you are sick. One way that we can
prepare for the times that we get sick is to always have the practice of
praying to God for help. Jairus was a
man who came to Jesus for help. He
believed that Jesus could help his daughter get well and so he came to him.
Let us think about a time when we were sick. And let us think about some prayers that we
may want to say when we are sick. We’ll
write the prayers down and keep them.
The lesson for today is that Jairus went to Jesus for help when his
daughter was sick. And we too need to go
to Jesus with our prayers when we are sick or when our friends and family
members are sick. Learning how to pray
and asking God for good things is an important thing to learn.
Tuesday Lesson Theme: The shy
woman touches Jesus in secret;
Theme: Jesus rewards Faith.
On the way to the house of Jairus, a large crowd of people followed
Jesus and everyone wanted to get close to him.
There was a shy woman in the crowd who had suffered with a blood
disease. She had gone to many doctors
but she did not get better; she got worse.
She heard about Jesus and she
thought, “If I can just touch Jesus, maybe I will get better.” So the woman pushed herself through the
crowd close enough to touch the clothes of Jesus and when she did she
immediately felt she was getting better.
Jesus stopped and said, “Who touched me?” because Jesus felt some healing energy go out
of him when someone touched him.” The
disciple said to Jesus, “Lots of people are touching you in this crowd; why do
you think just one person touched you? “
The shy woman came to Jesus and said, “Jesus, I touched you and now I feel
healed. I’m sorry. I hope you are not angry with me.” Jesus said, “I am not angry with you. I am impressed with your faith. You came and touched and believed and now
your faith has made you healthy. Go in
peace and be well.”
Faith is being persuaded that good things will happen to us.
What if I go around saying, “My team is going to lose the soccer game. I am not going to do well in school. I can’t do this homework. Everything is too hard for me to do. It will probably rain tomorrow on my picnic.”
If you only expect bad things to happen to you, you will not be able to
recognize all of the good things that happen to you.
Faith means that you believe that God recognizes you and knows you. Faith means that you believe that God will
honor you with some very good things in your life if you live your life
expecting good things.
Faith is about overcoming the negative things in our life.
Can you change:
I can’t to I can with God’s help
I won’t to I will with God’s help.
Something bad is going to happen
to something good is going to happen.
Make a list of things that show
that you have faith.
Make a list of things that show that you don’t have faith.
I’ll never score a goal. I’ll never hit the ball. I’ll never pass the test.
Wednesday Lesson Theme: The
People deliver bad news about Jairus Daughter
Theme:
What do we do in our lives when bad or sad things
happen to us?
While Jesus was still speaking to the woman, some people
came from the house of Jairus came to Jairus who was still walking with
Jesus. They said to Jairus, “ We’ve got
very bad news. Your daughter is
dead. Just come home; you don’t need to
bring Jesus now.” But Jesus heard them
speaking and he said to Jairus, “Do not be fearful; just keep believing in
God. I will walk with you to your
house.”
Some times we get bad news in life.
And we have to know what to do with bad news.
Can you think of some bad news in this world?
Car accidents, earthquakes, or a fire that destroys homes and trees.
Other bad news? When someone
close to us dies or is hurt. When
someone is sick. When we lose a pet.
What can bad news do to us?
It can make us stop what we
usually do in life.
If we’re sick, can we go to
school? When someone dies, we are not
able to have the same kind of meetings with them. When emergencies happen our daily schedule
gets upset.
What did Jesus do when he heard bad news? The people told Jesus he did not need to go
to Jairus’ house because Jairus’ daughter had died.
Jesus knew that he had to keep doing what he was supposed to do. He did not let bad news keep him from doing
his job, his ministry. It was his job to
heal people and help them get better. He
would not let the bad news discourage him.
So he just kept going.
We need to keep doing many things even when we get bad news. Just because one thing is bad in our lives
there are many other good things and so we can always be encouraged to keep on
going.
Thursday Lesson Theme: Jesus
restores the health of the young girl whom
everyone thought was dead.
Jesus told the crowd to stay outside while he went to the home of Jairus
but he did take with him Peter, James, and John. When they came to the house of
Jairus, Jesus saw that everyone in the house was crying. “Our little girl has died,” they cried.
When Jesus enter the house he said, “Why are you crying? This girl is not dead; she is only
sleeping!” And the family laughed at
Jesus because they thought the girl was dead.
Jesus told everyone to leave the room except Jairus, his wife, Peter,
James and John. Jesus took the girl by
the hand and said, “Talitha cum.” This
means, “Little girl, get up!” And the
girl immediately got up and began to walk.
This little girl was 12 years old.
Everyone was amazed and excited to see the girl alive and well. Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
Theme: God answers prayer, God honors faith, God is interested in our health and
Salvation
What do we learn from this story?
Jairus, the little girl’s father, kept believing Jesus and he was
rewarded.
Jesus did not let bad news keep him from doing what God his Father
wanted him to do.
The disciple learned to trust Jesus and to believe in what he could do.
The lesson is : Don’t give up ever.
Pray and believe that Jesus walks with us in good times and bad times. And always expect some wonderful things.
