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Welcome to the 2023–24 program year of the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies! Be assured of our prayers for you and the young people in your care as you embark upon another year of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and links to online resources.
Videos of Sunday’s Gospel
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
Gospel Reading and Reflection for Kids
Sunday Gospel Cartoon Reading and Lesson
Holy Heroes
The Laborers in the Vineyard
Odd Jobs: Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Seeds
Lesson Theme: God’s love is generous.
As we begin a new year, we want to remind you to check our online resources for Seeds, including the Extending Activities, Eucharist Quote and Reflection, and Word of the Week. We also suggest that you use a Church Year calendar every week with the children. Check to see if your parish or school already has Church Year calendars for 2023. The new Church Year begins on Sunday, December 3, so plan to have a 2024 calendar by that time.
We suggest that you set aside an area in your classroom for praying and proclaiming the Gospel. Cover a low table, desk, or a box with a simple cloth. Display a cross or crucifix and a battery-powered candle. You may wish to provide other décor, seasonal symbols, flowers, or pictures of saints. Try to highlight the liturgical color in your prayer space. Small sheets of felt are an inexpensive option.
For this week’s lesson, Seeds focuses on God’s generous love. Take this opportunity to remind the children that God cares for all of us, especially when we are going through difficult times.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Promise
Lesson Theme: God’s love is generous.
As we begin a new year, we want to remind you to check our online resources for Promise, including the Extending Activities, Eucharist Quote and Reflection, and Word of the Week. We also suggest that you use a Church Year calendar every week with the children. Check to see if your parish or school already has Church Year calendars for the remainder of 2023. The new Church Year begins on Sunday, December 3, so plan to have a 2024 calendar by that time.
We suggest that you set aside an area in your classroom for praying and proclaiming the Gospel. Cover a low table, desk, or a box with a simple cloth. Display a cross or crucifix and a battery-powered candle. You may wish to provide other décor, seasonal symbols, flowers, or pictures of saints. Try to highlight the liturgical color in your prayer space. Small sheets of felt are an inexpensive option.
Find a story coloring page to accompany “Dad’s Birthday Dinner” here. This story will help the children infer that their actions can show love to others.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Bible Bag: Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole
Good News
Lesson Theme: God is generous to his people.
As we begin a new year, we want to remind you to check our online resources for Good News, as well as the Eucharist Quote and Reflection. We also suggest that you use a Church Year calendar every week with the children. Check to see if your parish or school already has Church Year calendars for 2023. The new Church Year begins on Sunday, December 3, so plan to have a 2024 calendar by that time.
We suggest that you set aside an area in your classroom for praying and proclaiming the Gospel. Cover a low table, desk, or a box with a simple cloth. Display a cross or crucifix and a battery-powered candle. You may wish to provide other décor, seasonal symbols, flowers, or pictures of saints. Try to highlight the liturgical color in your prayer space. Small sheets of felt are an inexpensive option.
For this class, catechists and teachers will need several copies of recent parish bulletins. The children will identify ways that your parish does the work of Jesus. Other supplies to gather are a long sheet of butcher paper, stapler or tape, scissors, pencils, crayons, and a poster board (optional).
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
What Is the Church?
Venture
Lesson Theme: God’s love is for everyone.
As you begin a new year, we remind you to check our online resources for Venture, including lesson assessments, seasonal activity pages, weekly videos, and parent teaching pages for home use. The activity on page 1 in this lesson may be used as a pacing activity as the young people arrive in the classroom. While we discourage its use as a test, it will help catechists and teachers get some sense of the general faith knowledge and vocabulary of their students. You will need scissors and tape for the vineyard prayer activity.
This Sunday’s Gospel may not seem fair. How can those who worked only a few hours receive the same pay as those who worked all day? Emphasize that this parable is not really about wages, but about God’s love. He wants all of us to receive the abundance of his blessings, no matter who came to him first. We encourage you to take this opportunity to give comfort to the young people who may feel unsure about everything that is going on around them and remind them that God cares for all of us, especially when we are going through difficult times.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
What Is a Parable?
Saint Francis Xavier
Visions
Lesson Theme: God’s love abounds.
As you begin a new year, please refer to the online resources for Visions, including lesson assessments, seasonal activity pages, weekly videos, and parent teaching pages for home use. This year, we are also suggesting that you reference a Church Year calendar every week with the young people; you can find this on the inside back cover of the What the Church Believes and Teaches handbook.
Some students love an ice-breaker activity like the one on this week’s lesson cover. For those students who hesitate, try to connect them with another student or kick off their “Know” chart by asking if you may initial one of their squares.
This Sunday’s Gospel may not seem fair. How can those who worked only a few hours receive the same pay as those who worked all day? Emphasize that this parable is not really about wages but about God’s love. He wants all of us to receive the abundance of his blessings, no matter who came to him first. We encourage you to take this opportunity to give comfort to the young people who may feel unsure about everything that is going on around them and remind them that God cares for all of us, especially when we are going through difficult times.
Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Parent/Grandparent Assistance for Home Study
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Video
The Mass—Catholic Central
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