Synthesis

Kino, 6, was working with the City of Jerusalem. When I asked if he recalled what happened at the Cenacle, he pointed to the Cenacle material, and then to the altar, explaining, "And that's the table."

Thanks be to God!

Maria set the Prayer Table. We then lit the candle and I asked her if there was anything she'd like to thank God for. She responded:
For kitty cats - Thanks be to God! (raising arms in air)
For the whole wide world - Thanks be to God!
For 160 years - Thanks be to God!
For 60 years - Thanks be to God!
For my whole world - Thanks be to God!
For the Holy Spirit in heaven - Thanks be to God!

Look! Jesus is everywhere here!

A catechist told the story of a 3-year-old's first day in the Atrium.
Rosanne practically danced outside of the Atrium, in the courtyard. It was finally her turn to come to the Atrium! She had been coming with her mother, watching her older brother Devin enter the atrium, for three years. Finally, she would hear her own name called! Rosanne was the first to offer to model a "quiet walk", to whisper her name using "quiet talking", and was very eager to name the items she saw on the prayer table. When I asked what she saw, she said, "I see Jesus, holding a lamb." How amazing to me that children intuitively know Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And as we walked through the environment, quietly taking in all that we could with just our eyes, she stopped before some artwork of the Good Shepherd, which hung on the walls near our Mass area. "Look! Jesus is everywhere here!" Another year is underway.

Roberta practically danced outside of the Atrium, in the courtyard. It was finally her turn to come to the Atrium! She had been coming with her mother, watching her older brother Daniel enter the atrium, for three years. Finally, she would hear her own name called! Roberta was the first to offer to model a "quiet walk", to whisper her name using "quiet talking", and was very eager to name the items she saw on the prayer table. When I asked what she saw, she said, "I see Jesus, holding a lamb." How amazing to me that children intuitively know Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And as we walked through the environment, quietly taking in all that we could with just our eyes, she stopped before some artwork of the Good Shepherd, which hung on the walls near our Mass area. "Look! Jesus is everywhere here!" Another year is underway.

An Introduction to the Atrium

The children were gathered around the prayer table for welcoming and an introduction into their special place,the atrium. We then gave every child an item from the prayer table, from the cloth to the Good Shepherd statue, to hold as we very slowly and quietly processed around the room singing, "Come into God's presence singing Alleluia! Alleluia!" Then, as we came back to the prayer table each child in turn placed their item back on the table. (We had 18 children and 6 adults that day!) The children were asked if they had a song they'd like to share and 3 1/2 year old Nena leaped from the floor and very solemnly began to sing, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" All of the children proceeded to sing along in the same solemn manner.

After another song Nena jumped up again and began to sing something entirely of her own creation - in this small lilting voice. Not all of it was intelligible - "love" was mentioned and "beautiful". It only lasted a few seconds and then she shyly sat down - it was so lovely and certainly set the mood and tone for the rest of the morning for all of us - children and adults - in the atrium.

Look! Jesus is everywhere here!

A catechist told the story of a 3-year-old's first day in the Atrium.
Rosanne practically danced outside of the Atrium, in the courtyard. It was finally her turn to come to the Atrium! She had been coming with her mother, watching her older brother Devin enter the atrium, for three years. Finally, she would hear her own name called! Rosanne was the first to offer to model a "quiet walk", to whisper her name using "quiet talking", and was very eager to name the items she saw on the prayer table. When I asked what she saw, she said, "I see Jesus, holding a lamb." How amazing to me that children intuitively know Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And as we walked through the environment, quietly taking in all that we could with just our eyes, she stopped before some artwork of the Good Shepherd, which hung on the walls near our Mass area. "Look! Jesus is everywhere here!" Another year is underway.