Parent Letter Faith Reflection
Watching the 7th graders two weeks back as they began to work on a film project for religion it made me ask how do we tell stories today. With this question in mind I went back in history before I went forward and showed them a short video about the Song of Roland, a French story about the battle of Roncevaux in 778. The story was first told through an epic poem, paintings, sculpture, music—the media at hand fifteen hundred years ago.
Today we still tell stories through these ways, but we also use newer ways now at our disposal—iPads, video apps, social media, and the like. My next question to the class was how are we telling the story of the resurrection? What methods are we using and what is one of the best ways to tell this most important story?
Our Symposium this year is focusing on STREAM/IA where you will see there are some wonderful technology tools to use to tell our Christian story, but as neat as these new technologies are, the best tool is our hearts. Our love for God is shown most tellingly in how we treat ourselves, each other, and our world. AI is amazing, as you will see this week, but the most compellingly way, online or offline, to bring the story of the resurrection to life is through our actions, something one of our 7th graders noted back at the beginning of this month.
Here are some ways the 7th graders said we could tell our story: “I can tell the story of the resurrection through music that helps paint a picture of the pain and struggle of Jesus.”; “I will tell the story of the resurrection by acting like Jesus did with kindness and mercy.”; “The music sets the mood and helps you get in the story. And we can use it to tell about God.”
A Norwegian retelling of The Song of Roland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFs2uw5-Xk4
The next showing for Cinema for the Soul is at Olive on Thursday, 30 May 2019 at 7:00pm. Unconditional is a story about redemption: Two friends come together years later after circumstances have turned their lives upside down. As they help build each other back up they realize God’s love is there in all circumstances, whether joyful or seemingly destructive. The resurrection functions in ways we don’t always expect or understand, but the good news is Jesus is working in our lives always.
God Bless,
Mrs. Alhadef
Campus Minister
5th Grade / Jr. High Teacher’s Aide