Had a forum based discussion for today's session. Everyone had to take off their left shoe and place it in front of them...only those who contributed questions or insights to the discussions could put their shoe back on. Everyone sat in a circle and those who had questions raised their hands to ask. Informative and yet, humour was injected to make it that much more interesting.
Many questions about religion were posed, especially about other religions and also about various cultures, beliefs and also about science.
Some of the questions asked were if it was wrong to pay respect to your grandparents like holding a joss stick or using feng shui in one's house.
It's alright to pay respects to someone, since you're not worshipping that person, or asking the deceased to let you win 4D or something. As for feng shui, it's not wrong to use it for your house unless it involves spirits...feng shui is about the harmony between the earth and space.
Also for horoscopes, you can read about them, just don't take them so seriously...they mostly talk about general stuff which will have at least one or two sentences that apply to you.
Then questions which Christians from other denominations were asked.
Like why do we worship Mary? We don't worship her, we ask her to intercede for us, since her prayers are very powerful and in the bible, Jesus changed water into wine when Mary asked on the wedding hosts behalf.
Why do we worship the saints? We don't worship them, we ask them to intercede for us as well, since their prayers are also very powerful and the saints have a particular problem we can pray especially for...like to Saint Anthony when we have lost our stuff, or to Saint Jude when we are facing hopeless cases. They are also living examples of holiness that ordinary humans can attain.
Why do we have statues of the saints? The same reason why you keep photographs of your friends...to remember them. We're not worshipping the statues, we just have the statues to remind us of the great things these saints have done, and that they are there to help intercede in our prayers.
Why don't we have wine served during the Eucharist at every mass? For practical reasons mostly, and also the host is already the body of Christ, and blood is contained in the body. You don't see blood flowing on the outside of our skins do you?
The church also tries to fit in culture into religion therefore you have blessed oranges during Chinese New Year and also no need to fast on Ash Wednesday if it falls on a public holiday.
Roy talked about four different categories of beliefs. Atheistic - No God, Pantheistic - Everything is God (very New Age), Polytheistic - Many Gods(animism, shamanism, Hinduism, Shinto), Monotheistic - One God (Catholism, Protestants, Judaism, Islam)
Another question posed was why don't you just leave everything to God to help you? A quote was given: "Trust in Allah, but tie your camel". God will help you, but you have to do something about it otherwise he can't help you.
Why do you say Mary is a Virgin when she had a baby? It was stated that she was a Virgin quite late, but Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit...other people who have lab babies are still Virgins as well...
Is it wrong to date non-catholics? No, it's ok, as long as they respect your religion and if you get married to a non-catholic, you will have to make sure that your children get baptised.
The evolution debate, man evolved from monkeys since the beginning of time didn't they? God's time is different from man's perception. Mutation does happen. Paul shared that there was a researcher who studied about DNA...he says that even though there is such thing as evolution and mutation, he believes that God is still there behind it all.
Is being a homosexual wrong? No, unless you act upon it... Even so, we condemn the sin, and not the sinner.
Next week there is no session since it is Chinese New Year's Eve, but the next session is about Apologetics again and done forum-style as well. Do prepare questions to ask at the next session. Just to spice things up, make them as interesting as possible.
Also if anyone else has anything to add like questions missed out in this entry, do feel free to add in the tagboard.
10 February 2007
04 February 2007
Sec 1 games day 2007
The sec 1 games day was on the whole a blast for the kids. Most of them commented on how fun the games were. They especially loved playing Captains' Ball.
The sec 1s came to the church hall for registration at 9.30am. Registration lasted till about 10am and then the sec 1s were told to gather at the front of the hall, where they were broken up into six groups of about 7 members each. The MCs for the sec 1 Games day, also year 1 IHMYC members who volunteered to help, prepared the scoring system as well as the groupings for the captains' ball. They also introduced the rules of the games...
First up was icebreakers, where each class played double wacko. Later, the two classes combined to have a mass double-wacko. The kids had a lot of fun as they shouted out names of other people when the person they were suppose to 'protect' had his or her name called out. Most amusing was when they got so excited they called other people "that one". Naturally sabotaging the person right in front of them to take up the stick.
Then the kids were given a break to have some snacks prepared for them to have as lunch would only be ready at 1.45pm. They could also take cold water from the dispensers, with each sec 1 writing their names on their cups to be reused later for lunch once again. Snacks provided include apollo biscuits, chicken rings(a favourite amongst the kids) and also cheese balls.
Later at around 11am, the captains' ball matches started, with 4 teams playing the matches at any one time, two in the first court, and two in the second court. The facils for each group made sure their group went to the correct courts to play matches as well as watch the sec 1s play. Some even acted like coaches, shouting out comments to help their team play better. A bit of a hassle the first few matches, but after some rules were revised, such as the no direct pass rule when the ball is out of the court or when the team who just scored gets back the ball, the games went pretty well. The kids were really good at captains' ball, and their enthusiasm for the games really showed. The years 1 who helped out also did a really good job keeping score.
After all the teams had played their matches, they were treated to a surprise match...a facils vs sec 1s match! Celine was appointed as captain and it was 11 chosen sec 1s to 7 facils in the match.
The sec 1s were really good and after the whole game, they won about 18 to 12 points. The sec 1s learn that through teamwork, even though they face really tall opponents and older opponents like the facils, they can still win when the work together...of course it also helps that they have more people on their team.
Then the sec 1s settled down to have lunch, pepperoni and hawaiian pizza ordered for them. They also had lychee and guava drinks, as well as some soft drinks if they were interested.
The year 1s helped to set up the lines for the telematches using masking tape and raffia string.
After the sec 1s had their fill, they gathered again in their groups to play the tele-matches. 5 games. The first was the rubber band game where they used chopsticks in their mouth to transfer the rubber bands to the last person in their group.
Second game was caterpillar, where the teams had to tie their legs to one another using rubber bands, and walked to the end of the hall. Third game was ping pong spoon, where the teams had to carry a ping pong ball balanced on their spoons they held between their teeth.
The last two games were poison river and balloon run. For poison river, the teams had to save two of their members on the opposite bank with only five chairs to take them across the 'poison river'. Then they could only bring back one member from the opposite bank at a time. The teams learnt how to support each other and though initially some had a bit of help from their facils, in the end, the facils left them to continue on their own and the sec 1s proved that they can indeed support each other and get across the river without much problem.
The ballon run was a game where the kids had to run around the chair five times before blowing up their balloon and bursting it with their bottoms. Some of them overcame their fear of bursting balloons as they sat on the ballons with the help of the facils who were sitting at the chair to help them should they needed help to tie up the balloon.
There was some time left before 4.30pm, and so, since the facils were not happy with the loss earlier on, another round of captains' ball was played, this time with 11 sec 1s vs 10 facils. In the end, the facils won, but the sec 1s put up a really good fight, and managed to score quite a number of goals.
Then it was time to leave. A closing prayer was said before the sec 1s were released. Those kids whose parents were not there to pick them up yet continued their own game of captains' ball until about 5pm when the hall had to be cleared. The kids helped with the cleaning up as well, though most of it was done by the facils and the people helping out with the games day.
The facils and the year 1s had a debriefing after the sec 1s were released. Given the attitude and enthusiasm of the sec 1s, a possible 2nd event for the sec 1s might be planned for the end of the year. Will try to get the sec 1s involved in the planning as well as the year 1s when they have finished their O'levels.
The sec 1 games day for 2007 is quite a success, with exception of the turnout of kids being quite low...about slightly less than 60 students turned up today, and one or two small injuries, with those sec 1s who could attend today's games day, it was considered a really fun and effective way of getting them to bond. Hope that the upcoming events IHMYC is planning will be just as fun, and that the next sec 1 games day will be even better.
Thanks to all those who helped make this year's games day such a memorable event!
Double wacko
Year 1s helping to unpack snacks for the kids
Captains' ball, sec 1s vs facils
Poison river. Support each other on five chairs to rescue your team mates stranded on the opposite bank, so that no one falls into the river and gets poisoned...then how come the facils are not affected?
The sec 1s came to the church hall for registration at 9.30am. Registration lasted till about 10am and then the sec 1s were told to gather at the front of the hall, where they were broken up into six groups of about 7 members each. The MCs for the sec 1 Games day, also year 1 IHMYC members who volunteered to help, prepared the scoring system as well as the groupings for the captains' ball. They also introduced the rules of the games...
First up was icebreakers, where each class played double wacko. Later, the two classes combined to have a mass double-wacko. The kids had a lot of fun as they shouted out names of other people when the person they were suppose to 'protect' had his or her name called out. Most amusing was when they got so excited they called other people "that one". Naturally sabotaging the person right in front of them to take up the stick.
Then the kids were given a break to have some snacks prepared for them to have as lunch would only be ready at 1.45pm. They could also take cold water from the dispensers, with each sec 1 writing their names on their cups to be reused later for lunch once again. Snacks provided include apollo biscuits, chicken rings(a favourite amongst the kids) and also cheese balls.
Later at around 11am, the captains' ball matches started, with 4 teams playing the matches at any one time, two in the first court, and two in the second court. The facils for each group made sure their group went to the correct courts to play matches as well as watch the sec 1s play. Some even acted like coaches, shouting out comments to help their team play better. A bit of a hassle the first few matches, but after some rules were revised, such as the no direct pass rule when the ball is out of the court or when the team who just scored gets back the ball, the games went pretty well. The kids were really good at captains' ball, and their enthusiasm for the games really showed. The years 1 who helped out also did a really good job keeping score.
After all the teams had played their matches, they were treated to a surprise match...a facils vs sec 1s match! Celine was appointed as captain and it was 11 chosen sec 1s to 7 facils in the match.
The sec 1s were really good and after the whole game, they won about 18 to 12 points. The sec 1s learn that through teamwork, even though they face really tall opponents and older opponents like the facils, they can still win when the work together...of course it also helps that they have more people on their team.
Then the sec 1s settled down to have lunch, pepperoni and hawaiian pizza ordered for them. They also had lychee and guava drinks, as well as some soft drinks if they were interested.
The year 1s helped to set up the lines for the telematches using masking tape and raffia string.
After the sec 1s had their fill, they gathered again in their groups to play the tele-matches. 5 games. The first was the rubber band game where they used chopsticks in their mouth to transfer the rubber bands to the last person in their group.
Second game was caterpillar, where the teams had to tie their legs to one another using rubber bands, and walked to the end of the hall. Third game was ping pong spoon, where the teams had to carry a ping pong ball balanced on their spoons they held between their teeth.
The last two games were poison river and balloon run. For poison river, the teams had to save two of their members on the opposite bank with only five chairs to take them across the 'poison river'. Then they could only bring back one member from the opposite bank at a time. The teams learnt how to support each other and though initially some had a bit of help from their facils, in the end, the facils left them to continue on their own and the sec 1s proved that they can indeed support each other and get across the river without much problem.
The ballon run was a game where the kids had to run around the chair five times before blowing up their balloon and bursting it with their bottoms. Some of them overcame their fear of bursting balloons as they sat on the ballons with the help of the facils who were sitting at the chair to help them should they needed help to tie up the balloon.
There was some time left before 4.30pm, and so, since the facils were not happy with the loss earlier on, another round of captains' ball was played, this time with 11 sec 1s vs 10 facils. In the end, the facils won, but the sec 1s put up a really good fight, and managed to score quite a number of goals.
Then it was time to leave. A closing prayer was said before the sec 1s were released. Those kids whose parents were not there to pick them up yet continued their own game of captains' ball until about 5pm when the hall had to be cleared. The kids helped with the cleaning up as well, though most of it was done by the facils and the people helping out with the games day.
The facils and the year 1s had a debriefing after the sec 1s were released. Given the attitude and enthusiasm of the sec 1s, a possible 2nd event for the sec 1s might be planned for the end of the year. Will try to get the sec 1s involved in the planning as well as the year 1s when they have finished their O'levels.
The sec 1 games day for 2007 is quite a success, with exception of the turnout of kids being quite low...about slightly less than 60 students turned up today, and one or two small injuries, with those sec 1s who could attend today's games day, it was considered a really fun and effective way of getting them to bond. Hope that the upcoming events IHMYC is planning will be just as fun, and that the next sec 1 games day will be even better.
Thanks to all those who helped make this year's games day such a memorable event!
Double wacko
Year 1s helping to unpack snacks for the kids
Captains' ball, sec 1s vs facils
Poison river. Support each other on five chairs to rescue your team mates stranded on the opposite bank, so that no one falls into the river and gets poisoned...then how come the facils are not affected?
03 February 2007
Meditation
Had group bonding for the first half of the session. Aunty Angela also gave out chocolates to keep everyone awake. Then at 5pm, the groups wrapped up the last of whatever they had to say and Aunty Angela asked everyone to relax ourselves and take deep breaths. Then to close their eyes as the lights were being switched off.
She told everyone to breathe out all the distractions inside and to reflect on a time when they felt God's presence, be it through another person, an event, etc. then after everyone had meditated for about 3 minutes, she asked everyone to open their eyes and asked how it was. Did a big group sharing with Roy, Erica and Daniel sharing their experiences.
Then the groups each had their own individual sharings, about their experiences with the recent activity.
The consent forms for the YC camp in March were given out. It will be in the March holidays, tuesday-thursday, and straight after that it will be the sec 2 camp. For those planning to help out with the sec 2 camp, it'll be like a 6 day camp, quite taxing but if the year 1s are able to do it, they are encouraged to help out.
The YC camp is important as it covers some important lessons. Especially the one on Wednesday night.
Then next week's lesson on Apologetics was given a brief introduction and everyone has homework to do! =) Need to prepare some questions which the non-Catholic friends will ask you and to which you should be able to give a right answer with some supporting quotes to it. Examples like "why do we pray to Mary?"
Attendence will be be taken from this week onwards, should anyone not be able to come for any of the sessions with a VERY good reason, they are to inform their group leaders. At IHMYC, we take commitment very seriously...and as far as the parents know, IHMYC lives to deliver.....(bible knowledge, guidance to the kids). So with commitment and proper training, the parents know their kids are in good hands. ^_^
She told everyone to breathe out all the distractions inside and to reflect on a time when they felt God's presence, be it through another person, an event, etc. then after everyone had meditated for about 3 minutes, she asked everyone to open their eyes and asked how it was. Did a big group sharing with Roy, Erica and Daniel sharing their experiences.
Then the groups each had their own individual sharings, about their experiences with the recent activity.
The consent forms for the YC camp in March were given out. It will be in the March holidays, tuesday-thursday, and straight after that it will be the sec 2 camp. For those planning to help out with the sec 2 camp, it'll be like a 6 day camp, quite taxing but if the year 1s are able to do it, they are encouraged to help out.
The YC camp is important as it covers some important lessons. Especially the one on Wednesday night.
Then next week's lesson on Apologetics was given a brief introduction and everyone has homework to do! =) Need to prepare some questions which the non-Catholic friends will ask you and to which you should be able to give a right answer with some supporting quotes to it. Examples like "why do we pray to Mary?"
Attendence will be be taken from this week onwards, should anyone not be able to come for any of the sessions with a VERY good reason, they are to inform their group leaders. At IHMYC, we take commitment very seriously...and as far as the parents know, IHMYC lives to deliver.....(bible knowledge, guidance to the kids). So with commitment and proper training, the parents know their kids are in good hands. ^_^
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