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Activities
for individuals or
groups
Focus
Questions
1.
What are the most interesting moments in Joseph's story?
2. In the story, who speaks and who
listens? Who acts? Who gets what they
want? If you were in the story, which person would you want to be friends with?
Which person would you want to avoid?
3. What is God's interaction with the main characters? What does this tell
you about the narrator's image of God? Do you agree with this image?
4. What is happening on either side of the story, in the chapters before
and after it? Does this help you understand what is happening?
5. The narrator/editor has chosen to tell some things and leave other
things out. What has been left out of the story that you would like to
know?
6. Are the characteristics and actions of the people in the story still
present in the world? How is the story relevant to modern life, especially
your own?
The
Quiet Hero
(group or single activity)
Stage 1: Make up a list
List
some films about quiet heroes. You can choose recent films or classics. If this
is a group activity, choose films most people know.
Stage
2: Glance over your list
1.
Have you chosen films that are realistic, or do you prefer films that
inspire you?
2. Do your favorites have both these qualities?
3. What does this say about you and what you need in a story?
Stage
3: Choose your favorite
4. What are the central themes in this film?
5. Are the ideas/story lines shown in a realistic light?
6. Do any of the scenes remind you of your own life or
experiences?
7. Or does the film express what you would like to have in your
own life?
Stage
4: Think about your choices
Group
activity: discuss these questions, making sure everyone in the group has
a chance to talk about their ideas.
Single
activity: sit down for a few minutes and focus your mind; make a quick
list of your favorites; read through the Stage 3 questions, and think
about them as you do other tasks in your day.
In
depth study of one person's story
Choose one of the people whose stories are told on this site and write a
short biography. Answer the following questions:
1.
What are the main events of the person's life?
Tell the story.
2.
What
were their main qualities? What made them stand out from the crowd?
3.
What obstacles did they face?
Did they overcome them, or go with the flow? Explain.
4.
How did they use their abilities to do God’s work?
5.
Which part of their story appeals to you most? Why?
You
must include three short quotations from the gospel texts to illustrate
the points you are making.
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The Flight
into Egypt, Giotto |
Illuminated
Manuscript
Imagine that you are a medieval monk, working in a rather chilly
scriptorium to produce a medieval manuscript page about Joseph of
Nazareth.
Create a page with three main sections:
-
a short extract from Matthew's gospel which tells the story of Joseph
in some detail
-
an ornate initial letter for the Bible passage
-
an image of Joseph, either alone, with the angel, or with Jesus and
Mary
Famous
Quotes
'The virgin shall conceive and
bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.' (Matthew 1:23)
'Get up, take the child an his mother, and flee to Egypt....' (2:13)
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Read through the
Bible text of
the story of Joseph.
Choose a third quote which you feel should be
included in 'Famous Quotes' - in other words, choose a sentence that
expresses something deeply significant about the life of Joseph of
Nazareth.
Extra Websites
What Joseph built
Bible Architecture: Houses Archaeology
shows the work men did
Bible Archaeology:
Work
Nazareth
and Sepphoris, the village and nearby city that Joseph knew
Bible Archaeology:
Cities
Mary's
dilemma after the Annunciation
Bible
Top Ten Young People
Mary
and Joseph in modern films
Bible Top Ten Films
A
short version of Mary's story
Bible People: Mary
Nazareth
- Archaeology, reconstructions and photographs
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