St. Patrick's Day Sunday School Bulletin Board
Teaching about St. Patrick the Patriarch and Missionary
Mar 6, 2009
St. Patrick’s Day is based on the legend of an Irish man that Ireland revered and considered the patron saint of Ireland. He went through religious training for 15 years and became a priest. He was a devout Christian man who tried to help others convert to Christianity.
It is said that Saint Patrick died on March 17th, which is now considered the official date for this holiday. St. Patrick's Day is a great holiday to talk about missionaries, teachers, or priests who also help to spread the Gospel.
Setting up the Bulletin Board
A bulletin board is a good tool when telling the story of St. Patrick's Day. On one side of the bulletin board, place cutouts of all the things that people associate with this day. This might include:
- Shamrocks - Considered a plant of good luck in Ireland
- Leprechaun with a pot of gold
- Children wearing green clothing
- Crafts that children make
This side of the board will show the non-Christian view of the holiday.
On the other side attach a picture or cutout of:
- St. Patrick
- Map of Ireland
- Churches in Ireland
- Crosses of Ireland
This side of the board should portray Christian ideas surrounding St. Patrick’s Day. It helps the Sunday school class visually see the differences between non-Christian and Christian views of the holiday.
Put a picture of a rainbow in the center of the board to portray God’s promise to never flood the earth again as in Noah’s day. Many people associate rainbows with St. Patrick's Day, so putting it in the center can connect both the non-Christian and Christian views together.
Using the Bulletin Board for Teaching
Explain the differences between the non-Christian view of the holiday and the Christian view. A lot of people celebrate this day for the fun of it, but not everyone knows the history behind it.
Sunday school educators can use this time to help students renew faith in God. St. Patrick thought of himself as a pagan before he found his spiritual walk with God. He renewed his life when he found God.
The bulletin board can portray this renewing of faith with cutouts of printed Bible verses pertaining to uplifting thoughts. Make the cutouts colorful and attractive to the eye and trim the board with a bright color.
St. Patrick left Ireland for a short time and when he returned, he returned as a missionary. This is before he studied to become a priest. Sunday school educators can place pictures of missionaries and their families on the bulletin board so that they can teach the Sunday school class about missionaries and the importance of missionary work.
Teach students how modern missionaries are like St. Patrick in his journey to help people. Show pictures of where the missionaries live and what is done there. Missionaries are sometimes sent to faraway lands like to China, India, and Africa. The class will enjoy learning about these places and the impact missionaries are making there.
While many people think that St. Patrick’s Day is based on leprechauns and searching for gold, it is actually a holiday that was set aside for St. Patrick. St. Patrick was a wonderful man who devoted his life to bringing people to Christ. Therefore, this is a great time to talk about other people or ministry fields that also strive to obtain this goal.
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