Religious Instruction Kit

WE GO TO CHURCH, a set of figures, clothes, furniture and furnishings to help young children experience and learn about the worship service of the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian Churches, through their own imaginative playing and the guidance of older persons, particularly teachers and parents. The set is also designed to help parents and teachers explain worship to their children and classes by providing models of the elements adnd figures and a printed teaching guide.

The set is designed to be used with the Model Church for which I have already received U.S. Pat. Des. No. 288,701, Model Church, Mar. 10, 1987 but it can be used by itself.

FIGS. 1-5 show a set of model figures at a worship service;

FIGS. 1 and 5 represent children, FIGS. 2 and 4 represent adults and FIG. 3 represents a baby;

FIGS. 6-10 show a set of model pieces:

FIG. 6 shows a chair, FIG. 7 shows a podium or pulpit, FIG. 7A shows a tabernacle, FIG. 8 shows an altar, FIG. 8A shows an altar cloth, FIG. 9 shows a baptismal font and FIG. 10 shows a pulpit hanging;

FIGS. 11-18 shows a set of model objects;

FIGS. 11 and 16 show candle sticks, FIG. 12 shows a book, FIG. 13 shows cruets for wine and water, FIG. 14 shows a chalice and FIG. 15 shows a communion dish;

FIG. 17 shows a priest; and

FIG. 18 shows a liturgical vestment.

The WE GO TO CHURCH set includes an altar 7, pulpit (podium) 8, tabernacle 9 (container for the Communion bread between services and for the sick), ). baptismal font 10, chair 11. The altar vessels include a communion cup (chalice) 14, communion plate 15, cruets 16, 17 for wine and water, two candle sticks 18, 19.

The set also includes a book 20 which serves several functions: as a lectionary, for the Bible readings; a sacramentary, for the prayers of the Mass; a ritual for the other sacraments; a pontifical for ceremonies involving the bishop such as ordination or confirmation.

Human figures in the set include a priest 1, two other adult figures 2, 3, two children 4, 6, a baby 6.

The set also includes a vestment 21 (robe) and stole for the priest; an altar cloth 12; a pulpit hanging 13; two pictures, one of the Head of Christ and the other of Christ with Children.

The set can be used for use in the Roman Catholic Church and in several other Churches which have much of the same liturgical tradition, such as the Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Methodist. The set can also be adapted for use by those with less of a liturgical tradition, such as Baptists, because it shows people at worship.

A teaching guide is included with the set for use in the home, the classroom or other teaching opportunity. It describes the elements, explains them and shows how the Eucharist (Communion Serice, Mass or the Lord's Supper) can be dramatized. It also provides samples of other vestments, decorations and furnishings which can be made by a teacher and class or a family at home. They include a wedding veil, first communion veil for girls, first communion suit for boys, a bishop's miter, a deacon's stole. There is an explanation of the different parts of the liturgical year (Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Ordinary Time) and the various colors used for each season. Drawings of symbols used for various sacraments or different aspects of the Christian Faith are also provided for children to learn from or make themselves.

There are no moving parts and nothing to be assembled in WE GO TO CHURCH.