Who Was St. Patrick?

• Start off the lesson by explaining Saint Patrick's life. Patrick was an ordinary boy from England when he was kidnapped. For six years, he was a slave in Ireland. Lonely and afraid, he began a deep relationship with God. Patrick later wrote that in a dream God told him to escape. Once home, however, Patrick had another dream; in this one, God told him to return to Ireland and teach the people there about him. One of the ways he is said to have done this is by using a shamrock as a symbol of the trinity.
  
  

Shamrock Craft

• Prepare green construction paper shamrocks in advance. If the children in the class are old enough, allow them to cut out the shamrock, then write the words "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit" on each of the shamrock's three leaves. If the children can't yet write, strips of paper with the words on them can be glued to the shamrock instead.
  
  

Explaining the Trinity

• The Trinity can be a confusing topic, even for adults, so keep your explanation simple. There is only one God, but he is known as three separate essences: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is the creator. The Son (Jesus Christ) is God's only son and came to the world to save humankind. The Holy Spirit acts as a guide for God's creatures.
  
  

Snack Time

• After answering any questions about the trinity and children finish with the craft, hand out pre-baked cookies in the shape of shamrocks for children to decorate. Green or white icing, along with sprinkles in green or gold are appropriate. Then ask the children to bite off one leaf of the shamrock at a time, telling you the name of one part of the Trinity after each bite.