Tag Archives: Pentecost 6

Children’s Sermon Romans 8: 12-25 Year A, Pentecost 6 July 20, 2014

20130822-223454.jpg Go to where you normally have the children gather and flop down with a lot of drama: sigh, play with your shoe or hair. Look extremely bored. Have the kids come join you but don’t seem too excited. Say, “well, you can come up if you want but don’t hurry we have LOTS of time.” Hopefully, the children will think this is a bit funny. When they are gathered say to them, “I’m soooooo bored. I am waiting. Waiting and waiting and waiting. Do you ever have to wait? What do you have to wait for? (Accept all answers.) Do you like to wait? Is it hard? What are some things that you do when you are waiting?

20130822-223633.jpg Well, do you want to know that I am waiting for? Jesus! Jesus promised that he would come back and we know that’s true but we have to wait. Today in a letter that Paul wrote to some people in Rome a long time ago he is talking to them about waiting for Jesus. The people in Rome are getting tired of waiting for Jesus and think that Jesus should just come now so that they can quit waiting for the world to be made right again. But Paul says that it doesn’t work that way, even though we want it to. Paul tells them that THEY have things to do while they wait for Jesus that will help everyone learn about Jesus! What things can we do while we wait for Jesus to tell the whole world about Jesus? (Accept all answers but you may have to prompt a bit.) We can love people, we can help people, we can send cards to people in the hospital, we can make care kits for people in parts of the world who don’t have medical supplies, help with clean water, etc. We are waiting and sometimes it’s hard. Waiting for Jesus to come back, but it may be a long time so we might as well have something to do while we wait! God loves us and the whole world so much and we want to tell everyone!

FaithCross_Worship Have a worship station with some simple service ideas: card making for shut-ins, putting together simple care packages to keep in the car for those in need (hand sanitizer, Kleenex, water bottle, granola bar, short written prayer, all in a ziplock bag). Next to the service station have a prayer wall or table where people can write prayers about waiting. What are they waiting for in their life? Where is it hard to wait? Where are signs of God’s presence with us as we wait?

20130822-224425.jpgWaiting is hard, God. But we know that you are with us even if we are unsure. Help us to see signs of your presence in the world. Amen.

20130822-223908.jpg +Our hope is in Jesus+ (Make the sign of the cross)

Children’s Sermon Galatians 5: 1, 13-25 Fruit of the Spirit, 6th Sunday after Pentecost – June 30, 2013

20130520-224945.jpgGather the children together. You will need some fruit (any kind is fine) and an already made fruit salad. Depending on how many children you have, have small cups of the fruit salad scooped out for the children. Or you can just show them the made fruit salad and have it available after worship.

FaithCross_BibleALT Say: In one of the Bible readings this morning who heard something about fruit? (Accept all answers) I know, I did too and its making me hungry! Luckily, I brought this fruit with me today. I love fruit, its healthy for us and gives good things to our bodies so that we can have energy and not be sick. What is your favorite kind of fruit? (Again, accept all answers) Mine is________. I eat this fruit whenever I get the chance. I like to eat all kinds of fruit too! When I make a fruit salad I put all kinds of fruit in so that everyone eating the fruit salad will have a fruit that they will really like. It takes all kinds of fruit to make a great fruit salad!

There was a man named Paul who wrote one of our Bible stories this morning. He talked about having the “fruit of the Spirit” which is not actual fruit but good things like this salad we can share with one another. Paul wants us to share love, joy, peace, patience kindness, generosity (sharing), faithfulness, gentleness,  and self-control. (You can teach the song if you know it!) These are all things that help us to get along together and to share God’s love! Just as some of us like different fruits, each of us may be really good at one of these things. If you are a good hugger, you are showing love, or if you are good at sharing your toys then you are good at generosity. Are we all going to be really good at all 8 of these things? No, but we can try and we can notice when our friends are good at not fighting or smiling, and try and learn from them. Just as it takes lots of fruit to make a yummy salad it takes all of us to share God’s love to everyone we meet!

FaithCross_PrayALTGod of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, thank you for giving us our friends and our families. Just as you show us all of these good things let us share them with the world. In Jesus name, Amen.

FaithCross_BlessALT(make the sign of the cross on each other) May you be guided by God’s loving Spirit.