Yearly Archives: 2015

Resources

Ash Wednesday with Children and Families

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ffjChildrenSermon*This resource can be used in the home or in a worship setting where young children and families are present. The focus is on the fact that we all need to say that we are sorry and most importantly, hear that God loves and forgives us each and every day. The sign of the cross is a reminder that nothing separates us from God and that our whole lives are about pointing to God and sharing this love and forgiveness with the world.

Supplies: purple paper available for all cut into four (use 8 ½ by 11 inch paper, black chalk or ashes available, baby wipes, writing instruments, crayons, markers (*You may want to have Isaiah 58:9 printed on the back of the purple sheets.)

FaithCross_ConnectALT Read Psalm 51: 1-3. Explain to young children that David wrote this psalm knowing that he had hurt someone else and not been fair. He felt bad and was talking to God telling God that he had messed up. Remind all present that WE ALL mess up, it’s part of being a person. Have them all think of something that they are sorry about or how they messed up. Ash Wednesday is a day in the church that we specifically remember that we all mess up (we do this every Sunday with confession and forgiveness as well) and Lent is a season that we hear stories about how Jesus came to tell us that God loves and forgives us. We remember the story of Jesus being killed, which is sad and scary but we know that happens in life. God tell us even in scary things God is there no matter what. They can write or draw something that they are sorry for on the purple paper. Have families or small groups share if they are comfortable. Then gather them back to the large group.

FaithCross_BibleALT Start the conversation: “Today we are talking about how it’s important that we talk to God about everything-even stuff that we are afraid or ashamed to talk about with God because we know that it doesn’t make us look very good. BUT God says that we are very good no matter what! What’s hard for us is that we have to each and every day look to God and treat others how God treats us. How does God treat us? (Accept all answers) Yes, God treats everyone with love and care. God sent Jesus to show us that love and care and in a book of the Bible called Isaiah 58: 9 we read: “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.” (If you desire, have this verse printed on the back side of the purple sheets) This is what Ash Wednesday and Lent is all about. God said in Jesus, “here I am” to the whole world. The cross where Jesus died is also God saying “here I am!” in sad and scary places in our lives. We put a cross on our heads today because God says “here I am!” you to today and always.” Have those gathered use the ashes or the chalk to put a big cross over all of the things that they wrote or drew that they are sorry for. God says “here I am!” to forgive them and love them.

FaithCross_PrayALTPray a prayer of forgiveness for what they are sorry for. They can use their purple sheets as a guide if desired or just a general prayer could also work.

FaithCross_BlessALTYou can have them put ashes on each other’s foreheads or hands and say +remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. God says “here I am” in the ashes+ (Explain that wearing ashes on our foreheads in public tells the world that God says “here I am” to everyone!)

FaithCross_ServeALT Isaiah 58: 1-12 speaks about justice and how God not only meets us but sends us to share the good news of justice and peace for all to the whole world. Choose a partnership with a food justice, housing justice, peace organization, or highlight a partnership your congregation already has for the season of Lent with Isaiah 58: 6-10 as you Lenten focus.

 

 

Children's Sermons

Transfiguration Sunday Children’s Sermon Feb. 15th, 2015 Year B

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20130822-223454.jpg When you have something exciting to share who is the first person you tell? Your mom, dad, sister, brother, best friend? (Accept all answers) What was the last exciting thing that happened to you? (If they are stumped, suggest a birthday party, a new toy, new friend at school, new pet, etc.) We love to tell people about exciting events and experiences in our lives don’t we? Do we sometimes show pictures or even if it’s a toy, show people what it is that is fun and new for us? Yes! We like to share what’s important to us in our lives.

20130822-223633.jpg (You could read this story of Mark 9: 2-9 out of the Spark Storybook Bible or another children’s Bible if you like) In our story about Jesus today, Jesus and the disciples went up to a high mountain and Jesus began to kind of glow-like a glow stick. His clothes were bright white-they would have glowed in the dark! The disciples noticed that he changed and all of the sudden Jesus was also talking to Moses and Elijah who had been dead a long, long time! What do you think they were talking about? Maybe about God and how much God loves us all? I think so. How would you feel if you saw Jesus glow and talk to Moses and Elijah? Yes, scared and confused I think! This is how Peter, James and John felt too! They didn’t know what to do! But God did! All of the sudden God’s voice told them that this was God’s beloved son and that they should listen to him! How can we listen to Jesus? (accept all answers) Can we also watch what Jesus does? Yes! When Jesus helps people, should we help people too? Should we tell people that Jesus loves them? Should we treat people how Jesus treated everyone, as a loved child of God? Can we share the story of God with people? YES! Jesus is very important to us and we are very important to Jesus and we should tell everyone this exciting news just like if we have a new friend, pet, or toy! Jesus was bright like a light and this light shines through us to the whole world! This is the best story to tell of all!

*You can hand out glow sticks or the glow stick bracelets to remind everyone that the light of Jesus shines through them.

20130822-224425.jpg Jesus, we are so excited to tell the story of your love to everyone we meet. May the light of Jesus shine through us to your world. We know that you are will us always and thank you for loving us. Amen.

FaithCross_Worship Have a large piece of butcher paper cut out to look like an open book or have it fashioned as a scroll. Invite people during worship station time to write about an encounter or experience about Jesus in their life. You may want to have this out for a few weeks as we journey into Lent.

20130822-223908.jpg+God’s story lives in you+

Children's Sermons

Mark 1: 29-39 Children’s Message Year B Feb. 8th, 2015

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ffjChildrenSermonPreparation: You will need: A large map of your town or neighborhood. Small (about 2×2 inches) paper hands and tape.

FaithCross_ConnectALT “Sometimes we don’t feel well. When we have a cold or have a broken bone, we can’t do all of the things that we want. We don’t feel like ourselves. And as we get older, we don’t feel the same way and can’t do the same physical things as when we were younger. Not many grandmas and grandpas take gymnastics or play soccer. Some do, don’t they but not too many. Have you ever been sick? It’s not fun is it? How do you feel when you are better though? Woo hoo! Right?! You run and jump and play again. When you feel sick, you don’t go to school, do your homework, or your chores (or at least not all of them) but when you are better you actually look forward to going to school, doing your work and your chores don’t you? Doing work and feeling well is better than not doing any work because you can’t.”

FaithCross_BibleALT“Today in our Bible story, Jesus went to his friend Simon’s house and found that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. She wasn’t able to do anything at all but lay around and not feel good. But Jesus made her feel better, it says he “lifted her up.” Now when you don’t feel good and someone lifts you by the hand does that make you feel better? (“Lift” a child by the hand, with permission) Does that change how you feel? No, not necessarily, but when Jesus did it, held her hand, this woman felt much better! So much better that she was able to do things again, things that she wanted to do. Jesus lifted her back to her whole self who could praise God.”

“Now, we know that there are some sicknesses that are not like a cold or a fever and people feel bad for a long time like, months or years.* And we know that sometimes people die from that that kind of long and hard sickness. But God promises that even if we die, Jesus lifts us to be with him forever! (Lift a child by the hand again.) When Jesus lifted the woman and lifts us, he is holding us close to him so that we can be in God’s love and healing forever. This love, kind of sets us free (because Jesus is holding our hand always!) to use our hands to take care of others and let them know that Jesus is holding their hand too.”

FaithCross_PrayALT Jesus, you promise to hold our hands and lift us to be beside you forever. May we use our hands to show your love for you whole world. Amen.

FaithCross_Worship Have a map of your town enlarged so that street names are readable and there is lots of room to put notes on it. Have small pieces of paper cut into hand shapes for people to write a prayer for the town, neighborhood, event, street, family, etc. Read these out loud during your corporate prayer time or for the sending.

20130822-223908.jpg+Jesus takes you by the hand and lifts you+

*Be sure to be aware of any children experiencing death or serious disease in their lives. Young children do not have the distinction between a cold and cancer. Sick is sick. Perhaps spend some time talking about the difference and reassuring them that colds, flu, broken bones, will heal and they will be fine. Be aware too, that young children will not understand that God doesn’t always “heal” in the way that we think God should. We are ultimately healed by Jesus in the kingdom of God, but that is abstract for adults let alone children. Use language that is as concrete as possible. You cannot be too clear!

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon and Worship Station – Mark 1:21-28, February 1, 2015

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Preparation: print your favorite Bible verse, or a congregational memory verse on pieces of paper to hand out to the children.

20130822-223454.jpg Gather the children with you. Ask them, “what is the
word of God?” Take answers. The Bible is the word of God and one of
the messages it teaches us is the about God’s love and how we live out
God’s love. We also believe that Jesus is the word of God and that the
Holy Spirit keeps showing us God and God’s word as well.

FaithCross In the Bible we can read about the many ways God has
shared love with us. Today we heard that God sends prophets or talks
through others to us and that Jesus is teaching in the synagogue.
Words from the Bible can help us to listen for God and hear God in our
every day lives as well. I have for each of you a verse written down
here on sheets of paper. Take the verse and read it or have your
parents read it to you many times this week. You can also write it
down in your own writing or a draw a picture of what it means to you.

Or if you have a favorite verse or ask your parents about a favorite
verse, write that down too or teach it to a friend. (if you use the
worship station you can tie this in at this time, see below)

20130822-224425.jpgJesus, word of God speak to me through your word in the
Bible and through your love. Amen

20130822-223908.jpg You are given the word of God in love +

FaithCross_Worship Have a large sheet of paper and Bibles on a table.
Ask people to write down a verse they know, remember, or that is
important to them. They can write the whole verse or just the
scripture reference. For the children, give them verses to write down
or have them ask their parents to share a verse. If you use memory
verses in your setting you can have the list of memory verses out for
reference as well. During this next week take the verses and put them
into wordle.net and create a wordle of the verses people wrote down.
Post this on your website, facebook, etc and/or have it printed out
for the next few Sundays.

Faith + Home Connection

Faith + Home Connection February 2015 Mark 1: 29-39

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20130822-223520.jpg Gather your household and share these questions together: What troubles you today? What brings you joy today? Pray together for all of your troubles and joys. God is with us in every part of our day!

20130822-223633.jpg Read Mark 1: 29-39 or read from a children’s Bible. In the Spark Storybook Bible read pages 256-257.

For adults and young children alike, it’s easy to think that all we have to do is pray and Jesus will heal us of everything that ails us: the flu, a cold, cancer, heart disease, mental illness, loneliness, etc. Reality is that we live in a world where bodies still get sick and die but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t hear our prayers and isn’t with us! The good news is that God’s promise is for life for us forever with God and God is with us in the pain and sorrow of the reality of disease and broken bodies in this life. As a community we also support, love and pray for each other as well as point out where God is at work when we can’t recognize it ourselves. Be sure with young children to emphasize God’s presence with them.

For children: What do you pray or talk to God about? Do you ever pray by yourself? God wants us to talk to God always! There is not anything that God isn’t ready to hear! How can you show God’s love to others? Do you think when we help someone, give a hug, offer nice words or draw a picture for them that we can make someone feel better if they are sad, sick or hurt?

For youth/adults: Where/when do you most often pray? Do you have a standard prayer, do you simply speak to God or do you sit in silence with God? People in our world are searching for something. We are all searching for happiness, joy, love, security, belonging, self-worth and the list goes on and on. In the Mark 1 story the disciples tell Jesus when he goes to a deserted place to pray that people are searching for him. The good news is that Jesus comes to us and searches for us. Jesus is always there. How can we reveal Jesus’ presence of love, hope, forgiveness and mercy in the world that is so desperately searching for those things? How do we use shopping, food, alcohol and other ways to fill our searching with what only God can offer us?

20130822-223749.jpg Pray for one another’s troubles and joys today. Offer prayers for all people to know that Jesus is with them and loves them. Pray to be filled with the love and compassion of Jesus for those who do not have enough to eat, adequate shelter, are lonely or are in need of healing in any way today.

FaithCross_ServeALT In our Growing In Faith Together-Sunday School for All on February 15th we will be putting together Blessing Bags to keep in your car to hand out to those in need that you may come across in your day. We are collecting the following items: gallon size zip lock bags, juice pouches, band-aids, antiseptic wipes, non-perishable snacks, feminine hygiene products, tissues. We will also be making note cards with an encouraging message to go into the bags. As a household collect those items and make a few notes for the bags.

20130822-223908.jpg +Jesus is with you always+