Here is the devotion page for All Saints Sunday, November 6, 2016. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Monthly Archives: October 2016
Weekly Household Devotion Page for October 30, 2016
Here is the devotion page for the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost, October 30, 2016. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Zacchaeus! Children’s Sermon Luke 19:1-10 Pentecost 24C October 30, 2016
Gather the children up front. Ask them if they have ever had to climb up on something in order to see. Take responses, share when you have had to use a ladder or other device to help you see or do something. Bring in a step stool or ladder for an added illustration. You could mention here as well that a great place for kids in worship is to sit up front so they can see and be engaged in what is going on!
Today we heard a story about a man named Zacchaeus who had to climb a tree in order to see Jesus. Does anyone know the song? Let’s sing it together because it tells us the story! Sing Zacchaeus song:
Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he
He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see
And as the savior passed that way he looked up in the tree
and he said, “Zacchaeus you come down, for I am going to your house today…
For I am going to your house today.”
(you can also read the story from the children’s bible and skip the song)
Now Zacchaeus must have really wanted to see Jesus! He was trying to look over the crowds and be able to see Jesus for himself, not just hear that others had seen him. And then, not only did he see Jesus, but Jesus saw him! And Jesus not only saw him in the tree, but knew who he was and knew that he had not been an honest man-he had taken tax money from people that wasn’t his. But Jesus did not say anything other than I am going to your house. Why would Jesus do that, pick a man who he knew had done wrong things? (take answers)
This story is about Jesus and how Jesus welcomes and loves and forgives all the things that he can see. The other people, they felt jealous and even angry that Jesus had picked someone they did not like. But Jesus love is so big and wide it includes everyone. And Jesus knows that we all do wrong things at times and wants to show us grace that we be included too, just like Zacchaeus.
What are ways that you try to see Jesus? (take answers) However and whenever we see Jesus, Jesus sees us back and loves us just as we are.
Jesus, we want to see you in our life. Help us when we are unsure or have a difficult time knowing you are there. Help us remember you always see us and love us. Amen
May you see Jesus from above and below and all around you +
Make a tree that can stand on the table or one that is bigger. You can just draw on paper or do one that is 3D. Write “Jesus sees you and Loves you” on the tree. Then have people either write their name, or color in a Zacchaeus with their name, or color on plain cut out person, or have a camera and take their photo and print it. Whichever method you choose, place your ‘people’ on the tree.
Weekly Household Devotions for October 23, 2016
Here is the devotion page for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, October 23, 2016. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Children’s Sermon for October 23, 2016 – Luke 18:9-14, Lectionary 30
Prepare: Get a long piece of paper – comically long! – to use as a scroll. This could be a long strip from an art roll, or several pages taped together.
For the worship station you will need posters, images or objects that reflect concerns in your community or in the world, containers and beads (or something similar).
As the children gather tell them that you are going to show them the best way to pray. Have your scroll ready and start a prayer with the most grand address to God that you can think of. Something like, “Gracious and merciful God, ruler of all creation, Lord of the storms and sea, Spirit if Truth and understanding,” and so on. Then finish with, “let me tell you all the ways that I am humble!” At this point drop one end of the paper so that it unrolls across the floor. (Make a big deal of it! You are going for a laugh!)
So, what did you think of my way to start a prayer? Pretty fancy huh? I totally think that Jesus would think this was great. I bet God can hardly wait to hear the cool stuff I do! Let’s take a look at the Gospel lesson today and see what Jesus says. I hear it’s about praying . . .
(take a minute to review the lesson, or maybe read it if they haven’t heard it yet.)
Or, maybe not! Did you guys even hear the Gospel story today? This is exactly the wrong! Jesus was kind of upset with the guy who was bragging, and he really seemed concerned for the guy who asked for mercy.”
Jesus is calling us to action rather than words. We are called to go do stuff, not to talk about what we have done. We are called to be gracious and merciful, and to be good and just and kind. If we spend out time focused on how our actions make us feel we kind of miss the point. How do your actions, how do your words make others feel? How are you God’s hands and feet in the world? That is what Jesus is hoping for us.
Gracious Lord, sometimes we forget that our actions tell more about us than our worlds. Lead us to be compassionate, caring, and merciful as we live out our lives. Amen.
+ God is merciful to you +
For the worship station, set up a prayer station with items, images, etc, that call attention to injustice or problems in and around your community. Invite people to offer prayers by dropping beads into baskets or jars in front the the things that concern them the most.
This does NOT need to be a quiet time, you may invite people to talk about what they see and feel!
Children’s Sermon, October 16, 2016 – Luke 18:1-8; Lectionary 29
As the children come forward, begin asking each one of them for a pencil (or any item will do! Maybe something you need for worship that day!). Keep asking them over and over and over. Ask them if they are annoyed by your questions yet…Hopefully, one of them will be, will find a pencil or pen in the pews/chairs and give it to you! Ask them how it felt when you were asking them over and over for the pencil. Accept all answers. Say, “Sometimes people do annoy us when they keep asking us for things or to do something. But when someone asks you for something, especially when you know that they really need it or it will really help them, you also want to do that thing for them or get the item that they need. As people, we really do like to help others when we can and are able!”
In today’s story from Luke, Jesus tells a story of a woman who is all alone, no family and she needs help. A judge in Jesus time was more than a person who worried about laws, but also could help people in all kinds of different ways. So the woman went to the judge for help. The judge thought that it would be easier to not help her, but she kept asking him! Just like I kept asking you for a pencil! Finally, he does help her! Jesus tells the people listening to this story that if people can listen to each other and help one another, then think about how much God listens to you! God wants us to talk to God all the time, about everything. Even if we think that it’s not important, or something your ashamed you did, or who your mad at, or the beautiful flower you saw. God wants us to know that it we’re not annoying when we talk to God. God says, “Tell me everything! Tell me about your bad day! Tell me about the new toy you saw! Tell me when you mess up! Tell me when you help someone! Tell me you love me! Tell me you are mad at me!” God can handle anything we say. Even if like the woman, we say it over and over and over.
What do you want to tell God today? (Write it down quickly and use it for the closing prayer. Depending on the ages, offer to have each child offer a prayer.) Yes! We can tell God anything!
Invite the children to pray what they named earlier. End with the Lord’s Prayer if that is appropriate for your context and congregation. Jesus told his disciples that this prayer encompasses everything we need.
For prayers of the people (or prayers of intercession) have a quarter sheet of paper in each bulletin or in a basket accessible for all with pens or pencils. Invite people to write what they would like to say to God today. Depending on the size of your congregation, read them all out loud, or have a large wooden cross where people can hang their prayers to God. You can also offer a time for people to pray the prayers on the cross.
Another option is to have a list of needs from the congregation and community: meals, help with house/yard work, donations, prayer, companionship, etc. Have a place where people can write a need and someone else can offer to fill it.
+God hears you and loves you always+
Weekly Devotion Page for October 16, 2016
Here is the devotion page for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, October 16, 2016. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Weekly Devotions for The Day of Thanksgiving
Here is the devotion page for the Day of Thanksgiving – Year C. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Get up and Go! Children’s Sermon Luke 17:11-19 Pentecost 21C October 9, 2016
Gather the children up front with you and welcome them. Say, “I am wondering.. what do you think faith looks like?” Pause for a moment. “Like maybe it looks like folded hands in prayer? (show with hands) Or maybe it looks like showing the I love you in sign language? (who with hands pinky, index and thumb fingers up with the middle and ring down) I wonder if we can come up with a posture that shows faith?” Then say, “Let’s all strike a pose, move your body into a position that you think looks like faith.” Do this experiment together a couple of times. Comment on ones that stand out, ask questions of ones you do not understand.
“In our story today from Luke, Jesus heals 10 lepers-10 people who were sick and being healed meant they could return to their homes and families. And as they ran off to do this, one of them turned back and prostrated himself and gave thanks. What does it mean to ‘prostrate’?” See if anyone knows and if not show them a bowing down. “This man showed faith with this bowing action. And then Jesus says something else, he says Get up! and Go! Sometimes we think of faith as praying or bowing or sitting quietly and those are all true. They help us connect with God, to hear God and to talk to God. And Jesus gives us another way to show faith. Get up and Go!”
There is a song about this that I really like. It’s called “Go!” I want to teach it to you now (or just sing if your setting knows this song. This part can also be skipped to shorten and you can just move to the prayer). This song is by Eyewitness
Lyrics: Go Out and Pray
Go out and pray like it all depends on prayer.
Go out and work like it all depends on work.
Go out and love ‘til the final day ‘til he comes.
Go out and sing the greatest song you know.
Go out and study His word so we all can grow
Into the fullness of the likeness of His Son.
Words and Music by Eyewitness
For our prayer, we are going to get up and Go. So let’s stand in a circle together. Everytime I say Go! raise your arm in the air and say Go! Back
At the end I will say Amen, Let’s Go! And you say “Let’s Go!”
Jesus, you tell us to Go! And pray, and work and sing and study and grow! Help us to Go and live and act in faith knowing your love Goes with us.
+May you know God GOes with you always+
Google images of ‘postures of prayer’ and put them on a large poster. Set down a rug or some yoga mats and invite people to try out different postures. You can go a step farther and have cards for them to take home to try out there as well.
Weekly Devotion Page for October 9, 2016
Here is the devotion page for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, October 9, 2016. (Click on the words!)
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!