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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Advent 3 year B: John 1: 6-8, 19-28

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 Tell the children at the beginning of worship to go and find an object or a picture that gives a clue about who they are and one example of who they are not. Have an example such as, I might bring my running shoes as I’m an avid runner and a plant as I am not a gardner.

Tell the children to hold up their objects and tell why that object tells us who they are and who they are not. If it’s appropriate, remind them of your objects and why.
Then talk about the John the baptizer story: John was asked by some leaders who he was. They wondered if he was the Messiah, Elijah, or another prophet. He answered that he is not the Messiah, he’s not Jesus, or any of those other things, but he is someone who God sent to show others to Jesus. He’s important because he tells others about Jesus. And Jesus tells us about how much God loves us and who we are: God’s great joy. You are God’s great joy! You might be a dancer, a soccer player, a musician, an artist, etc. but most important, who you are is loved by God and God’s great joy! And our job for God is to be that joy to everyone we meet so that they know that they are God’s great joy too!

 

Let’s pray: God you sent Jesus to show us that we are loved and your great joy forever. Help us to never forget this and to always be who we are: yours. We joyfully pray in the name of Jesus, amen.

+You are God’s Great Joy+

Children's Sermons

LIfe Together in Jesus Luke 10: 38-42

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Have hoola hoop (or as many hoola hoops as you might need for the number of children in your congregation. I would say no more than 8 around a hoop. Gather the children forward and have the hoola hoop laying on the ground. “We are going to pick this hoola hoop up with each of us only using one finger. Ok here we go!” Let them work together and see if they can do it. Offer hints and help if necessary. Once they have it lifted to waist level have them stop and hold it. “You did it! Working together and focusing on the same task, made this possible. Now that you have it lifted- I’m going to ask you some questions: If you don’t like to hoola hoop, or don’t know how, let go and step back. Ok come back and hold the hoola hoop again. If you like to read instead of watch tv step back. Ok come back. If you like to play outdoors more than video games step back. If you like video games more than playing outdoors, step back. What happens when we loose someone from our hoola hoop? It drops. We need everyone to keep it up off the ground don’t we. And despite the differences we just talked about-we all liked to do different things-we worked together to get the hoola hoop lifted.



Our bible story reminds me of this working together, how we live together, even though we are different people. Martha and Mary were sisters who liked different things. Mary wanted to sit and learn from Jesus to show her love for him and Martha wanted to make sure that everyone had enough food to show that she loved Jesus. They both loved Jesus and both had good gifts to share. But Martha on this day, wanted Mary to be just like her and help serve and cook. And she was mad about it. Has that ever happened to you? When you wanted someone to like the same things and do the same things as you, but they wouldn’t? Yep. It’s happened to me! Martha was so mad that she told Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus knew that Martha loved him, and had many gifts as did Mary, but at this time was so worried about small details that didn’t matter, that she lost her focus on Jesus. Jesus reminds Martha that Mary is staying focused on what matters, Jesus, and so should she and so should we. Just like when we focused together to lift the hoola hoop, we can stay focused on Jesus but not worrying about who likes what, or is like us or different from us but how we work together to show Jesus’ love in the world. When we focus on Jesus, this is what we do. We focus on Jesus’ message of God’s love, grace and forgiveness for everyone. What helps you focus on Jesus? Prayer? Reading the bible? Helping people in need? Yes we can stay focused on Jesus in so many different ways!
Dear Jesus, thank you for holding us all together in God’s love. Keep us focused on you each day so that all people will know that God loves them too. Amen!
+Jesus holds you in God’s love+
Weekly Devotions

The Kingdom Of God is NEar

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Gather the children near the font if possible. Ask them if they have ever felt left out? Accept all answers. Say “yes! We all have felt left out at some point in our lives. What made you feel better about that? Or did you feel better about it? Do you still struggle? I know that I sometimes do! But I can remember that I am included in God’s family.
In today’s Luke story and the letter from Paul to the people of Galatia, we are learning that God includes everyone into God’s family. Paul says that we are to keep doing good to everyone as they are part of God’s family. Jesus tells the 70 people that he sent out to tell the world about God’s love that sometimes people will like what you say and sometimes they will reject it and you will feel left out. But the good news and the promise is that the Kingdom of God is near-is near everyone no matter what! You are always included in God’s love. God says so in water being poured on us at baptism, in the bread and in the wine at communion and in this community here who promises to love each other like God loves no matter what! Your name, Jesus says, is written in heaven, or what that really means is on God’s heart. You are never left out of God’s love! Who can you share that with?
Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for telling us that all people are included in God’s love and in God’s kingdom. We pray to include all people in your love too! Amen.
+Your name is written on God’s heart+
Worhsip prayer station: Supples: Large poster board with the words “KINGDOM OF GOD” written on it, markers, crayons, stickers. (might need more than one poster board for a larger congregation))
Invite people to write names and groups of people who are also written in heaven, or on God’s heart. It’s a great reminder to add those names of people whom we struggle with or who stuggle with us! Invite people to pray for this list during the week.
Children's Sermons

God’s great joy! Christmas Eve Children’s Sermon on Luke 2

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Bring the children forward and have a plain amazon box.

I’m sure you recognize this! It’s an Amazon box! We seemed to have many of these come to our door this week! And I’m sure you did too! Every time a box came to our home, it was a reminder that someone who lived far away in our family or from our friends was thinking of us and we are not alone! Now, the plain box itself is one thing, but then when we open it, the gifts inside are decorated with fun paper or bows, like this, on them. When we wrap gifts, we often think of how special that person is to us and we hope that the gift we send makes them happy. But it’s not really about the gifts. Maybe in the past you’ve received a toy that you really wanted, fun new pajamas, a new bike or gaming system and that made you happy. But toys break, we outgrow pajamas or bikes and technology will stop working. Does that mean that the person who gave you those things no longer loves you? NO! Those things made us happy, being loved never stops and that is what joy is all about. Joy is about being connected to love: people who love us: moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, friends, teachers, and that we love all of those people too.

In our Christmas story tonight we heard an angel tell the shepherds good news of great joy for ALL people. What was that good news? Jesus was born!!! God loves us so much that God came to us as baby Jesus, to connect us to God’s love and to each other and this is great joy! Everyone, you, me, everyone here, everyone in the world, is connected to God and God’s love and are filled with Great Joy! God wanted the shepherds, Mary, Joseph and us to know that we are loved, and are God’s Great Joy. We are part of God forever. And God’s Great Joy can’t be put in a box or under our tree, It’s so big that it covers the whole world! And so as people who are God’s Great Joy-our job is to tell everyone we see that they are God’s Great Joy too! Just like we put bows on presents to remind the person that they are special, I have a bow for each of you tonight to remind you that you are special, connected to God and God’s Great Joy forever!

Dear God, thank you for loving us and connecting us to you! May your Great Joy , through Jesus, be for all the world to see! Amen! Merry Christmas!


+Glory to God in the highest, you are God’s Great Joy!+
Children's Sermons

On the Road Again Luke 10:13-35 Easter 3A, April 30, 2017

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 Gather the children in the back of your worship space. Ask them what they know about what was celebrated on Easter and what they know about the morning that the women found the tomb empty. As you are talking, begin to walk to wherever your font is in your space. Be sure that the children are following you. Keep talking until you get to the font. At the font, say, “We come together every Sunday to tell each other about Jesus in our lives. When we baptize people (children, babies and adults), we tell them how much God loves them and is with them forever. We also talk about how we are going to keep learning about God’s love through the Bible, The Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, worship, and Holy Communion.” Then ask them what they know about Jesus from the Bible and begin walking toward the table. When you get to the table, say, “We know a lot about Jesus from the Bible, but in bread and wine, Jesus is known to us in real and concrete way! Give them all bread to eat (if this is a concern as it might look like communion for children who do not yet receive just hold up the bread). Jesus is truly with us just like this bread is truly with us!”

 In our Bible story today, some disciples were walking and talking about Jesus’ death and resurrection. A man joined them and began to tell them about what the Bible said about Jesus’ and God’s love. But they didn’t know it was Jesus until they were sitting at dinner with him and he blessed bread and gave it to them to eat! They had been talking to Jesus that whole day! Even though they didn’t know it and they were sad about Jesus dying, Jesus was with them, even as they walked to a different town! Jesus is with us no matter where we walk, drive, ride our bikes or run. Jesus promises to be with us. We can talk to each other about Jesus no matter where we are too!

 Everywhere our feet go, Jesus is there! Have different colors of construction paper, pencils, markers and scissors available. Invite people to trace their feet, cut out the tracings, write or draw how they know Jesus is with them in their daily lives, or how they experience the presence of Jesus in their daily lives. Hang them on a wall, or a bulletin board for a week and then invite them to take them home as a reminder.

Dear Jesus, you walk with us no matter where we go. Open our eyes to see you in our midst. Open our ears to hear your words of promise and love. Open our hearts to share the story of the good news of your death and resurrection that is for all people in all times and in all places. Give us your Holy Spirit to renew us for the journey. Amen.

 +Jesus is risen indeed!+

Children's Sermons

God’s Love is Powerful! Easter Year A April 16, 2017

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 Invite the children to gather around the cross or if you have a prop of the empty tomb in your worship space. Ask them if they know what special day today is. Say, “yes! It’s the day that we celebrate that God raised Jesus from the dead and Jesus was alive! We say today, ‘Jesus is Risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!’
*You will need a basket of smooth pond rocks (available at a craft store) with a cross drawn on them with permanent marker.

 Today we tell the story of the women going to Jesus’ tomb very early on Sunday morning and when they go there, there was an angel and an earthquake (ask the children to shake) and then the big huge giant heavy stone that was in front of the tomb like a door, was moved by the angel all by himself! What do you think the women saw in the tomb? NOTHING! No Jesus! God had done a very wonderful, powerful and unexpected thing! He brought Jesus back to life so that we would all know that God can do and does do powerful and great things and God will always use that power to give us life, love and hope. God’s power is stronger than everything else in the world, including death! Jesus being alive, or what we call resurrection, is a sign of this power and God will use this power for us to be resurrected too! God’s greatest power is God’s love for us always, no matter what. God makes sure that nothing is between God and you and me and everyone! God will move anything, there is nothing that is too heavy for God, to be with you. That is love!

To help us remember this, here is a stone with a cross on it. The stone helps you to remember that God is powerful, loves you and moves everything to be with you. The cross on the stone reminds you that with God, you have life forever!

  For a worship station, have someone create a large stone on a piece of cardboard or butcher paper (you can hang that on a wall) Invite your congregation to write or draw where they have experienced God’s power in expected or unexpected ways in their lives. You can add this this in the season of Easter. Have a basket of the same rocks you gave the children available for the adults at this station as well.

 Every time you hear “Jesus is Risen!” today, I want you to lift your stone up and say “God’s love is powerful!” Dear God, today we celebrate that “Jesus is Risen!” (“God’s love is Powerful!”)! We thank you for loving us so much that you want to be with us forever. Because “Jesus is Risen!” (“God’s love is Powerful!”) we know to look for your power, mercy and love in the world around us. Help us to tell the whole world “Jesus is Risen!” (God’s love is Powerful!”) Amen!

 +God’s power is love+

Children's Sermons

Holding It Together Matthew 2: 13-23 Christmas 1 Year A January 1, 2017

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Invite the children (and adults!!)  to come forward and immediately grab a hold of a rope tied to create a circle . Make sure everyone is holding on! Ask,” Could you hold this rope in the shape of a circle all by yourself? No, that would be very hard wouldn’t it! We need each other to do hard things and I’m so glad that all of you are here! This rope reminds us that we are all connected and when we need help all we have to do is look around to see that we are not alone. God’s love holds us together, much like this rope connects us.

 In our story today, we hear that baby Jesus and his parents, Joseph and Mary had to go to Egypt in order to keep Jesus safe. It would have been scary for them! But God was with them and do you think that people would have helped them along the way and when they arrived in Egypt? Yes! God makes sure that we are never alone! All we have to do is look around to see those who are helping! Just as we hold on to the rope, we hold on to each other and God holds on to all of us! How can we hold someone with God’s love? What if there is a new kid in class? Or in our neighborhood? Or someone who is scared or alone? You are part of God’s work in the world to hold us all in love!

Have a simple, printed calendar of January 2020 with room under each day for writing (perhaps a calendar where each day is a square). People can take one home to write where they see God holding them or a neighbor each day. Also, have a paper map of the world hanging up and people can place a pin for the part of the world that they are praying for.

God of yesterday, today and tomorrow, you hold us always in your love. You promise that we are never alone no matter where we may be. Bind us and hold us together! Amen

+You are held by God+

Children's Sermons

See God’s Love With Us! Matthew 1: 18-25, Advent 4 Year A, December 18, 2016

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 Have a crèche or the nativity scene where the children can gather around. If you already have the baby Jesus in the manger in your congregation, have the baby removed for this message. Ask the children “what’s missing from our scene?” Hopefully they will say Jesus! Say, “Jesus isn’t in the manger yet, as we celebrate his birthday next week. We have been waiting these last four weeks to finally see the baby Jesus, haven’t we? It’s hard to wait and it’s hard to know what we can’t see. We keep looking for baby Jesus, don’t we!”
 Our story today is about Jesus being born and that finally, Mary and Joseph saw baby Jesus! Have seen a new baby? They are very tiny and everyone is very excited about them aren’t they? Moms, dads, brothers and sisters have waited to see what this new baby will look like and it can feel like someone is missing. And when the baby is born, it’s almost like the baby has always been with us because we immediately love them . When we love someone, it feels that we have always loved them. This is what God wants us to know and so had Jesus come as a baby. When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and Wise men looked at Jesus, they were looking at God’s love! When we look at each other we are also looking at God’s love! God has always loved us and will always love us. God wants us to see this love and to know that this love is forever. In sending Jesus as a baby, God says that love is never missing from our lives, Jesus and his love is always with us. This love is with you, and you, and you and you and everyone here, and everyone not here. Jesus tells us that when we love other people with kind words and actions, that we are showing people Jesus’ love for everyone to see! Let’s put the baby Jesus in the manger to remind us of this love and sing “Jesus Loves Me.”

Have the phrase “See God’s Love With Us.” printed out with each letter of the phrase printed on a separate sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 paper. Hang the letters up so that it reads as the phrase and have pens, markers, etc. available. Invite people to write words of where they see God’s love and action in the world that begin with each letter of the phrase “See God’s Love With Us.” (You can also have more than one phrase/word.)

Dear Jesus, you came to the world as God’s own love to be with us. Your love never leaves us and is always with us. May we not be afraid to share this love so that evryone sees you and your love! Amen

 +God’s love is with us+

Children's Sermons

You Are a Saint of God! All Saints Sunday, Nov. 6th, 2016 Year C

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20130822-223520.jpgAsk, “How many of you have grandmas, or grandpas? Do you see them all of the time? (Some will, some won’t.) If you don’t see them very often, (or at all) are you still their grandchild? (Yes!) I have grandmas and grandpas but my grandma (or grandpa or other relative) has died. That means that they no longer live here on earth, they are with God now and I don’t see them anymore but I know that I will someday! We know that God promises that we will all someday be together and with God. God created us to be together. We have families, friends, church community, all kinds of places where we are with people. When we’re together, we can teach each other about Jesus. What would you want to tell these people here about Jesus?” (Have the children turn and face the congregation and say what they think is important about Jesus.)

*Then invite up a parent and a baby, a teen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety (if you have one present!) something up with the children. Say, “All of these people are part of our community. Even if we don’t see them every day know their name, can they still teach us something about Jesus? Can a baby teach us about Jesus? Yes! A teenager? A grandma or grandpa? YES! Can you teach them about God too? YES!”

* Invite each generation to say one sentence that they want the children to know about Jesus. Say, “We need each other to teach each other about God! This is what All Saints is all about! You are a saint when your words and actions teach someone about Jesus. God says that we are all saints to each other! Pretty neat! To remember this today, during the passing of the peace you can make the sign of the cross on each other and say, “Saint (name if you know it), God’s peace be with you!”

20130822-223749.jpg God of all faithfulness, you created us to be in community with each other. Help us to remember that we need each other: babies, children, teens, young adults, middle age adults and our mature adults. We remember today those saints who are not with us but still live in love in our hearts. Thank you for weaving us together in your love now and forever, amen.

FaithCross_Worship A few ideas to do today:

*Have paper clouds cut out and on a table with pens and markers. Invite people to write names of saints living and dead on their “cloud of witnesses,” people who have passed the faith on them. They can either take them home, or place them on a cross.
*Have bowls of water available as people come for communion, in order to remember their baptism. You can also have a bowl of water with a candle lighting station if you do that. Connect baptism to communion, to our daily lives.
*In addition to commemorating those saints who have completed their baptismal journey from you congregation, celebrate those who were born/baptized this year as well. Light a candle for those past and ring a bell for the new lives!

 

20130822-223908.jpg +You are a saint of Jesus Christ+

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon, October 16, 2016 – Luke 18:1-8; Lectionary 29

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20130822-222604.jpg 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!”

FaithCross_BibleALTIn 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!

FaithCross_PrayALTInvite 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.

FaithCross_Worship 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.

20130822-223908.jpg+God hears you and loves you always+