Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Author: gb

  • Children Sermon Pentecost 21A Matthew 25:1-13

    Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-13 (for All Saints text click here)

    Preparation: another adult or youth to participate

    Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Welcome them and have your volunteer adult enter walking up either with or after the children. Have the volunteer plop down and look bored.

    Faith+Share: 
    Dialogue follows:
    Leader: “Hey____ what’s wrong? What are you doing?”
    2nd person: “I’m waiting”
    Leader: “What are you waiting for?”
    2nd Person: “Jesus. Isn’t that what our story is about?”
    Leader: “Well, kind of.  Jesus says that he will come back one day but we don’t know when so it could be a long time from now. But we know that God is with us always now. You know, when I have to wait I like to do something to pass the time. It makes the time that I am waiting seem productive.”
    2nd Person: “Like what?”
    Leader: “Well, Jesus says that we will have to wait for him to come back but we should be sure to tell other people about him and help people while we wait.”
    2nd Person:  “Oh. That’s a good idea, it’s better than just sitting here and doing nothing. Very boring.” Leader: “Right! We shouldn’t be bored so God has things for us to do while we wait. Let’s see what could we do while we wait for Jesus?”
    2nd person: Name some missions and ministries of your congregation. Ask the children what they could do while they wait for Jesus. “Jesus loves us very much and wants us to share that love! What a fun thing to do while we wait!”

    Faith+Prayer:
    God we wait for you and we also live for you. Teach us to see you today in our world and to reach out to those who need to know your love. Amen

    Faith+Blessing: Remember God is with us always.  Make sign of cross together saying:
    God in my head
    God in my heart
    God on my left
    God on my right

    Extension Ideas: 
    1. Do a service project like making cards for those who have lost loved ones this year.
    2. Read one of the stories from Children’s Literature for November 6

  • Children Sermon Reformation Day Jeremiah 31:27-34

    Children Sermon Reformation Day Jeremiah 31:27-34

    Scripture: Jeremiah 31:27-34

    Preparation: something you can say or sing ‘by heart’–UPDATE and a Greek or Hebrew or Latin Bible.

    Faith+Open: Gather the Children. Do you know anything by heart? A song or a poem that you can say without looking at paper or having someone help you? I know _____________ by heart. Share a short song, Bible verse, piece of the catechism, whatever you know by heart!

    Faith+Share: Jeremiah tells us that God says,  “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” What do you think it means to have something written on your heart? (you can refer to last week’s children’s message if you used the Shema. Ask them if they were able to say this week and if they know it by heart)

    It means that because God first gave us this gift of love and faith, we can know something in our hearts we can live in a way that shows we know God. What are ways that we can show we know God? (how we treat others and ourselves, creation, reading the Bible, learning songs and verses that help us remember God loves us).

    Show them your ancient language Bible. Ask a child to read to you from it--Oh you can’t! So if you can’t read what the scripture says it makes it difficult to know what it is that God has written on our hearts and they ways to know God. Martin Luther, a man who lived a long time ago, wanted people to have the chance to know God through the Bible and to learn things by heart not only by listening but  by reading them. Before him only people who knew an ancient language could read what God’s word said. Now we have Bibles in all languages and all kinds of formats to help us know God by heart. 

    Faith+Prayer and Blessing:  My hope for you is to know some things by heart. Let’s pray, “God help us to know you and to know that you love us no matter who we are–we are always yours.” Amen

    Let’s work on knowing by heart that God is with us all the time by learning this blessing(or saying our blessing if you use this often OR pick one you do use often)
    Make sign of + saying:
    God in my head
    God in my heart
    God on my left
    God on my right
    Amen

    Extension Ideas
    1. Teach them a song like Love the Lord your God (see Children’s Sermon Pentecost 19A)
    2. Teach them the Lord’s Prayer or another prayer
    3. Have the children share songs or stories or poems they know by heart.

    ~LB