Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Author: Leta

  • Children’s Sermon Acts 2:1-21 Pentecost Year C May 19, 2013

    Scripture Acts 2:1-21

    Preparation: optional–streamers or ribbons or pom poms in red/orange/yellow colors like fire.

    FaithCross_ConnectALTGather the children–If you have streamers or pom poms, hand them out. Hey kids! Look around, what colors do you see? What colors are you holding in your hands now? Does anyone know why I would pick those colors?

    FaithCross_BibleALTToday is Pentecost! It’s a day in the church that we do a little celebrating and remembering of the first Pentecost. Anyone know what happened on the first Pentecost? (take answers or move on if no one answers) When he went to heave, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with us. Peter and the disciples had no idea what this would look like, they just knew that Jesus was gone and they were not sure what to look for in a coming Holy Spirit–they felt sad and maybe scared so they stayed all together and they did a lot of praying. Well, Pentecost was a festival day and so they were doing their festival prayers and not sure what to think about Jesus not being there with them and then–the Holy Spirit came! It came as a big wind and flames were dancing above their heads but not hurting them and people spoke different languages but could also understand one another.  Has that happened to you before? No? Yeah… it’s an amazing story that is why we want to remember it each year–but did you know that the Holy Spirit did not just come once and go away? Do you know where the Holy Spirit went?  Yes–it went EVERYWHERE! And it’s still moving and talking to people and the Holy Spirit is here with us and in us.

    FaithCross_ConversationALTI think that’s pretty exciting so I thought we could use our ribbons and say a cheer for the Holy Spirit–do you know any cheers? One we used to do a lot when I was in High School and we were cheering for our team at a sport event goes like this–We’ve got Spirit yes we do, we’ve got spirit, how about you? and then the other people in the stand on the other side would yell the same thing back. I am thinking we can change it just a little and say We’ve got Holy Spirit, yes we do, we’ve got Holy Spirit how about you? –Let’s try it.  Try out the cheer. Great job! (or do it again if it wasn’t great!) Ok, so now we are going to try it again, but this time we are going to stand up and look at all those people and see if we can get them to say the cheer back to us. You can wave your ribbons in the air while you are doing this.

    Have kids do the cheer and have the assembly cheer back to them!

    FaithCross_PrayALTHoly Spirit–we praise you for being here with us and in us. Help us to remember we always have your spirit and that we can share this spirit with others through our cheers, shouts, prayers and actions. Amen

    FaithCross_BlessALTGod the Holy Spirit is in your head, in your heart, on your left and on your right. Amen

  • May 12, 2013 John 17:20-26 Easter 7C

    FaithCross_ConnectALTPrep: carnations for each woman in your congregation–or you could do a paper heart or leave out this part.

    Gather the children. Welcome them to worship

     

    FaithCross_BibleALTRead them verse 26, “I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Jesus says these words to his disciples–do you know who disciples are? (take answers)

    FaithCross_ConversationALTJesus is talking to the first disciples who were with him but Jesus is also talking to all of us! Disciples are those who follow Jesus and here Jesus wants us to know that we are all a part of God’s children and that we are all made one in God’s love. This verse also got me to thinking about how it’s mother’s day and that God gives us mothers of all kinds. Sometimes they are the mothers who are the ones who gave birth to us or take care of us everyday or maybe sometimes they are our grandmothers too, but because Jesus says we are all one, we have other mothers too. Jesus is praying in this verse that we may know the love of God that he has shown us and that we can show it to others. So really, that means that all of us need to work together to show God’s love to eachother and to the world. When you are baptized all the people promise to help you raise you in God’s love and promises–so all the women and all the men who are here today and who are in our lives showing us about faith are like our Christian parents. Today we are going to share a special blessing for all the women because it’s mother’s days and we want to say thank you to all women–old and young, those who have children here today and those who do not–because they are a part of the oneness in God’s love that Jesus prays for and God promises.

    So after we pray, we will say a blessing together to all the women here and then you can each take a few carnations and hand them out to all the women.

    FaithCross_PrayALTGod-thank you for making us one, for giving us Christian adults in our lives to help us know your love and grace. We pray especially for all the gifts the women of our community bring to us your children. Grant them love, peace, and joy in you. Amen

    FaithCross_BlessALTMay you know God’s love today and always. (have children repeat this and then hand out carnations if you have them)