Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Category: Children’s Sermons

  • Advent 1B Mark 13:24-37 Children’s Sermons

    Scripture: Mark 13:24-37

    Supplies: a pair of binoculars

    Faith+Open: Gather children to you. Hold up your binoculars and start using them to look around the sanctuary. Oh wow! Look at that–the colors are new! Oh my there are new candles and a wreath and a tree. Hhhmm, I heard it is Advent and I’m supposed to watch for something. Do you know what I’m watching and waiting for? Pause and take responses. Keep looking through your binoculars and pondering what you see.

    Faith+Share: I read in the gospel of Mark that we are to keep watch and waiting. And it’s Advent so we watch and wait for Jesus. So, do I need these binoculars for what we are watching for? You don’t think so? But I want to see God right away and isn’t God far away? …. It seems like in Advent we watch for God we also know that God is near. So maybe I don’t need these binoculars to see God. Hhhmmm, what are the ways we know God is around us? Take responses. Focus in on how we can see God working in the acts of love around us in the world. And while we wait for Christmas, we can focus on how we see the light of Christ around us during this time when it’s dark longer. At this time of year we say Christ is our Light because we think about God being the one that gives us light and hope.  In our Gospel today and in all of Advent we talk about how we are waiting and watching for God’s light. We can call those Godsightings–like when we see or hear stories of people helping others or acts of love. God is all around us and working in our world today. Where can you watch for God this week?  Take responses.

    Faith+Prayer: This week, watch for God in all you do. Keep a list or tell your family at dinner what you saw. 
    Prayer with me: Christ our light, shine us while we wait. Help us see you  each day and know that your love is with us always. Amen

    Faith+Blessing:
    May the light of Christ be with you today and all your days. +

    Extended Ideas: 
    Have a candle cut out (or binoculars) with Christ written on it and have kids take it back to their seats and write where they can watch for God this week.

  • Children Sermon Reign of Christ Sunday November 20, 2011

    Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-46

    Preparation: pitcher of water, small cups

    Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Have a pitcher of water and enough cups for each child (don’t worry you are not giving them much water!) I have some water here to pass out to all of you. Today we are we are celebrating that Jesus is the one we call Lord and that he has shown us how to follow him and to know God. When you get water, hold on to it and don’t drink it quite yet. 

    Starting with some older children fill their cups fairly full. Share your water out of the pitcher until it is empty. Then have them share with other children until their cups are empty. (If you have a very large amount of children ask for a few volunteers for this activity.)

    Faith+Share: God pours all of God’s love into you and wants you like a fountain, to pour it out to others. When you think that you have run out God keeps pouring (pull an extra pitcher of water out from a hiding spot or have someone from the congregation bring up another full one) What are some ways that we can pour God’s love into other people?(Accept all answers–emphasize that when we give food, water, shelter, clothes or help of any kind we are helping others and we are serving God. This is how we show and act in love) 

    We are so blessed that God loves us so much and give us all of God’s love every day. Let’s tell everyone we know about this love! 
    Go ahead and drink your water imagining God filling you up with love. 

    Faith+Prayer:  God, thank you for filling us with your love. Be with us as we share our love with others. 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

    And remember your high fives and hugs on the way back! 

    Extension Ideas: 

    1. Talk about what a king looks like–how is that like or unlike what we know about Jesus? What do Christians look like?

    2. Sing the Song Grace Flows Down (lyrics below, go to your favorite music source to hear song–comes up on youtube)

    Amazing Grace
    How sweet the sound
    Amazing Love
    Now flowing down
    From hands and feet
    That were nailed to the tree
    As Grace flows down and covers me 

    Chorus
    It covers me
    It covers me
    It covers me
    And covers me

    ~LB/BW