Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Category: Children’s Sermons

  • Palm Sunday Children’s Sermon 2014

    Palm Sunday Children’s Sermon 2014

    Scripture Focus: Matthew 21:1-11

    Faith+Open—Pass out palm branches if you haven’t already. These can be real or the crosses or they can be made from paper. Gather the children in the back and lead them to the front shouting Hosanna together. You can walk all around the sanctuary if you like!

    Faith+Share:  Read the story of Palm Sunday from the Spark Children’s Bible or other Bible of your choice.

    Ask: Have you ever been to a parade or been in a parade? What was that like? If Jesus came to our town how do you think the people would greet him?

    We can welcome Jesus in our lives by how we welcome others—especially the stranger. How can you welcome someone who is new to school or Sunday school?

    Palm Sunday is also about shouting Hosanna and praising God. Look at your hand, we call the middle part a palm, right? If we look at our five fingers let’s think of 5 praises for God together. Then you can do this at home with your family later today and each think of 5 praises.

    Together figure out 5 praises taking answers from kids.

    We have this story of Jesus and it is the first story of what we call this week—Holy Week. It is when Jesus rides into Jerusalem and then will later have his last supper with his disciples and on Friday we will have worship to remember the day he died on the cross and then next Sunday we celebrate….what? Easter! You’re right. We spend this week getting ready for Easter by remembering the stories of Jesus’ last days and remembering the love he has for each of us.

    Faith+Prayer: Jesus,  we praise you for being our God who lived in our world and still loves in our heads and hearts and all around us.  Amen

    Faith+Blessing: Let’s say together making the sign of the cross: God in my head, God in my heart, God on my left and God on my right.

    Extended activities: If you meet with children for a longer period of time outside of the worship space here are some ideas:

    1.    Make palm branches with construction paper and then parade back to worship.

    2.    Trace hands “palms” and write one way to praise God in each finger.

    3.    Get out musical instruments and create a song of praise together

    **originally written in 2011

  • Children’s Sermon Lent 5A John 11: 1-44

    Children’s Sermon Lent 5A John 11: 1-44

    Preparation:  a rope or string that you can tie around your wrists loosely, Lazarus Painting/picture (see link below for one, you can also google it and look in images)

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    Gather the children with you.  Show them your bound wrists. Say, “Hmm, I seem to have a problem here….. ummm… My hands are somehow tied up here… do you think anyone can help me?” Let the kids help or plant an older child to help them get you free. You can also tie up someone else’s hands and find ways to work together with the children to unbind that person.

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    “Whew, that was not easy but thank you for helping me. You know we just heard that story about Lazarus and Jesus. Lazarus had died and when someone died in that time period they were wrapped up (show a picture of this if possible–here is a link to one: Lazarus painting). See how he is wrapped up in cloth and there are people around him? Well I noticed that Jesus did tell Lazarus to get up or rise, he told him to come out of the tomb, which was like a cave, and then Jesus told the people there to unbind him and let him go. Jesus was there to call Lazarus back from the dead, but Jesus also asked his friends and family to participate, to help in freeing Lazarus. So I was thinking… there are lots of things that can bind us up–maybe not exactly like a rope around our wrists, but things in life that may be hard, make us feel bad or make us think that we are not good enough or loved enough. What do you think, do you have things that ever make your heart or your mind feel like they are bound up? (take answers but help them along) Yes, things like missing someone we love, or having a big test, or something hard happening with our family or friends. It may even make our stomachs feel tight or our hearts sad. You know, Jesus says something else in this story. He says I am the resurrection and I am the life. That is Jesus’ promise, that we have life and love and healing in him no matter what is happening in our lives. So all those things that can bind us up–they can’t keep us bound. Jesus brings us new life over and over again. And Jesus sends other people into our lives to help us to be unbound–like our family and friends who love us, hug us when we are hurting and help us when things are hard. And sometimes Jesus asks us to be those people for others too. And this is a promise from God too, that no matter what is holding on to us, we are free to know God’s love and to love others.

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    Let’s pray, “Jesus, you set us free in love to know you and to love others. Help us to pray to about the things that bind us up and help us to remember your love surrounds us at all times. Amen”

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    God in my head, God in my heart, God on my left, God on my right + (do this while making the sign of the cross and showing kids how to join in with you if you have not done this before)