Preparation: cross or heart stickers–enough for each child to have 5
Faith+Open: Invite the children to come for children’s time. Begin by showing them a party hat and talking about the last birthday party for a friend that you went to. Read “The Wedding Banquet” parable from the Spark Bible (Augsburg Fortress) or another children’s Bible.
Faith+Share: How many of you have been to a special party? When you go to a special party how do you dress? How do you act? Are you on good behavior? Why? (Accept all answers. If they need prompting talk how when we are at a friend’s house or a family members house (like grandma and grandpa)
We want our friends and family to know by how we act that we love them and care about them. Our story from the Bible this morning tells us that God wants everyone to be in God’s family. God invites everyone all over the world to God’s party! That is really special. We are all included because God loves us. How do you think we should act being a part of God’s family? Just as we may put on nice clothes for a party for a friend, some people wear a cross either as a necklace, bracelet, pin or even ring so that God’s love can been seen by everyone. God puts love in our hearts to share with everyone so that everyone knows that we are in God’s family and they are too! How can we show God’s love and that everyone is invited into God’s family? (We can be nice to friends and siblings, we can help people, we can tell them about Jesus and God’s love, write cards to neighbors, collect food for the hungry, etc.) I have some cross stickers that I want you to give to friends and family members to share God’s love with them. When you give them a sticker you can tell them that God loves them and so do you! (Have enough stickers so that each child can have one of their own and three or four to give away.)
Faith+Close: Prayer: Dear loving God, you want all of your children to be included in your love. Help us to share your love with everyone we meet. Your love is like a joyous party that we all can come to! Thank you for the best gift of all your Son Jesus! Amen
~BW