Resources

Holy Week Devotional Gospel of John, Year A

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20130822-223520.jpg Share with one another the days or week’s concerns and celebrations. Be sure to write them down in order to pray for each other.

20130822-223633.jpg Read and reflect on the following passages each day:
Monday: John 12: 1-11
FaithCross Love can seem lavish and extraneous but Mary’s actions remind us that love can also keep us present with those whom we love. How can you show people in your life that they are important to you today? What are ways that we can remind ourselves that God loves us all in this same lavish and sacrificial way?
20130822-223633.jpgTuesday: John 20: 20-36
 FaithCrossThink of examples from nature or from your own experiences where something (or situation) had to “die” in order for something new to come about. Does the new life make the death any easier? How does knowing that God is still creating and making things new sustain us when we are experiencing all of the big and small “deaths” (losing job, divorce, empty nesters, moving, physical death, loss of independence) of life?
20130822-223633.jpgWednesday: John 13:21-32
FaithCross This is a difficult passage as it read that Satan entered Judas when he took the bread from Jesus. What does it mean that Judas, as one of Jesus’ disciples, still did not believe in Jesus and betrayed him? Does it change anything that Satan entered Judas? “The devil made him do it”? What do you think about that as a response to harmful behavior?
20130822-223633.jpgThursday: John 13: 1-17,31b-35
FaithCross To wash the feet of people was to be in the position of a very lowly servant in Jesus’ time. How do Jesus’ actions of foot washing along with the commandment to “love one another” as Jesus loved the disciples and loves us change how we treat other people? How do we truly serve those around us? How does the world know that we are followers of Jesus who came to serve, die and be raised to give us all freedom and eternal life?
20130822-223633.jpgFriday: John 18:1-19:42
FaithCross Trade off reading this long passage or assign parts. Light three candles at the beginning of your devotional time together. After John 18: 27, 19:16 and 19: 42 (the end), extinguish a candle and hold a minute of silent prayer before continuing on in the story. End your devotional time with silence.

20130822-223749.jpg Pray for the concerns and celebrations of those gathered. Pray to show lavish love to others, to allow new life to grow, for the wrestling with what we don’t understand, for the world to know God’s love and thanksgiving that God so loved the world that God gave Jesus so that no one is ever separated from God.

20130822-223908.jpg On Monday give each person in the household a cross of some kind (you can create one from cardstock or however you would like to), and write on it, “God’s love brings life from death.”

Children's Sermons

John 4 “The Woman at the Well,” March 23rd, 2014, Year A, Third Sunday of Lent

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ffjChildrenSermonPreparation: Have water at different “stations” around your worship space. Station ideas: a small table top water feature, a pitcher and a small cup for each child, a bucket with water in it with a picture of a well, the baptismal font (be sure that there is water in it-maybe have some evergreen branches available). Leave stations available for Open Space time.

FaithCross_ConnectALT Gather the children towards the center of your worship space today. Briefly tell them that they are going to go on water walk.

FaithCross_BibleALT Say: God created water and God works in the world through water in many ways. Let’s go over here and this is our first stop on our water walk. God created rivers, oceans, lakes and waterfalls. Water is powerful isn’t it? What can water do? Do you know? (Water can smooth rocks, create new rivers, make sand, etc.) Water can create and change can’t it? Pretty cool. Ok, let’s keep walking.

Here is our second stop, a bucket and a well. Before people had sinks and bathtubs inside their homes people had to draw water from a deep hole in the ground called a well and sometimes carry the water a long ways home. Who can lift this bucket of water for me? Is it heavy? Would you like to carry it very far? But water is important-what do we use water for in our homes? If we lived on a farm who else would need water? Would only one bucket a day be enough? You would have to walk to the well several times a day! Jesus is at a well in our story today and talks to a woman. This woman is someone who doesn’t have many friends and almost no one speaks to, but Jesus does. He tells her that he is the living water and the water Jesus offers gushes with eternal life. Hmmm. I wonder what that means.

Let’s continue our water walk. Here is a pitcher of water and some cups. We’ve been walking a while, who’s thirsty? (Have a couple of helpers to pour water so that it doesn’t take too long.) Jesus says that those who drink from him will never be thirsty again. Do you get thirsty every day? I do! I don’t think Jesus is talking about our daily need for water. We are made up of mostly water and water keeps our bodies healthy. What do you think Jesus is talking about? (Accept all answers) I think maybe it might have something to do with our last stop on our water walk.

Let’s go to the baptismal font. When we are baptized we are declaring that God has acted first to say that we belong to God, God cares for us and we are part of God’s work in the world. Just like water in a river or from rain, the people of God working together can be powerful to spread God’s love all over the world. We can cover the world with love like an ocean covers a big part of the earth. (Sprinkle the kids with the water from the font.) This is water that is alive with the spirit and love of God, this is water that reminds us that God loves us and the whole world. This is water that we want to share with everyone we meet!

FaithCross_BlessALT Give the kids evergreen branches and have them dip them in the font and gently sprinkle the congregation and to say, “God’s living water for you!” (I have actually done this and yes, people get a little wet. J You can also have small bowls that you dip into the font to fill with water and have the kids use their fingers to sprinkle. )

FaithCross_PrayALT “God, you give us what we need. You know who we are and what we do and love us no matter what. Help us to share your living water with everyone we meet. Amen.”

 

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon John 3: 1-17, March 16th, 2014, Year A-Second Sunday in Lent

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20130822-223520.jpg Gather the children where there is a little space. Read the story of Nicodemus from a children’s Bible or paraphrase in your own words.

20130822-223633.jpg In the story about Nicodemus and Jesus in John, Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that God’s love is everywhere and God works in the world in many and mysterious ways. An example that Jesus uses is that the “spirit blows where it wants.” God’s love and grace goes all kinds of unpredictable ways!

FaithCross I have this fan here with paper shaped like hearts. Where do you think these hearts will go when we turn the fan on? (Alternatively, you could give the kids small hearts of tissue paper and have them blow them around. Just as unpredictable. J ) Turn on the fan and have the pieces of paper blow around for a bit. Turn off the fan and say: “Look at where all of these pieces of paper went! I never would have thought that they would blow to all of these places!” (Point out some specific places and maybe people the paper blew to.) “God’s love is just like that! God’s love goes everywhere to everyone! Can we help to move God’s love around the world like wind? Yes! What are some ways we can do that?” (Accept all answers.) Those are all good ways! Take one of these hearts with you and take some extras to give away!

20130822-223749.jpg “God of all, thank you for blowing your love into our lives and into our world. Help us to share your love with everyone. Amen.”

20130822-223908.jpg “God’s spirit is with you.”

Open Space Worship Station suggestion: If you do Open Space or worship stations have a table covered with butcher paper and the words “Where God’s Spirit Moves.” Have magazines, crayons, markers, tape and glue sticks available. Ask people to cut out of the magazines or draw where they see God’s work and love in the world. Hang the mural in your worship space and add to it in the coming weeks in Lent.

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon First Sunday of Lent, Matthew 4:1-11, March 9, 2014

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20130715-114218.jpgGet the children organized into a quick game of Simon Says as they gather together.  It doesn’t need to be log or involved, just enough to get them thinking about listening to instructions.

FaithCross  Simon says game over!  That was fun, thanks for playing!  I was thinking about that game, and it seems like the only reason that it works is because we all agree on the rules.  In fact, the only reason any games work is because we all agree on the rules.  In Simon Says we agree that one person will be able to tell the other people what to do.  What if, instead of one person being the leader and giving instructions, we all started giving instructions?  Like if you were saying, “Simon says sit,” and I was saying “Simon Says stand,” and someone else was saying “Simon says jump?”  Would the game still work?  Probably not, no.

That is kind of what the devil is hoping for in today’s Gospel story.  See, Jesus is out in the desert and doesn’t have any food or water, or a place to sleep.  It’s just Jesus and the desert.  The devil thinks that he can get Jesus to try to take control from his Father because Jesus is probably weak with hunger and thirst.  The Devil is probably hoping that Jesus and God the Father will fight for control, which is kind of like God fighting with herself (himself, whichever works for you), but that’s a longer story.  Jesus won’t do it, though.  Jesus says that it is not his place to challenge God’s power, or to tell God what to do.  He tells the devil that God is in charge and that is how it should be.  If Jesus can’t tell God what to do, should we?

Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t prayer like telling God what to do?  I say, no, it’s not!  Let’s think about our game again.  Remember how we said the game works because we all agree on the rules?  The person in charge isn’t giving commands, really, it’s a game!  And what about when we are not playing a game?  How many of you like to be told to do something?  Like, “Go clean your room,” or “Eat your asparagus!”  Or think about the adults in your life.  They will probably do good things for you if you ask them.  Like asking, “May I please have a cookie?”  or “May I please wash your car?”  But if you try to command them to do something it probably doesn’t work out so well, right.  When we pray, we are asking God for help, or giving God thanks, or praising God for the good things in our lives.  We aren’t telling God what to do.

Let’s practice that and pray together using the Lord’s Prayer (ask the congregation to join if that works in you setting).

FaithCross_PrayALT    Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

FaithCross_BlessALT  May God’s love go with you always.

~GB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Transfiguration, Exodus 24:12-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9; March 2, 2014

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Prepare:  Gather some hiking gear.  If you can go all out with a big backpack, tent and sleeping bag, even better!  You will not need to set anything up.

20130822-223520.jpg  Come in from a different place than usual, and make a big show of carrying so much stuff.  Talk to the children gathered about heading out for a long hike up into the hills or mountains or just out into the “wild.”

FaithCross  I was reading the scriptures for today, and it seems like the place to see God is out in the wild, or up on the hills, so I heading out!  I’ve got some water, and a tent (just go through your gear a little to show how ready you are), with all this stuff I should be able to stay out there for a long time.  I’m sure to see God if I just stay there.

Then, once I find God I can just hang out there and always be in with God.  So, if you want me, I’m going to be out in the middle of nowhere, hanging out with God.

But, you know, there’s a problem.  In the Bible stories we read today the people who went to the mountains to be with God came back down!  When they found God on the mountain they were given something.  Moses got the 10 Commandments, and the disciples with Jesus learned who he really was.  They had to come back so they could share the things that they learned with the rest of us.  What would our world be like without the 10 Commandments?  Or what would it be like if we never learned about who Jesus is?

You know what else? I don’t really even need to leave to find God.  god is here with us right now!  We can learn about God’s love right here with each other, and we can share the good news of God’s love with everyone we meet.  It is great to hang out with God, and with the rest of God’s people, but we can’t stay there, we have to take the good news out to everyone.

So, maybe what I should do with all the gear is go out and help people learn about God!  I’m going to go do that, but let’s pray first.

FaithCross_PrayALT   God of the mountains and valleys and everywhere in between, give us the strength to be your hands and voice in the world, and the courage to not just hide in the places where our faith feels safe.  Amen

FaithCross_BlessALT May God go with you wherever you are.

~GB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Seventh Sunday After Epiphany, Year A, Matthew 5:38-48, February 23, 2014

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Prepare:  Find a picture of Baljeet and Buford from “Phineas and Ferb” (and if you have not watched any “Phineas and Ferb” go watch some!)

20130822-223454.jpg  As the children gather have your picture of Buford and Baljeet out for them to look at.  Some of them will probably know these two characters, so ask them to describe their relationship.

FaithCross  Yeah, Baljeet and Buford!  Buford is a bully and Baljeet is his usual target, right?  Buford picks on him all the time.  So, I imagine that Baljeet is always plotting a way to get back at Buford, right?  Baljeet is smart and has a good reason to find some way to embarrass or hurt Buford.  He probably has secret plans and is building a Doofenshmirtz-style ‘Inator (if this doesn’t make sense – go watch the show!), like an anti-bullyinator.

That’s not true though, is it?  Baljeet and Buford actually care about each other.  Buford protects Baljeet, and Baljeet stands up for Buford when people say mean things about him.  They have even saved each other’s lives several times!  Isn’t that a little strange?  Buford is a bully!  Why would Baljeet stand up for him?

I think that Baljeet and Buford have gotten to know each other, and understand how the other person feels.  They know what really hurts the other person, and they know how to help each other feel better.  This is something that is easy in a cartoon, but how well can we do that?

Alright, this next part is just in your head, don’t say anything out loud!  I want you to just think about someone that you might call an enemy.  This is probably someone who is hard for you to love, right?  What do you think would happen if you acted with love around them?  I don’t mean that you should try to give them a hug right away or anything, but what if you treated them like a friend?  What if you got to know them and let them get to know you?  It’s harder to really not like someone when work hard to understand them better.  You might never be good friends, like Baljeet and Buford, but maybe you can find ways to be more caring.

Let’s listen to what Jesus has to say about this, too.  (Either read the Gospel text here – or re-read Matthew 5:42-48 if it has already been read).

20130822-223749.jpg    God of love and kindness, give us the courage to act with love even when we want to be mean and cruel to others.  Help us to love everyone we meet with the same love that you give to us.  Amen

20130822-223908.jpg  May God’s Word shine a light into your life today and always.

~GB

Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.

Let us walk with you on the journey of faith. Whether your feet are big or small, fresh or worn, running or crawling, God's love goes with you and you stand on holy ground.