Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon July 8, 2012, Mark 6:1-13 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost

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Scripture Focus: Mark 6:1-13

Preparation: A backpack or suitcase full of travel gear. For example, if available, pack a backpacking backpack with the gear you might need for several days (tent, sleeping bag, clothes, etc). Or put together carry-on size bag for a weekend trip. Bring a walking stick and a Bible with the reading from Mark ready to read.

Faith+Open: Enter from a place that allows you to walk a distance with your gear and call the children to follow you as you walk to your regular meeting place.

Faith+Share: I bet your wondering what all this stuff is for, aren’t you? Well, I heard that Jesus was about to send us on a journey to go heal people, so I thought that I should pack. Have any of you ever packed for a trip? What kind of stuff did you bring? (Let them answer for a minute or two.) Well I have a bunch of stuff, too. Let’s see what I have with me. (Now go through your bag a little. You may just need to give highlights if you have a bunch of gear!)

Pretty good, don’t you think? I should be ready for just about anything! Now, I also heard that Jesus had some instructions and a packing list for me. It should be right here in the reading. (read verses 7-9.) Uh Oh, I think I may have over-packed! All I really need is my shoes, a couple of shirts and good walking stick. It may not seem like much to take on a long journey, but I think that Jesus had a plan. I think that he wanted the disciples to have faith that everything would fine, but even more, I think that Jesus wanted the disciples to get to know the people they were going to help and heal. He wanted to create trust between the disciples and the communities they entered. He was teaching them and us that it is okay, and even good to rely on each other for the things that we need, and to be ready to share we have more than we need.

Faith+Prayer: Gracious God, you give us good gifts. Sometimes more than we need or know how to use. Teach us to share with others when we have too much, and teach us to ask for help for others when we need it. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

-GB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon July 1, 2012, Mark 5:21-43 – 5th Sunday after Pentecost

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Scripture Focus: Mark 5:21-43

Preparation: Get an alb or robe sized for a child. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit, the child will just stand in one place.

Faith+Open: Invite the children to gather together and ask for a volunteer to wear the robe. Once they have it on have them turn and face the other children and away from you. Ask the child to tell you when you touch robe.

Faith+Share: That was pretty tricky, wasn’t it? In the gospel story that we hear today, Jesus does something even more amazing! But first, let’s finish talking about the robe. Jesus is surrounded by a crowd of people, all of them are trying to touch him because they believe that Jesus can heal them and make them feel better. Jesus notices when one woman touches him, and he stops to look for her. Pretty amazing, but not as amazing as what happens next.

You see, Jesus was walking through the crowd to get to someone’s house, his name is Jairus. Jairus’ daughter was dying and Jairus knew that if he could get Jesus to come to his house that Jesus would save his daughter. He had faith in Jesus. Well, at the same time, a woman who had been very sick for years and years knew that Jesus was going to be walking through the town. She knew that if she could just touch Jesus’ robe that she would be healed. She had faith in Jesus, too. She pushed her way through the crowd and touched his robe, and Jesus stopped, not because he felt her touch the robe, but because he felt power go out of him. He felt the woman get healed! She was very scared to talk to Jesus, because she thought that she had done something wrong, but Jesus was kind and blessed her. But, in the time that Jesus stopped to talk to the woman, Jairus’ daughter died. Jesus continued to the house anyway and brought her back to life.

Now, all that sounds pretty amazing, and it is amazing, but there is still something even better in the story. It doesn’t matter how we come to Jesus, he still takes time to listen to us and care for us! Jairus was afraid for his daughter, but was not afraid to ask Jesus for help. He went right up to Jesus and asked . . . well, maybe he more pleaded and begged, but he was not afraid to talk to Jesus. The woman, on the other hand, thought that she was not worth Jesus’ time, and thought she would just sneak up without being noticed. Then she was afraid when Jesus turned to find her. Jesus cares for each of us in the same way. He listens when we pray and ask for help. He looks for us when we need help and don’t know how to ask.

Faith+Prayer: Loving God, thank you for listening when we pray, and thank you for loving and caring for us even when we don’t know how to pray. Give us faith like Jairus and the woman so that we are never afraid to come to you when we need help. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

– GB

Faith + Home Connection

Faith + Home Connection July

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Faith + Open: Gather everyone in the household where all can be comfortable or around the dinner table. Light a candle and open with prayer: Dear God, you give us all that we need. We thank you for all of the good things that you give us: food, housing, clothes, work (add your own here). Help us to share not just the material things that we have but our love for you! Amen.

Faith + Share: read John 6: 1-15. Page 426 in the Spark Story Bible and page 244 in the Jesus Storybook Bible. Have five pieces of bread out and two gold fish crackers to represent the fish.

For Children: Look at the bread and the “fish” on the table. Would that even be enough to feed your family dinner? But Jesus used just a little bit of food and fed 5,000 people! If you were there that day what would you tell people about what Jesus had done? Jesus is able to give us what we need, not always what we want. What are the things that we need? (food, clothing, shelter, family) So is a new toy a need or a want? It’s ok that we sometimes want fun things, but we have to remember that what we want is not always what we need. That is so hard for us to understand! Even for adults!

For youth and adults: When we read a story like this it is easy to think of Jesus as someone who will give us whatever we want whenever we need it. The disciples didn’t understand the true power of what Jesus could do and the people were amazed by the miracle. It’s easy to believe in God when we get a “miracle” isn’t it? What about when we pray for a miracle but don’t get it? God seemingly doesn’t “give” us what we wanted, or what we think we needed. But Jesus wasn’t interested in people believing only because of the miracle. Jesus wants people to believe because God loves them so very much and everything in our lives, miracles or not, are to show God’s love for the world. So even non-miraculous deeds can reveal God to the world. So how can we live our lives beyond thinking about miracles to show God’s love for the world?

Faith + Blessing: At the beginning of every meal this month say: Thank you for what we are given. Help us to give to others what they need to live.

Faith + Close: Extinguish the candle and pray: Giver of all things, we thank you for what we have and know that everything is a gift from you and a sign of how much you love us. Today God we pray for all of those who do not have enough food, drink, shelter or love in their lives. Help us to serve them. Amen.

Faith + Serve: Find a local food pantry and get a list of what they need. Or help serve those in need at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon June 24, 2012 Mark 4:35-41

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Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Preparation: This is optional. You can do this without props. small boat sheets or blue paper to make waves and helpers to stand outside the circle of children and make the waves cups of water for the helpers to sprinkle a small amount of water on the kids.

Faith+Open: Gather the children. Today our gospel reading is one where Jesus is with the disciples and they decide to go out in a boat together. Have any of you ever been in a boat? Was it like this? (show them your tiny boat) No that would be silly for people to get in a boat this small.

Faith+Share: But we are going to pretend that we are in this boat and we are going to make a storm. So pretend you are in the boat and it’s nice and calm, you are enjoying the sun and the rocking of the waves. Everybody rocking gently. Now there is a little trinkle of sound… do you hear it? (star rubbing your hands together then have everyone join you). Oh my it’s getting a bit louder. (start snapping your fingers then have everyone join you). Now the wind is starting…(have everyone join in you rocking harder and make wind noise. If you have helpers this is the time for them to start really making the sheets or paper go) Now it’s a big storm (stomp feet and have everyone join you… if you have helpers this is the time to splash a sprinkle of water on the group and you keep talking, summing up the story or pause for the giggles then tell the rest)

The disciples were in this kind of storm where they were getting wet and knocked around and we are having fun with our storm but the real storm was probably very scary. Jesus says, “Peace be calm” and everything stops. (have everyone stop, try it again if it doesn’t work) Now, when I want something to stop I shout STOP! But Jesus said ‘peace, be calm’ I think he said that to show how he was command over the storm and also to give us words to know when we are afraid. Peace and be calm remind us that there is no storm Jesus can’t stop and that we are never alone no matter how scared we are. (if you have time you can ask about what kinds of things are scary to them and have them rehears the words Peace Be Calm)

Faith+Prayer: Jesus, you give us good words of love. Peace, Be Calm. Show us that you are with us all the time and that we are loved. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May you know the Holy Spirit’s peace and calm today and always

LB – Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Pentecost 3B 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

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Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Preparation: crown (paper is fine), robe (shawl or scarf works), oil or lotion.

Faith+Open: Gather the children to you. I’m wondering, how do you know if someone is anointed? Hmm, well what does anointed mean? I think that kings and queens are anointed… how do you know if someone is king or queen? (take some answers but move along in your out loud wondering). Yes, you might know if they have on a crown like they do in storybooks (put crown on your head or head of a child) or maybe a robe (put shawl on shoulders)… you know anointing is more than just clothes though. When someone is anointed it means they have been marked for something special.

Faith+Share: In our scriptures we hear about a boy named David who was anointed by God to be king. A priest named Samuel came looking for a king for Israel who would love and obey God. He went to a man named Jesse who had many sons. After Samuel had met all the oldest sons and he asked if there were any more and Jesse said, ‘well yes, but he is young and small and taking care of the sheep.’ Samuel wanted to meet him anyway and when David came, SAmuel knew that this was the one whom God would choose to make king. So Samuel anointed David with oil, he took oil and marked his head with it and some time later David did grow to be king. 

**as an alternate or if you have a longer children’s church time you can read from Spark Storybook Bible or from Jesus Storybook Bible or other children’s bible to tell the story.

We are anointed by God too… not to be king of Israel, but to be marked as someone special, a child of God. We are anointed with water or even with oil in our baptisms when we say, “child of God you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever” This means that we are God’s child no matter what our whole lives. It is a reminder that we belong to God and that God loves us. Now, look at my forehead, can you see where I was marked? (show your forehead)… No… it is not like a crown or a robe that we can always see. But we know that it is there and we know that we are called to live as God’s children in the world.

I have oil/lotion here as a way to help you remember and to anoint you today. Mark each child with oil or lotion on their hand or forehead.
**or invite them to dip their fingers in the baptismal font and mark themselves.
**or teach them about the anointing station you will have later in the service and invite them forward.
**or pass out a small bottle of lotion to each one and have them rub into their own hands as a reminder of anointing

Faith+Prayer: Holy God, we are your children. We thank you and praise you for being our God. Help us remember that you have loved us and anointed us to be your child forever. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit set your Faith on Fire!

~LB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Pentecost 2B Mark 3:20-35

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Scripture Mark 3:20-35 (can also work with 2nd Corinthians 4:13-5:1)

Preparation: You will need blank pieces of paper, a black marker or crayon, and other colors. If you have children’s worship bags the kids will have what they need. If not, provide a way for them to grab some crayons or markers on their way back to their seats.

Faith+Open: Gather children to you and welcome them. Today, in our gospel lesson, a crowd is gathered to hear Jesus teach and debate with those who oppose him. The crowd tells Jesus that his mother and brothers are there to see him and Jesus says something a little surprising… do you know what? He says who are my mother and brothers–all the people of God are my mothers and brothers. So it can kind of sound like Jesus is rejecting his family, but he’s trying to show that he came for all people. So he loves not just his mother and brothers but all who were following him and really all people whether they knew him or not.

Faith+Share: When we think about all the people that we can call family, who do you think of? (take answers building up to neighbors and people that we know at church) 2nd Corinthians “I believe so therefore I speak”–and we are to speak in love to and about God and to about our families. I have here this paper that I want to use to make a scribble prayer. Prayer is a good way for us to talk to God and for us to tell others about God. You can let someone you know and care about know that you pray for him or her and that shows your love for them through God. 

Draw a scribble and show the kids the sections. Write the names of people or groups that they have talked about as being in their family as people they can pray for. Then do a small amount of decorating–OR even better have another that is finished to show them. This idea is adapted from Worshipping with Children–click the link to access the original idea.

Invite children to do this scribble prayer back in their seats.

Faith+Prayer: God, thank you for calling us all your family. Help us show your love and speak to you and about you. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit set your Faith on Fire!

~LB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Pentecost 1B John 3: 1-21 June 3, 2012

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Scripture: John 3:1-21

Prep: For this children’s sermon you will need a blank white piece of paper, a pencil (no pens, markers, etc.) and a flashlight. On one side of the blank paper draw half of a heart. Flip the sheet, hold it up to the light so that you can see where you left off and then draw the other half. When you shine the flashlight from behind you will see a “whole heart.” You can also write the word LOVE with L-O on one side and V-E on the other. This must be done in pencil to be the most effective.

Faith + Gather: Invite the children to gather where you hold children’s time. Ask them about a time when they were looking for something in a dark closet, under a bed, etc. When it was dark could they see very much? What did they use to see better in those dark places? Tell them that you have a story about a man who came at night to see Jesus.

Faith +Share: John 3: 1-17 (18-21): Once there was a man named Nicodemus who was very important with the Jewish people, in fact he was a leader. He had heard of Jesus and wanted to find out if Jesus was God. Nicodemus asked Jesus lots of questions about being a part of God and how we become part of God. Jesus answered Nicodemus with the words of how much God loved all of the world and wanted to save everyone in the world. Even though it was night time and very dark as he and Nicodemus talked, Jesus was the light which shined the love of God to Nicodemus shining God’s love on him. Nicodemus was no longer in the dark about God! Jesus told him how much God loved Nicodemus and all of us! Jesus wants us to shine like lights with God’s love for everyone so that everyone can see ALL of God’s love! Look at this piece of paper I have (hold it so that they cannot see the back at all). What do you see? (Accept all answers, someone may even guess half a heart or half of the word “love.”) When I shine a light from behind what do you see? The whole heart or the whole word. God’s love is like this in our lives; God’s love shines on us and through us so that ALL can see God’s love! What are some ways that God’s love “shines through” you? Maybe when you give a hug, or help at home…what else? (Accept all answers.) That’s right! God wants love to shine everywhere!

Faith+Prayer: Dear God, your love shines through us for the whole world to see! Help us to share your love so that no one is in the dark about you! Thank you for your Son who is the light of the world, amen.

Faith+Blessing: Let your light shine so that the love of God is everywhere!

~BW

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Faith + Home Connection

Faith+Home Connection June 2012

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Faith + Open: Gather the household to a comfortable location. Light a candle and pray: Dear God, thank you for this time together. Thank you for your word for us to think about. Most of all thank you for Jesus, amen.

Faith + Share: Read Mark 4:35-41. This story can also be found on page 286 in the Spark Story Bible and on page 236 in the Jesus Storybook Bible. If you have younger children have them act out the role of the disciples.

For children: Have you ever been in a storm, like a thunderstorm or a loud rain storm? If so how did you feel? (Accept all answers-some may like storms!) If you were scared did you go find your mom or dad or another adult that you were with? Did it make you feel a bit safer? Well, the disciples learned that day that Jesus was with them always and looked out for them even if it didn’t seem like it! Jesus is with you too! We may not always know it, but Jesus is with us when we are scared no matter what!

For youth/adults: There are many ups and downs in our lives. Sometimes we may feel as if no one is looking out for us in the storms that happen. Have you ever felt that way or wondered where God is? Even with Jesus right in the boat with them the disciples wondered this too! But Jesus was there and got the disciples through the storm. It didn’t mean that the disciples didn’t get tossed around and wet, but they did come out of the storm with Jesus. Our lives our like that too, we will have storms, that is a fact, and we will get tossed about, wet, and maybe even a little sea sick, but Jesus is right there through it all!

Faith + Prayer: You are the God who stills the storm and never leaves us. God we thank you for being with us and loving us even when we are wet and tossed around. Help us to remember that Jesus is with us always and to not be afraid, amen.

Faith + Blessing: Take a note card or any piece of paper and write on it “Don’t be afraid Jesus is here!” Place it on your mirror, door, refrigerator or anywhere that you will see it daily.

Faith +Serve: If you know of someone going through a hard time right now make them a card (and maybe some treats!) and take it to them. Write the blessing from above on the card and tell them that you are praying for them!

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Day of Pentecost year B Acts 2:1-21

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Scripture Focus: Acts 2:1-21

Preparation:  What this story really needs is a fire!  If you do children’s church and can be outside and build a little fire safely, do that.  If you cannot have a real fire, bring in some small sticks and dry grass on a tray so that you can pantomime blowing on a pile of kindling to get a fire going.

Faith+Open:  Set up your fire as the children gather (or set it up early if you can have a real fire).  Talk to the children about camping and building fires.  Ask them if they have ever been at a camp fire.

Faith+Share:  Camp fires are really fun, you might get to cook hotdogs or marshmallows.  Maybe even sing some songs!  Have you ever watched someone light a campfire?  Sometimes it’s really easy, if the wood is dry and the weather is good, but if everything is not just right it can be a little tricky.  One of the best ways to get a fire going is to blow on it, like this.  You get down low and blow at the bottom of the fire.  Lean over and blow gently at the bottom of your fire.  Sometimes this is called “fanning the flames.”  Fires need air, just like us need.

OK, so why are we talking about getting a fire going?  Well, today is Pentecost!  The story of Pentecost talks about tongues of flame over the heads of the disciples as they talk to the people.  The amazing thing about these flames is that they were the first language translators!  The disciples were all speaking the same language, but not everyone who was gathered spoke the same language.  It would be like us sitting here and I spoke English, but you only spoke Spanish, and you only spoke German, and you Japanese – everyone speaking a different language.  But, when the flame was over my head you could all understand me!

I started to wonder where that fire came from, because fire can be so hard to get started.  I read the story again and before the flames appeared above the disciples’ heads there was a big rush of wind, kind of like when someone blows on the base of a fire to fan the flames!  In the story the wind is the Holy Spirit coming to give the disciples the gift to speak to everyone.  The wind of the Holy Spirit fanned the faith of the first Christians, just like our breath fans the flames of a little fire.  Just like our little fires can turn into big camp fires, the faith of the early Christians spread to all the different places of the world, starting at Pentecost with little flames above the disciples’ heads.

Faith+Prayer:  Spirit of God, fan the flames of our faith and give us the gifts to share the amazing story of your love with the whole world. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May the breath the of the Spirit blow through your life.

~GB

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Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon Seventh Sunday of Easter Year B John 17:6-19

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Scripture Focus: John 17:6-19

Preparation: Bring a small plant that is destined to be planted outside somewhere, like a little flowering plant, or a vegetable sprout.

Faith+Open:  Invite the children to gather around the plant, but be very protective of the little plant.  Make sure the children are being careful around it and remind them how delicate it is.  Make sure they are all focused on how important and vulnerable the young plant is.

Faith+Share:  Now that we are all gathered together I want to tell you about my little plant.  I am planning on planting it outside later today and I’m very worried about.  I’ve been thinking about all the things that could go wrong with this little plant.  It might not get enough water, or maybe it will get too much water.  And it needs sunlight, too, but not too much sun or it will dry out!  Then there’s the soil to worry about, too!  What if the soil doesn’t have the stuff the plant needs?  I’ll have to find the right food for the plant, but I have to be sure not to give it too much food because that could hurt it too.  Even if I get all the water and sunlight and food right, it could still be eaten by a rabbit or squirrel or dug up by a dog or something.

I really just want to keep it inside.  But, if I do that it can’t really grow and be happy, and no one will be able to eat the vegetables (or see the flowers, depending on your plant).

I think that today’s Gospel story might help me with this.  In the Gospel story we hear Jesus praying for his friends, right before he is arrested, right before Good Friday and Easter.  Jesus is asking God to look after his friends after he is crucified.  Jesus knows that they will be in danger because of what they know about God and Jesus, and that the danger will be greater if they tell people about Jesus, but Jesus knows that for them to be happy they have to tell the story.  Jesus knows that his friends will only be able to share the amazing gifts of God if he lets them go out into the world.

Just like my little plants here.  If I keep them inside where they might be safer, they won’t grow food for people to eat (or flowers for people to enjoy).  God sends us into the world, too.  We are sent out to share Jesus story with others and to love everyone the way that God loves us.  It’s a hard thing to do, but we know that God is watching over us and loves us.

Faith+Prayer:   Loving God, thank you for the amazing stories about Jesus and hid friends.  Help us to share the story and to love everyone we meet the way that you love us.  Amen.

Faith+Blessing:   Remember what Jesus says to his disciples: Do not be afraid and peace be with you. +

~GB

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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.