Here is the devotion page for The Second Sunday After Epiphany, January 18, 2015.
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Tag Archives: 1 Samuel
Children’s Sermon Second Sunday After Epiphany, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 and/or John 1:43-51, January 18, 2015
Prepare: You will need someone to help with this one. The idea is to have someone calling to you from an unseen place. For example, if you have access to a wireless microphone that can be used just outside your worship space, or maybe from behind a screen.
For the worship station you will need a large piece of white paper – like a large piece off an art roll – to make a banner.
Invite the children to gather and ask them if anyone has ever called to them – no, not on the phone – but called to them in a loud voice? Like a friend on the playground, or parent calling for them to come inside, etc. As the children are offering ideas, have you partner call to you. They should keep calling every 10 seconds or so until you find them (so they should be in an agreed upon place to save a little time!), but there needs to be time in between calls for you to talk to the children.
Wait! Did you hear that? I think someone is calling to me right now! Let’s listen. Oh well, what were you saying about being called?
There it is again! Is it one of you calling me? No? Really? Huh. Well, since we are talking about being called we should talk about the Bible stories for today. They are both stories about being called – Hey, there is again! Is it one of you out in the congregation? No? hmmmm. . .
Well, in the stories God calls to people. God calls to Samuel as he is sleeping in the temple, and Jesus calls to Philip and Nathanael to follow him. In both stories the calls are unexpected, and in both stories the people being called have to trust and believe in the call, even though they either cannot see the person calling, or don’t know where the call will take them . . . Listen, there’s that call again! Alright, let’s go find them!
(now go searching for the person, take as longs as you need to find them, make a fun game out if it.)
When you find the person calling, have them ask for help with something simple, like carrying in the communion elements, or with lighting some candles, or collecting offering, etc.
I’m really glad I heard that call, and I’m glad that I could help. Samuel, Philip and Nathanael also answered when they were called and they became some of God’s most important helpers.
Loving God, praise and thank you for all the work you do in the world. Teach us to hear your call, and to work every day to be your hands and feet in the world. Amen.
God calls you by name.
Either hand the blank banner on the wall or lay it out on a table. Have various colors available (crayons, pencils, etc). Invite people to write where they hear God’s call in their lives on the banner.
~GB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.
Children’s Sermon Pentecost 3B 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13
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
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.