Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Tag: Ephesians

  • Children’s Sermon Aug 12, 2012 Pentecost 11B John 6: 35, 41-51

    Children’s Sermon Aug 12, 2012 Pentecost 11B John 6: 35, 41-51

    Scripture: John 6:35, 41-51

    Preparation: canned food or loaves of bread–or whatever items you are collecting for a food bank or other project. Take your items and ‘hide’ them around the sanctuary where they will be visible from where the children sit, but not too obvious. You are going to play a version of “I Spy” with the kids looking for these items.

    Faith+Open: Gather the children up front with you. Say, “Good morning! I am wondering if you can help me find some things. I think there are some items like this one (hold up a sample) hidden around this room. Raise your hand if you can spy anything from where you are.” Take a few minutes and let kids find things. You go get the items as they spy them.

    Faith+Share: Say, “Wonderful job! You have found all of them-good thing we won’t be finding pork and beans behind the altar at Christmas! Do you know what these items are for?” Take answers. Then go on to explain what you are collecting the items for and how they can help. One idea for food is to have grocery bags with needed items listed on them to hand out for the kids to take home and bring back next week.

    Say, “In our gospel story Jesus says that he is the bread of life and in our reading from Ephesians we are hearing about how we live together as a community, as people who care about one another. When Jesus says he is the bread of life he is talking about how he gives life and love for you and for all people. Bread is food and we need food to live. We also need the word of God and Jesus to live as Christians. We then take what we have and share with others. So we will take this food (or other item) and share with those who need it so that they can know they are loved and cared for by us and by God.”

    Faith+Prayer: Jesus, we love you. Thank you for giving us the bread of life. Thank you for giving us gifts to share. We pray for everyone who is hungry or thirsting or lonely or sad. Be with them God as we know you are with us. Amen

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

    ~LB (adapted from original children’s sermon by Pastor Michael Stadtmueller)

    Use with permission for non profit. Intellectual property rights apply

  • Children’s Sermon August 5th, 2012 Pentecost 10

    Children’s Sermon August 5th, 2012 Pentecost 10

    Scripture Focus: Ephesians 4: 1-16

    Preparation: Find a Mr. or Mrs. Potato head with all the pieces.

    Faith + Open: gather the children to where they will have room to move around a bit.

    Faith + Share: Say “so many of you know what this is! I think we all had one when we were kids (if you did not then share that!). It is fun to put him/her together isn’t it? You can put in the eyes, the hat, arms, legs, nose, mouth. Be putting it together as you speak. What if I put the eyes where the arms go and the arms were the legs go? Would that work? What if your feet were where your ears were!? How silly is that! (make a silly potato person) No our arms and legs are where God wanted them to be so that we could walk and do many things easily.

    Paul talks about how all of us together are like one body. Just as legs are very good for walking but not for hearing and arms are great for carrying and hugging but not for seeing, so each of us has something that we are good at that no one else is. What are you good at? Accept all answers. God gave you those special gifts to show God’s love to someone else. While we sometimes wish we could do something that someone else can do like being a fast swimmer or a good drawer, we can be happy about all the things We are good at. That doesn’t mean that we don’t try fun things and draw and swim but we know that we have special gifts from God that no one else does. So when we are bigger that means that some of us may be teachers, or computer people, or writers or doctors or lawyers whatever you want! But does a teacher work in a hospital? No in a school, does a doctor work at a school? No in a hospital. So it matters where we are and how we use our special talents! A doctor in a school would have a harder time teaching math than a teacher and a teacher would have a hard time doing surgery! God makes sure that we are exactly where God wants us to be to show God’s love to the world. God is good!

    Faith + Close: Prayer: Wonderful God, we are so glad that none of us are exactly alike! Thank you for our special talents and gifts! We want to use them to love you! Amen

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