Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Tag: Pentecost

  • May 2013 Faith + Home Connection Acts 2: 1-21

    20130227-164821.jpg Begin by gathering together as a household and lighting a candle. Open your time by sharing the day’s highs and lows and praying for one another.

    FaithCross_BibleALT Read Acts 2:1-21. For households with younger children I would recommend a children’s Bible such as the Jesus Storybook Bible or the Spark Storybook Bible. If someone speaks or reads in a language other than the one spoken in the home, have them tell the story (or parts of the story) in that different language. Or look up a translation on-line.

    FaithCross_ConversationALTThis story is often referred to as the “birthday” of the Church. But it is more than that. It is also about how the good news of God’s unconditional and eternal love for all people IS FOR all people.

    For children: When you meet a new person do you always understand everything that they say? Maybe they are from another country or even a different part of this country-each place has special phrases and words that have unique meanings. We sometimes have a difficult time understanding someone from a different place but God brings all people together and wants us to listen to each other. Each person, no matter where they are from, has a special gift given from God to share with us and other people. AND we have special gifts to share with people too! What is something that you do that maybe someone else in your family doesn’t? How can you use that gift to show other people God’s love? We don’t always have to use words to share God’s love-our actions of kindness and caring for people are important too!

    For youth/adults: Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we are filled with the Holy Spirit each and every day of our lives. But God fills us with God’s Spirit that moves us to live as followers of Christ. God fills us and sends us out to be the Church in the world and not just in a building. What are some ways that your family (or congregation) lives out faith in the world? How do people in your neighborhood know that you are there to serve and be in relationship with them? It’s not just about “helping” people but truly living with them and listening to them and letting other people different from us break us open to pour out God’s love and grace on all people that we meet. Tell about a time when someone completely different from you impacted you in a life changing way. How did that person share God’s Spirit with you?

    FaithCross_PrayALT God of all nations, continue to pour out your Holy Spirit onto all of your people. Show us how to love one another despite differences and confusion. Open us up to see all people as your people; send us to share radical love and grace; move us call on you every day of our lives. In Jesus name, amen.

    20130227-164716.jpgTwo parts: 1) Notice when someone new moves into your neighborhood or comes to your church. Not only greet them and introduce yourself but bring them a simple meal as they settle in, or offer to help with younger children or another need. 2) Print off a map of a foreign country (any one will do) and learn about the people, language, culture, etc. Pray for the people in that country this month and see how you can support your global brothers and sisters.

    FaithCross_BlessALT Make the sign of the cross on one another and say: Child of God you are filled with the Holy Spirit. 

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

    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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