Here is the devotion page for Palm Sunday, March 29, 2015.
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Tag Archives: Year B
The Peace of the Lord Faith + Home Connection April 2015 John 20: 19-31
Trace your hands on paper. Write or draw who was the hands of Christ to you today and who you shared Christ with today. Save these for your closing prayer time.
Read John 20: 19-31 from a Bible or page 492-495. Have people read the different voices in the story.
For children: When was a time that you were afraid? Who was with you? Did having someone with you make you feel better? If you were alone, who did you wish was with you? Did you know that God is with you always? Even if we’re afraid, alone, worried or feeling bad. Jesus promises to be with us always just like he came to be with Thomas and to tell Thomas that he would never leave him!
For youth/adults: What does it mean to be at peace? When have you felt at peace? How can we share this peace that comes from God with others? Is it words, actions, attitudes?
Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Jesus met Thomas in his “doubt,” his wondering, his questions so that Thomas could grow in faith. Our faith is like that too-a journey. When we wonder or question, we explore God in our lives, define and articulate more clearly what we do believe and are able to share that with others. Doubt is how we deepen our faith! What do you wonder about God?
Write a note to someone telling and thanking them for the ways that they showed Christ to you in your life. Think of one way to show the love and peace of Christ to someone at work, school or other places.
You give us your peace to spread that peace all through your world. You reveal Christ to us in so many ways and we know that we are called to be part of that revelation. Be with those who are in distress, who are lonely, who are worried or afraid. May we be your peace to them. In the name of you son Jesus, who is with us always, amen.
+Receive the Peace of the Lord+
Weekly Household Devotions for March 22, 2015
Here is the devotion page for The Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 22, 2015.
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Children’s Sermon Lent 4B 2015 John 3:14-21
Scripture: John 3:14-21
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.
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?
Our Gospel story today tells about how Jesus is like that has come into the world. The first part might be familiar, the God so loved the world that God sent Jesus into it. And the promise is that we will be with Jesus for always. It goes on to tell us how sometimes we feel that we are walking in darkness–or maybe sometimes we really are like when we are looking for something in our rooms at night! But darkness can also be the hurtful, scary, or sad things in our world. Jesus promises to be even where it is dark. And 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!
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.
Let your light shine so that the love of God is everywhere!
Have paper hearts or paper and scissors to make hearts and flashlights at a table. Encourage people to write a message of love on the heart OR a word about what they are struggling with and then shine the light of Christ through it. Offer up a prayer together of thanksgiving for God’s light that shines through even the darkest moments.
*original heart and flashlight concept by Brigette Weier
Weekly Devotions for March 15, 2015
Here is the devotion page for The Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 15, 2015.
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Weekly Household Devotion for March 8, 2015
Here is the devotion page for The Third Sunday in Lent, March 8, 2015.
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Children’s Sermon Second Sunday of Lent, Romans 4:13-25, March 1, 2015
Prepare: For the children’s sermon you can either read the story of Abraham and Sarah from a picture Bible, or you can just re-tell the story in your own words. If you are going to read it, I recommend “The Jesus Storybook Bible” by Sally Lloyd-Jones.
For the worship station you will need a large piece of black or dark blue paper (or cloth would work, too!) and many, many gold star stickers.
As the children gather, ask them if they have ever seen Cars 2 (or some other sequel). This may inspire more comments than you want, sorry. Ask them if Cars 2 would make any sense if they hadn’t seen Cars?
OK, well today we have a sequel in a way. The reading from Romans retells the story of Abraham and Sarah and their son Isaac.
(If you used the Genesis reading in worship already you can just refer back to it, but I think that it is always good for hear the story again a different way. I would encourage you to read to re-tell the story of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac here.)
When the Apostle Paul talks about this story he says that it is about more than God keeping a promise. Paul talks about Abraham and Sarah keeping their faith in God, even though the promise seemed impossible. I don’t know for sure, but I also think that how God kept the promise might not have been exactly what Abraham and Sarah expected. Maybe they thought that God would give them many, many children right then, not countless descendants from one son.
Sometimes we hear God’s promise to us and we might have ideas about how that promise should be fulfilled, but that might not always be the same as God’s idea. We, like Abraham and Sarah, need faith and trust in God, and we, like Abraham and Sarah, need to keep doing the good things that God asks us to do, even when we can’t see how the promise will be fulfilled in the end.
Faithful God, we thank you for the amazing stories of faith in the Bible, especially when we have a difficult time being faithful. Help us to be faithful to our promises to you and to each other, and to work for good in all that we do. Amen
May God’s promises be fulfilled in you.
Invite the congregation to make a wall of stars! Each star is a silent promise to do something good for someone else or for the world. Create a prayer station for people to come and say a prayer and add a star to the paper or cloth.
~GB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.
Children’s Sermon Genesis 9: 8-17 Mark 1: 9-15 February 22nd
Ask the children (and the congregation!) “Have you ever had a bad day? A day when just nothing went right, or something bad happened that day and you were very sad and even mad? We all have those days, it’s part of our lives. Some days are really happy and joyful and some days make us cry or mad. When you are having a good day, how do you act or who do you talk to? What kind of words do you use to tell people you are having a good day? How about when you have a bad day? Who do you talk to, how do you act? Do bad days make you feel more alone? Maybe you have a harder time talking to people when you’re sad? I know that I do! When I’m happy, I tell people about my good day, the fun stuff I’m doing I usually have a fun Facebook or Twitter post, but when I’m sad or angry, I don’t want to talk to people, I kinda sit in my house on my couch all by myself and feel all alone. But sometimes when I’m sad people reach out to me and tell me that they love me and remind me that I am not alone.
The Bible is full of stories about people having both good and bad days, easy days and hard days. Today we read the end of the Noah’s ark story about many hard days of Noah and his family being cooped up on a boat with lots of stinky animals and the world being flooded. God knows that those were hard days for Noah and his family (and the animals!) and God was with Noah and his family even if Noah didn’t see God directly. But God said that God would put a rainbow in the clouds to show Noah and all of us that even if days look rainy, sad and hard, God is with us always, especially when it’s hard. And it’s not just in the Noah’s Ark story, we read it in the story about Jesus this morning too! Jesus is baptized, that’s a good day, right? But then Jesus goes out into the wilderness for 40 hard days. BUT we read that God’s Holy Spirit is with Jesus-when it’s a joyful time, such as at his baptism, or a hard time like being in the wilderness. Jesus was not alone, not ever. God even sent messengers, angels, to be with Jesus. God also puts messengers in our lives to tell us about God’s love for us and we can also be messengers to tell people whether they are happy or sad, that God loves them and is with them, even if they don’t know it or see it. How can we be messengers for God? What can we tell people about God’s love for all people, even if they are sad or had something hard happen to them? (Accept all answers)
God, we are grateful that you are with us always; when we’re happy or sad, feeling joyful or feeling alone. We want all of you people to know that they are never alone and are loved by you. Give us words to be your messengers of love always. Amen.
We are all messengers of God’s love wherever we go. For this worship station have small cards (preferably with rainbows on them!), pens, markers and rainbow stickers available. During your open space or worship station time, invite all gathered to write a message of God’s presence and love to someone who needs to hear it that day. Encourage them to take as many as they need to distribute them to their friends, or neighbors. Young children can take stickers to give to friends and to remind themselves as well. Throughout the week encourage emails, cards, social media posts to remind people of God’s presence in all of lives and in the world.
+The good news is the God is always near you+
Ash Wednesday with Children and Families
*This resource can be used in the home or in a worship setting where young children and families are present. The focus is on the fact that we all need to say that we are sorry and most importantly, hear that God loves and forgives us each and every day. The sign of the cross is a reminder that nothing separates us from God and that our whole lives are about pointing to God and sharing this love and forgiveness with the world.
Supplies: purple paper available for all cut into four (use 8 ½ by 11 inch paper, black chalk or ashes available, baby wipes, writing instruments, crayons, markers (*You may want to have Isaiah 58:9 printed on the back of the purple sheets.)
Read Psalm 51: 1-3. Explain to young children that David wrote this psalm knowing that he had hurt someone else and not been fair. He felt bad and was talking to God telling God that he had messed up. Remind all present that WE ALL mess up, it’s part of being a person. Have them all think of something that they are sorry about or how they messed up. Ash Wednesday is a day in the church that we specifically remember that we all mess up (we do this every Sunday with confession and forgiveness as well) and Lent is a season that we hear stories about how Jesus came to tell us that God loves and forgives us. We remember the story of Jesus being killed, which is sad and scary but we know that happens in life. God tell us even in scary things God is there no matter what. They can write or draw something that they are sorry for on the purple paper. Have families or small groups share if they are comfortable. Then gather them back to the large group.
Start the conversation: “Today we are talking about how it’s important that we talk to God about everything-even stuff that we are afraid or ashamed to talk about with God because we know that it doesn’t make us look very good. BUT God says that we are very good no matter what! What’s hard for us is that we have to each and every day look to God and treat others how God treats us. How does God treat us? (Accept all answers) Yes, God treats everyone with love and care. God sent Jesus to show us that love and care and in a book of the Bible called Isaiah 58: 9 we read: “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.” (If you desire, have this verse printed on the back side of the purple sheets) This is what Ash Wednesday and Lent is all about. God said in Jesus, “here I am” to the whole world. The cross where Jesus died is also God saying “here I am!” in sad and scary places in our lives. We put a cross on our heads today because God says “here I am!” you to today and always.” Have those gathered use the ashes or the chalk to put a big cross over all of the things that they wrote or drew that they are sorry for. God says “here I am!” to forgive them and love them.
Pray a prayer of forgiveness for what they are sorry for. They can use their purple sheets as a guide if desired or just a general prayer could also work.
You can have them put ashes on each other’s foreheads or hands and say +remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. God says “here I am” in the ashes+ (Explain that wearing ashes on our foreheads in public tells the world that God says “here I am” to everyone!)
Isaiah 58: 1-12 speaks about justice and how God not only meets us but sends us to share the good news of justice and peace for all to the whole world. Choose a partnership with a food justice, housing justice, peace organization, or highlight a partnership your congregation already has for the season of Lent with Isaiah 58: 6-10 as you Lenten focus.
Weekly Devotion Page for February 22, 2015
Here is the devotion page for The First Sunday in Lent, February 22, 2015.
Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!