These are suggestions only, to help parents/caregivers engage their children in services that use the Revised Common Lectionary. They can be used by parents/caregivers or those who help out in small congregations that can not afford to pay Child and Families Ministry. Some congregations use all 4 readings in their services others only two. Prepare a special church bag in advance each week so that you are ready for the rush on Sunday Morning.
Read during the Bible readings,
Pray during the prayers,
Colour, Draw or Craft during the sermon.
Remember that little ones will need their own space to move and wiggle,
Sit towards the front so they can see what is going on. Craft or drawing or play are for spiritual responses not for a perfectionist piece that can be shown off.
Remember you have bought your child to worship. Enjoy engaging them in it.
You might need to prepare these in advance, and place them in a special Church Bag ready to go for Sunday Morning.
https://store.illustratedchildrensministry.com/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-fall-2018 THIS IS A NEW SEASON, AMERICAN FALL OUR Spring . For $10 American dollars (about $Aus 16) you have 12 weeks of colouring sheets. Or you can combine with other parents or ask the Church to make the purchase for yourself and the families.
brown, textured paper, crepe paper or felt
glustick
green crepe ribbons cut into 4-6 cm long x 1-1.5 cm wide strips
non-permanent non-toxic age appropriate texta’s
A4 plain paper
Template https://realsimple.solutions/boy-and-girl-template
Battery operated candle
Communal toys such as dolls house, picnic set, trains or cars
The Lion Story Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-lion-story-bible-sophie-piper-ruth-rivers/9780745964003.jhtml
FIRST READING: Proverbs 31:10-31
READ:
The Good Kid
A A good kid is able to do whatever is asked.
B “Be thoughtful and kind to every person all the time”
is the motto which a good kid follows every day.
C Clean rooms, clean clothes, clean papers,
and clean desks show the presence of a good kid.
D Doing what is right all the time is what a good kid
always does.
E Everyone thinks a good kid is wonderful
and praise comes to the good kid every single day.
F Football, basketball, baseball, soccer
and all other sports come easily to the good kid.
Good kids are sports stars.
G Good grades cover the reports of good kids.
They are excellent students.
H Happy is the word that describes a good kid
all the time.
from https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2015/08/year-b-proper-20-25th-sunday-in.html This is Caroline’s attempt to adapt the Proverb to children, which have may more resonance than for the Good Woman as originally written.
SING/LISTEN: https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/the-word-of-god-vol-8/# Number 10
PRAY:
If I try so hard on being good (point to yourself)
I might forget to try to know you God (point around you)
Amen
PSALM 1
LISTEN/SING: https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/seeds-of-character-vol-6/# Number 5
Psalm 1: A tree by a stream
Happy are those who choose their path –
I will follow Jesus.
Be careful where you put your step –
God will be your guide.
I will be a tree growing by a stream –
God’s Spirit like fresh water.
I will grow good fruit and grow strong
and God will watch over me.
by Rev, Sylvie Purdie http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-1-the-two-ways.html
OR WATCH /READ: Tina the Tree https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/tina-the-tree/
as suggested by http://seedstuff.blogspot.com/2018/09/
MAKE: A picture of Rev. Purdie’s Psalm.
Cut out a tree trunk from brown textured paper or crepe paper or felt,
cut thin strips of green crepe steamer of between 4 and 6 cm in length, 1-1.5 cm in width stick one end only on tree. (This lets the leaves sway like on a real tree)
Draw a river at the base of the tree.
Colour in the background add birds and clouds and the sun if you want to.
SECOND READING: James 3:13-4:3,7-8a
WATCH/READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ld4tLBSENw The Pain and the great One by Judy Blume
suggested by https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2015/08/year-b-proper-20-25th-sunday-in.html
Meditate,
When we pray we talk to God when we meditate we listen for God.
Take an electric candle, turn it on, ask them to sit silently, (this can be as short as 2 seconds, don’t make it too long you don’t want them to fail. If they find the time to long do it for shorter until yo have success. I have found that with persistent effort you can grow the length of time they will stay still, and I have seen changes in many children as they learn to meditate. You can ask them what they thought of, or heard, or you can just end this time with an Amen.
DRAW: places where God is.
GOSPEL: Mark 9:30-37
READ: The Lion Story Bible p.172
PLAY: with communal toys such as dolls house, trains, cars, picnic sets etc. With the emphasis on being welcoming.
PRAY/DRAW:
Invite the children to decorate a child figure cut-out (template) to represent themselves, (try https://realsimple.solutions/boy-and-girl-template/) then hold up their self-portrait and repeat after you:
Dear Jesus,
thank you that I am important to you.
Amen.
Thanks to the Roots team https://www.rootsontheweb.com/lectionary/2018/97-september-october-2018-b/proper-20/open-the-word/for-very-young-children
The Cross in My Backyard 