If you are a parent or Guardian
Prepare a special church bag in advance each week so that you are ready for the rush on Sunday Morning.
Sit towards the front so they can see what is going on.
Read during the Bible readings,
Pray during the prayers,
Colour, Draw or Craft during the sermon.
Craft or drawing or play are for spiritual responses not for a perfectionist piece that can be shown off.
Remember that little ones will need their own space to move and wiggle,
You have bought your child to worship. Enjoy engaging them in it.
If you are a small congregation without a Child and Family Minister have an area available near the front for parents/guardians to worship with their children, and print off this information so that it is readily available or direct them to this site. Set up an area with books and toys in it that will enhance their spiritual experience. (Ie not just toys for “keeping them quiet”).
If you would like these ideas as a PDF file sent to you each week, please contact me.
FIRST READING: Genesis 45:3-11,15
READ: The Beginners Bible, Joseph Saves his family pp.86-91
PLAY: Let them play with dolls or toy animals even their cars to explore this idea of being family and being forgiving.
PRAY: Pray using a family photo, you probably have many on your phone with you now in church. Let your child point to each member and together you can pray for them.
PSALM 37: 1-11, 39-40
READ: http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-37-keep-calm-and-carry-on.html the right hand side.
How does this Psalm make you feel? Show it?
SING/LISTEN: https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/seeds-of-purpose-vol-4/#
NUMBER 6
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-50
READ: https://childbereavementuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Waterbugs-and-Butterflies.pdf You can just read the story and if you feel it’s appropriate for older children you could explore the questions after it with them.
OR LISTEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbcyGrt3ZCM start at the 1 minute mark, and finish 30seconds before the end.
OR for something very Australian try Mallee Sky by Jodi Toering and Tanya Harricks https://www.readings.com.au/products/26139045/mallee-sky or as an ebook https://www.amazon.com.au/Mallee-Sky-Kerry-McGinnis-ebook/dp/B00E3JK7Q6 for $AU12.96, possibly too long for many under 3’s but you could just read the last half dozen or so of pages and you would find the parts most pertinent to today’s reading. If you have older children they will enjoy the whole book. And it relates so well to what is happening environmentally in Australia at the moment as well as today’s second reading.
PLAY with any toy that transforms, ie paw patrol, transformers or soft toys that changes etc.
MAKE: a simple paper plane or a fan. Go on transform a piece of paper. Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9ReNKZiZNc
or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUKY-RVDSIc
GOSPEL READING: Luke 6:27-38
READ: Rufus and the Angry Tail, available as an ebook for $4.95 from https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Rufus+and+the+angry+tail
As suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-february-24-2019/
PRAY:
Help me father,
To Love (make a heart with your hands)
Everyone (hold your arms out wide)
Like you love me (point to yourself)
Amen
Blessings
Wendy L.
The Cross in My Backyard 