Palm Sunday: Ideas to help you share this weeks RCL readings with the 3’s and under.

The Revised Common Lectionary has two choices this Sunday, readings for Passion Sunday and Readings for Palm Sunday.

You will find seperate posts for each.

There is some overlap with readings, but a very different emphasis.

If possible, check in advance, with the Church you are worshipping at this Sunday, as to which set of readings they are following.

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”).Spiritual Delights or Toy Box tat! andMake the books appealing

If you would like these ideas as a PDF file sent to you each week, please contact me.

FIRST READING:Isaiah 50:4-9a

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmX5i8Pf3_0One by Kathryn Otoshi as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-sunday-march-24-2013/

PRAY: Dear God

You are with us

Always

DRAW or Make the cross under the Gospel Reading and say this prayer touching the cross

DEAR GOD touch the smallest section

YOU ARE point to the left side of the crossbar

WITH US point to the left side of the crossbar

ALWAYS Hold the cross with the stem of the cross.

DRAW: times when you need God.

PSALM 118:1-2,19-29

READ:Psalm 118: Pointing to the risen Lord

(Read Acts 4)

This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
The Lord is my energy and my strength
He has become my salvation!

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the corner stone,
the foundation on which everything is built.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
His steadfast love goes on forever!
from http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-118-pointing-to-the-risen-lord.html

PLAY: The full version has such beautiful imagery and metaphor, let them build something with blocks. Ask them how they built it? where is the door, the windows? Are they happy with what they have built. Let them know that God is our base, and it make’s us happy.

OR WATCH/READ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmSUgxqOHAE I will rejoice by Karma Wilson

DRAW: Anything that makes you happy.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2:5-11

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jknhdB8ZHI MAYBE GOD IS LIKE THAT TOO by Jennifer Grant as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-april-9-2017/

SING: https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/the-word-of-god-vol-8/# Number 4

DRAW: What is God like?

GOSPEL READING: Luke 19:28-40

READ/WATCH: https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/dave-the-donkey-an-easter-story/ OR BUY

ACTIVITIES: Purchase and Download the accompanying Activities Book

PLAY: Act out the story, find a toy donkey, some palms, some dolls clothes, some dolls,

MAKE: a non palm cross by taking a long stretch of green paper making a palm sunday cross

This is hard for little fingers so cut cut out a long and short piece of green paper of the same length and glue into a cross. You might like to feather the edges if the child is up to using safety scissors.