You have found a great resource for parents/careers and grandparents to use with their little ones during online or face to face worship, or to use as family devotions during the week.
If you are a church leader and worshipping on line and are unsure what to do with the “little ears” worshipping with their parents, please feel free to make these suggestions during your service so the young ones too can participate. (I would appreciate a mention, if you choose to use these suggestions)
If at home you might like to make a space for worship it can be permanent or bought out at times of sharing faith together. Today is the last day of the liturgical season of After Pentecost, the longest season, and it’s colour is green. Next week The Reign of the King, brings us to te liturgical colour or wite or gold as we prepare for Advent the season before Christmas. So if you are one of the many that has been waiting for 2020 to end? Well liturgially speaking we are almost there.
So for the last time this year you might like to place a green tablecloth on the dinner table or coffee table, or a white one with green ribbons.
You might like to add a cross, or something that talks to you about faith, such as your Bible.
You can even add a candle (with young children around I like to use the battery operated kind.)
START WITH: THE LORDS PRAYER
either IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w
Or if you are looking for a more contemplative version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NuUo-igXDU&fbclid=IwAR2FasYCU-9mP1PaLQDjweXyhyUnJutt4J28KycjzeUEttWSesipX2jmJxE
If you are in a face to face service, or zooming in from Home, then you might like to choose one of these versions for your children to do when the congregation says The Lords Prayer.
FIRST READING: Judges 4:1-7
READ: WHIRL Story Bible, Deborah p. 78.
OR for children from 8 up, Brave Girls Bible Stories, by Jennifer Gerelds, Deborah, God’s leading Lady pp.61-66
DO: Use any of the ideas https://missionbibleclass.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/1-deborah-the-judge-in-a4-size-paper.pdf
DRAW: What does a wise person look like?
QUESTION? Who do you know who is wise?
Why do you think they are wise?
What makes a person wise?
PSALM 123
Psalm 123: Asking for help
Jesus said “Ask me, and whatever you ask
I will do for you, to glorify the Father.” (John 14:13)
And so we come to you, Lord,
like kids asking their Dad for help, (plead)
and we ask … (hold your hands in a prayer position)
for the needs of our friends, (name the needs)
for the troubles of our world, (name the world’s troubles)
and for ourselves. (point to yourself and ask what you want)
Have mercy on us, O Lord! (look down)
Be at work in every situation.
Send out your Spirit to bless and to lead.
Have mercy on us, O Lord!
Thank you again to Rev. Purdie http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-123-asking-for-help.html, action suggestions in italics by me
COLOURING-IN: I have always recommended Illustrated Ministry’s work, though I prefer free stuff, I have found their work very reflective of how I find meaning in the passages, but more importantly I have noticed that chidlren of all ages love them and find meaning in them. Their FALL season has started and will give you a colouring in sheet each week until the end of November. It is $US19 for the quarter, and if you have kids that love colouring in it is money well spent COLOURING-IN https://store.illustratedministry.com/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-fall-2020?variant=31882216570978
OR
How does this Psalm make you feel?
Describe those feelings, Show how these feelings look like in your body or draw it, or point out what it feels like from a set of emotional cards https://innovativeresources.org/resources/card-sets/bears-cards/ or the Bears App https://innovativeresources.org/resources/digital-applications/bears-app/
SECOND READING: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11
READ/WATCH:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgbDO-gX9pM, I AM TOO ABSOLUTELY SMALL FOR SCHOOL by Lauren Child READ to see how this book relates to this passage.
SING: https://colinbuchanan.com.au/collections/kids/products/boom-chicka-boom-cd-mp3 NO. 13 ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER
PRAY: Use the five finger prayer, and say an encouraging prayer for each finger/type of person
GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 25: 14-20
WATCH:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9K9qgVM34c&fbclid=IwAR2ocZdUWzqxrXHFV83DxsU9Ea4GfzdTC4EXKOZGRYfeRlPP6KEo-Dr7MM8 This series comes from England, so you might want to explain the differnt seasons to your children or miss the first 30 seconds of the video. Explaining the seasons is a good segway into starting to explain that we are at the end of the Liturgical year.
I personally like the fact that in the Southern Hemisphere we are experieceing the most light. What a perfect location to celebrate the birth of the Light of the world, a light that will not dim as the season’s change. Born in light to bring light.
Look up the climate and daylight hours in Bethleham?
DO: Draw with your “other” (non-dominant) hand?
Sing in a language you don’t speak?
Play an instruement you haven’t learnt?
What holds you back from giving it your all?
SING: https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/be-ready/
Blessings
Wendy L.
The Cross in My Backyard 