WELCOME: Everyone is welcome here.
While designed to be used during a Sunday service at church or by zoom, these readings can also be used during the week to help you remember and build on what you experienced on Sundays. My objective is for faith to be a lived experience and for children to learn how to worship and explore the Bible and pray by participating in Worship. The goal here is not for them to learn names or facts though they may want to do that for themselves, but rather to find ways of connecting with the text and sharing that with others.
Today is the FIFTH Sunday after Epiphany. The Liturgical colour is GREEN.
If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area
You can do this by setting up a candle, then add the things that remind YOU of God, a Cross, a Bible that everyone likes to read from, a special object, even something from one of the readings.
If able to worship in the Church buildings pack a special backpack, as well as filling, it with your Covid Safe equipment, add the books or materials required to help your young ones relate to today’s readings.
For adults and older students, you might like to use a journal with which to record anything that grabs your attention during the service. This could be a special, bound book or use your ipad or iphone. You could write a precis of the message (traditional words or pictures), draw, keep a record of emotions and hymns that you did or did not like. You could use a template like this free download. Remember, this is for you, you do not have to show anyone what is in it unless you want to, and you feel safe to do so.
CONGREGATIONAL USE: Though parents are the best at sharing their faith with their children. If you are a small congregation where children are a very small, or rare part of your congregational life, please feel free to make these suggestions available to your congregation. I am very happy for you to copy and paste ideas from here into your own Order of Service or for you to supply a link to this page. An acknoledgement though is always appreciated.
LET’S BEGIN:
SING https://www.snackmusic.com.au/songs/you-are-welcome
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
If you are in Australia and attending a Uniting Church in Australia, in many cases an Acknowledgment of Country will be said. You can teach your young ones to do this too.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Draw a tree with deep roots and lots of branches, Name each root or limb with the name of someone you know and pray specifically for that person.
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 17:5-10
READ: Tina the Tree by Andrew McDonough
DO: Download the activity book that goes with Tina the Tree for $Aus 4.95 (so much to do for everyone) Enjoy this freebie
COLLECT: Before, orafter the service you might like to collect the materials spoken about in the reading, eg a tree branch, salt, water, leaves, fruit.
PSALM 1
READ:A Tree by a Stream
Happy are those who choose their path – (twirl with a smile on your face)
I will follow Jesus. ( march on the spot)
Be careful where you put your step –(lift your foot up and carefully put it down)
God will be your guide. (Shield your eyes as if looking a long way ahead)
I will be a tree growing by a stream – (pretend to be a tree)
God’s Spirit like fresh water. (Cup your hands)
I will grow good fruit and grow strong (pretend to eat a piece of fruit)
and God will watch over me. (put your hands over your head like a roof)
Words By Rev Purdie actions by me
LISTEN: Psalm 1 Psalm Settings by Liturgical Folk
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
READ: The Lion Picture Book, p.370 A New Heaven and a New Earth 3rd paragraph
DO: Show pictures of the life cycle of a plant print this page out and cut out the four pictures then ask your child to organise them in stages of development. https://www.education.com/worksheet/article/plant-life-cycle/
PRAY (action – stand while saying this prayer and slowly turn around 360 degress during it)
Jesus
your life is an example of
how life can at first appear
to be one thing
but God’s plans are bigger
and tell a different story
Amen
GOSPEL READING: Luke 6:17-26
You might like to use these cards, print them off or show them, and Luke’s Woes are here
OR READ: Children of God by Desmond Tutu, Jesus teaches the Secret of Happiness
MAKE: Take an A4 sheet of paper and fold it in 4
On one side in one square each write ( i used a different colour for each sentance, so when i fliped the page over i could see which square to write its corresponding reply)
1) Blessed are you who are poor
2) Blessed are you who are hungry
3) Blessed are you who weep
4) Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, say bad things about you
Then turn the sheet over and making sure you write 1 in the same box as 1, 2 in the same box as 2 but on the back of the sheet
write 
On the other side write
1)For yours is the Kingdom of God
2) For you will be filled
3) for you will laugh
4)For your reward is great in heaven
Decorate and cut along the fold to make 4 seperate sheets
Attach paper straws to each sheet and you can spin from blessed to reward 
You are not done.
Get out another A4 sheet, fold it in four (fold in half then half the other way)
Now write out the WOES in the same way. On the first page write each line in a seperate square
- Woe to you who are rich now
- Woe to you who are full now
- Woe to you who are laughing now
- Woe to you when all speak well of you
Turn the page over and be careful to write in the same square as the first 1, 2, etc
- For you have received your consolation
- For you will be hungry
- For you will mourn
- For opinions can change
PLAY: with any toy that flips or changes from one thing to another, eg transformer cars, dolls that change etc, lego, Mr Potato Head, blocks or play doh
QUESTIONS TO ASK: I wonder what you discovered while doing the craft today, or singing the song, or colouring in or in the story or praying? Accept their answers it is their truth.
SENDING HYMN Tell the World by Hillsong Kids Learn the actions here
Blessings
Wendy L.
Please check local guidlines before using items that are not mine especially if you are using this page for congregational use. Please acknowedge this page if you find it useful. Thank you.
I am writing this on Wurundjeri land and wish to pay respect to all Elders, past, present and emerging.
I have qualifications in Education, Theology and Children’s Spirituality, and have worked as a Children and Families Worker in a city church. I use simple and easily found ideas to help you share the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings. This is a ONE STOP SHOP where I have done the sifting for you to find theologically and developmentally appropriate material for your congregation or family saving you time from sifting through many websites, facebook , pinterest, instagram, and blog posts.
The Cross in My Backyard 