You have found a collection of ideas to help you contemplate the RCL readings. 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 with you. 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. The ideal is to form a life long love of Christ and for the Word of God.
If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area and define it with a GREEN placemat, or ribbons.
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.
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
FIRST READING: 1 KINGS 19:1-4(5-7) and 8-15a
READ: The Koala who Could by Rachel Bright
A Storypath suggestion
DRAW: those occassions when you feel or have felt frightened and unsure about what happens next.
PRAY
God,
in your presence,
there is nothing to fear,
Amen
PSALMS 42 AND 43
READ:
Psalm 42: As a deer
As a deer longs for flowing streams (cup your hands and pretend to drink)
so longs my soul for you, my God. (clench both fists, put one in front of the other, then turn each hand in the opposite direction)
My heart is trampled down,(stamp your feet)
crushed and broken. (pretend to crush something under a foot)
Tears fall, throat dry, (wipe away a pretend tear)
I thirst for you. (cup your hands and pretend to drink)
Deep calls to deep (cup your hand around an ear)
as waves crash over my head. (put your hands over your head)
I am lost and alone. (give yourself a hug)
The enemy calls (cup your hand around an ear)
“Where is your God?!” (look suprised)
Why are you down, my heart? (hang your head)
Every day God’s grace surrounds
you, (give yourself a hug)
every night God’s song sings in you. (gently rock)
Hope in God, my help and my God! (point to yourself)
Praise will rise again. (do a starjump)
Words can be found here, actions by me
and
Psalm 43: A walk of faith
I was wandering around pointlessly, (wonder aound)
frustrated with all the wrong that’s done. (stamp your foot)
God of light, send out your light! (raise your hands)
God of truth, be a beacon of truth! (shield your eyes)
You lit my path and I walked toward you. (walk in a straight line forward)
I came to worship, (fold your hands in prayer)
and I found the greatest joy of all. (do a starjump)
Words can be found here, actions by me
These Psalms were believed to be originally together as one Psalm, you could read them together without stopping
DRAW an image from either Psalm that speaks to you.
SECOND READING: GALATIANS 3:23-29
READ: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
a Storypath suggestion
PRAY
Father God
Thank you that you love me enough
to want me to be
in your family
Amen
GOSPEL READING: LUKE 8:26-39
READ: Miles of Smiles by Karen Kaufman Orloff
A Storypath suggestion
MAKE: cut out a person shape or buy a people shape from a craft store such as RIOT or sometimes The Reject shop. On one side draw the man Jesus first met, on the other side draw the man he became after meeting Jesus.
Play with toys that transform into other things for eg: https://www.myer.com.au/p/transformers-transformers-generations-legacy-ev-deluxe-assortment or blocks or play doh etc.
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 