23rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Revised Common Lectionary: ideas to involve even the youngest.

Welcome. 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, for the Word of God and to participate in Worship.

Today is the last day that we will use the colour Green this year. The longest season of the Liturgical calendar, is coming to an end and it heralds the start of the new Liturgical Year. Next week is The Reign of the King celebration which marks teh end of the Liturgical Calander. Watch this to understand more about the Liturgical Year

If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area and define it with a GREEN placemat, or ribbons, 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:

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

You might like to start with the Lord’s Prayer if at home, or say the Lord’s Prayer within a set place if following along in a service. Here are 4 options

2 with ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w

A more contemplative version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NuUo-igXDU&fbclid=IwAR2FasYCU-9mP1PaLQDjweXyhyUnJutt4J28KycjzeUEttWSesipX2jmJxE

Or for a more Intergenerational approach try Number 1 on the Table Settings album by Liturgical Folks

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

https://www.childrens-ministry-deals.com/blogs/childrens-pastors-only/how-to-pray-the-five-finger-prayer

INTRODUCTORY SONG Hey Ha Ha from the Full of the Spirit Album by

Heather Price Music

FIRST READING: ISAIAH 65:17-25

READ: Peace by Wendy Anderson Halperin

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

Do: Build a city or a building, create something new. Use blocks or draw, your ideal place.

PRAY: As you look at or move around in your city pray for those who might live in this city.

Pray for Joy

Pray for Good things

PSALM ISAIAH 12

I will thank you God (Arms high in the air)

Because you surprised me (look shocked)

by comforting me (give yourself a hug)

even though you were angry with me. (shake you pointing finger)

I will trust You (stand tall)

For you are there for me ( pretend to have your arm around a mate)

You are my strength. (flex your muscle)

Joy will pour from You (sweep your arms wide)

like a water from a fountain (pretend to scoop up some water to drink in your cupped hands)

Thank you God (Arms high in the sky)

I will tell everyone (look around you)

I will shout out your name (cup your hands around your mouth)

Sing Praises to God (open your mouth wide)

Tell everyone, everywhere (look around you)

Sing with joy (open your mouth wide)

For God is with us. (give yourself a hug)

READ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+12&version=ERV

DO: Choose a Happy song to sing possibly this one by David MacGregor Make it Joyful

SECOND READING: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-13

READ: Terrible, Awful, Horrible Manners! by Beth Bracken

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

Do: This letter was written reminding the Thessalonians to follow their advice and actions. So play Simon Says, see if your child can follow your actions.

PRAY

Your words and your actions (hold your hands in the shape of a book, move your body)

Teach me God (point to yourself)

Amen

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 21:5-19

READ: Silly Billy by Anthony Browne

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

DRAW: Those things that are important to you?

COLOURING-IN

SENDING SONG 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. If you find this page useful an acknowledgment is always appreciated. Thank you.

I am writing this on Wurundjeri land and wish to pay respect to all Elders, past, present and emerging.

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