Pentecost Year A, 2023: Ideas to share the Revised Common Lectionary Readings with all ages

Each week I compile a number of resources to help you, your family, or your congregation 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 your family’s faith formation. My objective is for faith to be a lived experience and for children to learn how to worship, explore the Bible, and pray by participating in Worship with others. 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 idea is to form a lifelong love of Christ, for the Word of God, and to participate in Worship. Faith is portable, we live it and share it, every day. I hope these simple ideas help your family or congregation form their faith.

FOR CONGREGATIONS

:f you are a small congregation, that suddenly has children in your pews, these can also be used in your services, shared direct from this site, or copied into your order of service. Create an area as close as possible to where the major liturgies of the service occur, for parents/guardians to worship with their children, and fill this area with books and toys in it that will enhance their spiritual experience. (Ie not toys for “keeping them quiet”). You will find some ideas in these posts Spiritual Delights or Toy Box tat! and Make the books appealing.

Families pack a Back pack ready for Sundays and Congregations suggest that visiting families pack a special backpack. Fill each backpack with a children’s storybook bible, other books that speak about ideas in today’s readings, and drawing or craft materials that children can use to respond 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 you can use your iPad or iPhone. You could write a precis of the message (traditional words or pictures), draw, and 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.

Today we celebrate PENTECOST, often called the birth of the church. The liturgical colour is RED.

DECORATE YOUR HOME: See my Blog post.

Set a table with a red cloth, a candle, bible and anything else that concentrates your attention on the Pentecost theme

THE LORDS PRAYER IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w

SING When the Spirit is Moving by David MacGregor

Give everyone a candle, this can be a battery operated candle or a real candle,

OR this can be on a cupcake so that you can all blow out a candle,

or you might like this idea from Muddy Church to have a jelly cup in orange/red or yellow colours and put a paper flame on a stick or spoon in the centre. (you can find some clipout to download for free and cut out and use here

PENTECOST BODY LITURGY

Creator God

Send your inspiration (start with your hands at waist level, then entwine them upward around and over each other)

through us (point to yourself)

So that we may (arms open wide)

Warm people with your FIRE (do what you do to warm yourself)

Blow inspiration with your WIND (wave a wind)

Go beyond our hoizon’s like your DOVE (look into the distance)

Breath life into our imaginations with your BREATH (breath deep)

Amen (one clap)

FIRST READINGS:

ACTS 2:1-21

WATCH Make sure to listen for and think about the Wondering Questions toward the end.

READ: The Coming of the Holy Spirit pp. 116-117 in Children of God Storybook by Desmond Tutu

MAKE: Rewite this story your way, using your heart language. Or Draw your idea of your favourite part of the story. What colours would you use?

OR make a fork picture

NUMBERS 11:24-30

READ: Simple Gifts: a Shacker Hymn by Chris Raschka

WATCH

A Storypath Suggestion

DO: Make a list of those things you do well, (You ca sraw or right this list).

PLAY: with toys that are similar but different, eg group ie tigers, cuddly toy, a plastic animal, a ceramic vase

PSALM 104:24-34 and 35b

READ: Snuggle time Prayer by Glenys Nellist, God’s Chariot

or God Made by Sarah Carmichael

Describe that feeling, 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 READINGS

1 CORINTHIANS: 12:3b-13

READ: Knit Together by Angela Dominguez

WATCH

MAKE: What can you make together? What can represent Pentecost that you can make together. Maybe this

PRAY
You have given us God

special gifts from you

Help me to find mine and

Use it to help others

Amen

ACTS 2:1-21

READ: The Day when God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto

WATCH:

MAKE AND PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER A pentecost kite

GOSPEL READINGS:

JOHN 20:19-23

Start at 26sec. and finish at 1.20.

How would you tell this story?

Which of your senses helps you understand this story?

Make a Pinwheel and read why a pinwheel is suggested.

JOHN 7:37-39

READ: Rain School by James Rumford

WATCH

A Storypath Suggestion

MAKE:

In this reading the Holy Spirit has been described as gushing water. Take a blue A4 sheet of paper or cardboard. Then 3 or 4 blue streamers, cut about a third longer than the sheet of paper. glue one end to the top of a short side of the paper, twist the streamer two or more times and attach the other end the far side of the paper. Repeat until the sheet is covered.

PROJECT: You could make a fountain, either for your congregation or for your garden ( here is a simple one to get you thinking)

PRAY

Have a glass of water or a drink bottle with you,

As you take a sip of water pray for the needs of people you know.

May we always be filled

By you God

Amen

CONCLUDING SONG Heather Prices Full of the Spirit on the Full of the Spirit album

Blessings

Wendy L.

Please check local guidelines before using items that are not mine especially if you are using this page for congregational use. Please acknowledge 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.

If you are in Australia and would like to teach your children to Acknowledge Country here is a video that will help, and a great book to help understand, We love Country. Most Uniting Church Congregations will say an Acknowledgement of Country towards the start of the service.

PENTACOST: A sensory exploration of the Revised Common Lectionary involving ideas to include even the youngest.

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.

Today we celebrate teh day of PENTECOST. It is the start of the longest season of the year and the Liturgical colour today is RED.

If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area and define it with a red, placemat, or ribbons or you might like to decorate your home or worship area, and you will find some ideas to do this in an earlier blog of mine.

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:

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.

THEME SONG SING Full of the Spirit by Heather Price on her Full of the Spirit Album

Acts 2:1-21
or
Genesis 11:1-9

Psalm 104:24-34 and 35b

Romans 8:14-17
or
Acts 2:1-21

John 14:8-17 and (25-27)

Above is a list of all 4 sets of readings for today.

As each reading is rich in imagery, my sugestion today is to take each reading, be it from a Children’s Bible or a from BibleGateway, or even from a Children’s story book or the Bible you prefer to read. There are many choices of Bible types and languages on the Bible gateway site.

Those who can read can start by marking their bible with a different colour for each of the senses, for each of the readings. If you would prefer you could print off the texts from Biblegateway for this task. (i really understand the concept of not drawing on books, but this is also good practice in helping your child to make their bible theirs)

My suggestions are that you use RED, for Touch;

BLUE for Visuals or things we see;

ORANGE for Taste;

PURPLE for Sounds or Hearing; and

GREEN for smells

For those who are not yet reading, print off the above pictures and have your child point to them, when they hear of a sense in the Bible reading, as it is being read aloud to them.

Here are some questions you might like to ponder when you read each of the Bible Readings?

I wonder what senses we could do without?

I wonder what sense helps us understand God more?

How did the senses help you understand the reading?

You might like to respond to today’s reading by constructing a sensory response to what you have read, for example using pieces from nature to constuct something or use to create a picture. Eg. or

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.

Pentecost

Pentecost Sunday is finally here. Prepare your Home for this important day in the Christian Calendar, you can find some simple suggestions here https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/1266

Put your family in the mood with this lovely song by David and Dale Macgregor, don’t forget the actions

I so love this especially in this week of Reconciliation, especially the verse “Where the spirit is Healing”. And I love that the colours of Pentecost match those of the Aboriginal Flag https://www.aboriginalart.com.au/culture/aboriginal_flag.html

Don’t forget the Lord’s prayer

THE LORDS PRAYER IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w

FIRST READING:

ACTS 2:1-21

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kdYJBl8ioU&fbclid=IwAR0UFjrsTbEYNpoiasisj-PGn7fya5qzh69fy5CRWT-6FRS-vZlwBUvVIYs&app=desktop

MAKE: http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2013/05/pentecost-spinner.html

OR Numbers 11:24-30

READ: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+11%3A24-30&version=ICB

OR from any children’s Bible eg. The Beginners Bible Holy Bible NIRV

DO: recreate the story, use what you have around you, toys blocks, etc OR draw how it might have looked.

Questions? Use the Godly Play questions with you family.

I wonder what part of this story you like best?

I wonder what part of the story is the most important part?

I wonder where you are in the story or what part of the story you would leave out?

I wonder if there is any part of the story we can leave out and still have all the story we need?

PSALM 104:24-34, 35b

Snuggle time Prayer by Glenys Nellist God’s Chariot

or God Made by Sarah Carmichael

SECOND READING:

1 Corinthians12:3b-13

READ The Day the Crayons quit by Drew Daywalt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489micE6eHU I love this book for showing the different gifts that the colours bring and how they work best together. Like the gifts God gives us, all different but all from God.

DRAW: a wonderful picture of some of the gifts of the spirit that God has left with people you know to help each other.

PRAY
You have given us God

special gifts from you

Help me to find mine and

Use it to help others

Amen

PRAY

OR Acts 2:1-21

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSDe5FvQcUw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0sip5MboS2iPxjJB5gfLXWWqSNH6Yl5fHU9-bqQIZxyjvWMy_rLKRbixU there is a craft activity and Prayer in the video OR

MAKE AND PRAY: http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2014/04/pentecost-flames-salad-spinner-art-and.html

GOSPEL READING:

John 20:19-23

Start at 26sec. and finish at 1.20.

How would you tell this story? Would you draw it, or do a play with teddies?

Make a wind sock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJTR6PArENg

OR John 7:37-39

READ: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+7%3A+37-39&version=ICB or from a children’s Bible you have.

MAKE:

In this reading the Holy Spirit has been described as gushing water. Take a blue A4 sheet of paper or cardboard. Then 3 or4 blue streamers, cut about a third longer than the sheet of paper. glue one end to the top of a short side of the paper, twist the streamer two ormolu times and attach the other end the far side of the paper. Repeat until the sheet is covered.

OR You could also cut a large love heart out of some read paper and attach blue streamers to the edges of the love heart. I used paper strips as i was out of blue streamers, attached them flat then rolled them around a pencil to curl.

Perhaps you can feel what gushing water is like by turning on the tap and letting the water fall on your hands.

Blessings

Wendy L.

Simple things to do to prepare your home for Pentecost

We are well conditioned to prepare our homes for Christmas and Easter, but we are not so comfortable at preparing our homes for other significant events in the Christian Calendar.

This Sunday we have another significant day in our calendar, Pentecost. This is the service where we attend dressed in red, and the church building is beautifully dressed for that occasion, resplendent in the liturgical colour of red. Some years it has been decorated with streamers, balloons, or fire coloured buntings.

But this year, many are still not allowed in their church buildings. So don’t let this Sunday pass by as just another date. Celebrate.

With the church buildings closed it has been the year to really come to grips with the church being the people not the building. In Acts 2 we are told that being able to speak in many tongues not just fulfilled prophecy but allowed many to hear it. So help people continue to hear the message by decorating your home and sharing with your family the fulfilment of this special promise.

So here are some simple ideas to have this day at home.

WEAR RED
Turn your red string Christmas lights back on
Decorate your home with red or orange streamers, flames, swirls. I made my flames by drawing a flame shape, adjusting it until I was happy with it. cutting it in the middle of the base to about half way up. Then cut a smaller shape in a different colour, red, orange or yellow, cut down from the middle of the flame, then put the smaller flame at right angles to the larger flame.

To make the swirl I used a paper plate and cut in a circular manner until the centre

Hang a mix from air conditioner units, trees, doors, etc

4) Make a Bunting or instead or red, orange and yellow flags, make flames out of paper and attach them to a piece of string or coloured thread.

5) Create a Pentecost display, made from candles, or red leaves

6) Make a special treat such as Patty cakes or a cake topped with candles or jelly in three colours red, orange and yellow.

7) Set the dinner table with red tablecloth and/or napkins, and red candles. Instead of a formal grace. Say a thank you pray such as

Thank you God for keeping your promises

We know we can trust you.

Amen

Let the youngest ask questions during the meal about what Pentecost means, and have the eldest respond.

8) Listen to some favourite songs, but sung in another language, or turn on one of the multi-lingual radio stations and listen for a while.

Blessings

Wendy L.

Sunday Reflection: Pentecost

I know it’s been said in a few places, but isn’t it nice celebrating a day of faith that consumerism isn’t a part of. The liturgical colour of red, dresses the church up, but many congregations go all out to make it both a liturgical and physical experience, with sights, sounds and movement bringing us into the day.

During the week, even though our congregation would be worshipping away from “home” our church was decked out in its Pentecost colours for all to see who visit our buildings but don’t make it into services.

We worshipped in one of our neighbouring denominational church’s, and the sight and sounds added to the experience. We were given red balloons that were released during the first hymn, the noise as they popped on spiky objects as they rose to the roof was powerful. The experience, echoed through the Acts reading, giving the words experience and depth.

Most members of the three worshipping communities wore red, in all its hues and in many varied ways. I trotted out my flame jumper and red stockings for its annual parade.

It was a visual experience.

Outside the few remaining red leaves clung precariously to the trees they had clothed since Spring. It was as if the environment was contributing to our all senses Pentecost experience. Making it a legitimate immersive experience.

Today is sensual.

We use all our senses to worship today and it is also one of the most inclusive, not just because the two texts of Acts often called the Day of Pentecost and the Genesis Reading, known as the tower of Babel story, concentrates the significance of languages uniting rather than dividing us, but the messages today are understood by all ages in many ways, including being able to “read” both of these stories through our senses. The day is a truly intergenerational experience.

Now I could go two ways with today’s post, I could dwell on the importance of everyone hearing the word and take the opportunity to point you toward some resources that are multi lingual.

OR I could go into how we can take this experience of Pentecost and extend it beyond the bounds of the church, and into our homes, which is what happened on that first Pentecost day.

So today I will take both options.

Here are some multilingual resources for children

Max 7 https://www.max7.org/en

Sovereign Grace Music https://sovereigngracemusic.org

Bible gateway https://www.biblegateway.com

Illustrated Children’s Ministry https://www.illustratedchildrensministry.com

Thy Kingdom Come https://www.thykingdomcome.global/resources

Most Australian states are enjoying a long weekend to mark the Queen’s Birthday. Many families take the opportunity to grab a quick break and visit relatives or just to relax, so they may miss this significant event in the Church calendar. There are so many ways of incorporating a Pentecost day into family time.

Wear red

Have a cake, with candles and retell the story or read it from a one of the story book Bibles or read the story the Day that God made Church. See last week’s blog for some reading suggestions. https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/669

Set a table in red.

At dinner talk about those things that “set us on fire” what are we passionate about. Think about ways that you could tell others about Christ so that they will listen.

Use a colouring in page such as Illustrated Ministries as a placemat and let them colour it in during or after dinner.

Go and play in the autumn leaves.

So, it’s too late this year.

Hopefully I’ve sown the seeds for thinking about how you can extend the church experience into the home.

Blessings

Wendy L.

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

Don’t forget to wear RED to Church today.

Point out the change in colour and any other special decorations that might in the Church today.

How wonderful that you have bought your young child to church, don’t waste this opportunity to share the faith stories and experience the wonder of worship.

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.

Sing or sway during the Hymns

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. Don’t throw these out when you leave the church. Keep them at home in a special box, and bring them out to remind your child what has been happening or use as future prayer points.

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: Acts 2:1-21

READ: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=The+Day+when+God+Made+Church&ref=nb_sb_noss

or My First Read Aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff, The Holy Spirit pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Book Bible, The Day of Pentecost, p. 228

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Holy Spirit Came, pp.473-476

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God Sends Help, pp. 326-330

or Bible for Kids App Holy Spirit Comes https://bibleappforkids.com https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

Colouring -In https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

or COLOURING-IN: https://store.illustratedchildrensministry.com/collections/coloring-sheets-posters/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-spring-2019 PURCHASE IS DOWNLOADABLE AND IS IN AMERICAN DOLLARS FOR 14 WEEKS (Last WEEK)

MAKE: A Pentecost hat like https://buildfaith.org/pentecost-tongue-of-fire-hat/ but i would add blue streamers to the bottom of the band to suggest the wind, and write God Loves in as many languages as you can on the band to suggest the languages in which people could here.

IF you are part of the Uniting Church in Australia, make the flame out of the dove red shape in our logo. https://assembly.uca.org.au/resources/logos This will familiarise your children with the logo prior to the UCA Anniversary on the 22/6.

For other suggestions https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/221

OR Genesis 11:1-9

READ: The Lion Story Bible, The Tower of Babylon, pp.24-25

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Tall Tower, pp.34-38 (NOTE: American spelling)

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, p.48-55

or The Lion Picture Bible, The tower of Babel, pp.34-37

BUILD: Your own tower of babel, use bocks to see how tall you can get it before it falls down.

PRAY: As you place a brick on your tower pray for someone or something who needs God’s support.

Colouring In; https://christianpreschoolprintables.com/tower-of-babel-printables/

PSALM 104:21-34, 35b

READ: GOD Made by Stephanie Carmichael

OR https://www.psalmsforkids.com/psalm-104/

DRAW: Anything that God made

OR Draw the images in each verse of the Psalm

SECOND READING: Romans 8:14-17

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vwiaQTvH0U We Belong together: A Book about adoption and families by Todd Parr

OR if tell their own adoption story if that is your situation

PLAY: A matching game, what goes with what. This can be done as a card game, but can be just as effective, very simply using what you have with you. For example foot/shoe, or sock/shoe, texta/paper, money/plate, plate/food, etc.

PRAY: Thank you God for wanting us to be in your family

Amen.

OR Acts 2:1-21

READ: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=The+Day+when+God+Made+Church&ref=nb_sb_noss

or My First Read Aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff, The Holy Spirit pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Book Bible, The Day of Pentecost, p. 228

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Holy Spirit Came, pp.473-476

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God Sends Help, pp. 326-330

or Bible for Kids App Holy Spirit Comes https://bibleappforkids.com https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

Colouring -In https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

For other suggestions https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/221

GOSPEL READING: John14:8-17 (25-27)

READ: The Lion Picture Bible, The promised Gift, pp.344-345

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God send Help, p.326

or The Rhyme Bible Storybook p.344 (last page)

Colour IN : When promises are made they are often sealed with a ring, ie your wedding or engagement ring. Because making a ring might cause a chocking hazard, I suggest you talk about your special promise rings and Colour in a ring http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/rings

or https://www.momjunction.com/print-coloring-image/?pageid=120506&print=2014/12/Diamond-Ring

PRAY;

Thank you God,

that you keep your promises

Amen

NOO! You are not finished even if the service has.

Now is the time to continue teaching your child beyond the walls of the church.

Make or buy a cake, add candles and blow them out then read or retell the Pentecost story

Use the craft or drawings during the week to talk about the service or the stories.

Use any of the readings during the week, at bedtime, as story time or during the day in play or prayer.

Enjoy sharing your faith with your child.

Blessings

Wendy L.

An Australian Pentecost

I love the excitement of Pentecost, the children get involved in the story, they love the craft activities or wonderful colouring pages, and they especially like being involved in the procession showing off their craft and reminding the congregation of the Pentecost motifs of Fire and Wind.

The children, don’t ask the disturbing questions, they let the story take them. I am reminded of a statement I read on Sparkhouse blog https://blog.wearesparkhouse.org/preschoolers-learning-through-play/

a few weeks ago that play teaches symbolism. They are learning the fundamentals of faith formation, they are already on their way to metaphor.

I love being upside down (that is in Australia) at this time of the year. My part of the country is shedding it’s imported clothes as the leaves change, and fall from the European trees. I see Pentecost around me and sense it’s coming enactment. The red leaves dance in the wind, sometimes shacking down around me like a veil, and I wonder what it might have been like for the disciples in their grief and confusion, then I anticipate that the Holy Spirit is here with me, I don’t have to wait, I don’t have to work out what it all means. I have the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the leaves dance through the rain and I’m reminded that God is with me, hasn’t left me. Winter is coming. I don’t have to fear the cold loneliness, I have the Holy Spirit, and so each year at this time I ask myself. How have I used this gift this year and what else should I be doing?

My world is closing down, but I’m not alone. Pentecost makes perfect sense to me down here.

Pentecost Sunday: Ideas’s to help the 3’s and under respond to the RCL readings

These suggestions are for use with the 3’s and under who are in worship with you. Or use them during the week to keep connecting with Sunday’s worship.

You may need to organise some resources before Sunday and place in a special Church Bag so you can pick it up and run and have everything with you to share worship with your little one.

POINT OUT THE CHANGE IN COLOUR IN THE CHURCH THIS WEEK.

DRESS IN RED.

You might need to find some of these books in advance

The Lion Story Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-lion-story-bible-sophie-piper-ruth-rivers/9780745964003.jhtml

The Lion Picture Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-lion-picture-bible-sarah-dodd/9780745963037.jhtml

The Beginners Bible for Toddlers https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-beginners-bible-for-toddlers-kelly-pulley-illus/9781859857410.jhtml

The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s stories THE BEGINNERS BIBLE TIMELESS CHILDREN’S STORIES https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-beginners-bible-timeless-childrens-stories-beginners-bible/9780310750130.jhtml

My First Read aloud Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/my-first-read-aloud-bible-mary-batchelor/9781860247712.jhtml

The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-jesus-storybook-bible-sally-lloyd-jones-jago/0310708257.jhtml

The Rhyme Bible by L.J. Sattgast https://www.word.com.au/The-Rhyme-Bible-Storybook-Bible/Linda-Sattgast/9780310726029

Snuggle Time Psalms by Gleyns Nellist https://www.word.com.au/Snuggle-Time-Psalms/Glenys-Nellist/9780310749257 If you can buy this book do so as i will refer to it in the coming weeks.

GOD Made by Stephanie Carmichael https://www.koorong.com/search/product/god-made-books-for-little-ones-series-stephanie/9781922206862.jhtml

Baby Wren and the Great Gift by Sally Lloyd -Jones Illustrated by Jen Coracle https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-baby-wren-and-the-great-gift-sally/9780310733898.jhtml

Hello Pooh, Hello You a Winnie the Pooh Board Book ( i found mine in Big W)

You might need

paper plates

drinking straws

orange, red, yellow or blue coloured paper

sticky tape

texta’s

unbeatable mirror

plain paper or Journal

You might need to print

http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/pentecost-spinner.html

http://www.momjunction.com/print-coloring-image/?pageid=383187&print=2015/12/Standing-Skeleton

FIRST READING: ACTS 2:1-21 this is such an important reading that almost every children’s Story Book Bible covers it

READ/WATCH: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.paracletepress.com/Products/5646/the-day-when-god-made-church.aspx?bCategory=CHILDB!CHIPIC

or The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s stories The Holy Spirit Comes pp.473-479

or The Rhyme Bible by L.J. Sattgast p.344

or The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones God send Help

or My First Read aloud Bible pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Bible The Day of Pentecost p.228

or The Lion Picture Bible pp.348-349

suggested by http://connectible.nz

MAKE/PLAY

This is for the parents to make and the child to play with at this age, though if you have older children they might enjoy making them.

A pin wheel https://www.practicallyfunctional.com/how-to-make-a-pinwheel-template/

For A pin wheel that can be made with just paper, a drinking straw, and sticky tape plus a hole punch.

Cut out a square mine was 20 cm x20cm, though you can make it larger or smaller.

I used 2 pieces of paper one yellow one red, for a two tone effect.

Draw straight lines from corner to corner, and mark 2 cm from the centre on each diagonal.

Cut from the outside of the square up to the 2cm marks.

Punch a hole in the centre and one corner of each triangle.

Thread the straw through the centre hole, then thread each hole on the straw in a clockwise direction.

Stickytape over the straw and paper when the last hole is threaded on.

You can spin this by rotating the straw between your hands

( I think I learnt to make them like this when I was Sunday School teaching using Seasons of the Spirit a few years ago now)

COLOUR-IN

For those at the top of this age range, colour in this spinner. It doesn’t matter if they are not staying within the lines, for this spinner it actually looks great if they don’t. Just encourage the use of red, orange, yellow and blue colours to represent the wind and the flames experience. Print out the template here http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/pentecost-spinner.html

Then cut out, and attach drinking straw with sticky tape as instructed.

Then twirl within your hands.

PRAY: before making the pinwheel you could ask your child to put a picture on or draw something on each of the triangles to pray about.

OR EZEKIEL 37:1-14

READ/WATCH

The Lion Story Bible, Dry Bones p.108

This was suggested by https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/year-b-day-of-pentecost-may-24-2015.html for use with the Romans’ reading but I think it works well with the Ezekiel one.

COLOURING IN http://www.momjunction.com/print-coloring-image/?pageid=383187&print=2015/12/Standing-Skeleton

MAKE :

You will need a Paper Plate, colour half blue and half green, cut a slot in the middle of the plate between the two colours. Make a flower using an icy pole stick or piece of green cardboard, and a coloured patty pan ( to use as a flower), poke the flower through the hole to “make the flower grow/come to life fro the earth.

PRAY:

In you God

we find new life

Amen

PSALM 104:24-34, 35b

READ: GOD Made by Stephanie Carmichael

DRAW all the things mentioned in the Psalm

PLAY: look through your toys to see what God has made.

SECOND READING: ROMANS 8:22-27

READ/WATCH Baby Wren and the Great Gift by Sally Lloyd -Jones Illustrated by Jen Coracle Point out how sad Baby Wren is about all the gifts the others have ( like the great groanings in today’s reading until she finds her own gift (of the spirit/or from God)

or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YId88oYpyMM suggested by https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/year-b-day-of-pentecost-may-24-2015.html

PRAY: Before praying find out why we groan, ie pain, or a heavy burden we struggle with, the children will know about this when they try to move something heavy like a table)

GOD you groan (make a groaning sound)

for me. (point to yourself)

Your world groans (make a groaning sound)

for me (point to yourself)

So I don’t have to groan. (make a groaning sound)

Amen

OR ACTS 2:1-21

READ/WATCH: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.paracletepress.com/Products/5646/the-day-when-god-made-church.aspx?bCategory=CHILDB!CHIPIC

or The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s stories The Holy Spirit Comes pp.473-479

or The Rhyme Bible by L.J. Sattgast p.344

or The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones God send Help

or My First Read aloud Bible pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Bible The Day of Pentecost p.228

or The Lion Picture Bible pp.348-349

http://connectible.nz

MAKE/PLAY

This is for the parents to make and the child to play with at this age, though if you have older children they might enjoy making them.

A pin wheel https://www.practicallyfunctional.com/how-to-make-a-pinwheel-template/

For A pin wheel that can be made with just paper, a drinking straw, and sticky tape plus a hole punch.

Cut out a square mine was 20 cm x20cm, though you can make it larger or smaller.

I used 2 pieces of paper one yellow one red, for a two tone effect.

Draw straight lines from corner to corner, and mark 2 cm from the centre on each diagonal.

Cut from the outside of the square up to the 2cm marks.

Punch a hole in the centre and one corner of each triangle.

Thread the straw through the centre hole, then thread each hole on the straw in a clockwise direction.

Stickytape over the straw and paper when the last hole is threaded on.

You can spin this by rotating the straw between your hands

( I think I learnt to make them like this when I was Sunday School teaching using Seasons of the Spirit a few years ago now)

COLOUR-IN

Then cut out, and attach drinking straw with sticky tape as instructed.

Then twirl within your hands.

PRAY: before making the pinwheel you could ask your child to put a picture on or draw something on each of the triangles to pray about.

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

PLAY: Have a child safe mirror, for them to look at themselves, even the youngest enjoy this. Show them their features that others in the family have, or if your child is adopted play the wonder game, I wonder whose eyes yours are like, etc? At some stage point out that as Christians it is our actions like Christs that show who we come from.

READ: Hello Pooh, Hello You Winnie the Pooh board book that has a mirror in it that I bought from BIG W, that might be suitable substitute for a this complicated reading.

PRAY: May I learn your ways Lord, AMEN

Blessings

Wendy L