WELCOME:
You have found a page that uses easily found ideas to help you share the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings with children. Instead of sifting through many websites, facebook , pinterest, instagram, and blog posts; 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.
These ideas can be used in a church setting as you parent in the pews or in your own home while connecting to a broadcast service or for your daily family devotions.
Today is Transfiguartion Sunday, it is the last Sunday before Lent. The liturgical colour will be White (or if that offends you, you may use Gold instead).
Lent starts on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday (look for an interaction with the Ash Wednesday Readings next week.) The Last day of Epiphany is Shrove Tuesday. Many families mark this day by eating Pancakes. This is to clear out foodstuffs in order to begin the food fasts that have hallmarked Lenten practice in the past and still do for come faith communities. Coming from a progressive Congregation, we tend to give non food items, do studies, or good deeds to mark the 40 days of Lent (week day’s ony are counted NOT the Sunday’s). If you do not have a Lenten practice it might be time to consider what you can do as a family or what each family member wants to do. I suggest that if you can all spend a few munutes sharing what you have learnt from individual practices each day it is a better form of family faith formation. For some families that might work best at dinner, or breakfast, or just before bed time of the youngest. You will find some ideas herehttps://thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/2021/02/10/lent-starts-this-week-with-ash-wednesday/
If worshipping at home you might like to prepare a space to worship which can be permanent or set aside and bought out when you are having private or family devotions.
You might like to start by finding a tablecloth in the liturgical colour, find a candle ( I prefer battery operated ones around children) and add any other touches that remind you of the present season, for example a dove, a cross, etc.
If able to worship in the Chruch 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 readings.
For older students you might like to take a journal that they can use to record, anything that grabs their attention during the service. Write a precis of the message (traditional or sensory word), draw or write their response in and keep a record of thier emotions.
You might like to start with the Lords prayer if at home, or either of these suggestions can be used when the Lord’s Prayer is said within a set service.
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 like colouring in, by registering with Illustrated Ministries you can recieve a free colouring in page for one of today’s readings? https://www.illustratedministry.com/free-resources/?ck_subscriber_id=136888700
FIRST READING: 2 Kings 2:1-12
READ: THe Whirl story Bible pp. 102-104, Elija and Elisha
OR The Beginner’s Bible p.216 The Chariot of Fire
OR My First Read aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff pp.98-99 Elija and Elisha
Draw or write about the tyoe of person you would like to have to guide you?
PLAY: Get out the Play Rug, people and animals adn cars etc to play with? Let tehm play freely or you might like to ask these questions. I wonder who you would like to be like? I wonder who wants to be like you?
PRAY
While you have the play mat out you might like to use teh things that are happening on the mat to encourage you to pray.
PSALM 50:1-6
READ:
Psalm 50: True Worship
Part A
In the beginning was God
and God spoke!
All worship starts here
Then God called together a people
from every corner of the globe
Our God comes near
and he is not silent
Glimpse his glory
feel his fire
This is worship!
Ah, but then it gets harder
Will you stay to hear God’s judgment?
Will you stick around to be criticised?
an exert from https://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-50-true-worship.html
DO: How does this Psalm make you feel?
Describe those feelings, or 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: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
READ: When God made Light by Matthew Paul Turner
SING:
MAKE: a Sun catcher You can see how it is done here, but given that today is Valentines Day how about cuting a heart shape instead of the cross in the black paper. (If you don’t have black paper any colour will do, as long as the celophane is a contrasting colour)
GOSPEL READING: Mark 9:2-9
WATCH:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kvAMHonGaA&fbclid=IwAR2pCwgt6Y5tFKUvRuv33MhV9in5zdAYwMDsPs9SPuVgTbl1auxx7Rc0OHs
READ: Whirl Story Bible, pp.250-253 The Transfiguration
OR Meet in Mark, Mark 8:27-9:13, Last Paragraph
OR My First Read a-loud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff p.180-181 God talks to Jesus also in the 5 Minute Bible pp.138-139
COLOURING-IN: You might like to cut Jesus out instead of colouring Him in and place celophane behind the space. Then hnag it to catch the light or even place on the glass pane of the window to satch teh light OR if you have some aluminum cooking foil you could use that in the gap.
PLAY: with Bug eye magnifying glass or a magnifying glass, or look at your reflection or other peoples in some aluminium foil. What other lenses can help you see something differently.
Blessings
Wendy L.
Please check local guidlines before using items that are not mine and acknowledge this page if you have found it useful, especially if you are using this page for congregational use.
The Cross in My Backyard 