For those Worshipping in Australia in a Uniting Church in Australia Day of Mourning Service this week there is a suggested liturgy which your congregation may or may not be using. If they are using it, here are some suggestions to use with your little ones. You will find the suggested liturgy here https://assembly.uca.org.au/day-of-mourning
And my ideas for inclusive worship are in italics below.
Please feel free to use by families or small congregations without a Child and Family Worker.
Please note that this work is not endorsed by the Uniting Church in Australia
Suggested Actions in Italics
Call to Worship
Our land is alive with the glory of God; (Jump and throw your arms up high)
desert sands hum and gum trees dance. (put your hand to your ear then loosen your fingers and wave your arms around)
Brown grasses sing ( cup your ear with your hand as if listening hard)
and mountains breathe their stillness. (stand still and breath deeply)
All created things add their rhythms of delight (tap rhythm sticks (or two small gum tree limbs), hit gum nuts with a small branch, whistle using a gum leaf or blade of grass.)
and even stones rap out their praise. (tap two stones together)
Let our voices mingle with those of the earth; (pretend to syphon dirt from one hand to the other)
may our hearts join the beat of her joy, (make a heart shape with your hands and move it away from and then towards your body)
for our triune God is with us: (make a triangle with your hands)
the Source of all being surrounds and upholds us. (give yourself a hug)
Christ Jesus walks beside and before us. (extend your arm as if putting it around a mate, then extend your arms as if placing your hands on someones shoulders)
The Spirit moves within and between us. (wiggle your arm across your body)
Blessed be God, our wonder and delight. (Hold your hands up high in the air)
CRAFT: Ask your children to draw an Australian landscape as described, gum trees, desert sand, mountains etc.
Or bring with you pieces of native trees, sand, stone (not to small so they can be swallowed, and a strict no throwing policy) To look at or to use to make a picture or a three dimensional project maybe in a shoe box.
Acknowledgement of First Peoples
There are two I recommend the second one for children
We acknowledge the Clan/Nation
the sovereign First Peoples of this place.
We honour their elders past, present and emerging
together with all descendants of this Nation,
for their care for these lands and waters since creation.
and gave them particular insights into God’s ways:
and so we rejoice (hands out wide above your head)
In the reconciling purposes of God (gives yourself a hug)
Found in the good news about Jesus Christ (hold your hands open like a book)
During the Acknowledgment of First Peoples you might like to read WELCOME TO COUNTRY BY AUNTY JOY MURPHY AND LISA KENNEDY, by Walker Books https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/welcome-to-country-by-aunty-joy-murphy-and-lisa-kennedy-9781922244871
Or Watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEKUyht_fs8
OR WATCH Aunty Joy Murphy do a welcome to country here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeBWuItrpW8
Make sure to emphasise that God was always in this Land.
Greetings Listen
Blessings for a Sacred Place
Leader: Arrawatanha
Ngapala Nguthana
Response: Most High
Our Maker
All: The land you have given us, your children. (pat the ground)
Look on this place … (shield your eyes as if looking to the horizon)
this special place where you live; (pat the ground)
this special place where your glory rests. (cup your hands then pretend to lay your head on your hands as if sleeping)
Look upon this sacred place (shield your eyes as if looking to the horizon)
where your name is honoured. (Look up)
Help us keep it as our (pat the ground)
Ancestors did. (look behind you)
Leader: Althaninda
Response: Happy are you. (smile)
(In the Adnyamathanha
language of the Flinders
Ranges, SA, Arrawatanha
means God/Most High and
Ngapala Nguthana means Our
Maker.
The meaning of Althaninda is
Happy are you)
PRAYERS
Invocation
Abba, Father,
Bäpa God,
source of all life,
answer our call,
as a mother responds
to the cry of a child in the night.
Jesus Christ,
brother and friend,
Liberator,
stand beside us
as bearer of our humanity,
and sharer of God’s grace.
Creator Spirit, giver of new life,
purposeful guest,
prod us to praise,
calling us to be a people
of hope and faith in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Bäpa means father in the Yolŋu languages of NE Arnhemland and in Bahasa languages.
LAMENT AND CONFESSION
This is too long for children
My suggestion is that they pray as they continue working on their picture or three-dimensional project or just look again at the leaves and rocks and pray, eg.
Children’s prayer
Great God,
Thank you for the (stone, rock , plants, mountains etc, name each in turn after the statement Thank you for)
Help me to share this land
And to learn from those who you first gave this land too.
Help me to not forget past wrongs to the first people
And not to repeat them
Amen (one clap)
Listen to the Declaration of Forgiveness.
Declaration of Forgiveness
This is the best of all:
When we are empty, (drop your shoulders)
God fills us; (straighten up)
when we are disheartened, (drop your shoulders)
God is compassionate; (straighten up)
when we are wounded, (drop your shoulders)
God brings healing; (straighten up)
when we confess our sin, God forgives. (put your hands in a prayer position)
In Christ, through Christ and because of Christ, our sins are forgiven. (make the sign of the cross)
Thanks be to God. (hold your hands in a prayer pose)
You refill the cup of life, O God.(pretend to pour a drink)
In Christ, we find refuge, strength and hope. (hold hands touching each other over your head)
Amen. ( one clap)
Bible Readings
There are quiet a few suggested. Only a few will be used. I don’t know which ones your individual congregation will use. You could ask your Minister or Elder or go prepared with a selection. Or use this at home to reinforce the service you have just attended with your children.
Psalm 85:7-13
READ:
Psalm 85: Good gifts
Lord, you are so good to us!
You forgave our sin and gave us a new beginning.
You sent your Word, and you pour out your Spirit.
Love is your message and Kindness is your style
Peace greets Patience with a kiss
Gentleness walks hand in hand with Self-control
Joy bursts up out of the ground
Right-ness goes ahead to show the way
and Generosity showers us from above.
These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
(Galatians 5:22)
by Rev. Purdie http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-85-see-what-god-is-doing.html
ACTION: Make a heart card with a beautiful picture of something from Australia on it
Micah 6: 6 – 8;
ACTION: use the free downloads or buy the activity pack
John 14: 15 – 24;
ACTION: use the free downloads or buy the activity pack
HOW MANY ACTS OF LOVE DID THE TREE DO?
HOW MANY ACT OF LOVE WERE DONE TO THE TREE?
PLAY WITH nesting dolls.
Acts 2: 1 – 21;
READ; The Rhyme Bible storybook by L.J. Stattgast last page
OR My first read aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff, The Holy Spirit pp.234-235
ACTION: Fire has destroyed much of Australia recently, BUT if fire was love what would it look like. Draw your idea.
Romans 8: 19 – 27;
WATCH for aboriginal creation stories you might like to watch red pixels on You Tube eg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDl5QwAR8DI or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y3Ta5xcKV4
ACTION: Pray by groaning, eg,
God waits for us to love him, and it hurts God Groan
God waits for us to love others and it hurts God Groan
God waits for us to take care of his world and it hurts God Groan
OR continue drawing or making pictures of Australia or You can find colouring in sheets for Australian animals here https://www.wires.org.au/kids-pages
James 2: 14 – 26;
READ/Watch All these things by Susie Poole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5EUrLP9zY
PLAY: community play, doll house or cars or animals anything where being kind can be played out.
1 John 4: 7 – 21
Listen/Sing: https://colinbuchanan.com.au/products/10-9-8-god-is-great-cd-mp3-backing-track-sheet-music
As a general overview of the day you may wish to read Sorry Day by Coral Vass and illustrated by Dub Leffler
A beautiful reading is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m32cvvJ0tqE but it is long for children dip in and out but start at 2.37min. and finish at 7.03 min just go back and watch it all yourself though.
Three themes are suggested
Theme 1: Redistributive Justice
READ the Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywelt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZttMDho5HMw
PLAY with toys that encourage practicing interaction with others.
Or draw a colourful picture using all the colours
Theme 2: Self Emptying God
Tell stories of how some has changed or life or how you chawed someones
Play with your toys.
Theme 3: A Destiny Together
One Suggested Bible reading is The Beatitudes try The Beginners Bible Jesus, Teaches on a Mountain pp.318-321
and Psalm 78:1-8 http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-78-tell-our-story-to-our-children.html
and 2 Corinthians 5:16-19 Try the Little Golden Book the Tawny Scrawny Lion.
Play with toys in a “garden” made from the twigs, leaves etc that you bought with you into worship.
Prayers of the People
Prayers of the People
Give us the courage to (show your muscles)
accept the realities of our history (look behind you)
so that we may build a better future for our nation. (clench your fists and place them one on top of the other as if building a tower)
Teach us to respect all cultures. (hold your fists together)
Teach us to care for our land and waters. (pretend to plant a tree)
Help us to share justly(pretend to hand someone a piece of cake)
the resources of this land. (spread your arms out wide)
Help us to bring about spiritual and social change (place your hands in a prayer position)
to improve the quality of life (skip)
for all peoples in our communities, (touch the tips of your fingers with both hands)
especially the disadvantaged. (stretch your hand up as if helping someone up)
Help all young people to find true dignity (stand tall)
and self-esteem by your Spirit.
May your power and love (make a love heart)
be the foundations on which we: (touch the ground)
walk together as First and Second Peoples; and (walk)
build our families, our communities and our nation. (entwine your fingers)
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of the People
Actions in Italics
Prayers of the People
Give us the courage to (show your muscles)
accept the realities of our history (look behind you)
so that we may build a better future for our nation. (clench your fists and place them one on top of the other as if building a tower)
Teach us to respect all cultures. (hold your fists together)
Teach us to care for our land and waters. (pretend to plant a tree)
Help us to share justly(pretend to hand someone a piece of cake)
the resources of this land. (spread your arms out wide)
Help us to bring about spiritual and social change (place your hands in a prayer position)
to improve the quality of life (skip)
for all peoples in our communities, (touch the tips of your fingers with both hands)
especially the disadvantaged. (stretch your hand up as if helping someone up)
Help all young people to find true dignity (stand tall)
and self-esteem by your Spirit.
May your power and love (make a love heart)
be the foundations on which we: (touch the ground)
walk together as First and Second Peoples; and (walk)
build our families, our communities and our nation. (entwine your fingers)
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Participate in the rest of the service
Blessing
Bless us therefore, as we depart this place: (point to the door)
give us a generous spirit, a kind heart, (Make a heart shape with your hands)
and the grace to walk alongside our First Peoples, (Put your arm out as if to put around a friends shoulder)
as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Amen. (one clap)
TOY BOX ADDITION: If your toy collection does not have first nation dolls in it you might like to add to your collection. A place you can do that is here http://www.gofairtrading.com.au/product/aboriginal-doll/ OR https://www.teaching.com.au/catalogue/mta/mta-aboriginal-dolls
Blessings
Wendy L.
The Cross in My Backyard 