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.
Suggest that visiting families pack a special backpack, filled 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.
We are now in the season of Easter and its liturgical colour is WHITE.
If worshipping from home you might like to set up a table or space with a white cloth, a cross, a candle, and some things that focus your mind on today’s readings, for example, symbols of new life Traditionally they could be a butterfly, egg, emerging plant etc.
THE LORDS PRAYER IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k
OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14a and 22-32
READ: Ralph tells a Story by Abby Hanlon
A Storypath suggestion
WRITE your own speech or give your toys a speech, it could be about Jesus it might be about something else important to you.
PRAY:
Thank you, God
that you keep your promises.
Amen
PSALM 16
Psalm 16: A goodly heritage
I know who I am and I know where I come from: ( point to yourself, stamp your foot)
God is my home, God is my heritage.(trace out a house shape with your hands)
My heart is glad, my soul sings for joy! (make a love heart with your hands then jump for joy)
I know who I am and I know what I’ve chosen: (point to yourself, stamp your foot)
God is my cup and his Spirit fills it. (Cup your hands together)
My heart is glad, my soul sings for joy! (make a love heart with your hands then jump for joy)
I know who I am and I know where I’m going: (Point to yourself, stamp your foot)
Christ is my guide, he shows me the path of life. (Shade your eyes)
My heart is glad, my soul sings for joy! (make a love heart with your hands then jump for joy)
words by Rev. Purdie , actions by me
DRAW a picture of how this Psalm makes you feel or find an emoji of or show how it makes you feel
SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1:3-9
READ All my Treasure: A book of Joy by Jo Witek
A Storypath suggestions
MAKE. A treasure box of your own. How would you decorate something so special? What would you put in it?
SING: Joy by Sovereign Grace Kids
GOSPEL READING: John 20:19-31
READ: The Whirl Story Bible, Thomas Wonders, pp.334-337
PLAY: put a blindfold on one person at a time, then place an object in front of them for them to feel, they have to describe what that object is. Now try to explain it with your eyes uncovered.
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.
The Cross in My Backyard 