AFTER PENTECOST 17 A: ideas to share this week’s rcl readings with even the youngest family members using things you have at home:

This is also a great resource for parents/careers and grandparents to use with their little ones during online or face to face worship, or to use as family devotions during the week.

If you are worshipping on line and are unsure what to do with the “little ears” worshipping with their parents, please feel free to make these suggestions during your service so the young ones too can participate.

If at home you might like to make a space for worship it can be permanent or bought out at times of sharing faith together. We are in the season of After Pentecost, the longest season, and it’s colour is green.

You might like to place a green tablecloth on the dinner table or coffee table, or a white one with green ribbons.

It need be no more complicated than that!

OR you could add a cross, or something that talks to you about faith, such as your Bible.

You can even add a candle (with young children around I like to use the battery operated kind.)

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

Or slot it in when the congregation says The Lords Prayer, if you are in a face to face service, or zooming in from Home.

FIRST READING: Exodus 17:1-7

READ: The Beginner’s Bible p.119

OR for the young ones My First read aloud Bible, or the 5 minute Story Bible both by Boshoff and Batchelor, God gives Water, pp.52-53

CRAFT: Take a paper plate or a thick piece of paper, in brown or yellow. Draw a picture of Moses with the staff in his hand, a rock then in the middle of the rock, pierce the rock, then poke from the back of the picture to the front of the picture and pull it through, a piece of blue material or a piece of crepe paper or tissue paper.

PRAY:

God who commands water,

God who can still it or make it flow. (put your hands out in front of you, wiggle your fingers and move your hands from left to right)

God who made me

Help me drink in you

like I drink in water (pretend to have a long drink)

when I am thirsty

Help me bathe in you

Like I enjoy a bath (pretend to splash)

when I’m covered in dirt

Amen

PSALM 78:1-4,12-16

READ:

Gather round, everyone, for I have a story to tell.

It is a story from long ago, all the way up to right now.

Listen up, children, for this is your story too.

Listen up, everyone, hear of the glorious deeds of God

and the wonders he has done for us.

Parents, grandparents, tell your children about our God

so that this new generation will put their hope in the Lord, and follow the ways of God, hopefully better than their ancestors did!

Once, this people were slaves in a foreign land, but God rescued them. Through plagues and hail and death God pulled them out of slavery, safely through the sea and into the wilderness. But the people got thirsty in the desert and grumbled to God. So God split open a rock and fresh water poured out. Then the people got hungry in the desert and complained to God, so he rained down birds for them to eat, and bread onto the desert ground.

Taken from http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-78-tell-our-story-to-our-children.html

COLOURING-IN: I have always recommended Illustrated Ministry’s work, though I prefer free stuff, I have found their work very reflective of how I find meaning in the passages, but more importantly I have noticed that chidlren of all ages love them and find meaning in them. Their FALL season has started and will give you a colouring in sheet each week until the end of November. It is $US19 for the quarter, and if you have kids that love colouring in it is money well spent COLOURING-IN https://store.illustratedministry.com/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-fall-2020?variant=31882216570978

SECOND READING: Phillippians 2:1-13

I have been thinking about how to present this passage, and given the times we live in it might be ok to present it within a COVID-19 framework, of everyone working together, if Jesus was here he would have done what needed to be done, kept a safe distance, worn a mask, washed his hands, even if he didn’t need to, becasue he was sent here to love and care for God’s people, and in wanting to be like him we would want to too. So we too need to humble ourselves and do what is best for everyone, not just ourselves.

so you might like to watch this book together, or sing this song

With older children, you may like to act out an “if Jesus was here now what would he do” scenario. Your view may be differnt to mine, and that is also OK.

SING: Totally God, Totally Man https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/totally-god-totally-man/

and He Humbled Himself https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/the-journey-vol-9/#

PRAY:

Help me Lord,

To not be too proud

to care for the needs of others needs

Amen

GOSPEL READING; Matthew 21:23-32

WATCH:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba1S7hzbtyk&fbclid=IwAR3Td61mM0I8m_hVlkm4O5FNmlwpTpRSxGoMT2x3rPiMdPpujAyMg34Ux0k

Older chidlren, might like to see how many story’s there are in todays reading. Then wonder if they fit together, and if nay apply to them, or someone they know, or if it’s about something much bigger?

Is it a morality lesson, or does it tell us something of faith?

End today with the 5 finger prayer

Blessings

Wendy L

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16th Sunday after Pentecost Year C: Ideas to help you share this weeks RCL readings with the 3’s and under.

Here in Melbourne Australia it’s Finals weekend, so no matter what code or what team you barrack for may you enjoy this long weekend (literally we get a day off, yah!) https://www.afl.com.au/finals

or next weekend https://www.nrl.com

And i see no reason why you can’t wear your colours to Church, you might even find a retired player amongst the congregation. (We have one)

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.

Always have plain drawing paper, washable  TEXTA’S , the books that are suggested and the toys or craft suggested for this week

Remember to download the colouring sheets and check out the links before 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.

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

FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 32:1-3a, 6-15

READ: Florette by Anne Walker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKcZqwOWP9s

I’ve chosen this book, because like Jeremiah’s idea that it is alright to set down roots here, this is what happens in Florette, they have left their garden behind and they make the space their own, as Judah was too in today’s reading

DO: plant a tree, shrub, or veggies and see over time how God’s things grow, Or for a quicker idea, cut the top off a carrot, place it on wet cotton wool and watch it grow over the coming weeks.

DO: Make a plant that grows. Take an A4 Sheet, draw a tree trunk up the paper, draw branches and leaves at the top of the page then fold the middle third like a fan,

PSALM: 91;1-6,12-16

Read:

Psalm 91: The Trust Psalm

Trust! Trust in God!
God is our shelter,
we are safe in his shadow.
God is our refuge,
we are protected in his power.
God is like a mother bird and we are like chicks,
tucked warm under her wing.
God is our shield and our armor
nothing can strike us down.
God is with us all the way
our guard and our guide.
You may trip on a stone
but angels will catch you.
So don’t be afraid of snakes and spiders,
don’t be afraid of evil attack.
In God’s love we are safe, no matter what.
In God’s strength we are saved!

by the Rev. Purdie http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-91-an-invitation-to-deeper-prayer.html

SING: https://colinbuchanan.com.au/products/boom-chicka-boom-cd-mp3

DO: How does the Psalm make you feel? Draw it or show it or point out the emotion 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/

OR go to the https://www.fischytunes.com/?fbclid=IwAR2wcZy8PZz924dKNUCeWMJZJJqLDWWsOYKNi1TwBfiUS5-cqT1pVtzQkhw choose your emotion then choose a song (website only for the kids)

SECOND READING: 1 Timothy 6:6-19

READ: What is given from the heart by Patricia C McKissack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEcwHrwAYA suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-september-29-2019/

SING Practice Being Godly by Colin Buchanan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gl_5jLTfUE

COLOURING -IN: https://store.illustratedministry.com/collections/coloring-sheets-posters/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-fall-2019?variant=29474498478178 Under the USA term of Fall 2019, there are 13 colouring in sheets for the next 13 weeks, which can be downloaded for US$10. NOTE Illustrated Children’s Ministry is now Illustrated Ministry.

PLAY with your toys, animals or families, practice being Godly

GOSPEL READING: Luke 16:19-31

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBfJXE9t5h8 Betty Bunny wants Everything by Bailey Byrne  This is a long read or watch for our little ones watch in advance and choose small parts. try 1.43-2.15 3.12-3.35, then 7.20- 7.52, 8.26  to end suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-nl-march-26-2017/

SING: https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/welcome-in/

PLAY with your toys, animals or families, practice sharing.

You are not finished even if the service has.

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

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.