23rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Revised Common Lectionary: ideas to involve even the youngest.

Welcome. 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, for the Word of God and to participate in Worship.

Today is the last day that we will use the colour Green this year. The longest season of the Liturgical calendar, is coming to an end and it heralds the start of the new Liturgical Year. Next week is The Reign of the King celebration which marks teh end of the Liturgical Calander. Watch this to understand more about the Liturgical Year

If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area and define it with a GREEN placemat, or ribbons, 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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

https://www.childrens-ministry-deals.com/blogs/childrens-pastors-only/how-to-pray-the-five-finger-prayer

INTRODUCTORY SONG Hey Ha Ha from the Full of the Spirit Album by

Heather Price Music

FIRST READING: ISAIAH 65:17-25

READ: Peace by Wendy Anderson Halperin

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

Do: Build a city or a building, create something new. Use blocks or draw, your ideal place.

PRAY: As you look at or move around in your city pray for those who might live in this city.

Pray for Joy

Pray for Good things

PSALM ISAIAH 12

I will thank you God (Arms high in the air)

Because you surprised me (look shocked)

by comforting me (give yourself a hug)

even though you were angry with me. (shake you pointing finger)

I will trust You (stand tall)

For you are there for me ( pretend to have your arm around a mate)

You are my strength. (flex your muscle)

Joy will pour from You (sweep your arms wide)

like a water from a fountain (pretend to scoop up some water to drink in your cupped hands)

Thank you God (Arms high in the sky)

I will tell everyone (look around you)

I will shout out your name (cup your hands around your mouth)

Sing Praises to God (open your mouth wide)

Tell everyone, everywhere (look around you)

Sing with joy (open your mouth wide)

For God is with us. (give yourself a hug)

READ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+12&version=ERV

DO: Choose a Happy song to sing possibly this one by David MacGregor Make it Joyful

SECOND READING: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-13

READ: Terrible, Awful, Horrible Manners! by Beth Bracken

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

Do: This letter was written reminding the Thessalonians to follow their advice and actions. So play Simon Says, see if your child can follow your actions.

PRAY

Your words and your actions (hold your hands in the shape of a book, move your body)

Teach me God (point to yourself)

Amen

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 21:5-19

READ: Silly Billy by Anthony Browne

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

DRAW: Those things that are important to you?

COLOURING-IN

SENDING SONG 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. If you find this page useful an acknowledgment is always appreciated. Thank you.

I am writing this on Wurundjeri land and wish to pay respect to all Elders, past, present and emerging.

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23rd Sunday after Pentecost Year C: Ideas to help you share this weeks RCL readings with the 3’s and under.

Say goodbye to the colour Green in the church today. Take special note, as the the end of the Season after Pentecost draws to a close and the New Year approaches.

You might like start watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPTWq1AsCao To explain the liturgical year.

Here are some ideas to help you share the Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary with your children.

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: ISAIAH 65:17-25

READ: Global Babies by the Global Fund for Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GbeMr2y8-Q as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-november-17-2019/

Do: Build a city or a building, create something new. Use blocks or draw, your ideal place.

PRAY:for those who might live in this city.

Pray for Joy

Pray for Good things

 

PSALM ISAIAH 12

READ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+12&version=ERV

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, starting September the 1st. which can be downloaded for US$10. NOTE Illustrated Children’s Ministry is now Illustrated Ministry.

DO: 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/

SECOND READING: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-13

READ/WATCH: The little Guys by Vera Brosgol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSRweXF8G-M  as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-november-17-2019/

Do: This letter was written reminding the Thessalonians to follow their advice and actions. So play Simon Says See if your child can follow your actions.

PRAY

Your words and your actions (hold your hands in the shape of a book, move your body)

Teach me God (point to yourself)

Amen

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 21:5-19

READ/WATCH: Horton Hatches The Egg by Dr Seuss as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-sunday-november-17-2013/ this is a long video, so stop and then come back to it as they are ready maybe stop at the end of each statement that ” I said what I said and meant what I said”

DRAW: Those things that are important to you?

THE SERVICE MIGHT BE FINISHED BUT

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.

You might like start watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPTWq1AsCao

Blessings

Wendy L.