35b – The Cross in My Backyard

Pentecost Sunday is finally here. Prepare your Home for this important day in the Christian Calendar, you can find some simple suggestions here https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/1266

Put your family in the mood with this lovely song by David and Dale Macgregor, don’t forget the actions

I so love this especially in this week of Reconciliation, especially the verse “Where the spirit is Healing”. And I love that the colours of Pentecost match those of the Aboriginal Flag https://www.aboriginalart.com.au/culture/aboriginal_flag.html

Don’t forget the Lord’s prayer

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

FIRST READING:

ACTS 2:1-21

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kdYJBl8ioU&fbclid=IwAR0UFjrsTbEYNpoiasisj-PGn7fya5qzh69fy5CRWT-6FRS-vZlwBUvVIYs&app=desktop

MAKE: http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2013/05/pentecost-spinner.html

OR Numbers 11:24-30

READ: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+11%3A24-30&version=ICB

OR from any children’s Bible eg. The Beginners Bible Holy Bible NIRV

DO: recreate the story, use what you have around you, toys blocks, etc OR draw how it might have looked.

Questions? Use the Godly Play questions with you family.

I wonder what part of this story you like best?

I wonder what part of the story is the most important part?

I wonder where you are in the story or what part of the story you would leave out?

I wonder if there is any part of the story we can leave out and still have all the story we need?

PSALM 104:24-34, 35b

Snuggle time Prayer by Glenys Nellist God’s Chariot

or God Made by Sarah Carmichael

Describe that feeling, 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:

1 Corinthians12:3b-13

READ The Day the Crayons quit by Drew Daywalt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489micE6eHU I love this book for showing the different gifts that the colours bring and how they work best together. Like the gifts God gives us, all different but all from God.

DRAW: a wonderful picture of some of the gifts of the spirit that God has left with people you know to help each other.

PRAY
You have given us God

special gifts from you

Help me to find mine and

Use it to help others

Amen

PRAY

OR Acts 2:1-21

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSDe5FvQcUw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0sip5MboS2iPxjJB5gfLXWWqSNH6Yl5fHU9-bqQIZxyjvWMy_rLKRbixU there is a craft activity and Prayer in the video OR

MAKE AND PRAY: http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2014/04/pentecost-flames-salad-spinner-art-and.html

GOSPEL READING:

John 20:19-23

Start at 26sec. and finish at 1.20.

How would you tell this story? Would you draw it, or do a play with teddies?

Make a wind sock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJTR6PArENg

OR John 7:37-39

READ: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+7%3A+37-39&version=ICB or from a children’s Bible you have.

MAKE:

In this reading the Holy Spirit has been described as gushing water. Take a blue A4 sheet of paper or cardboard. Then 3 or4 blue streamers, cut about a third longer than the sheet of paper. glue one end to the top of a short side of the paper, twist the streamer two ormolu times and attach the other end the far side of the paper. Repeat until the sheet is covered.

OR You could also cut a large love heart out of some read paper and attach blue streamers to the edges of the love heart. I used paper strips as i was out of blue streamers, attached them flat then rolled them around a pencil to curl.

Perhaps you can feel what gushing water is like by turning on the tap and letting the water fall on your hands.

Blessings

Wendy L.

Don’t forget to wear RED to Church today.

Point out the change in colour and any other special decorations that might in the Church today.

How wonderful that you have bought your young child to church, don’t waste this opportunity to share the faith stories and experience the wonder of worship.

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.

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.

FIRST READING: Acts 2:1-21

READ: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=The+Day+when+God+Made+Church&ref=nb_sb_noss

or My First Read Aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff, The Holy Spirit pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Book Bible, The Day of Pentecost, p. 228

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Holy Spirit Came, pp.473-476

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God Sends Help, pp. 326-330

or Bible for Kids App Holy Spirit Comes https://bibleappforkids.com https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

Colouring -In https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

or COLOURING-IN: https://store.illustratedchildrensministry.com/collections/coloring-sheets-posters/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-spring-2019 PURCHASE IS DOWNLOADABLE AND IS IN AMERICAN DOLLARS FOR 14 WEEKS (Last WEEK)

MAKE: A Pentecost hat like https://buildfaith.org/pentecost-tongue-of-fire-hat/ but i would add blue streamers to the bottom of the band to suggest the wind, and write God Loves in as many languages as you can on the band to suggest the languages in which people could here.

IF you are part of the Uniting Church in Australia, make the flame out of the dove red shape in our logo. https://assembly.uca.org.au/resources/logos This will familiarise your children with the logo prior to the UCA Anniversary on the 22/6.

For other suggestions https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/221

OR Genesis 11:1-9

READ: The Lion Story Bible, The Tower of Babylon, pp.24-25

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Tall Tower, pp.34-38 (NOTE: American spelling)

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, p.48-55

or The Lion Picture Bible, The tower of Babel, pp.34-37

BUILD: Your own tower of babel, use bocks to see how tall you can get it before it falls down.

PRAY: As you place a brick on your tower pray for someone or something who needs God’s support.

Colouring In; https://christianpreschoolprintables.com/tower-of-babel-printables/

PSALM 104:21-34, 35b

READ: GOD Made by Stephanie Carmichael

OR https://www.psalmsforkids.com/psalm-104/

DRAW: Anything that God made

OR Draw the images in each verse of the Psalm

SECOND READING: Romans 8:14-17

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vwiaQTvH0U We Belong together: A Book about adoption and families by Todd Parr

OR if tell their own adoption story if that is your situation

PLAY: A matching game, what goes with what. This can be done as a card game, but can be just as effective, very simply using what you have with you. For example foot/shoe, or sock/shoe, texta/paper, money/plate, plate/food, etc.

PRAY: Thank you God for wanting us to be in your family

Amen.

OR Acts 2:1-21

READ: The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=The+Day+when+God+Made+Church&ref=nb_sb_noss

or My First Read Aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff, The Holy Spirit pp.234-235

or The Lion Story Book Bible, The Day of Pentecost, p. 228

or The Beginner’s Bible, The Holy Spirit Came, pp.473-476

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God Sends Help, pp. 326-330

or Bible for Kids App Holy Spirit Comes https://bibleappforkids.com https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

Colouring -In https://bibleappforkids.com/parents/bible-story/2109/the-holy-spirit-comes

For other suggestions https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/221

GOSPEL READING: John14:8-17 (25-27)

READ: The Lion Picture Bible, The promised Gift, pp.344-345

or The Jesus Storybook Bible, God send Help, p.326

or The Rhyme Bible Storybook p.344 (last page)

Colour IN : When promises are made they are often sealed with a ring, ie your wedding or engagement ring. Because making a ring might cause a chocking hazard, I suggest you talk about your special promise rings and Colour in a ring http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/rings

or https://www.momjunction.com/print-coloring-image/?pageid=120506&print=2014/12/Diamond-Ring

PRAY;

Thank you God,

that you keep your promises

Amen

NOO! You are not finished even if the service has.

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

Make or buy a cake, add candles and blow them out then read or retell the Pentecost story

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.

Tag: 35b

Pentecost

Pentecost: Ideas to help you share this weeks RCL readings with the 3’s and under.