WELCOME: Everyone is welcome here.
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 to God by participating in Worship. 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.
Today is the second Sunday after Epiphany. The Liturgical colour is green.
If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area
You can do this by setting up 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.
LET’S BEGIN:
SING https://www.snackmusic.com.au/songs/you-are-welcome
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
Print or draw, arms, body, head, fingers, toes feet etc
Put them on an outline of a cross, or lay your cross on the table, and as you pick up a body part pray for someone you know who for eg. Always has a listening ear, then place the ear on the cross, or for someone who “goes the extra mile” (always gives all they have and more to something or someone) then place a foot on the cross. Someone who is always watching out for others, put an eye on the cross as you pray for them. I wonder what type of person you would use a hand to pray for, or an ear?
FIRST READING: NEHEMIAH 8:1-3,5-6,8-10
READ: The Patchwork Torah by Allison Ofanansky
WATCH This is a long video, (about 12 minutes) you could break it into smaller chunks and watch it over a few hours or days,(or you could stop at the 3 min. mark) but it also copies the long reading of Moses Law(not a legality but the story from Moses) refered to in the Nehemiah reading.
Your family may need to do some research to fully understand the book suggested, eg. Torah, bahmitza, WW2.
This was a suggestion by STORYPATH To understad why this book is suggested follow the link.
OR WATCH, and stop at the 9 minute point.
PSALM 19
READ
What brings you JOY, draw it, show it, ask to expereince it?
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-31a
READ Spark Storybook Bible, One body many parts, pp.428-431
OR Whirl Storybook Bible, One Body many parts pp.374-377
PLAY with Mr potato head
MAKE You might like to make this fun marionette Dog puppet with all his important pieces.
GOSPEL READING: LUKE 4:14-21
PLAY reinact the reading, using your toys or writing a script and acting it out.
WRITE OR DRAW; something from this reading that spoke to you.
PRAY
Help me find Joy
In your word
Help me to study it
and share it
with others Amen
Blessings
Wendy L.
Please check local guidlines before using items that are not mine especially if you are using this page for congregational use. Please acknowedge 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.
I have qualifications in Education, Theology and Children’s Spirituality, and have worked as a Children and Families Worker in a city church. I use simple and easily found ideas to help you share the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings. This is a ONE STOP SHOP where I have done the sifting for you to find theologically and developmentally appropriate material for your congregation or family saving you time from sifting through many websites, facebook , pinterest, instagram, and blog posts.
The Cross in My Backyard 