Holy Name of Jesus, Year A 2023: Ideas to share the Revised Common Lectionary Readings with all ages.

It seems that most of Australia is on the move this Season of Christmas. Some may visit churches other than their home church, some might zoom into services and others might take a break from formal worship. So I have stuctured these suggestions around infromal family faith formation experiences for those away from home or away from the usual structure.

If you are a small congregation who 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.

Faith is portable, we live it, share it everyday. I hope these simple ideas help your family form their faith, no matter where you are.

We are in a new season the season of Christmas, it’s liturgical colour is WHITE (though some feel GOLD, is a better colour to be using).

For this day there are three sets of readings, Christmas 1, New Year’s Day and Holy Name of Jesus. You can find out which set of readings your congregation is using or if worshipping away from the congregation choose one or work through all three.

Find something white, create a cross from whatever is around you and light a candle as a centerpoint for your worship experience if away from a formal congregational meeting place (often known as a Church)

FIRST READING: Numbers 6:22-27

WATCH

WRITE a Blessing of your own to use.

SING

BLESSING Activities on p.7

PSALM 8

God, our living God,
you are amazing! (star jump)
You are higher than I can look, (Look Up)
You are wider than I can see. (hold your arms outside ways from your body)
But I can hear you – (cup your hand over your ears)
Listen!
We can hear you in the laughter of a little child, (big smile)
We can hear you in the babbling of a baby. (pretend to rock a baby in your arms)
You don’t need words to tell us of your power. (flex your muscles)
 
Why do you need us at all? (Shake your head)
We are so small, and the world is so big, (crouch down low)
the stars are so many and space is so enormous.(look up and around)
God, our living God,
you are amazing! (star jump)
You made everything. (look around you)
Why do I matter? (shake your head)
 
But we do matter! (point to yourself)
God cares for us most of all, (big smile)
and through us God cares for all the world. (pretend to stroke an animal)
You put everything into our care, (pretend to gather things close to you)
all the animals, all the birds, all the fish, (link your thumbs and pretend your hands and fingers are butterfly wings OR make your hand swim like a fish)
everything that creeps or flies or runs or swims, (creep 2 fingers up your arm)
even the land and the air and the sea. (pretend to make choppy waves with one hand)
It is all ours to look after. (gather things around you)
God, our living God,
you are amazing! (star jump)

Thanks again to Rev Purdie actions by me.

SING Dominion Item 6 on the Trust album from Seeds Family Worship

SECOND READING: Galations 4:4-7

READ Can I be your Dog by Troy Cummings

WATCH: by Troy Cummings

SING Totally God and Totally Man by Sovereign Grace Music

DO: Look at your family tree, where do you fit in? If you are adopted speak about your adoption and how you fit in.

OR

Phillipians 2:5-11

READ Maybe God is like that too, by Jennifer Grant

WATCH

A Storypath suggestion

SING Totally God and Totally Man by Sovereign Grace Music

GOSPEL READING: Luke 2:15-21

READ: Whirl Storybook Bible

OR from the BIble for Kids App find the bubble with the Manger in it, then read or listen to pp 5-8

MAKE

Question to Ponder How would you share good news?

PRAY

Help me to not be afraid

to share your Word God

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.

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CHRISTMAS 1B

WELCOME:

YOU HAVE FOUND A PAGE THAT USES EASILY FOUND IDEAS TO HELP YOU SHARE THE RCL READINGS WITH CHILDREN. INSTEAD OF SIFTING THROUGH MANY WEBSITES, FACEBOOK , PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, AND BLOG POSTS. 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

These ideas can be used in a church setting as you parent in the pews or in your own home while connecting to a broadcast service or for your daily family devotions.

If worshipping at home you might like to prepare a space to worship which can be permanent or set aside and bought out when you are having private or family devotions.

We are in the Season of Christmas, and the litergical colour is white (but if you find that offensive you may like to use Gold instead). You might like to start by finding a tablecloth in the liturgical colour, find a candle( i preferbattery operated ones around children) an add any other touches that remind you of the present season, for eg a nativity, a cross, etc.

You might like to start with the Lords prayer, if at home or either of these suggestions can be use when the Lord’s Prayer is said within a set service.

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

Or if you are looking for a more contemplative version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NuUo-igXDU&fbclid=IwAR2FasYCU-9mP1PaLQDjweXyhyUnJutt4J28KycjzeUEttWSesipX2jmJxE

FIRST READING: Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Photo by Germán TR on Pexels

STORY: When my eldest child was little I would often find pieces of clothing around the house. If I followed this trail of clothing long enough I would finally find her, dressed to her own desire in another outfit she thought was more appropriate, for a dance, or to play in or to go to the park, or whatever she had decided she needed a more appropriate outfit for. There she was so happy with herslf. Often dancing around, showing off her latest “look”. She loved dressing her dolls too. She lavished herself and her dolls with all care and thoughtfulness.

Everytime I read this passage I think of her and her habit of increasing my washing load by dressing appropriately for the occasion. Such a God who loves and will lavish such attention on us, “dressing us” with the things we need; how can we keep that quiet.

PLAY: dress your dolls or teddies.

Children at the top of Primary school and older might like to read the verse from a Children’s Bible, and think of the good things God “clothes” them in. What are the ones mentioned?

PRAY

Whenever you get dressed or undressed

Thank you God

for the wonderful things

you clothe me each day

(you can expand this prayer by listing those things)

PSALM 148

READ https://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-148-calling-all-creation.html

SING

DRAW you might even want to draw some of the wonderful things in the Pslam

SECOND READING: Galations 4:4-7

READ/WATCH: Can I Be your Dog, by Troy Cummings we don’t have to beg God, like this little dog, we are accepted as one of HIs

SING

DO: Look at your family tree, where do you fit in?

GOSPEL READING: Luke 2:22-40

WATCH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkpKjYw43pE&fbclid=IwAR1SzKuC6z0hlnvKRKKY_S8r53K82m_FITHX9jzvlgjAEAclc9JBMefwomE

Colouring In https://sermons4kids.com/simeon-anna-colorpg.htm

MEDITATE: How long can you wait? as long as Simeon and Anna? Light the candle and see how long you can stay still. You mind might wonder, perhaps you could count each breath. For very young children this is not a test, even if they only sit for a count of 2 remember to praise them, each time they try it may become easier for them.

BLESSINGS

WENDY L.