Each week I compile a number of resources to help you, your family, or your congregation 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 your family’s faith formation. My objective is for faith to be a lived experience and for children to learn how to worship, explore the Bible, and pray by participating in Worship with others. 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 idea is to form a lifelong love of Christ, for the Word of God, and to participate in Worship. Faith is portable, we live it and share it, every day. I hope these simple ideas help your family or congregation form their faith.
FOR CONGREGATIONS
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f you are a small congregation, that 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. Create an area as close as possible to where the major liturgies of the service occur, for parents/guardians to worship with their children, and fill this area with books and toys in it that will enhance their spiritual experience. (Ie not toys for “keeping them quiet”). You will find some ideas in these posts Spiritual Delights or Toy Box tat! and Make the books appealing.
Families: pack a Back pack ready for Sundays and Congregations suggest that visiting families pack a special backpack. Fill each backpack with a children’s storybook bible, other books that speak about ideas in today’s readings, and drawing or craft materials that children can use to respond to today’s readings
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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 you can use your iPad or iPhone. You could write a precis of the message (traditional words or pictures), draw, and 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.
We are now in the LONGEST season of the Liturgical Year, The Season After Pentecost. The liturgical colour is GREEN.
So if you are worshipping at home you might like to get out a green scarf, or table cloth, and decorate a space with it, place a candle, a cross or anything else that might help your worship experience.
FIRST READING: GENESIS 21:8-21
WATCH: Watch only from 4.07 minutes to 5.08 minutes
READ this rewritting of the story by Carolyn Brown under the headign The Texts
MAKE: Recreate the story of Hagar and Ishmael using these templates from FLAME , ( Then store them for other occassions when you want to retell a story)
PRAY:
Creator God,
I like it,
that even when people seem to get things wrong
you can still use their stuff ups
for good.
Like in the story of Abraham and Sarah
Amen.
PSALM 86:1-10 and 16-17
Psalm 86: An Undivided heart
Bend your ear to us, O God; we need you! (cup your hand around your ear)
We cry to you and keep on calling. (pretend to rub your eyes)
We know that you will answer us! (clasp your hands in a prayer shape)
Is there another god greater than you? (plead)
Is anything greater than what you have made? (arms out wide)
Certainly not! You alone are God! (put your arms above your head)
an exert from http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-86-an-undivided-heart.html, actions in Brackets by me
How does this Psalm make you feel? Describe that feeling, show it on your face or body or draw it, or point out an emoji that expresses it for you
SECOND READING: Romans 6:1b-11
READ: Blue Ethel by Jennifer Black Reinhardt
A Storypath Suggestion
SING: One step at a time by Soveriegn Grace Kids on the Ology Album
DO: put a few drops of food colouring in a small bowl of water, then place a piece of paper towel in the water and watch the paper change colour. OR you can put a cut flower in a vase of coloured water and watch the flower’s colour change. When we immerse ourselves in God’s teachings we change.
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 10:24-39
READ: A love Letter from God by P.K. Hallinan
A Storypath suggestion
OR WATCH
DRAW or go and find those things that are important to you.
PRAY:
Help me God
To always have you
as my most important thought
and may it shape all I do
Amen
Blessings
Wendy L.
Please check local guidelines before using items that are not mine especially if you are using this page for congregational use. Please acknowledge 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.
If you are in Australia and would like to teach your children to Acknowledge Country here is a video that will help, and a great book to help understand, We love Country. Most Uniting Church Congregations will say an Acknowledgement of Country towards the start of the service.
The Cross in My Backyard 