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.
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.
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
INTRODUCTORY SONG Hey Ha Ha from the Full of the Spirit Album by
Heather Price Music
FIRST READING: Haggai 1:15b – 2:9
READ:What we’ll Build plans for our future together by Oliver Jeffers
DRAW OR MAKE a church or a house.
PRAY:
Everything in the world
Shows your Glory
Amen
PSALM 145:1-5 and 17-21
Psalm 145: We will tell your praise
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised! (Hold your hands out wide)
One generation tells the next generation (pretend to pass on a whisper)
about the awesome things that you have done. (Make a big ball with your arm)
We look for words to tell of how amazing you are – (make a book with your hands)
glory, splendor, magnificent, mighty – (Make a big ball with your hands)
but all our words are too small. (hold your thumb and pointer finger close together)
You burst out of them! (Jump up high with your arms over your head)
You are made of grace and mercy, (pretend to pat an animal)
unbreakable promises, tender affection, (pull your hands apart)
powerful love that goes on and on. (make a heart with your hands)
All the universe speaks about you; (cup your hands around your mouth as if yelling)
we join in as best we can. (hold someone’s hand)
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised! (make a big ball with your arms)
Words by Rev. Purdie, actions in italics by me
SING/LISTEN: Unsearchable by Seeds Family Worship on HOPE album
OR Psalm 98
Psalm 98: Sing along a new song
(add musical instruments or pretend to play each of the instruments as they are read)
Have a jam session and just enjoy playing your instruements if you will not disturb others by doing so.
SECOND READING: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 and 13-17
READ: What James said by Liz Rosenberg
A Storypath suggestion
PLAY: a game of follow the leader.
PRAY:
God, mighty Leader
Help me to hear your words (cup your hands around your ears)
and not be swayed by others words (move from side to side)
Amen
GOSPEL READING: Luke 20:27-38
READ I walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët
WATCH Stop the Video at 3.12 minutes as the dissusion will take this story into a different space than what is trying to be explained here.
A Storypath Suggestion
Look at the the different emotions. Use a set of emotional cards, or the emoji’s on your ‘phone
or show them on your face or draw them as you read or watch. It’s ok to stall the video or stay on the page to further explore,
What are the girls doing at the window?
If they were praying what would they pray?
Stroypath makes the suggestion that we “Wonder together how our actions reflect the promise of God’s love in our lives. ” think on this, write on this or draw about the answer to this question
COLOURING IN We are children of God
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.
The Cross in My Backyard 