Welcome. 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 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, 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 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.
Faith is portable, we live it, and share it, every day. I hope these simple ideas help your family or congregation form their faith.
If 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.
We are now in the Season of After Epiphany and the liturgical colour is GREEN.
If you are worshipping away from a Church it might help to create a centrepoint for your worship time. To do this you might like to find something green (the liturgical colour), create a cross from whatever is around you, and light a candle, you can add anything else that speaks to you about God from the readings or from your week with God.
If worshiping 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, 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.
CONGREGATIONAL USE: If 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. Or you can print out handouts here An acknowledgment though is always appreciated.
FIRST READING: Isaiah 58:1-9a and 9b-12
READ: Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-february-9-2020
ACTIVITY:What activities can you do that help others? How can you pass your “light” around to others? Write or draw your ideas.
PRAY
May your light
Shine through me
To help others
Amen
PSALM 112:1-9 or 10
READ:
Psalm 112: Welcome to the good life!
(Read Romans 12:9-21)
Welcome to the good life! (Wave)
Come, follow Jesus, you won’t regret it! (Pretend to call people over)
Life will be an adventure, guaranteed!(big smile)
You will stand strong and do great things. (Stand tall)
You will know much joy, that’s a promise. (Star jump)
You will be rich, that’s for sure,(pretend to count notes in your palm)
but it’s not for you, it’s to give away, (waggle your finger)
and it might not be in money.( look confused)
You’ll be rich in love and rich in friends,(make a heart shape with your hands)
you’ll be rich in peace, so you’re not afraid, (stand firm)
not afraid of what people think of you, (shake your head)
not afraid of what happens around you. (shake your head)
Strong inside, you get to be who you are made to be! (Show your muscles)
Life with Jesus is a wonderful life. (Smile)
A rewrite of the Psalm by Rev Purdie
How does this make you feel? Describe that feeling, or draw it, or point out what it feels like from a set of emoji’s on a phone.
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 and 13-16
READ: Douglas you need glasses by Ged Adamson
WATCHhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1SCA9eUM4M:
as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-february-9-2020/
Do: Help your children to see the spirit in the everyday? Bring bits of trees and scrubs, battery operated candle or your phone, different coloured Cellophanes. A kaleidoscope. such as https://www.kidstuff.com.au/kaleidoscopes-dinosaurs/, crystals But not so small they can be swallowed. A magnifying glass.
MAKE: buy black thick paper. Cut out shapes, leaving a gap of at least 1 1/2 centimetres then glue different cellophane to make a “stained glass window” Look through it to see the different colours.
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 5:13-20
READ: https://www.bible.com/bible/1359/MAT.5.13-20.ICB
ACTIVITY: Experiment with things that taste better when you add something else to them like, things like, ie plain chips vs salted chips; plain rice vs coconut rice; plain milk/ ice cream vs flavoured ice cream/milk; dim sim or dim sim and soy sauce with it. etc,
COLOURING INhttps://ministry-to-children.com/light-of-the-world-coloring-page/
Dear God
Life is better with you
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 currently away from Australia, but when home I am writing this on Wurundjeri land and wish to pay respect to all Elders, past, present, and emerging.
The Cross in My Backyard 