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.
Today we celebrate PENTECOST, often called the birth of the church. The liturgical colour is RED.
DECORATE YOUR HOME: See my Blog post.
Set a table with a red cloth, a candle, bible and anything else that concentrates your attention on the Pentecost theme
THE LORDS PRAYER IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w
SING When the Spirit is Moving by David MacGregor
Give everyone a candle, this can be a battery operated candle or a real candle,
OR 
this can be on a cupcake so that you can all blow out a candle,
or you might like this idea from Muddy Church to have a jelly cup in orange/red or yellow colours and put a paper flame on a stick or spoon in the centre. (you can find some clipout to download for free and cut out and use here
PENTECOST BODY LITURGY
Creator God
Send your inspiration (start with your hands at waist level, then entwine them upward around and over each other)
through us (point to yourself)
So that we may (arms open wide)
Warm people with your FIRE (do what you do to warm yourself)
Blow inspiration with your WIND (wave a wind)
Go beyond our hoizon’s like your DOVE (look into the distance)
Breath life into our imaginations with your BREATH (breath deep)
Amen (one clap)
FIRST READINGS:
ACTS 2:1-21
WATCH Make sure to listen for and think about the Wondering Questions toward the end.
READ: The Coming of the Holy Spirit pp. 116-117 in Children of God Storybook by Desmond Tutu
MAKE: Rewite this story your way, using your heart language. Or Draw your idea of your favourite part of the story. What colours would you use?
OR make a fork picture
NUMBERS 11:24-30
READ: Simple Gifts: a Shacker Hymn by Chris Raschka
A Storypath Suggestion
DO: Make a list of those things you do well, (You ca sraw or right this list).
PLAY: with toys that are similar but different, eg group ie tigers, cuddly toy, a plastic animal, a ceramic vase
PSALM 104:24-34 and 35b
READ: Snuggle time Prayer by Glenys Nellist, God’s Chariot
or God Made by Sarah Carmichael
Describe that feeling, or draw it, or point out what it feels like from a set of emotional cards https://innovativeresources.org/resources/card-sets/bears-cards/ or the Bears App https://innovativeresources.org/resources/digital-applications/bears-app/
SECOND READINGS
1 CORINTHIANS: 12:3b-13
READ: Knit Together by Angela Dominguez
MAKE: What can you make together? What can represent Pentecost that you can make together. Maybe this
PRAY
You have given us God
special gifts from you
Help me to find mine and
Use it to help others
Amen
ACTS 2:1-21
READ: The Day when God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto
MAKE AND PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER A pentecost kite
GOSPEL READINGS:
JOHN 20:19-23
Start at 26sec. and finish at 1.20.
How would you tell this story?
Which of your senses helps you understand this story?
Make a Pinwheel and read why a pinwheel is suggested.
JOHN 7:37-39
READ: Rain School by James Rumford
A Storypath Suggestion
MAKE: 
In this reading the Holy Spirit has been described as gushing water. Take a blue A4 sheet of paper or cardboard. Then 3 or 4 blue streamers, cut about a third longer than the sheet of paper. glue one end to the top of a short side of the paper, twist the streamer two or more times and attach the other end the far side of the paper. Repeat until the sheet is covered.
OR
PROJECT: You could make a fountain, either for your congregation or for your garden ( here is a simple one to get you thinking)
PRAY
Have a glass of water or a drink bottle with you,
As you take a sip of water pray for the needs of people you know.
May we always be filled
By you God
Amen
CONCLUDING SONG Heather Prices Full of the Spirit on the Full of the Spirit album
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.
 You could also cut a large love heart out of some read paper and attach blue streamers to the edges of the love heart. I used paper strips as i was out of blue streamers, attached them flat then rolled them around a pencil to curl.
The Cross in My Backyard 