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 and for the Word of God.
If you are worshipping from home you may like to set up a worship area and define it with a GREEN placemat, or ribbons.
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
INTRODUCTORY SONG You are welcome by Snack Music
FIRST READING: 2 KINGS 2:1-2 and 6-14
READ: The Whirl Story Bible, Elijah and Elisha, pp.102-106
CRAFT: Draw a picture of Elijahin a chariot, cut out strips of red and orange or yellow coloured paper, about 2,5cm wide, then cut into various lengths, curl them around a pencil, cut the ends in a jaggard pattern and glue the straight end over your picture.
PRAY: Look for pictures of nature,(thye can include, earthquakes, floods, fires etc as well as peaceful ideals or collect pieces of the environment ie, a flower, leaf, rocks, sand etc
Creator God,
Help me listen to you
and guide those who guide me to you
Amen
PSALM 77: 1-2 and 11-20
I have printed Rev. Purdie’s full version of this Psalm as it is one that many children can relate too. The Revised Common Lectionary only uses a part of the Psalm. If you leave out lines 4-10 it will reflect this weeks verses.
The Sleepless Psalm
It is late but I can’t sleep (stamp your foot)
I toss and turn in my bed (put your hands up to form a cushion then jiggle your shoulders as if tossing and turning)
Troubles crowd in on me (Put your hands up as if shielding your face)
{I cry out to you but I’ve nothing to say (Put your hands up like a megaphone over your mouth)
I try to pray but all I can do is moan (let out a sigh)
Around and around in my mind (use your pointer finger to make circles around your ears)
spin questions with no answers …(trace a question mark with your finger)
Don’t you love me anymore? (look sad)
Was I foolish to trust God? (sigh)
Don’t I deserve your kindness? (give yourself a hug)}
It helps to remember (tap your forhead)
the times I knew for sure that God was with me.(Give yourself a hug)
It helps to remind myself (tap your forhead)
of what I know about you, O God. (cross your arms and nod)
You are good and you are great! (big smile)
The rain falls heavy on the roof (make rain drops with your fingers)
Lightning flashes in the dark and thunder crash ( loud clap)
I know that you made the storm (cover your ears with your hands)
and you are Lord of all, even my troubles. (hig yourself)
Words by Rev. Purdie, actions in italics by me
Draw the things that you do to help you when you are frightened.
SECOND READING: GALATIANS 5:1 and 13-25
WARNING: Our under 3’s take things as they understand them, so talking about fruit of the spirit, may very well get you a gift of well, fruit, their sultana, an apple etc. It just means they already understand the gift of generosity. So build on it.
Over time they will come to associate the idea/term of Fruits of the Spirit with good responses that come from God but at this stage I would concentrate on what those good things are – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness gentleness and self-control
READ: The Spark Story Bible, Fruit of the Spirit, pp.436-439.
SING: seedsfamilyworship Seeds-of-character-vol-6 number 4 The Fruit
DRAW people showing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness gentleness and self-control. Older ones might like to draw a fruit with the first letter of the fruit of the spirit ie Lychee for L, Jackfruit for J, Pineapple for P, Guava for G, Fig for F, Star fruit for S, then draw the action inside its shape.
CRAFT: This requies a little preparation and some items you may not readily have.
GOSPEL READING: LUKE 9:51-62
READ: Don’t say NO to God (waggle your finger)
It is your choice to Love God (make a love heart with your hands)
God wants no-one to be harmed. (make a cross with your hands)
Don’t make excuses to love God (make a love heart with your hands)
Don’t let anything hold you back (put your arms to your back)
from loving God (make a heart with your hands)
SING One thing better by Snack Music
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SENDING HYMN 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. 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.
I have qualifications in Education, Theology and Children’s Spirituality, and have worked as a Children and Families Worker in a city church. I use simple and easily found ideas to help you share the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings. 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, saving you time from sifting through many websites, facebook , pinterest, instagram, and blog posts.
The Cross in My Backyard 