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 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 Hey Ha Ha from the Full of the Spirit Album by
Heather Price Music
FIRST READING: Isaiah 1:1 and 10-20
READ: Children of God Storybook Bible by Desmond Tutu, Isaiah becomes God’s Messenger, pp.52-53
SING: Isaiah 1:18 by Colin Buchanen from Boom Chicka Boom
PLAY with toys that change, ie building blocks, collect or use pieces of nature to build or make something new, ie a picture or a tent or a broom etc
QUESTION I wonder what makes you want to change for the better? I Wonder if God had not become angry what would happen?
PRAY:
Creator God,
You want to change things around
from bad to good.
Help me to,
To change the bad to good
Amen
PSALM 50:1-8 and 22-23
Psalm 50: The courtroom drama
The Judge takes his seat and the court falls silent.
God is the Judge and all people are Accused.
The Judge is not happy, in fact he is angry!
He is angry with us, all of us!
He thunders:
“You people, you know how I love you.
Everything you have is a gift from me
and what do you give in return?
A little of this and a little of that.
Do I need more money? No, it’s all mine!
Everything is mine, but what I really want
is you! all of you! everything you have and are!
Don’t muck around with me.
Following Christ is not a hobby, it is all or nothing!
You can live in prison or live free –
you have to choose!”
rewrtten by Rev. Purdie
How does this Psalm make you feel? Draw it, or point out an emoji that shows how you feel.
SECOND READING: Hebrews 11:1-3 and 8-16
If you made a podium (like you see on the Commonwealth or Olympic Games) whom would you put on it? and in what order to show they had been faithful to God?
PRAY
(Close your eyes)
I can’t see you God but I know you’re there
Amen
GOSPEL READING: Luke 12:32-40
READ The Beginner’s Bible or another Children’s Bible.
RESPOND
Carolyn C Brown in Ministry Matters suggests that there are 3 people in these readings to look out for.
“Three prepared people are noted: servants prepared for their master’s return from a wedding feast at any hour; a homeowner prepared for a thief whose approach is known; and a Christian prepared for God’s presence”.
Can you find them in the reading?
What would they look like? Can you draw them?
I wonder why God wants us to be prepared?
PLAY: What do you need to get ready, pack a bag, what would you put in it? Draw those things. Or pack a real bag or a dolls bag. For example: What would you need to be ready for Kinder?
What would you need to be ready to go shopping?
What would you need to go to the park?
What would you pack for a holiday?
What did you pack to get ready to go to church?
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. 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.
The Cross in My Backyard 