Remember to point out the colour changes in church this week. We are now in the longest season of the liturgical year. So green will be the liturgical colour until the end of November. What does the colour remind you of?
How wonderful that you have bought your young child to church, don’t waste this opportunity to share the faith stories and experience the wonder of worship.
If you are a parent or Guardian
Prepare a special church bag in advance each week so that you are ready for the rush on Sunday Morning.
Sit towards the front so they can see what is going on.
Sing or sway during the Hymns
Read during the Bible readings,
Pray during the prayers,
Colour, Draw or Craft during the sermon.
Craft or drawing or play are for spiritual responses not for a perfectionist piece that can be shown off. Don’t throw these out when you leave the church. Keep them at home in a special box, and bring them out to remind your child what has been happening or use as future prayer points.
Remember that little ones will need their own space to move and wiggle,
You have bought your child to worship. Enjoy engaging them in it.
If you are a small congregation without a Child and Family Minister have an area available near the front for parents/guardians to worship with their children, and print off this information so that it is readily available or direct them to this site. Set up an area with books and toys in it that will enhance their spiritual experience. (Ie not just toys for “keeping them quiet”).Spiritual Delights or Toy Box tat! andMake the books appealing
If you would like these ideas as a PDF file sent to you each week, please contact me.
FIRST READING: 1 KINGS 19:1-4(5-7)
READ:MY First Read-Aloud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff p. 98 First paragraph
DRAW or PLAY the story of Elijah waking up to find food
PLAY: make a picnic, with play foods of good things to eat to give us energy OR Draw on a paper plate good food that gives us energy.
PRAY GRACE
THANK YOU GOD
FOR THE FOOD
WE EAT
AMEN
PSALMS 42 AND 43
READ: http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-42-as-a-deer.html
and http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-43-a-walk-of-faith.html
SHOW on your face or draw the way Psalm 42 makes you feel
DRAW the light that shines in Pslam 43. How does this make you feel?
SECOND READING: GALATIANS 3:23-29
READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94aMwnfIQ0o Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev as suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-june-23-2019/
SING: https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/to-be-like-jesus/
OR https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/to-be-like-jesus/
PRAY
Father God
Thank you that you love me enough
to want me to be
in your family
Amen
GOSPEL READING: LUKE 8:26-39
READ: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
note how what the caterpillar became after meeting all those good things to eat just as the man in today’s story changed when he met Jesus.
MAKE: cut out a person shape or buy a people shape from a craft store such as RIOT or sometimes The Reject shop. On one side draw the man Jesus first met, on the other side draw the man he became after meeting Jesus.
NOO! You are not finished even if the service has.
Now is the time to continue teaching your child beyond the walls of the church.
Use the craft or drawings during the week to talk about the service or the stories.
Use any of the readings during the week, at bedtime, as story time or during the day in play or prayer.
Enjoy sharing your faith with your child.
Blessings
Wendy L.
The Cross in My Backyard 