Romans 1:1-7 – The Cross in My Backyard

Welcome Each week I compile a number of resources to help you contemplate the RCL readings with your family. 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 PURPLE/BLUE placemat, or ribbons, If you have an Advent Candle holder now is the time to set it up, you can either place all 4 candles in the holder now and light one each week, or add a candle each week. If you do not have an Advent Candle holder or you would like something more personal you might like to make these light holders. Note each week of Advent has a different theme and this weeks theme is PEACE.

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.

LET’S BEGIN:

CANDLE LITURGY Week 4 of Advent

We come to you God to find LOVE (find an action or a facial expression that says love for you)

LOVE for others (point away from yourself)

LOVE for our families, (make a circle by clasping your fingers together)

LOVE for ourselves (point to yourself)

We search in You for LOVE (find an action or a facial expression that says love for you)

Amen (one clap)

You might also like to SING/LISTEN to Heather Price’s I am Loved from the I am Loved album

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

You might like to start with the Lord’s Prayer if at home, or say the Lord’s Prayer within a set place if following along in a service. Here are 4 options

2 with ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w

A more contemplative version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NuUo-igXDU&fbclid=IwAR2FasYCU-9mP1PaLQDjweXyhyUnJutt4J28KycjzeUEttWSesipX2jmJxE

Or for a more Intergenerational approach try Number 1 on the Table Settings album by Liturgical Folks

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY

If you are in Australia and attending a Uniting Church in Australia, in many cases an Acknowledgment of Country will be said. You can teach your young ones to do this too.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

FIRST READING: Isaiah 7:10-16

READ: A Child called Emmanual pp.162-165 in The Spark Story Bible

PLAY IF you made signs for the church or hous last week, then make a trail around the church or house where you follow the signs.

For those who didn’t make signs now is your change to make signs for your Church or house so that people know where things are. Ie Coffe sign for Church or Toy basket sign for home, etc.

PRAY:

Help me God,

to stop and listen

to the things you want

me to know

Amen

PSALM 80:1-7 and 17-19

Psalm 80: The Restoration Project

Can’t you hear your people, Lord?
Can’t you see the state of things?
Great Shepherd of Israel, hear the cry of your sheep.
Mighty God of Hosts, see your people’s pain.
We are tired of eating the bread of tears
We are worn by strife and fear.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.
Your home on earth is past repair
The walls are cracked and broken
The fruiting vine is hacked and burned
Your people turn away.
Send us a Shepherd, Lord!
Send us a Son from your right hand.
All your strength is in him
All your power to heal.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.

Thanks again to Rev. Purdie
How do you think the person who wrote this might be feeling?

Describe that feeling, or draw it, or point out an Emoji that shows how you feels like.

SECOND READING; Romans 1:1-7

READ: Paul’s Letters pp.426-427 in The Spark Story Bible

DO: Intoduce yourself to someone? How would you describe yourself? write it down or tell someone. OR

DRAW: a picture of You. God made You.

PRAY:

Dear God,

Thank you for keeping your promises

help me to share what i know

about You

Amen

GOSPEL READING: Matthew 1:18-25

READ: The Biggest Story Storybook pp. 285-287

OR READ All Will be Well by Lacy Finn Bago

SING/LISTEN: A Holy Miracle from Joyful Vol.17 from Seeds Family Worship

PRAY:

Like Joseph

Help me trust you

Amen

CONCLUDING SONG God is Love by David MacGregor

Blessings

Wendy L.

Please check local guidlines before using items that are not mine especially if you are using this page for congregational use. If you find this page useful an acknowledgment is always appreciated. Thank you.

I am writing this on Wurundjeri land and wish to pay respect to all Elders, past, present and emerging.

Welcome to the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Remember to light your fourth candle at home.

PRAY:

Little Candle Burning bright (make yourself tall, with a flame- Arms over your head with your palms together in prayer)

Light my path (shade your eyes and look ahead)

and spread your Love (make a heart with your hands ) – Blow out the candles and watch the smoke float out into the world.

Amen

School Holidays have started for Australia and New Zealand. So don’t let this be an excuse for those in traditional services where Sunday School has finished not to attend church. Prepare well and easily with this guide and enjoy teaching them the importance of Worship and Lifelong faith formation.

For older children you might like to purchase Jillians Life Packs https://feedmyfamilyblog.com

OR https://store.illustratedministry.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/illustrated-worship-resources-winter-2019-2020?variant=31032325210210

Or use a Sermon Note pages such as https://paththroughthenarrowgate.com

You can find some ideas here https://wordpress.com/post/thecrossinmybackyard.wordpress.com/910 as to where to sit and what to bring.

THE LORDS PRAYER IN ACTIONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOugEQpcc_k OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMjm93ylL2w

FIRST READING: Isiah 7:10-16

TELL: your child about how you had to wait for them to arrive and what it was like. They too were something coming but not yet come before they were born.

COLOURING IN: https://store.illustratedministry.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-winter-2019-2020?variant=31032290738274 This resource has colouring in pages until the 23rd of February 2020. And costs about $A20.

SING/LISTEN: https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/seeds-of-christmas-ep/# Number 3 Call His name Emmanual

PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19

Psalm 80: The Restoration Project

Thanks again to Rev. Purdie http://www.conversations.net.nz/psalm-80-godrsquos-shining-smile.html
How do you think the person who wrote this might be feeling?

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 READING; Romans 1:1-7

READ/WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTLxkMa0XDk I like me By Karen Beaumont

DO: How would you tell people about you?

DRAW: a picture of You. God made You.

PRAY:

Dear God,

I am yours

Amen

GOSPEL READING: Matthew 1:18-25

READ: The Lion Story Bible, Joseph Leads the Way p.124 only

OR The Bible for Kids App. https://bibleappforkids.comThe First Christmas Gift screen (or Page 2) only

SING/LISTEN: https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/have-you-heard/

OR https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/the-gospel-song/

PRAY:

Like Joseph

Help me trust you

Amen

Blessings

Wendy L.

Tag: Romans 1:1-7

Year A: Advent 4, 2022 Ideas to share the weekly Revised Common Lectionary Readings with all ages.

YEAR A Advent 4: Ideas to help 3’s and under relate to this weeks RCL readings