Children’s Sermon July 8, 2012, Mark 6:1-13 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture Focus: Mark 6:1-13

Preparation: A backpack or suitcase full of travel gear.  For example, if available, pack a backpacking backpack with the gear you might need for several days (tent, sleeping bag, clothes, etc).  Or put together carry-on size bag for a weekend trip.  Bring a walking stick and a Bible with the reading from Mark ready to read.

Faith+Open: Enter from a place that allows you to walk a distance with your gear and call the children to follow you as you walk to your regular meeting place.

Faith+Share:  I bet your wondering what all this stuff is for, aren’t you?  Well, I heard that Jesus was about to send us on a journey to go heal people, so I thought that I should pack.  Have any of you ever packed for a trip?  What kind of stuff did you bring?  (Let them answer for a minute or two.)  Well I have a bunch of stuff, too.  Let’s see what I have with me.  (Now go through your bag a little.  You may just need to give highlights if you have a bunch of gear!)

Pretty good, don’t you think?  I should be ready for just about anything!  Now, I also heard that Jesus had some instructions and a packing list for me.  It should be right here in the reading.  (read verses 7-9.)  Uh Oh, I think I may have over-packed!  All I really need is my shoes, a couple of shirts and good walking stick.  It may not seem like much to take on a long journey, but I think that Jesus had a plan.  I think that he wanted the disciples to have faith that everything would fine, but even more, I think that Jesus wanted the disciples to get to know the people they were going to help and heal.  He wanted to create trust between the disciples and the communities they entered.  He was teaching them and us that it is okay, and even good to rely on each other for the things that we need, and to be ready to share we have more than we need.

Faith+Prayer:  Gracious God, you give us good gifts.  Sometimes more than we need or know how to use.  Teach us to share with others when we have too much, and teach us to ask for help for others when we need it.  Amen

Faith+Blessing:  May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.


-GB
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Children’s Sermon July 1, 2012, Mark 5:21-43 - 5th Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture Focus: Mark 5:21-43

Preparation: Get an alb or robe sized for a child.  It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit, the child will just stand in one place.

Faith+Open: Invite the children to gather together and ask for a volunteer to wear the robe.  Once they have it on have them turn and face the other children and away from you.  Ask the child to tell you when you touch robe.

Faith+Share:  That was pretty tricky, wasn’t it?  In the gospel story that we hear today, Jesus does something even more amazing!  But first, let’s finish talking about the robe.  Jesus is surrounded by a crowd of people, all of them are trying to touch him because they believe that Jesus can heal them and make them feel better.  Jesus notices when one woman touches him, and he stops to look for her.  Pretty amazing, but not as amazing as what happens next.

You see, Jesus was walking through the crowd to get to someone’s house, his name is Jairus.  Jairus’ daughter was dying and Jairus knew that if he could get Jesus to come to his house that Jesus would save his daughter.  He had faith in Jesus.  Well, at the same time, a woman who had been very sick for years and years knew that Jesus was going to be walking through the town.  She knew that if she could just touch Jesus’ robe that she would be healed.  She had faith in Jesus, too.  She pushed her way through the crowd and touched his robe, and Jesus stopped, not because he felt her touch the robe, but because he felt power go out of him.  He felt the woman get healed!  She was very scared to talk to Jesus, because she thought that she had done something wrong, but Jesus was kind and blessed her.  But, in the time that Jesus stopped to talk to the woman, Jairus’ daughter died.  Jesus continued to the house anyway and brought her back to life.

Now, all that sounds pretty amazing, and it is amazing, but there is still something even better in the story.  It doesn’t matter how we come to Jesus, he still takes time to listen to us and care for us!  Jairus was afraid for his daughter, but was not afraid to ask Jesus for help.  He went right up to Jesus and asked . . . well, maybe he more pleaded and begged, but he was not afraid to talk to Jesus.  The woman, on the other hand, thought that she was not worth Jesus’ time, and thought she would just sneak up without being noticed.  Then she was afraid when Jesus turned to find her.  Jesus cares for each of us in the same way.  He listens when we pray and ask for help.  He looks for us when we need help and don’t know how to ask.

Faith+Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for listening when we pray, and thank you for loving and caring for us even when we don’t know how to pray.  Give us faith like Jairus and the woman so that we are never afraid to come to you when we need help.  Amen

Faith+Blessing:  May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.


 - GB

Weekly Devotion - 5th Sunday after Pentecost, Lec 13B

Here is the Weekly devotion for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, Lec 13B - July 1, 2012

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Children's Sermon June 24, 2012 Mark 4:35-41

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41


Preparation: This is optional.  You can do this without props.  small boat sheets or blue paper to make waves and helpers to stand outside the circle of children and make the waves cups of water for the helpers to sprinkle a small amount of water on the kids.


Faith+Open: Gather the children. Today our gospel reading is one where Jesus is with the disciples and they decide to go out in a boat together. Have any of you ever been in a boat?  Was it like this? (show them your tiny boat) No that would be silly for people to get in a boat this small.


Faith+Share: But we are going to pretend that we are in this boat and we are going to make a storm. So pretend you are in the boat and it's nice and calm, you are enjoying the sun and the rocking of the waves. Everybody rocking gently. Now there is a little trinkle of sound... do you hear it? (star rubbing your hands together then have everyone join you). Oh my it's getting a bit louder. (start snapping your fingers then have everyone join you). Now the wind is starting...(have everyone join in you rocking harder and make wind noise. If you have helpers this is the time for them to start really making the sheets or paper go) Now it's a big storm (stomp feet and have everyone join you... if you have helpers this is the time to splash a sprinkle of water on the group and you keep talking, summing up the story or pause for the giggles then tell the rest)


The disciples were in this kind of storm where they were getting wet and knocked around and we are having fun with our storm but the real storm was probably very scary. Jesus says, "Peace be calm" and everything stops. (have everyone stop, try it again if it doesn't work) Now, when I want something to stop I shout STOP! But Jesus said 'peace, be calm' I think he said that to show how he was command over the storm and also to give us words to know when we are afraid. Peace and be calm remind us that there is no storm Jesus can't stop and that we are never alone no matter how scared we are. (if you have time you can ask about what kinds of things are scary to them and have them rehears the words Peace Be Calm)


Faith+Prayer: Jesus, you give us good words of love. Peace, Be Calm. Show us that you are with us all the time and that we are loved. Amen


Faith+Blessing: May you know the Holy Spirit's peace and calm today and always 


 LB - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Weekly Devotion - 4th Sunday After Pentecost, Lec 12B

Here is the Weekly devotion for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost, Lec 12B - June 24, 2012

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Children's Sermon Pentecost 3B 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Preparation: crown (paper is fine), robe (shawl or scarf works), oil or lotion.

Faith+Open: Gather the children to you. I'm wondering, how do you know if someone is anointed? Hmm, well what does anointed mean? I think that kings and queens are anointed... how do you know if someone is king or queen? (take some answers but move along in your out loud wondering).  Yes, you might know if they have on a crown like they do in storybooks (put crown on your head or head of a child) or maybe a robe (put shawl on shoulders)... you know anointing is more than just clothes though. When someone is anointed it means they have been marked for something special. 

Faith+Share: In our scriptures we hear about a boy named David who was anointed by God to be king. A priest named Samuel came looking for a king for Israel who would love and obey God. He went to a man named Jesse who had many sons. After Samuel had met all the oldest sons and he asked if there were any more and Jesse said, 'well yes, but he is young and small and taking care of the sheep.' Samuel wanted to meet him anyway and when David came, SAmuel knew that this was the one whom God would choose to make king. So Samuel anointed David with oil, he took oil and marked his head with it and some time later David did grow to be king. 

**as an alternate or if you have a longer children's church time you can read from Spark Storybook Bible or from Jesus Storybook Bible or other children's bible to tell the story.

We are anointed by God too... not to be king of Israel, but to be marked as someone special, a child of God. We are anointed with water or even with oil in our baptisms when we say, "child of God you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever"  This means that we are God's child no matter what our whole lives. It is a reminder that we belong to God and that God loves us. Now, look at my forehead, can you see where I was marked? (show your forehead)... No... it is not like a crown or a robe that we can always see. But we know that it is there and we know that we are called to live as God's children in the world. 

I have oil/lotion here as a way to help you remember and to anoint you today. Mark each child with oil or lotion on their hand or forehead.
**or invite them to dip their fingers in the baptismal font and mark themselves.
**or teach them about the anointing station you will have later in the service and invite them forward.
**or pass out a small bottle of lotion to each one and have them rub into their own hands as a reminder of anointing

Faith+Prayer: Holy God, we are your children. We thank you and praise  you for being our God. Help us remember that you have loved us and anointed us to be your child forever. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit set your Faith on Fire!

~LB
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Children's Sermon Pentecost 2B Mark 3:20-35

Scripture Mark 3:20-35 (can also work with 2nd Corinthians 4:13-5:1)

Preparation: You will need blank pieces of paper, a black marker or crayon, and other colors. If you have children's worship bags the kids will have what they need. If not, provide a way for them to grab some crayons or markers on their way back to their seats.

Faith+Open: Gather children to you and welcome them. Today, in our gospel lesson, a crowd is gathered to hear Jesus teach and debate with those who oppose him. The crowd tells Jesus that his mother and brothers are there to see him and Jesus says something a little surprising... do you know what? He says who are my mother and brothers--all the people of God are my mothers and brothers. So it can kind of sound like Jesus is rejecting his family, but he's trying to show that he came for all people. So he loves not just his mother and brothers but all who were following him and really all people whether they knew him or not. 

Faith+Share: When we think about all the people that we can call family, who do you think of? (take answers building up to neighbors and people that we know at church) 2nd Corinthians "I believe so therefore I speak"--and we are to speak in love to and about God and to about our families. I have here this paper that I want to use to make a scribble prayer. Prayer is a good way for us to talk to God and for us to tell others about God. You can let someone you know and care about know that you pray for him or her and that shows your love for them through God. 

Draw a scribble and show the kids the sections. Write the names of people or groups that they have talked about as being in their family as people they can pray for. Then do a small amount of decorating--OR even better have another that is finished to show them. This idea is adapted from Worshipping with Children--click the link to access the original idea.

Invite children to do this scribble prayer back in their seats.

Faith+Prayer: God, thank you for calling us all your family. Help us show your love and speak to you and about you. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit set your Faith on Fire!

~LB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.              

Weekly Devotions - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Lec 11B

Here is the Weekly devotion for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Lec 11B - June 17, 2012

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