Year C - Proper 7, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 5th Sunday after Pentecost (June 23, 2013)

1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8 – 15a

F If you already built the cave into an Elijah display, there is nothing to add today.  Elijah wished there had been something spectacular.  He would have preferred that God speak to him in the earthquake or maybe some fireworks.  But God was there in sheer silence in a desert cave.  The point for the children is that often God does not come in flashy or dramatic ways, but in the silence that surrounds us.  If you add the mountain cave today, note how simple it is.  There is no color or any special object to add, just the cave to which Elijah ran when he was feeling really, really bad and alone.  Point to this cave before reading the text to alert listeners to where Elijah had gone and why he had run there.

F Elijah was having a very bad time.  He was afraid that Queen Jezebel was going to kill him.  He felt like he was the only one left who loved God.  He worried that everything he had done was not going to matter.  All together it made him wish he were dead.  Children don’t have enough life experience to understand Elijah’s situation in the way adults do.  But, they do have similar experiences of hopelessness and loneliness.  Friends desert them.  They move and have trouble finding new friends.  A bully targets them.  There is trouble at home that is poisoning everything and that the children cannot fix.  Even though it may not be true, they feel that everyone else at home is more loved than they are.  Like Elijah they want to run away.  This story reassures them that God is with them even when they feel this bad.

F Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst, or at least a couple of pages from it would be a good introduction to a sermon about times when everything is going wrong.  You could start here, then proceed to list Elijah’s woes in a similar fashion.

F The “timeouts” that many children experience when they get too upset or tired or overwhelmed to keep doing whatever they were doing are a good comparison to this story.  God gave Elijah a “timeout.”  Elijah left the place where all the trouble was, ran to a quiet place where God could meet him, and thus was prepared to return to his work.  Just as children sometimes give themselves a timeout when they know they need one, Elijah ran toward Mount Sinai.  (Avoid using the term “running away” to avoid suggesting to unhappy children that running away is a good solution to whatever is making them unhappy.  Even though it stretches the text a bit, insist that Elijah was not running away but running toward help at God’s holy mountain.)  God helped Elijah along on his timeout journey and then sent him straight back into the work he had been ready to abandon.

F To explore “sheer silence” start by inviting everyone to listen carefully.  Together identify sounds they hear in the supposedly silent worship space – outside noises, utility sounds, conversations in other parts of the buildings, etc.  Have worshipers put their hands over their ears or their fingers in their ears, then note that we still hear the sound of our muffles.  Imagine the silence of floating in the space – assuming the space suit makes no noise.  Note that even near-silence can be either very comforting or rather scary.  Give the whole congregation one full minute of near silence to experience.  Then reread verses 11 ff.  How far you read depends on where you are going next.  You could stop with “what are you doing here, Elijah?” to ponder the question God often asks us in our silences.  Or read to the end of the chapter to ponder God’s sending Elijah back to work.

F It is tempting for those of us who are easing into summer to talk about summer as a timeout and to raise questions about how we use that time.  If you go this way remember that children, who have not cycled through the year very many times yet, don’t feel that cycle the way adults do.  For them time is a straight line.  Summer is a period between this year and last year.  It is what is next and what is now rather than a timeout.

Psalms 42 and 43

Psalms 42 and 43 together are too long to keep the attention of children.  So select only Psalm 42, as the Methodist lectionary does, or select a few key verses here and there.

F Psalm 42:5 and 11 are the same verse and are the heart of the psalm for children.  Much of the rest of it requires life experience and understanding that is beyond most children.  But, when they list together times when they feel hopeless – everything from playing on a team that ALWAYS loses to feeling no one at all loves you to feeling horrible things are about to get you – children can then hear these words as a prayer for such times.  Walk through the words with them, putting them into words that will make sense for your children, then pray them together.

F Enjoy the fact that this psalm was already around when Elijah lived thousands of years ago.  Suggest that he might have prayed it as he walked across the desert to the cave on Mount Sinai.

Isaiah 65:1-9

This text is for the adult Bible students more than the children.  Listeners need to know about the return from Exile and all its problems to understand what Isaiah is saying.  The one possible connection for children is that Isaiah is telling the people to stop blaming other people or God for their problems, but to recognize the fact that they are responsible.  The problems are the consequences of their behavior.  Children struggle to accept that kind of responsibility for their own actions.  That said, this is a hard text with which to explore that fact with them. 

Psalm 22:19-28

Because this psalm is filled with so many unfamiliar images and references, it is not a good choice for children.  I’d go with the idea for Psalm 42:5 or 11 above.

 

Galatians 3:23-29

F As I’ve said before and will say again as we move through Galatians, children are not ready to hear Paul’s argument against living by rules.  They are currently living under the tutor of the Law and cannot see beyond it.  For them rules are good ways to understand what to do as they work their ways into the world.  Telling them that obeying rules is not the best way to live baffles them.  So, for them pick up on other aspects of this reading.

F To explore Paul’s insistence in verse 28 that all the everyday distinctions between people do not matter, get a show of hands on who supports which sports teams, goes to which schools, plays which sports or instruments, or was born in town rather than moved here from somewhere else.  Then note that all of that is interesting, but none of it is the most important thing about any of us.  The most important thing about each of us is that we are a child of God.  If you are sitting with a group of children to do this, point to individuals underlining this with phrases like, “John, I know you are a really big Eagles fan and that is cool, but even more important than that is that you are a child of God.”  Even, “John, you are an Eagles fan.  Erica, you are a Redskins fan.  But, you belong together because you are both children of God and that is way more important than what team you follow.”

F OR, reverse the process.  Start by putting a hand on each child’s head saying, “NAME, you are a child of God.”  After doing this with several children, interrupt yourself - “hey wait, you are an Eagles fan and you are a Redskins fan.  Can you both be a child of God?”  Talk your way back to the truth that all sorts of very different people can be a child of God.  Conclude by blessing the remaining children.

F Reread verse 27 and explore what it means to be “clothed in Christ.”  Laugh at the picture of wearing Jesus.  Then, point out some of the different clothes worshipers are wearing.  Have fun noting the differences and pointing out what clothes tell us about the person wearing them.  Finally, insist that it really doesn’t matter what we wear to worship or at any other time.  The most important thing about us is that we are the children of God.  In a way we are all wearing Jesus. 

F If you are exploring accepting all people for who they are, read the humorous story “Adam’s Animals” in Does God Have a Big Toe, Rabbi Marc Gellman’s book of stories about stories in the Bible.  It describes Adam’s failed attempts to name the animals, before a bear suggests that he asks the animals what they want to be called.  It can be read aloud in about 4 minutes. 

F If this text is leading you to talk about baptism, go to Dollar Store Children's sermons for an idea about using a birth announcement to talk about baptism as a sacrament of belonging. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

Instead of a sock use a frazzled
dust mop as a puppet to be healed.

F Scripture is meant to be enjoyed as well as just read.  So, retell this story with the children using lots of socks.  Before reading the story from the Bible warn the children to listen carefully because you are going to need their help retelling the story.  After the reading invite them forward.  Put a brown, black or beige sock over a hand on each child.  Tell them that they are the herd of pigs.  Imagine with them a very large lake in front of them.  Then put one sock for Jesus and one sock for the demoniac on your hands introducing them as you do.  Retell the story letting Jesus and the man do most of the talking.  Expect a little chaos when the pigs dive into the lake.  Enjoy it.  Then help children settle down, maybe dropping their socks in the lake then sitting down again.  This is one story all worshipers will remember.

Puppet note:  All the socks can just be socks.  But I would be inclined to weave some black yarn into the demoniac to form a wild appearance.  Jesus might be any other sock or could be a Jesus handpuppet, if you have one.

Cathedrale Sainte-Lazare (Autun)
from a 1970s trip postcard

F Demons are tricky.  What people thought about demons in Jesus’ day is largely replaced today by more metaphorical understandings and uses.  Since most children have little grasp of what mental illness is, explaining the earlier understanding is challenging.  At the same time for literal thinking children modern metaphoric uses are equally confusing.  So, if you are going to talk about demons at any length, introduce them with children in mind.  Show a picture of a demon from middle ages art.  Tell about the evil little things that people used to think caused mental illness and other problems AND about the way we talk about jealousy and greed or drugs and alcohol as demons today.  The connection between the two is that both refer to things that get us in trouble when we let them determine what we do and say.  And, in this story Jesus proves that he has power over the nastiest of demons.  So, we are safe.

F Animal loving children ask why the pigs jumped off the cliff.  Possible answers include but are not limited to

1. The demons drove the pigs over the cliff to get even with Jesus for kicking them out of the man.  (They knew the pigs’ owners would be angry with Jesus.)
2. The pigs were so frightened by the demons that they jumped over the cliff to get away from them.
3. The pigs, being smarter than most people expected, recognized the demons and finished Jesus’ work by drowning them in the lake.

 F Commentators and preachers make all sorts of points with this story, but for children it is mainly a story of Jesus healing a man in a rather spectacular way.  They enjoy Jesus’ power and his way of getting rid of the demons.  Probably the best lesson in it for them (if it needs a lesson) is that Jesus did not send the man out to a new place to do something dramatic, but sent him back home to live like the healed man he was every day.  Children can be challenged to do the same this week.

Year B - Proper 22, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 19th Sunday after Pentecost, World Communion Sunday (October 7, 2012)

This week is World Communion Sunday in most congregations.  For children that means raising awareness that Christians all around the world are one big family.  We may have skin of different colors, wear different clothes, speak different languages, and do all sorts of different things, but we are all baptized and we all share communion.  Children enjoy imagining people in tropical jungles, way up in the mountains, on the beach, etc. all eating bread and drinking the cup to remember and honor Jesus.  Go to Proper 22 (Year A) for general ideas about drawing children into the congregation’s celebration of this day.

This week is also The Festival of Saint Francis.  Many congregations celebrate this day by blessing the pets on Sunday.  Next year (after I have completed the lectionary cycle J) I promise to do a post on this along with posts on the season of Creation.

Job 1:1; 2:1-10

L The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories, by Mary Batchelor, provides a children’s version of the story of Job in three sections that match the first, third and fourth readings in the RCL series.  (RCL has no account of the friends’ bogus comfort.)  These stories also fill in many of the details omitted by the lectionary readings.  I actually prefer this division of the story and would use it rather than the RCL divisions.  It would be possible to read them as the scripture lesson for each week.  It would also be possible to turn them into readers’ theater.  Create the script by assigning the paragraphs of it to the appropriate readers and omitting all the “he saids” and the one “she said”.  Staging could be as simple as readers standing in different spots in the chancel or include planned movements and a few simple props or costumes.  Presenting it is a good worship leadership assignment for a youth or adult class or a team of five thespians.  The Narrator, Job, God could be read by the same person each week.

“Troubles for Job” tells the story of all Job’s woes.  It can be read in 3 minutes and would need a Narrator, God, Satan, Job and Job’s wife. 

“Cheering Job Up?” summarizes the arguments of Job’s friends.  It can be read in 3 minutes and calls for a Narrator, Friend 1, Friend 2, Friend 3 (the fourth person) and Job.

“God Talks to Job” recounts Job’s conversation with God.  It can also be read in 3 minutes and would need only 3 readers – a Narrator, God, and Job.

L If you plan to worship around Job’s story only once, “The Story of Job” in The Family Story Bible, by Ralph Milton, condenses the entire story into two pages that can be read in 5 minutes.  If I were reading it, I would edit it here and there to reflect my understanding of the story.  But, the basic format is solid.

L Especially if you are going to make this into a worship series, children need to know a few things about the book of Job.

First, and most importantly, they need to be told straight out that this is not a story about real things that happened to real people.  It is a made-up story that people have told for thousands of years to think about why people suffer.  God would never kill children to test their father or make a person sick just to see what the person would do.  God is not like that.

One way to introduce this literary form is to point out that the Bible is a library of many kinds of literature.  There are letters, poems, court records, and important made up stories that people have told each as they try to understand the world. This is one of the latter.

Older children might understand the comparison to “The Tortoise and the Hare” or some other fable designed to make a point.

Satan needs an introduction.  To most children Satan is the same as the Devil and is evil.  Satan tries to lead people to do bad things.  Satan is also the “president of Hell.”  In Job Satan is not trying to lead people to do bad things.  Instead Satan is the tester, the evaluator.  He is like a sparring partner who boxes with an athlete to push him to do better.  His question in Job is whether Job will only love God so long as he has an easy life. 

Related point: Children see t shirts that say “the Devil made me do it” and recognize its claim that the wearer is not responsible for what he or she does.  The book of Job insists that the Devil can’t make us do anything.  We, like Job, are our own bosses and can decide what we do and say in any situation.

L Job knows what the writer of Hebrews also knows.  God/Jesus is awesome, bigger than anything we can imagine, and would be dangerous if God was not so loving.  Older children can be directed to this truth.  God is not like an over the top grandparent who will give whatever we want.  We don’t love God just when things are going great for us.  We can pray, “God I need…” and “God, thank you for…”, but must also pray “God, I don’t understand…” and “God, help me get through…”

L Children’s books that parallel Job’s story include:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst, begins “I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”  And, he was correct.  The book recounts all the awful things that happened to this little kid in a single day.  In the end his mother reassures him that some days are just like that.  Most children know this book and love it.  Though Alexander’s woes are not as serious as Job’s, they can be a good introduction to Job’s woes and to the question about why there are days like that.  It is too long to read in its entirety in owrship.  But, citing one or two pages, and listing in your own words all the other things that went wrong gets the point across and piques children’s curiosity to listen to what happened to Job on his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.  This book is almost surely available in your public library – if it is in.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket, bears a letter to the reader on the back cover of the first of 13 books in the series.  It is a good introduction to the series and parallels the situation of Job for children.

Dear Reader,

I’m sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant.  It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children.  Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe.  From the very first page of this book, when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels.   One might say they are magnets for misfortune. 

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast. 

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Psalm 26

If this is introduced as a prayer Job might have prayed while sitting miserably scratching his sores, children will catch an occasional phrase.

Genesis 2:18-24

AThis passage could be tied to the gospel discussion about divorce or to Psalm 8 and the Hebrews comments on human responsibility for the world. 

AIf you focus on human responsibility for the world, try one of two stories from Does God Have a Big Toe, by Marc Gellman. 

“Partners” describes how God got the world “almost finished” then told people to take over as partners.  Adam asked for and got a definition of partner that fits with the picture in psalm 8. 

“Adam’s Animals” is a somewhat longer story and explores Adam’s difficulties naming the animals with lots of comical missteps before he decides to let the animals tell him what they are.  Introduce this story with comments about how knowing a pet’s name gives you the power to call the pet and tell the pet what to do.  It also gives us the responsibility to care for the pet you named.  This story connects us to all the animals in the world in the same way.

AAsk young artists in advance to draw pictures of animals.  Make a collage of their pictures for the cover of the printed worship order.  You can even fill the margins of other pages with animals.

AIf you read this with Mark’s gospel, be careful.  Explain that this story tells what God’s plan for marriage is.  AND, note that we often fail to make that plan happen.  When we fail God still loves us.  More on this in the section on Mark below.

Psalm 8

Invite the whole congregation to echo the worship leader in reading this psalm with interspersed comments, song snippets, and hand motions. 

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Psalm 8 Echo Reading

O Lord, our Lord,

your greatness is seen in all the world!

“This is my father’s world” (sing this )

Your praise reaches up to the heavens;

Praise the Lord!  (LOUD)

It is sung by children and babies.

Praise the Lord! (LOUDER)

You are safe and secure from all your enemies;

You stop anyone who opposes you.

When I look at the sky (sweep the sky with arm),

which you (look up) have made,

at the moon (form circle around your head with arms) 

and the stars (sprinkle the sky with stars with your fingers), 

which you set in their places-

     

What are human beings, that you think of them; (make a questioning gesture)

What are men that you think of them? (point to boys)

What are women that you think of them? (point to girls)

mere mortals, that you care for them? (hands out to include all)

Yet you made them inferior only to yourself;

You crowned them (make yourself a crown with your hands) with glory and honor.

You appointed them rulers over everything you made;

In charge of everything you made

Responsible for everything you made,

You placed them over all creation:

sheep and cattle,

and the wild animals too;

the birds and the fish and the creatures in the seas.

Air we breathe and pollute (take a deep breath)

Food for many or a few (lick your lips with satisfaction)

Energy to keep us warm and moving (hug self to keep warm)

O Lord, our Lord, (throw hands up toward the sky)

your greatness is seen in all the world!

Amen.

                                     Based on the TEV translation

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Hebrews1:1-4; 2:5-12

V This text about Jesus the Christ needs a little organizing and restating for the children.  Basically it is saying that…

Jesus was one with God at the beginning of everything and will be one with God after everything ends.

Jesus worked with God on creating the whole world and keeps taking care of it.

In Jesus of Nazareth God lived among us as a person and allowed himself to be crucified.

Jesus is God in human skin.  Everything we know about Jesus tells us what God is like. 

Jesus Christ forgives us.

V Do a little worship education.  Instead of just reading the Apostles’ Creed in unison, focus on the phrases about Jesus in the Creed.  Read through those phrases commenting very briefly on each one.  Then reread the phrases pausing after each one for the congregation to respond, “Jesus is Lord!”

V Use this text to connect the story of the Old Testament with the New Testament.  Hold a Bible open to the Table of Contents, even ask worshipers to open their pew Bibles.  VERY briefly, point out familiar Old Testament stories about how God spoke to people, e.g. in Exodus we hear how God saved the people from slavery.  Then, point to the four gospels that tell us about how God spoke to us in Jesus, Acts that describes how the first Christians tried to follow Jesus, and the letters that show us what people were thinking about God and Jesus then.  Finally, direct everyone to Hebrews 1 and read the text for the day.  Close lifting the Bible saying, “The Word of the Lord” to which the people respond, “Thanks be to God.”

GLORY!

V To help the children grasp all the glory ascribed to Jesus in Hebrews begin a poster today that you add to each week you read from Hebrews.  Today’s word is GLORY!  This text summarizes Jesus’ glory.  Children often see Jesus mainly as their powerful friend and supporter.  This text insists that Jesus is also much bigger than just that.  Jesus was there at the beginning and will be there at the end, Jesus judges the whole world.  Print GLORY! in large letters somewhere on a banner or big poster in gold metallic pen.  Leave the center of the page open to add “LORD!” in the center in glitter pen on the last day of your series. 

Note from the end of this series:  If you try this growing poster/banner, look ahead now.  It got more complicated as I worked through all SEVEN weeks of Hebrews.  Here is what Lou Pennebaker ended up doing with it:

 

Last month I emailed you regarding your Hebrew Jesus poster idea. For the last 5 weeks I have been using one or two words each week for the children’s message in worship as we have followed the Lectionary through Hebrews. It has been a challenge and has taken me all 5 weeks to completely figure it all out! (I have changed the upcoming words several times.) Like you noted in your blog the verses get very repetitive. I appreciated all your notes each week in your blog and was able to incorporate some of them over the 5 weeks. I was able to use one or two words each week so that when we end this Sunday we will have spelled “Hebrews” (although I had to take a little creative license to do so).

For reasons specific to the life of our congregation we began a few weeks late with Hebrews 5:1-10 on 10/21 with High Priest. The following week (Heb. 7:23-28) we added Eternal. The third week was Communion Sunday (Heb. 9:11-14) so I used Broken (I had considered Blood but decided Broken was better for children and tied it into the words spoken at communion). After that I had to get creative. The 4^th week (Heb. 9:24-28) was foR Everyone. And this Sunday (Heb. 10:19-25) we will add Worship JeSus as our response to Jesus who is our Eternal High Priest who was Broken foR Everyone.

The final Poster looks like this:

    High Priest
    Eternal
    Broken
foR
    Everyone
   Worship
JeSus

Thanks for letting me share your plan, Lou!

V World Communion Sunday makes this a good day to point out that Christ is the host at the Table.  In the Presbyterian rite we say “this table is not my table, it is not your table, it is not the table of NAME OF CHURCH, it is not the Table of the Presbyterian Church.  It is the Table of Jesus Christ and…”  Perhaps have the children or the whole congregation echo each phrase with you.  Briefly expound on the privilege of the host to decide who to invite.  Name places and people around the world who are joining you at Jesus’ Table today.  If you use projectors in worship, project photos of people from all around the world as communion is served.

V “Come Christians Join to Sing” and “When Morning Gilds the Sky” are good ways to sing of Christ’s glory today.  Point out the repeated phrases and urge even non-readers to sing them.

V If you are worshiping around theme of the environment perhaps celebrating St. Francis, take time to point out and enjoy the connection between Hebrews and Psalm 8.  Read Hebrews 2:6 -8a emphasizing “as someone once said.”  Have worshipers hold one finger in their pew Bible and turn to Psalm 8  (I’d give them page numbers.)  Read verses 4-6 saying, "guess who is the someone who said that!"  Then invite the congregation to read all of Psalm 8 – possibly using the script above.

Mark 10:2-16

A This text includes two rather separate stories.  To emphasize that and to be sure both stories get heard, have them read by two separate readers.  Ask an older child to read verses 13-16 about Jesus blessing the children.

To add a visual element have several readers move through 3 scenes in the chancel.  Start at one side of the chancel with Jesus, a disciple or two, and a Pharisee or two for verses 2-9.  Jesus and the disciples then step to the center for verses 10-12.  A woman and some young children approach from the other side as the disciples step between them and Jesus.  Jesus steps through the disciples for verses 14-15.  A narrator speaking from the lectern can knit it all together.

A If you are going to speak at length about this hard teaching about divorce remember that children who have experienced divorce are listening too.  They are as hurt by divorce as the adults are – maybe more hurt.  And, they are even more likely than the hurting adults to hear Jesus’ statement as proof that they are no good.  So, it is critical to make two points to them.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.      <!--[endif]-->God intends for marriage to be permanent.  Refer to the marriage vows.  Help children aspire to permanent marriages for themselves. 
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.      <!--[endif]-->Divorce is a failure.  Children need to be constantly told that their parents’ divorce is their parents’ fault not theirs.  (Many children at some point feel they are to blame.)  Once they are clear that divorce is their parents’ failure, they then get defensive for them.  So, the church needs to help them understand and live with what their parents have done.  We can tell them that divorce is just one more sin – like greed and lying.  One way we know divorce is wrong is that it causes so much hurt for everyone involved.  But, we are humans and we all sin in lots of ways.  We know it is wrong to be greedy, but we all have greedy, grabby moments.  We know it is wrong to lie, but we all do.  All marriages start with high hopes of lasting forever, but some just do not make it.  That is sad, but true.  The good news is that God forgives us for being greedy and for lying and for our divorces. 

COMMENT: I am certain I’ve not got this last paragraph right for all people.  It’s my best stab at it.  I trust you to gather from it what looks right to you and go from there.  This is hard stuff in today’s world!

N Children hear in verses 13-16 that Jesus likes children.  They enjoy the fact that while adults tell them to grow up every day, Jesus tells the adults to be like children.  There is a lot more going on in the story for the adults, but for children it is that simple.

N This is a good day to pray for the children of the church – and to do so in a way that the children will hear.  A general prayer for the precious children of the congregation stuck in the middle of lots of other petitions will be missed entirely by those children.  So, in smaller congregations name all the children.  In larger congregations offer a prayer for each way or group in which the children participate in the church, e.g. “Lord, be with the children as they read the Bible with their teachers.  Help them listen and understand the important stories in it.”

N And of course, it is a great day to sing “Jesus Loves Me”  If you do, remember that older children consider it a baby song and resent being asked to sing it with just children.  So, invite the whole congregation to sing the song together from the hymnal.  Doing so helps them begin to reclaim the song as worthy of keeping as they continue to grow up.

Year B - Proper 10, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 7th Sunday after Pentecost (July 15, 2012)

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

T To most children an ark is Noah’s ark.  So before reading this story, redefine ark as box.  Point out that Noah’s ark was huge, big enough for all the animals.  In today’s story David takes care of an ark that is small enough for four men to carry it.  If possible show a picture of it.  Explain that inside this ark were the stones on which the Ten Commandments had been carved.  Simply insist that this was the most holy object God’s people had.  They had carried it as they walked through the wilderness and kept it in a special tent in the center of their town.  Image how they felt when the Philistines captured it and carried it off to their country AND how they felt when they felt when they got it back.  Then read the story.

T Worship built around this story requires a grand processional.  But, the processional won’t make sense to worshipers until they have heard the story.  So…

…begin by telling the story before worship begins, perhaps inviting children forward to hear it on the steps as preparation for worship and then urging them to join singing the processional song with the same vigor with which David danced before God. 

Or, have your usual processional at the beginning of worship.  Then after the sermon do a children’s time comparing the processional at the beginning of worship each week with David’s procession with the ark.  Then restage a processional with the whole congregation singing. 

Whenever you do this, make it a grand processional.  Include praise banners and even streamers on poles that are waved as they enter.  The congregation may stay in their seats or may join the processional walking around the perimeter of the sanctuary and returning to their seats.  Remind them to take their song books with them so they can sing as they walk.

T The grand river processional of a thousand boats with which Great Britain celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee is a current example of a processional like that of David.

T Since we are all in Olympic mode, recall Olympic runner Eric Liddell (“Chariots of Fire” movie) who said “God made me fast” and claimed that he could feel God’s pleasure when he ran well.  Tell stories of other people who sense God with them with they do certain activities, e.g. I know a woman who says she “knits before God.”

T Teri posted on RevGalBlogPals when this text came up in 2009 the possibility of a children’s time using the “Hokey Pokey” to explore the truth that we have to put more than just our left hand or our right foot in.  We must put our whole selves into worship, life, prayer, everything.

T Choose hymns of praise in which children can join.  “All Creatures of Our God and King” calls on familiar pieces of the natural world to praise God.  “Earth and Stars” with all its modern science and technology references captures the attention of older children if they are invited to listen for those references as they sing.  And “Lord of the Dance” is a natural for the day IF children are familiar with it.

T Invite children to illustrate their own songbook from which to sing “Lord of the Dance.”  Hand out the starter books and markers at the beginning of the service, flipping through the verses to identify the stories about Jesus featured in each verse.  Plan to sing the song closer to the end of the service so the artists have plenty of time to work.  The starter is two legal sized sheets folded in half and nested.  Arrange the verses as follows

Outer Page

Side 1: Blank (left side of page)

                         Title (right side of page)

            Side 2: Verse 1, lines 1 & 2 about creation (left)

                          Verse 5 and refrain (right)

Inner Page

            Side 1: Verse 2 and refrain (left)

                          Verse 3 and refrain (right)

            Side 2: Verse 4 and refrain (left)

                          Verse 1, last 2 lines re birth and refrain (right)

Psalm 24

T Eugene Peterson in The Message makes “Lift up your heads, O gates!” “Wake up you sleepy headed people!  King-Glory is coming!”  That begs to be further edited for children to “Wake up you sleepy heads!  It is time to worship.  God is here!”

T “Lift Up the Gates Eternal” sets Psalm 24 to a familiar Israeli folk tune.  Capture the feel of David dancing before the ark by singing each verse a little faster than the one before.  If a soloist or choir sings the refrains, he/she/they can set the pace for the congregation which sings the verses.  For added energy, bring in banner twirlers on the last verse.

T To bring the psalm to life as the call to worship it was have it read by two groups.  “One” could be a worship leader or a choir in place at the front of the sanctuary.  “Two” could be a class/choir/group standing at the rear of the sanctuary or could be the entire congregation.

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Psalm 24

All:       The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

         the world, and those who live in it;

    for he has founded it on the seas,

            and established it on the rivers.

One:    Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

        And who shall stand in his holy place?

Two:    Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

        who do not lift up their souls to what is false,

             and do not swear deceitfully.

One:    They will receive blessing from the Lord,

        and vindication from the God of their salvation.

Two:    Such is the company of those who seek him,

        who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Organ chord, trumpet ta-ta, or other music

Two:    Lift up your heads, O gates!

         and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

         that the King of glory may come in.

One:    Who is the King of glory?

Two:    The Lord, strong and mighty,

        the Lord, mighty in battle.

Organ chord, trumpet ta-ta, or other music

Two:    Lift up your heads, O gates!

        and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

        that the King of glory may come in.

One:    Who is this King of glory?

Two:    The Lord of hosts,

        he is the King of glory.

Based on  NRSV

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Amos 7:7-15

from Wikipedia
GNU Free Documentation License

GBefore reading the text introduce plumb lines to the children:  Demonstrate a plumb line against side of pulpit or building OR against both a straight, sturdy tower of blocks and a crooked, easily toppled one.  Then, note that Amos says God has judged the people of Israel just as wejudge a wall.  Then, read the passage from the Bible.

GPresent this scripture scene with 3 readers: a narrator (probably a worship leader), Amaziah (wearing a worship leader’s robe with the fanciest available stole), and Amos (wearing jeans and a t shirt)

FGHJFGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ

Amos 7:7-15

Narrator:  Amaziah was the king’s prophet.  He was the main leader at Bethel, Israel's national temple.  The king paid him well.  One day Amos, stood up in the worship center to speak God’s message.  Hear the Word of the Lord.

Amos:   I had another vision from the Lord. In it I saw him standing beside a wall that had been built with the help of a plumb line, and there was a plumb line in his hand.  He asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”

“A plumb line,” I answered.

Then the Lord said, “I am using it to show that my people are like a wall that is out of line. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.  The places where Isaac’s descendants worship will be destroyed. The holy places of Israel will be left in ruins. I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to an end.”

Narrator:  Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, then sent a report to King Jeroboam of Israel:

Amaziah:  Amos is plotting against you among the people. His speeches will destroy the country.  This is what he says: ‘Jeroboam will die in battle, and the people of Israel will be taken away from their land into exile.’

Narrator:  Amaziah then said to Amos,

Amaziah:  That’s enough, prophet! Go on back to Judah and do your preaching there. Let them pay you for it.  Don’t prophesy here at Bethel any more. This is the king’s place of worship, the national temple.”

Amos: I am not the kind of prophet who prophesies for pay. I am a herdsman, and I take care of fig trees. But the Lord took me from my work as a shepherd and ordered me to come and prophesy to his people Israel.

Narrator: This is the Word of the Lord.

Based on the TEV

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Psalm 85:8-13

This psalm in which steadfast love and faithfulness meet and righteousness and peace kiss generally leads to giggles among literal-minded children.  So, on a Sunday with so much else that speaks straight to them, I’d omit it or address it mainly with the abstract thinking adults.

Ephesians 1:3-14

T Introduce Ephesians as a letter that was written not to one church but to many churches in one area. As he greets everyone, Paul outlines the most important thing that they all share – they all proclaim that Jesus is Lord.  With the children or all worshipers, identify other churches in your area.  Children might name people they know in some of the churches or tell about going to scouts or playing on a sports team at another church in the area.  Point out that all of these churches worship differently and have different ideas about many things, but all of them agree on one thing – Jesus is Lord.  That makes us all brothers and sisters in God’s big family.  Mention some of the things you do together as God’s family – maybe soup kitchen or food pantry.  Conclude with prayers for all the churches in your area.  (This is one way to help build recognition and appreciation of other churches among the children.  It is too easy for them to see others as different from us and therefore “less” than we are.)

T What all the churches have in common is all proclaim that Jesus is Lord.  Paul spells out this lordship in rather complex theological language.  Behind that language is the story of Jesus’ birth, teaching, crucifixion, resurrection, and reign.  In the middle of the summer one way to rehearse this story is to enjoy a hymn sing singing your way through Jesus story – possibly with some brief reflections on the way.  To encourage children to join the singing, include some of the songs below.

“When Morning Gilds the Sky”

Briefly walk through the verses before singing it and point out the repeated chorus “may Jesus Christ be praised.”  Encourage the youngest to sing that phrase if nothing else.

“What Child Is This?”

This is not the most familiar Christmas carol to children, but it refers to all the parts of the Christmas story.  Point them out before singing it… remember the shepherds?  The wisemen?  Etc.

“O Sing a Song of Bethlehem”

Point out Jesus the baby, child, teacher and savior in this hymn.

“Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”

Tie this to the Easter story and enjoy all the alleluias.

“Jesus Loves Me”

This says simply what Paul says complexly.  Instead of asking children to sing it alone (older children view this as a baby song and generally resent being asked to perform it), ask the entire congregation to sing it together.

Mark 6:14-29

LThis story of the abuse of power and being trapped by power is hard to preach to adults and even harder to preach to kids.  Children are extremely interested in power and its use, but other biblical stories help them explore it more easily.  If you do explore this story in their presence remember that children are as horrified by this messed up family as adults are.  They are appalled that Herod’s wife used her husband’s offer of a special gift to his daughter to have an old enemy murdered, disappointed that the daughter went along with her mother, horrified that Herod was so afraid of what his guests thought about him that he would do the awful thing his daughter asked, and sad that a good person could be killed in the crossfire of this evil family.