Year C – Christ the King/ Reign of Christ - Proper 29, 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 27th Sunday after Pentecost (November 24, 2013)

 

The “Reign of Christ” is generally preferred to “Christ the King” as the name for this Sunday in order to de-emphasize hierarchy.  That is a worthwhile goal.  But especially non-reading children hear “Rain of Christ” instead of “Reign of Christ” and are confused.  So if you use Reign, define it and point out with a laugh what it is not.

U Then explore Christ the King in children’s terms.  In children’s stories kings may be good or bad or simply may be people in a set role.  The king has the right and power to make all the rules and demand that people do what he wants.  When the people do not obey the king has the right to punish them.  Good kings use this power and right well.  Bad kings do not.  Jesus is the very best king ever.  Jesus has all the power and chooses to use it to take care of people.  When his people disobey him (think crucifixion), he forgives them.  In the context of today’s texts, King Jesus chooses to be a Good Shepherd and a forgiver.

U Unless you want to save this for Palm Sunday, display a crown of thorns and a king’s crown from a costume shop.  Talk about the choice Jesus made about the kind of crown he would wear and the kind of king he would be.

U If you are using white and gold paraments today, point them out, explain the significance of their color and any symbols on them.  Recall the other holy days on which they are used.

U If there is a collection of teaching pictures from the life of Jesus in a church school closet, select a series that tell the whole story of Jesus.  Display them one at the time for the children and recall the story behind each.  Then, sing “Jesus Loves Me” or a well-known song praising Jesus. 

U To put the Lord’s Prayer in the context of Christ’s kingship, use the phrase “Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory” of the Lord’s Prayer as a congregational response to each of the other lines of the prayer. 

U Songs that trace the life of Christ in words children can follow:

“O Sing a Song of Bethlehem”

“Lord of the Dance”

“The King of Glory Comes the Nation Rejoices”

 

 

The Turn of the Christian Year

This Sunday and next, we are at the end and the beginning of the Christian Year.  That is a good opportunity to review and celebrate the entire year.  In the USA in 2013 reviewing the whole year might be a wonderful, relaxed way to worship on the Sunday at the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  The first Advent candles could be lit, but fuller observance of the season could wait until the following week when more folks will be around.  In other countries, it might be better observed on the last Sunday of the year so that you are ready to go fully into Advent on its first Sunday.

_ The simplest way to review the Christian Year is to bring out all the stoles and/or banners for all the seasons of the year.  As a children’s time, display them for the children and recall which colors go with which seasons.  Link each season to a well-known story about Jesus.  Conclude by grouping them together and looping the white one around them noting that Jesus holds the whole year together.

_ The University Hill Church in Vancouver has created a Christian year calendar for 2013-14 with seasonal rather than monthly pages.  Each page includes art for that season and a list of ways to celebrate that season in worship.  I have not seen the calendar “in person” but based on sample pages on their web site have ordered one for myself and mention it to you.  Get the details and order it at Salt of the Earth: Christians Seasons Calendar.  Sharing this calendar with children would be a good children’s time for this day.

_ The same church shares a plan for a supper reviewing the Christian Year at Celebrating a Christian New Year's Party.  It includes directions for tables decorated for different seasons.  Congregations that are informal in their worship might use the tables as stops along a worship path set up in the sanctuary.  The University Hill list of items for each season might also be a start for a more formal procession of the seasons in other congregations.

Advent - blue with advent wreath/candle
Christmas - white & gold with nativity
Epiphany - green with star, three gifts, bowl of water
Lent - purple with bowl of ashes & crown of thorns
Holy Week - red with palm leaves, cup & plate, crucifix
Easter - white & gold with resurrection cross & figure, white candle
Pentecost - red with circle of friends

_ Another way to celebrate and review the church year in worship is to follow a lessons and carols format.  For each season read a key story or text and sing one song.  Embellish these with bringing in a banner for that season and or highlighting the color changes.  (Perhaps the worship leaders for each season wear stoles for that season.)

_ To sing through the Christian year, sing one or more verses from these songs which are more child friendly than others.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” or “Let All Mortal Flesh”

    Children follow the feelings rather than the words in

    these songs

“Once in Royal David’s City” or “Away in the Manger”

    Simple words retell the story and our relationship to it

“We Three Kings of Orient Are”

“Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley”

    The verses tell what Jesus did and what he calls us to do

“Were You There When the Crucified My Lord?”

    Simple words tell the story

“Jesus Christ is Risen Today”

    Even non-readers can join on the Alleluias

“Breathe on Me Breath of God” or “Spirit”

    The words of the first tell the story better, but

    the chorus of the second invites early readers to sing

    along

“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” or “He is King of Kings”

    For Christ the King Sunday

Today’s Texts

Jeremiah 23:1-6

U Especially in the United States this fall, most people of all political persuasions, resonate with Jeremiah’s wish for political leaders who are good shepherds, i.e. leaders who have the well-being of the people as their focus.  In the context of today’s theme, Jesus is that leader.  He is a king who has the good of the people as clearly in mind as a shepherd has the well-being of the sheep in mind. 

U For children shepherds are people who take care of sheep.  They will need to be clearly told that in the Bible Jesus is often referred to as a shepherd not of sheep but of people.  One way to do this is to show a picture of Jesus with sheep in his arms (Google “good shepherd pictures”) and a picture of Jesus with people (you may have a picture of Jesus and the children in the church school). 

 

Catacomb of Callixtus - The Good Shepherd,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
 http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54382
[retrieved October 23, 2013]. Original source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimforest/2594526135/

U The earliest painting of Jesus is this painting of Jesus as a good shepherd.  It is found in the catacombs  (tunnels under the city of Rome) where the first Christians hid out from Romans who wanted to feed them to the lions.  This painting on the wall reminded them that Jesus would take care of them.

 

U If you are celebrating Christ the King/ Reign of Christ gather symbols for Christ, perhaps processing them in as you read the various texts.  Or, simply present and explore one of the symbols.

Jeremiah: a shepherd’s staff

Colossians: crown

Luke 23: a cross

Jeremiah says God is the kind of king who cares for or shepherds his people.  Note how odd it is to see one person wear a crown and carry a staff.  Enjoy God/Jesus who does just that.  (If bishops carry staffs in your tradition this would be a good day to point to and explain them.)

 

Luke 1:68-79 – (It’s a song paired with Jeremiah here)

U Before reading Zechariah’s song, briefly tell the story behind it.  Elderly, childless Zechariah had not believed the angel who told him he would have a son.  Because he had not believed, he was unable to speak until the baby (John the Baptist) was born.  These were his first words after nine silent months.  Either invite worshipers to imagine old John holding his newborn son in his arms saying these words to God and everyone around him.  Or, if your congregation includes an older man who could speak the words dramatically from memory , ask him to present the reading (perhaps holding a wrapped baby doll in his arms).

U MERCY as a key word todays texts.  Jesus is the King of Mercy.  To help children understand this word that is not used everyday today, write it on a large poster.  Present the poster and define the word before the call to worship.  Encourage worshipers to listen for the word in today’s worship and draw a star on their bulletin every time they hear it, sing it, or say it.  Jump to the Luke 23 resources for ideas about highlighting mercy in the prayers of confession. 

Synonyms for children: kindness, forgiving, pity, compassion

Antonyms for children: harshness, demanding, unforgiving

 

Psalm 46     GOD IS WITH US, WE FEAR NOTHING

U This psalm celebrates what the other texts for the day describe.  We are safe in the presence of God.  We don’t have to be afraid.  Verses 10-11 sum it up most simply for children. 

U “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” is based on this psalm.  Martin Luther’s words are difficult for children to understand.  What they can get is the feel of fearlessness and the passion with the congregation sings this familiar, loved hymn.  Before singing it, note that Martin Luther wrote this song while his friends were hiding him in a castle from people who wanted to kill him.  Invite singers to imagine how he felt as they sang his song together.

Colossians 1:11-20

U The hymn to Christ in verses 15-20 is the heart of this text.   Unfortunately for children, it is filled with so many pronouns and interchangeable names for Jesus that it is hard to follow.  Choosing to read either Today’s English Version or The Contemporary English Version rather than the King James or NRSV may help.  But, even they need to be interpreted.  The hymn boils down to six statements about Jesus.  Children will recognize some of them and be interested in exploring them as a set of ideas about Jesus. 

Jesus is God made visible.

Jesus is better than anyone else or anything else in all creation.

God made the world through Jesus and for Jesus.

Jesus (and God) existed before anything else.

Jesus is the head of the church and what keeps it alive.

God forgave us through Jesus’ death on the cross.

U If you must offer a children’s time, invite the children to join you with the big Bible from the front of the church.  Introduce the text as a song about Jesus that the very first Christians sang.  Pause in your reading to put each big idea about Jesus in your own words.  You might want to reread this without interruptions later or this might be the epistle reading for the day.

U No matter which translation of this song you use, three names appear – Jesus, Christ, and Son.  Before reading the text, point out these names and briefly explain each one.  To add a visual, present each name on a poster that can be left in full view during the reading.

Jesus is the name his family and friends called Jesus – like Susan or Lou.

Christ is actually a title rather than a name.  It is not Jesus’ last name (a common misperception among children).  The title means God’s Chosen One and applies only to Jesus.

Jesus is called God’s Son or simply the Son.  Just as people say of a son that he is just like his father, people say of Jesus that he not only is like God but is God in human form.

U The text refers to Jesus at both the beginning and end of time.  If there are Alpha and Omega symbols on today’s paraments or elsewhere in the sanctuary, point them out and explain them.  Enjoy the children’s question “but what came before that…” and the mysterious answer that before anything there was God and Christ.  And, after everything there will be God and Christ.  

 

U After exploring this text, add a crown to the worship center with words about Christ’s lordship over all times and places.

Luke 23:33-43

U Luke’s account of the crucifixion centers on Jesus’ forgiving those who crucified him and the thief who asked for forgiveness.  On this Sunday it emphasizes Christ’s work forgiving us.  In children’s stories kings don’t have to forgive.  But, King Jesus, the king of the universe, chooses to forgive us at great cost to himself. 

U It is a good day for worship education about confession and assurance of pardon as they are practiced in your worship.  Point to that section of worship in a bulletin.  Walk worshipers through the prayers and responses, putting things in your own words as you go. 

In my congregation it would go something like this:  We say together that we all know we do things that are sinful, then in the silence we each tell God some of the bad stuff we have done in the last week.  We ask God to forgive us and then hear the minister remind us that God will forgive us.  We respond with a happy song thanking God for forgiving us and shake hands to “pass the peace” that we get from God to those sitting around us. 

U Rehearse any standard responses or refrains together.  For example, explain that “Kyrie Eleison” means “Christ have mercy” or “Christ forgive us,” then sing it through once.   

U To emphasize the purpose of the prayer of confession, create a responsive prayer.  The congregation’s response to each plea is “Christ, forgive us.”

U After exploring this story, add a/another cross to the worship center

Year C - All Saints Day (November 1 or 3, 2013)

All Saints Day falls on Friday this year.  That makes it tempting to create an all church festival supper with costumes and activities for all ages UNLESS community Halloween celebrations will have moved from Thursday to Friday night.  Still, most congregations who celebrate All Saints Day will do so on Sunday morning.  Whenever you celebrate, you will find lots of ideas below.  Rather than sending you to links to other years, I have brought all I have from them and added some fresh ideas to this post.

U  If you do this on Sunday morning in the USA, remember to set your clocks back to enjoy that wonderful extra hour of sleep!

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Saints Day

U  With children we tend to turn All Saints Day into a celebration of Christian heroes and heroines.  There is value in doing that.  Children need role models and it is wise to offer them some specifically Christian ones. 

To do this (and take up on the Halloween costume interest) invite children (or worshipers of all ages) to wear costumes or carry a prop related to one of their Christian hero/ines.  Stage a processional in which worshipers stop at a microphone to tell in one sentence the name of their hero/ine and why that person is important to them.  Help parents get their children into this with advanced publicity that defines saint as a person who shows us about God, lists several well - known saints, e.g. St. Patrick, St. Paul, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, at least one local saint and notes that saints may be living or may have already died.  In an oral announcement, identify one of your saints and tell what you would wear or carry to represent that person.  If there are churches named after saints in your community, encourage people to learn about one of those saints.  A light touch throughout will make this a fun and celebratory worship event for everyone.

Instead of wearing costumes, challenge church school classes and households to make a paper banner or poster about one of their saints.  Stage a processional of these art works and display them during worship.

U  The downside of celebrating saintly hero/ines is that it leaves most of us feeling less than saintly.  To avoid this, emphasize that all God’s people are saints.  Saints are people through whom God shines.  Each saint shows us a different part of God.  Illustrate this by naming what of God you see in some of the saints in your congregation – maybe the music minister or the guy who heads up the CROP Walk every year.  Challenge worshipers to identify what they see of God in people around them.  Remind them that the more people we know and pay attention to, the more we know the grace of God through those people.

U  If you regularly recite the Apostles’ Creed in worship, point to the phrase “(I believe in) the communion of saints.”  Direct worshipers to find it wherever you have it printed.  Note that it is a reminder that we are connected to all the people who have loved God and followed Jesus in all times and all places.  We are a community, a family.  Name some of the saints you will be thinking of today when you say this and invite others to think about the saints they will remember.  Then, recite/read the creed together.

U  To celebrate some of these saints (both living and dead) who are dear to members of the congregation create posters, banners, or table cloths decorated with their names.

Prepare several blank banners (possibly cloud shaped to refer to the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12).  Invite worshipers to arrive early enough to add names of their saints in fabric marking pens to one of the banners.  Just before worship slide the banners on to poles, process in with them, and display them prominently during worship.

Instead of creating banners create a table cloth for the central worship table.   Worshipers can write the names of their saints on a white sheet which is then draped over the worship table at the beginning of worship.  Candles, crosses, even communion elements can be added during a Call to Worship which summons all the saints, both the living and the dead. 

U  Two children’s picture books about quilts provide good back stories for these creations. 

 

In The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco, a woman immigrating to America creates a quilt that connects to memories of family in the old country.  The quilt is used as bedcover, a Sabbath tablecloth, and a wedding canopy, and a baby blanket to wrap a new generation.  The book is too long to read in worship, but can be easily told turning to a few key pictures for illustration.

In The Naming Quilt, by Phyllis Root, a little girl goes to sleep each night with stories about the people represented in her family quilt.  The quilt is destroyed in a storm, but the little girl and her Grandmother still have the memories, and start a new quilt that includes the little girl’s name in the middle.  (This book may be harder to locate than the other.)

A Little Easter

U  All Saints Day is also known as a Little Easter.  Children are fascinated by celebrating Easter in a different season.  So bring out all the Easter paraments and robes.  If you “buried” an Alleluia banner or poster during Lent, bring it out and refer to it in worship again. 

U  Talk about the difference in celebrating resurrection in the springtime when flowers blooming and in the autumn when everything is turning brown and dying.  Celebrate both the joy of knowing there is new life when you see it all around you and the importance of remembering there is new life when everything around you is looking dead.  Older children enjoy thinking about how different Easter feels in the different hemispheres. 

U  On this day many congregations remember all the members of the congregation who have died during the last year.  Children are keenly aware of the intensity of this reading.  Indeed, many adults have childhood memories of the occasion.  Ways to enhance this worship event for children (and all worshipers) include:

• Toll a handbell as each name is read.
• Light a candle as each name is read and leave the candles lit throughout the service as a reminder of the continuing presence of the saints who have died.
• One church in Maine projects the names on the walls – talk about being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses!
• Speak briefly about the connection between the living and dead saints.  At its best this can be a time when gratitude takes the center in the grieving process.

U  Selecting songs for All Saints Day is almost a no-brainer.  But there are ways to make them more sing-able for the children.

“For All the Saints” is 6 verses long!  Rather than sing all of them at once, spread them throughout the service.  Everyone will pay better attention to the words.  At the beginning of the service point out the Alleluias and practice them so non-readers can join in.

“I Sing A Song of the Saints of God” uses simpler language, names very specific recognizable saints, and asks the singer to commit to sainthood.  Singing it in the congregation suggests to all that children are also saints.

“For All the Saint’s Who’ve Shown Your Love” by John Bell uses simpler language than some All Saints hymns but is not as “cute” as “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God.”  Find the words and music at For All the Saints Who've Shown Your Love.

“We Are the Church Together” makes the point that the church is not a building, a steeple, or a resting place, but a community of people.  Before singing this song, recite this phrase and remind worshipers that they and all saints together are the church.

The second verse of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” is especially appropriate for All Saints and Communion.  Walk through it pointing out the connections.  Ask a class of children in advance to make banner illustrating it.  Process the banner in and display it during the singing of the hymn.  Sing the second verse again at communion even in response to the phrase “with the faithful of all times and all places.” 

Highlight the phrase “Praise Him above you heavenly host” in the Doxology.  Note that all the saints you have been talking about praised God and we praise God.  That connects us.

Singing “When the Saints Go Marchi’ In” in worship delights children and helps them understand the song in a new way.  I even heard of one congregation that sang “When the Saints Go Marchin’ Out” at the end of service.

 

U  If you celebrate communion and use the reference in the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving to “joining with all the saints (or the faithful) of all times and places,” point it out.  Describe the people we see actually standing at this table.  Then invite worshipers to imagine all the ones we cannot see who are also at the Table.  Refer to those who died in the last year.  Name a couple of famous saints familiar to your congregation.  Mention all the others whose names we don’t know but who are saints worshiping and loving God with us.  Point out that all these saints are unseen at our Table.  Restate the phrase.  Have the congregation echo it.  Urge them to listen for it in the communion liturgy.  Then, move into the invitation to the Table. 

The Texts

U  First decision of the day is whether to use the All Saints texts or the Proper 26 texts.  Strangely enough the Proper 26 texts – especially Habakkuk and the Psalm - might fit into the celebration of All Saints better than the texts set for this day.  Go to  Year C - Proper 26 to check them out. 

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

U  On the Sunday at the end of Halloween weekend, Daniel’s nightmare recalls all the scary stuff dealt with over the last few days and connects those to the scary nightmares and fears of monsters under the bed that trouble children.  It can also lead to identifying other scary things we face every day.  To all of these monstrous fears verse 18 is the answer.

U  Verses 1-3 say only that there were four monsters in Daniel’s dream.  Add verses 4-8 from CEV to hear about each monster and enjoy the awfulness of his nightmare.  A dramatic reading including facial responses to some of the details of the monsters bring the monsters to life.

N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Daniel 7:1-15

     Daniel wrote: In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia, I had some dreams and visions while I was asleep one night, and I wrote them down.

     The four winds were stirring up the mighty sea, ³ when suddenly four powerful beasts came out of the sea. Each beast was different.

      The first was like a lion with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted to an upright position and made to stand on two feet, just like a human, and it was given a human mind.

⁵ The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It held three ribs in its teeth, and it was told, “Attack! Eat all the flesh you want.”

⁶ The third beast was like a leopard—except that it had four wings and four heads. It was given authority to rule.

⁷ The fourth beast was stronger and more terrifying than the others. Its huge teeth were made of iron, and what it didn’t grind with its teeth, it smashed with its feet. It was different from the others, and it had horns on its head—ten of them. ⁸ Just as I was thinking about these horns, a smaller horn appeared, and three of the other horns were pulled up by the roots to make room for it. This horn had the eyes of a human and a mouth that spoke with great pride.

Pause here, shaking your head as if shaking off the dreams.  Then read verses 15-18.  I’d immediately say “let’s reread that last verse again.  It is the one we need to remember.” Then, reread verse 18. 

¹⁵ Daniel wrote: I was terrified by these visions, and I didn’t know what to think. ¹⁶ So I asked one of those standing there, and he explained, ¹⁷ “The four beasts are four earthly kingdoms. ¹⁸ But God Most High will give his kingdom to his chosen ones, and it will be theirs forever and ever.”

From CEV

N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

U  Some Things are Scary Things, by Florence Parry Heide, can take you from Halloweeny fears to more everyday fears.  The book is a random collection of wonderfully illustrated things that scare children.  Rather than reading the whole book, select a few of the pages to read and discuss.  Present verse 18 as hope for each of the fears.

 

Psalm 149

U  Turn verses 1-5 into a responsive reading.  Have a worship leader read the verses with the congregation responding, “Praise the Lord!” to each one.  Even non-readers can join in on that.  Or, prepare a more elaborate reading with a choir (maybe a children’s choir) and children (maybe those in the choir) with rhythm instruments.   One brief rehearsal with the saints involved in the latter is essential.

C B I C B I C B I C B I C B I

Psalm 149:1-5

Responsive Reading

Leader:          Shout praises to the Lord!

People:         Praise the Lord!

              Rhythm instruments sound off

Leader:          Sing him a new song of praise when his

                        loyal people meet.

People:         Praise the Lord! or a praise phrase sung by choir

Leader:          People of Israel, rejoice because of your Creator.

People:         Praise the Lord!

Leader:          People of Zion, celebrate because of your King.

People:         Praise the Lord!

Leader:          Praise his name by dancing and

                        playing music on harps and tambourines.

             Rhythm instruments sound off

Leader:         The Lord is pleased with his people,

                        and he gives victory to those who are humble.

People:         Praise the Lord!

Leader:         All of you faithful people, praise our glorious Lord!

  Celebrate and worship.

People:         Praise the Lord!

             Rhythm instruments sound off

Based on the CEV

C B I C B I C B I C B I C B I

 

Ephesians 1:11-23

U  On the Sunday after Halloween, Paul insists that the saints belong to Christ who is the most powerful being in the whole universe.  We are safe.

Last Judgment, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
 http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=29448
[retrieved October 3, 2013].

To explore the lordship of Christ, display a photo of a judgment door from a middle ages cathedral.  Point out the demons who are being thrown aside and the big powerful statue of Christ in the middle.  Note that every time people walk through those doors to worship, they remember that they are safe with Christ. 

Mosaic of Jesus Christ, from Hagia Sophia,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
  http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54554
[retrieved October 3, 2013].

For the youngest children, display a picture of a very gentle Jesus (maybe Jesus with the children) and a stern Jesus as the Lord of the world.  Discuss the differences in the faces and how it feels to look at each picture.  Note that both are the same person – Jesus, the Christ.  Jesus is what his friends called him.  Christ is who he really was, the Lord of the whole world.  Conclude that having both pictures reminds us that we are safe with Jesus who is the Lord of the world and who loves us.

Remind children of all the gory tattoos people wore for Halloween, then give them each a removable cross tattoo or sticker to remind them that they belong to Jesus, the Christ, who is Lord of the whole Universe.

U  Tell worshipers that Paul wrote a prayer for the Christians at the church in Ephesus.  Insist that the same prayer could be for us.  Invite them to listen to it as if it were being prayed for them and for your church.  For the sake of the children with shorter attention spans, read only verses 16-18.  Read from The CEV with great inflection stopping to look up at the congregation at key points.

Luke 6:20-31

U  This reading might be titled “Rules for Saints.”  Children will get lost in the blessings and woes.  If the verses about loving enemies and the golden rule are raised up separately, children will struggle with them and claim them for themselves.  The easiest way to explore this with children is to focus on The Golden Rule in verse 31.  Introduce it as the number one rule for saints.

U  One rule for saints it to love your enemies.  Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson, tells the story of a boy who saw his new neighbor as an enemy.  His dad volunteers to help get rid of the enemy by baking enemy pie.  One ingredient was that they boys had to spend one afternoon together before the pie could be served.  You can guess what happened.  The enemy became a friend.  The challenge for saints is to turn enemies into friends.  (It is important to note that it is often harder to do than it is in this book, but that the book gives us a good goal.) 

U  Highlight “Forgive us our debts/transgressions/sins, as we forgive…” in the Lord’s Prayer.  Before the congregation prays it, point to the phrase.  Talk about all the things people do to each other that need forgiving.  Include everything from saying mean things, hitting, taking what isn’t ours, and playing mean tricks on people to really hurting someone, even going to war with them.  Insist that the only difference between a friends and enemies is that the friends forgive each other.  Challenge worshipers to think of friends they need to forgive so they don’t become enemies.  Then, pray the whole prayer.