On the lookout for a good story book to read in worship?

Jesus the Word by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones, is a poetically worded, beautifully illustrated restatement of John’s Prologue (specifically John 1:1-4, 14).  It begins describing the Word creating the world and telling us “I will set you free.  I won’t let you be anything but holy, good and free.”  Then it says the Word “became a child born of a woman named Mary.  The Word was Jesus!”  The following pages recount what Jesus did repeating the Word’s promise “I will set you free.  I won’t let you be anything but holy, good and free.”  In three pages it says “But some people turned their backs on Jesus, the Word.  They did not listen.  They did not believe in him.  They judged him.  They nailed him to a tree.  Jesus, the Word, died and was buried.  But on the third day, Jesus, the Word, rose from the dead.”  Finally, it insists that the Word is still with us and closes with the Word’s promise, “I will set you free.  I won’t let you be anything by holy, good and free.”  

I almost didn’t tell you the story in the detail above because it looks rather bland in black and white prose.  In the book it is presented in poetry spread across lavishly illustrated pages.  It can be read meditatively in just under five minutes.  If you use projection in worship, you might follow the lead of a seminary professor friend who scans beautiful children’s books to project in worship having (1) purchased a copy of the book herself and (2) disciplining herself not to loan the scanned version to ANYONE, not even her desperate best teaching friend.  She feels this honors the copyright and makes the book easier to share in the sanctuary.

Read this book in worship to answer the questions “who is Jesus?” and “why was the baby Jesus so special?”  Because it uses poetic images, it is more easily caught by elementary school children than by preschoolers.  I would probably introduce it as one beautiful attempt to answer the two questions, read it thoughtfully, close and hug the book, and discipline myself not to “explain it.”   It could be read in place of John’s prologue, as a children’s sermon, or within the “real” sermon. 

BTW, many of the preachers in my lectionary study group have been trained that Christmas Eve/Day is a chance to present the whole gospel in a kernel to people who will not hear it again until Easter.  Reading this book might be a good way to do that for worshipers for all ages.

Finally, go to Christmas Storybooks to Read in Worship for a LONG list of children’s books to read in worship during Advent and Christmas.

                      5 Ways to Raise A Grateful Child

Go to 5 Ways to Raise A Grateful Child for an article that is not really a list of five pithy guides for raising a grateful child. Instead it is a wonderful essay about doing the job and is loaded with very real, everyday stories about children being both grateful and ungrateful. In these stories there lots of very specific suggestions for parents. As we turn the corner from Thanksgiving toward Christmas, it is full of sermon illustrations, preaching points, and even fodder for newlsetters. Many of them focus on how chidren respond to gifts they do not really want - a good December topic!  So I pass it on.

Year C - The Baptism of the Lord (January 13, 2013)

The Baptism of the Lord offers an excellent opportunity to explore the sacrament of baptism with worshipers of all ages.  Try some of the following ideas some of which appeared in Years A and B:

a One minister emailed the entire congregation asking them to talk about the baptism of each person in their household before coming to church on this Sunday.  Those stories formed a personal context for each worshiper as they explored baptism together during worship.

a If you hang curtains of blue ribbons in the doors to the sanctuary on baptismal Sundays, hang them today in honor of Jesus’ baptism.  At the very least they provide an introduction to the story of Jesus’ baptism that connects his baptism to that of each worshiper.  It is also a chance to suggest to worshipers that every time they pass through those curtains they can remember and thank God for their own baptism.  In the charge and benediction, remind worshipers to remember their baptisms as they leave the sanctuary through the ribbons today.  If you have a children’s time, explain the practice and lead the children out the doors and back through the curtains. 

NOTE: Many rites say "remember your baptism."  That is hard to do if you were baptized as an infant.  "Remember that you are baptized" captures the intent of the original and makes more sense, especially to children.
 

a During the sermon walk through and comment on your congregation’s baptismal rite.  Even use a doll and adult volunteers to take the various roles in both infant and adult baptisms. 

a Invite the congregation to recall and celebrate their baptisms by coming forward, dipping their fingers into the baptismal font, and saying silently, “I belong to God,” “I am baptized” or some similar phrase. 

a If you include renewal of baptism in the service and your congregation practices infant baptism, provide a chance for parents and the congregation to recall and renew their vows to the children.  Parents can stand in place with their children to hear and answer the questions.  This is an opportunity for children to hear their parents renew their commitments to them, for preachers to offer a few specific suggestions about how to keep those promises to growing children, and for parents to reclaim their commitments made to infants in the presence of those children as they grow.  Follow it with time for hugs – or passing the peace, if you want to stay within the liturgy.

a Sing a baptismal hymn for Jesus today.  If your congregation regularly sings one at baptisms, talk about its meaning then sing it for Jesus today.  Two baptism hymns that are child accessible can be sung and explored as follows:

“Child of Blessing, Child of Promise” -  Read and comment on the words of verses 3 and 4 before the congregation sings the song.

“Christ When For Us You Were Baptized” – Note that the first 3 verses are about Jesus’ baptism.  Read verse 1 emphasizing Spirit and dove from Luke’s story.  Point to the “My Beloved Son” at the beginning of verse 2.  Read through verse 3 simply noting that Jesus obeyed after he was baptized.  Then, explain that verse 4 is about us and our baptisms.  We ask to be empowered by God’s Spirit as Jesus was and to serve obediently as Jesus did.    

a Water Come Down: the Day You Were Baptized, by Walter Wangerin, Jr. describes how sun, cloud, rain, wind, and water are involved in a child’s baptism.  The idea is lovely, but a little over the top.  The whole universe seems to revolve about the child rather than the child taking his or her place among God’s people and the universe.  One way to use it in worship would be to read only the end of the book beginning with “Your family was there that holy day…”after walking through your congregation’s infant baptism rite. 

Texts for Today

Isaiah 43:1-7

Two phrases in this passage speak to children.  “I have called you by name, you are mine” (verse 1) and “Do not fear, I am with you” (verse 5).  Those phrases will have to be presented specifically because the children will not hear them as the passage is read.

a To explore “I have called you by name, you are mine”

Talk about our “whole names.”  Tell your whole name and ask several worshipers to tell theirs.  Note that most days we are called by parts of our whole names or even by nicknames, but that on special occasions we are called by our whole names.  When we are in trouble we are often called by our whole names so we know it is us, nobody else, who is being called to explain what we have done.  At weddings, the bride and groom are addressed by their whole names to make sure everyone knows for sure who is making the important promises.  Also discuss what forms of names your congregation uses at baptism and confirmation and what they signify.  Then go back to Isaiah’s promise that God knows our whole names, God knows each of us completely and says that we belong to God.

Suggest using this phrase as a breath prayer.  Breathe in while saying, “I have called you by name.”  Breathe out while saying, “You are mine.”  Practice saying it together.  Imagine saying it when you have done something really fine or are having a great day.  Also, imagine saying it when things are going really badly.  If it is report card time in your community, imagine praying it when you get straight As and when you get really lousy grades.    

Remind the children (and worshipers of all ages, maybe especially parents)  of David who had 7 older brothers.  Imagine together how he felt when all his older brothers went off to fight together and he had to stay home to take care of the sheep and when all his older brothers went to the feast with the prophet Samuel and he had to stay home to take care of the sheep – again!  Then briefly tell how Samuel asked if there wasn’t another brother and refused to eat until David was brought to him.  When he saw David, Samuel anointed him to be the next king.  Note that God knew David and claimed him even when he was just the kid brother who got left behind with the sheep to everyone else.

a Isaiah says that because we belong to God we don’t just take it easy, we are brave and active.  Our courage comes from trusting God's love.  To explore Isaiah's instruction “Do not fear, I am with you.” (vs 5)…

Read all or part of The Kissing Hand, by  Audrey Penn.  To give her child courage to go off to school a mother raccoon kisses his hand and tells him that whenever he feels lonely or frightened he can put his hand to his face and feel her love.  He returns the gesture to give his mother courage to get through the day without him.   See it read aloud with book illustrations on YouTube at The Kissing Hand Video.   

Sign each of the children or have all worshipers sign each other with the cross saying, “I have called you by name, You are mine.  Do not be afraid.”

No matter which hemisphere we live in January can be a time of frightening storms – cyclones, thunderstorms, blizzards, etc.  They seem to be getting more frequent and more violent.  Connect Isaiah’s insistence that we not be afraid with Psalm 29’s description of a big storm.  You might even turn the psalm into a responsive reading with the congregation responding “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” after each verse or phrase of the psalm.

To explore other situations in which we are called to be brave, check the note about If I Never Forever Endeavor near the end of this post.

Psalm 29

Like many psalms this one needs to be experienced rather than explained.  So, try one of the reading plans that have been posted as this psalm appeared in the lectionary to date.  (It is popular with the lectionary creators!)

a Go to Year B - Baptism of the Lord for a script that emphasizes the question “How strong is the Lord?”

a Go to Year A Baptism of the Lord for suggestions that explore the storm.  There is a word sheet to illustrate and suggestions for accompanying the reading with small percussion instruments or people using their hands to make a sequence of storm sounds. 

a Go to Year B - Trinity Sunday for a suggestion about featuring storm sounds before the reading and directions for a congregational reading that gets louder and louder, then breaks, and concludes in quiet meditative tones.

Acts 8:14-17 and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

a Both these texts are about baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Children make quicker sense of Luke than of Acts.  The Holy Spirit is actually more important than the water in these baptism stories.     

a To explore the role of the Holy Spirit in our baptism and in our lives, try some of the following:

Decorate the sanctuary with a large dove mobile or banner.  Near the end of the service, give smaller doves to worshipers to take home to display where they will see it frequently and be reminded of God’s Spirit empowering them.

If there are flames in your denominational logo, display that logo.  Identify all the places you use it - on the printed order of worship, letterhead, web site, even the sign out front.  Then, point to the flames and explain why they are there.

If you use the Apostles’ Creed regularly in worship, point out the phrase “I believe in the Holy Ghost.”  Explain that Holy Ghost is another name for God’s Spirit or Holy Spirit.  When we say this phrase we are saying that we can feel God with us taking care of us and empowering us to do important work.  Tell stories about sensing God with us in worship, while doing mission work, in happy times and in hard times.  Practice saying the phrase several times, then say the entire creed.  This could be done in a children’s time or with the whole congregation just before reciting the creed.

Child friendly hymns about the Spirit that go well with today’s theme include:

Breathe on Me Breath of God

Spirit of the Living God

a  “You are my Son, the Beloved.  In you I am well pleased” echoes Isaiah’s “I have called you by name.  You are mine.”  Children like that God says this about Jesus before he has taught anybody, healed anyone, or died on the cross.  At the beginning of a new year, this especially reminds children that God loved Jesus and loves us not because of anything we do but just because God loves us.  Period.

a But, this is also the beginning of Jesus ministry.  He knows who he is and that God is with him, so he goes to work.  Like him, we know who we are and that gives us the power to go to work.

If I Never Forever Endeavor, by Holly Meade, is one of those picture books for all ages.  A young bird tries to decide whether to attempt flying.  He worries about what might happen if he fails and wonders what will happen if he succeeds.   Finally he tries and after a thud or two succeeds.  Everyone who has ever been afraid to try something new understands.  Today read it and connect to trying to walk, jump off the diving board, go on a mission trip,  go to kindergarten, take on a being a church officer for the first time, go to college, help at a homeless shelter with your family, etc.  The point is that being called by God means we have to brave enough to try to do all the things God made us able to do – just as the bird must be brave enough to fly.

NOTE:  Do define “endeavor” as “try” before reading the book.

a If you are installing new church officers, connect their new ministries with Jesus undertaking his ministry.

ONE WAY TO FIND THE HYMN OR PRAYER IN THE BOOK

                       BEFORE IT IS FINISHED 

If your congregation sings from hymn books and/or reads from prayer books during worship help the children and their adults by providing a ready set of ribbons to mark the songs and prayers for the day.  Children who spend time just before worship finding and marking all the songs and prayers are more likely to read and sing along.  (Many young readers can enjoy finding the numbers before they can read all the words in the titles.) They also have something to do while settling in before worship starts.  Adults who work with their young pew partners on this before worship have to spend less time finding things during the service which makes worship feel less like an extended treasure hunt. 

Simple homemade, liturgically correct, beautiful markers like the one pictured can be put in each child’s worship bag or slipped into all the pew books in the sanctuary (adults appreciate using them too!).  Introduce them at beginning of worship one Sunday with a demonstration.  Use your printed order of worship, a marker and your congregation’s worship books to mark all the songs and prayers for the day.    If the markers are in all the pew books, encourage all worshipers to mark their books as you do.  If this is a children’s time in which you are giving children ribbon markers to add to their worship bags, show them how it works then send them back to their seats to mark their books.  Ask the musicians to provide a second prelude for this activity.   

Starting this could be done any Sunday, but fits especially well on Christ the King Sunday (the end of the liturgical year), the First Sunday in Advent (because you don’t want to miss any of the Advent music while searching for it), or Epiphany (so that we can shine as prepared worshipers).  The bookmarks would also be great Christmas gifts to children from their parents or their congregation.

To make each ribbon marker you need:

Plastic mesh (about 1/8 inch or 4 mm) - available in craft stores

Satin ribbon in the liturgical colors used most in your congregation

Directions:

1.   Cut mesh into 1”x 6” strips adjusting to fit your books

2.  Cut ribbon into 24” lengths

 

      3.  Insert a ribbon through the first hole from back to front pulling just over ½ of the ribbon through.  Then insert it from front to back through the hole just next to it.  This will form a loop on the front side.  Matching both ends of the ribbon insert them together through the loop and pull it taut .  This will secure the ribbon in place and create two equal length marking ribbons.

4.  Repeat Step Three with two or three more ribbons.

Year C - Epiphany (January 6, 2013)

The texts for Epiphany are the same in Years A, B and C.  After looking at what I had already posted for years A and B, I added some things and changed some things.  This post is the sum total of that.  So there is no need to follow links to other years. 

Isaiah 60: 1-6

'  Isaiah calls the people of Jerusalem to rise and shine because God’s glory is upon them for all the world to see.  Children heading back to school this week after soaking up God’s Christmas love and glory are ready to hear the call to shine also.  Verse 1 is their key verse.   Actually “Arise, shine!” is all they need. 

'  One way to explain the symbol of light is to present children with several symbols, e.g. a national flag, a symbol for a sports team, and a cross.  As you present each ornament ask what it stands for and what it makes them think about.  Then tell them that the symbol for God is light.  Since we can’t make a picture of light, we use things that make light like a star, sun, candle, or lamp.  Display a treetop star ornament that goes at the top of the Christmas or Chrismon tree and note its meaning.  Recall Christmas candle lighting services and note that we lit those candles to remind ourselves that God the light is with us.  Then, move to the discussion below of the candles in the worship center.  Or, name and explore other light symbols pondering how each reminds us of God.  Encourage the children (and other worshipers) to watch for light symbols scattered through the scriptures we read, the songs we sing and the prayers we pray today.

'  It is a good day to point out and explain your congregation’s use of candles during worship.  Many congregations light two candles on a central table.  The explanation that I grew up with was that one  candle was “God is the light of the world” (John 8:12) and the other “we are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13)  I’m sure there are other explanations.  Share any you know in the comments.  An acolyte may light a taper from one of the candles before snuffing both at the conclusion of the service.  The acolyte often walks down the central aisle and out the back door to call worshipers to follow the light of God out into the world. 

Speaking of acolytes:  Lighting candles as a worship leader is a job that older children relish.  Including children in this simple act, training them how to do it and what it means, possibly even robing them to do it, tells them that they are a real part of the worshiping community.  Children as young as eight or nine can take this role successfully if the candles are short enough for them to reach easily.  In some churches serving as acolyte is an activity children sign up for just as they do for choir.  In others, the responsibility is tied to a particular church school class for the year. 

'  “Arise, shine” is not about enjoying light.  It is a command to reflect and spread light.  Reread this several times pondering the difference in basking in light and shining out in the darkness.  Explore ways we can shine listing ways children can shine God’s love out at school, in the locker room, even in the back seat of a car as well as ways youth and adults can shine.  To encourage worshipers to shine, give each one a star sticker (glittery ones are the best!).  During a children’s message, stick a star on each child’s hand or forehead and say to each one, “Arise, shine.”  Or, pass baskets of star stickers to the entire congregations, instructing individuals to stick a star on the person at their side saying to them “arise, shine.”

'  Light hymns children can sing at least parts of with understanding:

“I Want To Walk As A Child of Light”

“Let There Be Light” with lots of short phrases of hope for the coming year

“This Little Light of Mine” – a spiritual about our ability to be light as well as enjoy light

'  A commenter on an earlier Epiphany post said she grew up singing “Jesus Bids Us Shine” especially on Epiphany.  The YouTube video  at Jesus Bids Us Shine is a great introduction to the song if it is new to you as it was to me.  Looking around the web I found several different versions of some of the verses.  I would make choices of verses based on my message.

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

' This prayer for  the king points out good characteristics for kings – and all leaders.  Obviously Herod did not share those characteristics.  But, King Jesus does.  After listing several well-known current leaders, read this psalm as a prayer for those people.

Ephesians 3:1-12

'  Demonstrate Paul’s mystery that God loves people all around the world by including people of as many different racial and ethnic backgrounds in worship leadership.  Some might even come in native dress or speak/read in native languages.  Include music from many different cultures.

'  Pray your way around the world.  Display a globe.  Explain that remembering the mystery Paul discovered, i.e. that God loves all people all over the world, your prayers today will move around the globe.  You might use the continents as your outline, offering prayers for each continent followed by time for worshipers to add their own voiced or silent prayers for that continent. 

'  Present several pairs of portraits of people from different parts of the world asking which of these does God love.  The answer of course is that God loves both of them.  (Old National Geographics are a good source of such portraits.)

JESUS MAFA. The Three Wise Men,
 from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48399
[retrieved November 13, 2012].

'  Connect Paul’s message to Epiphany by displaying several artist’s depictions of the magi.  Select works from different cultures.  The Vanderbilt Divinity Library collection includes one from Africa and one from Asia as well as several “great masters” from Europe.  Note the similarities and differences in what the magi wore (especially on their heads) and rode and brought as gifts.  From this make the point that Jesus did not come just for one small group of people, but for all the people in the world.

Matthew 2:1-12

'  As you tell the story of the three kings in your own words or read it from the Bible, move the kings from the crèche around the sanctuary.  Actually you will need three assistants, one to carry each king and perhaps a fourth to carry a star on a pole (or maybe the usual processional candle).  Start in a far corner of the sanctuary reading/telling about the beginning of the trip.  Stop in another corner to read/tell about the visit to the palace, then come to the mother and child figures.  (These figures might be in a prominent spot at the front of the sanctuary or in a nook off to a side.)  Finally read/tell about the warning not to return to Herod and accompany the king figures back to their homes following another path around the sanctuary.  (After the story return the kings to their positions around the mother and child figures.)  This could be a children’s time with all the children following you and the figure around the sanctuary or it could be the gospel reading for the day done with children in their seats.

'  Do a hymn study of “We three Kings of Orient, Are.”   Ask all worshippers to open their hymnals to the carol.  Walk through the verses explaining the significance of the three gifts.  Then sing the carol together.  This could be the outline for the day’s sermon or a fairly brief introduction to the hymn.

Interesting sidebar for children:  the carol is generally known as “We 3 Kings of Orient Are.”  Most children assume that Orient Are is the place the kings come from.  The truer to the meaning grammar for this verse would be:

We three kings of (the) Orient are bearing gifts.

We traverse afar, (over) field and fountain, 
      moor and mountain, following yonder star.

'  Chalking the Door is an Epiphany ritual that can be done at church then repeated in the congregation’s homes.  It is basically a house blessing.  Using chalk, members of the congregation or household write on the door frame the year’s date and the letters C, B, and M (the initials of the three wise men).  The date is interrupted by the letters:  20+C+M+B+13 for this Epiphany.   Prayer is then offered asking that the door welcome many visitors during the coming year and that all who come through the doorway be blessed.  Write on the church doors during the worship service with the focus on the congregation’s home.  Then encourage households to repeat it in their own homes.  Print a simple blessing for use at both church and home in the order of worship and give out small pieces of white chalk for home use.  Below is a sample blessing.

God of doors and homes, bless this home this year and every year.

Bless all who come and go through this door, 
       both those who live here and those who visit.

May all who enter through this door come in peace and bring joy.

May all who come to this door find welcome and love.

May the love and joy in this home overflow 
       and spread into the community and the world.

'  Interesting tidbit:  I learned on another blog that C,M,B also stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for “May Christ Bless this House.”

'  The world is full of stories about people who were invited to go with the three kings, but declined for a variety of reasons all related to thinking that they were too busy. In most this person later then decides to follow the kings, but is always too late and spends the rest of his/her life looking for the child.  The message in all the stories is to stay alert for signs of God at work in the world  (like a star in the sky or an invitation) and to be ready to drop everything to respond.  The Other Wise Man, by Henry Van Dyke, is a rather complicated long American version of this tale.   Two of the best of these stories for children are:

' The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie dePaola.  In this well loved European folk tale, an Italian grandmother meets the kings, then spends the rest of her life leaving cakes and cookies for children during the night on January 6.  It could be used at least two ways in worship.

-          Read the first 13 pages ending with Befana telling the 3 kings that she has seen the star which kept her awake at night and that she had work to do. (approximately four minutes to read aloud)  Stop there to ponder the possibility of missing out on something wonderful because you were stuck in a grumpy rut.  Note that the new year has many possibilities.  Encourage worshipers to stay open enough to give them a chance. 

-          Or, instead of stopping read one more page.  Then, stop.  Ask listeners what Befana might have done next.  Read or tell what happened in the next 13 pages (approximately three minutes to read the rest of the book).  Compare Befana’s (grumpy) face in the pictures of her sweeping with her (happy) face on the last page.  Ponder what made the difference.

'  Baboushka, retold by Arthur Scholey, is a Russian folktale about another busy grandmother who meets the three kings and is invited to join them.  At first she declines with lots of busy excuses, then decides to follow, but never catches up.  An angel points out that the shepherds left immediately after the angels sang to them.  The kings followed the star as soon as it appeared.  She is simply too late.  She keeps searching, carrying with her toys that she leaves with sleeping children in case they are the Christ child.  (About ten minutes to read aloud)

'  A possibility to develop?  Are there light and epiphany songs from around the world that could be gathered to sing on Epiphany?  If anyone has such a list, please let the rest of us in on it in the comments.  Or, maybe next year (do I sound like Befana or BaboushkaJ)  I will have time to do the research to create such a list.

Have A Bright and Glorious Epiphany!

Year C - First Sunday After Christmas Day (December 30, 2012)

On the Sunday after Christmas children who come to worship (not unlike the adults who come to worship) will be few in number and will be coming in many moods. Some will be basking in the rosy glow of a happy Christmas. Others will be deeply disappointed either because they did not get what they wanted or gatherings were less than happy.  Others are just tired – and maybe cranky.  Christmas is over and won’t come again for a year.  This year, when Christmas is almost a week ago, it is more “over” than other years. 

Given this, if you decide to use the New Year’s texts go to Year B - New Year's Day  (The readings for New Years are the same for all years of the lectionary.  I have posted them in Year B.)  Among the ideas for that day you will find suggestions about blessing the doors (both at church and in homes) for the coming year, learning about the judgment doors of the cathedrals, and exploring baptism’s promise of a fresh start – all washed clean.

Or, use the texts for the Sunday after Christmas below.
 

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

% This is a difficult story to share with children.  A child who is loved so much that he is sent away from home to live at the Temple at a very young age and only saw his parents once a year thereafter is a hard sell.  One new set of clothes each year seems meager.  There is a positive side to the story, but children will not hear it as the story is read.  Worship leaders will need to tell them that Samuel as a young child was a respected member of the Temple household.  He and Eli worked and talked side by side every day.  They were good friends.  Samuel’s parents loved him, were proud of his place at the Temple, and did not abandon him.  Also, note that God does not ask parents to abandon children.

% This story is read today as an echo of the story of Jesus in the Temple at age 12.  Because children are more likely to be confused by similar stories about different people than to hear them as echoes, it might be wise to focus on the story about Jesus today.

% This story and the story of Jesus in the Temple at 12 feature adults and children talking and worshiping together in the Temple.  Their interaction is key.  Samuel and Jesus are not off to the side somewhere.  They are fully involved.  That makes this a good opportunity to push full involvement of the children of your congregation in your worship and ministry.  Tell local stories of adults and children working together.  Point to children serving as acolytes, ushers, in the choirs.  If there were important not-in-your-family adults, who were your friends and mentors  at church as you grew up, tell stories about them.  Encourage children to be in the sanctuary and adults to get to know the children around them at church.  Insist that the generations have much to learn from each other. 
 

Psalm 148

% On the Sunday after Christmas recall the Christmas story, then enjoy calling on everything in the universe to praise God for this amazing event. Instead of having one reader, invite as many as possible in the sanctuary to get involved in this call to praise. As it is laid out below, Group 1 could be the choir and Group 2 the congregation. Or, Group 1 could be the left side of the congregation and Group 2 the right side. Invite children especially to join in the reading since the words are words they are likely to know.

% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %

Psalm 148

All:                   Praise the LORD!

Group 1:          Praise the LORD from the heavens;

praise the LORD in the heights!

Group 2:          Praise the LORD, all you holy angels;

praise the LORD all host!

Group 1:          Praise the LORD, sun and moon;

praise the LORD, all you shining stars!

Group 2:          Praise the LORD, heaven of heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

Group 1:          Let them praise the name of the LORD,

who commanded, and they were created.

Group 2:          the LORD made them stand fast forever and ever

And gave them a law which shall not pass away.

Group 1:          Praise the LORD from the earth,

you sea monsters and all deeps,

Group 2:          fire and hail, snow and frost,

stormy wind obeying God’s command!

Group 1:          Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

Group 2:          Wild animals and all cattle,

creeping things and flying birds!

Group 1:          Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

Group 2:          Young men and women alike,

old and young together!

Group 1:          Let them praise the name of the LORD,

for the name of the LORD alone is exalted;

and the glory of the LORD is over earth and heaven.

Group 2:          the LORD has raised up strength for the chosen people,

And praise for all loyal servants,

for the people of Israel who are close to the LORD.

All:                   Praise the LORD!

Adapted from Book of Common Worship @1993 Westminster/John Knox Press and The New Revised Standard Version

% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %

% Give children a page with a small picture of the nativity in the center and lots of space to add pictures of things mentioned in the psalm. These might be handed out during a children’s time or simply be in worship bags. Watch for children to have them as they leave the sanctuary and take time to talk with them about what they have drawn.

% “All Creatures of Our God and King” sets the words of St. Francis of Assisi to music. St. Francis was surely remembering Psalm 148 as he wrote it. The repeated “Alleluias” are easy for even non-readers to sing and recall all the Christmas “alleluias.” Other hymns based on this psalm are harder for children to sing.

% “Let The Whole Creation Cry” not only recalls the praises of this psalm, but connects to the stories of young Samuel and Jesus in the Temple.  The words are simple enough for your readers to try.  Before singing it point out the opening phrases of the two verses noting their call for ALL of creation both YOUNG AND OLD to sing. 

 

Colossians 3:12-17

% Depending on your focus in worship today, these verses can be read as “take aways” from the Christmas story for the new year or as instructions (separate from the Christmas story) for the new year.  To explore them with children pick out a few items to ponder briefly, then pray about them in our lives during the coming year.

“Take aways” are important things we see in the people in the Christmas story that we want to take away for our own lives.  I’d mention

The KINDNESS of the innkeeper who paid attention to two needy people on a very busy day.

The MEEKNESS of Mary and Joseph who kept doing what God asked even when it was hard.  Translate meek as obedient, i.e. they did what God asked even when they did not want to because they were tired and hungry and not sure what was going to happen next.

“Let THE WORD dwell in you” is what Mary did when she “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  We are to read, ponder, and live out what we read in the Bible every day.

If the focus is God’s instructions for the coming year, I’d mention

KINDNESS – We are to be kind to each other.  That is easy to say, but can be hard to do some days when we don’t feel kind and the people around us don’t make us want to be kind to them

PATIENCE – Identify times children have had to wait - for Christmas to finally come, for their turn doing something, for everyone to be ready to go where you want to go….  Note that there will certainly be times during the coming year when we will have to wait and be patient.

FORGIVENESS – Read verse 13.  Ask how many have had to “bear with” or “put up with” someone during the last few weeks.  Then ask how many have had to forgive someone who has said or done something mean to them.  (Ask only for show of hands, not for stories which could prove embarrassing.)  Note that these things happen to all of us and will happen to us in the coming year.  Our instructions are to forgive.  It is a hard instruction to carry out.  But, remembering that God and other people forgive us makes it a little easier.

KEEP GOD’S WORD IN OUR HEARTS – Read verse 16a.  Point out that we can guess some things that will happen in the new year, e.g. we know what grade we will be in, but there will be a lot of surprises.  To be ready for those surprises we need to study and remember everything God has told us in the Bible.  All those things will help us get through the year.  And, yes, I’d use it as an opportunity to push new year’s resolutions to get the whole family to church school regularly.
 

% Even if you are still decorated for Christmas, just before reading Colossians, bring out and prominently display a collection of everyday items such as a lunch box or bookbag, pieces of sports equipment, an alarm clock, etc.  Remind worshipers that the holidays are about over and the activities behind each of these items are coming back.  Note that our challenge is to take all the good news and joy of Christmas back into our everyday lives.  Urge worshipers to listen to the letter to the Colossians for Christmas attitudes that we can take back into our lives or for instructions for a new year.  (The kernel for this suggestion comes from Creating Holy Spaces, by Delia Halverson and Karen Appleby).

% If you are focusing on the stories of Samuel and Jesus growing up, these verses become instructions for us as we do the work of growing up whether that work is learning to ride a bike, do our school work, deal with a bully, etc.  As we grow up we are to be kind, patient….

 

Luke 2:41-52

% Thinking out of the lectionary box:  The lectionary has us reading about Jesus at 12 today, the wise men visiting baby Jesus next week, followed by Jesus’ baptism on January 13.  That is jumping around a bit!  If your congregation does not particularly care about celebrating Epiphany on the assigned day, what about using the epiphany texts on December 30 to celebrate the visiting wise men, then this set of texts on January 6 as we all settle back into our post holiday lives, and the baptism of Jesus on January 13?  Following Jesus from baby to boy to man helps children connect all these stories to the same person who like us was born, grew up and committed himself to work.

% Whenever you read it, the whole story could be read by a 12 year old boy.  Or, it could be read by a boy and his parents.  The script below has lots of short phrases that can help convey the anxiety and confusion of the situation when well read.  So, a rehearsal might be a good idea to help this family read with the emotions of the biblical family. 

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Luke 2: 41-52

Father:  Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.

Jesus: And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.

Father:  When the festival was ended and they started to return,

Jesus:  the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,

Father:  but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey.

Mother:  Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.

Father: When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.  After three days they found him in the temple,

Jesus:  sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 

Father:  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him,

Mother:  Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

Father:  He said to them,

Jesus:  Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Father:  But they did not understand what he said to them.

Jesus: Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.

Mother:  His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Jesus:  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

                                                Based on NRSV

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JESUS MAFA. Jesus among the teachers, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48280
[retrieved November 5, 2012]. 

% Display the picture before reading the gospel.  Then pay attention to the figure of Jesus and the figures of the teachers.  Ask children what they learn about Jesus from this picture of him.  Then, repeat with the teachers.  Discuss what is the same and different in the two.  Note that they are all thinking together about questions that are very important to them.  They are thoughtful and respect each other.  Celebrate asking important questions together in your church.

% Peter Pan and the Lost Boys want to stay children forever, Wendy and her brothers enjoy the stories and games of childhood but know that they are meant to grow up and were unwilling to stay children forever.  In this story Jesus is working on growing up.

% Invite the children to illustrate the verses of “I Sing a Song of Bethlehem.”  Before giving them a divided sheet to work with, have them turn in their hymnals to the song.  Point out the beginning of each line, briefly identifying the time of each verse – birth, childhood, adult life, and the cross.  If you have a New Testament map, pointing out the four named places, suggests to the children that these are real stories about a real person who lived a real life.  Encourage them to draw stories they remember that go with each verse.  Older children can read the verses to find ideas. 

The over-the-top approach:  Make each child a booklet by folding a piece of paper in half.  In each of the four panels print one verse of the song.  If they start working on this early in the service and sing the song later in the service, they can sing from their own illustrated hymn book.

% “Once in Royal David’s City” is another good hymn choice for this story.  Before singing it, briefly summarize the first three verses and more carefully put the fourth into your own words.  For example,

The first verse is about Christmas. We know that story well right now.  The second reminds us that the baby in the manger wasn’t just any baby, but God in human skin.  The third insists that Jesus grew up just like each of us.  He had to figure out how to do things like walk – just like we do.  He got bobos – we get lots of those.  He had happy days and sad days – just like us.  The last verse looks ahead.  Not only was Jesus with God before he was born, Jesus is with God forever.  Jesus/God is always with us, even after we die.  That’s a lot in one song.  Let’s sing it all together.