Year A - Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 26, 2014)

Both Old Testament readings include references to the light.  “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”  If you have not already explored light as part of Epiphany, these readings offer you an opportunity to do so.  Go to Epiphany (Year A) to find suggestions for exploring light with children.

Isaiah 9:1-4

* Sun Bread, by Elisa Kleven, could be read as a meditation on the light in Isaiah or it could be read to the bickering Corinthians encouraging them to become more like light.  In either case, take time to look into the windows around town on the second page.  Name all the unhappiness/darkness you see in each window.  Read the Daily Sunless Times sign at the bottom of the page.  With that as background, you can read the remainder of the book rather quickly, perhaps stopping to look in each of the windows noting the changes from what was in them earlier and read the Sun Times sign on the town picture near the end of the book.  After reading the last page about who bakes the sunbread, ponder God’s gift of light and the ways we share light too.  If you celebrate Communion today, point to the loaf or bring it down and identify it as sunbread.  (While many children will not make detailed connections between the two breads, they might begin to think of communion bread as sunbread – or bread that shares God’s light.  Adults might look for more detailed connections.  Both work well.)

Psalm 27:1, 4-9

* The psalmist celebrates ways God is present in many different situations in life.  Invite the children forward to help you highlight these situations using posture.  Read several phrases explaining each one and assuming with the children the described posture for that situation.  Then reread the verses leading the children through the postures as you read.  If it fits in the service at this point complete the reading with a one or two sentence prayer thanking God for being with us always.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

     whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life:

     of whom shall I be afraid?

Stand tall, head up, hands folded across your chest

He will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;

He will conceal me under the cover of his tent…

Curl up in a little ball as if hiding with a blanket over your head

He will set me high on a rock

Stoop down as if looking over the edge of a high place.  Imagine seeing flood waters or a battle going on below you

Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me

And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Stand tall with your heads held high.

On the last phrase throw your hands above your head in praise.

“Come” my heart says, “seek God’s face!”

Hand over heart

Your face, Lord do I seek.

Do not hide your face from me

Open hands on either side of a face tilted up.

From NRSV

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1 Corinthians 1:10 - 17

* Remember all of the fine things Paul said about the people of Corinth at the beginning of his letter last week.  This week he isn’t so complimentary.  So, gather the children around the pulpit Bible, recall what you learned last week about this letter and then read the verses dramatically.  Almost overstate the “I belong to”s to emphasize the cattiness of what was being said. 

* The people in Corinth were bickering.  In the middle of the dark cold days of winter, cooped up in the house with no big holidays to look forward to, it is easy to bicker.  Talk about all the silly fights that get picked in the back seats of cars or in the back room when it’s too nasty to go outside and everyone is bored.  Briefly outline the usual advice in such situations, i.e. whenever some says "I am better than you" or "my WHATEVER is better than your WHATEVER", just shrug your shoulders and say “who cares?”  Don’t get drawn into a silly argument.  Paul gave similar advice to the people in Corinth.  He said that it didn’t matter who had baptized whom.  What did matter is that all were baptized followers of Jesus.  End of silly argument.

* This is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  So pray for all the denominations and/or churches in your area.  Be as specific as possible so children will recognize the names and connect them to churches their friends attend. 

If you gather prayer requests as a congregation, take time to get worshipers of all ages to call out the names of other churches in the area.  Note informally any activities you share with this or that congregation as it is named.  Then, pray for neighboring churches.

In a Children’s Time gather the names of the churches, identify what you do together, and hear who has a friend who goes to a named church.  Then, offer a prayer for all the congregations.  Pray for individual well-being and for community cooperation.  Ask God’s blessing on them all.

Assign Worship Homework:  Encourage worshipers to pay attention to the churches they pass as they drive around this week.  (It is rather like collecting license plates from other states.)  Instruct them to be sure they know the names of the churches.  Ask yourself or your passengers who you know who is part of that church and what you may have done with people in that church.  Families may want to work on pronouncing the names of denominations.  Offer a short prayer for each church.

* There are several child-friendly hymns about unity that might be chosen for this day.

“Blest Be the Tie That Binds” has simple words.  Still, walk through the verses putting some phrases into your own words.  Then ask the congregation to “bind themselves together” by holding hands or putting a hand on a neighbor’s shoulder.  (Creativity is required to do this AND hold a hymnbook!)

“In Christ There Is No East or West” focuses on the division between East and West.  Before singing it imagine other pairs that meet in Christ, , i.e. In Christ there are …

… no athletes or geeks

…no “ins” or “outs”

…no young or old

…you (or worshipers) name other pairs….

“I Am the Church” is an Avery and Marsh song that is frequently sung in church school and children’s activities.  If your children know the chorus and the motions that go with it, invite them to teach it to the congregation.  Then sing the two verses that are key for today.  Find the words at http://www.hymnary.org/hymn/UMH/558 .

* With very young children, explore the unity of all people with the simple book, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox.  The differences in a series of pairs of babies are pointed out.  Each one ends “as everyone knows they each had ten little fingers and ten little toes.”  Insist that each of the people in the church in Corinth had ten little fingers and ten little toes.  The same is true in your own church and in your town, country, even the world.

* Or, scroll back up to today’s Isaiah reading for directions for reading Sun Bread, by Elisa Kleven.  The bickering Corinthians really needed this book!

 

Matthew 4:12-23

* I know verses 13-17 are important to Matthew and his Jewish readers, but they are incomprehensible to today’s children.  Before the reader can get to the stories about Jesus starting his ministry and the calling of the fishing disciples, the children get lost and tune out.  So, for the sake of the children, consider omitting verses 13-17.

* A boat (a wooden rowboat is best, but any boat will do – even a canoe, if that is what is available) filled with nets in the front of the sanctuary immediately grabs the attention of young worshipers.  If you can’t get the boat, drape the pulpit and central table in string fishing net.  There are several ways to use these props.

Simply point to them before reading the gospel announcing that in today’s story there is a boat and some fishermen.

At some point note the nets and describe how they are used to catch fish.  If you generally use projected images, project pictures of people fishing with nets to show worshipers how it works.  Then, ponder the equipment needed to fish for people – a Bible, a text message device (for communicating with others), even a Meals On Wheels cooler (to reach people by caring for them), etc.  If you do this as a Children’s Time add each item to the boat – or place them in front of the boat where they will be visible for the remainder of the service.

* Fishing requires strong able hands.  Fishers have to be strong enough to haul in a net full of fish and nimble enough to mend nets when they got snagged.  They have to be able to quickly clean lots of fish to get them to market.   Fishing for people also requires strong able hands.  You have to be able shake hands, pat people on the back, reach out to let people know you care, tend to the needs of people, etc.  

 

* The FISH is a symbol for Jesus and for the church.  Tell the story of its use as a secret sign during Roman persecution of Christians.  A Christian could casually draw a two line fish in a dusty road with a sandal.  If the person they were talking with was a Christian, that person could also draw a fish in the dust.  If the person was not a Christian, the sign would not even be noticed.  Then, note that one reason it made a good symbol because the job of the church is to fish for people.

Point out any fish symbols in your sanctuary and connect them to fishing for people.

* Two more hymns children enjoy singing today:

“Jesus Calls Us O’er The Tumult” is an old hymn that refers to the call of the fishing disciples in simple language.  Many verses end with a call from Jesus to us today, e.g. “Christian, love me more than these.”  Find the words and hear the music at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/e/jesuscus.htm .

“Tu Has Venido a la Orilla” (Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore) tells the story of the call of the fishing disciples.  Verse 3 refers to the hands of the fishers.  With its Hispanic music and language (most hymnals print the verses in both English and Spanish) the song also ties to the 1 Corinthians message about celebrating what holds us together rather than what divides us.

 

* A challenge:  If all the talk is about fisherMEN, all the little girls will assume that the call to fish is not for them.   So, hard as it is, try to speak of “fishing disciples,” “people who fish,” and the job “fishing”, in addition to “fishermen.”   

Why Children Need to Get to Church on Christmas Eve/Day

In most families Christmas Eve and Day are busy, chaotic times.  It is not easy to get a family that includes overly-excited children to church.  But, it is worth the effort.  Children (and their parents) actually need it.  The church helps when it articulates for parents clear reasons to make the effort.  Here is my starter list of reasons. 

 

To hear the story read or told in an important way on the “night it happened” – Children like hearing the story of their birth on their birthday and celebrating other big events on “the very day it happened.”  So, the story which may have been acted out in a pageant and discussed in church school and read at home, feels more “real” when read on Christmas Eve or Day in the sanctuary.

 

To go to church at night – These days children are at church most often during the day.  To go at night to a decorated, even candle-lit church is almost magical.  When the family makes this an important part of Christmas – even in the middle of the chaos – just being there reminds children what is most important about Christmas.

 

To be with a crowd telling the  story – Joining church friends in a packed sanctuary reminds children that this story is something bigger than just their family traditions.  They are part of a huge family of families who celebrate Jesus’ birth.

 

To sing the carols at least one more time – Not many families sing together at home and not many children’s groups sing religious carols any more.  That means we need to be intentional about singing with the carols with the children.  And, who would want to miss singing “Silent Night” in the Christmas Eve sanctuary while hugging your child!

 

To create a context in which to discover the truth about Santa – If Santa is all there is to Christmas Eve once children learn “the truth,” Christmas is just a greedy gift grab.  But, if Christmas Eve has always circled around the story of Jesus told in the sanctuary, the truth about Santa can be fit into that context and the  Christmas celebration gets richer.

 

To create memories - Worshiping on Christmas Eve or Day as a family creates over the years a treasure trove of memories.  Some of them shine with wonder.  Others make for eye-rolling stories that are retold every Christmas.  These memories are precious for both the children as they mature and the parents as they age.

 

What would you add?

 

NOTE: Yes, I posted this about this time last year, but it seemed worth rerunning.  My plan now is to edit in some of the good comments on the Facebook page to make it "new and improved" for next year.  Add your suggestions here for the good of the whole community.

Year A - Second Sunday after Epiphany, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 19, 2014)

Isaiah 49:1-7

> Reading this text in which the speaker is telling a story and within the story quoting God extensively requires practice.  The reader needs to imagine himself (or herself, but in this case probably himself) speaking dramatically before a large crowd. 

>  In verse 6 the task of the servant Israel is to be a light to the nations.  Explaining to literal thinking children what it means for either God or people to be light is not easy.  Describing the difference lanterns, flashlights, even candles make in a dark room or at night is easy enough.  But, connecting that difference with the difference kind words and deeds of love and mercy make is quite a stretch.  Children’s brains simply have not developed the necessary transference ability to do this. 

>  Instead use this as an opportunity for some worship education about the use of candles in worship.  If you did not do so on Epiphany Sunday, describe how your congregation uses candles in worship and the significance of what you do.  If you involve acolytes in lighting the candles describe their leadership role.  If you do this before the call to worship, have a special candle lighting liturgy for today, maybe –

*********************************************************************************************

Leader:  Isaiah said “the people who lived in darkness have seen a great light.”  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” 

Congregation:  We light this candle /these candles to remind us of God’s love and presence with us. 

All:  Let us worship God.

*********************************************************************************************

>  Without getting tangled up in the “light to the nations” image, explore Isaiah’s insistence that God doesn’t want us just to look out for ourselves, our church, and our community, but to be concerned for everyone in the whole world.  Reread just verse 6, putting some of the ideas into your own words.  Then,

Describe at least one way your congregation reaches out to people far away.  If possible select an activity in which children are involved, such as packing disaster relief kits.

Think together of a prayer to offer for the people who live on each continent.  (Trace your prayer journey on a globe or world map.)  Then offer those prayers.

 

Psalm 40:1-11

>  Children quickly get lost in this long song.  The important thing for them is that the psalmist promises to sing God’s praises and to talk about what God has done.  Readers are invited to join in.

Like the psalmist children can sing God’s praises.  Singing songs praising God with others at church and singing songs praising God on their own are important disciplines to cultivate.  Today children are more likely to listen to music than to sing it.  Encourage them to sing by telling stories in which singing is important and by doing a lot of congregational singing during worship today.  Assign worshipers a familiar hymn (maybe the Doxology) you have sung and discussed in worship today to sing in the car on their way home.  (Encourage them to do this whether they are singing a solo or with a “choir”.)

Children can also speak up on God’s behalf every day.  Tell the children “a secret you think the psalmist knew.”  Saying something out loud to other people makes it more real than just thinking it.  As examples describe telling someone you love them rather than just thinking it, saying “this is a really great dinner!” rather than just thinking it, or talking with others you are with about how beautiful a spot (maybe the Grand Canyon or a cozy fire in your own fireplace or a clear starry night) is rather than just thinking it to yourself.  Then, talk about what happens when you tell friends something you know about God or Jesus or when you insist that you know something the group is thinking of doing is either wrong or very right. 

>  This weekend the psalmist reminds us of Martin Luther King who spoke to the American nation on God’s behalf of the injustices being endured by African Americans.   He said, “I have a dream…” but he meant “God has a dream and will make it come true.”   His words about this dream inspired people to make difficult changes to right the injustices.  King and his followers also sang songs, spirituals that echoed his words.  Together the speaking and singing of God is powerful.  King spoke to and sang with millions of people.  Few of us do that.  But, we can sing songs for God and we can speak up among our friends.  We can stand up for God’s ways and point out when people are starting to do things that are wrong.  Martin Luther King had to be brave to speak up for God and so do we. 

Sing one or more of the spirituals that were sung during the civil rights movement such as “We Shall Overcome,” “Go Tell it On The Mountain,” “This Little Light of Mine,” and “We Shall not be Moved.”

 

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

>  For the next seven weeks we will be reading from 1 Corinthians.  This may be the first generation of children who need to learn what a letter is.  Strange, but true!  They are increasingly used to communicating in short emails, tweets, or IMs that are sent quickly, read and generally deleted.  They have little experience with a several page letter that was carefully composed, read and reread, and then kept to be read repeatedly in the future.  So before reading from this letter, take time to explore what the letter was and meant to the early Christians.

Bring a stamped envelope containing a several page handwritten letter, a smart phone displaying an email or text message, and the pulpit Bible opened to the beginning of 1 Corinthians.  You might even mention the way Harry Potter and other wizards communicated with messages carried by owls.  Talk about the similarities and differences in each one.  Some take more time to write.  Some are harder to deliver and take longer to reach the receiver.  Some are considered more worth saving to reread and to share with others.  Explain that Corinthians is a letter sent from Paul to the Christians in Corinth and that they thought it was so important that they saved it, copied it, and shared it with others.  

 

From Wikimedia Commons

Display pictures of Corinthian ruins and modern day Corinth and have a map on hand to point out where Corinth is.  Ask if anyone in the congregation has been to Corinth.  The point is simply to realize that Corinth is a real place with real people. 

Briefly introduce Paul telling how he knew the people in Corinth.  Point out some of his other letters to other churches in the Bible.

Read verse 2 that tells to whom the letter is sent.  Stop as you get to the parts that describe the saints beyond Corinth.  “Hey, wait!  That is us.  We are….  You and you are…   We have mail!”

Then invite worshipers to listen to what Paul says as the letter begins.

>  If you are going to explore the gifts Paul recognized in the members of the church in Corinth and in us, offer children a worksheet printed with a large gift box.  Invite them to write about or draw into the boxes some of the gifts/abilities/talents God has given them.  Point out that God wants them to use those gifts to love other people in the world.  Invite them to drop their drawings into the offering plates as a way of thanking God for those gifts or to share them with you as they leave the sanctuary.  Suggest that in one part of the box they draw a cross or a heart for the gift of God’s love.

Feel free to use this or create your own on this pattern

 

John 1:29-42

>  Next Sunday’s gospel is Matthew’s account of the call of the fishing disciples.  Attentive children will be surprised by these apparently contradictory accounts and ask questions about which is true.  Rather than dig into that in the sanctuary, it might be better to read only one of these versions of the story this year.

LAMB OF GOD   SON OF GOD   MESSIAH   RABBI

> Names are important to children.  In this story John gives Jesus 3 names – Lamb of God, Son of God and Messiah.  Andrew gives him another one – Rabbi (or Teacher).  At the end Jesus gives Simon a new name – Cephas or Peter.  With their new names both Jesus and Simon Peter start out on something very new.  It is almost like Harry Potter being told he is not a stupid kid who lives under the stairs, but is a wizard and being invited to learn the skills that will make him a great wizard.

> Lamb of God is a nickname or a symbol for Jesus.  But, it is a hard one for children to understand.  To understand the Passover connection it will be necessary to retell that story.  To make the connection to the thank offerings, it will be necessary to explain the thinking behind that practice to children to whom it tends to sound cruel and weird.   Instead, simply introduce Lamb of God as a nickname or mascot for Jesus.

If your sanctuary includes Lamb of God images, point them out and simply say that they remind us of Jesus. 

Point out in the worship bulletin the places you will pray, say or sing “Lamb of God” today.  Maybe suggest that children underline the name every time they find it in the bulletin.  Then instruct them to think “Jesus” as they use the term.
 

> Eyes are important.  Using them well to really see is even more important!  John the Baptist saw and knew who Jesus was when he came to be baptized.  When Andrew and another of John the Baptist’s disciples asked to join Jesus, Jesus replied “Come and see.”  And they saw a lot in the years that followed!  Use this story to urge children to really see or pay attention to people and to what is happening around them.  Point out that many people saw Jesus.  At first only John the Baptist saw who Jesus really was.  Several people heard John point Jesus out and tell who he was, but only 2 of them went after Jesus.  Likewise, hundreds of people saw Jesus heal people and feed the crowd, but only a few stayed around to live the way Jesus wanted them to live. 

At the end of this discussion touch the eyes of each child saying “God, bless NAME’s eyes.  Help him/her really see you.”  Or, have the entire congregation bless each other’s eyes in the pews.

> This is a story about people who told others what they knew and introduced their friends to important people.  John pointed out Jesus to his disciples.  Andrew brought his brother to meet Jesus.  They each about Jesus in everyday situations to people they knew.  Challenge children to be like them and to speak up to their friends and siblings at home or school or wherever they are.

Year A - The Baptism of the Lord (January 12, 2014)

Because it is “Baptism of the Lord” Sunday the first obvious worship theme is baptism, both that of Jesus and our own.  (If you are going this way, jump to the Matthew text below.)  But the texts also call for a review of Jesus life.  And, they introduce the Epiphany emphasis on Jesus being for all people everywhere rather than just those like us.  So there are lots of choices here.

For a totally different take on these texts:  Laura Dykstra at Voices of Truth insists that today’s texts are all about voices and using them to tell what we know.  So before the call to worship urge listeners of all ages to listen for voices in today’s readings, songs and prayers.  Even distribute lists of voice references to listen for and check off as they are heard – sort of a worship treasure hunt.  Gather the children near the end of worship to discuss what they have heard, restate the basic message, and encourage them to use their voices well during the coming week.

The Texts

Isaiah 42:1-9

> The Roman Catholic lectionary omits verses 5, 8, and 9.  The result is a shorter more focused reading.  If you are willing to make a totally Christian interpretation of this Old Testament text, read it immediately after the gospel story introducing it is as God’s “proud parent speech” about Jesus.

from Wikipedia Commons

> Use these verses to explore God’s amazing approach to bringing justice.  God does not stomp on the “bad guys” or those who make life difficult for everyone else.  God works gently with them to change them.  Celebrate this about God AND insist that God wants us to use the same plan when we deal with “bad guys” or unfair situations.  (As I write this, the news is full of remembrances of Nelson Mandela.  Certainly, he was a man who exemplified this approach.  His story makes immediate sense to children.)

> Isaiah’s description of the Suffering Servant of God can be seen as a either a description of or a job description for Jesus.  Walk through it verse by verse with children helping them understand some of the poetic images and connecting those images to stories about Jesus.  Point out that these were verses Jesus knew and may have thought about as he decided to be baptized and begin the work God asked him to do.

 

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!)

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

> Go to Baptism of the Lord (Year A) for suggestions that explore this storm.  There are directions for creating a stormy coloring sheet and suggestions for accompanying the reading with small percussion instruments or people using their hands to make a sequence of storm sounds.  (If you sit on wooden backed pews, the second produces a truly awesome sound!) 

> Or use the script below to include the whole congregation in following the coming of the storm, its full power and its receding into the distance.  Before reading it, remind people of scary storms and the quiet afterward when we can reflect on God’s power that is even greater than the power of a storm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Psalm 29

A Very Stormy Psalm

ALL GROUPS

¹     Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

²     Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

worship the Lord in holy splendor.

GROUP 1

³     The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord, over mighty waters.

⁴     The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

GROUPS 1 and 2

⁵     The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶     He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

GROUPS 1, 2, and 3

⁷     The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

⁸     The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

GROUPS 1, 2, and 3 even louder

⁹     The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,

and strips the forest bare;

and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

PAUSE

ALL GROUPS VERY QUIETLY

¹⁰   The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

¹¹   May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

                                                        NRSV

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Acts 10:34-43

> A couple of answers to the “how much do I read” question:

The Roman Catholic lectionary calls for only verses 35-38 which makes the reading shorter for children and more focused on Jesus’ concern for whole world.

Both these readings stop before Peter baptizes Cornelius and his household.  Add verses 44-48 to provide a second baptism story to the day.

> This sermon was preached as Peter met, ate with, and baptized the gentile Cornelius.  The whole story is more concisely presented in Acts 11:1-18.  Go to Fifth Sunday in Easter (Year C) for lots of ideas about presenting and exploring the whole story with its emphasis on Jesus being for all people of all races and cultures.

> The context of Peter’s summary of the gospel is preaching to the gentiles for the first time.  Peter prefaces his summary with “I realize that God has no partiality” or “I know now that God treats everyone the same” or “God doesn’t play favorites.”  There are better texts to explore this truth with children.  But, if that partiality is to be the focus of worship, explore it with children as follows:

Ask who God loves more

- students with good grades or those with not-so-
   good grades
- rich people or poor people
- people who wear cool clothes or people who always
  look weird
- athletes or nerds

Conclude that God made and loves all these people equally.  These people are God’s loved children.  We are to treat every person we meet as God’s loved child and we are to remember that we are God’s loved child.  (This could be developed into a low key anti-bullying pitch and/or “remember who you are when you are being bullied” pitch.)

> Dr. Seuss tells the story of a silly division between the star bellied sneetches and the plain bellied sneetches.  Both kinds of sneetches, like Peter, had to learn that they were all valuable.  Find this tale at the public library in Sneetches: And Other Stories, by Dr. Seuss.

> For children, today is the hinge between all the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany of Jesus the Baby and the stories of Jesus the adult that will dominate worship from now until Easter.  They both enjoy and need help stringing the stories together so that they feel they know all of Jesus.  Peter’s sermon offers a good summary.  If you did not do this on the First Sunday After Christmas, today present a series of pictures of Jesus including birth, baptism, teaching, healing, calling fishermen or Zacchaeus, the cross, and resurrection.  Pictures may come from the church school teaching picture file, enlarged pictures from Bible story books or projected images collections.  As you present each picture ask who is in it and what they are doing.  This is both a chance to rehearse the whole story of Jesus and an opportunity for a little worship education about the seasons of worship.  Note how you celebrated birth at Christmas, will celebrate resurrection on Easter and will be telling stories about Jesus every Sunday between Christmas and Easter.  (If you do this, look ahead to Jesus stories during the next few months to include in your summary story this morning.)

> “O Sing A Song of Bethlehem” and “I Danced in the Morning” are songs that trace Jesus' life and celebrate all of Jesus' life on the day of his baptism.  Before singing one of them, point out the connection to Peter’s sermon and invite worshipers to follow the story of Jesus’ life in the verses.

> If you use the Apostle’s Creed in worship, this is a good day to highlight the section on Jesus.  Walk through the words adding brief comments about each phrase as you go.  Then, invite worshipers to claim the phrases with a litany.  A worship leader reads each phrase with the congregation responding, “I believe in Jesus.”

Matthew 3:13-17

Reading about Jesus’ baptism often leads to exploring baptism in general.  There are lots of interesting ways to do that with children in the sanctuary.

> 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.

 

> 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 as they pass through those curtains every time they appear people can remember and thank God for their own baptism.  In the charge and benediction, remind worshipers to do so as they leave the sanctuary today.  If you have a children’s time, explain the practice and lead the children out the doors and back through the curtains. 

> 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.  Show several baptismal certificates for members of the congregation.

> Sing a baptismal hymn for Jesus today.  If your congregation regularly sings one at baptisms, talk about its meaning and then sing if for Jesus today.  Two baptism hymns that are child accessible:

“Child of Blessing, Child of Promise” - Read verse 1 noting how it is true for Jesus and for every person baptized.  Then read verse 4 noting the same is true.  Jesus had to learn to listen for God’s call and to love and laugh and trust God more than all.  So do we.  (I’d skip verses 2 and 3 to focus everyone’s attention and for the sake of brevity.)

 

Feel free to copy this.

“Christ When For Us You Were Baptized” – To point out the connection of the first three verses to the story of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew, give each child a sheet of paper with the hymn words printed in the middle.  Point to the highlighted words and phrases promising that they will hear them in the story of Jesus’ baptism.  Read (or reread) the biblical story challenging them to raise a hand each time they hear one of the phrases each time they hear it.  Point out that the first three verses are about Jesus’ baptism and the fourth is about ours.  Repeat the highlighted phrase in the fourth verse and briefly discuss what that means.  Then challenge the children to illustrate all those words about Jesus’ baptism around the edges of the sheet.  Invite them to post their sheets at an agreed upon place (baptismal font, altar rail, door to sanctuary, even your office door) at the end of the service.  This could be done as a children’s time or could be tied to the reading of the gospel for the day.  In either case the congregation should sing the song shortly thereafter.

 

 

from Wikipedia Commons

> What is different and the same with Jesus’ baptism and ours.  Meet at the font, show a photo of Jordan River.  Note all the differences in where Jesus was baptized and where most of us are baptised.  Then read “You are my beloved Son” and note the sameness of what God said to Jesus and says to us at our baptisms.

> Invite worshipers to dip their fingers into the water of the font saying “I am the beloved child of God.”  Or, place a mirror in the baptismal font and have children (or all worshipers) look into it saying the phrase.

> Challenge children to do as Martin Luther did - when they wash their face each morning, say “I am God’s loved child.” You might demonstrate with a bowl of water for a children’s time, and invite one or two children to do the same.  (Remember to provide towels.)

> Water Came 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.  Can anyone point us to other good baptism books to read in worship to children?

> If your congregation practices infant baptism and most baptisms are infant baptisms, this story introduces the idea that older folks can be baptized, too.  Tell the story of Jesus’ baptism.  Then, tell about an adult being baptized.  Note that when babies are baptized they do not understand what is going on.  Everyone else remembers that God loves us even before we can know it.  When youth and adults are baptized, they know what they are doing.  They decide to become followers of Jesus.  Be sure to point out that people who were baptized as babies, get their chance to say publicly that they want to follow Jesus when they are older and explain when that happens, e.g. in the Presbyterian church it is at confirmation .  (Do this for idealistic older children who are looking for a chance to take a public stand.  Be sure these children know that their parents have not robbed them of that opportunity and tell them when it will come.)

> In this story God gives Jesus a new name – Son.  Explore the importance of this and all names by listing “bad names” you have been called.  Invite worshipers to add to the list silently or aloud.  Describe the power of those names to make us “less.”  Then insist that God says the same thing to each of us that God says to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son/Daughter/Child.”  In prayer a worship leader might leave silence for people to recall bad names they have been called and bad names they have heard hurled at others.  Then, thank God for giving us the good name and pray for help in finding good names for everyone we meet.

> In many congregations, new officers are installed in early January.  In this case, Jesus’ baptism links to their installation (maybe ordination too).  Jesus in being baptized is telling God and the people around him that he is ready to undertake God’s mission.  Officers are agreeing to undertake missions to which the church is calling them.