Year C - The Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 23, 2012)

When I was a child my family relished talking about Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve Eve, even Christmas Eve Eve Eve.  I suspect it started with my parents trying to explain what “eve” means when paired with a holiday.  Now that the youngest sibling is approaching 60 we continue the practice and often expand it to include the days before any holiday or big event.  So for us this Sunday is Christmas Eve Eve.  I suspect that even those who do not use our terminology will share that feeling.  With Christmas falling on Tuesday many families will take advantage of the really long weekend to visit family.  That means many of the regulars will be away and many out-of-towners will be joining you for worship.  Some families will decide to worship today and skip Christmas Eve.  Others will skip today knowing that they will come tomorrow.  And, still others will not even consider skipping either one of these high holy day services.  So, we will not know who will be in the congregation until after worship.  That can make planning “interesting.”

'''' Given this calendar and how it might affect worship, rather than focus on the Mary’s visit and song, which probably feel rather passé on this day since they follow cantatas and pageants, I would create a service proclaiming “ready or not Christmas is here.”  It is time to get down to priorities, to cross the less important things off the list, to deal with what really counts.  Read Luke 2:1-5 and 7c to set the stage.  Then explore how Mary, Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds, and the magi responded to calls to turn aside from what they were doing to deal with something they knew was more important.  The challenge to worshipers is to do the same in the next few days and beyond.  If you have a crèche in the sanctuary, pick up and comment on each character as you work through their decisions.  This could be a children’s sermon or could be expanded to be the “real” sermon. 

Develop this theme further using one of the folk tales about people who were invited to join the magi as they traveled, but did not go at the moment.  Only later did they go and spend the rest of their lives trying to take gifts to children in the name of the Christ child.  Try The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie de Paola or Babushka, by Arthur Scholey.

This could also be the starting point for the Eve service.

'''' Statement before lighting the Advent wreath:

If focusing on Mary:  Mary sang, "Rejoice in the Lord for God has done and is doing marvelous things!"  God help us like Mary and Elizabeth recognize you at work in our world and work with you.

OR

If focusing on ready or not:  God, today we light the fourth candle of Advent to remind ourselves to watch for your light in surprising places every day of our lives.  Be with us and help us join you at work in this world.

Micah 5:2-5a

'''' Point to Bethlehem on a map.  Describe it as a very small town.  Compare it to a small town in your area.  Then, especially if you preached on it during the summer, recall King David.  Briefly retell the story of Samuel going at God’s direction to little no-place Bethlehem to find the next king and then going through 7 big brothers before calling in the baby brother who had been left tending the sheep and anointing him king.  With a laugh say, “Guess what?  It happened again!”  Describe how Mary and Joseph end up not just in Bethlehem, but in a barn in Bethlehem on a force trip to pay hated taxes.  The point is that God shows up in some surprising places – even in Bethlehem.  So, we should expect to find God at work in surprising places today too.  God even shows up at school, at your house, while you are on a road trip…..  Thank God for being with us and challenge worshipers to watch for God at work all around them.

'''' Especially if you live in a small town or rural area, light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath for God who shows up in surprising out of the way places.

Statement to read while lighting the candle:  God, we light this fourth candle of the Advent wreath thinking about little Bethlehem where Jesus was born.  Be with us as we work and play every day.  Help us see you at work all around us and show us how we can work with you.

Sing a carol about Bethlehem that children can sing easily.

''''  “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” is full of simple concrete language describing the way God “the Lord of all” appeared in Bethlehem.

'''' The words of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” are harder for children.  If you walk through the first verse pointing out what different phrases are saying about Bethlehem and pointing to the last line’s insistence that in quiet, little, Bethlehem, everything people had hoped for and dreamed of came true when Jesus was born, children will be encouraged to sing along and will catch the meaning of some of the other phrases as they sing.

'''' Though “Bethlehem” does not appear in “Once in Royal David’s City,” the song is all about what happened in that quiet, normal spot.  The language is totally young reader friendly.   In many congregations with children’s choirs, it is the children’s job to sing at least the first verse of this carol each year.  In some churches the whole choir sings.  In others a smaller group is chosen.  In such choirs, the children consider it a great honor to be chosen to sing this.  Such traditions help children learn a story telling carol and tie them to the congregation in which they sing it.

Luke 1:47 -55

This is also part of the gospel reading for today.  You will find ideas for these verses there.

or Psalm 80:1-7

On Christmas Eve Eve, this psalm doesn’t have a chance of speaking to the children. 

Hebrews 10:5-10

On Christmas Eve Eve the children want to hear the story.  This text’s message that Jesus will grow up to die and that his death will make all the sacrifices in the Temple unnecessary doesn’t stand a chance of getting through to children in their holiday high. 

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

'''' Today’s gospel text is Mary and Elizabeth’s visit and Mary’s song.  As I said earlier, I would use it on the Third Sunday of Advent rather than today.  But, if you do use it today or sometime else during Advent, add the story of the annunciation to make introductions unnecessary and to set the stage for the meeting and song.  Bring the whole story to life by having it read by a narrator (probably the liturgist), Gabriel (a man), Mary (an older teenage girl), and Elizabeth (an older woman).  The Narrator reads from the lectern.  Mary and Elizabeth step forward from the congregation at the appropriate times.  Gabriel stands in the front – maybe the choir loft?  All read from scripts held in folders.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Luke 1:26-66

Narrator (reading from the lectern):  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  (Mary takes a place in the front a little to one side where she can see Gabriel. If possible have her stand higher and further back than she will stand for the conversation with Elizabeth.) And he came to her and said,

Gabriel (standing near the rear of the chancel):   Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. 

Narrator:  But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.  So the angel said,

Gabriel:  Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.   He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary:  How can this be, since I am a virgin?

Gabriel:  The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.   And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.

Mary:  Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.

Narrator:  Then the angel departed from her.  (Gabriel sits down or leaves the chancel)  Shortly thereafter Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  (Elizabeth comes forward from the congregation and Mary moves to join Elizabeth at a central location, maybe on the main floor.)  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry,

Elizabeth (Elizabeth reaches out to touch Mary as she speaks):  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?  For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.

Mary(turns from Elizabeth to face the congregation as she speaks.  Rehearse with Mary to help her present a feisty reading that fits with the words):

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Narrator: And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.  (Mary and Elizabeth return to their seats in the congregation.)  This is the Word of the Lord!

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'''' Check out Jim Taylor’s paraphrase of the Magnificat with my favorite lines, “God did not say, ‘She’s just a girl’.” And “the rich, for all their wealth and status, can go suck lemons.”  Go to Rumors: A Worship Blog and scroll a long way down the post to “The Magnificat – paraphrased by Jim Taylor.”

 He, Qi. The Visitation, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=46125
[retrieved June 21, 2012] 

'''' On a weekend with lots of family gatherings, this story says that when Mary was hit by something overwhelming she went to talk with good ol’ Cousin Elizabeth.  Just as God sent Moses out with his brother Aaron and sister Miriam, God teams up Mary and Elizabeth so each has an important family member with whom to share her task.  I suspect that Gabriel mentioned Elizabeth to Mary as much because he knew Mary liked and respected her as because she was pregnant too.  They were old family friends.  Later Elizabeth’s son John would pass his ministry on to his cousin, Mary’s son Jesus.  And, I’d bet that was easier because those boys probably spent some of their childhood playing and talking together.  Brainstorm with children who in their families they would run to if they needed to talk about something God wants them to do.  Point out how wonderful it is when families that share faith and work together to do God’s work.

'''' Scholars say that Mary is describing God by telling us what God does.  So, read through Mary’s song stopping as you go to identify what God does.  Conclude that if God is like, we do have reason to rejoice.  I’d use the CEV to do this since in uses the most child friendly verbs.

Mary said:

      With all my heart I praise the Lord,

and I am glad because of God my Savior.

God cares for me, his humble servant.

From now on, all people will say

God has blessed me.

God All-Powerful has done great things for me,

and his name is holy.

He always shows mercy

to everyone who worships him.

The Lord has used his powerful arm

to scatter those who are proud.

God drags strong rulers from their thrones

and puts humble people in places of power.

God gives the hungry good things to eat,

and sends the rich away with nothing.

God helps his servant Israel

and is always merciful to his people.

The Lord made this promise to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his family forever!

                                          CEV

'''' If you have a Chrismons tree, with the children find the rose ornament.  Explain that the rose has become Mary’s symbol over the years.  No one knows exactly why.  There is no story about Mary and a rose. 

'''' Go to Year B - Fourth Sunday of Advent for more ideas about the Annunciation. 

Year B - The Second Sunday in Lent (March 4, 2012)

Today’s featured cross may be metal crosses on communion ware or the verbal ones in the communion liturgy.  Or, it may be cross stickers reminding wearers to take up their crosses to follow Jesus.  Look for them all below.

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Have this text read by the oldest member or by the oldest man (vss 1-7) and oldest woman (vss 15-16) in the congregation.  If needed take a Bible and microphone to him/her/them in the pews so that they can read from there.  If you had a boy read the story of Samuel a few weeks ago, ask that boy to come forward.  Recall God’s call to Samuel while he was a young boy.  Then call the elder/s forward or send the boy to hold the microphone for them as they read about God’s call to some very old people.  Thank all three of them and send them back to their seats.  This sets you up to explore God’s call to us at all ages of our lives.

Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, by Mo Willems, tells of a loving dinosaur who bakes cookies for everyone and is generally happy and loved.  Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie, however, insists to everyone that she is extinct.  No one will listen to him – except gentle kind Edwina, who hears him out and says he is right, but simply doesn’t care.  The two leave together to bake more cookies.  This might be the beginning of a sermon about faith.  Abraham and Sarah should have known they couldn’t have a baby at 100.  And, we should know that God can’t change this world into a kingdom of peace and love.  Some people say the church is extinct – but…. Abraham, Sarah, and we move on in faith.  From this light hearted start, a preacher could delve into more complicated concerns.  But it is one good starting place.  (Reading time: a minimum of 4 minutes, but probably a bit longer because some of the pictures have no words but do tell part of the story.)

This is the second covenant for Lent.  (Recall what a covenant is bringing out the word poster from last week.)  In today’s covenant God promises Abraham and Sarah that they will be parents of a great family that will actually grow into many nations.  For children the promise is that we will always be part of a family or community.  We will not be on our own.  Point out some of the ways the church is a family welcoming babies, telling and celebrating the stories, taking care of each other when life gets hard (casseroles, visits, driving help, and other specifics make this real), being with us and our families when we die.  God promises this big family is always there for us.  The only way we can end up totally alone is to choose not to participate. 

Abraham and Sarah are featured the second week of Lent each year.  Go to Year A - The Second Sunday in Lent for additional ideas about their faith.

Psalm 22:23-31

Verses 27-31 provide a worship education opportunity.  Read the verses stopping as you go to put into your own words who will praise the Lord (all the families of all the nations living on the earth today, those who have died, generations yet to be born).  Then, point out that during the prayers before communion we re-enact praising God with all those people.  If you follow a prayer book, point out

“We praise you, joining our voices with the heavenly choirs and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name:”  Then practice the song or spoken chorus your congregation will use this morning.  Urge worshipers to listen for the phrase and to imagine themselves singing with all people who have ever praised God, praise God today, and will praise God in the future.  (This could be done as a children’s moment just before the sacrament or be embedded in the sermon – even the practicing!)

Romans 4:13-25 or 8:31-39

There are two big words GRACE and FAITH that preachers tend to use in combination in single sentences while unpacking this text.  Both are complex, abstract theological concepts and are hard for children to understand.  Help them by picking one to define and use today.  (You’ll have opportunities to use the other later.)   

If you choose grace, remember that to children grace is first a girl’s name, the prayer said before eating, or the ability to move beautifully.  You will have to introduce the biblical definition of grace as God’s love as a free gift with no strings attached.

If you choose faith, remember Edwina the dinosaur described under the Genesis text.  She lived on faith.

The Episcopalian and Roman Catholic lectionaries set Romans 8:31-39 with its insistence “that nothing can separate us from the love of God, neither……”  It is a good balance to Mark’s call to carry our crosses. 

Mark 8:31-38 or 9:2-9

Talk about the crosses
worn in worship with robes
AND those worn everyday

Because children think literally, they need help with Jesus’ call to take up our cross and follow him.  Cross jewelry and cross tattoos are good discussion starters.  Wearing them is one way of saying that I am a Christian.  But, simply wearing them, doesn’t make me a Christian.  I have to live like Jesus.  I have to love God every day and love the people around me even when it gets hard.

Go to Let The Children Come - Second Sunday in Lent Year B for a children’s sermon that uses riddles as a set up for exploring what it means to lose life in order to find it.  Children may not fully understand what the preacher says, but they will get glimpses of it and they will hear her admit to not fully understanding Jesus’ instructions either.

For older children Harry Potter and Voldemort are the most familiar examples of giving up your life.  Voldemort kills others in an attempt to gain everlasting life and power for himself.  He ultimately fails and is killed by his own killer curse.  Harry Potter on the other hand, willingly dies in order to save the lives of his friends.  His love saves him and he lives.  Go to Harry potter and the July Worship Planner for more details and/or read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series in which the final confrontation between the two takes place.

This text and the celebration of communion on this day provide several crosses to feature:

U After recalling that it was Valentine’s Day last month and that we celebrated love with cards, candy, and flowers, offer each worshiper a cross sticker pointing out that love is not always sweet and easy.  God loved us so much that Jesus was whipped and killed on a cross.  God calls us to love each other even when it is not easy.  It is one thing to give our brother a valentine card and another to give up playing your video game to play his stupid little kid board game.  This could be done during the offering time with some ushers passing plates to collect our money love gifts and others (maybe a children’s class) passing out the cross stickers reminding us to love God and others even when it hurts. 

U If you serve communion to people in their pews, there is often a cross on the lid of each stack of cup trays.  Point to that cross or lift one of the lids to display it to the whole congregation.  (This could be the cross of the day.)  Briefly recite what is said about what is in those cups – the blood of Christ – and what is actually in those cups – wine or grape juice.  Briefly explain that there is nothing magic about what is in the cups.  We drink it to remember that God loved us enough to get beat up and killed on a cross for us. 

Barbara Brown Taylor tells of a polite six year old at the altar rail who responded to her priest’s words about the body and blood of Christ by saying, “I don’t want any, thank you.”  This is your chance to avoid any such misgivings among the children in your congregation.

U Another worship education opportunity would be to point to the cross on the communion trays and then to introduce the congregation’s chorus “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.”  Practice it together.  Briefly recount the whole crucifixion-resurrection story and encourage worshipers to sing/say the words when they come up in Eucharist.

Transfiguration,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library,
 Nashville, TN.
 http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=49145
[retrieved February 15, 2012].Add caption

If you read Mark 9:2-9 (the transfiguration story) today, go to Year B - Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday for ideas about sharing it with children.

Year A - Proper 11, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 17, 2011)

Genesis 28:10-19a

This text needs a context to make sense.  Before hearing it, listeners need to be reminded of the feuding brothers we met last week and hear the story of Jacob and his mother tricking his father Isaac into giving him brother Esau’s blessing.  One way to do this is to invite the children forward and tell the story in your best storyteller style.  End with Rebekah hurrying Jacob away from the furious Esau out into the desert with directions to his Uncle Laban’s house – a long way away.  Then send them back to their seats to listen to what happened next as you read it from the Bible.

Genesis 28:10-19a and Psalm 139:1-12,23-24

Jacob says “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.”  The Psalmist says that God knows me completely and is with me wherever I go. 

Instead of gathering prayer concerns, gather where I will be or what I will be doing this week statements from worshipers of all ages.  Start it by describing briefly someplace you will be or something you will do during the coming week, then saying “Surely the Lord is in this place.”  Ask one or two others to say where they will be responding to each with “Surely the Lord is in this place.”  Then, hear statements from the congregation.  Depending on the number of worshipers, you (or the whole congregation) can repeat the phrase after each statement or wait until all the plans for the week are named before repeating the phrase for the group. 

The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown, is a conversation between a young bunny who is planning to run away and his mother who promises to come after him no matter where he goes.  In the end he decides he might as well stay home.  There is an easy connection between the mother bunny and God who comes after us and supports wherever we go.  It can be read aloud in 3 or 4 minutes - unless you take time to look at the art and ponder it a bit with worshipers. 

The book could be read as a bedtime story for Jacob as he falls asleep away from home with a rock for a pillow in the middle of the desert or it can be read as another poet’s version of Psalm 139.

Saint Patrick’s Breastplate is yet another way of saying what the psalmist says and what Jacob learned in the desert.  Introduce it to children by inviting them to copy your motions as you read it slowly.  Use it again at the benediction either leading the whole congregation in the movements or asking the children to come stand with you and lead the congregation in the benediction.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Christ with me (hug yourself),

Christ before me (both palms up in front of you),

Christ behind me (arms behind you),

Christ in me (hands over heart),

Christ beneath me (spread legs and firm your stance),

Christ above me (hands over head),

Christ on my right (hand out to right),

Christ on my left, (hand out to left)

Christ when I lie down

       (make a pillow with your hands and lay your head in it),

Christ when I sit down (sit down),

Christ when I arise (stand up),

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me (point to head),

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me (point to mouth),

Christ in every eye that sees me (point to eyes),

Christ in every ear that hears me (point to ears).

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Romans 8:12-25

The idea of being a full member of God’s family is the most child-accessible idea in this passage.  Do not however, expect children to hear it as the text is read.  Instead, talk about what it means to be a member of a family.  On the good days family members take care of each other and enjoy being together.  Families make their home together.  Some families run a business together, some garden together, some share interests and concerns that they work on together.  They celebrate holidays and sometimes go on vacations together.  Even on the bad days, families take care of each other and work together.  If someone in the family gets sick or if there isn’t enough money, everyone in the family is involved.  Then read the Good News Translation of verses 14-17 in which the family language is much clearer.  The key points are

1.      God doesn’t say to us that we can be God’s slaves or servants or even that God will keep us around as long as we do well.  Instead God says that we are part of the family now and forever, no matter what.

2.      Because we are part of God’s family, we can expect to enjoy the happy days in the family.  But we must also be ready to stick with the family when the going gets hard.  We have to take care of members of the family who need us and we have to stand up for the family.  When I was growing up and wanted to do something that my parents knew I should not, I often said, “but all the other kids are….” to which my father frequently replied, “but you are not all the other kids.  You are a Carter girl and the Carters do not….”

If you are also reading the story of Jacob, point out that even after all he did God did not kick Jacob out of the family.  Instead, God promised to stick with him throughout his life and even told him that through him everyone in the world would be blessed.  Jacob is a good person to remember when we feel like we should be kicked out of God’s family.

Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

Before reading this parable, display a collection of photographs of blooming plants.  Ask worshipers to identify those that are flowers and those that are weeds.  Include a few like a dandelion that are familiar weeds.  But also include some questionable ones, e.g. Queen Anne’s Lace used to be considered a weed, but is now grown in some gardens.  Conclude that is very hard to know what is weed and what is a desirable flower.  Then read the parable.

Or, challenge a gardener to create a floral display in which weeds and flowers are intermingled.  During worship have a conversation with him or her about which are which.  Note how hard it is for most people, even good gardeners, to tell them apart.  Then read the parable.

Severus Snape

In the Harry Potter books there are several evil people (total weeds), but there are many more people whose loyalties are questionable.  Severus Snape was a teacher everyone hated and seemed often to be on the side of evil.  Repeatedly during the books, Dumbledore warns Harry that his dislike of Snape may not be fair.  In the end he is proven to be a hero.  Likewise, the whole Malfoy family (Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco) in the end is left among the bystanders.  They harbored serious prejudices against all who were not pure-blooded wizards and were allied with Lord Voldemort, but they loved each other and sacrificed to save others in several crisis situations.  J. K. Rowling, like Jesus, warns people not to write other people off as “evil weeds.”  In the parable Jesus insists that it is God who judges.  We are to withhold judgment because we cannot see everything.

Year A - Proper 10, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 10, 2011)

Genesis 25:19-34

Children enjoy this story of brothers who were fighting before they were born.  Parents appreciate the story of the parents who did everything wrong by today’s standards for parents.  The whole family is a mess AND still God loves them and calls them to be God’s people.  There is a lot of hope in that for less than perfect families today. 

Do note that Joseph and the brothers who sell him into slavery show up the first two weeks in August.  Think ahead about which shared themes you will emphasize in these similar but different stories.

Ask a family with two sons who are good readers (maybe older elementary or middle school age) to read the scripted version.  Explain to them that their job is to help the listeners hear all the problems in this family.  Rehearse it with them once to show them where to stand and to encourage them to play their parts a little over the top. 

& & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Genesis 25:19-34

Reader 1 reads from the lectern and is probably the worship leader.  Isaac stands beside Rebekah in the middle, (maybe on the top step).  Esau and Jacob stand just in front of their parents (maybe one step down) and Esau closer to Isaac and Jacob closer to Rebekah.

Isaac  and   Rebekah

                  Reader 1

Esau            and                  Jacob

Reader 1:  These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac (pointing to self):  Isaac was forty years old when he married

Rebekah (pointing to herself proudly):  Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean.

Isaac: Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer,

Rebekah:  and his wife Rebekah conceived.    The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?”   So she went to inquire of the Lord.

Reader 1:  And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples born of you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

the elder shall serve the younger.”

Rebekah:  When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.

Esau (pointing to self): The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.

Jacob (raising hand as if to say that’s me): Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel (Lean down to grab Esau’s heel then stand up again); so he was named Jacob.

Isaac (proudly):  Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah bore them.

Esau (stand tall with feet planted wide):  When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field,

Jacob:  while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.

Isaac:  Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; (Put hands on Esau’s shoulders)

Rebekah:  but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Put hands on Jacob’s shoulders)

Pause  (Parents withdraw hands and boys step forward a little)

Jacob:  Once when Jacob was cooking a stew,

Esau:  Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.   Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!”

Jacob:  Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”

Esau:  Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”

Jacob:  Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

Esau:  So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Jacob:  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew,

Esau:  and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

                                               Based on the New Revised Standard Version

& & & & & & & & & & & & & &

F Before reading this text, invite the children forward to explain what a birthright was.  From a preschool room bring a collection of plastic farm animals and housekeeping equipment.  Explain that when a man died in Bible days, all his stuff was divided among his sons (sorry, daughters).  The oldest son got twice as much as any younger son.  Identify several boys as brothers.  Give half of everything to one of them and split the rest between the others.  Note that since the oldest had more than he could possibly take care of, he COULD invite the younger ones to stay at home and help him.  But, he would be the boss.  Agree with the children that this was very unfair and you are glad it doesn’t work that way today.  Then, repeat the word “birthright” and tell the children they will hear about two brothers and the older’s birthright in today’s story.  Then send them back to their seats to listen.

D Children, who hear a lot about making good choices, enjoy hearing about Esau’s really poor choice.  Esau chose what he wanted right now without thinking about what he was giving up to get it.  Parents work hard to get children to avoid making that mistake.  And, throughout our lives we all struggle with what we want right now and what is of long term value.  Two books connect neatly here.

F Way back in the first Harry Potter book, Hagrid who loved magical animals got a chance to get a dragon egg.  He really wanted to raise a dragon.  He wanted it so much that he did not think ahead.  He ignored the fact that owning dragons was illegal, that dragons grow very fast, have poisonous fangs, nasty dispositions, and breathe fire.  (Hermoine had to remind him what was likely to happen to his wood house.)  And, there was trouble.  It soon became impossible to hide the growing, rambunctious dragon.  Finally, Harry, Ron and Hermoine managed to smuggle the dragon (Norbert) out of Hogwarts to people who could get it to a safe place.  But everyone got in trouble in the process.  Hagrid finally regretted getting the egg, just as Esau eventually realized that his choice to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew was very foolish.  Unfortunately for Esau, his bad choice had much more serious long term consequences than Hagrid’s did.  (See Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, chapter 14, for all the glorious details.)

F In Alexander Who Use to Be Rich Last Sunday Judith Viorst describes a long series of bad choices a boy makes spending the dollar his grandparents brought him.  Alexander (yes, the same Alexander of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) really wants to save it for a walkie-talkie, but frithers it away foolishly.  Since the book was written in 1978, you may want to update the prices, e.g. no 11 cent candy bars.  Alexander and Esau both need help thinking ahead when they make choices.

Psalm 119:105-112

F This is the section of the huge alphabet poem Psalm 119 in which every line begins with the Hebrew letter nun.  Display a poster of the letter, explain that each line praises God’s word in a phrase that begins with that letter.  Project or show this text in a Hebrew Bible pointing to the letter at the right hand (Hebrew reads right to left) of each line.  Then have each verse read by a different reader.  This could be a good worship leadership job for an older children’s class.

F Verse 105 is probably the best known of these verses.  To help children understand the metaphor “Your word is a lamp to my feet,” try using a Bible as a flashlight pretending to look for something.  Maybe with the help of the children, conclude that a Bible will never be a flashlight.  Then read verse 105 and work out what it is really saying about the Bible.  The Bible helps us know where to go and what to do every day.  It helps us see God’s good way of living. 

Romans 8:1-11

J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and Paul are on the same page in this passage.  Paul compares living by the flesh with living by the Spirit.  Rowling gives us two characters to embody those possibilities. 

Lord Voldemort lives according to the flesh.  He is all about getting what he wants no matter what it means for others.  One thing he wants is to be immortal.  He learns that the way to do that is to divide his soul (his self) into seven parts, inserting each in a separate object that he obtains by killing its owner.  These soul holding objects are called horcruxes.  Slowly Lord Voldemort creates the horcruxes hiding them in ingeniously guarded places.  Murder and mayhem ripple out from his activities. 

Harry Potter on the other hand lives by the Spirit, that is he understands the world as a good place and sees love as what holds the world together.  He knows that he was loved so much by his mother that she died to save him.  He slowly learns to treat all the people around him lovingly.  He and his friends hunt and destroy each of Lord Voldemort’s horcruxes to save each other and everyone in the world.  When Harry learns that he is the final horcrux and that the only way to stop Lord Voldemort is to let him kill Harry, Harry allows that to happen.  That is living by the Spirit.  The surprise is that after his “death,”  Harry learns that he still has the opportunity to live and thus is returned to his friends.  His love triumphs over death.  This is living by the Spirit too.

Though we do not face death-eaters, magical monsters, and wizards with wands, we do daily meet opportunities to do what we know is wrong and will hurt other people.  We are warned by Harry to stay alert and be careful.

F If your congregation uses the phrase “renounce evil” in questions in baptismal, confirmation or ordination, quote those questions today.  Put the question into your own words with reference to Harry Potter’s fight against the evil he encountered.  Talk about what it means to “renounce evil” in each worship situation.  Compare “renouncing evil” every day to the way Harry had to “renounce evil.”

Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

F Parables are very open stories designed to have more than one meaning.  Often they mean different things to the same reader at different times.  When we refuse to offer right answers to the parables in preaching, we welcome worshipers to read and ponder all parables with a sense of open wonder.

The commentaries I read, warned against treating this parable as an allegory.  The easy way to do that is to read only the parable (verse 1-9) omitting the very allegorical interpretation in verses 18-23.  Or, stop after the parable to ponder “what Jesus was trying to tell us” before introducing verses 18-23 as one possible meaning.  Children are often more able than adults to produce possible messages.  If they do, be sure that their attempts are affirmed and not laughed at – even when their offerings are a bit novel.

F This parable (verses 1-9) begs to be dramatized for sheer enjoyment. 

 

Before worship gather a group of worshipers to prepare to pantomime the parable as it is read.  Read through the story first asking actors to show you how each seed grew.  As they offer good interpretations, assign them to that part.  After reading it through once and assigning parts, direct actors where to stand.  Then reread the parable with the groups miming their assigned parts.  Now you should be ready to pantomime it during worship.

- This could be done by youth and adults for a more polished performance or
- by children to give them a chance to be worship leaders and have a more spontaneous performance or
- by an intergenerational group for summer fun and to emphasize that the parable belongs to all of us.

Green plant sock puppet
choked by a weed sock puppet

For a no rehearsal presentation using socks as puppets, invite the children to come forward to help you present the parable for the day.  Give each child one sock to pull over one hand.  Most socks should be green (or white with the instructions to imagine them green).  You will need a few dark brown ones for weeds and black ones for the thieving birds. There could even be a few gray ones for the rocks.  Once everyone has a sock on, invite them to show with their sock puppet what happens in the story.  You may need to pause as you read to help them act it out as you get started.

F The Harry Potter connection to this parable is found in Chapter 3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, “The Letters From No One.”  When his Uncle Vernon refuses to give Harry a letter addressed to him, more and more, actually hundreds of letters arrive.  As Uncle Vernon moves Harry and the family around hoping to make the letters stop, the letters keep arriving with the new address, e.g. “the cupboard under the stairs,” “the smallest bedroom,” “Railview Hotel,” and finally “the floor, Hut on the Rock, the Sea.”  The letter is an invitation to become a student at Hogwarts.  When Hagrid finally delivers it personally to Harry he tells Harry that he is a wizard, a much loved one.  Like the sower, Hagrid scatters his letters in abundance everywhere that Harry might get them.  Like the seed, the letters tell Harry who he is and invite him to an incredible new future. 

F Two other familiar children’s stories about sowing with abandon:

Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney, tells the fictional story of a woman who keeps her promise to her grandfather to do something to make the world prettier by planting lupine seeds all around her community in Maine.

Go to http://www.appleseed.net/About_Johnny.htm to learn the details of the story of Johnny Appleseed, a real person who became a legend, for planting apple trees all over the Ohio River Valley and into New York.  After telling his story, sing the Johnny Appleseed blessing in place of the doxology today when offerings are presented today.

O, the Lord’s been good to me. 

And so I thank the Lord

for giving me the things I need:

the sun and the rain and the apple seed. 

The Lord is good to me.  Amen.