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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outer Page

Side 1: Blank (left side of page)

                         Title (right side of page)

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

                          Verse 5 and refrain (right)

Inner Page

            Side 1: Verse 2 and refrain (left)

                          Verse 3 and refrain (right)

            Side 2: Verse 4 and refrain (left)

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

Psalm 24

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

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

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

ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Psalm 24

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

         the world, and those who live in it;

    for he has founded it on the seas,

            and established it on the rivers.

One:    Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

        And who shall stand in his holy place?

Two:    Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

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

             and do not swear deceitfully.

One:    They will receive blessing from the Lord,

        and vindication from the God of their salvation.

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

        who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Organ chord, trumpet ta-ta, or other music

Two:    Lift up your heads, O gates!

         and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

         that the King of glory may come in.

One:    Who is the King of glory?

Two:    The Lord, strong and mighty,

        the Lord, mighty in battle.

Organ chord, trumpet ta-ta, or other music

Two:    Lift up your heads, O gates!

        and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

        that the King of glory may come in.

One:    Who is this King of glory?

Two:    The Lord of hosts,

        he is the King of glory.

Based on  NRSV

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Amos 7:7-15

from Wikipedia
GNU Free Documentation License

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

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

FGHJFGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ

Amos 7:7-15

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

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

“A plumb line,” I answered.

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

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

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

Narrator:  Amaziah then said to Amos,

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

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

Narrator: This is the Word of the Lord.

Based on the TEV

FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ FGHJ

Psalm 85:8-13

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

Ephesians 1:3-14

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

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

“When Morning Gilds the Sky”

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

“What Child Is This?”

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

“O Sing a Song of Bethlehem”

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

“Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”

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

“Jesus Loves Me”

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

Mark 6:14-29

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

Year B - The Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 18, 2012)

In highly liturgical churches the fourth Sunday of Lent is Laetare Sunday (or Rejoice Sunday) because of its focus on God’s grace.  To highlight this and look forward to Easter in just three weeks, take a peek at the buried “Alleluia!” and note that it is still there.  Even practice an alleluia song (Praise Ye the Lord Alleluia?) in whispers.

There are at least two crosses that might be featured this week:

This comes from the web page of a
Catholic diocese.  I suspect they would be
 glad for any of us to use it in our worship.  

A crucifix (cross with Christ hanging on it) reminds us that God loved us enough to live among as Jesus and to forgive when we killed Jesus.  Every time we look at it we remember how very much God loves us and all people.  In many protestant congregations this is an opportunity to introduce a cross that is important to Catholic and many other Christians.  If you don’t have one, borrow one (crucifix jewelry is an option) or display a picture of one (I found this one Googling “crucifix images").  If the crosses in your church are empty, compare them with their message that God raised Jesus from death to the crucifixes noting the valuable message in each one.

This is my photo.
Feel free to use it.

Artists in Central America paint crosses with pictures of lots of people on them.  Display one of these crosses and ponder John’s insistence that when Jesus was raised up (on the cross) he drew all the people of the world to him.

Numbers 21:4-9

U  This is a very simple healing story AND when combined with the other readings for the day is an invitation to identify all the snakey things in our lives.  Display a stop sign and a warning sign and a danger sign noting the mean of each. Next, show a picture of a snake and explain that for many people just seeing a snake says warning, danger, stop!  Recall the snake in the Fall in Eden and note that from then on snakes have been symbols of bad things, evil.  The snakes in this story are sent by God because the people were not trusting God and were complaining to Moses that God wasn’t doing enough for them.  God sent snakes, symbols of evil, to bite them and remind them of their snakey evil.  Identify some of the snakey things we do to ourselves and each other today.  Then recall the end of the story.  God saved the people.  He healed them from both the snake bites and their complaining.   That will set the stage for John’s comments about Jesus being like the snake on the pole.  Jesus saves us from all the snakiness.

Do remember that some children, especially some boys, really like snakes.  Assure them that snakes are not bad, but that they are used as a symbol of evil.

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22  (RC = Psalm 137:1-6)

U  This is a psalm pilgrims sang as they climbed the long steep hill to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple.  It was like some of the songs we sing on long car trips today.  Point out the introduction and the format of each verse.  Identify the people in each stanza: travelers lost in the desert, prisoners, the sick, and sailors on the sea.  Then invite worshipers to read with you the parts the whole group of pilgrims traveling together would have sung with one reader reading the verse about the sick.  To really get into the road trip aspect of the psalm have the congregation stand and walk in place as they read.

All:       verses 1-3

One:    verses 17-20

All:       verse 21-22

U  Read these verses after reading the Numbers story.  Suggest that some of the pilgrims might have thought about the snake-bit people looking at the bronze snake on the pole and being healed.  It is also a psalm those snake-bit folks  might have recited after being cured.  And, a good prayer for us when we recover from illness.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (RC = 4-10)

Needless to say children will not follow this as it is read.  It is filled with abstract words that are connected in long complicated thoughts.  But there are ideas in it older children appreciate when unpacked for them by worship leaders.

U  Even children know what it feels like to be “stuck,” to feel like or wish you were dead, to be hopeless.  They get stuck in ongoing arguments with siblings, caught in the crossfire of changing friendships, listen fearfully as parents fight, worry about finances if the main money maker is unemployed, survive an endless difficult school year, sense that everyone else is somehow “more” than me, and more.  Without being suicidal, they can say “I wish I was dead.”  With help older children can even recognize that their deadness is as much their own fault as the fault of those around them.  And, they can admit that they can’t make the changes needed. 

Try a confession in which ways we are stuck in evil and feel dead are described one by one, e.g. the lies we tell, the mean things we say without even meaning to, etc.  After each one, the congregation responds, “It makes us feel dead.”  The assurance is “God, loves us and brings us new life, new possibilities, ways out.  Thanks be to God.”

U  Two child-accessible hymns that capture this text and the general theme of the day are:

“There’s A Wideness In God’s Mercy” – This short hymn includes difficult words for children.  Point out the very similar words mercy and love asking worshipers to find them in the song.  Then put the verses into your own words and invite everyone to sing.  With this introduction, children are able to follow and begin knowing this hymn.

“Help Us Accept Each Other” expresses Jesus’ and Paul’s ideas in terms of acceptance rather than salvation.  Every child knows about the desire to be accepted by God and other people.  Point out “acceptance” everywhere it appears in the hymn.  Or, direct people to verse 3 which summarizes the rest of the song.  Read it together and/or walk through it putting it into your words.  With this help children will try to sing at least verse 3.

“Let Your acceptance change us.

So that we may be moved

     in living situations to do the truth in love;

to practice Your acceptance until we know by heart

      the table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art.”

John 3:14-21

U  John 3:16 may be the most famous verse in the Bible, but unless your congregation encourages children to memorize verses, don’t count on them recognizing it.  

U  Today’s crosses are most helpful in unpacking these verses for children. 

The crucifix invites us to explain that there was nothing magic about the cross, but that God loved us so much that Jesus died on a cross and forgave us for it. 

Display a Central American cross to talk about how God loved and drew to God all the people in the world. 

Give each worshiper a paper featuring a large empty cross shape.  (Maybe it is the back page of the order of worship handout.)  During the sermon invite them to draw pictures of or write the names of people Jesus died for on the cross.  Identify and challenge them to identify a variety of people including themselves and some people they don’t particularly like.

U  Children feel judged by many adults in their lives – coaches, parents, teachers, even worship leaders.  Especially this late in the school year students who do not do well in school feel trapped and judged by many of their teachers.  It is a very “stuck,” hopeless place to be.  John assures children that God is not interested in judging them.  That is very good news.

U  Children’s literature explores unlimited love in several classic books in which children repeatedly ask a parent whether the parent would still love them if they did a variety of bad deeds.  The parents, like God, all insist that they would love the children no matter what.  That is grace.

The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown, is a conversation between a young bunny and his mother in which the child threatens to run away in all sorts of ways.  To each plan the mother describes how she would come after him.  In the end the child decides that he might as well stay home.  (Reading time: 3 minutes).  I once heard a fine preacher give a very erudite sermon about God’s grace which he concluded by reading this story and saying “That is grace.  Amen.”

In Mama, Do You Love Me? , by Barbara Joosse, an Inuit girl describes all sorts of terrible things she might do and her mother insists that she would love her.  The same story is told in the Maasai culture between a father and son in Papa, Do You Love Me?.  (For some reason, I prefer the Inuit version – maybe because I read it first or love the art.)

U  Children understand about hiding under the covers or in a dark closet to do something they should not do.  In North America on the first Sunday after the change to Daylight Savings time they are also aware of being able to be outside in the evening light longer they could during the winter.  All this gives them good connections to the light and dark in verses 19-21. 

Year A - Proper 19, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday, September 11, 2011)

In the USA this day is the Tenth Anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.  Most adults and teenagers can and will remember where they were and will ponder where we are now as a result of the events of that day.  But for children (unless a family member or much discussed friend died in the attacks), it is history.  Children younger than 13 have no memories of the day.  Indeed most of them were not alive then.  They do not know what life was like before then.  All they know is that it is dreadfully important to the adults.  We serve them best when we address themes related to our response to the attacks even ten years later.  Today’s texts offer two key themes – forgiving others and diversity.

God’s Dream, a children’s picture book by Desmond Tutu, if filled with sweet generalities that are rather hard for children to follow, but its message that God favors diversity, forgives us and wants us to forgive each other is a great restatement of today’s texts and especially fitting on 9-11.  If I were to use it, I would introduce it by telling briefly about Tutu’s leadership on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee which refused to take revenge on those who had hurt black people during apartheid.  I’d turn to the rainbow on the last page and explain the term “rainbow nation” which Tutu coined to describe the new post-apartheid South Africa.  Then, I’d read the entire book.  It reads aloud in 3 or 4 minutes.  This is one time I’d invite the children forward and show them the pictures as I read from the big 10”x12” picture book.  (It is also available in several smaller sizes.)  The pictures interpret the words for the children.  The adults will be OK without seeing them. 

Exodus 14:19-31

F Go to http://seedstuff.blogspot.com/2008/09/proper-19-ordinary-24-pentecost-18.html to find directions for telling the story of crossing the sea with simple sound effects. 

F Add to the Moses display a blue streamer or wide ribbon or cloth cut in half to represent the divided sea.  Make the sea wide enough to look different from the thin ribbon of water that will come out of the rock later.  Pick up the walking stick from the display and use it to tell the story of crossing the sea then lay it in the divide of your sea. 

Psalm 114

F Psalm 114 assumes readers have fairly detailed knowledge of the whole trip through the wilderness as well as of the departure from Egypt.  Most children (and many older worshipers) do not.  So, I would celebrate the crossing of the sea with the songs of Moses and/or Miriam in Exodus.

Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21

F Several Lutheran commentators I read referred to a children’s camp song sung to the tune of “Louie, Louie,”  as in “Pharaoh, Pharaoh…”  I do not know it, but they insist that it really captures the spirit of the people dancing on the far side of the sea and suggest that it is appropriate for worship on this day.  So, if you and your children know it, consider singing it perhaps with tambourine and rhythm instrument accompaniment.  And, if any of you can direct those of us out of the loop on this to a print or video source of this song, we’d be ever so grateful J.

F If the choir has access to music for the spiritual “Wade in the Water” plan on children accompanying the older singers with rhythm instruments.  Before singing point out the connection between the song and the story and imagine it being sung by Miriam and the others.  You might even want to make it a girls and women only contribution.

Genesis 50:15-21

F If you use this story, invite the children to come forward to help you read it.  Sit among them with your Bible (or the big pulpit Bible) open in your lap.  Briefly retell the story of Joseph and his brothers.  Then, tell them it is several years later and begin reading.  Ask an older child near you to read what the brothers said and the message they wrote to Joseph.  Make comments as needed to clarify what is happening.  Then continue the reading through verse 18.  Ask another child to read what Joseph said (vss 19-21a) and conclude the reading.  Take time to be sure the children understand what happened.  Then, invite them and the rest of the congregation to respond as usual to scripture readings.  If your Bible has large print, use it.  If not, copy the text below highlighting the words the children read.

& & & & & & & & & & &

Genesis 50:15-21

15 After the death of their father, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still hates us and plans to pay us back for all the harm we did to him?”

¹⁶So they sent a message to Joseph: “Before our father died, ¹⁷he told us to ask you, ‘Please forgive the crime your brothers committed when they wronged you.’ Now please forgive us the wrong that we, the servants of your father’s God, have done.” Joseph cried when he received this message.

18 Then his brothers themselves came and bowed down before him. “Here we are before you as your slaves,” they said.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid; I can’t put myself in the place of God. ²⁰You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened. ²¹You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.

Today’s English Version

& & & & & & & & & & &

Psalm 103: (1-7), 8-13

F Read from Today’s English Version rather than the NRSV for the sake of the children.

F Verses 8, 11 and 12 of this psalm are often used as an Assurance of Pardon in worship.  Use them that way today taking time to discuss their meaning.  Teach the children hand motions to them.  Invite the children to pronounce the Assurance of Pardon with you using the motions, then to go back to their seats using their hands to pass the peace to everyone they meet on their way.

The Lord is merciful and loving,                                

slow to become angry and full of constant love.

    Arms outstretched, palms up

He does not punish us as we deserve                      

or repay us according to our sins and wrongs.

    Make a horizontal slash with hand palm down

As high as the sky is above the earth, 

     Point up then stomp feet on the earth

so great is his love for those who honour him. 

     Hug selves

As far as the east is from the west,                  

so far does he remove our sins from us.

     Push one hand to the east, other to the west

Amen. 

     Fold hands together

                                                               Using Today’s English Version

Mama, Do You Love Me?, by Barbara M. Joosse, like Psalm 103 insists on love so great that it will forgive anything we do.  A little Inuit girl asks her mother repeatedly if she would still love her if she did a variety of naughty things.  The mother repeatedly insists that she would.  The book is full of Far North items like salmon, boots, oil lamps and polar bears.  (Read aloud time: 3 minutes without taking time to explore the pictures or talk about the Inuit animals and objects.)  This could be read and briefly discussed with children before reading Psalm 103.  Note that God loves each of us even more than the mother loved her dear little girl.  Or, read the book as the conclusion to the real sermon.  Children and parents will enjoy hearing a familiar story read in worship and connected to God’s forgiving love.  Easy to find in local library or bookstore.

Papa, Do You Love Me, also by Joose, is a very similar book about a father and son in the grasslands of Africa.  Maybe because I read it first, I prefer the Inuit story, but you may want to check out the African version.

Romans 14:1-12

F Children today are very aware of what and how people eat.  Food is a big deal.  They and people they know are omnivores, vegetarians, or vegans.  They are aware of, enjoy, or are put off by a variety of ethnic foods.  Their friends’ families tout all sorts of diets.  Lunches come to school in all sorts of containers that may be as important to the children as the food in them.  Since most children have a fairly open attitude toward all these differences, they are a good starting point for discussing how we judge others.  We do eat differently and that is OK.  We also dress differently, have different abilities, celebrate different holidays, and live in different ways.  Some of these lead to judgmental name calling – brain, dummy, jock, beauty queen,  etc.  As children settle into the school year, a lot of categorizing of classmates goes on, sometimes viciously.  This is an opportunity to talk about Paul’s insistence that we should not judge people by these sorts of things and to challenge children to avoid such judging.

F The Hundred Dresses, by Eleanor Estes, is way too long to read in worship, but can be told.  The girls in a class make life miserable for Wanda Petronski who wears the same blue dress to school every day and lives on the poor side of town, but claims to have 100 dresses at home in her closet.  When her father moves away to find a place where she will be accepted, she sends 100 beautiful drawings of dresses as her entry in a school art contest.  She wins the contest and the girls confront what they have done. 

Matthew 18:21-35

F The math here is not clear.  Jesus told Peter that he should forgive either 77 times or 70 x7 (or 490) times. 

To emphasize how many 77 is fill a bowl with 77 small polished stones (available in the florist section of craft stores or home supply stores).  Ask worshipers to guess how many are in it.  Then count them together saying the numbers aloud as you take them out of the bowl and pile them beside it.  Tell worshipers that there are 77 of something important in today’s gospel reading, then read it.  Follow the reading with a discussion of the impossibility of keeping count of how many times you had forgiven your brother (or sister).  “Was that the 47^th time or the 48^th time?”  Finally put Jesus’ point in your own words – we are to forgive those who hurt us every time they hurt us.

If you use 70 X 7, present it as a math problem before reading the text.  On a large piece of paper print 70 x7 =.  Present it to the children/congregation for a solution.  Note that 490 is a big number, then invite them to listen for the number in the text as it is read.  After the reading do the same conversation about Jesus’ point in telling Peter to forgive his brother 490 times.

F Children are fascinated by the two reasons we have to forgive a lot of times.

1.     We all know at least one person who is forever doing things that hurt us.  It may a sibling, a difficult classmate, a teacher who doesn’t seem to like us, or a neighborhood bully.  Every day they do something new for which we must forgive them.  (See Tales of A Fourth Grade Nothing below.)

2.     There are also some things so awful that we can’t just decide to forgive the person who does them to us once and be done with it.  We have to decide to forgive them over and over until it finally begins to stick - for example, a classmate who intentionally breaks or defaces something special to you – maybe a new book bag or notebook.  Every time you see that person or use the damaged item, you have to forgive him or her again.

F If you need examples of the things for which a big brother might have to forgive a pesky little brother, read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume.  “Fudge” destroys the committee created school project that was being kept in Peter’s room overnight.  When Fudge swallows Peter’s turtle (the only pet Peter is allowed) everyone is more concerned about Fudge than about Peter’s much loved turtle.  And there is more.  Read, laugh, and mine for sermon illustrations.

F Before children can understand the parable in this text, they need an explanation of the financial terms debt and forgiveness.  They need to be told that forgiveness means not that you have a longer time to pay off a debt, but that you don’t have to pay it off at all.

F Before reading the parable, bring out a large cloth bag that might be filled with gold coins (actually filled with blocks).  Set it on one side of the lectern.  Then produce a single gold coin (maybe an old Mardi Gras coin?) to put on the other side of the lectern.  Announce that Jesus told a story about a man who owed this much money (pointing to the sack) and another man who owed this much (pointing to the coin).  Urge readers to listen carefully.  Then read the parable.  Leave the props in place for reference during the sermon.

THE LORD’S PRAYER CONNECTION!      When I posted this I did not realize that it was part of a series on the Lord’s Prayer, but surprise!  It is.  There is a connection to the Lord’s Prayer almost every Sunday in September and early October – mostly in the Exodus stories, but today in several of the other texts.  Use the activity below as part of the series or let it stand alone.

F Highlight the phrase in the Lord’s Prayer about forgiveness by praying a responsive prayer in which the line from the Lord’s Prayer is the response of the congregation.   Feel free to adapt the sample below.

NOTE: The Ecumenical version of this phrase “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” makes more sense to children (and most worshipers) than forgive us our debts or transgressions or trespasses.  The English language is moving on.  Maybe this is an opportunity to introduce the Ecumenical Version of this prayer and move toward using it your congregation.

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Prayer About Being Forgiven and Forgiving

Loving God, we admit that we are not always loving and kind.  We know that we can be selfish and mean to other people, even to people we love.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Forgive us for the words we say and the things we do that hurt other people.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Great God we know that you love and forgive not only us, but all people.  Teach us to be like you.  Show us how to love and forgive those who are not kind or loving to us.  Give us your power to forgive them when they are as selfish and mean as we sometimes are.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Help us forgive them when they do things and say words that hurt us.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Forgiving God, your son Jesus taught us this prayer and then died on the cross to prove to us that you do forgive us and everyone else in the world.  Teach us how to pray this prayer.  Make us deeply aware that we are forgiven.  And, help us forgive those who sin against us.  For we pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

Assurance of Pardon:  Hear the good news.  God does forgive us for all the impossibly unloving things we do and the hurting words we say.  God also forgives others for the impossibly unloving things they do and hurtful words they say – even when they do them and say them to us.  And, God stands with us as we find our ways to forgive each other.  Thanks be to God!

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