Year A - Epiphany (Monday January 6, 2014 or Sunday January 5, 2014)

These texts are set for January 6 which in 2013 is on a Monday.  The ideas here could be incorporated into weeknight celebration that includes worship in a freer form than often followed on Sunday morning.  Also, they could be used on Sunday, January 5, by congregations who do not have a weeknight celebration but do not want to ignore Epiphany.  Actually I think these texts have much more to say to children and adults than do the texts for the Second Sunday of Christmas.

Isaiah 60: 1-6

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

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

It is a good day to point out and explain your congregation’s use of candles during worship.  Many congregations light two candles on a central table.  The explanation that I grew up with was that one candle was “God is the light of the world” (John 8:12) and the other “we are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13)   (I know from the 2011 comments that others have different explanations.  That is fine.  It is more important to know one than to have a “right one.”)  An acolyte may light a taper from one of the candles before snuffing both at the conclusion of the service.  The acolyte often walks down the central aisle and out the back door to call worshipers to follow the light of God out into the world. 

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

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

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

“I Want To Walk As A Child of Light”

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

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

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Turn this psalm into a prayer for today’s leaders from all around the world. Begin by brainstorming a list of these leaders together.  Include political leaders of all persuasions, leaders in your community, coaches, teachers, and other leaders of children.  Then adapt the first few words of each line (mainly the pronouns) to make the psalm into a prayer for those leaders.  Groups 1 and 2 could be the two sides of the congregation or the congregation and the choir.  (Yes, Psalm 72 was a text for Advent 2 and this script was offered there too.) 

h h h h h h h h h h h h h

A Prayer for Leaders Based on Psalm 72

Group 1:       Give our leaders your justice, O God,

and your righteousness to their children.

Group 2:       May they judge your people with righteousness,

and your poor with justice.

Group 1:       May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

and the hills, in righteousness.

Group 2:       May they defend the cause of the poor of the people,

give deliverance to the needy,

and crush the oppressor.

Group 1:       May they live while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon,

throughout all generations.

Group 2:       May they be like rain that falls on the mown grass,

like showers that water the earth.

Group 1:       In their days may righteousness flourish
                       and peace abound,

until the moon is no more.

Group 2:       Amen

All:                  Amen

                                                                        Based on NRSV

h h h h h h h h h h h h h

Ephesians 3:1-12

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

If you frequently do this for Pentecost, today feature one reader from one continent or country, use at least one piece of music or instrument from that culture, hear about the church in that area, and pray for Christians there.

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

Present several pairs of portraits of people from different parts of the world asking which of these does God love.  The answer of course is that God loves both of them.  God loves all people in all parts of the world.  (Old National Geographic magazines are good sources for these pictures.)

Matthew 2:1-12

Tell the story of the three kings in your own words moving the kings from the crèche around the sanctuary as you talk. 

Actually you will need three assistants, one to carry each king and perhaps a fourth to carry a shiny poster board star on a pole.  Start in a far corner of the sanctuary telling about the beginning of the trip.  Stop in another corner to tell about the visit to Herod’s palace, then come to the mother and child figures.  (These figures might be in a prominent spot at the front of the sanctuary or in a nook off to a side.)  Finally tell about the warning not to return to Herod and accompany the king figures back to their homes following another path around the sanctuary.  (After the story you might want to return the kings to their positions around the mother and child figures.)

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

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

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

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

 

Chalking the Door is an Epiphany ritual that can be done at church then repeated in the congregation’s homes.  It is basically a house blessing.  Using chalk, members of the congregation or household write on the door frame the year’s date and the letters C, B, and M (the initials of the three wise men).  Prayer is then offered asking that the door welcome many visitors during the coming year and that all who come through the doorway be blessed.  Write on the church doors (if there are more than one, chalk them all!) during the worship service.  Name some of the people who may come through the doors – parents bringing babies to be baptized, brides and grooms, people coming to remember those who have died, and lots of people coming to worship God each week.  Then encourage households to chalk the doors in their own homes.  Print a simple blessing for use at both church and home in the order of worship and give out small pieces of white chalk for home use.  Below is a sample blessing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

 

For what it is worth, I prefer The Legend of Old Befana because of the change in her attitude.  Also be aware that some women object to both of these stories as stereotypical of overworked women with limited vision.  While I work hard to avoid such stereotypes, I think either of these stories might be used.  If you object, go back to the Van Dyke story telling it in your own words.

 

Year A - First Sunday of Advent, Also the Sunday after Thanksgiving in the USA (December 1, 2013)

' Yes, it IS the first Sunday of Advent, but in the United States it is also the Sunday after Thanksgiving and thus the end of the holiday weekend.  Given that it would be possible to focus on the beginning of the new Christian Year by celebrating the year as a whole.  Sing and read your way through the whole liturgical year.  Light the Advent candles, but save really getting into Advent until everyone gets back next week.  Go to Year C - Christ the King/ Reign of Christ Sunday for specific suggestions and resources.

 

' Set the sanctuary for Advent.  Have the Advent paraments, wreath, and other decorations in place.  OR 

If it is a relaxed holiday weekend, invite children and other worshipers to help put them in place before the service begins. 

If things are more formal, have two teams prepared, one to remove the old paraments and the second to install the Advent pieces.  Both teams process in and do their tasks dramatically.  (Families can enjoy serving on one team together.) 

Before the Call to Worship point out and explain briefly each of the changes.  Hint to additions as Advent progresses.

' The texts for the First Sunday of Advent are about watchful waiting.  Because Advent is all about waiting and everyone is into waiting for Christmas, it is tempting to compare waiting for the Son of Man to waiting for Christmas.  Be careful.  First, these texts are not about waiting for a holiday.  They are about cultivating an attitude of watchful waiting for God every day.  Second, for children waiting for Christmas is mainly waiting for Santa Claus.  Among young worshippers there are Santa true believers, Santa agnostics, and those who are “in” on it all.  In a conversation on the steps with all the children a member of the third group is likely to make a loud declaration that will dismay the others and their parents.  But more important than that potential brouhaha is the fact that as they discover the “reality” of Santa Claus, children inevitably question the “reality” of other such figures – like God and Jesus.   There is no way to sort through that during public worship.  But, we can be sure we don’t make figuring it out any harder by talking about God, Jesus and Santa as if they are similarly “real.”  Finally, Santa is making a list of who’s naughty and nice.  These texts encourage us to lead disciplined lives as we watch and wait for God.  That is a very subtle but important difference.  The first endorses works righteousness; the latter is…   Well, I can’t get the difference into one simple phrase and that’s the problem.  So be careful. 

Who Is Coming To Our House?, by Joseph Slate, gets at the right kind of waiting by telling the story of the animals preparing the stable for the guest who is coming to their house.  The story is very simple and reads in about 2 minutes, but makes more sense when listeners can see the wonderful art of the animals.  So plan to project it or to show the pictures to children gathered around you.

 

' Another theme running through these texts is the call to wake up.  Such calls are a daily reality for most children.  So, compare these texts with a parent’s call “Wake up you sleepy heads!  Don’t sleep your life away!  There is a wonderful day out there just waiting for you!”  Talk about turning on the light (and maybe trying to hide your eyes under the blankets).  Rephrase the prophet (and the parents) “Wake up you sleepy Christians!  Don’t sleep your life away because God is doing amazing things in the world.  You can be part of them!”

' Use an alarm clock for the Call to Worship.  Begin with it ringing.  Then launch into a call and response something like

Leader:          Wake up, you sleepy Christians!

People:          The night is gone.  The day is here.

Leader:          Be ready because God is at work in the world.

People:          Let us worship and serve God together.

' Often lighting the candles of the Advent Wreath is simply a way of counting down the Sundays until Christmas.  It is the sanctuary version of an Advent calendar.  To connect it to the advent call to join God at work in the world, compare lighting the candles to turning on the porch light or putting a candle in the window.  They are ways of saying we are ready, you are welcome, come in.  Often we turn these lights on while we are setting the table, sweeping the floor, and cooking dinner.  Compare those preparations to working with God to bring God’s love into the world.  Then, light the first candle of the wreath to say, “We are ready.  God you are welcome here.”  Read Matthew 24:44 - “Therefore you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected moment.”  If possible light the candle later in the service maybe as the affirmation of faith following the sermon.  If it must be lit earlier, point to it and recall its meaning as you work through this discussion.

' Take the Advent candles to another level by encouraging worshipers to become Advent candles themselves.  This week their job as a candle is simply to watch for times when they can add light, fun, love, kindness when they can see it is needed.

'     “This Little Light of Mine” and “We Are Marching in the Light of God/ Siyahamba” become Advent hymns in this context.

'      This Little Light of Mine, by E. B. Lewis, illustrates the hymn with pictures from the day of young African American boy.  As you flip through the book point out all the ways the boy let’s his light shine and what a difference it makes in his world.  Then challenge young worshippers to create their own book with pictures of themselves letting their light shine.

Traditional Advent Hymns

(for today or later in Advent)

' O Come, O Come Emmanuel has a sound that fascinates children and is filled with words that are totally beyond them.  To begin singing it with understanding they need to be introduced to only one word and then invited into the sound.  The word is Emmanuel, God is With Us.  It is both a nickname for Jesus who is God With Us and a reminder that God is indeed with us always.  Before singing, briefly explain that to the children and everyone.  To invite the children into the sound, point out the sad descriptions of all the problems in the verses and the happy sound of the refrain’s reminder that God is with always even when things look bad.  Encourage children who might have trouble with the words in the verses to sing the chorus.  Even take time to rehearse the chorus with everyone.  It would even be possible for the choir to sing the sad verses and the congregation to respond by singing the hope filled refrain.

' Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence is another song that is all about the feel of the music.  The ideas are complex, but focus on the “more that we can understand,” goosebumpy beautiful fact that God came among us as a little baby.  

' Watchman Tell Us of the Night is another song that is best understood when sung antiphonally by either a choir and the congregation or two halves of the congregation.  In either case one group becomes the Traveler singing the first and third lines and the other group becomes the watchman singing the second and fourth lines.

The Texts

 

Isaiah 2:1-5

Public Domain Worldwide - Wikimedia Commons

' This text features the well-known prophecy about swords being turned into plows and spears into pruning hooks.  For children that means two vaguely known items are being turned into two totally unfamiliar items.  If we provide the details about the weapons and tools, they quickly grasp the message.  So take time to illustrate how swords can be made into plows and how a plow is used.  Because the pruning hook used in gardens today is hard to visualize being made from a spear, and because one prop is enough anyway, skip the pruning hook.

 

* Bring a sword (toy or real) or a poster board sword (perhaps created by an artistic parishioner) and a picture of an old fashion plow.  If the sample is flexible, show how it could be bent to be used as a plow.  Then read verse 4 again and rephrase it something like, “God promises that there will be a time when everyone gets along.  It will be so peaceful that people won’t need swords and other weapons anymore.  So, they will turn them into garden tools.”  Challenge the children to watch for swords turned into plows in the prayers and songs of the church during Advent.  (Make sure to provide them a sample or two in today’s worship.)

 

* If yours is an imaginative group, imagine together peaceful uses for modern weapons, e.g. think of cool things you could do if an aircraft carrier were turned into a cruise ship – take off from the short runway, land with a jolt on the hook, riding in helicopters, holding sports events and big dances.   Send the children back to their seats to reform other weapons to peaceful uses.

 

 ADVENT WREATH WARNING:  If you focus on this text, it is tempting to light the first candle of the Advent Wreath for peace.  But the texts for the second Sunday almost demand that that Sunday be the Sunday for peace.  Lighting today’s candle for watchful waiting – for peace among God’s other promises – is a better idea. 

 

Psalm 122

' Though it is the first Sunday of Advent, it is also the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend in the USA.  Children have been feasting on pilgrims, Indians and thanks for country.  So, focus on vv. 6-9.  Present it to the children as a prayer for Jerusalem by people who lived there.  Together identify prayers for your town, state and nation.  We want the same peace that the people in Jerusalem wanted.  Children will be able to add prayers for people who are caught up in current problems or disasters, prayers for a variety of leaders, prayers for schools and other local institutions, etc.  Either offer a prayer that incorporates what the children have said as you sit with them.  Or, begin the congregation’s prayers with the prayers the children have identified.  This is most effective if the congregation’s prayers immediately follow the time with children.  

Romans 13:11-14

' If you plan to devote time to Paul’s list of sins to avoid, note that the last pair – fighting and jealousy – fit children.  Avoiding fighting and jealousy during Advent is a worthy discipline.  List examples such as fighting among siblings while traveling or when stuck home for the long holiday weekend.  Point out how easy it is to get jealous and get the “I wants” as Christmas gets closer.  Paul says we can be better than that.  We are Jesus’ people.  We can stop the fighting and work on not getting so greedy. 

This could be a children’s time or could be dealt with in the middle of the sermon.  “Listen up children, I think Paul wrote this especially for you, maybe especially during December….”

 

' Introduce Advent waiting on the first Sunday of Advent by getting out a set of nativity figures for use in the sanctuary.  Set aside all the angels and the baby.  Place the shepherds and some sheep in one area of the worship center, the traveling magi in another, and Mary and Joseph in separate areas.  In the stable area place the empty manger and animals.  As you do, talk about what each set of characters was probably doing.  Then read Romans 13.11.  Note that it is a message to each of those people waiting for Jesus to be born AND it is a message to us.  We need to wake up and pay attention, too.  God is at work all around us. 

FYI This year a shepherd might be turned into John the Baptist and set near the empty manger just for that day on the second Sunday of Advent.  Mary moves to the manger on the third Sunday (if you read the Magnificat that week).  Joseph (and Mary if you did not move her on the third Sunday) move on the fourth Sunday.  The Shepherds move on Christmas Eve and the baby is placed in the manger.  The wise men wait until Epiphany. 

' Invite worshipers over the weeks of Advent to add a straw around manger for each good deed done.  Provide a basket of pre-cut short straws on the floor near the table.  People can bring their straws before or after worship or even during the offertory.  The good deeds of watchful waiting become the setting for the crèche figures as they are moved to the manger at Christmas.

Matthew 24:36-44

This is probably the least accessible text today for children.  Fortunately, its theme of being prepared runs through the other texts.  So, in this post you have already found or can go back to find…

' An Advent Wreath lighting suggestion based on

verse 44.

' A call to become Advent candles shining God’s light into the world

' Plans for exploring and singing three Advent hymns about waiting

' Directions for unpacking the crèche with attention to how the characters were waiting for Jesus’ birth

' An advent discipline: avoiding fighting and jealousy during December

Unpack the Chrismon ornaments and display only the one that fits today – Christ over the world.  Briefly introduce Chrismons and tell when the tree will appear.  Explain today’s ornament pointing out that it says what Matthew says in today’s text.  God/Christ is the biggest power in the world and rules over the world always.  God rules over the world way before Christmas and will rule over the world forever.  Hang it on a small hook in front of deep blue or purple Adventy fabric in a prominent place at the front of the sanctuary until time for it to go on the tree.

Year A - Second Sunday of Advent (December 8, 2013)

Peace and Hope are the key themes that run through all of these texts.  For children (and most worshipers) the key to both themes is found in the Isaiah reading and echoed in the others.

Music of Peace and Hope

'' “Canto de Esperanza/ Song of Hope” which is short and upbeat chorus celebrating hope and peace is easy for children to learn and repeat with the congregation.  Sing it as you light the Advent Wreath for Hope or as the Benediction at the close of the service.  Take time to practice it once before singing it several times.  Rhythm instruments are a great addition – especially in the hands of rehearsed players.

'' If you are devoting time each week of Advent to exploring as well as singing one Christmas carol, “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” is a good choice for today.  Many of the words and phrases are hard for young readers, but if you walk through the carol putting the words of each verse into your own words, the children (and older worshipers) will begin to get it and sing it with more understanding.

1. One quiet night there really were angels singing.
2. Those angels could be heard over all the unhappiness and evil on earth.
3. People who are having really hard times are called to listen to the angels and remember that God is working for a time when all will be peace, i.e. keep hope.
4. A reminder that Isaiah had it right.  God is working toward a time of peace.

Chrismon for Today

'' The star Chrismon ornaments today become signs of hope.  Connect them to Wendell Berry’s poem “The Peace of Wild Things” (find a copy at Gratefulness).  He speaks of hope in terms of “feeling day-blind stars above him.”  Like Isaiah he knows the stars are there even when he cannot see them during the daylight and trusts that God is there even when it feels like God is nowhere around.

The Texts



Hicks, Edward, 1780-1849. Peaceable Kingdom, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=53085 [retrieved August 30, 2013]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Edward_Hicks_-_Peaceable_Kingdom.jpg.

Hicks, Edward, 1780-1849. Peaceable Kingdom, from Art in the Christian Tradition,

a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=53085

[retrieved August 30, 2013]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Edward_Hicks_-_Peaceable_Kingdom.jpg.

Isaiah 11:1-10

'' Though the hope comes first in the text, the peace that begins in verse 6 with all the animals is the part that speaks most clearly to children.  Advent liturgy is filled with references to Isaiah’s lion and the lamb image.  Isaiah’s promise that God intends peace for both animals and people is as powerful for children as it is for adults.  Children, especially those who live caught in the crossfire at home, at school, and in their neighborhood, find deep comfort and hope in this promise.  But they need to explore its physical details before they can grasp its message.  

'' Download Edward Hicks painting of the Peaceable Kingdom from the Vanderbilt Divinity School library at This LINK .  The site offers the painting in three sizes for free download and use in non-commercial ways as long as the attribution is printed with it.  Today you might print it as large as possible to share with a small group of children who gather for a children’s time and/or print it as a bulletin cover or smaller illustration within the order of service.  (BTW this wonderful site provides a selection of free art to download for each Sunday of the lectionary year.) 

'' Show the painting to the children.  Help them identify the animals they see in it.  Talk about the problems some of those animals have getting along, e.g. lions tend to eat lambs for dinner.  If no child notices them, point to the people in the background.  Note that when Mr. Hicks painted this picture Indians and white settlers were at war, but that the people in the picture seem to be talking peaceably.  Finally read Isaiah’s promise that one day all animals and all people will get along (vv.6-9 only).

'' After presenting Hick’s picture, encourage children to create other pictures of animals that usually don’t get along, being together.  Children can put pictures in offering plate, bring them forward to talk to pastor while the offering is being collected, or work on them during sermon, then come forward before the congregation’s prayers to discuss their work and have their hopes added to congregation’s prayers.

'' Or gather animal figures in surprising pairs to place around the empty manger just for today.  You might add photographs of people who often do not get along to also place in surprising pairs at the manger.  Conclude the discussions by rereading verses 6-9 and praying for peace.  (Borrow animal figures from the nursery toy box or ask children to bring stuffed animals for this.)

'' Light the second candle of the Advent wreath for God’s promised peace.  Reread Isaiah 11:6-9 as you light the wreath.  Pray for peace at home, at school, at work, in the nation, in the world….

'' If you are thinking together about being Advent candles, this week encourage worshipers to be Advent candles for Peace, i.e. to look for situations in which they can be peacemakers.  Challenge them to notice people who are not getting along, to think of one thing they might do that could help them get along better, and to pray for peace between them.

'' The HOPE in the earlier verses also speaks to children.

'' They need help identifying two different kinds of hope.  Start with “I hope I get a bicycle for Christmas” as something I hope will happen but which I can’t be sure of.  The second kind of hope is the hope based on things you can be sure will be true – one day.  Isaiah says that one day God’s kingdom will cover the whole earth with peace and justice.  We can count on that.  Because we can count on it, we don’t get totally hopeless when things are not going well AND we can do our part to make the promise come true.

'' If your congregation uses hopeful blue rather than penitential purple during Advent, point out all the blue in the sanctuary today.  Explain that it is the blue of the sky just before dawn.  Note that Isaiah is telling people that we are living “just before the dawn” of God’s peace and justice.  Even though it feels dark and cold now, we know for a fact what is coming.

'' To further explore the significance of the dark before the dawn, read “the First New Year” in Does God Have a Big Toe? By Marc Gellman.  The story describes Adam experiencing his first sunset and learning about time.  The message is that God is planning for a future.  The sun will keep coming up.  We can trust that.  (The story can be read aloud in 6 minutes with time for laughter.)

'' I can’t quite figure out all the details in my head, but am wondering if a congregation could plan to tie their Christmas gifts with gold ribbon only.  The gold would be a reminder of Isaiah’s promise of God’s coming peace and justice.  If anyone has ideas about how to develop this, I’d love to hear them.

This is my photo.  You may use it

for non-commercial purposes.

'' Pictures help children understand what a Jesse tree is.  Show them a picture.  Challenge worshipers to watch for and bring in pictures of Jesse trees in your community.

'' To understand the significance of this image, worshipers need a brief clear account of the Old Testament situation to which Isaiah wrote.

When the Babylonians conquered God’s people, they burned their city, killed most of the important people, even lined up all the king’s sons to kill in front of him just before they poked out his eyes.  YECH!  That was a terrible thing to do!  They did it because they wanted God’s people to know that they had no hope.  Their old nation was as dead as an old dead tree stump.  Isaiah agreed that it looked that way at the moment, but he reminded people that some old tree stumps send up fresh shoots that grow into new trees.  He insisted that that would happen with God’s people.

'' A Child’s Garden: A Story of Hope , by Michael Foreman, is one of those stories that can be heard on many levels.  Children will simply connect the grape vine that grows over the barbed wire fence with the shoots that grow out of the Jesse tree stump.  Adults will see that connection but also realize the connection to all the refugee camps in the war-torn Middle East at the time.  So the story would be well worth sharing with the entire congregation as a summary of hope.  If you project pictures during worship, scan the pictures to show as you read.  (If you buy a copy of the book and do not give your scanned show to anyone else to use elsewhere, I am told it is not a copyright infringement.)

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

'' To turn this psalm into a prayer for today’s leaders, begin by brainstorming a list of leaders together.  Include political leaders of all persuasions, leaders in your community, coaches, teachers, and other leaders of children.  Then adapt the first few words of each line (mainly the pronouns) to make the psalm into a prayer for those leaders.  Groups 1 and 2 could be the two sides of the congregation or the congregation and the choir.

h h h h h h h h h h h h

A Prayer for Leaders Based on Psalm 72

Group 1:       Give our leaders your justice, O God,

and your righteousness to their children.

Group 2:       May they judge your people with righteousness,

and your poor with justice.

Group 1:       May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
                           and the hills, in righteousness.

Group 2:       May they defend the cause of the poor
                              of the people,

give deliverance to the needy,

and crush the oppressor.

Group 1:       May they live while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon,

throughout all generations.

Group 2:       May they be like rain that falls on the mown grass,

like showers that water the earth.

Group 1:       In their days may righteousness flourish and
                           peace abound,

until the moon is no more.

Group 2:       Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

who alone does wondrous things.

Group 1:       Blessed be their glorious names forever;

Group 2:       May their glory fill the whole earth.

All:                  Amen and Amen.

                                                                        Based on NRSV

h h h h h h h h h h h h

Romans 15:4-13

'' Verse 7 is the summary of this message and the easiest part for children to understand.  (The remainder of the text gets involved with circumcision and Gentiles and Jesse stumps which need explaining.)  Verse 7 makes sense on its own.  “Get along with each other!”

'' Present pictures of a variety of very different people (old National Geographics are a good source).  Offer some odd pairs. Include some international photos and some pictures of people who could be local, e.g. an elegantly dressed person and a roughly dressed person displaying a tattoo.  Ask what would be hard for these people to get along.  Close by reading verse 7 from a Bible (perhaps bringing the big pulpit Bible down and reading from it) and pointing out that we are to be friends with all people. 

If your congregation uses projected pictures, project pictures of unusual looking people during the singing about getting along.

Or, place the paired pictures around the empty manger as you pray for them.

'' Light the second candle of the Advent wreath not just for Peace, but for “Peace Among All People.”  Pray for people who often do not get along.

''  “Help Us Accept Each Other” is a sing-able new hymn that offers prayers for people working to get along with each other.

'' Turn verse 13 into a benediction with arm movements.  Either invite the children to join you at the front to help you send the congregation out into the week.  They do the movements while you say the words.  Or, have all worshipers do the movements standing at their pews while you speak.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy

     (sweep hands from toes to face)

and peace through your faith in him.

     (do it again)

Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     (sweep hands from toes up over your head then spread

      outward to hug the whole world)

                                           From God’s Word Translation

 Matthew 3:1-12

'' This year John the Baptist appears on two Sundays in Advent (this week and next).  Today’s text focuses on the most difficult of John’s teachings for children to understand.  So, during children’s time tell John’s story in terms children will understand using your favorite Bible story book.  The Family Story Bible, by Ralph Milton, has a good story about John the Baptist.  I’d use only the first half of the story, saving the last half for Baptism of the Lord Sunday in January.  This story can either be read directly from the book or used as background for telling the story in your own words. 

'' Another way to retell the story of John the Baptist is to pick up a shepherd from the crèche.  Present it to the children noting that there is one person who is never in Nativity sets, but really ought to be.  He probably looked most like the shepherds.  Describe what he wore and ate.  Then tell what he did.  He called people to admit what they were doing that they knew was wrong and did anyway.  He baptized them to show them that God forgave them and would give them another chance.  He also told them God was sending someone very special indeed.  With that, put the figure near the empty manger just for today.