Year C – Proper 23, 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday after Pentecost (October 13, 2013)

My goodness this IS an overload Sunday.  It is the Sunday before Thanksgiving in Canada and Children’s Sabbath in the USA.  The 2 Kings story of the healing of Naaman and the gospel story of the healing of the 10 lepers appear several times in the lectionary.  The Naaman story appeared on July 7, 2013.  The gospel story is a Thanksgiving Day text for Year A.  (Canadians, After I post this material I will go to work on and post the Thanksgiving Day ideas for Year C so you can have them in time.  We Americans will catch up with you in November.)  As I said, there are lots of choices to be made.

If you are keeping the Children’s Sabbath in USA, one theme to explore is LISTENING TO or PAYING ATTENTION TO PEOPLE.  Jeremiah instructed the people who were being led into captivity in another country to get to know their new cities and the people in them.  They were to pray for them.  Naaman was cured because he listened to the little slave girl and his servant.  Jesus listened to the lepers calling out to him.  In today’s world worshipers of all ages need to work at listening to people around them and responding to their needs. 

Go to Children's Defense Fund for all sorts of resources for celebrating Children’s Sabbath.

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

c  Jeremiah insists that God’s people living in exile look around, get to know the people and place where they are living, and contribute to its well being.  Children today need to be reminded that they are to look around themselves and notice what is going on with other people in their family, neighborhood, class, team….   They are to both pray for these people and also do things that make life better for all these people.  That makes this an opportunity to introduce several methods of intercessory prayer and explore the reality that praying for someone usually leads us to take act on their behalf.

• If your congregation publicly collects prayer concerns before a prayer that focuses on intercession, take time to explain what you are doing and why. 
• Introduce the practice of praying on the run, i.e. offering very short silent prayers for a person while you are with them, e.g. “She looks really unhappy, God.  Please take care of her.”
• Many children’s bedtime prayers include a long list of “God blesses.”  Encouraging children to pray this list thoughtfully adding people they have encountered during the day who they want to name to God, encourages them to see other people and develop a sense of relationship with them.  For younger children simply naming people, “God bless my teacher,” is enough.  Older children can be more specific, “God thank you for my teacher.  I really like him.” Or “God, help my teacher.  She was really crabby today.  Help her feel happier tomorrow.”  (A children’s time about this subtly encourages parents to work on this practice at home.  Including it in The Sermon invites children to listen to sermons and encourages adults to practice bedtime reflection on their day and intercessory prayer based on the day.  Bedtime prayers are NOT just a kid thing.)

c Often the “God blesses” sound like a list of our favorite people and activities.  Jeremiah challenges his readers to pray for those who are holding them captive.  The Story of Ruby Bridges may be the best parallel story from fairly recent history.  First grader Ruby was one of the African American children who integrated a white school in the 1960s.  Every day for months she was escorted by policemen through a crowd of jeering, angry adults to a classroom where she for a long time was the only student.  She told her teacher that each day she asked God to forgive the people in the crowd.  Ruby obviously knew how to pray for other people.  Her church and family had taught her that practice and prayed with her.  This story is often read to children as a window into racial problems in America.  Today, tell it and explore it as an example of the possibility of praying for those who are definitely not your friends.  Ruby’s prayer was:

Please, God, try to forgive those people.

Because even if they say those bad things,

They don't know what they're doing.

So You could forgive them,

Just like You did those folks a long time ago.

c Praying for others is only half the task.  We are also to work on the behalf of those for whom we pray.  As children pay attention to people around them and pray for them, they can say kind words to people who don’t get many kind words.  They can make friends with those who don’t have many friends.  They can comfort a person who is sad.  They can congratulate and celebrate with someone who done something really cool.  They become God’s partners in making what they prayed for happen.

Psalm 66:1-12

This is a hard psalm for children to follow.  This year I would save it for the adults. 

 

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c

c This story appears 3 times in the lectionary, but remains unfamiliar to most children and adults.  Though it is not long, it is filled with complex action.  That makes it a good candidate for pantomiming as read.  An older children’s or youth class could do the pantomiming.   It would also be interesting to use players of the appropriate age for each character.  Players might wear jeans and dark shirts.  Most characters have one defining prop. 

This could simply be the scripture reading for the day.  Or, you could ask the characters to stay in place on stage and move into the sermon by moving among the character, commenting on their actions.  With prepared players, you could even have conversation with the characters about what they did and how it felt.  Whichever you do, some rehearsal is required.

Players and Props/costumes:

Naaman

(military headgear – a costume helmet or a modern military/police officer hat)

Naaman’s wife (hand held mirror)

Naaman’s wife’s servant girl (hairbrush)

Naaman’s servant (no prop – he will carry the scroll between the kings)

King of Syria (crown and a rolled paper scroll)

King of Israel (crown)

Elisha (no prop)

Elisha’s servant (no prop)

Jordan River

     (a 2-3 yard long piece of muddy colored fabric held by a
       person at each end)

I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Reader/Stage Manager:  Our story today is only fifteen verses long but involves eight characters, two kingdoms, and one river.  First, of course, the kings:  There is the king of Syria. 

 

Beckon deferentially for the King of Syria in his crown to take his place.

And there is the King of Israel – a much smaller country and so a less important king, but still a king. 

Beckon deferentially for the King of Israel in his crown to take his place, possibly on a lower step from the king of Syria.

And there is Naaman the general of the army of the King of Syria – another very important man. 

Grandly direct Naaman to a spot near the King of Syria.

Naaman has a wife - I forget her name.  And the wife has a young servant girl - who cares what her name was. 

Point dismissively to their spots.

Naaman also has a servant, sort of his right hand man. 

Point to a spot by Naaman for his servant.

That is the cast in Syria.  Over here in Israel, there is also a prophet named Elisha.  The prophet also has a servant.

Point to spots for Elisha and his servant. 

There are several large, beautiful rivers in Syria, but for our story the important river is the muddy little Jordan River in Israel.

Spread out the muddy river and show the river shakers where to stand or describe the muddy Jordan River pointing to where it is to be imagined.

Oh, our story involves a disease, a dreaded disease, called leprosy.  It was and is a horrible disease.  Its symptoms are sores that do not heal and spread.  Eventually toes, fingers and even whole limbs fall off.  In the time at which our story takes place, people were so frightened of the disease that victims were sent away from their homes and communities.  They lived together in caves.  Some of their families or kind folk from town left food and clothes for them near the caves, but they never got very close.  When no food appeared the lepers had to call out to travelers begging for what they needed.  Today we have drugs to treat leprosy.  But, in the days of our story there were no cures.

Shiver and shake your head as you conclude this description.

Now, we are ready for our story.  It begins with Naaman at home in Syria.

Point to Naaman.

Reader:

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria, because through Naaman the Lord had given victory to the Syrian forces.

Naaman stands tall and folds his arms across his chest.

He was a great soldier, but he suffered from a dreaded skin disease.

Naaman inspects the back of his hand and hides it behind himself.

In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Naaman’s wife. 

Servant girl pretends to brush mistress’s hair.

One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.” 

Servant girl pantomimes speaking.  Mistress turns to listen, then turns toward Naaman and reaches out to him.

When Naaman heard of this, he went to the king and told him what the girl had said.  The king said, “Go to the king of Israel and take this letter to him.”

Naaman turns toward the king of Syria.  The king gives him a letter (rolled up piece of paper).

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and exclaimed, “How can the king of Syria expect me to cure this man? Does he think that I am God, with the power of life and death? It’s plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!”

Naaman bows before the king of Israel and hands him the letter.  The king opens it, reads it, and puts his hands over his face or makes other signs of despair.

When the prophet Elisha heard what had happened, he sent word to the king: “Why are you so upset? Send the man to me, and I’ll show him that there is a prophet in Israel!”

Elisha puts his hand to his ear as if listening, then sends his servant to the king.  The servant bows to the king who sits/stands up and looks relieved.  As the servant backs up to take his place beside Elisha, the king looks at Naaman and points toward Elisha.

So Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and stopped at the entrance to Elisha’s house. 

Naaman and his servant go to Elisha. The servant pretends to knock on the door.

Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the River Jordan, and he would be completely cured of his disease.

Elisha’s servant standing in front of Elisha, pretends to open the door and points toward the river, then closes the door.

But Naaman left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the Lord his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and cure me!  Besides, aren’t the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!”

Naaman stamps his feet, scowls, and puts his hands on his hips.

His servant went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can’t you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?” 

Naaman’s servant, cautiously taps Naaman on the shoulder, pretends to speak reasoning with his master using his hands to suggest the possibility of trying the river.  Naaman listens, shrugs his shoulders, and turns toward the river.

So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy, like that of a child. 

Naaman squats sever times pretending to pour water over his head each time.  His servant keeps count on his fingers for both Naaman and the congregation.  (Or, have muddy brown cloth fabric laying on the floor as a river.  People standing at the ends pick it and wave it in front of Naaman seven times as the servant keeps count.)  After the seventh dip Naaman looks at his hand in amazement, shows it to his servant.  Both show signs of joy (maybe a high five?)

He returned to Elisha with all his men and said, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel…”.

Naaman and his servant return to Elisha’s door.   The servant knocks again.  Elisha pretends to open the door this time.  Naaman and his servant bow before Elisha.

(Biblical story is from Today’s English Version)

I I I I I I I I I I I I I

c God works through the powerless is the key idea of this story for children.  Children, who often feel powerless and sense their ideas are ignored, are delighted that a little girl is the heroine.  She speaks up and is listened to.  Naaman actually takes her idea to the king, who produces a letter of introduction to a second king, then travels to find the prophet she mentions.  Naaman’s powerless servant is the other hero who speaks up to convince his master that he ought to try following the prophet’s instructions.  All the “powerful” people in the story (General Naaman and the two kings) save the day by submitting to the advice of the “powerless.”  That preaches on many levels.  It assures children that God works through them now (not when they grow up) and encourages them to speak up and act boldly based on what they know about what God wants and does.  On Children’s Sabbath it calls the adults to pay attention to and take seriously what children say. 

c With the area where this story is set being so much in the news right now, point to Syria, Damascus and Israel on a map or globe.  Note briefly what is going on there now and insist that this story happened thousands of years ago in that place.  This gives the story a sense of reality to older children.

Psalm 111

c This psalm is one of the alphabet psalms.  It might be titled “The ABCs of Praising God.”  A group of children (a class or choir?) might read the psalm to the congregation with each child reading one lettered line and the minister or other worship leader saying the letter of the Hebrew alphabet before each lines.  Or, the congregation might read the lines after a worship leaders says each Hebrew letter.

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Psalm 111

The ABCs of Praising God

All                   Praise the Lord!

Aleph               With all my heart I will thank the Lord.

Bet                   In the assembly of God’s people I will praise the Lord.

Gimel              How wonderful are the things the Lord does!

Dalet               All who are delighted with them want to understand them.

He                   All God does is full of honor and majesty!

Waw                God’s righteousness is eternal.

Zain                 The Lord does not let us forget these wonderful actions.

Het                  The Lord is kind and merciful.

Tet                   God provides food for those who honor him.

Yod                  The Lord never forgets his covenant.

Kaph               God has shown his power to his people

Lamed             The Lord gave them the lands of foreigners.

Mem                Everything God does is faithful and just.

Nun                 All the Lord’s commands are dependable.

Samek              They last for all time.

Ain                  They were given in truth and righteousness.

Pe                    God set his people free

Zade                The Lord made an eternal covenant with them.

Qoph               Holy and mighty is God’s name!

Resh                The way to become wise is to honor the Lord;

Shin                 The Lord gives sound judgment to all who obey his commands.

Taw                 God is to be praised for ever.

Based on the TEV

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c When the story of Namaan appears on The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (Year B) the lectionary pairs it with Psalm 30.  Go to Year B - Sixth Sunday After Epiphany for suggestions for using this psalm as a psalm Naaman and the leper might have prayed after they were healed.

 

2 Timothy 2:8-15

Persevere

c Paul is still giving Timothy advice.  Today he is urging him to be persistent in his ministry.  Children will not hear what he is saying as his words are read.  One way to share his advice with children is to introduce the word “persevere.”  Print it in large letters on a large sheet of paper.  Practice saying it together.  Then tell them that it means “stick with it” or “don’t give up.”  Explore the meaning of perseverance with one of the stories below. Conclude by noting that Paul wanted Timothy to persevere in his work as a minister.  He was to keep at it even on the days when it wasn’t very interesting or exciting and on the days when it felt hard, even dangerous.

c Tales about perseverance:  In Lord of the Rings Frodo and Sam must overcome many obstacles to get their ring back to where it belongs.  The same is true of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy on their adventures in The Chronicles of Narnia.  While it sounds more exciting to persevere in the kinds of daring tasks they did, we are called on to do the same in refusing to give up on learning hard subjects at school, conquering our fears, etc. 

c A few real life stories about perseverance:

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.  After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, "That's an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process."

Many famous authors got dozens of rejection slips before their books get accepted for publication and go on to become best sellers.

c Pray for perseverance. Invite worshipers of all ages to name times they feel like giving up.  Either gather the list, then let a leader voice prayers on behalf of the congregation or turn the suggestions into prayers as they are offered by asking the congregation to respond to each one “God, help us to persevere.”

Luke 17:11-19

c Before reading the scripture gather 10 “lepers” at the front.  The lepers might be a collection of folks of different ages – including at least one child.  Or, they might come from a single class of older children, youth, or adults.  As the lepers come forward pose each one handing them, even wrapping them in props that describe the life of lepers.  You will need several big cloth bandages to wrap around limbs.

1. Instruct one to wrap up an arm as you describe the open, oozing sores.
2. Tie a bandage around the head of another, explaining that the sores could show up anywhere, even on your head.
3. Put a sticky bandage across another’s nose and imagine what it would feel like if you had sores right in the middle of your face.
4. Wrap a bandage vertically around one’s head covering the ears noting that sometimes the sores on ones ears made the ears fall off completely.
5. Have another make a fist and wrapped it up in a bandage as you point out that fingers often got so diseased that they fell off. 
6. Hand another a crutch or cane and bend one leg up so their toe just balances on the floor, noting that toes also fell off. 
7. Tell one to put his/her hands out in the stay away gesture telling how contagious leprosy is and noting that people had to live away from town, often in caves. 
8. Get another down on knees with hands outstretched to beg explaining that the only way they could get food was for people to bring it to them.  Note that some families regularly brought food to a family member living with the lepers, but others had to beg from passers-by. 
9. Throw a larger raggedly piece of cloth around the shoulders of another pointing out that they were also dependent on others to bring them clothes which meant they were often wearing dirty ragged clothes.
10. Sit one down on the floor facing away from everyone with head in hands looking down.  Imagine how discouraged and sad one would get living this way, often for years, with no hope of getting better.

Either pose the lepers then read the story, thank the lepers, and send them back to their seats. 

OR

Involve the lepers in telling the rest of the story.  (This will require one brief rehearsal with the lepers.)  Point out that one day all these lepers saw Jesus coming.  Knowing that he had cured people with many diseases they called out to him saying “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  Ask several of the lepers or people in the congregation to say the phrase the way they think the lepers would have said it.  Instruct the lepers to be ready to say the phrase when it appears in the story.  Then go to the lectern to read the story.  Point to the lepers to call out in verse 13.  All lepers then all move slowly off toward the side in verse 14.  The tenth leper who was discouraged slowly turns and comes back to the center facing the reader, kneels and raises his or her arms in praise.  The reader takes the role of Jesus, stepping toward the leper, reciting verses 17-19 while holding out a hand to the leper, pulling him to his feet, and turning him to join the others.  The leper walks off.  The reader turns to the congregation to say “The Word of the Lord.”

c Because children are constantly reminded to say “please” and “thank you,” this story can sound like one more demand for good manners.  The trick is to get past good manners to the gratitude that underlies the spoken “thank you.”  One way to do that is to focus on identifying our blessings rather than on saying thank you. 

Define blessing as something wonderful that makes your life good and that you did not earn or provide for yourself.  Note that anything can be a blessing - or not.  Food is a good example.  In the movie Shenandoah, the father of a family prays over a table loaded with good food, “We planted it, tended it, harvested it, and cooked it.  Nothing would be on this table if we had not put it there, but thanks anyway.”  Food was not a blessing to that man.  Another prayer over food is describes each wonderful dish on the table and where the food in it came from thanking God for creating each fruit and vegetable and meat.  For that person, food is a blessing. 

Recite the first line of The Doxology.  Name some of your blessings.  Ask other worshipers to name some of their blessings.  Then, invite the whole congregation to sing the Doxology.

Print the words to “For the Beauty of the Earth” in the center of a page leaving ample margins around the edges.  Invite children to write and draw their blessings around the margins to illustrate the hymn.  The words of the hymn may offer then suggestions or they may draw things and people not mentioned in the hymn.

Using hymnbooks or the printed pages above, together walk through the words of “For the Beauty of the Earth” identifying examples of all the blessings listed.  Also count all the different kinds of blessings you find there.  Then sing the hymn.

Year C - The Sixth Sunday of Easter (May 5, 2013)

 

Acts 16:9-15

 

U There is a lot of action and are several unfamiliar place names in this story.  To help children hear the story through them, have it pantomimed by an older children’s or youth class while the usual worship leader reads the story from the Bible in the lectern.  As the reading begins, Paul stands to one side of the chancel in front of a person holding a sign that says TROAS.  Spread out across the chancel in story order are people holding signs that say, MACEDONIA, SAMOTHRACE NEAPOLIS, and PHILIPPI.  At the far side of the chancel just past the PHILIPPI sign, sit 2 or 3 women in a circle.  Lydia wears a purple scarf or dress.  As actors take their places, comment on the geography noting the significance of the sea to be crossed between Troas and Macedonia and pointing out that Macedonia was the area (like a state?) in which Samothrace, Neapolis and Philippi were cities.  (No one will remember all this geography, but explaining makes the story feel more real.)

E E E E E E E E E E E E E E

Acts 16:9-15

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Paul looks up curiously.  The person holding the MACEDONIA sign may yell out the “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  Or, it may be read by the reader.

When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.  We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.

Following the text Paul goes from one place to the next.

We remained in this city for some days.  On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.

Paul joins the women in the circle.  He makes gestures as if speaking and they turn their heads and bodies to listen to him.

A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth.  The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.  When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

Pause long enough for Lydia to kneel and Paul to baptize her.  Paul then offers her his hand and she rises.  She may say the phrase “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” Or the reader may read it.

E E E E E E E E E E E E E E

U With this story we turn from the empty tomb toward Pentecost and the Holy Spirit.  On Pentecost the Holy Spirit comes with fire.  Today the Holy Spirit works more quietly sending Paul a vision and Lydia a visiting preacher with a new message about God.  Being Easter People, they both listen and act on what they encounter.  Both had to be brave.  Paul was moving into a new place with lots of different people to whom he was to speak.  Lydia responded by being baptized and inviting Pal and his friends to stay at her house – which could have made some local people angry. 

From Wikimedia Commons

U Both Paul and Lydia had to listen carefully to new ideas and decide what to do about them.  Native American dreamcatchers capture this process in a web and some feathers or beads.  Hung wherever people will be dreaming – maybe their beds, maybe their reading place – the net in the center of the circle is meant to catch all the dreams and visions and sort them out letting only the good ones through.  Display a dreamcatcher or picture of one describing its use.  Then talk about how we must listen carefully to both the dreams that come when we are sleeping and the visions that come when we are awake.  We have to figure out which are important ideas and suggestions from the Holy Spirit/God and which are just crazy old dreams and wishes in our own heads. 

U Talk about the importance of listening – to dreams, to other people, to whatever is around us.  Then, bless the children to be good listeners like Paul and Lydia.  If children are gathered close to you conclude this discussion with a blessing of each child’s ears or head putting your hand in place saying, “May God help you listen for dreams and visions and figure out what to do with them.”  If there are too many children for one person to bless, show them how to bless each other and allow time for them to bless those around them.

U If your congregation regularly uses the Apostles’ Creed in worship, this Sunday and Pentecost give you an opportunity to highlight two phrases near the end of the creed that often get lost for children in the string of phrases that seem unrelated to each other.  Today focus on “I believe on the Holy Ghost.”  On Pentecost pick up with “the holy catholic church” to explore how the Holy Spirit starts the church.  Begin by either interrupting the creed as it is being recited by the congregation or challenging the congregation to recite the creed interrupting it with a clap at this phrase.  Talk about the phrase, then recite the whole creed together again.

The term “Holy Ghost” calls to mind a friendly Halloween spook maybe wearing a halo.  They need to hear that to the people who originally translated the creed into English “ghost” meant the invisible you that was what made you the unique person you are.  Everyone had a ghost.  Today we might say Holy Spirit instead of Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the invisible unique goodness that makes God God.  So when we say “I believe in the Holy Ghost” we are saying that we believe that God comes to each and all of us.  We can know God and God can communicate with us in lots of surprising ways.  Connect it today’s stories in which the Holy Ghost speaks to Paul in a dream and to Lydia in the words of a visiting preacher. 

This worship activity also connects to the gospel reading promising the Holy Spirit.

U Paul and Lydia each responds to their messages from God by doing what they are best able to do.  Paul preaches because he is a teacher.  Lydia offers her home as a place to stay because that is what she has to offer.  Use Lydia’s offer to introduce the word “hospitality” – being sure to point out both the connect and the disconnect between it and today’s word “hospital.”  Describe the details of what she did – provide a place to stay and food.  She also seems to have let her home become a meeting place for the church Paul started in Philippi.  Describe ways your congregation extends hospitality including some in which children participate.  Also describe ways individuals can extend hospitality to people every day wherever they are.  For children this includes inviting new children or lonely children to join their groups. 

 
Psalm 67

U For a congregational reading of this psalm the One could be a worship leader, a children’s class or choir, or any choir.  All is the entire congregation.  (I chose The New Jerusalem Bible because its vocabulary is most familiar to older children, e.g. “fairness” instead of the “equity” in NRSV.)

IGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBC

Psalm 67

One:   May God show kindness and bless us,

and make his face shine on us.

All:      Then the earth will acknowledge your ways,

and all nations your power to save.

One:   Let the nations praise you, God,

let all the nations praise you.

All:      Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy,

for you judge the world with justice,

you judge the peoples with fairness,

you guide the nations on earth.

One:   Let the nations praise you, God,

let all the nations praise you.

All:      The earth has yielded its produce;

God, our God has blessed us.

May God continue to bless us,

and be revered by the whole wide world.

                             Based on The New Jerusalem Bible

IGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBCIGBC

U Go to Psalm 67 for a script in which the congregation responds with the “let all the people…” phrase.  That script is based on the New Revised Standard Version.

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

U The codes in this section of John’s vision are very hard for children to crack.  They are very detailed, e.g. a tree that bears fruit every season and is fed by a crystal river that flows out of the throne.  It is not easy to unpack the meaning of each of those details and then combine them.  And, if you do that you end up with an abstract message about the fullness of eternal life that does speak meaningfully to children.  Given that I would simply introduce this as a complicated picture of life in the world when it is completely as God intends it to become.  And ask a few simple questions:

Is this a good or bad place to live? 

What makes it sound good?

Who is in charge?

How would this picture of the end of the world help Christians who are having hard times now?


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U When this text showed up in 2013, Dr. Laura Sugg went on line to collect this page of jewel pictures.  The jewels are in the order on the page that they appear in the text.  Children, and other interested worshipers, were offered pages and invited to follow the pictures as they listened to the text read aloud trying to imagine what the city they were hearing about looked like.

U Sing “We Are Marching in the Light of God” after rereading verses 23-25.  The repeated words in both the original Zulu language and English are easy for children.  Just for fun take a look and listen to what a group of middle schoolers in Singapore did with this African music.  If you search the name of the song you will find wonderful videos of everyone from children in an African school, to wonderful African adult musicians, to a bunch of white kids doing a less outstanding but no less credible job of singing this song.

 

U Children are amused to hear that in this picture of God’s City there is no Temple or Church.  Take time to point this out and explain that the reason for this is that Church is everywhere, every day as people love God and each other all the time.  For the relief of some children point out that this does mean that life in God’s City will be endless choir rehearsals and Sunday School lessons.  Instead we will know all the songs so well we will whistle and sing them no matter what we are doing and will treat others and be treated by them with love all the time without needing lessons to remind us to that.

John 14:23-39

U Best friends are very important to children.  They often show their devotion to their friends by wearing matching clothes and signing up for the same teams or clubs.  To show their devotion to more distant friends like sports hero/ines they collect cards, put posters on their walls, etc.  So the question “how can I show that I love Jesus?” is a good question to pose for them.  Talk about possible ways (maybe wearing a cross necklace or coming to church on Sunday).  Then reread Jesus’ answers to the question - “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching” (verse 23) and “Whoever does not love me does not obey my teaching” (verse 24).  (This TEV wording makes more immediate sense to children than the NRSV “keep my word.) 

U Jesus continues in the friendship mode by promising to be with us, to be loyal always – in good times, in bad times, even after we die.  We can count on God/Jesus to be with us.  That kind of loyalty is a meaningful Easter promise for children.

U Highlight any reference to the Holy Spirit in your communion liturgy.  In my tradition, I would look for a form of the great prayer of thanksgiving that mentions the Holy Spirit.  Before the sacrament,  would read it putting it into my own words and explaining the connection to the bread and cup. 

U Go to the Acts material above for a way to explore “I believe in the Holy Ghost” from the Apostles’ Creed.

U To pick up on some of the images in this word picture:

Sing “Dona Nobis Pacem” with its simple repeated Latin words.  Sing it in unison or as a round between several choirs or sides of the aisle in the congregation.

Sing “I’ve Got Peace Like a River” being sure to add “I’ve got joy like a fountain….”

U After reading about Jesus passing the peace to us, explain your practice of passing the peace during worship.  Then, do it.  You might pass the peace a second time as the benediction at the end of worship today.

John 5:1-9 (Alternate Reading)

This is one of the harder healing stories for children to understand and appreciate because they first have to deal with all the sick people who were waiting to be first in the pool when the waters were troubled.  For that reason (and the wealth of other material for this day) I would not use this story.  If however you do use it, simply tell the children that people in Jesus’ day believed that if they were first into the water at this particular pool they would be healed and that seems weird to us today.  Then, direct their attention to the fact that the paralyzed man had almost no chance of being first in.  Children understand wanting something that you have little chance of getting because everything is against you.  Imagine wanting to be on the travel soccer team but knowing others will be chosen before you.  Even imagine being a hungry refugee child wanting to get to food being handed out before it is all gone but being pushed aside by bigger stronger people.  Then, talk about Jesus “seeing” the paralyzed man and giving him what he needed.  The trick with this is to admit that Jesus doesn’t get us everything we want – e.g. get us on travel soccer no matter how good we are – but to challenge worshipers to look with Jesus for the people who are stuck “at the back of the line” and reach out to them.  The difficulty of doing that sends me back to my original inclination to skip this story for the children, but for what it is worth I’ll leave it in this post.