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Sixth Sunday of Easter From “Sitting on the Rainbow” Scripture Reference: 1 John 5:1-2
Preparation (optional): Arrange for several older members of the congregation to bring small photos of their grandkids and be prepared to show them to the kids during the children’s time.
How many of you have grandparents? Raise your hand. I know quite a few grandparents, and all of them just love their grandkids. They love to have their grandchildren visit them, and they tell their friends how wonderful and sweet their grandchildren
Continue reading Love My Kids
Fourth Sunday of Easter From “Sitting on the Rainbow” Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud Scripture Reference: 1 John 3:16-24
Preparation: Bring a large, brightly colored valentine and a warm jacket to help illustrate your talk.
If you wanted someone to know you loved him or her, what would you say? (Let children respond.) You could simply say, “I love you.” Then they would know. Or you could write “I love you” on a piece of paper. Even though Valentine’s Day is past, I brought a valentine with me,
Continue reading Show Your Love
Second Sunday of Easter From “Sitting on the Rainbow” Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud Scripture Reference: Acts 4:32-35
Preparation: You may bring a brown lunch bag containing a treat or stickers to share with the children at the end of your message.
If you were sitting down to lunch at school and you saw that the person sitting next to you didn’t have anything to eat, what might you do? (Let children respond.) You could share your food, couldn’t you? It’s good to share.
I’m sure that
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For the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany From “Sitting on the Rainbow”
Image from Half a World Away exhibit
Scripture Reference: 1 Cor. 8:1-3
Preparation: You may bring a hammer and nails or some other construction tools.
The Bible reading from 1 Corinthians today talks about building up the church. If you were going to help build up the church, what sort of tools do you think you might need? (Discuss.) I brought some tools with me (show the tools), but the trouble is, I’m not
Continue reading Love Builds the Church
For the Sunday of New Year’s Day From “Barefoot in the Snow”
Scripture Reference: Luke 3:21-22 ”You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
It’s a new year, isn’t it? Happy New Year! Did any of you stay up until midnight to greet the New Year? (Let children respond. You may share how your family celebrated the New Year. You may have your own traditions that would work as an illustration, or use this one.) Some families in the Midwest
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For the 21st Sunday after Pentecost or Proper 27 (Lectionary 32) From “Saving the Ants”
1 Thess. 3:12 ”May the Lord make your love grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you.” (NLT)
Preparation: Bring a small pot with a healthy flowering plant growing in it.
I brought a little plant with me this morning. It’s a very nice-looking plant with green leaves and flowers. It has its own pot with lots of rich soil. How
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For the 19th Sunday after Pentecost or Proper 25 (Lectionary 30) From “Saving the Ants” Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud
Scripture Reference: Matt. 22:34 – 40 “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments are based on these two…”
Preparation (Optional): Bring heart-shaped stickers to distribute at the end of the message.
Some of you
Continue reading The Greatest Commandment
For the 11th Sunday after Pentecost or Proper 17 (Lectionary 22) (from Saving the Ants) Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud Scripture Reference: Jer. 15:16 “[Your] words were found, and I ate them, and [your] words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart . . .” RSV and Rom. 12:21 “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” NIV
Preparation: Pour a box of alphabet-shaped cereal into a bowl to distribute at the end of sermon, or prepare small bags of
Continue reading Sweet Words
Responding to the Call of Christ
Scriptures: Matthew 9:9-13 “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”
Preparation: You will need to arrange to have an obedient dog who loves crowds of people be ready at the back of the church to be called to the front. If you cannot get the dog to come when it is called, you may ask its owner to
Continue reading Come!
The March 2011 East Japan Earthquake
Scripture References:
Luke 13: 4 – 5 and Matthew 25:34 – 36
Preparation: Bring photos or a short video clip demonstrating the damage caused by the tsunami. Photos of families in refugee centers might also help the children understand what the conditions are like now in northern Japan.
On March 11, 2011 at 2:46 pm Tokyo time, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan. The ground shifted and shook very hard and out in the
Continue reading Love in Action: Children’s Sermon Response to 3/11
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