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For the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost or Proper 13
From “Saving the Ants”
Scripture Reference: Isa. 55:1-5
Have you ever been to a state fair or a big festival where there are booths selling food of every kind? Sometimes the people working in the booths will yell out to those passing in the street and try to get some more customers. “Hot dogs! Foot-long hot dogs! Come and get your hot dogs!†or “Ice-cold snow cones! Satisfy your thirst! Lemon, strawberry, grape! Get your snow cones here!†Let’s say you smell something that you really like and you go over to a booth all set to eat your favorite treat. You place your order and then reach into your pocket to pay, but you realize that you have no money. Do you think the people in the booth would give you the food anyway? Probably not. You need money to buy food at the fair.
There’s a passage in Isaiah that sounds just like someone shouting from a booth at the fair. It reads, “Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without price†(Is. 55:1 RSV). There’s something different about this vendor, however. What’s the difference? (Children may answer.) That’s right! You don’t need money at this booth. They’re giving away free refreshment! Continue reading Come to the Waters
 For the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost or Proper 11
(from Saving the Ants)
Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud
Biblical Reference: Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43
Preparation: You may bring some weeds and some flowers to show the difference, or even a potted plant with a few weeds growing in it.
When Jesus talked to the crowds of people that gathered to hear him, he often taught them stories called parables. Jesus once told a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a field that had been planted with good seeds. The seeds sprouted and wheat came up, but something else sprouted with the wheat that no farmer would want in their field. What do you think that was? (Wait for response.) Weeds came up, right alongside the good plants. Continue reading Weeds in the Field
 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 demonstrate the command, “Come.”
How many of you own a dog or know someone who owns a dog? (Ask for a show of hands.) Who can tell me some of the commands that an owner usually teaches a dog? (Children may offer answers like, “Sit,” “Stay,” and “Come.”) Is it important that the dog learn these commands? Yes, a dog does need to learn to obey and respect its master. And master does a lot for the dog. The master takes care of the dog, feeds it, brushes it, takes it to the vet if the dog is sick, and protects the dog from harm.
Imagine that a dog was running out into the street and a truck was coming very fast. The dog would be hit if it didn’t turn around quick and run to its master. What command could the master give to save the life of the dog? Continue reading Come!
 Hope in the Midst of Sadness
Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud
Scriptures: Psalm 30:5 and Psalm 136
Preparation: Pick a gloomy, cloudy Sunday to give this children’s sermon, and bring a large, dark umbrella that you can hide under as you call the children forward to hear your message.
It seems like it’s been raining for such a long time, and I don’t know when it’s going to stop. It’s been raining so much, that I’m pretty sure it will even start raining indoors, so I am ready for it. I’ve opened my umbrella and I am going to stay under it, indoors and out.
In fact, I haven’t seen the sun for such a long time, I don’t think that the sun even exists anymore. When I look outside, all I see is clouds. There’s no sun at all. If I said that the sun no longer existed, what could you say to convince me that I was wrong? How do you know the sun is out there, even though we can’t see it? (Let children share their ideas. They may explain that it became lighter this morning, or that they have seen the sun come out after days of rain.)
Do you think I should stay hidden under this umbrella? Is the sun really gone for good? Continue reading Finding the Sun
 Media Influence
From Barefoot in the Snow, by Ruth Gilmore (contemporary edits by author)
Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud
Scriptures: Psalm 119:37 Â “Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.” (NLT)
Preparation: Bring a pair of sunglasses and a pair of safety goggles to illustrate the message.
If the sun is shining right into your eyes and you can hardly see, what do you do? (Let children respond.) You can shield your eyes with your hands. You can put on a pair of sunglasses. You could look down or close your eyes. Why would you want to protect your eyes from the sun? (Discuss.) The sun’s rays can damage your eyes permanently. If you look straight at the sun for a long time or if you glance at the sun during an eclipse, you can damage your eyes and eventually even become blind. Continue reading Protecting Your Eyes
Day of Pentecost
From Saving the Ants, by Ruth Gilmore
Acts 2:1-4 and 1 Cor. 12:4-13
Many Gifts, One Spirit
Preparation: Bring little red cards, cut to look like flames, with a tag on the back of each one describing a gift of the Holy Spirit or a talent that one might be given to serve God.
Today is a very important birthday. Do you know whose birthday it is? (Let children guess.) Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Christian church. Before Jesus was born, were there any Christian churches? No. There were Jewish synagogues where God’s people, the Israelites, went to worship. Jesus taught in the synagogues while he was here on earth. Continue reading Happy Birthday, Church
From Saving the Ants, by Ruth Gilmore
For the 6th Sunday of Easter
Scripture Reference: Acts 17:22-31  “…he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.'”
If you could name something that is the farthest possible distance away from you, what would that thing be? What is something that is really far away from you?(Discuss distant objects with children.)
Now, if you could name something that is as close to you as is possible, what would that be? What are some things that are very, very close to you? (Discuss close objects with children.)
Some people think that God must live far away. Continue reading How Close Is God?
Cast of Characters: Mabel the Cow, Baabara the Sheep, a Muppet named Mercy Mee, a Muppet named Milo Yo
Bible Reference: John 14:12 – 14
Mercy Mee: Okay, now where is that verse? It’s one of the best verses in the Bible. This is going to totally change my life! If I can just find it. (Looking through the Bible.) Where is it? I can’t find it anywhere!
Milo Yo: (Enters and watches Mercy for a while.) Hiya Mercy. Whatcha doing?
Mercy: (Exasperated) I am looking for something. It’s gonna make me incredibly rich! It’s gonna make me incredibly happy!
Milo: (Unimpressed.) Wow. Both those things at once, huh? Are you sure that’s possible?
Mercy: (Dramatically…) Milo, with God ALL things are possible.
Milo: So you are looking up a Bible verse that is going to make you incredibly rich and incredibly happy?
Mercy: That’s right! Now if I could just find that verse. It goes something like, “Anything you ask for, BAM, you got it!”
Continue reading Ask Anything
 From Saving the Ants by Ruth Gilmore
For the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Scripture Reference: John 10:1-10 “I am the gate for the sheep… Those who come in through me will be saved.”
Preparation: (Optional) You can bring a picture of Jesus as the Shepherd or point out a picture in the church. Show your illustration after asking the children if they know who the Good Shepherd is. Pick your volunteer ‘wolf’ out ahead of time.
Who is the Good Shepherd? Can anyone tell me? (Let children respond.) Yes, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. (You may show your illustration here.) In the Gospel lesson read today, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep fold.” So besides being a shepherd, Jesus is the door.
Did you know that in Bible times, a couple thousand years ago, being a door was part of a shepherd’s job? The sheep fold was usually a stone wall built in a circle with only one opening, so after the shepherd had gathered all the sheep into the fold for the night, he would have to lay down across the opening to guard the sheep. The only way a wolf could get in, was through that door and so they’d have to deal with the shepherd first. Do you think a good shepherd would let a wolf through that door? No sir! The shepherd would drive the wolf away!
Continue reading Shepherd and Door
 Second Sunday of Easter
Scripture References: John 11:25 “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” NLT 1 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
Preparation: Bring along several raw eggs, a clear bowl and a towel. You may also have pictures or even video of a chick hatching.
Because last Sunday was Easter Sunday, we are now in the season of Easter. We get to continue celebrating the fact that Jesus is alive and that Jesus triumphed over death once and for all. Have you noticed that the cloths on the altar are white? This is the color of the season of Easter. (You may point out the symbols and colors in your church that remind us we are still in the season of Easter. The paraments may be white and the pastor may also be wearing a white stole.) We get to celebrate Easter for six more Sundays. Of course, you might not get an Easter basket every week for the next six weeks, but Easter is so important to Christians, that we celebrate the Easter season for seven weeks total.
Continue reading Power From Inside
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