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All Are Welcome at the Manger

Grudge the rat is worried. Would a rat be welcome at the manger? Rats are often chased away and he wonders if among the cows and sheep in the nativity scene, perhaps there might have been room for a small rat. Baabara the sheep assures him that all are welcome at the manger. Jesus came to earth to make sure that everyone knew that they were loved and included in God’s family.

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John the Moon-Baptist

A children’s message for the 3rd Sunday of Advent. RCL Year B. Scripture Reference: John 1:6-8

Hamlet the Pig trots outside in the cold of December to search the skies for… John the Baptist? Why does he think that the moon is John the Baptist? Might it have something to do with John 1:6-8? “John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.” (NLT)

See script below for reference: – Dec. 10, 2020:

Hamlet: Hey! That’s too

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Two-Faced

I’ll ask you the same question that Jesus asked his disciples after they had heard this story; which son did what his father wanted him to do? (Wait for answers.) Yes, the first son did the right thing. Were these sons two-faced? (Wait for answers.) Yes. Both of them said one thing and did the opposite. The first son said the wrong thing and did the right thing. The second son said the right thing and did the wrong thing. In the end, do you think it’s more important to say the right thing or to do the right thing? (Let children respond.) Actions speak louder than words. Of course, the best thing would be to both say and do the right thing.

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Giving Up the Grudge

Year A – RCL – Proper 19

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Once upon a time, there was a pack rat who had a large collection. He guarded his collection carefully. It had taken him a long time to build up this collection… years and years of adding to it until it was the biggest collection of its kind for miles around.

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The trouble was, this was not a good kind of collection. It was not colorful marbles, or interesting buttons, or

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Cheating at Changing (and Chocolate)

Year A – Proper 9 – 5th Sunday after Pentecost

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:18-19 New Living Translation (NLT) 18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Have you ever met someone who says

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The Wages of Sin

Baabara the Sheep wants a job, but first she has to learn about wages. Grudge the Rat wants an easy job for lots of money. It’s best to find out the wages of the work before you agree to do the job. A hard but healthy job with a good wage is better than an easy, destructive job with a deadly wage. Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ

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What Are the Wages?

Year A – Proper 8 – June 28, 4th Sunday after Pentecost

Romans 6:20 – 23 “In those days when you were slaves of sin you didn’t bother much with goodness. And what was the result? Evidently not good, since you are ashamed now even to think about those things you used to do, for all of them end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and his benefits to you include

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Facing the Wolves

Year A – Revised Common Lectionary – Proper 6 – June 14, 2020

Scriptures: Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)

If a sheep went up against a wolf in a battle out in the wilderness, who would probably win? One of the animals is a predator with sharp teeth and the other has no natural defenses besides the ability to see a predator sneaking up from behind and the ability to run away.

But what if a sheep under the protection of a shepherd with a long

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Without a Doubt

The disciples knew that Jesus was the Light of the world; he had told them so. They had seen in his life, words, and miracles, a glimpse of the glory of God. It was as if they were looking at a lamp with its light shaded from view, sort of like this lamp. (Show lamp with shade.) When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, it’s as if the shade was taken away and the disciples could see the true brightness of God’s glory.

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Shepherd and 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 pen was usually a stone wall built in a circle with only one opening. So after the shepherd had gathered all the sheep into the pen for the night, he would have to lie down across the opening to guard the sheep. The only way a wolf could get in was through that door, so the wolf would 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!

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