Bible Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16,(17-24), Psalm 146, Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 Theme:Dare to Make a Difference
Kids story: Elijah and the Widow of Nain Stories
Make up a number of white posters with dinner plate sized round faces. Make each face a different emotion - sad, happy, confused or puzzled, delighted, amazed, etc. Tell either story and use the faces to help the children reflect or guess the emotions involved in the story.
Kids Story: Elijah
Found in The Picture Strip Bible by Felicity Henderson and Chris Saunderson, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994970, page 48 (pictured)
Drama: Paul Called by God
A monologue by God found in Mega Drama 5 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109194, page 68 (pictured in an earlier blog).
Film Clip: Mr Holland's Opus
Show the clip very close to the end where Mr Holland is taken to the gym for his surprise celebration which honours the difference he has made in hundreds of students lives. If you have time run this clip until the credits begin (it is not all that long) but at least make sure you include the speech given by one of his students.
Story: God - His Care
Found in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch Books, 2003, ISBN 1854245929, story no. 99 (pictured in an earlier blog).
Story: No Funerals
Index 2407-2416 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990.
Poem: This Time
by Giles David and found in Resources for Preaching and Worship - Year C compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003, ISBN 066422508X, Page 184. This works really well with projected images and music.
Meditation Stations: Elijah and the Widow
This mediation is based very roughly on a suggestion made on page 35 of a really beaut book called Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271668.
Have five separate stations around your worship space and some meditative music playing. Each station will be decorated differently (see below) and will have a short reading to contemplate and some suggestions for prayer and action. Arrange stations and people so that not everybody goes to Station 1 first - although the stations are chronological as far as the story goes, they can be visited in any order without losing a sense of what is happening. Allow around 3-5 minutes for each station and encourage people to visit them all at least once. However, also make it clear that they can revisit some if they wish to.
Station 1:
Have a map of the world, a lit candle and enough tea lights for everybody.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:8-9. Note that the woman is not one of God's chosen people, is a widow, a woman (duh!) and has a son. Both she and the boy are marginalised.
To think and pray about:
Who are the marginalised people in our lives?
Who are the people we assume may be outside God's love because of their lifestyle, occupation, beliefs or ethnicity?
How can we make a difference and reflect God's love?
Light a candle and place it on a part of the world that needs Gods transforming love and life?
Station 2:
Have a simple bowl filled to overflowing with small loaves of (if possible, hot) bread
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:10-15 (or summary).
The widow gives away her very last meal to a man she has never met before who she meets at the town gate.
Think of a time when you have mistrusted a request from a stranger.
Think of times when you have been generous to strangers.
What were the results?
Think of the difficulties you face as you try to balance requests for your time and/or money.
As you eat one of the small loaves, pray for the wisdom to know when to say "yes", when to say "no" and how to make a difference.
Station 3:
Have a number of postcards, photos, works of art, mounted magazine pictures of deserts, dry creek beds, angry or hurting faces, dry bones etc - anything that represents hard times, anger, and sadness.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:17-18
Think of a time in your life when you have been fearful, depressed or angry with God.
Choose a picture from the collection that represents your feelings best.
How do you think God can or has make a difference to these feelings.
If you are feeling like this now, tell God about it.
or
If you know someone who may feel like this, pray for them.
Station 4:
Have a simple bowl filled with tiny bulbs or seeds (depending on the season)
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:19-23
Take a seed/bulb.
Look at the seed and think about what your life be like if God was not a part of it?
Imagine the potential of your seed, what it will grow in to, and imagine what God is doing with your potential.
If God is continually transforming you, how can you share that with others?
Station 5:
Have this station near a brightly illuminated pertinent painting, window or banner - I am going to use our pentecost bannner and arrange chairs around it.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:24
Think of a time when God has used somebody to enable you to "see the light".
How has it helped your faith?
Thank God for the people who have made a difference to your faith.
Ask God to enable you share your faith with others - pray for specific people and/or communities.
Kids story: Elijah and the Widow of Nain Stories
Make up a number of white posters with dinner plate sized round faces. Make each face a different emotion - sad, happy, confused or puzzled, delighted, amazed, etc. Tell either story and use the faces to help the children reflect or guess the emotions involved in the story.
Kids Story: Elijah Found in The Picture Strip Bible by Felicity Henderson and Chris Saunderson, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994970, page 48 (pictured)
Drama: Paul Called by God
A monologue by God found in Mega Drama 5 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109194, page 68 (pictured in an earlier blog).
Film Clip: Mr Holland's Opus
Show the clip very close to the end where Mr Holland is taken to the gym for his surprise celebration which honours the difference he has made in hundreds of students lives. If you have time run this clip until the credits begin (it is not all that long) but at least make sure you include the speech given by one of his students.
Story: God - His Care
Found in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch Books, 2003, ISBN 1854245929, story no. 99 (pictured in an earlier blog).
Story: No Funerals
Index 2407-2416 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990.
Poem: This Time
by Giles David and found in Resources for Preaching and Worship - Year C compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003, ISBN 066422508X, Page 184. This works really well with projected images and music.
Meditation Stations: Elijah and the Widow
This mediation is based very roughly on a suggestion made on page 35 of a really beaut book called Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271668.
Have five separate stations around your worship space and some meditative music playing. Each station will be decorated differently (see below) and will have a short reading to contemplate and some suggestions for prayer and action. Arrange stations and people so that not everybody goes to Station 1 first - although the stations are chronological as far as the story goes, they can be visited in any order without losing a sense of what is happening. Allow around 3-5 minutes for each station and encourage people to visit them all at least once. However, also make it clear that they can revisit some if they wish to.
Station 1:
Have a map of the world, a lit candle and enough tea lights for everybody.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:8-9. Note that the woman is not one of God's chosen people, is a widow, a woman (duh!) and has a son. Both she and the boy are marginalised.
To think and pray about:
Who are the marginalised people in our lives?
Who are the people we assume may be outside God's love because of their lifestyle, occupation, beliefs or ethnicity?
How can we make a difference and reflect God's love?
Light a candle and place it on a part of the world that needs Gods transforming love and life?
Station 2:
Have a simple bowl filled to overflowing with small loaves of (if possible, hot) bread
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:10-15 (or summary).
The widow gives away her very last meal to a man she has never met before who she meets at the town gate.
Think of a time when you have mistrusted a request from a stranger.
Think of times when you have been generous to strangers.
What were the results?
Think of the difficulties you face as you try to balance requests for your time and/or money.
As you eat one of the small loaves, pray for the wisdom to know when to say "yes", when to say "no" and how to make a difference.
Station 3:
Have a number of postcards, photos, works of art, mounted magazine pictures of deserts, dry creek beds, angry or hurting faces, dry bones etc - anything that represents hard times, anger, and sadness.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:17-18
Think of a time in your life when you have been fearful, depressed or angry with God.
Choose a picture from the collection that represents your feelings best.
How do you think God can or has make a difference to these feelings.
If you are feeling like this now, tell God about it.
or
If you know someone who may feel like this, pray for them.
Station 4:
Have a simple bowl filled with tiny bulbs or seeds (depending on the season)
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:19-23
Take a seed/bulb.
Look at the seed and think about what your life be like if God was not a part of it?
Imagine the potential of your seed, what it will grow in to, and imagine what God is doing with your potential.
If God is continually transforming you, how can you share that with others?
Station 5:
Have this station near a brightly illuminated pertinent painting, window or banner - I am going to use our pentecost bannner and arrange chairs around it.
On small cards or note paper, print the following:
1 Kings 17:24
Think of a time when God has used somebody to enable you to "see the light".
How has it helped your faith?
Thank God for the people who have made a difference to your faith.
Ask God to enable you share your faith with others - pray for specific people and/or communities.
1 comment:
I think you are amazing especially given the time it takes to prepare and post all these ideas. I pray that these resources will be used by many to further the Kingdom!
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