There is a 2022 version of this blog with lots more resources - see my archive at left
Theme: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things
About the photo:
After a ten year drought and the worst bushfires in history, the heavens opened this week and the rain came down. Because of the extended dry, trees could not cope,crashed to the ground and blocked roads everywhere, roads disintegrated and the flood water rose until whole towns were inundated. The floods are at record levels and the water is contaminated with forest debris, ash from the fires and soil from the burnt ground which has not yet recovered because of the drought. But these readings this week have come to life in the extraordinary efforts of ordinary people. We had a tiny congregation yesterday - people were either flooded in or exhausted from long hours sandbagging, red crossing, cooking for volunteers, clearing roads or helping in a thousand other little ways. The photo above was taken at 8:30 at night; it was freezing cold, very windy, and drizzling but this little girl begged her Mum "just one more bag" each time they filled one. Two of the primary school kids from our Church Adventure Club told me they bagged 120 bags of sand in one afternoon - that is a lot of sand for two little people!
Just for interest: the photo below is of the town: Paynesville, population 3500, where the church is located. It is one of many Gippsland towns (area: 13600 square miles 0r 35200
square km) affected by floods. 
Film Clip: The Long Walk Home
Miriam Thompson is a proper Southern lady, wife to a socially ambitious husband. Odessa Cotter is Miriam's black housekeeper. They both know their place - and they both speak out and change their society forever. There are heaps of good clips in this movie that exemplify ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Quote: Helmut Thielicke
A church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter from the sanctuary and leaves it to the cabaret, the night club and the toastmasters.
Kid's Story: Giraffes Can't Dance
By Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Orchard Books, 2000, ISBN 1841215651 (pictured)
Story: The Little Girl and the Piano
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties, 1994, ISBN 0310402611, page 143 (pictured in an earlier blog).
Story: Sharing Faith
Found in The New Century Version Youth Bible, Word, 1991, ISBN 0849909252, page 1022.
Discussion: On the 2 Kings Reading
Divide your congregation into five groups. Each group will represent one of the following characters in the story: the slave Girl, Naaman's wife, Elisha's servants, Naaman, the King of Israel.
Ask each group to discuss the following questions:
1. Describe the person according to their accepted job role.
2. How has this/these persons acted out of character.
Adult Response:
Give everyone a business card sized sketch of a candle. Ask them to write on the candle the name of someone that in the world's eyes is quite insignificant but who has helped them on their faith journey. On the other side write what they think God is calling them to do despite their feelings of inadequacy.
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