Proper 13 Ordinary 18 Pentecost 10 C (1st August): The Things We Leave Behind/God the Loving Parent

Bible Readings: Hosea 11:1-11. Psalm 107: 1-9,43, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21



About the Images:
Upper: This is a free microsoft clipart image and I used it for the Response activity set out below. For ease of writing I put six images to an A4 (letter) sized sheet.
Lower: I made this image for the gospel reading. They are both my photos so please feel free to use them for worship purposes. The reflected buildings are near Camberwell Junction in Melbourne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camberwell_Junction) and the head stones are from the fascinating cemetery on Norfolk Island(http://www.pitcairners.org/vt_cemetery.html).

Opening Response: In Quietness and Darkness
Found in Present on Earth by The Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2008, ISBN 0901557642, page 32 (pictured in an earlier blog). This matches well with the gospel reading.

Listening Song: The Things We Leave Behind
By Michael Card on his album, Poiema, 1994 (pictured at right). This goes well with the gospel reading.

Drama: The Barn Builder
Found in Forty More Devotions that Work With Youth by Geraldine Anderson (Ed.), JBCE, 1990, ISBN 0858198118, page 38 (pictured at left).

Drama: From the Files of Miles Wenckbach
Found in Drama Resources 1 by the Youth Office of the Lutheran Church of Australia (eds.), Lutheran Publishing House, page 54. This fits well with the Hosea reading.

Discussion: On the Hosea Reading
How/when do we take God's love for granted?
In what ways, do we shut God out of our lives?

Story: Cliff Hangers
Found in The New Century Version Youth Bible, Word, 1991, ISBN 0849909252, page 1027, (pictured in an earlier blog). This goes with the gospel reading,

Story: What is Your Price?
Found in When God Whispers Your Name by Max Lucado, Word, 1996, ISBN 0849913241, page 65 (pictured in an earlier blog) This goes with the gospel reading.

Story: Materialism
Story No 423 in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers edited by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured in an earlier blog). This also goes with the gospel reading.

Response Activity: For the Luke Reading
Somewhere at the beginning of the service, give everybody a picture of a closed gift box with a large label on it (see image above)and ask them to imagine that inside is the thing that they want most in the world. Give them a minute to think what it is and then to share answers. At the end of the service ask people to look at the box again and ask them what they think God would put in the box for them. If you give them a pen or pencil as well, they can write their response each time on the label.

Prayer For Others: Materialism
Found in Worship Ideas For Youth Ministry, Group, 1997, ISBN 076442002X, page 69 (pictured at right). This goes well with the gospel reading.