Easter 7 B (May 13): Leadership/Being Sent

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Readings: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Psalm 1, 1 John 5:9-13, John 17:6-19.

About the Images: 

Upper left: Winter sunrise in the High Country: an illustration for Psalm 1. This is my photo. You are free to use it for worship and related activities. I took it on the Great Alpine Road - the Bairnsdale to Omeo section. For more info about this area visit http://www.visitvictoria.com/Activities-and-attractions/Touring-routes/The-Great-Alpine-Road.aspx

Upper Right: a free image from Hearlight - see my link column at left.

Middle Left: This is another image that fits with the Psalm.  I took this photo at a waterhole near Hamilton Station ("station" is a word us Aussies use for large farms) between Mt Dare (http://www.mtdare.com.au/) and Oodnadatta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oodnadatta).  You are free to use this image for worship and related activities. 

Middle Right: A Microsoft free clipart image with my text.

Lower Left:This image by an unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND via Bing Search.  I think it goes well with the Acts reading. 

Listening Song: Like a Tree

By Chris Falson on his album By The Water (pictured at left). This song matches up well with the psalm.

Film Clip: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
(pictured at right).There is a great abseiling scene in this film which links in well with the holy Spirit being a rope story. I found the scene via www.wingclips.com

Discussion: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
1. What holds the three climbers all together?
2. What holds us together as a Christian community?

Film Clip: Living Life

Good clip that challenges us to use our days well.  I thought it connected well with the Acts reading and how the early church was thinking through leadership and mission.

https://www.facebook.com/SOML/videos/594739514003800/

Drama: To Heaven in a Rocket Ship
Based on the 1 John reading. Found in Mega Drama 3 by Verena Johnson (ed), Openbook 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3) page 29 (pictured at left).

Story: There Is No Plan B 

When Jesus ascended to Heaven to return to His Father, the eleven disciples stood and watched Him go. An angel was watching and called out, "Jesus, where are you going?"

"Back to be with my Father in Heaven," he said. "I thought you were going to bring salvation to everyone in the world!" the angel protested. Jesus said, "I have. My work on earth is finished." "But who is going to be your witness and go out into the world to share the Good News and tell people that you love them?" "They are," Jesus said pointing toward his disciples. The angel looked down on the motley bunch of disciples. "Do you have a plan B?".

N.B. Thanks to Nathan Williams for sourcing this story.  He writes:

I just happened across the "No Plan B" story in the book Lent & Easter Readings from Iona. They cite it in Daily Readings with George MacLeod, ed. Ron Ferguson (Wild Goose Publications, 2001).

Story: The Hermit's Gift
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties, ISBN 0310402611, 1994, page 112 (pictured at right).

Story: The Holy Spirit is the Rope
This is the fifth story on the following page under the title of church unity and goes well with the gospel reading:http://www.ccbiblestudy.org/Topics/81Church/81GE05.htm .

Quotes ; Joy is Not Found in......
Quotes on joy by various famous people can be found at http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/illustrations-about-unbelief.asp. These make a good contrast to the source of joy found in the gospel reading.

Prayer for Others:
Put a map of the world on the communion table (a laminated one may be safer than a paper one for obvious reasons) and ask people to light a tea light using the Christ candle and put their tea light on the place in the world that they want to pray for.

Response Activity: Prayer Ropes
This activity links in well with the story above about the Holy Spirit being a rope. Instructions on how to make a prayer rope and how to use one as well as the fascinating history of prayer ropes can be found on Wikipedia - just type "prayer rope" into the search engine. Other ideas which would work well for today are finger labrynths, prayer trees, Taize songs...anything really, that help people to pray and show people that there is more than one way to pray.

Response Activity:

Give everyone a small pot and a tree seed and have some potting mix available so that people can pot up a seed to remind them of Psalm 1.  We played Like a Tree (see above) while people participated in this activity.

Also

Kids: Tina the Tree

This is another brilliant book  by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2012 (pictured at left) . This goes with the Psalm reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A5 and for a further $A10 (or instead of) you can buy on line the story in any format you need to project the pictures in church.  There are also free activity sheets and for a cost activity books for both teachers and children.  Visit www.lostsheep.com.au to check out all the excellent resources.

Opening or Closing Response 

By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, page 129.