Monday, December 19, 2022

Holy Name of Jesus Day ABC (January 1):







Bible Readings:   Numbers 6:22-27, Psalm 8, Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 2:15-21

Top Left and Right and Bottom left: Free images from the Heartlight site - see my link column at left. 
Middle Left and Right: Free images from Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.                         
Bottom Right: A free Cerezo Barredo image - see my link column at left.

Drama: No Ordinary Baby
Found in Mega Drama 4 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109186, page 97 (pictured at left). This is based on the Luke reading.  

Drama: A Way With Words
Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109208, page 41 (pictured at right) . This drama goes well with the Philippians reading.

New Year's Day ABC: All Things New








Readings: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Psalm 8, Revelation 21:1-6, Matthew 25:31-46

About the Image:
Upper Left: Hibiscus bud photographed in my garden - you are free to use this image for worship and related activities.
Upper Right: This is my photo (my front yard) with words from the John Marsden prayer below. You are free to use my photo for worship and related activities.
Middle left: A free image from www.daveandpeg.com
Middle right: A free image from Church Galleries (see my links column at left)
Lower Left and Right: These are free Heartlight images - see my link column at left.

Confession: The Paradox of Our Times 
This can be found in many places on the net and makes a good confession if read by two people. U
se 1 John 2:1-2 as your absolution.

Kid's Story: The "Sheep Lion"
Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes to Hang Your Message On by Jim Burns and Greg McKinnon, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 147 (pictured at right). This is a story about recognising who you are in the context of God's purpose for your life.

Story: Missed Opportunities 
This story can be found at http://www.trinitycrc.org/sermons
/mt06v19b.html. Scroll down until you find the heading "Folly".

Prayer: Prayer For the 21st Century
By John Marsden, Lothian Books, 1997, ISBN 0850918146 (pictured at left). A beautifully illustrated prayer appropriate for every new day, let alone every new year. It goes well with the track Adiemus by the group Adiemus on their CD, Songs of Sanctuary (pictured at right).

Response Activity:
Invite people to stand up and name a ministry in which they are involved in or in which they feel called (by God but not necessarily by the church) to be involved in, in the future (this may be something nobody is yet doing in the church).

Response Activity:
I combined the above Response Activity, the Prayer for the 21st Century and Wesley's covenant prayer as three distinct prayer stations to finish off the service.  People had the option and the time to visit all three stations or to spend time at just one or two. 

Also:

Taize Service: Loving the Least
Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 14 (pictured at left). This is based on the Matthew reading.

Prayer Exercise: The Psalms Teach Us to Pray
Found in Prayer: Heart of the Pilgrimage by Jenny Youngman, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 2007, ISBN 0835898369, page 42 (pictured at right).  This is based on the Psalm reading.

Kids: Cecil and Psalm 8
This is another brilliant book  by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2012 (pictured at left). This goes with the Psalm.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A7 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.

For Children and Families: God is Wise
Found in Rewind by Beth Barnett, SU Victoria, 2011, ISBN987098710035, navigate from page 5 (pictured at right). This is based on the Ecclesiastes reading. 
Various Ideas: The Glorious End of the Message
Found in Multi-Sensory Message by Dave Maclure, Scripture Union, 2008, ISBN 9781844272730, page 46 (pictured at left). Connected with the Revelation reading.

Drama: Words Don't Mean a Thing
Found in Mega Drama 4 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109186, page 104 (pictured at right). This is based on the Matthew reading.  

Poem: 
I think
Found in In Due Season by Herbert F Brokering, Augsburg Publishing, 1966 (pictured at left) in the Summer section.

Complete Service: Service for a Battered Woman
Found in In this Hour by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Desbooks, 2001, ISBN 094982433X, page 37ff (pictured at right). 

Drama: I Have Time 

Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109208, page 104 (pictured at left) . This drama goes well with the Ecclesiastes reading.

Poem: God's Good Time
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew Ltd, 2003, ISBN 1 84417 041 1, page 77.  This poem is based on the Ecclesiastes reading.  

Storytelling
Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 97. This activity is based on Psalm 8. 

Gingerbread
Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 167. This activity is based on Psalm 8. 

Discussion Questions: What is Important in Life?
Found in Chapter 1 of The Gospel According to the Simpsons Leaders Guide for Group Study by Mark I Pinsky and Samuel F Parvin, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002, ISBN 0 664 22590 X.  These questions are based on the Ecclesiastes reading.

Drama: Our Image of Jesus
Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 37ff. 

Prayer: Remembrance
Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 40 and based on the Ecclesiastes reading.

Poem: Lenten Series, A Time For....
By Maria I. Tirrabassi and found in Before the Amen by Maren C Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirrabassi (Eds), Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 978 0 8298 1750 8, page 51. Based on the Ecclesiates reading.

Reflection and Prayer:
By John Davies and found in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 53ff and based on the Ecclesiastes reading. 


 

Christmas 1 A (January 1): Jesus was a Refugee/Will Christmas Make a Difference?





























Bible readings: Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23

About the Images:
Upper Left: This is a free image from Hermano Leon clip art. You can find a link to this site in the Links column to the left 
Upper Right : This is a painting by Eastman Johnson - A Ride for Liberty -- The Fugitive Slaves. This image is in the Public Domain and found at http://commons.wikimedia.org.
Middle Left and RightThese free images both come from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com.  See my links column at left.
Lower Left and Right: These are free images from the excellent Heartlight site - see my links column at left.

 Call to Worship: Nocturne
Show a variety of images of Jesus' family fleeing to Egypt and present day refugees while playing Nocturne by Secret Garden as a backing. Nocturne can be found on Secret Garden's album, Songs From a Secret Garden or on the compilation album Encore (pictured at left)

Kid's Story: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.
By Susam Wojciechowski and P. J. Lynch, Walker Books, 1995, ISBN 0744554020 (pictured at right)

Kid's Story: The legend of the Spider's Web
Found in The Lion Christmas Book compiled by Mary Batchelor, Lion, 1984, ISBN 0745912206, page 81 (pictured at left)

Kids: Jesus Was a Refugee
This is another brilliant book by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2012 (pictured at right). This goes with the Gospel reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A7 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 book for both teachers and children.  Visit www.lostsheep.com.au to check out all the excellent resources.

Drama: The Soldiers
From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 129 (pictured at right). This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Drama: It Happened Again
Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 104 (pictured at left).

Story: Christ
Index 677-723 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. Story about how Turner, the English painter, painted a storm at sea. This is based on the Hebrews reading

Story: The Manger Was Empty
Retold by Cassandra Lindell, in Christmas Stories of the Heart compiled by Alice Gray, Multnomah Books, 1997, ISBN 1576731847, page 17 (pictured at right).

Story: The Ivory and Gold Tablecloth
By Howard C Schade in Christmas Stories of the Heart, as above, page 24 (pictured at above right)

 Story: The Manger is Empty
By Walter Wangerin in The Manger is Empty: Stories in Time, Spire, 1989, ISBN 0340555548, page 3 (pictured at left).

Poem: Once in Judah's Least Known City
From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 113 (pictured above right).

Poem: The Flight
Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 44 (pictured at right). This is based on the Matthew reading.

Meditation and Response Activity: Women Weeping
From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 1183 (pictured above right)

Response Activity: Haiku (or Cinquaine)
If you didn't do this in Advent 4 (see my notes on Advent 4), this activity would also work well for this week.

Also:

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel
Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 56-64 (pictured at right).

Holy Innocents
Found in Hay and Stardust by Ruth Burgess, Wild Goose Publications 2005, ISBN 1 905010 00 1, pages 180pp with lots of other great Christmas stuff.