Proper 8 C (June 26): Memory/Discipleship/Freedom

 

Bible Readings: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62

About the images:

Upper Left: This is a Microsoft free clip art image with my text.

Upper Right: Shore lines are great examples of our call to discipleship - leaving -reaching out into new places etc. This is my image. Please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Left: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries  which is down at the present time.

Middle Right: This is my photo - please feel free to use it for worship purposes and other related activities.
Bottom Left: This is a free image from the Hermano Leon site.  See my link column at left.

Bottom right: Fogs always make me feel like I am on the edge of the world.  This is my image (or my son's) so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities. 

Listening Song: Edge of the World

By Iona on their CD, Beyond These Shores (pictured at right). A song about discipleship.

Listening Song: Libera
By Libera on their CD, Libera. A song about God's presence (pictured at left).

Listening Song: Free
By Ginny Owens on Without Condition, 1999 or WOW 2001 ( pictured at right). A song about being free and what real freedom is.

Kid's Story: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge
Written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas Omnibus Books, 1984, ISBN 1862913471. (pictured at left) It is about memory so goes well with Psalm 77.

Video Clip: Home Alone

(pictured at right) The scene where Kevin discovers that he is home alone - the freedom he discovers is his and his celebration of that.

Discussion: On "Home Alone".

What does freedom mean to Kevin?
What does freedom mean to you?
Does physical freedom necessarily mean true freedom? Why or why not?

Film Clip: Noelle

(pictured at left) Show the clip where the two priests discuss praying - I found this clip at Wingclips (see my links at left).

Discussion: Noelle

1.What does this clip tell us about praying, priorities, fellowship and judging others?

2. What do you think about these things?

3. What does Jesus say about these things?

Quote: Karl Barth

To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.

Quote: John Ruskin

He who offers God second place offers God no place.

Drama: The Robbery

Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 44 (pictured at right). Based on Galatians 5:22.

Discussion: On Luke reading
What are the things that distract us today from following Jesus?

Poem: When I Became a Christian

Found in Clearing Away the Rubbish by Adrian Plass, Minstral, 1989, ISBN 1854240250, page 175ff (pictured at left). A poem about discipleship. Give a copy of this poem to each person in the congregation together with a coloured pencil and encourage them to find a place by themselves to read the poem and colour over the words that mean the most to them.

Story: The Testimony of Wing Commander Edward Howell

Found in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch Books, 2003, ISBN 1854245929, story no. 270 (pictured at right).

Adult Response:
Have enough fruit shaped lollies (candy) or stickers with fruit on them for everybody in the congregation to have one. Put them in easy reach of people but do not give them out. Ask everybody to look at the list of the fruit of the Spirit again. Ask them to chose the one from the list that they most need in their life at the moment. Read out the list one more time but with long pauses between each fruit of the Spirit. Ask people to take a fruit lolly or a sticker when you get to the one they want. Ask the rest of the congregation to pray for those people as they eat their lolly or stick their sticker somewhere obvious (lapel? forehead? cheek? whatever?)

Also:

Kids' Story: A Ring of Fiery Horses

By Mervin Marquardt, Arch Books, London, 1973, ISBN 0570060745 (pictured at left).

Poem and Prayers: Face Forward

A great prayer and collect and poem found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 163 (pictured at right). 

Adult Response: No Where To Rest

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year C by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2012, ISBN 9781921945083, page 99-101.  This is based on the gospel reading

Worship Activity: Melodramatic Reading

By Jim Burns and Robin Dugall in Worship Experiences, Gospel Light, 1999, ISBN, 0830724044, page 40.  This is based on the Galatians reading.

Worship Resources: What's So Special about God's Kingdom?

Found in Multi-Sensory World by Craig Borlase, Scripture Union/Tear Fund, 2008, ISBN 9781844272662, page 18. This goes with the gospel reading.

Drama: Can't You Pick Something Easier
Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0 85910 920 8, page 64. This drama is based on the Galatians reading.

Poem: The Fruit of the Spirit
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170411, page 96 and based on the Galatians reading. 

Useful Stuff: Protecting Your Freedom

Found in Galatians: Experiencing Freedom in Jesus by Groups Biblesense, Group, 2007, ISBN 13 978 0 7644 3244 6, page 58

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 183ff. This is based on the Galatians reading.

Prayer: Breathing Prayers

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 7 and based on the Galatians reading.

Brilliant Commentary: Luke 9:57-62

Found in Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E Bailey, Eerdmans, 1883, pages 22ff.