Lent 5 C (March 17): What Really Matters/Looking to the Future/There is a Pool in the Desert

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Bible readings: Isaiah 43:16-21, Psalm 126, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-11

About the Images:
 I thought these photos went well with the "rivers in a dry land" bit of Isaiah. The top one is Glen Helen Gorge near Alice Springs, Northern Territory and the lower image is the Murchison river near Kalbarri in Western Australia. For more info on Glen Helen Gorge visit http://www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/northern-territory/alice-springs/attractions/natural/glen-helen-gorge/ and for more info on the Murchison River area visit http://en.wikipedia.or/wiki/Murchison_River_(Western_Australia) These images are both mine so please feel free to use them for worship or related church activities. 

Worship Space: Decor 
Have lots of incense and aromatic oil lamps burning (as long as there is not a vulnerable asthmatic or two in your congregation - it is worth checking first).

Listening Song: Because You Loved Me
By Celine Dion on her album, All The Way: A Decade of Song, EMI (pictured at left). This goes well with the gospel reading.

Listening Song: Flowing Over Me
by Derri Daugherty on his album, Flap Your Wings, Resolve Records, 2000 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Isaiah reading.

Listening Song:Psalm 126: Men who Dream
By Sons of Korah on their album, Redemption Songs.(pictured at left) 

Prayer of Confession.
Found in Eggs and Ashes by Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill (Eds.)l, Wild Goose Publications, 2004, ISBN 1901557871, page 107 (pictured at right)


Film Clip: Moulin Rouge
(pictured at right). Start approximately one minute in - with the words "Paris 1900". End at approximately at 2:15 minutes as Christian types the words "Moulin Rouge". 

Drama: Get Your Perfumes Here
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 68 (pictured at right). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Discussion: On Get Your Perfumes Here and Moulin Rouge Film Clip.
What really matters to the people in the drama and in the film clip?
What do you think really matters?

Film Clip: The Legend of Bagger Vance  
This works well with the Isaiah reading if you are talking about looking backwards and forwards, God doing new things and God making a way for us. The scene is found at the end of Chapter 13 or around 1hr 35 minutes in. In the scene Junuh goes to retrieve a golf ball from a wooded area and ends when his caddie, Bagger, promises to be with him always.

Discussion: The Legend of Bagger Vance.
1. What does Junuh have to do to play good golf?
2. Who does Junuh have to trust?
3. Why do people often tend to look backwards instead of forwards when things get tough? 

Film Clip: The Merton Prayer


Drama: What Really Matters.
Word up a few people to be interviewed as one of the other characters in the story. To prepare their part just ask them to read the story and any other gospel story which involves their character. During the service walk to where each character is sitting and ask them what they thought about the whole incident. People to be interviewed: Martha, Lazarus, Judas

Discussion
When has someone's generous act surprised you? 

Discussion: Philippians Reading.
What really matters to Paul?
What things really matter so much to us that they can shift Jesus our of the centre of our attention?
What did Paul give?
What is the most important thing that we can give?

Story: A Diet For Losers. 
Found in More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Zondervan, 1995, ISBN 0310207681, page 21 (pictured in an earlier blog). This story goes well with the Philippians reading.

Story: Giving
Story No. 238 found in 750 Engaging Illustrations by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured in an earlier blog). This story goes well with the gospel reading.

Story: Ragman.
Found in Ragman and Other Cries of Faith by Walter Wangerin Jr, Spire, 1984, ISBN 0340592729, page 3. This is a great Easter story and could really be used any time in the next couple of weeks.

Group Activity:
Divide into six working groups - double up or even triple for a large congregation.
Each of the six groups takes on one character or group of characters
out of the gospel story.
1. Martha: serving
2. Lazarus: listening, being a friend
3. Mary: something extravagant and special
4. Judas: more concerned about money than the action
5. People in verse 9: trying to find out more
6. Chief priests: eradicate the problem.
Ask each group to discuss the following questions:
a. What is/are your subjects doing?
b. What do they think of Jesus?
c. How do they show how they feel about Jesus?
d. What really matters to them?
Ask each group to report back - give them a few alternate ways (and the materials to do so) of doing this - a poster, a short speech, a song etc etc.

Response Activity: Goes with Group Activity Above.
Have a gift box full of small sachets of bath salts and give everyone a sachet. As they hold it, smell it, feel it, ask them which group they fit into. Maybe they are already serving God like Martha, maybe they are hanging around Jesus like Lazarus, maybe they have things they want to give like Mary, maybe, like Judas, other things are getting in the way, maybe like the crowd, they are still searching, maybe like the chief priests, they feel uncomfortable in God's presence. Whatever - encourage them to take the salts home and as they relax and use them, encourage them to have a chat with God about their relationship with God.
NB. I put the kids in the Mary discussion group and they made the sachets while they talked- however the sachets are not hard to make beforehand.
Recipe:
3 parts Epsom salts
2 Baking Soda
1 Table salt or borax
Food dye - as you want - the colour makes it look a bit more spiffy.
Scented oil - as you like - according to your nose.
Mix in a large bowl with your hands - you'll smell good for days!
Each person only needs a few tablespoons of bath salts for a bath (and water, of course :-) ).

Response Activity:

Have a gift box lying open at the foot of a cross. Give everyone a pencil and a piece of paper. Give them some thinking time while they consider and pray about their response to Jesus - project some ideas eg., spending more time with him like Mary, doing something for him like Martha, listening to him like Lazarus, rearranging priorities like Paul. Whatever they discover as they listen to God, encourage them to write it down and put it in the gift box.

Response Activity for the Isaiah reading:
Give everyone a small beach or river pebble - the sort that look pretty dull out of water but have lovely colours show up when they are wet (opal tailings are brilliant for this but other pebbles will do). Have a clear bowl of water out the front. Encourage people to hold their pebble and think of things that are desert like or wilderness like in their lives. Ask them to pray about these things and, when they are ready, bring out their pebble and drop it in to the bowl of water. Just as the water transforms the pebbles so God transforms our deserts and wildernesses and does a new thing.

Lent 4 C (March 10): Unlimited love/Welcome home

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Bible Readings: Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32, 2 Corinthians 5;16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

About the images:
Left: This image comes from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_-_The_Return_of_the_Prodigal_Son.jpg
Right: Abandoned cars in the Australian Outback are a bit like the Prodigal son. They sit there for years and then some car enthusiast comes along, takes them away and lovingly restores them to their former glory. The odd thing is that sometimes out in the outback you see the other son too. It is the car that looks all shiny and new on the outside but is pretty much wrecked on the inside. Even worse - sometimes there is nothing at all under the bonnet.

Listening Song: Always Have, Always Will
By Avalon on their album, In a Different Light or on WOW 2001 (pictured at right) This goes well with the gospel reading.

Listening Song: Prodigal Son
By Steve Grace on his album, Children of the Western World (pictured at left). Obviously this fits well with the gospel reading :)

Kids' Story: Candelo
One hundred years ago, Candelo, New South Wales, was a major wagon stop between the Monaro high country and the coastal shipping ports. The town's river crossing could be disastrous for heavily loaded wagons because river levels and the sandy river bottom were forever changing and there were often patches of quick sand. Crossing the river was particularly dangerous towards evening and in the dark. The town and bullockies together devised a system whereby when the bullockies arrived at the last rise before the town they would shout out candle-o. In response, the whole town would run down to the river with lights and line the sides of the safest place to cross and thus guide the bullock wagons safely into town for the night.
Link this story with the way we leave a veranda light on when we are expecting visitors and the way God is always waiting with anticipation to welcome us.

Film Clip:Martian Child
(pictured at right) I used the trailer for this film (2007) which is readily available on the web and which has a great line linked with the gospel reading for this week (see discussion questions below).

Discussion: Martian Child
 "There's nothing you can do that will make me change the way I feel about you"
1. How would you feel if someone said that to you?
2. Do you think God says that to us? Why?

Drama: The Prodigal's Mum
Ask a mum of adult children to read the parable through a few times before the service and ask her to put herself into the role of the prodigal son's mother. This works better than having a script.
During the service an interviewer asks her the following questions:
1. Who are you?
2. Your family has been in the news lately. What's the real story here?
3. What a drop kick of a son!! I bet you and your husband gave him the rounds of the kitchen when he came skulking back home?
4. So you followed your husband out to greet him!!!??? But at a more decorous pace as befitted a woman of your standing.
5. So what was with the party? Who threw that for him?
6. What a wonderful family! I suppose his older brother was just as pleased as you both were?
7. Well, did you finally convince him?
c. Ann Scull - permission given for use in worship.

Drama: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1: No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards.
2. We don't?
3: Even if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer do so.
2: What's made the difference?
1: When anyone is joined to Christ, he is a new being;........
2: A new being? A new being? Can I be a new being too?
1: ..............the old is gone, the new has come.
2: Who could possibly make me into a new being?
3: All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends............
2: It'd be great to have God as a friend!
3: .............and gave us the task of making others his friends also.
2: So this isn't something I keep to myself, then?
1: Our message is that God was making all people his friends through Christ.
2: What about if people think they're not quite good enough to be God's friends?
3: God did not keep an account of their sins,..........
2: That's a relief!
3: ................ and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.
1: Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us.
2: It is a serious responsibility which we have been given.
3: We plead on Christ's behalf:........
2: So what should we actually say?
3: ............let God change you from enemies into his friends!
2: OK......how?
1: Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.
2: Wow!
C. Rosemary Broadstock and Ann Scull - permission given for use in worship.

Sermon: The Welcoming Church
Found at http://petercorney.com/2009/09/01/being-a-welcoming-church/. A call to church communities to be like the welcoming father in the parable.

Illustration: The Flushpools. 
Read about the Flushpools in Adrian Plass's Sacred Diary quadrilogy (Volume 1 pictured at left) and you will find a modern example of the older brother from the Prodigal son story (and wet yourself laughing! - these are very, very funny books which help us to truthfully reflect on what it is to be a follower of Jesus today).

Story: Sheep 
Found at http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/s/sheep.htm
This story goes with the gospel reading.

Story: The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming
By Henri J.M. Nouwen, Darton, Longman and Todd, 1994, ISBN 023252078X. There is lots of useful stuff in this book but I found the Prologue very helpful for this weeks preaching (pictured at right).


Poem/Meditation: Listen To What God Is Saying To Us.
By Henri J. M. Nouwen and found in Imaging the Word Volume 1 (pictured at left) by Kenneth T. Lawrence (ed.), United Church Press, 1994, ISBN 0829809716, page 165. I projected these words with multiple images of art works of the prodigal son story. There are plenty of free images of this story on the web. While the slides played through I backed them with the following piece of music: Monastery of Rabida by Vangelis on his album, Reprise.

Quote: Meister Eckhardt
We search for God in a far country while God waits for us at home.

Response Activity
Time of silence.
Ask in the silence with spaces between each question or statement:
Are you like the older or the younger son?
What is the message and the challenge of the parable for you?
Allow the Holy Spirit to read your heart and speak to you.
Time of silence.
NB: I have used these questions more than once over the years. Sometimes it does not hurt to use something more than once; because, at various times in our lives we will be like the younger son and at other times we will be more like the older son.

Response Activity:
Put out as many postcard size pictures, advertising cards, whatever as you can find - I put mine around the communion table and I tried to put out about ten for every person present so that there were heaps to chose from (I am an avid collector of cards etc). I projected the following questions and left people to it for about five minutes.

• Choose a picture that represents the Good News of this parable for you.
• Choose a picture that represents the challenge of this parable for you.
• As you choose, allow the Holy Spirit to read your heart and to speak to you.

At the end, encourage people to share their cards in groups of three and to share the reason why they chose the cards they did. I concluded this activity with the Nouwen poem/meditation above.

Also:
Listening Song: Forgiven
By Sons of Korah on their album, Redemption Songs.  This song uses the words of Psalm 32.

Prayers and Poems: Prodigal
Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 146. To order a copy of this excellent book email jennie.gordon@billanook.vic.edu.au

Response Activity: Love is a Relationship

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year C by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2012, ISBN 9781921945083, page 54ff. This works well with all the gospel reading.

  

Advent 4 C (December 23): Expect the Unexpected

 

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Bible Readings: Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:47-55,or Psalm 80:107, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45 (46-55).

About the images:
Left: This image comes from http://www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon/ which is an excellent free clipart site (there is a link at left) and the text is mine. Please feel free to use this image - don't forget to acknowledge the clipart site. 
Lower: This photo is mine so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
 

Listening Song: A Strange Way to Save the World
By 4Him on their album The Season of Love (pictured at right) or on the WOW Christmas album. This is a Christmas song from Joseph's perspective. It is a rarer take than most on the Christmas story and all the more important because of that.  Make sure people hear or see the words clearly.

Kid's Story: One Little Angel
By Ruth Brown, Red Fox, 1998, ISBN 0099404362 (pictured at left). This is a delightful Christmas story with an unexpected ending.

Kid's Story: email: Jesus@Bethlehem
By Hilary Robinson and Anthony Lewis, MacDonald Young Books, 1999, ISBN 075002688X (pictured at right).This is an unexpected take on the Christmas story.

Drama: Mary and Lizzie

Found in Cloth for the Cradle by The Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 190557014, page 48ff (pictured at left).This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Introduction to Sermon/Adult Imput: What am I?
Read one sentence at a time until somebody in the congregation guesses the answer; then link it with the idea of a key being small and insignificant to look at but able to do great things just as the people in the Christmas story were average pretty insignificant human beings but with God they were able to do great things.
I am usually quite small?
I can fit in the palm of your hand.
With my help people can literally move mountains.
I am seldom alone - usually I am found with others of my kind.
I can encourage great power from dormancy.
When I am lost, chaos and panic erupts.
I am often made of metal but these days i am also likely to have plastic and electronic components.
I can prevent or allow people to pass from one place to another.
I fit specifically into certain places.
I am often part of a security system.
I am a key.

Poem: The Joy of Elizabeth
Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing house, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 16 (pictured at right).

Meditation: The Magnificat
Found in Cloth for the Cradle (as above), page 45.

Meditation: I Sang For Him
Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group. Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0901557642, page 78 (pictured at left). This too is based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: Cloth For the Cradle
Found in Cloth For the Cradle (as above), page 74.

Response Activity: The Promise
List all the promises out of Mary's song and ask people to choose the one which gives them the most hope and to share that hope with someone sitting near them.

Proper 5 B (June 10)

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Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20) (11:14-15), Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, Mark 3: 20-35.

About the Images:
Both these images are from Heartlight.  You can access them and many other great images via my links column at left.

Listening Song: Always and Forever

By Raze on their album, Power (pictured at left).  This song goes well with the 1 Samuel reading. 

Listening Song: Only the World

By Mandisa on the album, True Beauty (pictured at right) . This song goes well with the Corinthians reading.

Drama: A Little Lawn Story

By Verena Johnson (Ed.), Mega Drama 3, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2002, ISBN 0859109178, page 41ff (pictured at left). This is based on the 2 Corinthians reading.

Stories, Poems and Lots of Other Good Stuff: Proper 5

Mainly based on the gospel reading and found in Resources For Preaching and Worship Year B compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002, ISBN 100664224776, pages 162-165 (pictured at right).

Story:Temporary Things
Story 706 in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured at left).  This story is based on the Corinthians reading.

Story: Guidance

Found as story No 118 in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch, 2003, ISBN 1854245929. This story frits well with  Psalm 138:7 about listening to God.

Response Activity/Adult Input: Who Has Authority

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, 2010, ISBN 9780949656911, page 92-3. This works well with all the readings.

Pentecost B (May 27)

 
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Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, Romans 8:22-27, John 15:26-27

About the images:
Left: A free Corel background with my text so please feel free to use it for worship and realted activities.
Right: This is a photo of the inside of my kitchen stove so you are free to use it for worship and related activities.

Have a birthday cake 
big enough for everybody to share - after all, it is the church's birthday.

Listening Song: Burning Like Fire
By Iona on their album, Beyond These Shores, 1993 (pictured at left).

Kids Story: Unknown
By Colin Thompson and Anna Pignataro, published by Hodder Headline in Australia and Walker Books in the U.S.A, 2002. ISBN 0733613551 (Aust) or ISBN 0802787304 (U.S.A.) The left picture is the Australian cover and the right picture is the American cover - both found at Colin Thompson's site. (Thanks to Rev Andrew Donnelly for this book suggestion).

Kids Story: Popcorn Disciples
Retell the Acts story using pop corn and a popcorn maker by comparing the unpopped corn in the container with the disciples in the room beforehand – all small and shriveled and hard and contained in a small space. Then turn on the popcorn maker and compare the heat and the hot air in the maker with the Holy Spirit. When the corn pops compare the corn with the disciples afterwards – all big and soft, open and fluffy - and popping up everywhere!!
 
Film clip: Pentecost Acts 2 The message


Film Clip : The Dripping Tap

On Leunig Animated, Fruitcup Films, 2001 (pictured at left) This clip is a great introduction to the first part of the Ezekiel reading as is the Keith Green song/poem (below) and the discussion questions (below).

Poem or Listening Song: My Eyes Are Dry
by Keith Green, Ears to Hear Music.

 Discussion Questions based on the Ezekiel reading:
When can there be dryness in our lives?
When can our lives be disconnected and scattered? 

Story: Holy Spirit Holes in Medieval Churches
Google "Holy Spirit Holes" and you will find heaps of descriptions of these - a great illustration for encouraging people to open up their lives to God's power.

Response activity:
Give everyone a birthday cake candle. Project the words "Holy Spirit come into my life and.....". Ask people to mentally fill in the rest of the sentence and then come forward and light their candle as they pray the whole sentence.

Response Activity: Balloons
As a symbol of the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to us, give everybody a balloon and ask them to write their particular gift on it. They can talk about it and help each other as they go. Then blow up the balloons and decorate the church with them (or have them blown up and decorating the church when people arrive and take them down to write on and take home). Please do not let balloons go outside - balloons are a choking hazard for wild life in rural and marine areas and make a mess in cities.

Also:
Story: The Sea Breeze Hotel
Great for kids and adults alike, the details of this book and heaps of ideas for a Pentecost service based on the Acts reading are found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 13ff (pictured at right). 

Church Decor and Prayer Idea: Rushing Wind
Found in Worship Feast: 100 Awesome Ideas for Postmodern Youth, Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2003, ISBN 139780687063574, page 73 (pictured at left).  This idea is based on the Acts reading, and I cannot for the life of me, work out why this book is aimed at postmodern youth when the majority of the ideas apply to postmodern anybody.

Easter 6 B (May 13)

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Bible Readings: Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

About the Images:
Right: This is the business card I made for everyone (see Response Activity: Postcards below). I used a Publisher template and changed the decoration colour to match the font colour.
Left: This is a Microsoft free clipart with my text.



Listening Song: I've Always Loved You
By Third Day on their album, Time (pictured at left)

Call to Worship: Friendship Quotes 
Portray a series of images and quotes about friendship.

Call to Worship: The Lost Parcel
Linked with the John reading, this skit is found in Mega Drama 3 by Verena Johnson (Ed.) Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109178, page 17ff (pictured at right. When I used this skit, I used Part 2 before the confession and Part 3 between the kids talk and the sermon or whatever.


Prayer of Confession: Who am I?
By Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers From Prison, Macmillan, 1953, p.222


Kids Talk: God's Love in Our Heart
Linked to the John reading and found in Fun Group Devotions For Children's Ministry, Group Publishing, 1993, ISBN 1559451610, page 27 (pictured at left).


Kids Story Guess How Much I Love You
by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, Walker Books, 1994, ISBN 1844281086 (pictured at right).

Film Clip: Crocodile Dundee

(pictured at left) Based on the John reading: Mick says: Of course it took me a week to get this far. I thought I was a goner. I said to meself, "Mick old son, find yourself a nice comfortable spot and lay down and die". Journalist woman: Weren't you afraid ? Mick:Of dying ? Nah. I read The Bible once. You know God and Jesus and all them apostles? They were all fishermen, just like me. Yeah, straight to heaven for Mick Dundee. Yep, me and God, we'd be mates.

Discussion: Crocodile Dundee
What difference would/does it make if you and God were/are best mates?

Film Clip: The Castle

This film has any amount of scenes about change. If you are Australian and mindful that Sorry Day is around now, then the scene where Daryl Kerrigan realises his family are in much the same boat as indigenous Australians is also a good one

Discussion: Linked to the Gospel Reading
What makes you happy?
Think of a time when you have been joyful.
What is the difference between being happy and being joyful?
What makes a good friend a best mate?
How differently would we see ourselves if we viewed ourselves as "the one Jesus loves"?
How would our lives change if we really believed the words of Jesus: "You are my friends .... You didn't choose me. I chose you".

Story: Real Friends
Found in Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialities, 1994, ISBN 031040261, page 169.  This story belongs with the gospel reading.

Story: I am the One Jesus Loves.
Found in What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, ISBN 0310218624, page 68. This story goes well with the gospel reading. 

Story: He's Very Fond of Me.
Found in What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, ISBN 0310218624, page 69. This story also goes well with the gospel reading.

Useful Quote: C.S. Lewis

"It's like waking up in the morning and suddenly realising that the term is over and the holidays have begun".

From (I think) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or The Last Battle by C.S.Lewis.

NB. I haven't seen the film yet, so I do not know if this quote was included or not - if it was, then it would probably make a useful film clip. Somebody may be able to email me some help here..... The quote is stuck in my head (but, unfortunately not the accurate source) because I want "the term is over and the holidays have begun" engraved on my tomb stone when I die :-)

Testimonies:

This would probably take the place of the sermon or whatever. Invite two or three members of your congregation to share a story of how the Holy Spirit surprised them and helped them change their minds about something. This is better not done on the spot - give the people you ask enough time to prepare, however reassure them that it is their story that your congregation wants to hear (not a finely crafted sermon) and that each person need only speak from three to five minutes.

Response Activity:

Divide people up into groups of four or five, give them a large piece of paper (if you worship around tables, then make the paper the tablecloth for this week) and marker pens. Ask them to individually and together in their small group, brainstorm practical answers to the question:

Jesus calls us to be a new community - how can we be that new and welcoming community inside and outside our church?

At the conclusion, stick up the sheets of paper around the walls, give everyone two sticker dots and two sticker stars and encourage them to stick the dots beside the two best ideas for being a new and welcoming church community and the two stars beside the two best ideas for being a part of a new and welcoming wider community.

Response Activity: Postcards
This is linked to the two Philip Yancey stories and some of the questions relating to the Gospel (above). Give everyone a business card/postcard/bookmark with the words "I am the one Jesus loves" (see above) printed upon it.


Also:


Communion Invitation:
Based on the gospel reading, this invitation can be found in Before the Amen by Maren C. Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirabassi, The Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 9780829817508, page 131.
 

Easter 5 B (May 6)

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Readings:

Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 22:25-31, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8

About the Images:

Left: This image is mine so please feel free to use it as you wish for worship and related activities. This obviously suits the John reading.
Right: Microsoft free clip art and words by Eugene Peterson which are acknowledged on the image. I used this with the Acts reading.

Decor:

If you are using the Acts reading, have the baptismal font with coloured lengths of cloth or arrows spread out in all directions from its base.

Illustration: Hampton Court Grapevine

Pictures are available by visiting Hampton Court on the web. Sandy has added some useful info in the comment attached to this blog.  Thanks, Sandy:)

Listening Song: Power of the Gospel

by Ben Harper on his Fight for Your Mind album (pictured at right). I used this song with the Acts reading in respect to verse 35.

Film Clip: Horton Hears a Who

(pictured at left) Show the clip where the Mayor of Whoville tries to explain to his wife that there is someone much bigger than them who is looking out for them. I have now used this film three times  - it has some very useful stuff in it and not only engages the kids but engages the adults as well and makes it easy to have a multi-aged discussion. I once again used a clip from www.wingclips.com (see my links at left) - they do it so well!

Discussion: Horton Hears a Who

1. What is the Good News which we have to share?

2. How difficult is it for us to share the Good News?

3. What makes it difficult?

Drama: The Search

Based on the Acts reading and found in Mega Drama 3 by Verona Johnson (ed) Openbook, 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3), page 13, (pictured at right).

Choose Your Own Adventure

The Acts story turns into a great choose your own adventure. I thought the easiest way to explain this was to print the whole thing below and you should get the picture. It can be done on overheads or as a powerpoint or printed on separate pages and worked on in groups. Adults enjoy this as much as kids and teenagers.

PAGE 1
The Lord’s angel said to Philip, “Get ready and go south along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This road is not used nowadays).
So Philip
(a) got ready and went (go to page 7)
(b) realised that a desert road was a hot and probably dangerous place, was a little doubtful whether God would really want him to use that road instead of the freeway and decided that he could serve God better at home. (go to page 3)
PAGE 2:
Philip heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The official answered: “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come and sit beside him. Philip

(a) climbed up into the chariot (go to page 5)

(b) refused because he was too nervous to speak with such a high official and anyway he might be asked a question he couldn’t answer. Besides, he had forgotten to have his quiet time that morning and he was feeling a little out of sorts. (go to page 3)
PAGE 3:

So the Philip never did what God asked him to do and the Ethiopian official never heard about Jesus and never shared the good news with the people of Africa.
PAGE 4:
After they had come out of the water the Lord’s Spirit took Philip away. The official never saw him again, but he was very happy as he went on his way. Philip later appeared in Azotus. He went from town to town, all the way to Caesarea, telling people about Jesus.
PAGE 5:
The man was reading the passage that said,
‘He was led like a sheep on its way to be killed. He was as silent as a lamb whose wool is being shorn, and he didn’t say a word. He was treated like a nobody and didn’t receive a fair trial. How can he have children, if his life is snatched away.’ The official said to Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or about someone else”.
So Philip
(a) began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus. (go to page 6)
(b) said that he was a little embarrassed talking about God
because it was such a personal thing and could he please be dropped of at the next oasis. (go to page 3)
PAGE 6
As they were going along the road, they came to a place where there was some water. The official said, “Look! Here’s some water. Why can’t I be baptised?” He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water and
Philip
(a) explained that he wasn’t sure whether this was the proper time and place or whether he was qualified to do it (go to page 3)
(b) baptised him. (go to page 4)
PAGE 7:
An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot.
Philip
(a) couldn’t think how he could possibly start a conversation while simultaneously running beside a chariot. He might even be arrested for stalking! Anyway the Ethiopian official was already reading his Bible so he probably didn’t need anybody telling him anything about God. So instead of trying to catch up with the chariot Philip took a well deserved break. (go to page 3)
(b) Philip ran up close (go to page 2)

Discussion Questions for the Acts Reading:

What does this story tell us about the way Phillip followed God?

What would help us to speak when we have the chance?

How can we take action?

How can we be involved in the world?

How can we know the message better?

Story: High VoltageFrom Could Someone Wake Me Up Before I Drool On the Desk by Kevin Johnson, Bethany House, 1995, ISBN 1556614160, page 83, (pictured at left). This is a youth story about sharing the gospel.

Interesting Quote: Eugene Peterson

No life of faith can be lived privately. There must be overflow into the lives of others.

Response Activity: Prayer Stations
Station 1: Have a prayer of confession written in such a way that people can read it to themselves and fill in the gaps.
Station 2: Put the quote above and the Acts discussion questions on a business card and provide a pen or pencil for people to write the answer to one of the questions on the back of the card.
Station 3: Have pens and pencils and copies of the Acts reading available for people to read and sit with, including instructions as follows: In your imagination, be present in the story as you slowly read it. On the back of the reading, write/draw any thoughts, feelings, discoveries, images or resolves that come to you.

Response Activity:

Give each person a card with a grapevine printed on it or a piece of paper cut into the shape of a vine leaf. Ask them to write a response to one of the final four questions from the discussion questions for the Acts reading (see above) on the back and then lay their leaf at the foot of a cross. While they do this, have some quiet music playing in the background.

Response Activity:

If you have a good sized grapevine or other vine, know some one who does or live in a wine growing area give everyone a vine clipping to take home and plant. If you live in Australia, please don't substitute don't an English ivy clipping because people don't seem to be terribly happy when it takes over their whole garden and kills off every other living plant!