Proper 7 A (21st June 2026): Deserts and Wells/Fear Not/Discipleship

 

 

Bible Readings: Genesis 21:8-21, Psalm 86:1-10, Romans 6:1b -11, Matthew 10: 24-39.

About the Images:

Top Left: This is my photo with words from The Little Prince (see below). Please feel free to use this image for worship and related activities. 

Top right: This is an Imagebank image (see my links column at left) with words from The Little Prince.
Upper Left: This is a Microsoft free clipart background with my text.

Upper Right: This is a free Heartlight image - see my link column at left.

Middle Left: Another free image from Heartlight - see my link column at left.

Middle Right: And another free image from Heartlight! - see my link column at left.

Lower Left and Right: These images are both from the wonderful Sundaygrapx site.

Listening Song: God is In Control
By Twila Paris on her album, Beyond a Dream  (pictured at left) or on WOW 1996. This song goes very well with the Genesis reading.

Listening Song: You're Here
By Sixpence None the Richer on the album, City on a Hill, 2000 (pictured at right). This song goes very well with either the Genesis reading or the Gospel reading.

Kid's Story: The Very Worried Sparrow
By Meryl Doney, Anzea Publishers or Lion Publishing, 1978, ISBN 858920948 (pictured at left). This story is based on the Gospel reading.

Film Clip: The Incredibles
(pictured at right) Show the scene contained in the first 15 minutes where Mr Incredible is blamed for doing good. This fits in very well with the Gospel reading.

Discussion: On The Incredibles
1. When was Jesus treated in a similar way?
2. When were the disciples treated in a similar way?
3. When do we, as Christians, have to put up with similar treatment and what can/should we do about it?

Story: Names or Numbers
Marvin Rosenthal tells about a mother who was asked by a census taker how may children she had. She said, "Well, there's Billy and Harry and Martha and--" "Never mind the names," the man interrupted. "Just give me the number!" The mother indignantly replied, "They haven't got numbers, they've all got names." Sorry, can't source this other than I think it may have come from a magazine.

Story: Bonhoeffer
The story of Bonhoeffer's imprisonment and death fits very well with the cost of discipleship mentioned in the gospel.

Quote: The Little Prince
(pictured at left but there are so, so many editions of this wonderful little book that you will have not trouble finding it) "What makes the desert beautiful", said the Little Prince, is that somewhere it hides a well..." .... The Little Prince added: "But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart".

Discussion:
Brainstorm desert experiences and wells.
How do we find wells in our desert experiences?

Poem: The Candle

Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170441, page 78 (pictured at right).  The poem goes really well with the gospel reading.  

I matched it with images and backed it with Dark Night of the Soul by Loreena McKennitt on her CD, the Mask and Mirror (pictured at left).

Response Activity:
Give each person a small card with a desert and a well pictured on it. Ask people to write down a situation that can make their life a bit of a desert on the desert picture and then on the picture of the well, ask them to write something God has provided to help them survive. This links in with the Genesis reading.

Response Activity:
Give everyone a key tag and a choice of three pictures which you have pre-made to fit the key tags - I linked this with the Matthew reading so I had pictures of hair, candles and sparrows.   On the back I encouraged people to write: God cares for me. I encouraged people to attach these to personal items so as to remind themselves of God’s love and care.  I got the key tag idea for this from a children's activity in the Mediacom Whole people of God Beginners notes for 2002.  

Also:

Poem/Meditation: Songlines for Sarah and Hagar
By Ruth Burgess in Dandelions and Thistles: Biblical Meditations from the Iona Community by Jan Sutch Pickard (ed.) Wild Goose Publications, 1999, ISBN 1901557146, page 24 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Genesis reading.

For Children and Families: God is Faithful

Found in Rewind by Beth Barnett, SU Victoria, 2011, ISBN987098710035, navigate from page 5 (pictured at right). This is based on the Psalm. 

Drama: BAP

Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 60 (pictured at left). This drama is based on the Romans reading.

Discussion Questions: What is a Soul?

Found in Chapter 5 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 (pictured at right).  These questions are based on the Matthew reading.

Opening Prayer for a Season of Sorrow

By Jamie Norwich McLennan 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 55 (pictured at left). Based on the Genesis reading.

Proper 6 A (14th June 2026): Taking the Plunge

Bible Readings: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19, Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35 - 10:8, 9-23.

About the images:
Top Left: A combination of two microsoft free clip art and my text.
Top Right:  A free heartlight image - see my link column at left.
Upper Left: A free Cerezo Barredo image - see my link column at left.
 

Upper Right: A free Hermano Leon image - see my link column at left.

Middle Left:  This is a free clip art from the Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.

Middle Right and Lower Left: Free from the Sundaygraphix site

Listening Song: You Move Me
By Susan Ashton on A Distant Call and Nothing But Pop (pictured at left)

Kid's Story: Abraham
Found in The Picture Strip Bible by Felicity Henderson and Chris Saunderson, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994970, page 12 (pictured at right).

Drama: Sarah
By Judy Gattis Smith and found in Imaging the Word Volume 2 by Susan A. Blain, Sharon Iverson Glouwens, Catherine O'Callaghan, Grant Spradling (Eds.), United Church Press, 1995, ISBN 0829810331, page 224, (pictured at left).

Film Clip: The Princess Diaries
(pictured at right) Show the clip where Mia is quite obviously nearly invisible to everyone. Finish the clip when she says "someone sat on me again".

Discussion: On The Princess Diaries
1. Who are the invisible people in our community who feel like Mia or are like the people Jesus saw in Matthew 9:36?
2. How can we help?

Story: Save the Starfish
Found in More Hot Illustrations for Youth by Wayne Rice, Zondervan 1995, ISBN 0310207681, page 151 (pictured at left). An oldie but a goodie.

Story: Shipwreck
Found , I think, in Robert E Coleman's The Heartbeat of Evangelism, NavPress, 1985, ISBN-10: 0891094008.

An artist, seeking to depict on canvas the meaning of 
evangelism, painted a storm at sea. Black clouds filled the sky. 
Illuminated by a flash of lightning, a little boat could be seen disintegrating under the 
pounding of the ocean.  People were struggling in the swirling waters, their 
anguished faces crying out for help.  The only glimmer of hope appeared in the 
foreground of the painting, where a large rock protruded out of the water.  There, 
clutching desperately with both hands, was one lone seaman. It was a moving scene. 
Looking at the painting, one could see in the tempest a symbol of humankind's 
hopeless condition.  And, true to the Gospel, the only hope of salvation was "the 
Rock of Ages", a shelter in the time of storm. But as the artist reflected upon his 
work, he realized that the painting did not accurately portray his subject.  So he 
discarded the canvas, and painted another.  It was very similar to the first:  the 
black clouds, the flashing lightning, the angry waters, the little boat crushed by the 
pounding waves, and the crew vainly struggling in the water.  In the foreground the 
seaman was clutching the large rock for salvation.  But the artist made one
change:  the survivor was holding on with only one hand, and with the other hand 
he was reaching down to pull up a drowning friend. 

Also:

Poem and prayer: summoned and sent.

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 40 (pictured at left). These are based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: The Lost Sheep

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 106-7 (pictured at right). This is based on the Gospel reading .

Poem/Meditation: Song-lines for Sarah and Hagar
By Ruth Burgess in Dandelions and Thistles: Biblical Meditations from the Iona Community by Jan Sutch Pickard (ed.) Wild Goose Publications, 1999, ISBN 1901557146, page 24 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Genesis reading.

Various Ideas: Training Manual for Messengers

Found in Multi-Sensory Message by Dave Maclure, Scripture Union, 2008, ISBN 9781844272730, page 24 (pictured at right). Connected with the Matthew reading. 

Eating Together

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 50 (pictured at left). This activity is based on the Genesis reading. For a few reasons that sadden me, Messy Church activities are often moved out of regular church services into their own little niche service.

Discussion Questions: When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Found in Chapter 4 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 (pictured at right).  These questions are based on the Romans reading.

Litany of Laughter

By Anna Shirey 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 107 (pictured at left). Based on the Genesis reading.

Listening Song: Psalm 116

By Sons of Korah on their album Light of Life, Wordsong, 1999 (ictured at right)

Activity: House Plan

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 38 (pictured at left). This is based on the Genesis reading.

Sermon and Worship Suggestions: Fighting the Battle of Unbelief

By Robert J Morgan and Joshua D Rowe in Nelson's Annual Preachers Source Book, Thomas Nelson, 2008, ISBN 1 4185 2536 7, page 293.  These resources are based on the Genesis reading.

Proper 5 A (7th June 2026): Breaking Down the Barriers

Bible Readings: Genesis 12:1-9, Psalm 33:1-12, Romans 4:13-25, Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26.

About the images:
Top left: A free image from Sundaygrapix.com 

Top right: Microsoft free clipart with my text.

Upper Left: A free image from the Heartlight site - see my links at left. 
Upper Right: Another free image from Sundaygrapix.com

Middle Left: Another free image from the Heartlight site - see my links at left. 

Middle Right: A free Cerezo Barredo image
Lower Left: Another free image from the Heartlight site - see my links at left

Listening Song: Only Grace
By Matthew West on his album, Something to Say (2005) or on WOW 2007 (pictured at right).

Listening Song: Grace
by U2 on All That You Can't Leave Behind (pictured at left).

Drama: The Outcast

Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 14 (pictured at right).

Film Clip: October Sky
Show the clip where Homer goes to speak with John, the school nerd, in the canteen irrespective of the impact this will have on his "cool" reputation at school (pictured at left).

Discussion: October Sky Film Clip
What would have been lost if Homer had followed his friends advice and not spoken to John?

Film Clip: Edward Scissorhands

Show the clip where Edward is discovered in the attic by the mother and she realises that, despite his odd appearance and peculiar manner, he needs a loving home which she is able and willing to provide (pictured at right).

Discussion: Edward Scissorhands Film Clip
1. How is Pam like God?
2. How is Edward like us?
3. What can this clip teach us about acceptance and grace?

Story: Grace
Story 288 in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured at left)

Meditation: I Don't Fit In
Found in the The Pattern of Our Days: Liturgies and resources for worship from the Iona Community edited by Kathy Galloway, ISBN: 0947988769. Sorry, I don't have a page number or picture - I must have borrowed this book from someone when I used this meditation.

Meditation: Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC
Have a circle of light at the front of your worship space to represent God's grace and give everyone a pipecleaner or two.
Project the words from the above titled piece by Frederick Buechner starting at "Grace is something you can never get... and finishing with the third "There's nothing you have to do". I found these words at a great site: - http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/worship_tricks/wt62.html
Use some images and maybe music with the words.
Give everyone enough time to read it all and then ask them, in the silence (or with quiet music), to fashion a little pipecleaner model of themselves and place their model where they want to be in the circle of God's grace. I got this idea from another part of the same site:
http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/2005/11/alt_worship_pic.html
Then project the final words from "The grace of God means something like"....to....."and take it as a gift too"

Prayer: Blessed Are You....
Found in Imaging the Word Volume 2 by Susan A. Blain, Sharon Iverson Glouwens, Catherine O'Callaghan, Grant Spradling (Eds.), United Church Press, 1995, ISBN 0829810331, page 221, (pictured at left).

ALSO:

Drama: Father of a Multitude

Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book Publishers, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 45 (pictured at right). This drama is based on the Genesis reading.

Meditation: Disciples of Christ

Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 76ff (pictured at left).  This is based on the Matthew reading.

God's Family, Our Family: Abraham and Sarah

Found in Lucy Moore, Messy Church, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2006, ISBN 978 1 84101 503 3, page 70ff (pictured at right).

Activity: Abstract Art Bible Pictures                                                      Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 30 (pictured at left). This is based on the Psalms reading.