Sunday, April 02, 2023

Easter Day A (April 09): Easter is an Earthquake/What keeps us captive?

















Bible readings: Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43, John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10


About the images
:
Upper Left: This is a photo of a tomb in Israel with a rolling stone door. This photo was taken by Mr John Nicholson and permission is given for it to be used for worship and other related activities.
Upper Right: This is a photo of a replica of the inside of a rock tomb in Israel. This is my photo and permission is given for it to be used for worship and related activities.
Middle Left: This is a free imagebank image - see my link to their excellent site at left
Middle Right: Another excellent free image form Church Galleries - see my link column at left.  This site is one of the few I gladly subscribe to; however, the site is down at present.
Lower Left: This is a free image from the old Sundaygraphicx site which no longer posts.
Lower Right: A free image from the excellent Heartlight site - see my links colum on the left.

A Covid-19 at home service based on some of the resources below:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!ArWFF7A3pipHqXhTSE0toVqfx2hG?e=X9HEZM

Decor:
Have the Good Friday cross totally wrapped in the brightest material you can find - strips of satiny stuff looks great. Have it covered in black material until an appropriate moment.

Connection with Good Friday
Show a few images of Good Friday with some down music (I used Endorphin by Burial from the album, Untrue - pictured at left), followed by a silence with no image at all and then show lots of images of the resurrection to a piece of upbeat or music that builds (I used Intermezzo from Karelia Suite by Sibelius but stopped it before it tapered off again).

Prayer: Jesus We Greet You
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 188 (pictured at right). This prayer is based on the gospel reading.

Prayer: Here Are Your Disciples
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose,1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 198 (pictured at right). This prayer is based on the gospel reading.

Kid's Story: Some Things Are Scary

By Florence Parry Heide (Author), Jules Feiffer (Illustrator), Candlewick, 2000, ISBN 0763612227 (pictured at left)

Kid's Story: Mary and the Gardener
By Andrew MacDonough, Lost Sheep Books, 2017 (pictured at right). This goes with the John reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only cost 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.

Drama: The Three Women
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 192 (see picture above right). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Drama: If Only

Found in Let's Make a Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 58 (pictured at left). 

Film Clip: Amistad
(pictured at right) Show the scenes where Yamba looks through the bible and afterwards, on his way to court, notices all the cross symbols everywhere. These two scenes are amazingly powerful and full of Easter messages

Film Clip
The Amazing Adventures of Mr Bean

Show The Exam (pictured at left)

Discussion on Mr Bean Volume 1.
1. How does doubt, confusion and fear affect Mr Bean?
2. How do they affect us in our Christian lives?

Listening Song: Libera
On Robert Prizeman's album of the same name (pictured at left)

Listening Song: He Reigns

By the Newsboys and found on their album, Adoration, Sparrow Records or on WOW 2004 .

Poem: Psalm 118:22
Found in In Due Season by Herbert F Brokering, Augsburg Publishing, 1966 in the Summer section under Psalm 118:22.

Story: Imprisoned
The day Harry Houdini couldn't escape - find this story at http://dev.bible.org/netbible/illustration.php?topic=794

Story: Prison
In Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl tells the story about some of his fellow prisoners in the Dachau Nazi prison Camp during World War II. They had been held captive so long that when they were released he said, “they walked out into the sunlight, blinked nervously and then silently walked back into the familiar darkness of the prisons, to which they had been accustomed for such a long time.”

Story: Prison Accidently Opens Gate for 500
Found in Incredible Illustrations by Mikal Keefer, Group Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0764426141, page 62 (pictured at left). 

Meditation: Every Day is Easter
This is a great response written by Roddy Hamilton and found via his Mucky Paws site (see my links at left) archived under March 2008.

Response Activity: Resurrection Remembrances II
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 207 (pictured above right). This activity is based on the gospel reading (pictured above right)
.
Response Activity:
Give everyone a balloon and string or streamers to wave at appropriate parts of the service and then to take home to be tied to their car aerials and/or to be fixed to their gateposts, letterboxes or front doors.

Multiple ideas: "I Have Seen the Lord"
Found in Multi-Sensory Seasons by Wendy Raynor and Annie Slade, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271757, page 36 

Also:

Poem and prayer: still dark.
Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 21 (pictured at left). These are based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: Love and Determination
Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 55ff. This is based on the Gospel reading .

Lots of Useful Stuff
Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual 2014  by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2013, page 94ff (pictured at right).

Story Plus Other Stuff: Roxsanne Makes Good
Found in Wally the Dodgy Trolley and other Stories of Faith and Humour by Ian Johnson, Scripture Union Australia, Lidcombe, 2000, ISBN 0949720984, page 37.

A Chapter of Resources for Easter Sunday:
By Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill in Eggs and Ashes, Wild Goose Publications, 2004, page 223-244 (pictured at left). 

A Chapter of Resources for Easter Day:
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 19-46.

Opening and Closing Responses:
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 20.

Drama: Peter and Mary
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 87.

Drama: Easter Egg-citement
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book Publishers, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 94. This drama is based on the John reading.

Drama: The Feast of Victory 
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book Publishers, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 92. This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel  connected to the Australian Outback
Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 60-61.

Story: Cane Toads
Found in Australian Visions by John Pfitzner, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, page 7ff.

Drama: Isn't it Wonderful?
A monologue in which a joyful Mary announces the news of Jesus' resurrection. Found in Let's Make a Scene by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, page 52ff (pictured at left).  This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Drama: Could it Be True?
Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing, 1991, ISBN 085910608, page 59. This drama is linked to the gospel reading. 

Drama: The Story
Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing, 1991, ISBN 085910608, page 66. This drama is linked to the gospel reading. 

Drama: In the Courtyard
Found in Let's Make Another Scene 3 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 59. This drama is based on the gospel reading. 

Drama: In the Upper Room
Found in Let's Make Another Scene 3 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 63. This drama is based on the gospel reading. 

Drama: An Exceptional Day
Found in Let's Make Another Scene 3 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 68. This drama is based on the gospel reading. 

Service Starter: Dying  - and Rising to Victory
Based on the Matthew reading, this is found in The All-Age Service Annual Volume 4, published by Scripture Union, 2010, ISBN 9781844275199, page 41.

Poem: Stones
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170411, page 98 and based on the Matthew reading. 

Drama: Stop the Presses
Found in Let's Make a Scene for..... by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1998, ISBN 0859108937, page 70 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Matthew reading. 

Meditation: Prayers That Jesus Hears
Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 93ff.  This is based on the John reading.







Easter Dawn A (April 9)

 





















Bible readings: Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6,Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43, John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10

About the images:
Top Left and Lower Right

This is the little suburban lake we use for our dawn service. This is my photo and permission is given for it to be used for worship and related activities.
Top Right:
This is the brake drum fire we use to cook the bread on at our dawn service.  It leaves no mess in a suburban park. This is my photo and permission is given for it to be used for worship and related activities.
Middle Left: Making bread, cooking fish.
Middle Right: Another excellent free image form Church Galleries - see my link column at left.  This site is one of the few I gladly subscribe to; however, the site is down at present.
Lower Left:  The Sea of Galilee: this is my image so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.   

Poem/Meditation: I'd had Enough
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 79 (pictured at left).

Taize Service: Breakfast With Jesus
Found in Worship Feast: 20 Great Services in the Spirit of Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 28

Saturday, April 01, 2023

Good Friday A (April 7)

 



















Bible Readings:
 Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Psalm 22, Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, John 18:1-19:42

About the images:
Upper Left and Right and Lower Right: These images are free from the Hermano Leon site which you can find via my links at left. This is a really great lectionary based clip art site.
Middle Left: This image is free from the Image Bank site which you can find via my link at left.

Middle Right: This is a free image from the Cerezo Barredo site.  It is a little hard to navigate if you are an English speaker but he has lovely sketches such as this one accessed at the bottom of his web page sorted by lectionary year. 
Lower Left: This is a photo of the pit under the church of St Peter  Gallicantu in Jerusalem.  The plaque on the wall says:  "Excavations in 1889 uncovered 3 Byzantine crosses engraved in the orifice at the top, 7 red and 4 black oxide crosses on the walls, and the silhouette of a praying figure on the lower south wall. These findings, along with the ruins of a church and a significant number of mosaics, coins and religious objects, testify to the presence of a 5th-century church. Prompted by the dungeon like appearance of the pit and prompted by its proximity to Caiaphas’ palace—thought to have been located in this general area—the Byzantines recalled here Jesus imprisonment overnight as he awaited trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin"

Start the servi
ce
by projecting images from Jesus life to music. I used about 20 images and backed them with 'In Mcdonalds" by Burial on his album, Untrue (pictured at left).

Poem: The Pain of Peter

Found in A Bloke Called Jesus by Norman Habel and Pro Hart, Rigby, 1982, ISBN 0727017586, page 32. (pictured at right). As the title suggests, this goes with the gospel reading.

Poem: The Politics of Pilate
Found in A Bloke Called Jesus by Norman Habel and Pro Hart, Rigby, 1982, ISBN 0727017586, page 34 (pictured at right). As the title suggests, this goes with the gospel reading.


Listening Song: Thief
By Third Day on their album, Third Day (pictured at left). This is a song about the men on the cross with Jesus.

Listening Song: Walk Him Along
by Leigh Newton - download found at 
www.leighnewton.com This is basically a crucifixion song.

Drama: Stages on the Way

Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 44 (pictured at right).These stages represent different aspects of Jesus' journey towards the cross as seen by a variety of bystanders.

Drama: The Signal
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book Publishers, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 82 (pictured at left). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Reading: They went Out and Followed Him

Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 130 (pictured above right). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: The Colours of Good Friday

Found in Multi-Sensory Seasons by Wendy Raynor and Annie Slade, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271757, page 29 (pictured at right). I used the George McLeod quote and put the words with images to the music of Novio by Moby on his album, Songs.

Meditation: Voices From the Crowd
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 144 (pictured above right). This drama is based on the gospel reading.


Response Activity: Laying Our Burdens Down
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 163 (pictured above right). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Useful music for praying/meditating:
Albinoni: Adagio in G Minor
Bach: Air on a G String
Moby: Novio
Part: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
Vivaldi: Largo from Flautino Concerto in C Major.


Also:

A Chapter of Resources for Good Friday: 
By Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill in Eggs and Ashes, Wild Goose Publications, 2004, page 165-206 (pictured at left). 


For Children and Families: God is Wise
Found in Rewind by Beth Barnett, SUVictoria, 2011, ISBN987098710035, navigate from page 5 (pictured at right). This is based on the gospel reading. 

For Children and Families: God is for Everyone
Found in Rewind by Beth Barnett, SUVictoria, 2011, ISBN987098710035, navigate from page 5 (pictured at right). This is based on the gospel reading. 

For Children and Families: God is Faithful
Found in Rewind by Beth Barnett, SUVictoria, 2011, ISBN987098710035, navigate from page 5 (pictured at right). This is based on the gospel reading. 

Drama: Bad Friday
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 0859109151v1, page 84 (pictured above). This has been written for the gospel reading.

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel  connected to the Australian Outback
Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 54-59 (pictured at left).