Sunday, January 29, 2017

Epiphany 5 A (February 5): Shine










There is an updated 2023 version of this post with more stuff. See my archives at the left. 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), Psalm 112:1-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12(13-16), Matthew 5:13-20

About the images:
Upper left and right: These are free Heartlight images. To visit the Heartlight site, please go to my Links column below left.
Lower left: This is a Microsoft free clipart with my text.
Lower Right: This is a free sample clip art from Church galleries - see my link at left.

 
Listening Song: Shine
By the Newsboys on their album, Shine: The Hits (pictured at left) or on WOW 1996. This song uses words from the gospel reading.

Discussion:
1. Salt and light have lost their preciousness in many ways to the Western world. What might Jesus say to us today if he was talking to us? You are like........
2. How do we shine God's light onto those around us?

Brainstorm:

Brainstorm definitions of the word "disciple".

Film Clip: True Fasting
This clip is from Work of the People - see my link column at left.  It goes well with the Isaiah reading:



Story: Why the Potatoes Sprouted
This story can be found at
http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/1801-1900/HDM1876.pdf Story No. 1430. It is based on the gospel story.

Story: Thermometers and Themostat

Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties Inc, 1994, ISBN 031040261, page 198 (pictured at right). This story is based on the Matthew reading.

Also:

Poem and prayer: salt and light.
Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 14 (pictured at left).  These are based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: Shout aloud!

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 40ff (pictured at right). This is based on the Gospel reading and the old Testament reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff
Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2013, page 39ff (pictured at left).


Worship Activity: Prayer Lights
By Jim Burns and Robin Dugall in Worship Experiences, Gospel Light, 1999, ISBN 0830724044, page 43.  This is based on the Matthew reading.












Sunday, January 22, 2017

Epiphany 4 A (January 29): Paradox

















There is an updated 2023 version of this post with more stuff. See my archives column at left. 


Bible Readings: Micah 6:1-8, Psalm 15, I Corinthians 1: 18-31, Matthew 5:1-12

About the Images:
Upper Left: This is a microsoft free clipart image with my text.
Upper Right: This is a free Heartlight image. To visit the Heartlight site, please go to my Links column below left.
Below left: This is a Microsoft free image with text from the song "God's Own Fool" (below).

Listening Song: God's Own Fool
By Michael
Card on his album, Joy in the Journey (pictured at left). This goes well with the gospel reading.

Kid's Story: The Lion and the Mouse
This is an Aesop fable and can be found almost anywhere on or off line.  It goes really well with the gospel reading and the Corinthians reading.


Film Clip: The Beatitudes
This clip is found on the Work of the People site (see my links column at left).
http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/the-beatitudes


Drama: I Believe Congratulations Are In Order
By Tick Brereton and found in Mega Drama
2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.) Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916X, page 17 (pictured at right). This is a dramatic reading that looks at the Beatitudes and different approaches to what they really mean. I made this the basis of my sermon and added a couple more voices to each section who related directly to the struggles in our own community and lives and added prayers of reflection after each section as well.

Response Activity:
I gave everyone a copy of the Mega Drama (above) version of the Beatitudes and gave them a space to read them over and then underline the one that they do best in one colour and the one that they need most help with in another colour. We then prayed together and for each other.


Also:

Taize Service: Beatitudes
Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 38. This is based on the Matthew reading.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Epiphany 3 A (January 22): Discipling 101/Abandoning the Boats












Note

There is an updated 2023 version of this post with more stuff. See my archives at left.

Bible Readings:
Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1,4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23


About the Images:
Above Left: Abandoned whaler on Norfolk Island - it's my photo so feel free to use it for worship related activities. If you want to know more about Norfolk Island please visit http://www.norfolkisland.com.au
Above Right: This is a microsoft free clipart image with text from the unnamed poem by Philip Andrews (see below under Meditation/Poem).
Lower Left:  The words from the psalm with an image I have on paper from 40 years ago - I have no idea who to attribute this to -  if anyone knows the artist, please let me know.
Lower Right: This is a free image from Imagebank (see my link column at left). 

Listening Song: Jesus Freak
By dc Talk on their album, Jesus Freak (pictured at left). This song is about discipleship.

Listening Song: In the Light

By dc Talk on their album Jesus Freak (pictured at left). This song goes well with the Corinthians reading.

Listening Song: One
By U2 on their album Achtung Baby, 1991. 

Kids Story: Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
By Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury, Penguin, 2009, ISBN 9780143503583 (pictured at right). This story is just a delight and goes very well with the Corinthians reading.

Film Clip: Oh My God
This clip seems to have disappeared off the web however one of the major speakers, Rabbi Froman, is part of a new film about to be released, called A Third Way - a film about Israeli and Palestinians working together. Any clips you can access on this topic fit in beautifully with the Corinthians reading and if you can watch any of them without tearing up then you are better than me.


Film Clip: Meet the Parents
(pictured at left) Show the clip where Kevin shows off his carpentry skills and says he does it because he wants to follow in Jesus' footsteps. (about 55 minutes from the start)

Discussion: On Meet the Parents
1. What does it mean to be one of Jesus' disciples? Will being a good carpenter do it?
2. What should we do to be good disciples?

Discussion:
1. Was there a definable moment when you became a Christian?
2. What changed most for you if you did have a definable moment?

3. Is conversion the end of the story?

Drama: Leftovers
By Eric Stapleton and found at http://www.dramatix.org/archive/family/Leftovers.html This drama fits in well with the Corinthians reading.

Story: If Jesus Showed Up at Your School
Found in Could Someone Wake Me Up Before I Drool On The Desk by Kevin Johnson, Bethany House Publishers, 1995, ISBN 1556614160, pp11 (pictured at right) . This is a story about youth and discipleship.


Story: Soren Kierkegaard's Train Passenger
I don't know which book of his this is in but I found reference to this illustration in Rivers in the Desert edited by Rowland Croucher, Albatross books, 1991, ISBN 086760137X, page 253 (pictured at left). This story is based on the gospel reading.

Story: To Have It Within
Found in Speakers Source Book of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley, Word Publishing,1995, ISBN 0849936756, page 40 (pictured at right). This story is based on the Psalm.

Story: Fishers of Men Part 2
In When You Walk by Adrian Plass, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 1997, ISBN 0745935524, page 130-1 (pictured at left) . This story is based on the gospel reading.


Meditation: We Did Not Want to Go
In He Was in the World: Meditations for Public Worship by John Bell, Wild Goose, 1995, ISBN 094798870X, pp 87 (pictured at right). This meditation is like the song Jesus Freak above and centres on our unwillingness sometimes to be a disciple because we foresee difficulties.

Mediation/Poem: Unnamed
By Philip Andrews 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 125. (pictured in an ealrier blog). I put images with this and used Look Back In by Moby from his album, 18, as backing. This is connected with the Psalm.

Response Activity:
Display heaps of printed images and words around the worship space and ask people to choose a couple which most explain how they feel about or what they think in response to the Bible reading. Ask people to share why they chose the cards and or words which they did.
NB. www.innovativeresources.org make an amazing set of cards called Signposts which work really well with this activity.


Also:

Poem and prayer: repent - turn around.
Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 12.  These are based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: Invited to Bring the Light
Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 36ff. This is based on the gospel reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff
Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2013, page 26ff.






Sunday, January 08, 2017

Epiphany 2 A (January 15): Following With Our Feet on the Rock











Note
There is an updated 2023 version of this post with more stuff.

Bible Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42
About the Images:
Upper Left: My photo, my foot, my boot :-) ...feel free to use as you want. This image goes well with Psalm 40:2 and the Gospel reading.
Upper Right: This image comes from heartlight - see my link to their site at left.
Lower Left: A homemade wordle.
Lower Right:  A free clipart from the wonderful Church Galleries site - well worth a subscription - see my link column at left.


Listening Song: Dancing on the Wall
By Iona on their self titled album (pictured at left).
This song goes well with the gospel reading.


Listening Song: 40
By U2 on their album, War or on their album, Under a Blood Red Sky (pictured at left).
This, of course, is a version of Psalm 40. It is pre-recorded on the War album and live on the other.

Listening Song: It's Alright (Send Me)
By Winans Phase2
on their album We Got Next (pictured at left) or on WOW 2000. This goes well with the gospel reading.

Drama: For Me
By Pastor Keith Stiller and found in Drama Resources 2, Lutheran Publishing House, 1986, page 29 (pictured at right). This is a drama about discipleship.

Discussion Questions: Plenary, Group or with a Neighbour
1. What is the one thing you would need to know about them before you followed somebody?
2. Have you ever followed somebody (other than Jesus)?

3. What is it about Je
sus that made you want to follow him? (This would also make a good interview question for one or two (three or four?) members of your congregation - their answers could take the place of the sermon for the week - you would have to give them prior warning in order for this to work well).4. Define "disciple".

Story: The Journey Thus Far
By Athol Gill in his book Life on the Road, Herald Press, 1989, ISBN 0836135881, page 11 (pictured at right). This links in well with the gospel reading.

Story: Rigby
Index 1158 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990 or find the story on line at http://bible.org/illustration/john-141. This story is based on the gospel reading.

Story: Uncompromising Determination
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties Inc, 1994, ISBN 031040261, page 214 (pictured at left). I matched this story with the Isaiah reading because it talks about how we are valued and how much we matter in a rather comic manner.


Prayer/Poem: Deny Self and Imitate Christ
Found in Of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A'Kempis, Whitaker House, 1981, ISBN 0883680947, page 207 (pictured at right).