Easter 7 B (May 13): Leadership/Being Sent

THERE IS AN UPDATED 2024 VERSION OF THIS BLOG ENTRY  - SEE MY ARCHIVE LIST AT LEFT.

Readings: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Psalm 1, 1 John 5:9-13, John 17:6-19.

About the Images: 

Upper left: Winter sunrise in the High Country: an illustration for Psalm 1. This is my photo. You are free to use it for worship and related activities. I took it on the Great Alpine Road - the Bairnsdale to Omeo section. For more info about this area visit http://www.visitvictoria.com/Activities-and-attractions/Touring-routes/The-Great-Alpine-Road.aspx

Upper Right: a free image from Hearlight - see my link column at left.

Middle Left: This is another image that fits with the Psalm.  I took this photo at a waterhole near Hamilton Station ("station" is a word us Aussies use for large farms) between Mt Dare (http://www.mtdare.com.au/) and Oodnadatta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oodnadatta).  You are free to use this image for worship and related activities. 

Middle Right: A Microsoft free clipart image with my text.

Lower Left:This image by an unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND via Bing Search.  I think it goes well with the Acts reading. 

Listening Song: Like a Tree

By Chris Falson on his album By The Water (pictured at left). This song matches up well with the psalm.

Film Clip: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
(pictured at right).There is a great abseiling scene in this film which links in well with the holy Spirit being a rope story. I found the scene via www.wingclips.com

Discussion: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
1. What holds the three climbers all together?
2. What holds us together as a Christian community?

Film Clip: Living Life

Good clip that challenges us to use our days well.  I thought it connected well with the Acts reading and how the early church was thinking through leadership and mission.

https://www.facebook.com/SOML/videos/594739514003800/

Drama: To Heaven in a Rocket Ship
Based on the 1 John reading. Found in Mega Drama 3 by Verena Johnson (ed), Openbook 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3) page 29 (pictured at left).

Story: There Is No Plan B 

When Jesus ascended to Heaven to return to His Father, the eleven disciples stood and watched Him go. An angel was watching and called out, "Jesus, where are you going?"

"Back to be with my Father in Heaven," he said. "I thought you were going to bring salvation to everyone in the world!" the angel protested. Jesus said, "I have. My work on earth is finished." "But who is going to be your witness and go out into the world to share the Good News and tell people that you love them?" "They are," Jesus said pointing toward his disciples. The angel looked down on the motley bunch of disciples. "Do you have a plan B?".

N.B. Thanks to Nathan Williams for sourcing this story.  He writes:

I just happened across the "No Plan B" story in the book Lent & Easter Readings from Iona. They cite it in Daily Readings with George MacLeod, ed. Ron Ferguson (Wild Goose Publications, 2001).

Story: The Hermit's Gift
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties, ISBN 0310402611, 1994, page 112 (pictured at right).

Story: The Holy Spirit is the Rope
This is the fifth story on the following page under the title of church unity and goes well with the gospel reading:http://www.ccbiblestudy.org/Topics/81Church/81GE05.htm .

Quotes ; Joy is Not Found in......
Quotes on joy by various famous people can be found at http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/illustrations-about-unbelief.asp. These make a good contrast to the source of joy found in the gospel reading.

Prayer for Others:
Put a map of the world on the communion table (a laminated one may be safer than a paper one for obvious reasons) and ask people to light a tea light using the Christ candle and put their tea light on the place in the world that they want to pray for.

Response Activity: Prayer Ropes
This activity links in well with the story above about the Holy Spirit being a rope. Instructions on how to make a prayer rope and how to use one as well as the fascinating history of prayer ropes can be found on Wikipedia - just type "prayer rope" into the search engine. Other ideas which would work well for today are finger labrynths, prayer trees, Taize songs...anything really, that help people to pray and show people that there is more than one way to pray.

Response Activity:

Give everyone a small pot and a tree seed and have some potting mix available so that people can pot up a seed to remind them of Psalm 1.  We played Like a Tree (see above) while people participated in this activity.

Also

Kids: Tina the Tree

This is another brilliant book  by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2012 (pictured at left) . This goes with the Psalm reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A5 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.

Opening or Closing Response 

By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, page 129. 

Easter 3 B (April 15): Never Alone

THERE IS AN UPDATED 2024 VERSION OF THIS BLOG ENTRY  - SEE MY ARCHIVE LIST AT LEFT.

Bible Readings: Acts 3:12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48.

About the Images:

Upper Left: This is part of the card I give out (see below in the Response Activity). I cannot remember where I got this image or whether I made it. If anybody could shed light on its copyright or source, I would be very pleased.

Upper Right: This was supposed to be an ordinary red hibiscus - what an a -hah moment when it blossomed into red, orange and yellow. I also like the fact that it has flowered through the wire. This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Left: This is St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne and reminded me of the line in the Newsboys song below: "Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals". This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Middle Right: This is the underground church in Coober Pedy and reminded me of the line in the Newsboys song below: "To the faithful gathered underground". This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Lower Left:This is a free Heartlight image  - see my link column at left.
 

Try dividing the service into four sections based on the Luke readings:
1.The Joy: Luke 24: 36-43
2. The Cross: Luke 24:44-46
3. The Need: Luke 24:47-48

4. The Power: Luke 24:49

Listening Song: Jubilate

By Robert Prizeman on Libera (pictured at right).

Listening Song: He Reigns
By Newsboys on their album, Adoration, or WOW 2004 (pictured at left)

Kids: New Perspectives

Show kids a number of images of things taken from unrecognisable angles. Have a bit of a guessing game as to what they are. Then talk about how Easter helps us see things from a new perspective.

Film Clip: Can't Keep Me Down

I went to www.wingclips for this clip (as usual - an excellent site). It can be found in their transformation section. I used it to illustrate that true happiness can only be found when you know/accept that you are a child of God (pictured at right)

Introductory Plenary or Pew Discussion

When you were growing up, what was one thing that was difficult for you to believe in?

Drama: Dial A Prayer
Found in Let's Make A Scene 4 by Verena Johnson, Openbook Publishers, 1198, ISBN 0859108937, page 12 (pictured at left). This fits in well with the Acts reading and the 1 John reading or as an introduction to the prayer of confession.

Story: Luiqi Tariso and the Violins
Found in James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, Wheaton Tyndale, 1988, page 492. You can also find this story at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Tarisio.

These next four stories all match up well with the 1 John reading:

Story: Heaven

Found in 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching by Michael P Green, Baker Books, 1989, ISBN 0801063302, story no. 640 (pictured at right).

Story: Children of God

Found in 750 Engaging Illustrations from Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Barker Books, 1993, ISBN 0801091551, Story No. 61 (pictured at left).

Story: Success

Found in 750 Engaging Illustrations from Craig Brian Larson and leadership Journal, Barker Books, 1993, ISBN 0801091551, Story No. 693 (pictured at left). 

Story: Worth

Found in 750 Engaging Illustrations from Craig Brian Larson and leadership Journal, Barker Books, 1993, ISBN 0801091551, Story No. 775 (pictured at left).

Creed: Creed from Nicaraguan Mass

Found in Imaging the Word, Volume 3 by Susan A Blain(Ed.), United Church Press, 1996, ISBN 0829810862, page 202 (pictured at left) .

Response Activity: Handprint Creed

Found in Multi-Sensory Church by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2002, ISBN 1859996671, page 20 (pictured at right). Fits with the first few verses of the 1 John reading.

Response Activity:

Give out business cards with an icthus fish printed on each in colours of red and yellow. Underneath the fish print the words: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour (the card is pictured at the beginning of this blog). Ask people to contemplate the card for a time noticing that the fish symbol reminds us that Jesus is always with us and that the colours remind us that the Holy Spirit is always with us.

Also:

Reflective Poem: Times of refreshing

By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 109ff. This is based on the end of the Acts reading and then some.