Epiphany 4 C (February 3); Ministers of God

There is an updated 2022 version of this post with more resources - see my archive at left

Bible Readings: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71: 1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30

About the Images:
Upper Left: A free Microsoft clipart image over which I put the text.
Upper Right: This is my photo so feel free to use it for worship or related activities.

Middle Left: This is a free image from Cezzaro Barredo's site - see my link column at left.

Middle Right: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries website.  Visit the website at www.churchgalleries.com.

Lower Left: Free clipart from the Hermano Leon site - see my link column at left

Kids' Story: Flat or ....?

Tell the story of the Jeremiah reading using a balloon - first he was flat: too young, no confidence, didn't have the words etc; then when God reassured him he was like an inflated balloon: full of life and energy, confident.

Discussion Questions for the Jeremiah reading:
What are Jeremiah's two excuses for not being God's messenger?
What is God's response to these excuses?

Film Clip: Love is the Law

 
Film Clip: Cocoon

Cocoon (pictured at right) is a film about some elderly people who feel as if they are being treated like the living dead but who discover that they still have lives to live and something to offer. There are plenty of scenes which relate to the psalmist who is an old man who knows that he still has something to say and to offer and a way to say it.

Drama: Home Town Sermon

Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Resource Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0901557642, page 189 (pictured at left). This is based on the Luke reading.

Story: Seeing Things from God's Perspective

Index No 1629-1631 in Bible Illustrator for Windows 1.0d, Parson's Technology Inc., 1990

 
Quote: Unknown

"I intend to stay alive for the whole of my life."

Quote: By a British Politician

"When we assumed office four years ago we stood on the edge of the precipice. Since then, we have taken a giant leap forward". As quoted by Prime Minister Tony Blair during a White House Toast on 5th February 1998 (I think).

Quote: Martin Luther King Jnr.
"When I speak of love, I am not speaking of some sentimental and weak response, I am speaking of that force which is ... the supreme unifying principle of life".

Discussion and/or Questions to Ponder:

What encouragement is there is this/these readings for us?

What warning is there in this/these readings for us?

What is God asking you to do and what excuses are you using?

Response Activity:
Ask all the ministers present to stand up - it should, of course, be everyone!

For those Starting/Returning/to Kinder/School/Uni/Work

A southern hemisphere event - it is around the time of the new school year here - if you leave it until after school has started you can easily include the Uni students as well.

Kids' Story: The Rainbow Fish

By Marcus Pfister, 1992, ISBN 1558580093 (pictured at left). This book is basically about sharing but can also be about the fact that even if you feel like the little stripy fish at school, you will always belong to God and the church - and the church is full of rainbow fish.

Response Activity: Remembering Where You Belong:
Have a candle mould and small containers of various coloured pieces of candle wax. Encourage each starting/returning/ leaving for another place student of any age to select a piece of candle wax in their favourite colour. Encourage everybody else to also select a piece of candle wax. Ask students to come forward with their family and friendship groups so that they can all drop their pieces of candle wax into the mould. Don't forget those who have finished school and are starting new jobs. Pray for each group as they drop in their candle pieces. When the whole church has participated, pour plain melted candle wax over all the pieces. You should end up with a beautiful multi-coloured candle in which

the coloured pieces will remain relatively whole. Thanks to Rev. Rosalind Terry for showing me this moving and memorable activity.

Also:

Meditation: Old Age

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 81 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Psalm.

Taize Service: Loving With Your Life

Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 8 (pictured at right). This is based on the Corinthians reading.

Taize Service: Prophetic voices

Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 42 (pictured at right). This is based on the Jeremiah reading.

Creative Ideas: Jeremiah: The Prophet of Judgement

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 29 (pictured at left). This is based on the Jeremiah reading.

Mission Manifesto

Found in Party On Together by Beth Barnett and Dr Keith Dyer, Scripture Union, 2010, page 86. This is based on the Gospel reading. This resource is also available in electronic form through the Baptist Union of Victoria website, www.buv.com.au. where it can be copied freely for non-commercial use. 

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel

Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 147-169.

Sermon ideas: Working for the Poor and Oppressed

Found in Life on the Road by Athol Gill, Herald Press, 1992, page 180.  This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Epiphany 3 C (January 27): I didn't know love could be mine/Listening to God/Being in Charge

There is an updated 2022 version of this post with heaps more stuff - see my archive at left.

Bible Readings: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Luke 4:14-21

About the images:

Upper Left: This image is by Dimitrios Tsouris and can be found in the Artist's section of www.imagebank.org.uk. Imagebank is a free image site which requires that you register to use their images. I put the text with this image.

Upper Right: This is my photo - please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Left: This is a replica of a synagogue as it would have been in Jesus time; the image was taken at Nazareth Village - an awesome place to visit either on line - http://www.nazarethvillage.com

or even better, in real life. This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Right: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries website. Visit the website at www.churchgalleries.com.

Lower Left: This is a Microsoft free clipart with my text. See my response activity below - it all fits with the Nehemiah reading in particular. 

Listening Song: I Didn't Know Love Could Be Mine

Linked to the Luke reading, this song by Vicka and Linda is on their self titled album. 1994. (pictured at left).

Discussion on the above song:

1. What is the song writer (Paul Kelly) saying about Jesus' words?

2. How do Jesus' words effect the song writer?

3. How do Jesus' words help us?
 

Listening Song: Jubilee
By Michael Card on his album, Joy in the Journey, 1994 (pictured at right). This fits quite well with the Nehemiah reading.

Listening Song or Video Clip: Red Letters

By dc Talk on their Supernatural CD or Video, 1998, (pictured at right). This song is about the importance of scripture and fits very well with the Nehemiah reading.

Kids' talk:

Bring a photo album (or your smart phone album) and talk about how it helps you to remember good things about your family and friends - how it helps you tell your story. Then tell the Nehemiah story and conclude by mentioning that the Bible is a special way which we hear God's story and our story with God.

Kids' Talk

There is plenty of helpful stuff for both the Nehemiah reading and the Luke reading in Living Stones by Susan Sayers, Kevin Mayhew, 2000, ISBN 1840030097, pages 46-50 (pictured at right).

Bible Readings: The Book of God

Read the Nehemiah story from the Book of God by Walter Wangerin Jr., Zondervan, 1996, ISBN 03102000059, page 525 (pictured at left). This book turns the Bible into a bit of a novel and is a real delight to read - but then I think that goes for anything written by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Film Clip: Dead Man Walking
(pictured at right) If you didn't use this for the Baptism of Jesus C (see details on my blog for that week) use it now - it's a great clip for repentance.

Story: Love Personified
This story can be found at http://midwayaog.org/midwaylove1-14-07_files/page0003.htm. It relates well to the Luke reading.

Story: You'll Make It

This story is related to the Psalm and found in The Youth Bible, ISBN 0849933390, page 493.

Story: The New Irrational Version (NIV)
Found in Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Zondervan Publishing House, 1999, ISBN 0310224640, page 104 (pictured at right) . This list of funny illustrations emphasises the importance of studying the Bible.

Story: Knowing God's Word
Found at http://elbourne.org/sermons/index.mv?illustration+3993

Poem: The Work of Christmas

Found in Parables etc by Howard Thurmond

Quote: David du Plessis

"My friends, if you take the great truths of the gospel out of your freezers and get them on the fire of the Holy Spirit, your churches will turn the world upside down."

Response Activity:

Sing Make Me a Channel of Your Peace together and then ask people to pick a phrase from the song that appeals to them, share it and take it home with them.

Response Activity: Balloons Belong in Church

An awesome poem from Reaching for Rainbows: Resources for Creative Worship by Ann Weems used by permission of Westminster John Knox Press. which I found in  the Seasons of the Spirit™  resources: SeasonsFUSION  Advent • Christmas • Epiphany 2015–2016 Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2015. Follow it up with a balloon activity - blowing them up, writing on them, decorating the worship space, whatever fits with your worship space and people.

Also:

Kids: Pink Balloons

By Beverley McGregor, Ashton Scholastic,  with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 19 (pictured at left). This goes well with the 1 Corinthians reading.

Kids: Gabriella's Song

By Candace Fleming and Giselle Potter, Simon and Schuster,  with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 25 (pictured above left). This goes well with the Psalm reading.

Prayer Exercise: Praying in Nature

Found in Prayer: Heart of the Pilgrimage by Jenny Youngman, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 2007, ISBN 0835898369, page 56.  This is based on the Psalm reading.

Mission Manifesto
Found in Party On Together by Beth Barnett and Dr Keith Dyer, Scripture Union, 2010, page 86. This is based on the Gospel reading. This resource is also available in electronic form through the Baptist Union of Victoria website, www.buv.com.au. where it can be copied freely for non-commercial use. 

Lots of Useful Stuff: Body Beautiful

Found in Multi-Sensory Together by Ian Birkinshaw, Scripture Union,2005, ISBN 1844271641, page 50.  Based on the 1 Corinthians reading.

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel

Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 147-169.

Sermon ideas: Working for the Poor and Oppressed

Found in Life on the Road by Athol Gill, Herald Press, 1992, page 180.  This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Drama: Body Parts
Found in Let's Make a Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 56and based on the 1 Corinthians reading. 

Service Starter: Running Thread

Based on the Luke reading, this is found in The All-Age Service Annual Volume 4, published by Scripture Union, 2010, ISBN 9781844275199, page 12 (pictured at right).

Drama: The Interview

Found in Let's Make Another Scene 3 by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 37.  This is based on the 1 Corinthians reading.