Proper 5 A (June 11): 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:
Above left: A free image from Sundaygrapix.com 

Above right: Microsoft free clipart with my text.

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

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

Lower Right: A free Cerezo Barredo image

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)