Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Proper 9 A (July 09): Sharing the Burden/Travelling into the Unknown/Open Doors

 























Bible Reading:
 Genesis 24: 34-38, 42-49, 58-67, Psalm 45: 10-17 or Song of Songs 2:8-13, Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30.

About the Images:
Upper Left : This is a microsoft free clipart onto which I have put the Biblical text.
Upper Right: This is a free image from Heartlight (you will find a link to Heartlight in my links column at left).
Middle Left: This is a free image from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com. It makes a great background slide for the Romans reading and comes in three languages: english, spanish and portuguese (I think).  

Middle Right: This is my image of an ancient well in Beersheba similar to the type mentioned in the Genesis story.  Please feel free to use this image for worship and related activities.
Lower LeftThis is a free image from Heartlight (you will find a link to Heartlight in my links column at left).
Lower Right: This is my image of the Strezlecki Desert (https://www.touristlink.com/australia/strzelecki-desert/overview.html) with words from the Jars of Clay song Much Afraid mentioned below. 

Listening Song: Much Afraid
By Jars of Clay on their album, Much Afraid (pictured at left). This song fits quite well with the Matthew reading.


Listening Song: A Noble Theme Psalm 45
By Sons of Korah on their album, Hand on the
 Plough (pictured at right).
Call to Worship

Found in Life Plus Ideas For Worship, JBCE 1996, ISBN 1864071079page 4 (pictured at left). This is based on the Gospel reading.

Kids Time: Liturgical stole and Good Intentions
A good explanation about both which links well with both the Matthew and the Romans reading can be found in Forbid Them Not Year A by Carolyn C Brown, Abingdon Press, 1992, ISBN 068713255X, page 129 (pictured at right).

Film Clip: Wall-e
(pictured at left) Show the trailer i
n which you see Wall-e bored and lonely .

Discussion: Wall-e
What two things are making 
Wall-e sad?
What do you think would make him happy?


Film Clip: Les Miserables
(pictured at right) Use the clip right near the end when Javert and Valjean have a conversation by the river and Javert lets himself fall into the water. This is a great illustration of the Romans reading when we can paint ourselves into a corner if we do not acknowledge our need for a Saviour. I used a Wingclips film clip for this - you can visit their site via my link column at left. 

Discussion on the Matthew reading
In wha
t areas would you like to be more closely yoked with Jesus as a church?

Drama: A Load of Rubbish
Found in Let's Make Another Scene by Verena Johnson, Open Book Publishers, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 17(pictured at left). This drama is based on the gospel reading.

Discussion for A Load of Rubbish
What are some of the burdens we carry around with us?


Drama: All Messed Up

Found in Life Plus Ideas For Worship, JBCE 1996, ISBN 1864071079page 4 (pictured above). This drama is based on the Romans reading and can be adapted for puppets or people.

Story: Too Polite
Found in Still More Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Zondervan, 1999, ISBN 0310224640, page 88 (pictured at right).  This story is based on the gospel reading.

Story: Pulling Together
Index 3894-3899 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. This story is also found at http://www.churchchrist.net/Sermons/Ministry.htm and is called 
Pulling Yoke Together.

Story: The Flying Wallandas

Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialities, 1994, ISBN 0310402611, page 96 (pictured at left). This story is about trusting God. This goes with both the gospel reading and the Genesis reading.


Story: The Civil War of the Soul
Found in In the Grip Of Grace by Max Lucado, Word Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0849911435, pages 139ff (pictured at right). Lots of stories and discussion questions (at the back) based on the Romans reading.
Poem/Meditation: Prisoner

Found in The Electric Bible: Poems For Public Worship by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170411, page 100 (pictured at left). This poem is based on the Romans reading. I put an image up for each stanza and read it out loud with a pause between each verse. 

Response Activity:
Give everyone a business card with a picture of two yoked bullocks and the words "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.....For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light - Jesus". 
(see image above and feel free to use). Ask people to think about the words and write on the back of the card either a burden they are carrying which they need to share with Jesus or a job that Jesus is asking them to do with his help.

Response Activity: Burdens

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 54 (pictured at right).

Also:

Poem and prayer: beyond the breakers.
Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 43. These are based on the gospel reading.


Response Activity: Kindness

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 112ff. 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 144ff. 

Prayer Exercise: Giving Up Control
Found in Prayer: Heart of the Pilgrimage by Jenny Youngman, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 2007, ISBN 0835898369, page 38.  This is based on the Gospel reading.

Drama: Big Al
Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 9. This drama is based on the Gospel reading.

Reading: A Glutton and a Drunkard
Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 17.  This is based on the Matthew reading.

Prayer: Burdens
Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 54 and based on the Matthew reading.

Prayer: Let Your Lights Shine
Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 50 and based on the Romans reading.

Prayer/Action: Rest
Found  in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 124 and based on the Matthew reading.  


No comments: