Bible Readings: Genesis 45:1-15, Psalm 133, Romans 11:1,2a,29-32, Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28.
About the Images:
Upper Left: This is a free Microsoft clipart image .
Upper Right: This is also a free Microsoft clipart image. I added the words from Bruce Prewer's version of Psalm 133 which can be found at http://home.alphalink.com.au
Middle Left: This is a free clipart from Cerezo Barredo You can find a link to this site at the left in my Links column.
Middle Right: This is a free clip art from the Hermano Leon site. See my link column at left.
Lower Left: This is my photo of Banksy art on
the eight metre high Separation Wall between Israel and Palestine. Please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Lower Right: I found this delightful image of a small Jewish boy and a small Palestinian boy in the Creative Commons collection. It has no other copyright information with it, so please let me know if I should not be using it. The word in green as "salaam" (peace).
Introduction: Gathering Found in Ideas for Worship, June to July 1996, JBCE, page 16 (pictured at left) . This introduction is based on the gospel reading.
Listening Song: What You Need
(pictured at right) By Audio Adrenaline on their self titled album. This song goes well with the gospel reading.
Listening Song: Turn (pictured at left) By Paul Colman Trio on their album, New Map of the World. This goes well with the psalm.
Object Lesson: The Words We Speak: Constructive or Destructive
Found in Fresh Ideas Volume 2 by Jim Burns and Mark Simone, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 083718842, page 66. This goes well with the gospel reading.
Kid's Activity During the Service
Give everyone in the congregation a length of streamer and get them to each put their name on the streamer. Ask the kids to collect them and then ask whether the individual streamers are representative of a church community united or not. Ask for ideas as to how this could occur (fish for the "making a chain out of them" answer). Have them make the streamers into a chain during the service and use it as a decoration near the end of the service. This goes well with the idea of family unity and reunion in the Genesis reading and acceptance of difference in the gospel reading.
Activity for Psalm 133
Ask people to complete the sentence "when people get along it is better than....."
Film Clip: Music of the Heart(pictured at left) Show the clip where the little disabled girl thinks she is too weak to play and her teacher (Meryl Streep) tells her that she is strong on the inside. Relate it to the Caananite woman in the gospel who, to all appearances, starts off in a weak position.
Film Clip: Men in Black
(pictured at right). Show the clip about 25 minutes in when the recruits begin their exam and finish when all the recruits are sitting staring at Edwards. This is a great clip which shows what happens when we do our own thing instead of building community.
Film Clip: Taika Waititi on Racism
Find this excellent clip at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1YS-yDW2Y8
Drama: FaithFound in Parable Performing by Kristin Etscheid, Hodder and Stoughton, 1985,ISBN 0340336676, page 36 (pictured at left). This drama is based on the gospel reading.
Drama: Clouded Thinking
Narrator: Reads Psalm 133 and then says "The best part of life is knowing God is loving me and blessing me". Two people standing back to back have the following conversation:
1: Sometimes I don’t feel as good as that….particularly when I remember what happened.
2: I can’t get over it…I’ll never forgive her! I must keep my self-respect.
1: Sometimes the anger just burns me up.
2: I feel so depressed …… I don’t know what about…just feels like I have a big rock inside me weighing me down.
1: I miss her so much
2: I think I’ll really let her have it. I’ll tell her exactly what I think of her.
1: I know I was right and that’s all that matters to me.
2: What have I got to lose…she doesn’t like me anyway. Everything she says hurts me…
1: I’m so lonely.
2: She can do it my way or not at all.
1: Nothing’s going to change until she apologises.
2: If only we were friends again.
1: If only she liked me….(sigh) no wonder she doesn’t like me.
2: I’m an idiot.
1: Now I’m angry with everyone. I’m starting to dislike people on sight. I don’t even know if Jesus is there any more
2: And now it’s finished. Is that what I wanted?
Copyright: Ann Scull
Discussion: Re above drama
1. What is happening in this skit?
2. Do you see a connection with the Genesis story?
3. How could this situation be resolved?
Discussion: On the Matthew reading
1. In what ways does this story confront your traditions and prejudices?
2. When has an outsider challenged or helped your faith?
3. How do we prevent ourselves becoming insular or exclusive as a congregation?
Story: Me Too!
Story No. 2 in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers edited by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured at left) .
Prayer: My Souls DesireFound in Celtic Prayers by Robert Van de Weyer, Bridgewater Book Company, 1997, ISBN 1856082814, page 37 (pictured at right). This fits well with all the readings.
Also:
Found in All-age Sketches for the Christian Year by Peter Shaw, The Bible reading Fellowship, 2006, ISBN 101841014583, page 44 ff (pictured at left). This is based on the psalm reading.
Meditation: The Peacemakers
Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 89 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Psalm 133 reading.
Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (editor), Open Book Publishers, 2001 ISBN 085910916X, page 80 (pictured at left). Based on the Matthew reading.
Brilliant Comments on the Gospel
Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 217-226.
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. This is based on the Matthew reading.
Drama: Racist or Redeemer
Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 99ff. This is based on the Matthew reading.
Drama: When Two Or More
Found in All Age Sketches for The Christian Year by Peter Shaw, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2006, ISBN 10 1 984101 458 3, page 44ff. This is based on the Psalm reading.
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