Easter 6 B (May 05): Love Rules!/Best Mates/Change is an adventure

 

Bible Readings: Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

About the Images:
Upper Right: This is the business card I made for everyone (see Response Activity: Postcards below). I used a Publisher template and changed the decoration colour to match the font colour.
Upper Left: This is a Microsoft free clipart with my text.

Middle Left: A free image from Heartlight - see my link column at left.

Middle Right:  A free image from the Cerrazo Barredo site - see my link column at left.

Lower Left: A free image from Heartlight - see my link column at left.

Lower Right: A free image from Heartlight - see my link column at left.

Bottom Left: A free image from the Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú

Listening Song: I've Always Loved You

By Third Day on their album, Time (pictured at left)

Call to Worship: Friendship Quotes 

Portray a series of images and quotes about friendship.

Call to Worship: The Lost Parcel
Linked with the John reading, this skit is found in Mega Drama 3 by Verena Johnson (Ed.) Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109178, page 17ff (pictured at right). When I used this skit, I used Part 2 before the confession and Part 3 between the kids talk and the sermon or whatever.

Prayer of Confession: Who am I?

By Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers From Prison, Macmillan, 1953, p.222

Kids Talk: God's Love in Our Heart

Linked to the John reading and found in Fun Group Devotions For Children's Ministry, Group Publishing, 1993, ISBN 1559451610, page 27 (pictured at left).

Kids Story Guess How Much I Love You
by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, Walker Books, 1994, ISBN 1844281086 (pictured at right).

Film Clip: Crocodile Dundee

(pictured at left) Based on the John reading: Mick says: Of course it took me a week to get this far. I thought I was a goner. I said to meself, "Mick old son, find yourself a nice comfortable spot and lay down and die". Journalist woman: Weren't you afraid ? Mick:Of dying ? Nah. I read The Bible once. You know God and Jesus and all them apostles? They were all fishermen, just like me. Yeah, straight to heaven for Mick Dundee. Yep, me and God, we'd be mates.

Discussion: Crocodile Dundee
What difference would/does it make if you and God were/are best mates?

Film Clip: The Castle

(pictured at right) This film has any amount of scenes about change. If you are Australian and mindful that Sorry Day is around now, then the scene where Daryl Kerrigan realises his family are in much the same boat as indigenous Australians is also a good one

Discussion: Linked to the Gospel Reading

What makes you happy?

Think of a time when you have been joyful.

What is the difference between being happy and being joyful?

What makes a good friend a best mate?

How differently would we see ourselves if we viewed ourselves as "the one Jesus loves"?
How would our lives change if we really believed the words of Jesus: "You are my friends .... You didn't choose me. I chose you".

Story: Real Friends

Found in Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialities, 1994, ISBN 031040261, page 169 (pictured at right).  This story belongs with the gospel reading.

Story: I am the One Jesus Loves.
Found in What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, ISBN 0310218624, page 68 (pictured at left). This story goes well with the gospel reading. 

Story: He's Very Fond of Me.
Found in What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, ISBN 0310218624, page 69 (pictured at left). This story also goes well with the gospel reading.

Useful Quote: C.S. Lewis

"It's like waking up in the morning and suddenly realising that the term is over and the holidays have begun".

From The Last Battle by C.S.Lewis (pictured at right).

NB1. I haven't seen the film yet, so I do not know if this quote was included or not - if it was, then it would probably make a useful film clip. Somebody may be able to email me some help here..... The quote is stuck in my head (but, unfortunately not the accurate source) because I want "the term is over and the holidays have begun" engraved on my tomb stone when I die :-)
NB2: From Rob with thanks: On the CS Lewis quote, it was used by Mike Scott in The Waterboys' song, 'Church Not Made with Hands' -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWC_lrDobYk

Testimonies:

This would probably take the place of the sermon or whatever. Invite two or three members of your congregation to share a story of how the Holy Spirit surprised them and helped them change their minds about something. This is better not done on the spot - give the people you ask enough time to prepare, however reassure them that it is their story that your congregation wants to hear (not a finely crafted sermon) and that each person need only speak from three to five minutes.

Response Activity:

Divide people up into groups of four or five, give them a large piece of paper (if you worship around tables, then make the paper the tablecloth for this week) and marker pens. Ask them to individually and together in their small group, brainstorm practical answers to the question:

Jesus calls us to be a new community - how can we be that new and welcoming community inside and outside our church?  At the conclusion, stick up the sheets of paper around the walls, give everyone two sticker dots and two sticker stars and encourage them to stick the dots beside the two best ideas for being a new and welcoming church community and the two stars beside the two best ideas for being a part of a new and welcoming wider community.

Response Activity: Postcards

This is linked to the two Philip Yancey stories and some of the questions relating to the Gospel (above). Give everyone a business card/postcard/bookmark with the words "I am the one Jesus loves" (see above) printed upon it.

Also:

Communion Invitation:

Based on the gospel reading, this invitation can be found in Before the Amen by Maren C. Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirabassi, The Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 9780829817508, page 131 (pictured at left).

Response Activity: You Are My Friends

From Bringing the Word to Life Together Year B by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, 2011, ISBN 9781921945038, page 81ff (pictured at right) .

Poem and prayer: steamed up

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 94 (pictured at left). These are based on the gospel reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff

Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual 2015 by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2014, page 86ff. These ideas are based on all of the readings. 

Opening or Closing Response 

By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, page 128. 

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel  connected to the Australian Outback

Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 48-50.

Prayer: Loving Hands

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 53 and based on the John reading.