Proper 21 C (28th September 2025): Contentment/Seeing the Bigger Picture

 

Bible Readings: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, Psalm 91:1-6,14-16, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31

About the images:

Upper Left: A microsoft free clipart image with Nathan Nettleton's text (see www.laughingbird.net for wonderful Australian paraphrases of the lectionary readings)
Upper Right: Contentment! Copyright (C) 2001, Free Software Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this image under the terms found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Gnu-listen-half.jpg

Middle Left: This is a free Heartlight image.  See my link column at left.

Middle Right: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries website which is down at present. This particular one was free.
Lower Left and Right: These images come from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com. This site no longer updates (you will see the sad reason why when you visit) however the artist, Don da Silva, has left a legacy of wonderful free images and templates via the site archives.

Bottom Left: I think this is mine because it is using a font I usually use when I make one of these, HOWEVER if it is not mine and it is actually yours, let me know asap -  I am happy to acknowledge you or take it down as you wish. 

Prayer: A Litany of Confession
Found in Resources for Preaching and Worship - Year C compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003, ISBN 066422508X, page 255 (pictured at left).

Kids: Jeremiah
The Jeremiah story is full of emotion - sadness, fear, contempt, ridicule, anger, hope. Tell the story and ask the kids, at set points in the story, to reflect the emotion you have mentioned, either through their facial expressions or through their hands. Do it with them. You may need to practice first at home, so you have an idea of what to encourage the shyer kids to do. I have discovered that it doesn't take much to involve the whole congregation in this type of activity - and you will find that if you do it before the Bible reading, the adults develop a far better understanding of the reading than they would have if you had not done it.

Listening Song: Whomsoever Dwells
By Sinead O'Connor on her album, Theology (pictured at right). This is basically a sung version of Psalm 91.

Listening Song: The Power of the Gospel
By Ben Harper on his album, Fight for Your Mind (pictured at left). The title of this song says it all.

Video Clip: Chariots of Fire
(pictured at right) Chapter 19: The conversation between the discontented Harold and his friend, Aubrey This goes well with the Timothy reading.

Discussion Questions: Chariots of Fire
1. Describe a time when you felt contentment.
2. How often do you feel this way?
3. How do you find contentment?
4. What desires, besides the desire for more money or more possessions, keeps a person from feeling contented.

Video Clip: Elizabeth: The Golden Age                                                          (pictured at left) Show the clip where Walter Raleigh explains to Elizabeth how he lives out his hope when he is sailing unchartered waters. I found this clip at Wingclips (see my links column at left). This goes really well with the Jeremiah reading.

Discussion: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
1. How does Raleigh live his faith and hope while at sea? What tools does he use?
2. How do we live our faith and hope? What tools can we use?

Video Clip: Old People's Home for 4 year olds - Memory Boards
Almost any clip from this series is useful to link with the Timothy reading, however this one works very well if your congregation is considering what is of lasting value. 
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/old-people-s-home-for-4-year-olds/series/1/video/DC1803H010S00

Drama: Sunbaking
Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109208, page 16 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Timothy reading.

Story: Money
Found as story No 175 in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch, 2003 (pictured at left). This is a very funny story about a wallet eating train toilet (book is pictured in an earlier blog). This goes well with the Timothy reading.

Story: Courage
Index 849-852 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. This can also be found at http://www.free-sermons.org/sermons/Success--14042 - scroll down to section 2E. This fits well with the psalm or with the Jeremiah reading.

Story: What are You Afraid of?
Index 856-859 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990 or it can be found at http://www.hgtaylor.net/psalm91.htm
This goes well with either the psalm or the Jeremiah reading.

Meditation: What is of Lasting Value

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 49 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Timothy reading.

Response or entrance Activity:
Ask people to form small groups and give each group a few textas and a large sheet of paper with the words: "Real contentment is found......". When they have finished, stick the sheets up around the worship space and give people time to walk around and read all the sheets.

Response or entrance Activity:
Ask: If you had a chance to tell somebody how to find real contentment in this life, what would you say? give people a chance to think about this and then ask them to tell three other people what their answer would be.

Response Activity: For the Jeremiah reading.
Set up three stations so that people can move around from station to station. Allow at least ten minutes for this activity. My three stations based on my service and what I said were:
1. There is a bigger picture - at this station put out coloured bookmarks for people to take and read to themselves. Each one should have Bruce Prewer's A Creed printed on it. This lovely poem/creed can be found at http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocC/C55sun26.htm
2. Grasp hold of and trust God now - I used the art space in our church (but any space and pin board of some sort will do) for this station. Lay out lots of pictures, postcards and prints. Ask people to choose an image which symbolises for them grasping hold of and trusting God and ask them to pin their chosen image on the display board.

3. Living your faith and hope - at this station set out pens, envelopes and paper and a small clay jar which can be sealed (try an Op shop for one of these - there is sure to be something like it). Ask people to write a hope that they intend to live for a) themselves b) their church and c) their community or the world. Then ask them to seal their note in an envelope, put their name on the front and put it in the jar. After everybody has finished, seal up the jar..........to be opened in a year or so.

Also:

Poem and Prayers: your locked door
A great prayer and collect and poem on the gospel found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 176 (pictured at left)

Adult Response: Charity Begins at Home?
Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year C by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2012, ISBN 9781921945083, page 137 (pictured at right).   This is based on the gospel reading.

Kids: The Pig in the Pond

By Martin Waddell and Jill Barton, Walker Books, with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 35 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Psalm reading.

Creative Ideas: Jeremiah: The Prophet of Hope

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 37. This is based on the Jeremiah reading.

All Sorts of Useful Stuff: Long Division

By Ian Birkinshaw in Multi-Sensory Parables, Scripture Union, 2006, ISBN 9781844272310, page 71.  This is based on the Gospel. 

Worship Resources: Why Does My Wallet Ache?

Found in Multi-Sensory World by Craig Borlase, Scripture Union/Tear Fund, 2008, ISBN 9781844272662, page 52. This goes with the Timothy reading.

Hope for the Poor

Found in Party On Together by Beth Barnett and Dr Keith Dyer, Scripture Union, 2010, page 105. 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 378-396.

Drama: Diva and Zara

Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 174ff (pictured at left).  This is based on the Luke reading.

Prayer/Action: Things

Found  in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 110 and based on the 1 Timothy reading. 

Drama: Rich Man and Lazarus

Found in From Advent to Emmaus by Jim Hayward, page 104 (pictured at left). This book is available in Print and Digital PDF versions, is based on Luke's gospel and is ideal for Lectionary Year C. For more information and/or to buy, visit the CMLA website - cmla.org.au.

Listening Song:

Psalm 91 is found on the Sons of Korah album, Wait, Wordsong Artists, 2011 (pictured at right).

Proper 20 C (21st September 2025): Lament /Values/Praying For Peace/The Comforter

 

Bible Readings: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1, Psalm 79:1-9, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13

About the Images:
Upper Left: Coopers Creek at the Dig Tree: such a peaceful place with such an odd history.  For more info, please visit http://www.thargotourism.com.au/the-burke-and-wills-dig-tree. This is my photo - please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Upper Right: Ned Kelly the day before his execution by Charles Nettleton. The photo taken in 1880, so is public domain. Image taken from http://www.statelibrary.vic.gov.au/slv/exhibitions/kellyculture/intro1.html

Middle  Left: This is a free image from Imagebank  - see my link column at left - with a line from CeCe Winnans song "Comforter".

Middle Right: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries website which is down at present. This particular image was free on the site.
Lower Left:  This image comes from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com. This site no longer updates (you will see the sad reason why when you visit) however the artist, Don da Silva, has left a legacy of wonderful free images and templates via the site archives.

Lower Right: Another great free image based on the gospel from Cerezo Barredo.

Bottom Left: A Hermano Leon free clipart.

Listening song: Peacemaker
by Maire Brennan on her album, Whisper to the Wild Water (pictured at right). This is particularly good if played as a background to a series of images portraying war, anger, fighting etc as an introduction to the Timothy reading.

Listening Song: Comforter

By CeCe Winnans on her album, Alabaster Box (pictured at left).  This goes well with the Jeremiah reading, particularly Jeremiah 8:18.

Kid's Story:

If you have a dramatist or a mime clown in your congregation, ask them to go through a whole lot of different emotions with the children together eg "let's all be happy, sad, angry, sad" etc. They can use all of their body to show the emotion or just a body part such as a face, or a hand or an arm. Kid's love doing this and I often get the whole congregation to do it because everybody enjoys it. Lead this into a discussion about Jeremiah and about how honest we can be with God about how we feel.

Discussion Questions: For the Luke reading
When do we take risks for the gospel?
When do we put people's needs before financial concerns?

What are our priorities?

Film Clip: Wit
(pictured at right) Show the scene right need the end of the film where Vivian's old professor comes in and, through means of a children's story book, prays for her to die in peace. This goes well with the Timothy reading.

Discussion Questions for Film Clip: Wit
1. How does Vivian's old professor pray for her?
2. Why is it important for us to have peace in our lives?
3. How can we give peace to each other?

Story: Good News

Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes to Hang your Message On by Jim Burns and Greg McKinnon, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 161 (pictured at left). This story goes well with the Luke reading.

Story: The Prayer of Compassion

by Anthony Bloom and found in Resources for Preaching and Worship - Year C compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003, ISBN 066422508X, Page 248 (pictured at right). This story goes well with the Timothy reading.

Drama: Making the Most of it
Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed.) Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109208, page 77 (pictured at left). This is based on the Luke reading.

Quote: Horatius Bonar

Index 3140-3141 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. This quote goes well with the Timothy reading. You can also find this quote at http://www.jude3.net/bgwh8.htm - fifth paragraph up from the bottom.

Prayer for Others:
Introduce this prayer with 1 Timothy 2:1-2.

Prayer for others: Light a Candle

This is an interactive prayer and can involve the whole congregation. It is written by Roddy Hamilton for Pentecost C 2007 and goes well with any of the readings for today. Roddy's site is call Mucky Paws and there is a link in my link section at left.

Adult Response: For the Luke reading
Give everyone a business card sized picture of a slightly dodgy cultural hero. Robin Hood works well as does Ned Kelly in Australia or ....... Ask: As a result of this rather shady story, what is God asking you to do?......Put God first?....Clean up a dodgy part of your life?.....or.....? Write a prayer on the back.

Adult Response Activities for the Timothy Reading:
Have three separate areas for people to pray for the world in three different ways. At each place have available multiple copies of the Timothy Bible reading or give everyone a copy of the reading before they start.
1. Write a letter to God.
Equipment needed: Good quality parchment paper and good pens or pencils.
Instructions: Some people find it easier to write down their feelings than to verbalise them. Try writing a letter to God expressing what is going on in your mind with regard to this reading today. You might want to say sorry for something you have not done, or there may be a part of the reading you can't understand or don't agree with and you want to make sure God knows how you feel. Maybe you just want to list the leaders you want to pray for? Writing a letter to god often clarifies what you really want to pray about.
2. Drawing prayers:
Equipment: Art paper and pencils, crayons etc.
Instructions: In response to the Bible reading, divide a piece of art paper in two. On the left side, draw how you think the world, your country or your community is today - particularly the bits/people you think need praying for. On the right side, draw how you would like it to be and/or how you think God would like it to be.
NB: This is between you and God. It is not an art exam. It will not be marked!!! Nobody will see it. So...enjoy praying.
3. Wallet prayers:

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271668, page 14 and 45 (pictured at left).

Also:

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel

Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 332-342 (pictured at right).

Prayer: The globe

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 20 (pictured at left) and based on the 1 Timothy reading.

Prayer: North East South West 

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 17 (pictured at left) and based on the 1 Timothy reading.

Exegesis: Luke 16:1-13

Found in The Poet and the Peasant by Kenneth E Bailey, Eerdmans, 1883, pages 86ff (pictured at right).

Drama: A Shrewd Manager

Found in From Advent to Emmaus by Jim Hayward, page 102 (pictured at left). This book is available in Print and Digital PDF versions, is based on Luke's gospel and is ideal for Lectionary Year C. For more information and/or to buy, visit the CMLA website - cmla.org.au.

Listening Song:

Psalm 79 is found on the Sons of Korah album, Refuge, Wordsong Artists, 2011 (pictured at right).