Epiphany 4 C: God's Messengers

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Bible Readings: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30 Theme: God's Messengers. Kids: Flat or ....? Tell the story of the Jeremiah reading using a balloon - first he was flat: too young, no confidence, didn't have the words etc; then when God reassured him he was like an inflated balloon: full of life and energy, confident. Film clip: Cocoon Cocoon is a film about the elderly who are treated like the living dead but who discover they still have lives to live and something to offer. There are plenty of scenes which relate to the psalmist who is an old man who still knows he has something to say and a way to say it. Drama: Home Town Sermon Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Resource Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0901557642, page 189 (pictured in an earlier blog) Quote: Unknown "I intend to stay alive for the whole of my life." Quote: By a British Politician "When we assumed office four years ago we stood on the edge of the precipice. Since then, we have taken a giant leap forward". As quoted by Prime Minister Tony Blair during a White House Toast on 5th February 1998. Quote: Martin Luther King Jnr. "When I speak of love, I am not speaking of some sentimental and weak response, I am speaking of that force which is ... the supreme unifying principle of life". Story: Seeing Things from God's Perspective Index No 1629-1631 in Bible Illustrator for Windows 1.0d, Parson's Technology Inc., 1990 Discussion and/or Questions to Ponder: What encouragement is there is this/these readings for us? What warning is there in this/these readings for us? What is God asking you to do and what excuses are you using? Discussion Questions for the Jeremiah reading: What are Jeremiah's two excuses for not being God's messenger? What is God's response to these excuses? Response Activity: Ask all the ministers present to stand up - should, of course, be everyone!

Christmas 1 C: Transformation, Going Deeper, Changing Direction

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Bible readings: Luke 2:41-52, Colossians 3:12-17 Theme: Transformation, Going Deeper, Changing Direction Drama: One Day in the Temple Found in Let's Make A Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 9, (pictured in an earlier blog) Kid's Discussion: Based on above drama What is the thing you like doing best? What new thing have you recently learnt to do? Point: Because Jesus was a kid growing up and learning new things too, God knows what it is like to be a kid. Discussion: To share with your neighbour: What is your earliest understanding or memory of God? To think about in silence: How much has changed since that earliest memory? Story: Who Am I? Found in The Youth Bible, Word Publishing, 1991, ISBN 0849909252, page 1006 (pictured) Story:What Do We Expect? Can't source this story - think I found it in an email..... A ten year old girl went with a group f family and friends to see the Christmas lights at various locations in her tow. At one church they stopped and got out to look at a beautiful nativity scene. "Isn't that beautiful?" said the little girl's grandmother. "Look at all the animals, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus." "Yes, Grandma," replied the grand daughter. It's really nice. But there's one thing that bothers me. Isn't baby Jesus ever going to grow up....he's the same size he was last year!" Poem: Coming of Age By Bruce Prewer in Beyond Words, Joint Board of Christian Education, 1995, ISBN 1864070722 Prayer: Thank you for the Life of Our Brother By Bruce Prewer in Brief Prayers for Australians, Open Book Publishers. Response Activity: Transformation Ask: How can we respond to God's call to be continually transformed? The ask people to: 1. come out and light a candle as a symbol of their willingness to be transformed by God, to grow deeper and to continue on their faith journey this coming year, 2. light their candle from the Christ candle to show that this is a journey they make with Jesus beside them, and 3. place the candle with everyone's elses as a sign that this is a journey they make together.

Blue Christmas C: For Those Who Find Rejoicing Hard Work

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Bible Readings: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Luke 2:1-7, Romans 8 Theme: For Those Who find Rejoicing Hard Work Gathering Music: Paint the Sky with Stars by Enya on her album, Paint the Sky with Stars, 1997. Listening Song: I Still Cry For Baby Jesus by Kasey Chambers on her album, Barricades and Brick Walls, 2001 (pictured) Response Activity: Ask people to light a candle in memory of a loved one or a sad situation in their lives or in the lives of those they know. Leaving Listening Song: Vespers by Aled Jones on his album, Aled, 2002 (pictured) 

Advent 3 C: Sharing the Christmas Message

Sorry folks, but no resources this week - we are too busy preparing our place for oncoming bush fires. The photo was taken yesterday afternoon from our front veranda.

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Jenee from textweek.com reminded me that advent 3 is about waiting in hope and preparing so I have added this photo as well. I took the photo as the fire front was approaching Omeo three years ago when I was working up there as a pastoral visitor to fire beseiged families. I think anyone who can put their washing out to dry in the face of an oncoming fire shows great hope - also the clothes prop shapes a cross in the middle of the picture. There is a lull in the proceedings here and I think we (and our house) are ready for any eventuality so....... Bible Readings: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7 Theme: Sharing the Christmas Message Listening Song: When You Say Nothing at all By Ronan Keating on his album, When You Say Nothing At All. This goes very well with the Zephaniah reading where it says that God "silently shows that us his love". (pictured) Poem: First Coming by MadeleineL'Engle in Imaging the Word, United Church Press, 1994, ISBN 082980716, page 85 (pictured i an earlier blog) Kid's Story: Wombat Divine by Mem Fox and Kerry Argent, Omnibus Books, 1995, ISBN 1862913021. Brilliant!!!! Everybody has a role to play when it comes to Christmas. Youth Story: Safe Under the Falls Find this story in the The Youth Bible, Word Publishing, 1991, ISBN 0849909252 on page 631 After telling the story, read Isaiah 12:2-6, and use it to re-asssure them in the times when they are fearful or reluctant to share the Christmas story. Story: Even Now the Taste Found in The Speaker's Source Book of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley, Word Publishing, 1995, ISBN 0849936756, page 38. Fits with Philippians 4:4 Story: Pillsbury Doughboy Wanted for Attempted Murder Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes by Jim Burns and Greg Mckinnon (eds.), Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 41 (pictured in an earlier blog). Fits with Philippians 4:6. Poem: The Faithful are Fearless Found In Due Season by Herbert F. Brokering, Augsburg Publishing House, 1966 in the winter section. Response Activity: Give each person a small card with the words: rejoicing, gentleness, prayer and peace written on one side. Ask people to write the name of a person they would like to share the message of Christmas with on the blank side of the card. Ask them to turn the card over and look at the four words and then ask: How can you share the Good News of Christmas best with the person you named; is it through rejoicing, through gentleness, through prayer, through peaceful words or actions. Give time for silent prayer.

Advent 2 C: God's messengers

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About the Image: John Bell says that in many ways we have handed the Nativity story over to children. Using adults for the Nativity plays gives a more realistic and true perception of the story to everyone. Alma (may she rest in peace), a wonderful lady who belonged to a church I once served in, made a fantastic Gabriel. It is my photo.  Alma was, and I am, very happy for you to use this photo for worship and related activities. 

Bible Readings: Luke 1:68-79, Baruch 5:1-9, Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-6, Philippians 1:3-11 Theme: God's Messengers Responsive reading: The Luke 1:68-79 makes a good responsive reading. Drama: Lucky Day Found in Cloth For the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Group Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 38, (pictured in last weeks blog) Poem: Zechariah's Pride Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 18 (pictured in last week's blog). Film Clip: Little Women Show the scene near the beginning where the girls share their breakfast with the poor family and the lady of the house calls them angels (messengers) from God. (pictured) Discussion and Activity: Bible study Print the latter four bible readings above onto A4/letter sized paper - a different colour for each reading - and have enough printed so that each person receives one page only, not all four. Project the four questions below or have the questions printed on the bottom of each reading: 1.What is the good news in this reading? 2. How is this message helpful to christians/believers? 3. How is this message helpful to those with little or no knowledge of Jesus? 4. The name "Malachi" (one of the readings) means messenger - do you see yourself or this congregation as a messenger? How? Get people to sort themselves into same paper colour groups of five or six, maybe more, and encourage them to discuss the questions in the light of their particular reading. Ask each group to present to the congregation the thing that impacted on them the most as they discussed the questions. Encourage them to present their finding via a homemade poster, a skit, a song, a poem, a diagram, a clay sculpture etc etc. They will be limited only by the resources and spaces you provide for them to work in. Allow at least 20 - 30 minutes for this whole process. Meditation: Provide/project some images of the world and your local area. Ask the Bill Easum question from Leadership on the Other Side, Abingdon, 2000, ISBN 0687085888 (pictured) : What is it about your relationship with Jesus that the world cannot live without knowing? Give people a quiet space to think about this question. Poem: Unknown!! I don't know where I got this from - either a book or a web site - it would be great if somebody could help me source it.

Do you know, do you understand that you represent Jesus to me? Do you know, do you understand that when you treat me with gentleness, it raises the question in my mind that maybe he is gentle, too? Maybe he isn't someone who laughs when I am hurt. Do you know, do you understand that when you listen to my questions and you don't laugh, I think, "What if Jesus is interested in me, too?" Do you know, do you understand that when I hear you talk about arguments and conflict and scars from your past that I think, "Maybe I am just a regular person instead of a bad, no-good, little girl who deserves abuse?" If you care, I think maybe he cares -- and then there's this flame of hope that burns inside of me, and for a while, I am afraid to breathe because it might go out. Do you know, do you understand that your words are his words? Your face, his face to someone like me? Please be who you say you are. Please, God, don't let this be another trick. Please let this be real. Please. Do you know, do you understand that you represent Jesus to me?

Advent 1 C: Hope, Waiting and Watching

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Bible readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-46, ! Thessalonians 3; 9-13, Psalm 25:1-10 Theme: Hope, Waiting and Watching About the Photo: This is watch tower built on the south east coast of Australia at Boydtown near Eden by Benjamin Boyd in the 1840s as a lighthouse and as whale lookout. It was never completed and was never used as an official light house, however generations of whalers used it for spotting whales. Reading: And this Shall Be A Sign to You By Robert A. Raines in Imaging the Word Volume 1 by Kenneth T. Lawrence, Jann Cather Weaver and Roger Wedell (Eds.), United Church Press, 1994, ISBN 0829809716, page 78. (pictured in an earlier blog) Prayer: Blessings Prayer Found in Seasons of Celebrations by Patricia Mathson, Ave Maria Press, 1995, ISBN 0877935661, page 19. Confession: Use bits of the Jeremiah reading and the psalm. Kids: Hope Ask the kids if they have ever planned something that didn't work out the way they intended it to. Share a story from your own life which will illustrate this and show them if possible (mine is a quilt which went horribly wrong between the planning and the completing!!!) Tell them that Advent is the time when we remember all of God's terrific promises to us that everything will work out because jesus is the one who brings us ...... Have huge letters H O P E stuck up in random order around the worship space. Ask the kids to help you sort them into a word they know. Discuss with them what the word means and how it relates to Christmas. Advent Angels: an advent version of secret buddies Encourage or organise people (in the sense that you pair people up somehow without them knowing - like you do for secret buddies or Chris Kringles) to be advent angels ie where people do unexpected favours or give unexpected encouragement or praise anonymously to others in the congregation. Story: Some Things are Immovable Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes to Hang Your Message On by Jim Burns and greg Mckinnon, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 47 (pictured in an earlier blog). Meditation: Waiting From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 20. (pictured) Discussion: In pairs or threes. What do you think has gone wrong with the world? How do you think it should be? What do you think has gone wrong with our local community? How do you think it should be? What do you think has gone wrong with our church? how do you think it should be? Talk about waiting for change and about changing back or changing forward. Then discuss: What are you waiting for? What are we as a church waiting for? What is this particular congregation waiting for? Film Clip: The Man in the Egg Found on Leunig Animated, Madman, 2001 Poem: Accept surprises that upset your plans shatter your dreams, give a completely different turn to your day and - who knows? - to your life. It is not chance. Leave the Father free himself to weave the pattern of your days. By Dom Helder Camara in A Thousand Reasons For Living, ISBN 0800606647. Prayer for Others; Pinning Our Hopes on Jesus (i) Found in Cloth For The Cradle, page 54 - see above Adult Response: Pinning Our Hopes on Jesus (ii) Found in Cloth For the Cradle, page 56 - see above Prayer/poem: The Coming Bushman Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1981, ISBN 0859105628 (pictured) Fridge magnets: Give everyone a small (laminated maybe) card with the words of Psalm 25:4-5 on it attached to a small fridge magnet.

Christ the King B: Who's in charge?

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Theme: Christ the King, Who's in charge? 

 

Bible readings: Revelation 1:4-8, John 18:33-37, 2 Samuel 23:1-7 

About the photo: Photos of sunsets and sunrises always remind me of the power and reign of God - they are so big and awe inspiring and beautiful. They lift me up but also remind me of my insignificance - a bit like looking at the stars at night. I took this photo out the front of our place VERY early one morning. It is a part of Duck Arm (taken from Banksia Peninsula) in the Gippsland Lakes near Paynesville in Australia - Google any of those place names or look them up on Wikapedia if you are interested in this little bit of the world.

Film clip: Chariots of Fire Show the clip where Eric Liddell talks with the Prince of Wales en route to the Olympic Games. Eric had a God space in his week that he was not prepared to give up. His allegiance to Jesus and his heavenly kingdom was more important than his allegiance to his King and country (pictured). 

Discussion Questions: Story: The Kingdom of God story No 363 in 750 Engaging illustrations by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured in an earlier blog) 

Sermon Help Notes and Response Activity: Revelation by Song 

Can't remember where I got this idea from - maybe out of my head but I am not sure - please let me know via email if you can source it for me. Give everyone a strip of paper with the words of Revelation I:8 printed across it. Under these words, print three pictures entitled as follows: Picture 1: a cradle and the words "who is" Picture 2: a spider and the words "who was" Picture 3: music notes and the words: "who is to come". 1. The God who Is. Sing Rock a Bye Baby together. Note that the song does not say "if" but "when the bough breaks". Life is full of surprises - not all of them good - but God is acting and moving in our world. Ask them to talk to the person next to them about how they see God at work in the world today. 2. The God Who Was. Ask people to sing Ipsy Whipsy Spider together. Note that the song is very like human kind - we repeat our mistakes as nations, as communities, as families and as individuals but we keep plugging away. And "out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain". God repeatedly over history heals, restores, loves and forgives us. 3. The God who is to come Sing the hymn "Joyful, joyful we adore you" to Beethoven's Ode To Joy. Note that because God is yet to come, the way we live makes a difference. Adult Response: In verse 6 we are all called to be ministers. Ask people: In order to be a minister, where do you need God the most: healing your past, with you in your present, or being your future? Fold your strip of paper in three so that the one you need is uppermost and take it home that way. 

Listening Song: For the Glory of Your Name By Michelle Tumes on her album, Heaven and Earth or on WOW 2000 (pictured)