Into the ears of babes

Children’s Message, Sunday, January 8, 2012--Well Pleased—Mark 1:11

2012-01-05T13:35:00.003-05:00

What a wonderfully busy and exciting few months we have had! Advent has been our time of thinking about, preparing for had celebrating the birth of Jesus. In Sunday School and in church, you all have spent time with the stories around Jesus’ birth—Mary and Joseph and the angels and the shepherds! And now, we have this Messiah—this Jesus! As we move forward in Sunday School, we will jump into the stories of Jesus and his ministry. The people he taught, the miracles he performed, the sayings and preachings that the world has remembered.

But let’s take a step back for a minute.

Today, we celebrate the occasion of the baptism of Jesus. Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist earned his name in this passage of scripture. He told the people about how wonderful Jesus was, and then, right there in the Jordan River he baptized him! This healer, this teacher, this miraculous Messiah—was baptized right then and there. Of course, at that point—he wasn’t a healer yet. He hadn’t done much teaching yet. But it didn’t matter to God—God knew that Jesus would be special and would bring God’s word to the world. The gospel of Mark tells us that just as Jesus was coming up from being baptized in the water, God’s voice came from heaven saying, “You are my son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11) Now, of course, anyone would be well pleased with their child—especially if they were Jesus! But what I notice is that God doesn’t say, “You are my child the miraculous healer” or “you are my child the great teacher”. Nope—“you are my son the Beloved.”

At this point in our story, Jesus wasn’t yet a great teacher or a great healer or the leader of the disciples. Jesus was God’s child. God had great things planned for Jesus, but the main thing was that God created Jesus, had a special job for Jesus and most of all, loved and was pleased with Jesus. And although you all are not Jesus—you are God’s children, and I am pretty sure that even before you do anything great, you, too are pleasing to God as God’s beloved.

Let’s pray: Loving God
As we remember the gift of baptism
And we remember that we are yours,
We pray that we may please you. Amen.

* With Thanks to Carolyn Brown and her fantastic blog, "Worshiping with Children" for the kernel that grew this sermon.
http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2011/11/year-b-baptism-of-lord-january-8-2011.html

Word Girl

2011-11-28T13:45:00.002-05:00

OK, so in the past 6 months I have done two "Word Girl" themed children's sermons. Since you must work with children if you are reading this blog, I am going to assume that you know "Word Girl" as the PBS show featuring World Girl (also known as 5th grader Becky Botsford) as a super hero who teaches vocabulary. Being that my name is Becky, I have adopted this idea to use as a launching point to introduce different words to kids. So here is this past week's "Word Girl" sermon on the word JUSTICE Take a look and tell me what you think!

Children’s Message
Sunday, November 27, 2011
“Justice”

I have decided to put my “word girl” cape back on this morning to talk with you about a word that I am thinking about today. That word is “Justice”. Now, I know for some of you, that word might make you think about fashion, and for some of you that word might make you think about fighting bad guys, but actually, Justice means, in a nutshell, “to treat others fairly”. A lot of the messages in the Bible are about Justice.

In Micah, we are instructed to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.

In Amos, we see that prophet using the idea of “Justice rolling down like waters” to show the people how things could be different by following God’s way

In Isaiah, we hear the prediction that the Messiah will “come to bring justice to the nations”.
So when we read the Bible, we know that God wants justice, we know that we are called to do justice, and perhaps at this time of year, most importantly, we know that Jesus brought justice to our world.

So how can we live this Justice that God taught? How can we treat others fairly?

We can think and talk about it more in Sunday School, and as we prepare in this advent season, and wait for the Messiah who will bring justice to the nations, we can think about ways we can follow Jesus by bringing justice to our world.

Let’s pray:
As God’s people,
We are taught to seek justice.
Help us to try to treat others fairly
And bring justice to our world.
Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, August 14, different—but the same (Matthew 15:21-28) 9th Sunday after Pentecost

2011-08-08T09:17:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Different—but the same (Matthew 15:21-28)

Before I talk to you today, I want you to take a moment and think of a person who you would describe as being “the same” as you. OK. Hold that thought in your mind while I tell you this story. . .

(this is my story--insert your own)
Many years ago, I worked with a partner of the Presbyterian Church in England. While I was there, I lived in the dorms of a missionary training college. Throughout the year, people came and went as they were studying and preparing to go out and do mission work. It was an international dorm, so there were people from over 40 countries there, so I got to know lots of different people.

One man that I will always remember is Do-Young, a pastor from Korea. One night as we were sharing our stories, I mentioned that I was a Presbyterian. Do-Young looked at me and said, “You are a Presbyterian?? Then we are the same!” Turns out he was a Presbyterian too.
Now I don’t know what you thought about when I asked you to think of a person who is the same as you, but before that conversation, I wouldn’t have described Do-Young as the same as me. He was a man, he was 15 years older, he was from Korea. . . but we were both Presbyterians, so he was right, in one very important way, we were the same!

Now, when the scripture is read later, you will hear another story about Jesus and a woman who was different from him. I want you to listen to how that story ends, and talk with your parents or the grown-ups that you came with today about what Jesus might have learned from that woman.

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
We thank you for the ways that you make us unique
And we thank you for the ways we are the same
Help us always
To respect and care for each other. Amen

Children’s Message--Sibling Rivalry—Genesis 37:12-28--Aug. 7--8th Sunday after Pentecost

2011-08-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

Lots of us have brothers or sisters. I have a big sister. The story goes that when I was born and came home from the hospital, my sister got kind of jealous. She got pretty sick of people coming in and cooing at me and saying how pretty I was and bringing me presents and all of those other things that happen when a new baby comes. Eventually she got fed up, and, as the story is told in our house, finally told someone who was goo-goo-gaa-ing over me, that if they liked the baby so much, they could just take her home! I’ve heard other stories where big brothers or sisters were even craftier than my sister and offered to sell the new baby to visitors! Now, as you can imagine if you have a sister or brother, my sister eventually decided that I was OK and I could stay in the family.

Today’s Bible reading focuses on some brothers who even as grown men got jealous of their little brother. Joseph, known to many of us as the man with the coat of many colors, was the youngest son of Jacob, who we have been hearing about lots over this summer. Joseph had special dreams. When he told his brothers about his dreams, they didn’t like what he dreamed about. They got so jealous that they did sell him to get rid of him!!

Yes, Joseph’s brothers were mean, and they even sold him away to get rid of him. He ended up in jail, but eventually the very thing that got his brothers so mad—his dreams-- ended up being what saved him. It is funny how in families we get mad, we argue, we do things we sometimes feel really bad about, but we always hope that in the end, our love of each other, and our love of our families will be the most important thing for us.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
We thank you for the love of our families.
Help us to care for each other
And love each other
As you love us. Amen.

(This is a re-post of a 2008 message)

Children’s Sermon, Sunday, July 24, The Parable of the Leaven—Matthew 13:33 6th Sunday after Pentecost

2011-07-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

So all week, I have been thinking about rice krispy treats. I think it is because I have been wanting to make something sweet and cookie-ish, but it has been so hot, that I haven’t wanted to warm up the kitchen--so rice krispy treats seemed like the perfect treat to me.

Now, I have also been thinking about today’s scripture and how I was going to talk with you all about it. Today, we get a whole bunch of parables--6 to be exact. I’d like to read you one of them: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

Do you know what yeast is used for? It is used to make bread rise. As I was reading this parable, I pictured a woman working really hard at kneading a hunk of dough, working all of that leaven through it.
And because I was hungry for rice krispy treats, I thought about how much work it takes to mix the krispies into the marshmallow.

So here’s what I came up with. . . Without yeast, bread would just be a sticky flat dough. Without the marshmallows, there would be no “treat”--only a bowl of dry cereal. They become a part of each other. I think that is how God works in us as Christians. Can you imagine if someone handed you a rice krispy treat and asked you to take out all of the marshmallow? You couldn’t do it. Maybe it is the same with us. Being a Christian is just a part of us--mixed into who we are so much that we cannot separate the Christian from the rest of us.

In the Presbyterian Brief Statement of Faith, the last line states, “We rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God Through Christ Jesus our Lord.” AMEN!!

Let’s Pray:

Loving God

We are thankful that you are a part of us

And we pray

That you remain in us--

Now and always.

Amen.

Children's Message, July 17--Jacob's Ladder--Genesis 18:11-22--5th Sunday after Pentecost

2011-07-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

Children’s Sermon, Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:11-22)—Prayer Rock

So did everyone have a good sleep last night? What do you sleep with? Raise your hand if you sleep with a stuffed animal or special blanket. . . how about a pillow. . . how about a rock. No one sleeps with a rock? Me neither! I love big fluffy pillows, so I don’t think I’d like to sleep with a rock! The reason I was thinking about sleeping with rocks is because of the Bible story that we are looking at in worship today. We will be hearing about the story of Jacob’s ladder. This story is about a very special dream that Jacob had, where he saw a ladder that led up to God, and in this dream, God blessed Jacob’s descendants. When Jacob went to sleep the night that he had this dream, he slept with a rock, and in some versions of the Bible, they say that he used it as a pillow. After he woke up, to remember his special dream, Jacob set that stone on a pillar and anointed it.

So, I wanted to think about a way that we could use a rock to help us remember that special dream. I remembered a poem that I had seen years ago about a prayer rock. This poem, using the rock, helps remind us to pray before bed (by leaving the rock in your pillow to “bonk” you in the head) and in the morning (by leaving the rock on your floor to step on).

So I hope that this prayer rock helps you to do two things:
1) remember to take time in the morning and evening to say a prayer to God, and
2) to remember the story of Jacob’s dream about the ladder up to God where Jacob used a rock as a pillow.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Be with us when we are awake
Be with us in our dreams as we sleep
Help us to remember your stories
And to pray always.
Amen.

**poem**
(This rock and poem could be a craft to do with the kids in Sunday School time)
I'm your little prayer rock
and this is what I'll do.
Just put me on your pillow
'til the day is through.
Then turn back the covers
and climb into your bed,
and, whack! your little prayer rock
will bump you on the head.
Then you will remember
as the day is through,
to kneel and say your prayers
as you intended to.
Then when you are finished
dump me on the floor.
I'll stay there through the nighttime
to give you help once more.
When you get up next morning,
clunk! I stub your toe,
so that you will remember
your prayers before you go.
Put me back upon your pillow
when your bed is made,
and your clever little prayer rock
will continue in your aid.
Because our God in heaven
cares and loves us so,
God wants us to remember
to pray each day, you know.
(I do not have a source to cite for this--all entries I find list "author unknown", and I somewhat edited it from the original)

Another Jacob's ladder idea can be found here:http://beckyveitch.blogspot.com/2008/07/jacobs-ladder-childrens-sermon.html

Childrens' Message--Parable of the Sower--Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23--July 10--4th Sunday after Pentecost

2011-07-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus used to tell stories to help people understand lessons that he wanted to teach them. He told these stories using everyday people and everyday things as examples.

I’d like to tell you a story that Jesus told. It is called the Parable of the Sower, but I’d like to tell it to you in a way that I imagine that Jesus would tell it if he were talking to a group of kids today.

There was once a piano teacher who had four students.

The first student made an appointment for a lesson, but before he could have the lesson, he joined the soccer team and started karate classes and before long, he realized that his schedule was full and he did not have time for piano.

The second student started out very excited about playing piano and played every day for a week, but soon, she lost interest and before long, her piano was covered in dust.

The third student played piano for a while, but all the other kids made fun of him when he went to practice, and before long, he quit too.

The last student faithfully attended her lesson each week. She practiced and played regularly for years until finally she had learned well and became a piano teacher herself. She taught many students—many of whom taught others to play as they grew up.

When Jesus told this story, he was trying to give us an example of how he wanted us to be as Christians. and just like a piano teacher wants his students to work hard and spend time and grow to love playing the piano, so too, God wants us to pray and spend time and grow in our faith.

Let’s have a moment of prayer:

God our teacher,
Help our faith to grow,
Like a seed planted in good soil.
And help us to share it with others.
Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, July 3, 2011—God’s promise starts here! Genesis 22-24-ish--3rd Sunday after Pentecost

2011-06-29T10:30:00.002-05:00

(Note: today's message kind of steps back to grap the parts of the story that were skipped over in the lectionary, rather than specifically the story of Isaac and Rebekah)

I have two questions for you:
• How many stars do you think there are in the sky?
• How many grains of sand do you think there are on the seashore?

Now, you could probably google these questions and get a number, but the truth is, we don’t really know the answer. I think the best we could do is to say lots and lots and lots!

The reason that I ask you this question is because God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants (or his children’s, children’s, children’s, children. . . well you get the idea. . . .) would be “as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17).

What a promise! Can you imagine how many children and people that would be?? What if I told you that we were a part of that promise? That the counting of those children’s, children’s, children goes right up through us and even will continue on!

The first step of that journey, of course happened long, long ago. Abraham and his wife Sarah, to whom the promise was made, never thought that they would have children, but they did! Their son was a boy named Isaac. And when Isaac grew, he married a woman named Rebekah. Well, you can guess the rest. . . Rebekah and Isaac had children. . . and they had children, and with each generation, more children were born and grew and soon, you lost count as to how many great-great-great-great grandchildren Abraham and Sarah had! Like trying to count stars or sand, you couldn’t do it!

So today, in church and in Sunday school, we will learn about the beginning of the promise as we learn the story of Isaac and Rebekah.

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
We thank you for your promises.
Because we are a part of the huge family of God,
We give thanks
that we, too, are part of the Story.
Amen.

its been a while!!!

2011-06-27T08:54:00.001-05:00

Yikes, how embarassing that I have not updated this blog in 18 months! Whoops!

OK, so I'm going to try to re-claim this blog, so watch this space for some new children's sermons, starting with one for Sunday, July 3 (coming soon!)
:-)

Baptism of our Lord 1/10/10

2010-01-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

Our theme in worship and Sunday School classes today is “Baptism of our Lord” --focusing on the baptism of Jesus. We are baptized just like Jesus was. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. At our church, and many other churches, children are baptized from a bowl of water.

As I was thinking of what to say to you today, I was thinking a lot about water. Water is a theme that we are going to be thinking a lot about in Lent this year. Our themes for Qabats are all around stories of water in the Bible. . . The children’s musical will be all about many of those same stories.

As I was thinking of water, I was thinking about all the ways we use water. In a day, there are dozens of times and ways I use water:
 to my body, hair, teeth, clothes and dishes
 I drink water, and I use water to cook my food
 If when cooking my food, I burn myself, I use water to cool and soothe the burn
 I water my plants so that they will grow

Now when we baptize people, we use that same water that comes out of the tap here at church. Maybe that sounds less than exciting--maybe you imagined that we used some special water locked up in a safe in the church somewhere, or some fancy bottled water, but the truth is we use the same water that we use to make coffee and clean counters.

And that is on purpose--the water isn’t important because of where it comes from, it becomes important because of how we use it.

Water does amazing things--it cleans and soothes and helps things grow. When we use it for baptism, it also does amazing things--it is a symbol and reminder that we are God’s own--that God loves us and claims us and cares for us always--just like God has loved and cared for and claimed as God’s own everyone who has been baptized before us and will be baptized after us.

Thanks be to God!

Let’s pray: Loving God
For water that cleans and refreshes
For water that soothes and calms
For water that helps us to grow and thrive
For the waters of baptism
We thank you. Amen.

Unto us a Son is born--Sunday, December 20, 2009

2009-12-17T14:50:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message

In Sunday School for the past few weeks, we have been looking at Jesus as the Son.

First, we spent time studying Jesus as the son of Joseph. We looked at his family tree through Joseph, tracing him all the way back to King David.

Last week, we looked at Jesus as the son of Mary, and today in worship, the adults will hear the scripture of Mary’s response to the news that she was going to be the mother of God’s son.

This week, the focus will be on Jesus as the son of God—the greatest gift given to us—God giving his son to be the Messiah here on earth to bring the Good News to all the world, especially the poor and the outcast.

And we understand Jesus as the Son in all of these ways: the son of Joseph, connecting him to the house of David just as the prophets of the old testament told. . . the son of Mary, bringing a song of joy to the world just as Mary sang. . . and Jesus as the son of God—the Messiah—God with us.

As we approach the joyous day of Christmas, there are so many things that are happening—parties and presents—special meals and visitors—new Christmas outfits and treasured family rituals. I hope that you enjoy everything that is special and wonderful about Christmas, and I hope you remember that at the very center of it all was a little babe who was destined to bring great and wonderful things to our world—"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given" (Isaiah 9:6—KJV)

Loving God—
We give our gifts to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
Messiah of whom the prophets spoke
As we prepare our hearts and minds
To welcome the Christ child in.
Amen.

Easter Children's Sermon, Sunday, April 12, 2009

2009-04-10T13:59:00.000-05:00

So I’m going to be honest with you. Easter is a hard thing to “get”.

On one level—Easter is easy—bunnies, eggs, baskets and chocolate. Egg hunts, a day or two off of school, a new dress, and a great big ham dinner.

But the church-y part of Easter—that is not so easy. There are some scary parts—there are some uncomfortable parts—there are lots of big words like crucifixion and resurrection. . . it is not easy for adults, much less for kids!

So what is Easter about?
Easter is about NOTHING!
*gasp*! What did I just say?

I know, it sounds bad to say, but think about it. When Jesus’ disciples went to the tomb, they expected to find Jesus body, but there was nothing there but the cloths that he has been wrapped in.

On Good Friday, we hear about how Jesus died on the cross, but when we get to church on Sunday, there’s nothing on this cross except some flowers—no Jesus, that’s for sure.

In a lot of ways, Easter is about celebrating the things that we can’t see, the things we can’t hold. It’s fun to have an Easter basket, but we should remember all the times when there was NOTHING and that was the greatest Easter news there is.

In one of the songs that Mrs. Lenti teaches, you sing, “my God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do!” Alleuia! There is nothing our God cannot do, and Easter is a great time to celebrate the good news that God’s love for us is without limit!

Let's Pray:
Loving God
We rejoice on this Easter morning
That Christ is risen!
There is nothing our God cannot do.
Alleuia!
Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, March 22, 2009, The Gospel in a Nutshell—John 3:16

2009-03-22T08:10:00.001-05:00

OK, here is a Bible quiz for you—What are the first four books of the New Testament? Those first four books have a special name when they are looked at all together—they are called the Gospels. The Gospel according to: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In Sunday School, you are studying the Gospel of Mark right now. In worship today, we will be hearing from the Gospel of John.

The gospels are the place where we hear the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The Old Testament, which comes before the Gospels, tells of God’s people before the Messiah came. The rest of the New Testament after the gospels is made up mostly of letters about the early church and the spreading of Christianity. So the Gospels are where we really hear about and get to know Jesus. In our pew Bibles, the gospels take up about 115 pages. Do you think you could memorize all of that? I know I couldn’t. What if I told you that instead of memorizing the whole of the Gospels, I could teach you “the Gospel in a nutshell”? How about just 27 words??

OK, repeat after me--
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not perish but may have eternal life.
Those words are chapter 3, verse 16 of John’s gospel. They are perhaps the most well known verses of scripture. Sometimes, that one verse is called, “the Gospel in a nutshell” because if you remember that—that God loved us enough to give his only Son. . . that we should believe in him. . . that when we do, eternal life in heaven can be ours. . .you’ve got a pretty good idea about what Jesus life, death and resurrection was all about.

Let’s pray:
We thank you God for your love
And for giving your son Jesus
That we might believe
And have eternal life. Amen.

Children’s Message--Sunday, February 15, 2008--Helping Hands

2009-02-15T10:01:00.000-05:00

In worship today, and in Sunday School this unit, we have heard stories about Jesus as a healer. Jesus healed in all sorts of ways. Sometimes with just words--Go, your faith has healed you (Mark 10), once even with spit! (when Jesus spit into the sand and made a mud to put on a blind man’s eyes) and many times with his hands.

When we think of healing, we often think of hands. Hands that pray, hands that touch, hands that fix broken things.

I once heard the story of a minister. She worked as a chaplain at a hospital—that means that she was the hospital’s minister. Once a year, this chaplain would visit the people who worked in the hospital and pray over their hands. The people who she prayed with reported that the time of prayer with her was really special for them. And what I like about this story was that she prayed over EVERYONE’S hands. She prayed over the hands of the surgeons and the nurses—but she also prayed over the hands of the technicians in the labs, the cooks, the people who put new sheets on the beds, the people who cleaned and prepared the instruments used in surgery, the people who mopped the floors and changed the light bulbs. All of those people played a role in helping the patients get well.

I love that story because it reminds us that we can all be helpers, and that God has ways to use each of us. I also love it because it reminds us how special it can be when we pray, and how praying for things that might seem ordinary can change the way we look at things.

So let’s pray now:
Loving God
We pray for hands
For the hands you have given us
And all the things that they do.
We pray for the hands of others
And ask you to work through all of us.
Amen.

Children’s Message, January 25, 2009

2009-01-22T15:07:00.001-05:00

Well, here we are, Sunday Morning at Third Presbyterian Church! It is a good place to be. If it is your first time here, welcome. We are a nice place to worship. We have a beautiful sanctuary, nice ministers, fun Sunday school, and there are even treats after worship!

But, you might notice that some people are missing today. No bright red robes. No voices singing down to us from the back balcony. The Junior choir is missing! Except that they aren’t really. They are over at New Life Presbyterian Church just a few miles up the road at the corner of Monroe Avenue and Rosedale. Right about now, they are just finishing worship.

They’re missing from our community, but not from God’s community. This morning, people are, have or will be worshipping at the 71 churches in the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, the over 11 thousand Presbyterian churches, and over 350 thousand churches of all denominations in the United States. In the world this Sunday, millions are worshipping in churches all over the world--huge cathedrals, mud huts and every size building in between. But all around the world, Christians are worshipping the same God, and probably saying many of the same words and singing some of the same songs.

The Junior choir is missing from our community this morning, but they are with us in the huge community of Christians praising God this day. So we pray for New Life Presbyterian Church, and all the other churches who are worshipping this day.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
We thank you that we are all here
We pray for those who cannot be here today
We pray for all the other churches across the globe
As they worship and praise you. Amen.

Children’s Message--Sunday, January 11, 2009

2009-01-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

“I like your haircut! It’s a whole new you!”
“I’ve finally got over that sinus infection. I feel like a new person!”
“She’s not in elementary school anymore—she’s a middle schooler now. It’s a whole new start!”

It is funny how things that seem little can change the way we think about ourselves. Maybe something about us looks different. . . maybe we feel different. . . maybe we have moved to someplace different. Even though almost everything else about us has stayed the same, things that seem little can make a big difference.

Today is a day when we are thinking of baptism. We all had the privilege of being a part of Jacob’s baptism. Our scripture today, and your Sunday school lesson in the coming weeks will be focused on the baptism of Jesus.
Baptism is one of those things where things seem like they are pretty much the same, but there is a wonderful newness. I like this definition of baptism: “Baptism is the sign of new life through Jesus Christ.” God has claimed us all as God’s own—but when we come to the font—whether we are one month old, one year old or one hundred years old, we( or our parents) answer yes to God. “You’re right God—I am yours. My child is yours. Please, I would like that new life through Jesus Christ.” And that makes a big difference.

The thing is, it doesn’t only make a big difference the one being baptized—it makes a difference to all of us. It is a special day for Jacob and his parents. They have made promises—but so have all of you! those of you who are littler, you might be in Qabats with Jacob some day. Bigger kids—you might just end up a teen helper or a Camp Cory counselor for Jacob some day. Do you all think that you can help Jacob (and all the other children’s whose baptisms you take part in) to know and follow Christ?

A new you. . . a new feeling. . . a new start! Baptism brings us new life in Jesus Christ! Thanks be to God!

Let’s pray: Loving God
We thank you for the new life you offer us
In Jesus Christ.
Help us to remember and celebrate
The promises we make.
Amen.

Come Emmanuel

2008-12-18T15:04:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, December 21, 2008

Every Wednesday, the staff starts our morning with prayer together. We read a Psalm and another scripture lesson, we sing hymns, we hear about, and pray for, Presbyterians in another part of the country or the world, and perhaps most importantly, we pray. We pray for our work in the church, we pray for the world, we pray for the sick, and we pray for you. We go through all of the members alphabetically twice each year. We just started at “A” again this week, so between now and June, you all will be prayed for again by our staff.

Now we all take turns leading prayers, and a week and a half ago, it was my turn. Normally, we sit where the choir sits, but that morning, everybody sat in the first few pews, and I was standing right here. And we sang the hymn that we began our worship with this morning, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. I stood here as we sang and I looked down the aisle and out the front doors. It was one of those postcard mornings—a light snow was falling as cars sped by on East Avenue. And it was one of those moments when everything just felt right. As we sang, “Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace” I wanted to freeze everything—to hit the pause button on the day, because, I felt in the Advent spirit.

This sure is a fun week coming up. Maybe a celebration at school, certainly a whole slew of services here at church, probably family coming over—food, presents, parties and games. I bet that this week you will have a few moments when you will want to hit the pause button—freeze the whole world and enjoy the spirit of the moment.

Christ is coming—the day is almost here! O come, O come Emmanuel!

Let’s pray: Loving God
As we wait
As we celebrate
Help us to experience
The joy of Christ’s coming.
Amen.

Christmas songs. . .

2008-12-11T15:20:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, December 14, 2008

Do you ever wish that your life was like a movie, where when people remember things, there was always some great and touching music playing in the background? Or maybe like an actual musical, where when something really good or really bad happens, everyone breaks out into song. Do any of you have a soundtrack of your favorite songs going through your head all the time?

Music is an important part of our lives—and certainly, music is an important part of our life together. If I asked the average kid here at Third Presbyterian Church to recite a line of scripture for me—some of you could do one or two maybe. . .but if I asked one of you to sing me a “church song” I bet you would know a ton, and maybe you’d even be surprised to know that your favorite church song is, in fact, actually a line of scripture as well.

There is probably no other season in the church year when people are as excited about music than at Advent and Christmas time. The hymns! The carols!!

I want you to think in your head about your favorite church Christmas song. . . what is it you like. . . the tune? The words? A special memory of singing it? What does your song say about Jesus?

Think about it—and your homework is to talk with whoever you eat lunch with today about your special song, and to ask them avout theirs.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Thank you for your word to us
In scripture. . .
In song. . .
And help us to always to remember
To speak to you in prayer.
Amen.

Children’s Message--Sunday, November 2, 2008

2008-11-02T09:01:00.001-05:00

Today in church, we are talking about Stewardship. Stewardship is the word that we use in church to mean how we use what we have to take care of what is important to us. When I think of stewardship, I think about how I use my time, money and skills to help make the world a better place.

Since this weekend was Halloween, I was thinking of stewardship in Halloween terms. I was thinking about that bucket of candy that you have. Maybe you only went to a few houses, so you only have 5 or 6 pieces. Maybe you did the whole street, or even the whole neighborhood, so you have a lot.

So in Halloween terms, what is stewardship about? Well, I can tell you that you were not a very good steward of your candy if you ate the whole bucket of it on Friday night. There was nothing to share, nothing to eat later, and most likely, eating a whole bucket of candy would leave you feeling bad—both for being a little bit greedy, and having a big tummyache!

So if eating the whole bucket is bad stewardship—what would good stewardship look like?
§ It might look like putting some away in your treat box or the freezer so you could save it to enjoy later.
§ It might look like giving your mom or dad or grandma or other non-trick or treating family member their choice of something from your bin.

Imagine this: you get home from trick or treating to see that the bowl of candy at your house is empty. . . there is nothing left to give out. A group of 5 or 6 kids are coming down the road. Well, you could shut off the outside light and close the curtains, but a good steward might just reach into his our her bucket and put a handful in the candy bowl to share with the other kids.

Oh, and just for the record, good stewardship also looks like unwrapping your favorite candy, closing your eyes and taking a big bite. Mmmmm. . . because, don’t forget that everything that we have—friends, family, money and things is a gift from God, meant to be cared for and meant to be shared, and also to be enjoyed.

Let’s pray: Loving God
We are thankful for all that you give us
Help us to show that thanks
By caring for these gifts
Sharing them with others
And by enjoying them ourselves.
Amen.

Children’s Message--Sunday, August 10, 2008--Sibling Rivalry—Genesis 37:12-28

2008-08-07T14:01:00.000-05:00

Lots of us have brothers or sisters. I have a big sister. The story goes that when I was born and came home from the hospital, my sister got kind of jealous. She got pretty sick of people coming in and cooing at me and saying how pretty I was and bringing me presents and all of those other things that happen when a new baby comes. Eventually she got fed up, and, as the story is told in our house, finally told someone who was goo-goo-gaa-ing over me, that if they liked the baby so much, they could just take her home! I’ve heard other stories where big brothers or sisters were even craftier than my sister and offered to sell the new baby to visitors! Now, as you can imagine if you have a sister or brother, my sister eventually decided that I was OK and I could stay in the family.

Today’s Bible reading focuses on some brothers who even as grown men got jealous of. Joseph, known to many of us as the man with the coat of many colors, was the youngest son of Jacob, who we have been hearing about lots over this summer. Joseph had special dreams. When he told his brothers about his dreams, they didn’t like what he dreamed about. They got so jealous that they did sell him to get rid of him!!

Yes, Joseph’s brothers were mean, and they even sold him away to get rid of him. He ended up in jail, but eventually the very thing that got his brothers so mad—his dreams-- ended up being what saved him. It is funny how in families we get mad, we argue, we do things we sometimes feel really bad about, but we always hope that in the end, our love of each other, and our love of our families will be the most important thing for us.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
We thank you for the love of our families.
Help us to care for each other
And love each other
As you love us. Amen.

an old sermon for this week. . .

2008-07-24T14:16:00.001-05:00

Children’s Sermon
Sunday, July 24, 2005
The Parable of the Leaven—Matthew 13:33

So all week, I have been thinking about rice krispy treats. I think it is because I have been wanting to make something sweet and cookie-ish, but it has been so hot, that I haven’t wanted to warm up the kitchen--so rice krispy treats seemed like the perfect treat to me.

Now, I have also been thinking about today’s scripture and how I was going to talk with you all about it. Today, we get a whole bunch of parables--6 to be exact. I’d like to read you one of them: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

Do you know what yeast is used for? It is used to make bread rise. As I was reading this parable, I pictured a woman working really hard at kneading a hunk of dough, working all of that leaven through it.
And because I was hungry for rice krispy treats, I thought about how much work it takes to mix the krispies into the marshmallow.

So here’s what I came up with. . . Without yeast, bread would just be a sticky flat dough. Without the marshmallows, there would be no “treat”--only a bowl of dry cereal. They become a part of each other. I think that is how God works in us as Christians. Can you imagine if someone handed you a rice krispy treat and asked you to take out all of the marshmallow? You couldn’t do it. Maybe it is the same with us. Being a Christian is just a part of us--mixed into who we are so much that we cannot separate the Christian from the rest of us.

In the Presbyterian Brief Statement of Faith, the last line states, “We rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God Through Christ Jesus our Lord.” AMEN!!

Let’s Pray:

Loving God

We are thankful that you are a part of us

And we pray

That you remain in us--

Now and always.

Amen.

Jacob's Ladder Children's Sermon

2008-07-17T14:20:00.000-05:00

Children’s Sermon
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:10-22)

Have you ever wanted to walk right up to heaven and ask God a question?
§ Maybe someone you loved was sick, and you wanted to ask, “Why is this happening God?”
§ Maybe you hear a bible story that you can’t really understand, and you’d like to ask God what it means.
§ Maybe you just think it would be really cool to see and talk to God.

In the Bible there is a story about a man named Jacob who had a dream, and in his dream, heaven and earth were connected by a big ladder. This ladder had angels scurrying up and down it, and in his dream, God told Jacob a few things:
§ God told Jacob that the land Jacob was laying on was for him and for his children.
§ God told Jacob that his children and his children’s children and his children’s, children’s children would spread all over the earth and all the families of the earth will be blessed.
§ And this is my favorite part—God said these words to Jacob, “know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.”

When Jacob woke from his dream, he knew he had been in a special place, and that a special thing had happened to him.

I hope that you remember God’s words to Jacob. “know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.”

We will never have all the answers to the questions that we would ask God if we could, but it might help us with our questions to remember that God is with us, and God will keep us.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help us to always remember
That you are with us
And you take care of us.
Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, June 1, 2008--Weave us together

2008-06-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

Junior choir—I want to thank you so much for your beautiful introit*. All week I have been thinking of these words. Weave us together in unity and love. My favorite part is, “we are many colors, each one different from the other, but we are all entwined with one another in one great family.” Wow. If that doesn’t describe how we try to be as I church, I don’t know what does!

One of the great parts of this time of year is that we have the chance to thank everyone for all the work that goes into making Third Presbyterian Church such a great place.

§ A few weeks ago, we had music recognition Sunday where we thanked not only the choirs, but the ushers and special readers and everyone that makes worship here so important.

§ In two weeks, we will thank the teachers and youth advisors and everyone who teaches here and helps all of you and all of the youth grow in faith.

§ And this week, we are thanking the outreach volunteers who give their time and energy to fulfill this church’s commitment to justice and service.

I think about these three areas where we do such important work—worship. . . education. . .service and I think that they are really the basis of who we are. And when I think of “weaving” I think of a braid, and how when you take three things and braid them together, they are strong and sturdy—and more importantly, if you didn’t have one part, the braid would be so much weaker.

Let’s pray: Loving God,
Weave us together
In worship, education and service
Amen.

* Song "Weave" By Rosemary Crow

Children's Message, Sunday May 18 (Micah 6:8)

2008-05-20T10:04:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday May 18, 2008
Justice. . . kindness. . . humility (Micah 6:8)

Wow. I feel energized by the beginning of worship today, don’t you? Wasn’t it cool to watch the youth’s video? I am kind of biased—first off, those kids up on the screen were once kids down on this carpet, so I am automatically incredibly proud of them, but more than that, I am biased because the words of the video. . . the words of the call to worship. . . the words of our first hymn are my favorite words of scripture.

Watch and vote for our youth group video at: http://www.ymilive.org/app/teams/third-presbyterian-church/video

What does the Lord require of you? In other words, what does God need you to do?

God needs us to seek justice—to look for ways to make the world a more fair place. In the video, some kids shared what they had with someone who obviously needed a coat and something to eat.

God needs us to love kindness—or as the Bibles that we read in church and you use in Sunday school say it, to love Mercy. To be kind and thoughtful and caring. The girls who helped the boy whose car broke down did a good job at the kindness part.

And through it all, we must walk humbly with our God. Aah. . . the hardest part. We work for justice and are nice and loving to people—but wait,—we need to be humble-- we can’t brag about it all—we must remember that without God there wouldn’t be much bragging to do at all. The scene near the end with the two groups of kids is one of my favorites. . . no one thought that they were any better than anyone else. It made me happy to see them all as friends in the end.

Later in the service today, 14 of our youth will be joining the church. You have already seen some of them lead us this morning. And although they will not be promising specifically to “seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with their God”, in fact, in some ways, they are promising to do exactly that. What a wonderful scripture.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help us to follow your requirements
And live out your word.
Amen.

Easter 2008 Children's message

2008-03-20T12:32:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message—You are not alone
Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008
John 20:1-18, Matthew 18:20

So imagine that you and your family have taken a walk around your neighborhood. Since everyone else is a bit of a slow poke, and you are a fast walker, you return home a full block ahead of the crowd. When you get there—the front door is open. You know that you locked it when you left because you all had to wait for your mom as she was locking up.

You can think of a few options—good and bad—
Maybe robbers are in your house right now
Maybe Grandma and Grandpa visited and let themselves in with a key
Maybe (even though your birthday isn’t until June) there is a surprise party inside waiting for you!

So what do you do? Maybe you walk right in to see what is up, but more likely than not, you run back down the block for reinforcements (“Hey Guys—the door is open—come with me!!)

That was kind of the way things happened for Mary on that first Easter meeting according to the Gospel of John. In all of the other Gospels, there is a group, but John tells of the story with just Mary. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found it open. The gospel writer continues that she ran to Simon Peter and the others, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him”. Like you might think if you found your front door open, Mary’s instinct was that it was robbers.
Because—really, at a time like this—when you are unsure, you are scared, and you are wondering what you might discover, the last thing you want is to be alone.

From them moment of the resurrection to today—that has been our instinct. Gather together. When scary things happen—gather with your church. When sad things happen—gather with your church. When things that are wonderful beyond your sweetest dreams—like Jesus triumphing over death—happen—gather with your church.

Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

The good news of Easter is that Christ is risen. The church’s job is to share that good news in our community and beyond.

Let’s pray: Loving God
We thank you that we are not alone
We thank you for those we seek with
We thank you for helping us all to find Jesus
Christ is risen!
Alleuia, Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, January 27, 2008

2008-01-31T13:12:00.000-05:00

A about story living out God’s commandments

Today’s scripture reading is a very familiar one—the ten commandments. Now I know that in Sunday school you learn about the ten commandments and probably can name many of them—so I’m not going to talk too much about the commandments themselves today. I thought we could talk about how we live out God’s rules in our lives—not only the ten commandments, but also the Shema, Jesus’ new commandment in John 13 to “Love one another” and other rules that God has given us.

In the ten commandments, the first four tell us how to relate with God, while the last six tell us how to relate to each other. I want to share with you a story about how two brothers related to each other:
§ 2 brothers shared a farm—one married with a large family—the other a single with no children. The brothers worked together, so decided that each got half of the grain from the farm.
§ The married brother often woke in the night worrying about his brother. . . “With my wife and children, I have all the security I need for my old age, but what about my brother? Who will care for him?” so he would sneak out in the night with a sack of his own grain and pour it into his brother’s granary.
§ The single brother also worried. . . “My poor brother has so many to feed and support, where I am more than able to care for my own needs—surely it is unfair for me to have half when he has so much need” so he too would sneak out with his grain to pour into his brother’s granary.
§ And so they did this for many nights until one night they met and realized how much the other had cared for the other.
§ Years and years later, after the story of the two brothers had been shared in the village when it came time to build a church, the villagers chose the spot where the two brothers had met, for no one could think of a place in their town that was holier than that spot.

The reason I love this story is that it shows people who are loving each other, and by caring for the other are living out God’s commands to us.

Let’s pray: Help us to know your rules
To follow your ways
And to live out your commandments
In all that we do. Amen.

**Story adapted from a story on pg. 60 & 61 of "Taking Flight" by Anthony DeMello

Children’s Message, Sunday, January 6, 2008--Epiphany

2008-01-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

So we couldn’t avoid it anymore--we took our Christmas tree down yesterday. As we were doing it, I thought about the star on top of our tree. Now all growing up, we had an angel on top of our tree, but the first year that we were married, my sister gave us a lovely star, and we have been star people ever since.

So let‘s do a little poll. . .raise your hand if:
you have an angel on top of your Christmas tree.
you have a star on top of your Christmas tree.

I love both of these Christmas symbols for the tops of trees. Angels remind us of the messengers that announced all the important news--Angels told both Mary and Joseph about Jesus’ coming birth. Angels filled the skies to tell the shepherds that Jesus had been born.

As I think of it more, it seems to be that the angel is all about preparing--the angels prepared everyone for the birth--they were the messengers. Both the angel and the star announced the birth, but the star then kind of took over. The star was the guide, leading everyone to Christ.

The star pointed everyone in the direction of Jesus--especially the wise men.

Today is Epiphany, the day when we especially remember the wise men and the star. And it is hard to think of the wise men without thinking of the star. Our first hymn today talked about the wise men who, “. . . hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright.” We Three Kings calls it the “star of wonder, star of light, star of royal beauty bright.” and later, “guide us to thy perfect light.”

And of course, “thy perfect light” is Jesus, the light of the world.

So when you see an angel on top of a tree, or anywhere, remember that we should always be preparing ourselves to do Jesus‘ work, and when you see a star--think of light--the light of Jesus, and the light that we can be in the world when we spread Jesus’ love.

Let’s pray: Loving God,
Thank you for angels to prepare us,
Stars to guide us,
And Jesus who is our light.
Help us to share your light with the world. Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, December 16, 2007--Grace

2007-12-16T08:50:00.001-05:00

Raise your hand if you have treats in your house. Now, raise your hand if you need to finish your dinner or eat your veggies, or try one bite of everything on your plate if you want to get your hands on those treats.

In our house—that is the rule—no treats until you eat dinner.

Let’s call that “treats through works”. A good solid idea. You’ve got to fill your stomach with things that are full of nutrients and vitamins, and things your body needs to grow big and strong before you get the especially yummy, but not particularly wholesome, treat.

Treats through works is the rule in our house—except for one area.

The chocolate Advent calendar. Granny Veitch sends our daughters each an Advent calendar every November. And starting on December 1, each day you open a little door and get a piece of chocolate and read a little snippet of the Christmas story.

Now here is the tough part for me as a mom. When you haven’t eaten a thing on your plate, should you get the chocolate heart?

And this is the one area of our family life where the rule is not “treats through works” but is instead, “treats through grace”.

You all have heard the word “grace”. It is a lovely name for a girl. It is what we call the prayer before a meal, but at its heart, grace is the belief that good things that come to us come not because of anything we have done or anything we earned—but come out of God’s love for us.

Grace is like getting a chocolate when you haven’t eaten a thing on your plate. You have no idea why you are getting this gift that you so obviously do not deserve given the huge pile of untouched casserole on your plate.

I would be in big trouble with the other moms if I didn’t point out that works have their benefits. It makes us healthy and strong when we eat nutritious food. It makes us feel great when we share what we have with others. It makes all the difference when we are kind to others.

But even beyond those things that we can earn, are those things that we are lovingly given. The good things that God gives us are things that we don’t really deserve-things that we could never in a million years earn.

So work like it all depends on you, pray like it all depends on God and enjoy every bit of grace that comes your way.

Let’s pray: Loving God
We haven’t earned it
We don’t even deserve it
But we are thankful every day
For the love you give us. Amen.

Great mock children's sermons

2007-12-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what the correct "nettiquette" is for sharing things found on others blogs, but check out these hilarious fake children's sermons--get ready to cringe!!

http://philosophyovercoffee.blogspot.com/2007/08/childrens-sermons-that-textweek.html

Also, for a reminder on how not to do a children's sermon check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBWrKEh_v2E&feature=user
(no offense is meant to this guy--he definitely likes kids, and at least he is honest enough to start by saying that he is trying to amuse the adults. . . I just think the premise of using a conversation with kids to amuse adults is a bit of a problem!)

Children’s Message, Sunday, December 2, 2007, Advent and Christmas

2007-12-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to the post office. I had to buy stamps for my Christmas cards. There were two options. One had different winter designs that look like they have been knit, like a reindeer, a Christmas tree, a teddy bear and a snowman. The other had the image of a very old painting depicting Jesus and Mary. I couldn’t decide. The knit snowman stamp was too cute not to buy, but I liked the idea of having the stamps on my cards reflect Jesus’ birth. In the end, I bought one book of each type of stamps. But that got me thinking that maybe there are two Christmases.

There is snowman Christmas. The shopping, cookie making, card mailing, party going Christmas. I love that Christmas! I like hearing Christmas music in the mall (even if it is “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer“!). I love picking out the perfect present--finding a new Christmas cookie recipe. It is a fantastic time of year, and --I wouldn’t want to give it up.

There is also the Mary and Jesus Christmas. The advent wreath lighting, singing silent night in church on Christmas eve Christmas. I love that Christmas so much. I think these four Sundays of Advent are such a gift. They are a way to count down the time, to build up our excitement, but most of all, they are a gift because they are a time to quiet the Christmas of the mall for even one hour so that we can soak up the Christmas of Jesus.

Sometimes when I am getting into the shopping and baking, I need to stop and remember a phrase that, funnily enough, I saw on a shopping bag that said, “Jesus is the reason for the season”. Oh yeah.

So I hope this Advent is a fun time for you. I hope you get to bake cookies and have parties. I hope you sing every Rudolph song there is and watch some Christmas movies, too.

But I also hope that you have lots of special moments where you remember the reason for the season. I hope you have the chance to light the candles on your family’s advent wreath every Sunday evening (and by way of a commercial, if you don’t have one already, you can make one after church today!). I hope you get to read the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey and the Birth of Christ at least once. And I hope that you get to share at least some of the love that Jesus put in your heart with someone else this advent season. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season.

Let’s pray: Loving God,
Thank you for snowmen and reindeer
For advent wreaths and carols
For friends and parties
And for Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Amen.

Children’s Message, Sunday, October 14, 2007, Thank you!

2007-10-17T15:39:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite authors is named Anne Lamott. She says that there are really only 2 prayers when you boil down all those fancy words: “Help me” and “thank you”.*

The Covenant Singers just showed us such a wonderful example of prayer that says thank you to God.. . the peaceful stream
The dancing leaf
The sun. . .the rain
Every second. . .every instant. . . **

Every day there are dozens of ways I could use God’s help—and dozens of other people that I would like God’s help for.

But every day I also am constantly reminded of things in my life to be thankful for.

The anthem that the Covenant Singers just shared made me think about every thing I could pray for. At my house, we say grace before meals—I bet lots of you do too. Here is my challenge for you: today at lunch or dinner, instead of your normal grace, like “God is great. . . “ come up with your own list of “thank you-s” for God. Big things. . . little things. . . whatever things you are thankful for right now.

You can also come up with a list of ways that you or the people you love need God’s help.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help me—
Thank you.
Amen.

*in Traveling Mercies
** From the Anthem, “For All That Is” by Taylor Davis, text by John Thornburg

Children’s Message, Sunday, September 23, 2007, Children’s Message, Storybook

2007-10-17T15:36:00.001-05:00

There are lots of different parts of the Bible. It is full of historical information, or rules and regulations, of songs and poetry and stories. I like the stories the best. Whether it is in the Bible or in a picture book, I have always liked stories.

I like stories mostly because they are fun to read and to hear. As a mom and a teacher, I also like that stories because sometimes, hidden in the adventures that happen to our main character, there is a lesson to be learned.

It is kind of like the Bible. The Bible is a huge book full of all sorts of types of writing. There is history. There are rules. There is poetry and songs. All of those things are great, and I am glad they are there, but I must admit, when I flip open the Bible, I always like when I get to a part with lots of stories. And just like your books that sometimes have lessons to be learned hidden in the stories, probably even more so, the Bible has lessons that need to be learned from the stories.

One of our favorites, Sheila Rae’s Peppermint Stick (Author: Kevin Henkes), reminds us that it is nicer to share what you have than to keep it all to yourself. It makes me think of the story in the Bible where the little boy shared his lunch with all the people were listening to Jesus. We sometimes call that story the story of the Loaves and Fishes.

Last week, I was with Mrs. Lenti when she was singing with the carol choir, and they were singing , “The wise man built his house upon the rocks. . . “ which tells the Bible story about the wise man who built his house on the rocks and the foolish man who built his house on the sand. A great lesson to remind us what is really important. Confession? The story always made me think of the three little pigs—a story that reminds us not to rush on important things.

Probably my favorite kind of story to read to children is a story that reminds them that they are always loved even when they are naughty. In Where the Wild Things Are (Author: Maurice Sendak), even though he, “made mischief” and got sent to his room, Max still had a warm dinner waiting for him when he got back from the place where the wild things are. The Bible has lots of stories that remind us that God will always love and welcome us. Like the story of the Prodigal Son who is welcomed home by his father, even when he had behaved very badly.

Let’s pray. . . Loving God
Help us to remember these things from your stories to us:
To share and be kind
To put our energy into what is really important
And that we are always loved by you.
Amen.

Where is your treasure?

2007-08-09T12:58:00.001-05:00

Children’s Message
August 12, 2007
Where is your treasure?—Luke 12: 32-40

Today after most of you leave, the adults will hear these words from the gospel of Luke, “For where your treasure is, your heart will be there also”. (12:34)

Do any of you have treasure? When I think of treasure, I think of a big wooden chest filled with gold and diamonds! I don’t have any of that, but I do have lots of special things that I treasure.

My purse is filled with things. I have money which is nice to have, and buys me stuff. I have my favorite lipstick which makes me feel pretty. I have my cell phone which keeps me connected.

But those aren’t my biggest treasures. I have even bigger treasures which can’t fit in my purse.

I have my car, which gets me where I need to go and my house that keep me warm and safe and comfortable.

But even those aren’t my biggest treasures. I have even bigger treasures which can’t fit into my car or even my house!

I have my family. My husband, daughters, sister, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins. . . . I have my friends spread out from New Jersey to California and lots of places in between. . . I have my church community—here, but also in other churches that I have been a part of.

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. And I think you could also say it this way, “Look in your heart—those things that fill it the most—those are your treasures.”

Let’s pray: Loving God,
For our fun little treasures
and our important big treasures
We give you thanks.
But we thank you the most
For the treasures of our friends, family and faith,
that fill our hearts with joy.
Amen.

Children’s Message--Trinity Sunday—June 3, 2007

2007-06-05T16:48:00.000-05:00

I am a Christian Educator.
and a mom.
and a wife.
I am a friend, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a daughter, a cousin and a neighbor.

To different people at different times in our lives, we are different things. I wasn’t always a wife, but I’ve always been a daughter. Some day, maybe I’ll be a grandma.

How many different names are there for who you are?
Brother, sister?? Son, daughter?? Friend, teammate, classmate, student. . .

Today is Trinity Sunday. What are we talking about when we talk about the Trinity? We are talking about God—God our creator, Jesus our redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as our Sustainer.

Just like we are different things to different people, God has different ways of being God to us.
We can think of God our creator—the one who made us and created everything.
We can think of Jesus our creator—the one who came into the world with us, and was a teacher
We can think of the spirit our sustainer—the renewing excitement of our faith. The Spirit is that part of God that we can’t put our finger on—sometimes they say the spirit is like wind or flames.

Just as some people know you as the kid who plays goalie at soccer and some people know you as the grandchild who likes waffles for breakfast and some people know you as a the quiet student in class, you are still you.

And no matter how you know God at any time—whether it is as a creator, a teacher or just a mysterious presence, it is still God.

Let’s pray: Loving God
We are thankful that you are God
In so many different ways.
Help us to get to know you
As well as you know us. Amen.

***With thanks to the United Church of Canada's online publication, "gatherings" for the idea for this childrens' sermon
http://www.united-church.ca/files/sales/magazines/gathering/2007/sa/rtf/sa2007.rtf

Children’s Message, Sunday, May 20, 2007--Unity (John 17:20-26)

2007-05-20T07:55:00.001-05:00

There are lots of places where the Bible tells us the importance of unity—the importance of us being together.
In Matthew, Jesus tells us that , “. . .where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matt. 18:20).
In the Bible reading that the adults will hear today after we leave, Jesus , in prayer, asks for us all to be one just as Jesus and God are one. And one neat thing about this reading is that Jesus, in a way, talks about all of us. Jesus says, “I ask not only on behalf of these [his disciples] but also on behalf of those who will believe. . . “ (John 17:20)
People say that there is strength and safety in numbers.
We are kind of like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. A neat looking picture on its own—different shapes and colors, curves and lines. . . but when you link them together, they show a different picture—tell a fuller story.
Every piece is wonderful and unique. . . but every piece also has a place in the whole that only that piece can fill.
When the pieces of a puzzle are all together, you can see a picture. When the pieces of the people of God are together, you can see Christ’s love.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Thank you for making each one of us special
Thank you for making us part of your big picture
Help us to live and work together
To show your love to the world. Amen

my newest children's message problem

2007-05-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

So in a nutshell, my problem is the big red bow.

I keep ruining a perfectly good children's sermon (or at least a fairly inoffensive one!) by trying to tie it all up in a big red bow.

I find myself at the end of the sermon part, but before the prayer with that nano-second of silence in which I have recently started inserting bits of verbal diarrhea like, "so that's what I wanted to share with you all today" or "so that is what I hope you remember about love" or something dumb like that. I must keep reminding myself that less is more!

Any thoughts? If you're reading, I'd love comments--and even more than that--I'd love to see some other children's sermons! Why not start blogging yours! I will happily put a link on this blog to any other children's sermon blogs out there!

Children’s Message

2007-05-03T13:59:00.000-05:00

Raise your hand if you’ve ever used a phone book. . . At the top of each page in phone books, it gives the first name on the page and the last name on the page alphabetically so that you can find what you are looking for. Our phone number is on the “Vaughn-Vendel” page. I always liked the “Smith” pages—in our phone book in Rochester, there are 4 whole pages of just Smiths.

There’s another book that is organized like the phone book—it is called a concordance, and instead of telling you the phone number of everyone who lives in Rochester, this concordance tells you every place a word appears in the Bible. Some words, like “jumping” only appear once or twice. Other words are the “Smith” and “Jones” of the Bible—like “Love”. The concordance that I looked in listed 586 entries for “love”.

The most central messages of the Bible center around Love—In Deuteronomy 6, God told us , “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” In Leviticus 19, we are told to , “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Last week, we were shown a wonderful message of love in the youth musical, “10th and Luke” which reminded us that anyone who shows Christ’s love is our neighbor. Today’s gospel reading shares these words of Jesus to his disciples, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”

Later in the service, 6 of the youth of the church will be received into membership as part of the commissioning class. Our affirmation of faith today uses parts of all of their faith statements, and in nearly every line, they mention love. The Love of God, the Love of the church, and all the ways that we, as God’s people share and spread that love.

Let’s Pray: Loving God,
Help us to live out the challenges
Given to us in scripture:
To love the Lord with all our hearts
To love our neighbors as ourselves
And to love one another as Christ loves us. Amen.

post Easter blog

2007-04-12T14:08:00.000-05:00

I think this is still a work in progress. . . but here goes--

Children’s Message
Sunday, April 15, 2007

Last week was such a special week here at church, wasn’t it? Easter Sunday has some of my favorite parts of church for the whole year. Singing “Jesus Christ is risen today” with the beautiful sound of the brass instruments. Seeing the sanctuary full of beautiful lilies. Wearing a new dress. At home, there are also special things—egg hunts, family dinners, and of course, chocolate. All of the different celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection make for a great day.

What have been some other great days for you? Raise your hand if you have ever been picked to be on a sports team. Has anyone ever gotten a part in a play? Those were great moments, too, weren’t they. . . I know that when special things like that have happened to me, I felt pretty great—great, that is, until I got those butterflies. There’s lots of practice to do when you make the team. Lines to memorize when you get the part in the play—rehearsals for the recital.

Our faith is kind of like that. Easter is a fantastic celebration, but the story, you may have noticed, did not stop at the end of the gospels. Those apostles had work to do. They had to spread the word. I think they did a pretty good job of it, considering that churches around the world are full of people this morning. We have work to do, too. We need to spread the word. . . help those in need. . . do all those jobs that Jesus entrusted to us.

On Good Friday, when we remember Jesus’ death, we are always sure to remind people that the story is not over. Now that we have celebrated Jesus’ resurrection, it is important to remember that it is STILL not over—Just like the disciples did in the time after Jesus’ death and resurrection—we have work to do.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Thank you for the gift of Jesus
And the celebrations we have had.
Help us to live
as Jesus taught us to. Amen.

ideas for lenten OGHS children's sermons

2007-03-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

I discovered that hidden (and when I say hidden, I mean that I had not noticed them before. . . ) in the PC(USA)'s website on the "how to promote" section, are quite a few children's sermons to use to promote the offering.
Check it out: http://www.pcusa.org/oghs/skits.htm

Good luck with your lenten children's sermons!

Children’s Message--OGHS—Who is my neighbor?

2007-03-13T13:15:00.002-05:00

Well today is the second Sunday in Lent, and at Third Presbyterian Church, there is something that the children always do during Lent. Here is a hint (hold up fish bank). Every year we collect money in our fish banks for the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. This year, the theme is, “Who is my neighbor?” and if you remember some of Jesus’ parables, you might remember that that is the question that was asked of Jesus before he told the parable of the Good Samaritan.

So I have been thinking a lot this week about that question—“who is my neighbor?”.

You may remember hearing about a big trip to Africa that Rod and my husband Robert made almost a month ago. When Robert got home, he was showing us pictures, and a few pictures really stood out to my daughter, Madeline, so I thought I’d show you her two favorites.

This one is of a big truck—isn’t it cool? This truck is used to dig big wells deep into the ground so that people can have clean water to drink. This truck was purchased for the Presbyterian Church of East Africa by the Presbyterian Church (USA) using One Great Hour of Sharing offerings. I love to think that thousands of kids saving their dimes and quarters on one side of the world were able to buy a truck that gave clean water to thousands of kids on the other side of the world!

The second picture is of the children of the pastor of a church in Kenya who Robert and Rod stayed with. The little girl, whose name is “Mercy”, is just a few months older than our daughter Madeline. Since they are the same age, Maddie has pretty much decided that Mercy should be her friend, so whenever we look at the Kenya pictures, we have to find the one of Mercy. Now I love the thought of having friends across the world. Even though Maddie and Mercy haven’t met, they have some things in common—they are both 3 years old and they are both Presbyterian! In the picture with Mercy is her 10 year old brother Solomon. Raise your hand if you are 10 years old. . . you already have some things in common with Solomon.

Who is our neighbor? The person next door? For sure, but perhaps our neighbor is also the person on the next continent.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, which told of people’s reactions to seeing a man who needed help, Jesus said that the neighbor was, “the one who showed him mercy.” In this case our neighbor is Mercy. . .and Solomon. . . and for that matter, boys and girls who get fresh water because of the well digging truck. . . and the thousands of people who are helped by our One Great Hour of Sharing offerings.

When we give to others—whether through OGHS or in other ways, we are being neighbors.

Let’s Pray: Loving God
Thank you for neighbors
The ones who live near us
And the ones across the globe.
Help us to act with generosity and mercy. Amen.

Children’s Message--Day by day

2007-03-13T13:15:00.001-05:00

Jr. choir and Mrs. Lenti—I really like the new introit you did today! “Day by Day” has always been a favorite of mine.

I think it is especially appropriate for the start of Lent, a season of 40 days of preparation before Easter.

The song lists three things to pray for:
To see God more clearly
To love God more dearly
To follow God more nearly.

Every year at Lent, I try to focus on some aspect of my faith. One year, I read all of the gospels,. Once, I did journaling I have given things up and taken things on.

Earlier in the week when I was reading through the bulletin, and reading the lyrics to the junior choir introit, it struck me that perhaps this year, I could focus on the ideas in the song, “Day by Day”.

See God more clearly. I wonder if things would seem different if I tried to see God in every day things. Could I see God’s presence in nature? In people? In stories on the news?

Love God more dearly. I wonder if things would seem different if every day, I could remember that everything I have, everything around me was a gift from God. Would that help me to love, and show my love for God even more?

To follow God more nearly. God gave us lots of instructions. A whole book of them, in fact. It isn’t always easy to follow some of them. I wonder if things would seem different during Lent if I took more time to read God’s big instruction book, and tried harder to follow God.

Maybe you can come up with some challenges for yourself this year during Lent.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help us to see you
To love you
And to follow you
This Lenten season. Amen.

Children's Message--A Clear Reflection (John 8:12)

2007-03-13T13:07:00.000-05:00

Today, the title of Pastor Deborah’s sermon is “A clear reflection”. When I read the title, it reminded me of a thought I have been wanting to share with you.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”. Jesus is the light. Our job is to help shine that light.

When I was studying to be a Christian Educator, one of my lecturers** told us a neat story about mirrors. Mirrors reflect things. You can take a mirror and pick up a beam of light and reflect it anywhere. You can use a mirror to bring light to places that are dark.

We are kind of like Jesus’ mirrors. We are not the source of light. We just take the light and reflect it to places that need light. We are like Jesus’ little mirrors whenever we take action to bring Jesus to dark places.

When we bring a family a Christmas basket or pray for people who feel lonely or sing for people who might be sad, we shine the light of Jesus into dark places.

I would like to give you each a little mirror as a reminder that you can shine Jesus’ light into dark places.

Let’s pray: Loving, God, Thank you for Giving us
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Help us to be like mirrors—
Reflecting Jesus’ light and love
To the dark places in the world.
Amen.

**Inspiration for this children's sermon came from Amy Scott Vaughn from Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry where she shared the story on which this is based, "The Mirror " from Robert Fulghum's "It was on Fire When I Lay Down on it."

I was able to purchase small mirrors (1 inch circles) at JoAnn Fabrics in packs of 10 for $.99.

Children’s Message, Sunday, January 28, 2007

2007-03-13T13:06:00.000-05:00

Today after we leave worship, the adults will hear the story of God’s call to Jeremiah.

There are a lot of things that I like about this story.

Jeremiah was a kid when God called him. I like that because it helps remind us that God has great things planned for all people—not just the big and powerful.

God tells Jeremiah not to be afraid, because God is with him. I really like that part, because it reminds to us that we are not alone in the scary times—that God can be with us, too.

But I think my favorite part of this story is what God says to Jeremiah at the very beginning—he says, “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born. . . I appointed you a prophet. . . “ (1:5)

God had a plan for Jeremiah—a big plan as a matter of fact. And God has plans for us—OK—not as big as the plans that God had for Jeremiah, but plans none-the-less. And that is a thought that comforts me.

Let’s Pray: Loving God
You created us
You know us
You call us—
Help us to listen.
Amen.

MLK Children's Message

2007-01-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Martin Luther King Jr. Day

So those of you who are in school must be pretty excited—you all have the day off tomorrow! I’m sure you all have plans—play dates, trips to the museum, visits to grandma and grandpa, but I think it is important for us to remember why we have the day off. We have the day off to remember and honor a very important man named Martin Luther King Jr. Now I am sure most of you know something about Dr. King, but I want to ask you a specific question about Dr. King—what did he do for a living? How many of you knew that Dr. King was a pastor?

Dr. King believed that as a pastor, God was calling him to speak out about things that he thought were not fair. Just like our Pastors give sermons, Dr. King gave sermons, and in one of the last sermons that he gave, Dr. King reminded his congregation of Jesus’ words to his disciples about greatness.

Dr. King said that Jesus gave us a new meaning for greatness—to be great, you must first be a servant. He said that it was good news because with this new meaning, everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.

Dr. King’s words from so long ago remind us of Jesus’ call to us—to serve one another. So as you all enjoy your day off tomorrow, think of Dr. King and what he stood for—he believed that it is our job to speak out when we see something that is unfair. He would want us to remember Jesus’ instructions to us to serve each other. Dr. King’s challenge to us, and my challenge to you all is to look for ways that you can help change things that seem unfair, ways that you can be great by serving someone else.

Dr. King ended his sermon about being great by being a servant with these words from a hymn. Let’s close our time together using these words as a prayer for how we might hope to live our lives:
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.*
Amen.
*written in 1945 by Alma Bazel Androzzo

(alternate prayer)
Let’s pray: Loving God
We thank you for your servant Dr. King
Help us to learn from his life
And serve you better. Amen.

(text from The Drum Major Instinct--Martin Luther King Jr.)
“. . . Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.
And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. . . . You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”

Widow's mite Children's Message

2006-11-02T14:54:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, November 5, 2006
The Widow’s Mite (Mark 12:38-44)

Little can be huge, and, sometimes, huge hardly matters at all.

It is a story that we hear time and time again. We all know about stories of the little guy doing great things, like “The Little Engine that Could”, but the Bible also has stories of little things that make a huge difference. There is the parable of the mustard seed, which tells of the smallest seed that grows into the greatest of trees. There is another story that the adults will hear after we leave, “the widow’s mite” where we see a poor widow give two of the smallest coins, like two pennies, to the treasury of the temple. Seeing this, Jesus declares that this woman’s small gift was bigger than all of the big gifts of the others who had a lot combined.

Little can be huge, and, sometimes, huge hardly matters at all.

This story isn’t in the Bible to tell us that it is OK to just give a little, it is in the Bible to remind us to give things that matter.

When I was a kid, my sister and I would always share our Halloween candy with our parents. We each had a pumpkin basket that we trick-or-treated with. We also had these three small pumpkin jars, and each year, Nicole and I would fill those jars with all of our snickers, and mounds and such, for Mom and Dad to snack from. Pretty nice, huh? Except. . . we didn’t much like snickers or mounds. Even though there were three jars filled with candy, we were only sharing things that didn’t matter.

I’m not sure how much God is bothered by the amount we give. But I am pretty certain that God wants us to give something that matters.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help us to give of our selves
And of our things
In ways that matter.
Amen.

All Saint's Day Children's Message

2006-10-26T11:26:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, October 29, 2006
All Saint’s Day

Today is a special day in the church—All Saint’s day. It is a day when we remember the people that we love who have died. In the early church, Christians gathered to celebrate Martyrs—people who died for their faith--on specific days. Still in the present, people, particularly our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers do this for lots of saints. If you have ever eaten corned beef and cabbage on March 17, you have celebrated the special day or “feast day” for St Patrick!

Then people started to ask, “What can we do to celebrate ordinary people who are special to us who have died?” and the answer was this—celebrate a day for ALL the saints.--all of the people who have died, and so they chose November 1 to be this day, and we in the church celebrate on the Sunday closest to that day.

Now this week there is another holiday, and I bet you all have plans to celebrate it—Halloween. Halloween is to All Saints day just as Mardi Gras is to Lent—a time of fun and celebration before a more solemn time of remembrance. So I hope that you all have a fun time on Tuesday celebrating Halloween, but I also hope that you take some time this week to think about some of the saints in your lives—special people who have died and are not with us anymore, but who it is important to remember.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Please be with us this week
In our celebrations
And our time of remembrance.
We thank you for the saints in our congregation
Who have gone before us.
Amen.

Some information for this children's message came from the article, "How Halloween Can Be Redeemed" by Page McKean Zyromski.

on Maternity Leave!

2006-06-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

I will not be posting on my blog until after September 20.

We are having our second child next week, so I will be on maternity leave, thus, not doing any children's sermons for the next 2-3 months.

Happy summer!

Scripture and Interpretation for Church School Chapel 6/11/06

2006-06-13T13:50:00.000-05:00

Church School Chapel—June 11, 2006
Scripture and Interpretation
Acts 2:1-6, 12a, 37-39, 41 & 42

theme: Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. . . 12aAll were amazed and perplexed.

Peter then spoke to the people, reminding them about their history and Jesus’ life.

The chapter ends with these words, describing the people’s reaction to what they had heard and seen, and what Peter told them. . .
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ 38Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ . . . 41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

What a great story. It tells us of a time very early in the church’s life. It tells the story of the church really getting energized, and pulled together and excited for their next steps in spreading the amazing message of Jesus and all that he did, and all that had happened.

For us modern Christians, it is a story about lots of other things. It is a story that helps us to understand the Holy Spirit, and how the spirit works and moves in and around us—this unseen, but strongly felt presence. It is a story about the “birthday” of our church—the time when things really got going. It is a story about baptism, and how all of the exciting things that happened on that first Pentecost inspired thousands to get baptized, and commit themselves to their faith in the important way that baptism commits and connects us.

Many of you, I’m sure, were baptized as babies, some more of you were baptized more recently and probably remember the day well. Some of you may not have been baptized yet, and have that special day to look forward to when you are commissioned as a teen, or join the church as a grown-up. Whether you have been baptized or not, however, one thing is for sure—God has claimed you as God’s own—Jesus cares for you and has redeemed you and the Spirit is with you to give you energy and strength—you all are special children of God, and we want you to always remember that.

As we think about and remember that first Pentecost, we want to think about and remember the special celebration of baptism. In a few moments, I am going to invite you all to come forward and take a stone out of one of the bowls as a reminder that you are a special creation of God, chosen as God’s own. For our littlest ones, please take one of the larger stones.

As people are coming forward, you are invited to spend time in quiet prayer, or singing the hymn, “Spirit of the Living God” found in your hymnals--number 322.
* * *
As the children come forward, Bill and Becky will be standing at the bowls, and will say, “You are a child of God” as they select a stone.

Pentecost Children's Message

2006-06-01T12:46:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
June 4, 2006, Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21

Today is Pentecost. Pentecost is sometimes referred to as the church’s birthday, so in celebration of the church’s birthday, I brought in a balloon so we could be a little more festive. Next week in church school chapel, our theme will be the story of Pentecost, so we will learn even more about this special day and the story that goes with it.

Now, one reason I chose a balloon rather than confetti or a party hat, was that we can use the balloon to remind us of how we are as the church. Frankly, I’m not getting much of a festive vibe from this balloon right now, are you? What’s wrong with the balloon? That’s right, it’s not blown up. It is this empty, rubber blob right now. Now, I know that you all have seen balloons before, so you can perhaps imagine how different it would be if it were blown up, but right now, it is empty.
On the day of Pentecost God breathed life into the church by giving us the Holy Spirit. Before the people of the first church received the Spirit something was missing. They didn't go anywhere. They didn't tell other people about Jesus. But on the day of Pentecost God did for the church what I just did for the balloon. God breathed life into it. The Holy Spirit is like the breath that is in the balloon - it allows a person to come fully alive to God and able to do and be all that he or she is meant to be.

Let’s pray:
Loving God, bring new energy to us, like air in a balloon, fill us with the Spirit. Amen.

Adapted from a children’s sermon by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 2006, www.spirit-net.ca as found on www.textweek.com.

Children’s Message, Sunday, May 21, 2006, “Love One Another” (Scripture--John 15:9-17)

2006-05-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I went to a wedding shower for my cousin. A wedding shower is basically a celebration party that people have before they get married. And at showers, a lot of times they have games and activities and stuff, and one of the activities was for us to write down our best love and marriage advice for Meghan. So I wrote down some advice and put it up on the board with everyone else’s.

Yesterday as I was driving home, I was thinking about this week’s scripture and wondering what I would talk to you about, and it hit me that the bible is full of good advice. The scripture that the adults will hear later comes from the Gospel of John and includes these words spoken by Jesus,

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

And I thought about that a lot--that we should try to love each other the way that Jesus loved us--husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, nations. . . What would the world look like if we all tried to love each other the way that Jesus loved us? I bet that there would be less fighting, less mean thoughts, more sharing, more smiles. I don’t think it would be easy, and I don’t think any of us could follow that commandment all of the time, but I do think that it is pretty good advice on love, don’t you?

Let’s pray: Loving God
Help us to love one another
As you have loved us
And to do our best
To remember this commandment.
Amen.

Children’s Message

2006-04-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

This Children's message was originally given on Sunday, March 27, 2005 (Easter). As I ponder what to do this year, I thought I would post last year's as I continue to search for an idea for one for this year. . . .

* * *

Raise your hand if you saw the movie, “A Bug’s Life”. Like many movies, it ends with the words, “the end” on the screen, and then goes to the credits. You thought it was all over, didn’t you?

But was it really the end? If you remember, during the credits there were some really funny “out-takes” from the movie. Some people think that last bit is one of the best parts of the whole movie.

How often does it happen that you think something is finished, but it really isn’t?
Have you ever finished opening presents on your birthday or Christmas only to find that there is one more extra special present hidden somewhere?
How about on the fourth of July at fireworks as you’re having a picnic and watching fireworks. Has there ever been is a burst so spectacular, you’re sure it must be the end, but then something even more beautiful comes?

Imagine how Jesus’ disciples felt early that first Easter morning. They had been blessed to have Jesus with them as their friend and teacher and leader, and they treasured that special time with him, but they were sad because they saw Jesus on the cross and they thought it was all over.

When the two Marys got to the tomb that morning, they suddenly were surprised with the wonderful news that it was not all over! Jesus had risen from the dead!

It was not the end of the story as Jesus’ disciples had expected, it was a whole new beginning. What Good News!

Let’s pray: Loving God
We rejoice in the Good News!
We thought it was all over
But Jesus Christ is risen indeed!
Alleluia, amen!

Children’s Message—OGHS Bank Collection

2006-04-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

Sunday, April 9, 2006 (Palm Sunday)

Wow—that is a lot of banks! Thank you for doing such a great job filling them up and bringing them in.

Now, who remembers what our theme for OGHS this year was? (water).

Have you ever had a leaky faucet at your house? The water just slowly drips out, but it does it all the time? It seems like it is hardly worth worrying about—not enough to clean the dinner dishes or wash your face or even brush your teeth. Now, have you ever pulled the drain shut in that sink to see what happens? Imagine if you pulled the drain shut on a leaky sink for three weeks—do you think all those drips would add up to a full sink? Do you think there would be enough to do the dishes? Wash your face? Brush your teeth?

I kind of like thinking about our banks that way. You all had these banks for three weeks, and in that time, hopefully, you paused every day or every few days or once each week and added some coins to your bank. And just like little drips of water, each coin that each one of you gathered together, which might not seem very impressive or useful alone, suddenly becomes two big heaping baskets full of HEAVY fish that we can share with One Great Hour of Sharing to help people make a real difference in their lives, and for that I certainly give thanks!

Let’s pray: Loving God
We ask you to send our love
Along with this money
To places of need in the world.
Amen.

Children’s Message Sunday, March 19, 2006--One Great Hour of Sharing

2006-03-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

(This is still a work in progress, but I will be away from my computer for a week and wanted to post what I had before I left.)

For 57 years, churches in the United States have been giving money to One Great Hour of sharing. Millions of dollars have been given to help people around the world through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger program and Self Development of People.

For as long as I can remember, we have also been giving kids banks, mostly, these fish shaped banks. Even when I was a kid, we had these fish banks. And so, again, this year, I am happy to give you all fish banks. You will have three weeks to fill your banks. There is a pamphlet that you will get with your bank that gives you some ideas of how you might want to fill your bank, or you may have ideas of your own, or you may do a combination of the ideas from the brochure and your own ideas. No matter how you decide to fill your banks, I will encourage you to fill them up! I hope that on Palm Sunday when you all bring your banks back that we have a bunch of big, heavy fish!

I love the scripture that has been chosen to go with OGHS this year. It comes from Matthew and this is the portion of scripture that was chosen, “When was it that we say you thirsty?” Jesus was telling his disciples that whenever they see anyone who is thirsty (or hungry or in any need) and give them a drink (or helps them in any way) it is like they are doing it to him. And with this offering, I think it is kind of cool to think of it in that way—that every nickel or quarter that we put in our banks will go to help someone in need, and, according to Jesus, helping someone in need is just like helping Jesus.

Let’s Pray:
Loving God
Help us to help your people
Through our offerings to One great hour of sharing.
Amen.

Cloud of Witnesses

2006-03-09T14:07:00.000-05:00

Scripture Interpretation for Children’s Chapel
Sunday, March 12, 2006
The Great Cloud of Witnesses, Hebrews 11:1-12:2

Our scripture reading this morning comes from selected verses from Hebrews 11:1-12:2:
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible."

The passage goes on to describe great acts of faith by Biblical figures, and if you look at the wonderful pew hangings that the third graders made, or at your bulletin cover, you will see some of their names: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David, Samuel, and many others. After we hear their names and their great acts of faithfulness, the scripture leaves us with these words:
"39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God."

* * *
These words from scripture give me great comfort. I really like to think about God watching over me, but there is something just as special about thinking about other people of faith watching over me. Sometimes when you read a bible story, you find something about a character that you can relate to.

Maybe like David, facing the giant Goliath, feel sometimes like you are taking on a task so big that you cannot possibly succeed, yet, like David, you do.

Maybe like the Israelites, you feel unsure sometimes when you have no idea what is next for you, or what changes will come. It can be helpful to think about their faithfulness in the wilderness when you face obstacles.

And just as you have this cloud of witnesses of Biblical figures who you can look to for assurance, I bet you also have a cloud of witnesses of people in your own faith life who can look to. People who have helped shape your faith. Sunday school teachers, camp counselors, ministers, music directors, friends, table parents. Even people not associated with church can be in that cloud—parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors.

At the ends of your pews, there are paper clouds and things to write with. Please pass these along your rows. On the cloud, I’d like you to write the name of a person or people who has been a help to you, or draw a quick picture of them. We will hang these clouds in the garth so that we can all be reminded of the cloud of caring people who shape and surround us all in everything that we do. Amen.

Children's Message, 1 Samuel 3:1-10--Calling in the night

2006-01-13T15:21:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Calling in the night—1 Samuel 3:1-10

Today’s Old Testament reading is the call of Samuel, from the book of first Samuel. I love this passage—it is one of my favorite stories. In the story, Samuel hears his name being called again and again while he is sleeping. He thinks it must be his teacher, Eli, but with his teacher’s help he soon realizes that it is God calling him.

I love this story, but I also worry about this story. See, if you read it, you might think that the only way that God calls people is in that sort of “Old Testament” way with a big booming voice that would shake the walls, or at least wake a young boy from a sound sleep. But I don’t think that we are all as lucky as Samuel was. We all don’t get a big booming voice and a wise teacher to help us understand. Sometimes, God just sounds like a half a bag of Doritos.

I love Doritos. Love ‘em! In fact, I love them so much, that if there is a half bag of Doritos in my house, there is very little I can do to keep from eating them all. If I’m watching TV, they call to me. Vacuuming?? There is a little cool ranch voice saying, “eat me!”. And to be honest, they just don’t stop calling to me until I have gobbled every last one up. Now, I don’t get special bags with voice boxes in them or anything. And If you set up a tape recorder in my kitchen, no one else would be able to hear it, but there is just something inside of me that knows that they are there, and that I want them.

And when God’s calling us, I like to think that it is much the same. We know in our head and our heart that there is something that we should do, and until we do it, we can’t quiet those thoughts. Most of us aren’t lucky enough for a burning bush or a choir of angels or a voice in the night, so we have to work even harder to listen for those things—perhaps those messages from God—that we just can’t get out of our mind.

Let’s pray: Loving God
Thank you for the many ways
That you speak to us.
Help us to always listen
For your word to us. Amen.

**With thanks to the Rev. Alice McDowell for her idea that God sounds like chocolate, which was inspiration for this children's sermon idea!!

Some of my favorite Epiphany children's sermons

2005-12-15T14:49:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message—January 4, 2004
Epiphany

Today is the Sunday when we celebrate Epiphany. It is the day when we remember the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. And a lot has been said about those gifts. . . Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh—what is a baby going to do with all of that? Give him some onesies, a swing, maybe some of those rings that click together to play with!

Well, I can talk to you as a real expert on baby gifts right now. As most of you know, at the end of the month, Robert and I are going to have a baby. So using my own expertise and a little research, I have figured out that the gifts that the wise men gave Jesus weren’t quite as crazy as we may have thought.

Gold—That is the one that we all know. It is a very precious metal. When someone gives something that is gold, they are saying, you are special and deserve something very nice. When I was born, I was given this cup and bowl set. It is not gold, it is silver, but it is very precious, and I still have it today! Jesus was given Gold because he was to be called “King of the Jews”, and kings deserve precious things.

Frankincense—This is a strange word. It has the word “incense” in it, and some of you may know that incense is something that you burn to give off a sweet smell. Frankincense is known for its calming and soothing properties. One of the gifts that we have been given for our baby is a CD of nursery songs to help soothe the baby when he or she is fussy. Now I am going to guess that there will be times when I think that this CD is the best gift ever made! Jesus was given Frankincense to show that in his ministry, he would soothe and calm people.

Myrrh—Another funny word. No clues in this one. I found out that Myrrh is a sort of sappy product that comes from a tree. It is thought to have healing properties. And I thought about all the medicines and ointments that a baby needs for colds and diaper rash, and realized that that too was a good gift. Our baby already has a thermometer and some ointments. The gift of Myrrh symbolized that Jesus was to become a healer.

Let’s Pray: Loving God,
As we look at the Gifts that Jesus was given,
We remember the gifts that Jesus gave
As our leader,
Our Comforter,
And our healer.
Amen.

Children's Message--Advent week 3

2005-12-11T20:12:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, December 11, 2005—Advent Week 3
Worship the babe

I talk to you up front here a couple of times a month, and there is a little part of my brain that is always thinking of what I might share with you when I talk to you all together like this.

So this week, I thought and thought and thought. I thought about Advent, this week’s scripture, holiday traditions, songs and books. My daughter’s favorite books this week is one called “Sleepy Jesus” and it tells the story of the nativity centered around the sleepy baby Jesus.

Now when we first got the sleepy Jesus book at my house, I remember looking at the title and thinking, “well I don’t know if that is a very respectful title!” I mean, we are talking about Jesus here—teacher, healer, SAVIOR of us all!! Except, this month, we are talking about the amazing miracle that this teacher, healer, savior came to us as a babe—as a small child—even smaller than all of you.

Have any of you ever had the chance to hold a sleeping baby? I actually was lucky enough this week to get to hold TWO sleeping babies. Little babies—one just a few weeks old, one a few DAYS old. If you have ever done it, you know that it is quite a special feeling. They are soft, and warm, and they kind of melt right into your arm or shoulder. I don’t think a person can feel more needed or useful than when they are holding a sleeping little baby.

The Junior choir sang these words a few moments ago, “Worship the babe, who in weakness is might.” While we spend most of the year thinking about Jesus as a healer, teacher and savior, we have spent the last few weeks, and will continue to spend the next few preparing to celebrate and worship Jesus as a tiny babe.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Be with us the next few weeks
As we continue to prepare to celebrate
The birth of the Baby Jesus. Amen.

Children’s Message, Advent—Week one, Sunday, November 27, 2005

2005-11-23T15:25:00.000-05:00

Well, its my favorite time of year again—advent!

Advent? Don’t you mean Christmas? Actually, I don’t. I mean advent. I like the time of waiting. . .of preparation. I like the build up. When I have an ice cream cone, I take little—lasts longer than if you take big bites. And I think that is why I like advent. There are lots of little treats over the next few weeks to savor and enjoy. I bet many of you have family parties, parties at school, parties in your neighborhoods. There are special holiday movies to enjoy and CDs to listen to. Trees to decorate and presents to wrap. Lots of fun stuff that is going to happen before the big day.

Well, let me tell you, there is lots of fun and special stuff going on here at church too.
§ On Saturday, we are going to spend time together here at church talking about the book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, complete with a British style dinner and different fun workshops to try.
§ Next Sunday, there is the alternative Christmas market. There are special adult ed. Classes for the grown-ups.
§ In two weeks, we will have the Advent Festival where we can take time from the busyness of the season to come together and have dinner, activities and prayers and carols to help us focus ourselves for the holidays.

So even if you’re the type of person who likes to eat their ice cream in big bites, I would encourage you to savor the next few weeks. Take time to remember the wonder of the story of Jesus birth as though you were hearing it for the first time, and enjoy each little morsel!

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Be with us this advent
In our preparations and rest
In our busyness and quiet times
As we await the Christ child. Amen.

A God on Whom to call

2005-10-26T12:01:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, October 23, 2005
North Presbyterian Church

Good morning everyone. Some of you might know me, but most of you probably do not. I am, among other things, a child of this church. I came to this church with my family when I was three, and in some way or another, I have spent the better part of the last 30 or so years involved in this congregation. I am a church educator at a church in Rochester now. I am really excited to be here with you all today.

Since this is the Children’s story time, I have one to share with you:

One of my favorite fall rituals is going to the cornfield maze. Raise your hand if you have ever been out to a cornfield maze. Well, let me tell you how the one that my family likes to go to works: They take a big cornfield and clear out a maze-like path. You have a map with lots of blank spaces, and as you go through the maze, you find clues and pieces of the map to help you get to the end. There are twists and turns. Sometimes, you know where you’re going. Sometimes, you’re completely lost. Sometimes you think you know where you’re going, and you slowly realize that you’re lost, and sometimes when you think you are hopelessly lost, you turn a corner, find a piece of the map, and realize that you are going to be OK after all. And the best part of the maze is this—you will get out somehow. It might take you 45 minutes, it might take you 5 hours, but you will get out. And while you are lost, if you do get afraid, and feel hopeless and don’t know what to do, you can call for help. At the maze I go to, everyone gets these flags to hold, and if you feel like you need some help, you just wave your flag around, and up high on a scaffold, there is someone watching what is going on in the maze, and she will help you. Now, if you wave your flag, a big helicopter doesn’t come by and pluck you out—you are given some hints to help you find your own way out. And if that doesn’t work you can always ask for more help. And in many ways, it reminds me of prayer. Now I hope you don’t only pray when you are lost or afraid or feel hopeless, but I do hope that when you do feel that way, you remember to pray, you remember that God is always watching over you, and while God will not pluck you out of a bad situation, praying and spending time with God might give you hope, and help you find your way out.

Let’s pray (Children repeat each line after me):
Loving God
Thank you for hearing us when we call you
Please watch over us
This week and always.
Amen.

Sunday, October 16, 2005--Katrina School Kits

2005-10-18T13:04:00.000-05:00

So I have another challenge for you, but before I give it to you, we need to have a little celebration. For your last challenge, the “French” quarter drive, you did really well. We collected over a thousand quarters, and those quarters, plus some dollars gave us a grand total of $378 to give towards hurricane relief. Great job, everyone!!

So you already know about your next challenge if you read your October Children’s Ministry newsletter. What kind of kits are we putting together for the kids who were affected by hurricane Katrina? Call it out if you know it—yes, school kits. Now when we did health kits for the Tsunami last year, we asked you all to bring in completed kits, but this year, we want to make the kits together, so we assigned each class an item to bring in, then in two weeks, we will gather together in the celebration center after church to make a big assembly line and pack up the kits.

Raise your hand if you are in the nursery. We’d like you all to bring in erasers
Pre-school classes or 4th grade—scissors
Kindergarten—Pencil sharpeners
1st grade—pencils
2nd grade—construction paper
3rd grade—150-200 sheet pads of notebook paper
5th grade—box of 24 crayons
6th grade—making bags
And if there are any people who like to sew, stop by the 6th grade classroom or find me in coffee hour and we will get you the specs to make the bags to hold all the supplies for the school kits. Members of the congregation are more than welcome to join the children in this project, too!

There is a well loved hymn that has these words as the refrain, “they will know we are Christians by our love.” Will you all help to show that love with our heath kits?

Let’s Pray:
Loving God
Help us to be
your loving hands and hearts in the world.
Be with those people
Who we are hoping to help.
Amen.

Children’s Sermon--Scripture Sleuth

2005-10-02T19:10:00.000-05:00

When I was in 7th grade, my French teacher gave our class an extra credit project: we had to look for French writing on things, like food packaging, brochures, newspapers, wherever we could find it. For every item that we brought in, we would get two points of extra credit. And you know something, to this day, when I see French writing, I first off, try to see what little bit I can still read, but I also think, “that could’ve gotten me two points!” I think my teacher’s point was to try to get us to notice what we were studying in the real world, and I am proof that it worked, even almost 20 years later!

So how does my 7th grade French class fit in with you all at church? I’ll tell you how—I want you to be on the look out, but not for French words, I want you to be my Scripture Sleuths. I want you to keep your eyes open when you are looking at books, or the newspaper or comics or magazines. You will almost certainly need help from your parents or teenage or adult friends and family members. I want you, my scripture sleuths to keep your eyes peeled for mentions of scripture references, and I want you to find out where in the bible they are and bring them in to share with us. I have kept my eyes open, and here’s what I found in the last few weeks:
§ In a catalog, I found this ad for a “Moses Basket” baby carrier. I bet the got the name for that baby carrier from the story of Moses in the bulrushes!
§ In the D&C, I found a listing for the “Loaves and Fishes” personal chef service. I wonder if that chef could feed 5,000 people from 5 loaves and two fishes like Jesus did in that familiar Bible story!
§ In Newsweek, I found this article that says we could resume “Idol Worship” do you think God meant Paula Abdul in the ten commandments??
§ Another article in the D&C just after that rainstorm a few weeks ago talks about people who performed “good Samaritan” duty, just like the main character in that wonderful parable.
§ This one was just in the paper on Friday. Seeing all those people who had to leave Texas last week made me think of the Exodus, too.
§ My favorite is the write up of gourmet sea salts called, “Lot’s Wyfe”. It makes a lot of sense, but only if you know that in Genesis, there was a man named Lot whose wife was turned into a pillar of salt!
Now these are just a few that I found in the last few weeks—I bet that you can find a lot more! And when you do, bring in a copy of what you’ve found with a scripture reference to go with it, and I will put them on the big bulletin board in the education building.

So what do you think, sleuths, are you up to the challenge?

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Help us to search for your word
And be with us this week
In all that we do.
Amen.

Children’s Message Rally Day—September 11, 2005

2005-09-14T12:16:00.000-05:00

What a great day today is!! Although I love summer, I always look forward to this time of year when everything gets going again. So much is going on! We have the start of Sunday School today, plus the rally day picnic. For the whole month of September, we are asking the children and anyone else to save their quarters for our French” quarter drive for Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts. In October we have the all church get away weekend and the start of Qabats, plus much, MUCH more! It is an exciting time of year!

Yesterday, I was here at church leading orientation for all of our Sunday School teachers, and let me tell you, they are a GREAT group! They all told me how excited they were to be teaching all of you. In just a few minutes, you will all go down and meet your teachers. Next week, we will commission our teachers during this time in worship. Commissioning our teachers is when we take time in worship to ask the teachers to do their best to care for you all on behalf of the whole congregation. We also pray for them in their important work.

I was thinking about that yesterday, and I thought that maybe it would be neat to kind of commission our children, too.

The Children’s Ministry committee worked a lot last spring and over the summer to come up with some guiding words for children’s ministry—words that describe how we hope our children will be, so suing these words, “the 5 C’s”, I thought we could do something kind of like a commissioning for you. When I ask you a question, you can answer with, “We will”.
Will you be Cooperative with teachers and peers?
Will you be Careful with the bodies, feelings and resources of yourselves and others?
Will you be Considerate of All God’s children?
Will you be Contributing by sharing your gifts by participating in class?
Will you be Curious and willing to lean new things?

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
Be with us this year in Sunday school,
Help us to learn the stories of our faith,
And strengthen our friendships.
Amen.

Hurricane Katrina Children's sermon

2005-09-01T13:48:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, September 4, 2005
French Quarters

Well, friends, I need to call on you, my best mission fund raisers with a new challenge.

If you watched the news at all this week, I bet that you were as sad as I was as you heard about all of the destruction that Hurricane Katrina caused in the states around the Gulf of Mexico this week. And just like last time, as soon as it happened, I started to wonder what our church might be doing to help. I got some phone calls and e-mails from families wondering how we might work together to help the people in New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana, and parts of Mississippi and Alabama and Florida.

I checked with church world services (the people who we did all of our health kits through after the tsunami) to see if they needed health kits for the hurricane, but what I found out is that this time, money is really what will be the most helpful.

And I knew that we could bring in money, and I hope that everyone at Third Presbyterian Church is able to contribute a little bit of money, but I wanted to make a special challenge for the kids. So I thought. Now I have been to New Orleans a few times, and it is a beautiful, wonderful city, so I thought about New Orleans, and the wonderful things about it—the music, the food, the French quarter—hey, the most famous, historic part of the city of New Orleans is called the French quarter! Maybe if we collected quarters, it would be a way to be thinking of New Orleans while we did it, so that, my friends, is what we are going to do.

Get out your piggy banks, take back those cans in the garage, look under all your couch cushions, and bring as many quarters as you can find into church during the month of September. We will send all the money that we collect to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and they will use it to help their partners to help out in New Orleans, and all of the other places in that region that were hit by the hurricane.

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
Please be with the people affected by Hurricane Katrina
Be with those who have lost special people
Be with those who have lost special possessions
Be with those who are trying to help others out,
And help us to do the same.
Amen.

Children's Sermon--August 14, 2005

2005-08-16T07:25:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Different—but the same (Matthew 15:21-28)

Before I talk to you today, I want you to take a moment and think of a person who you would describe as being “the same” as you. OK. Hold that thought in your mind while I tell you this story. . .

About 8 years ago, I worked with a partner of the Presbyterian Church in England. While I was there, I lived in the dorms of a missionary training college. Throughout the year, people came and went as they were studying and preparing to go out and do mission work. It was an international dorm, so there were people from over 40 countries there, so I got to know lots of different people.

One man that I will always remember is Do-Young, a pastor from Korea. One night as we were sharing our stories, I mentioned that I was a Presbyterian. Do-Young looked at me and said, “You are a Presbyterian?? Then we are the same!” Turns out he was a Presbyterian too.
Now I don’t know what you thought about when I asked you to think of a person who is the same as you, but before that conversation, I wouldn’t have described Do-Young as the same as me. He was a man, he was 15 years older, he was from Korea. . . but we were both Presbyterians, so he was right, in one very important way, we were the same!

Now, when Rev. Wilkinson reads the scripture later, you will hear another story about Jesus and a woman who was different from him. I want you to listen to how that story ends, and talk with your parents or the grown-ups that you came with today about what Jesus might have learned from that woman.

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
We thank you for the ways that you make us unique
And we thank you for the ways we are the same
Help us always
To respect and care for each other. Ame

Children's sermon--July 24, 2005

2005-07-26T07:50:00.000-05:00

Children’s Sermon
Sunday, July 24, 2005
The Parable of the Leaven—Matthew 13:33

So all week, I have been thinking about rice krispy treats. I think it is because I have been wanting to make something sweet and cookie-ish, but it has been so hot, that I haven’t wanted to warm up the kitchen--so rice krispy treats seemed like the perfect treat to me.

Now, I have also been thinking about today’s scripture and how I was going to talk with you all about it. Today, we get a whole bunch of parables--6 to be exact. I’d like to read you one of them: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

Do you know what yeast is used for? It is used to make bread rise. As I was reading this parable, I pictured a woman working really hard at kneading a hunk of dough, working all of that leaven through it.
And because I was hungry for rice krispy treats, I thought about how much work it takes to mix the krispies into the marshmallow.

So here’s what I came up with. . . Without yeast, bread would just be a sticky flat dough. Without the marshmallows, there would be no “treat”--only a bowl of dry cereal. They become a part of each other. I think that is how God works in us as Christians. Can you imagine if someone handed you a rice krispy treat and asked you to take out all of the marshmallow? You couldn’t do it. Maybe it is the same with us. Being a Christian is just a part of us--mixed into who we are so much that we cannot separate the Christian from the rest of us.

In the Presbyterian Brief Statement of Faith, the last line states, “We rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God Through Christ Jesus our Lord.” AMEN!!

Let’s Pray:

Loving God
We are thankful that you are a part of us
and we pray
that you remain in us--
now and always.
Amen.

Children's seermon--Jacob's Ladder/Prayer Rock

2005-07-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

So, as you can see by the time of this post, I have had a lot of difficulty with this children's sermon. The first reason is that it has been rather chaotic at work, so I wasn't asked to do the children's sermon until Thursday afternoon just after 3pm (I leave around 3:15 and don't work on Fridays, so we started out this sermon under the wire!!). In my pastor's defense, he very kindly offered me the option to do or not to do this sermon, but I wanted to do it, so though it would be easy to blame him, I won't.

The last children's sermon I did was fine, but I couldn't help but feel that I am really wanting to get back to a scriptural basis to sermons. I guess this touchy-feely (but ultimately kind of fluffy) general "be a good Christian" variety of children's message was making me feel kind of blah.

So that was one hurdle. With Jacob's ladder as the text for the week, it seemed to me to be a story rich with themes to tackle with kids. That brings me to my second issue--the kids. Every summer, I seem to forget that in the summer, it seems that families who are constrained by the school schedule disappear during breaks. That leaves us with group of mostly pre-school kids, and finding a message for a mostly pre-school audience is not easy.

So, with those 50 disclaimers firmly in place, this is what I have come up with--

Children’s Sermon, July 17, 2005
Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:11-22)—Prayer Rock

So did everyone have a good sleep last night? What do you sleep with? Raise your hand if you sleep with a stuffed animal or special blanket. How about a pillow? How about a rock? No one sleeps with a rock? Me neither! I love big fluffy pillows, so I don’t think I’d like to sleep with a rock! The reason I was thinking about sleeping with rocks is because of the Bible story that we are looking at in worship today. We will be hearing about the story of Jacob’s ladder. This story is about a very special dream that Jacob had, where he saw a ladder that led up to God, and in this dream, God blessed Jacob’s descendants. When Jacob went to sleep the night that he had this dream, he slept with a rock, and in some versions of the Bible, they say that he used it as a pillow. After he woke up, to remember his special dream, Jacob set that stone on a pillar and anointed it.

So, I wanted to think about a way that we could use a rock to help us remember that special dream. I remembered a poem that I had seen years ago about a prayer rock. This poem, using the rock, helps remind us to pray before bed (by leaving the rock in your pillow to “bonk” you in the head) and in the morning (by leaving the rock on your floor to step on).

So I hope that this prayer rock helps you to do two things:
1) remember to take time in the morning and evening to say a prayer to God, and
2) to remember the story of Jacob’s dream about the ladder up to God where Jacob used a rock as a pillow.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Be with us when we are awake
Be with us in our dreams as we sleep
Help us to remember your stories
And to pray always.
Amen.

* * *

Below is the poem that I used. I had used it years ago at a former church and had no idea where it came from, but with the magic wand I call "google" I found it on my first try. I did "clean-it up" a bit--especially the last stanza where I made the language more inclusive (removing the male pronouns for God) and changing the "you" in lines 2 &3 of that stanza to "us".

Prayer Rock Poem
(Author Unknown)
I'm your little prayer rock
and this is what I'll do.
Just put me on your pillow
'til the day is through.

Then turn back the covers
and climb into your bed,
and, whack! your little prayer rock
will bump you on the head.

Then you will remember
as the day is through,
to kneel and say your prayers
as you intended to.

Then when you are finished
toss me on the floor.
I'll stay there through the nighttime
to give you help once more.

When you get up next morning,
clunk! I stub your toe,
so that you will remember
your prayers before you go.

Put me back upon your pillow
when your bed is made,
and your clever little prayer rock
will continue in your aid.

Because our God in heaven
cares and loves us so,
God wants us to remember
to pray each day, you know.

Children's sermon--July 3, 2005

2005-07-06T07:52:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
Sunday, July 3, 2005

So this spring, there have been two things that I have been working on:
The first is that I have been trying to get my mess of a garden back into shape. Last year we were so busy, we didn’t have time to do anything--we hardly weeded, we didn’t add any new plants, we didn’t prune off the dead flowers at the end of the season, so this year we have paid BIG TIME.

The second has been to do some preparation for a course that I was supposed to take in a few weeks. The classes were going to be all day, every day, for 5 days, and to prepare for it, we were supposed to work through the Bible with this big thick book.

So guess what? This week I got a call telling me that they had to cancel the class. Now I was first off very disappointed, because I really wanted to take this class--I had been planning on it since fall. My second thought, I am a little embarrassed to admit, was, “I wasted all that time doing the work!” I quickly reminded myself that taking time regularly to spend time reading, studying and learning about the Bible is far from a waste of time.

I got to thinking about my other springtime activity--my garden. If I had spent the time on it regularly last year, I wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed now.

I think our faith is a lot like a garden. It is full of beautiful plants and flowers, but like our garden, your faith won’t grow very well on its own. Just like we set time aside to care for the things that grow around us, we need to set time aside for the things that grow within us.

So I hope that is what you will do this week. Read your Bible or a Bible story book. Make up a new prayer or a new grace to say at dinner. As you look around your gardens at home, think about why God may have created each plant.

As for me, even though I don’t have to finish my assignments for my cancelled class, I think I’m going to do it anyway--I’m going to think of it as plant food for my faith.

Let’s pray:
Loving God
Help us to remember
To care for our spirits
Help us to learn and grow
In our faiths this week.
Amen.

Children's sermon--Ordinary time

2005-06-15T12:56:00.000-05:00

Wow--it has been a long time since I have added a post. Because of the end of the year, there have been lots of recognitions, etc, that have eaten into children's sermon times, or had other program staff members giving them.

Here is one from a few summers ago that I liked for the lull that many churches face in the summer. . .

Children Sermon
(Originally delivered August 24, 2003)

Good morning boys and girls! Do you know what today is? It is the 21st Sunday in ordinary time! Did anyone buy me a present? Is anyone going home for a fancy dinner tonight with a nice ham and all the family around?

Ordinary time. Its name alone doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? In the church we have seasons just like we do in life. What are some of the seasons of the church? (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany Lent, Easter, Pentecost. . . ) For over half of the year we are in ordinary time as a church. Ordinary time is the phrase that they use to describe the time when there is no specific season happening.

I think days like today kind of feel like ordinary time. It is the end of a relaxing summer. Lots of long days of playing outside or sitting out in the sun. Everyone’s looking ahead a few weeks to when things really get going—rally day, the start of school—not much going on now, but boy, oh boy, in a few weeks, things will really get going!

Yesterday, I was listening to a CD, and the singer sang a song with this chorus, “There’s no time like the present, there’s no present like time.” * And I thought about it. There is no time like the present. No tome like now—today, right now. . . and no present like time. I thought about that too. I have gotten some great presents in my life, but some of the most wonderful gifts I have gotten were when people I loved spent time with me—like when my mom was really busy but she stopped everything to play a board game with me when I was little, or when I got a few hours to spend with a friend who had moved away when she was visiting.

Special days like Christmas and Easter are really wonderful, but if we didn’t have ordinary days—ordinary time, they wouldn’t feel quite as special. So today, I am thankful for the present of time—the present of ordinary time.

Let’s pray:
Dear God,
Thank you for Special days. . . . . . .And thank you for ordinary days.
Help us to remember that every day . . . . . . .Is a gift from you
Amen.

*From the David LaMotte Live CD, "Good Tar"

Children's message for May 29, 2005

2005-05-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
May 29, 2005
The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:18-28)

I have been thinking about rules a lot lately. In the Children’s Ministry committee, we are thinking about rules for our classes for next year. At home, I am trying to teach my daughter who is only 1½ some rules. One thing I’ve realized is that the problem with rules is getting people to remember them.

Raise your hand if you have rules in your house. . . what about school?

Now most teachers in schools, and lots of parents at home post the rules. They put them on the bulletin board or refrigerator. Does that happen in your schools and homes? Even driving to work today, I saw rules posted on the road. Stop. Speed limit, 55 MPH. No parking.

OK, so what about the Bible. Are there rules in that? Probably the most well known are some that God gave to Moses—the ten. . . (hopefully kids will fill in with “commandments”) In addition to the ten commandments, God gave the people many other important rules that built on those commandments. Today, I want to share some rules with you from the book of Deuteronomy that are called the Shema.

The Shema tells us that we should love the Lord with all of our HEART and all of our SOUL and all of our MIGHT.

God wanted the people to remember these laws, and god gave them ideas of how to do it—
God said, write them on your doorposts
Tie them to your wrists and forehead
Teach them to your children
Talk about them all the time!!

And I thought, what a great idea! Maybe we would remember to love the Lord with all our heart and soul and might in a different way if it were on our doors or our wrists or our foreheads.

Now almost everywhere I go, I see people with those wonderful “live strong” bracelets that people wear to support cancer survivors. And now there are lots of others, and I thought, what if we wore bracelets with “Heart. . . Soul. . . Might” written on them? So, I have some not very fancy bracelets that I hope you’ll wear to remember the Shema. (Pass out bracelts--extra thick rubber bands on which I have written Heart, Soul and Might)

Let’s Pray:
Loving God,
Help us to love you
With all of our heart and soul and might
And help us
To remember your laws always.
Amen.

* * *
Many thanks to my colleague Rev. Rod Frohman for planting the seed for this children's sermon!

Please feel free to use or adapt this sermon. If you use it in print anywhere, please acknowledge me, Becky D'Angelo-Veitch, as the author. Thanks!

Pentecost Children's Message

2005-05-12T11:35:00.000-05:00

Children’s Message
May 15, 2005—Pentecost
“Welcome!” Acts 2:1-18

Sometimes, at big airports, as you are leaving, they have signs on the wall with the word “welcome” on it. . . only, it isn’t just the word welcome like we know it, there are other words like willkomen, bienvenue, selam, karibu, failte--words that mean welcome in other languages.

Do you think that the people who put those signs up might have done it to make people feel welcomed by being able to read welcome in their own language? Raise your hand if this sign makes you feel welcome. (Hold up a sign with Bienvenue on it) How about this one? (Hold up a sign with Karibu) This one?? (hold up a sign that says welcome). Even if a sign might make one person feel welcome, for others, it is just words. It’s nice to see familiar words—I think it makes you feel at home, don’t you?? I think it is pretty cool that airports work so hard to make sure that as many people as possible feel welcome.

There is a great Bible story that made me think of all the different words for “welcome”. It is in the book of Acts, and it is the story of Pentecost. Maybe you remember the story. It was a time shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Early believers were gathered, and the Holy Spirit blew through them like a wind. As they were filled with this spirit, they were suddenly and surprisingly able to speak in other languages, and the gathered people heard their own language being spoken.

I bet that those people who were gathered on that day felt welcomed and amazed because when they heard about God’s wonderful deeds--it was unexpectedly in their own languages. Just like someone visiting a new country, I bet those early Christians were unsure about what this whole new church was going to be like. But because of the Holy Spirit them they were amazingly able to hear in their own language.

* * *

I really liked the idea of this children's sermon, and I think it worked well to a point, but I never figured out how to get it to really hang together at the end. It worked pretty well when I did it, but it didn't quite hit the mark. Any thoughts on this one??

This children's sermon brought to you by. . .

2005-05-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

So first off, I think it is kind of funny, that due to other things going on at church, I haven't been assigned to do a children's sermon since I started this blog.
(That is just an aside, now to the real post. . .)

THE CHILDREN'S SERMON AS COMMERCIAL
So since it has happened twice this week that someone has suggested using the children's message time as a commercial for some event at church, it seems as though I'd better use my space here to talk through why this bothers me so much.

Let me first say, that the people who asked me to do these "ad" children's sermons, are good, well grounded people who I both like and respect. All parties were very understanding when I said that I wasn't comfortable with using that time to "plug" an upcoming activity.

I do think that there are times when children's sermons are great opportunities to get information to the kids or to build excitement around a new project or program. It is when things are aimed more at talking to adults than kids that I start to get a little nervous about the use of this time.

I know that adults "listen in" on children's sermons. I'm glad that they do, and I am very grateful when people share that a sermon has been meaningful to them or spoken to them, but I am a wee bit protective about the three minutes when the kids are gathered up at the front steps. When I am preparing my children's sermons, I usually spend some time in silent prayer reflecting on the idea, "what do I want the kids to take away from this time?" Although sometimes it is program related ("I want them to be excited for our mid-week program to start"), more often, it is related to my hopes for how they will understand a story, how they will think about their faith in relation to others or how they can learn more about some aspect of their faith. It seems hard to accomplish these goals when we are simply "plugging" the next event.

So that is where I am now. We'll see what comes of these requests.

Anyone reading have any thoughts on this one?

(Actually--anyone reading?? :-))

Children's message--The Word OF God

2005-04-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

I am not doing the children's sermon this week, so I have plucked out an old one. This was the second children's sermon I gave at my current church. I gave it almost 4 years ago, but I still like the message. I like giving kids something to search for in the sermon, giving them a listening point, so if you decide to adapt this one, have fun looking for a little gem for the kids to link into. Although I don't do it as much as I would like to, I like to try to stimulate conversation in families. My dream would be for families to compare notes about worship in the car ride home, and talk about what they think about a particular idea or story well into their lunch each Sunday, so I do try to stimulate that type of conversation when I can.

Since we do not have a dedicated education hour, most of the time our children are not in worship for the majority of the service. On the day I gave this sermon, it happened to be a day when the older kids stayed in worship (which happens here on holiday weekends and in the summertime).

So anyway, here is a children's sermon. . .

Children's Sermon

The Word OF God

In worship, sometimes it is hard to follow things, isn't it? But it is OK to ask questions if you are confused, and it is a good idea to ask your parents or other adults about things after the service too.

I'd like to tell you a story. When I was a little girl, before the sermon, my minister used to say "Listen for the word of God". Only, it always sounded to me like he was saying "listen for the word God". Now, to Little Girl Becky, this meant, keep a count of how many times he said the word "God" in the sermon. I'd try my best to keep count--I kind of half expected someone to ask me how many I counted as I was leaving church!

Now, do you think that we really come to church to count words? Of course not! We come to church to try to listen for the word OF God--to hear parts of the Bible and to hear our ministers help us to understand how the Bible, the word OF God, can be meaningful in our lives.

Now, I will not ask you to count words today, but for those of you who are in worship today, I do want you to listen for something. In his sermon, Rev. Doll is going to tell a story about an Abbott (who is a very religious man) who goes to visit a very wise man who he calls a "Guru". There is something that we can learn from this story. I want you to listen very carefully and see if you can figure it out. And after church, be sure and talk with your parents or another adult about what we can learn from this story. And for those of you who are going to Sunday School, your parents and brothers and sisters will have to pay extra special attention to the sermon so that they can tell you about the story too!

Let's Pray:
Lord, thank you for bringing us here today. . .
To hear your word to us. . .
in worship or Sunday School.
Amen.

I hope that this children's sermons is be helpful to you, and if you do use it, I ask that you list my name only if it appears in written form anywhere.

Three strikes to an awful Children's Sermon

2005-04-21T13:46:00.000-05:00

Over the years, we have all given and heard children's sermons that were just not on the mark. Sometimes you can put your finger on it, other times, you can't quite figure it out, but something was just wrong.

So here, I offer my big 3. The "no-nos" for writing (0r delivering) a children's sermon. I have made all of these blunders, but hope sincerely that in naming them, I will do my best to avoid them in the future, and perhaps others will too!

So here they are, in no particular order. . .

1) Preaching the "It looks like a monkey, but I know it is supposed to be Jesus" children's sermon
The wife of a former pastor I worked with, told me this great story about a children's sermon where the enthusiastic worship leader held up a stuffed monkey and asked the children what it was, and the response was (as I'm sure you can guess) "Well, it looks like a monkey, but I know it is supposed to be Jesus". So the warning we can get from this little story is --be creative with object lessons (and I might also add, use them sparingly). I think object lessons are great. Visuals--GOOD! Analogies--GOOD! Concrete examples that bring the scripture to an accessible place--GOOD!!! Jesus always being the monkey (or the box, or flower, or heart) BAD. When your kids can predict how your children's message will end each week, you need some new material. )As I write this, I cringe. I don't have a lot of Jesus monkeys, but do my sermons get old?? I should find a sounding board in my congregation to be sure) .

2) It's all about ME!
We all use stories from our lives for children's sermons--and most of the time, they help our kids see our humanity and our struggles, and to see that our faith is something that we are constantly thinking about. But. . . whenever we use ourselves or our stories in our sermons, we need to remember our goals and keep our message focused towards God. As I type this, it sounds so simple that I am thinking about deleting it, but I can think of so many times when I have read a sermon as I was searching for ideas and seen the "Its all about ME!" flaw, so I leave it in.

3) Kids say the darndest things!
A profound moment in my ministry was hearing this idea expressed at an APCE conference (I apologize that I cannot remember when, or who shared this wise thought),
"Do we give Children's Messages to help our children grow in their faith and understanding, or do we give Children's messages to be amused by their antics?"

Talk about a wow moment.

We have all been in this sanctuary--The worship leader asks an innocent question, a kid gives a funny answer and the congregation erupts in laughter. One of two things happens to that kid--
a)(S)he is mortified that his/her very sincere comment has been laughed at, and feels like a fool.
b)(S)he hears the laughter, thinks, "I am the next Jerry Seinfeld" and from that day forward works to find a response to give that will elicit the peals of laughter from the "audience" as often as possible.

We need to be aware of the answers that our questions might elicit. More importantly, I think, we need to ask ourselves why we ask questions. Do we really want to hear the answers, or do we want the answer that we have in our head. Sometimes, it is good to be interactive--to let the kids show you that they do in fact know what church season we are in, or the name of the short man who couldn't see Jesus. But other times, I wonder why we ask questions. I often make it a habit not to ask open ended questions. Most weeks I have at least 70 kids up front at children's message time. It would be choas to say the least if I had to listen to every kid share what they think. I do still do it from time to time, yet every time I do, I find myself feeling bad about having to stop a kid in the middle of a story that is too long, or not call on an earnest face waving his or her arm in front of me.

I used to start my children's sermons by saying "Good Morning!". One wonderful litle boy got into the habit of replying "Good morning Becky" in a very sing-song-y manner. After a few weeks other kids joined in, and in a month or so, it sounded like how you would imagine a classroom of third graders would greet their teachers in a cheesy movie set in the 1950s. So, out went the good morning, and we were able to come back to a more worshipful feel to the children's message. That is our goal, right?

Why I started this blog

2005-04-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

So I decided to start blogging my Children's Messages.

To back track, here is who I am. . .
My name is Becky and I am a Christian Educator who works for a liberal Presbyterian Church. I have worked in CE for almost 10 years now (yikes!) and one of the joys and pains of my job is the Children's Message.

I love doing them. I like speaking in front of the congregation, I love finding that one link that will get the kids to understand the story, the angle that will make the story accessible.

I also hate doing them. Finding that idea, trying not to be trite. . . or cutesy. . . or blasphemous!

I have given some pretty good ones, and some pretty embarrassingly awful ones.

When I was new to the game, I looked through books and got some ideas, but not a lot of easy answers there. After living and working for the church in England for a year, I returned to find the internet on fire. "Great!", I thought, new opportunity--except--no editor, so lots of junk. I often read (and still do read) stuff and think, "I can do way better than that! This person thinks this Children's sermon is good??"

(Side-bar--this is risky stuff to write, since no doubt, someone will end up reading one of my sermons and think to themselves, "Holy crow--does she think that THIS children's sermon is any good????)

So, anyhow, my friend Sarah started blogging, and I found myself checking out her blog every few days and getting into it. At the same time, I once again struggled with finding a good children's sermon, and it struck me that perhaps I am not the only one with these struggles. Maybe others share my frustration. Maybe I should stop mentally criticizing others (who to their credit, at least put their stuff out there to be inspiration or fodder for others) and see if there could be some interesting sharing with other educators or pastors out there.

So that is what I think this blog will be about--my goal will be to publish at least one blog every week, hopefully a current children's sermon, but if I have not been asked to do the Children's sermon any given week, I will post an old one.

comments and dialogue are encouraged!

I hope that my children's sermons might be helpful to you, and if you do use it, I ask that you list my name only if it appears in written form anywhere.

So, this is the beginning. . .
Thanks for reading!

Children’s Message, Sunday April 17, 2005

2005-04-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

Children's Message
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Earth Day

I have a confession to make: I am not going to give the children’s message that I thought I was going to give this morning. Do you want to hear what happened?

About 2 weeks ago, I was going through an old file in my office, looking for ideas for a bulletin board and some lessons I wanted to work on for Earth day this month. In that file, I found a note about a dogwood tree that had been planted outside of the parlor windows 15 years ago, in 1990, during a big Earth Day celebration.

I was so excited, I went right down to the parlor, and looked out the window and there I saw this lovely sturdy little tree. “That must be the tree!” I thought. “What a wonderful message to share with our kids”, I thought. . . except. . . it wasn’t the tree.

I talked on the phone with the person who was the educator here at the time and found out a sad fact. The tree that they planted on that Sunday 15 years ago had died. Why? No big reason, not any one person’s fault. Summer came. People were busy. Lots of folks were out of town. Some people didn’t think it was their job to water it, others thought that someone else was doing it, so in the end, the tree died.

This is not the story I wanted to tell you, but I think it is the story I have to tell you. Why do I have to? Because it is our job to take care of our earth, and that means, it is our job to continue to take care of it and nurture it every day.

We have been given the wonderful gift of God’s creation, but also the big responsibility of caring for God’s creation.

If we recycled yesterday, we did a good thing, but we have to recycle tomorrow and next week and next month and next year to fully care for what God has given us. Long and short of it is this: we are never done.

The good news is God’s love is a love of second chances. If you left the water on while you were brushing your teeth yesterday, you have the chance to conserve water and turn off the tap while you are brushing tonight.

At our church, the old tree died, but there is a lovely tree there now—because someone thought it was important to plant a tree, and more importantly, someone thought it was important to nurture and water and prune it after it was planted.

Let’s Pray (you may repeat after me. . . ):
God of creation
Thank you for trees and all that you created
Help us to care for
The things that you have entrusted us with.
Amen.

I hope that this children's sermons is be helpful to you. If you do use it, I ask that you list my name only if it appears in written form anywhere.