Planning. 14th Sunday after Pentecost 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Proper 18 (23) Holy Cross Day. September Things to keep in mind this week

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1 Planning SAT 16 FRI 15 THUR 14 WED 13 TUES 12 MON 11 SUN 10 14th Sunday after Pentecost 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Proper 18 (23) Holy Cross Day Sunday, September 10 Saturday, September Things to keep in mind this week Planning ahead September 2017 S M T W T F S August 2017 S M T W T F S October 2017 S M T W T F S Revised Common Lectionary (Year A) Exodus 12:1 14 Psalm 149 Romans 13:8 14 Matthew 18:15 20 Seasons of the Spirit is based on the semicontinuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary Liturgical colour: green If you have Internet access, visit to access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage. Ecumenical Prayer Calendar Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

2 Pentecost Focus scripture Exodus 12:1 14 Additional scriptures Psalm 149 Romans 13:8 14 Matthew 18:15 20 Seasons of the Spirit is based on semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary Biblical Background September 10, 2017 God of grace and justice, your presence fed and freed the Hebrew people, and your faithfulness fulfilled the promise of people and land. Be with us today to nourish and sustain our spirit and humanity for Christ s sake. Amen. Remember, Restore, Renew This session provides material for all ages. You may choose for all ages to come together for worship, learning, and serving, or meet in age-specific groups. If you meet in age-specific groups, these pages can be customized for different settings. Community is formed in ritual, learning, service, and worship. The Hebrew people received God s grace and compassion in the gift of the Passover and in remembering this experience of liberation. Today, Jesus disciples continue to remember and celebrate God s saving works in loving, disciplined, worshipping communities. Focus scripture: Exodus 12:1 14 This week s story follows after God s action to achieve the Hebrews release from Egypt through Moses repeated pleas to Pharaoh for liberty. The stories in Exodus imagine a test of the gods. In the ancient world, a diverse group of gods was thought responsible for the fate of humans. The Passover story recalls and celebrates God s identity as the one, true God who acts to save. On this first Passover, the enslaved Hebrew community prepared for an epic journey. It was to be a political journey, from slavery to freedom. It also was to be a journey toward community culture and identity. At the beginning of the journey, the Hebrews were a diverse people. After receiving God s law at Sinai (Exodus 19 20), they became a people in a covenant relationship with God. By the end of the journey recounted in Exodus, the Hebrews were established as Israelites. Subsequent generations remembered Passover through worship. The account in Exodus 12 was likely recorded and shaped during the Israelites later exile in Babylon ( BCE). It reflects how Israelite priests regulated worship through ordinances (v. 14). The ways to select and prepare the lamb and dispose of unusable parts are detailed. Directions about cooking the meat and making sure everyone participates are very particular. Instructions about using the blood are specific. These instructions helped to maintain the form of the annual Passover worship and ritual. In telling the Passover story each year, the Israelites remembered their identity. Ritual and worship worked together to renew and restore the people. Blood painted onto the frames of the house doorways was a sign of hope for a restored relationship with God. Blood did not save. When God saw this sign, the tenth plague passed over that household. God s liberating justice revealed who God was. God saved. The deaths of Egyptians were due to Pharaoh s persistent injustice. To give life, God did not require life to be taken. God s creating and saving acts meet in this story. Israelite time and all remembrance festivals begin from this first Passover (vv. 2, 14). This sense of starting again recalls creation. Also, people often recognize cataclysms such as devastating earthquakes, storms, or acts of war as times of new beginnings. Immediately after the Passover meal and final plague, God leads the Hebrews out of Egypt toward a new life in a new land. Passover is associated with deliverance. God keeps God s promise to save and restore. In the Passover, the community of Hebrews experienced God s restoration and renewed relationship. In Psalm 149, the psalmist remembers such mercy and expresses praise for being God s people. Paul, in Romans 13:8 14, reminds readers of what it means to live as God s people. Relationships with one another and with those outside the community are to be guided by Jesus interpretation of God s law. In Jesus time, God s presence was closely linked with well-disciplined communities. In Matthew 18:15 20, Jesus teaches that God s forgiveness is never limited. God always seeks lost ones with compassion. When Christian communities live by Jesus words, God s glory shines through. God s deliverance restored and renewed the Hebrew people; later they remembered this gift in Passover worship. In what ways does your community proclaim what God has done in your lives? What rituals help your church remember and celebrate God s promise and purpose? 44 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

3 Reflection and Focus September 10, 2017 Reflecting on the Word Adapt and use for youth and adult studies, sermon seeds, lay worship teams. Materials Pentecost paper plates, pencils, pens article: Show Me Your Precious Ones (in the RCL Extra Resources folder.) Connecting with life Reflect on meals that have been special to you. What was the occasion? Who was there? What was served? Write or draw a memory of a special meal on a paper plate. What elements make a meal special or memorable? Scripture Note the chapter headings in Exodus chapters Note that these first chapters include accounts of how the Hebrew people were oppressed by the Egyptians, God s call to Moses and Aaron, and Pharaoh s refusal to grant freedom to the Hebrew slaves. Exodus 12:1 14 What are the key elements of the meal the Hebrews were to eat before leaving Egypt? What aspects of this meal suggest it is to be a symbol of God s liberating love at work in their lives? What does the provision for the people who lived alone, or who were poor suggest to you about God s intent for the community? What does this text suggest about the role of the meal for future generations? What do you think is the significance of the commands in Exodus 12:2, 14? The meal of this Passover event became an annual practice for the Hebrew people and is still observed by Jews today. Read Show Me Your Precious Ones. What do Jewish people recall about God s actions and their relationship with God as they remember these Exodus stories? For Christians, Communion draws ritual from the biblical account of Jesus last meal with the disciples, a meal they shared during their observance of Passover. One account of this meal is in Matthew 26: What is the role of Communion in the worship life of your church? In what way does your ritual reflect the way you understand your relationship with God? Romans 13:8 14 Paul reminds readers of what it means to live as God s people. What insight into God s promise and purpose do you gain from Paul s words? Matthew 18:15 20 For Christians, relationships are to be guided by Jesus interpretation of God s law. How might forgiveness embody God s liberation for an individual? for a community of disciples? Connecting scripture and life God s deliverance restored and renewed the Hebrew people; Jews today commemorate this gift in Passover observance. What rituals help your church remember and celebrate God s promise of new life and liberation? How might God be calling you and your church to embody God s liberating ways? Focus for Worship, Learning, and Serving For all ages, family celebrations that focus on a meal often are well-remembered because of the spirit of the occasion. They are memorable because of the stories that are shared and the relationships that are celebrated. They are recalled for the emotions that elevate people s spirits. The sense of occasion of a shared meal can enthuse and encourage nourishing and sustaining personal and communal effort. When have you participated in a celebration of life and relationships that empowered you or nourished your spirit? In Exodus 12:1 14, the focus passage for this week, the practice of hospitality the disposition of the heart of God s law to all humankind and the inclusive grace of God come together in the Passover event and the last meal the Hebrew people ate as Egypt s slaves. Because Jesus was celebrating Passover on the night he instituted Communion, this meal may seem familiar for some, yet also unfamiliar. These two meals are different. How will you honour the integrity of each? As you prepare, reflect on God s grace that comes to us in meals and celebrations. Also consider how rituals are important to children, young people, and adults, just as the rituals of the Passover celebration are to Jews today. Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

4 This session provides material for all ages. You may choose for all ages to come together for worship, learning, and serving, or meet in age-specific groups. If you meet in age-specific groups, these pages can be customized for different settings. Prepare Gather Worship Outline September 10, 2017 Remember, Restore, Renew NOTE: All of these suggestions are mere starting points; adapt, delete, and add according to your local needs. Recruit volunteers required for worship: four for the gather, three for the call to worship (optional). Music Suggestions Choose an option for hearing Exodus 12:1 14. For the Bible story, invite a storyteller to present the story We Be Still and Know Remember on p. 49. For the reading with two voices, John Bell, Graham Maule; Seasons Songbook, vol. 6 invite two readers. Bring items for setting the worship space during the gathering and call to worship: Bible, candlestick, pitcher of juice/wine, chalice, and a basket of unleavened bread. If possible, bring song We Come to the Hungry Feast (Seasons Songbook, vol. 6, #22 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 6. Printed music and recording are also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, Bring song Be God s (Seasons Songbook, vol. 9, #3 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 9. Printed music and recording are also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, www. seasonsonline.ca). Choose and set stations as described on pp While an instrumentalist plays a song, such as We Come to the Hungry Feast, have various people come from different parts of the worship space to prepare a table up front. Bring in a candlestick, pitcher of juice/wine, a chalice, and a basket of unleavened bread. When the table is set, sing your chosen song. Call to worship One: We step into this new day listening to God s great story. (Place Bible on the table.) We make ready for God s freedom. We step into new purposes for the church with the light of God before us. (Light the candle.) All: We make ready for God s freedom. One: We step into new purposes for our lives as we taste God s reminders of hope. (Pour juice into the chalice and unwrap the bread.) All: We make ready for God s freedom. In Full Flight Sean Gilbert, Jill Scott; Seasons Songbook, vol. 6 We Come to the Hungry Feast Ray Makeover; Seasons Songbook, vol. 6 We Are Marching in the Light of God/Siyahamba South African; Seasons Songbook, vol. 4 Camina, Pueblo de Dios/Go Forth, O People of God Cesareo Gabarain Go My Children with My Blessing John L. Hoh, Jr. God of Grace and God of Glory Harry Emerson Fosdick We Shall Not Give Up the Fight South African Who Am I? Linnea Good A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at Click on Library; Seasons Music Information. Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate. Opening prayer Great God, we move into this time and space with our sight and sense of smell, with our listening and our touch, with our hearts and our minds, so that we may live inside your stories. Help us remember who we are as your children as we celebrate the purpose you give us as your people. Amen. Prayer of confession Great Restorer of Life, we are disappointed when we try to understand who we are by the things we accomplish, or the things we own, or the labels others give us. So we return to you and ask you to give us a sense of what you have created us to be. 46 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

5 Worship Outline September 10, 2017 Help us find a common identity in the stories of your mighty works so that we can remind one another of who we are in your name. Amen. Opening the word Matthew 18:15 20 After the reading, invite people to imagine a table of reconciliation being set for them. Who might be at the table with you? What would you like to say to him or her? Imagine the witnesses Matthew speaks of in verse 18:16. How might they contribute to the conversation? Moving into the focus scripture Invite people to tell about ways they remember important events in life, such as celebrating holidays, weddings, births, baptisms. Reflect on important moments that are remembered through photographs taken. Refer to the Communion table and how we remember the life of Jesus whenever we observe the sacraments. Draw attention to the candle on the table and explain that we remember God s presence with us by lighting candles in worship. Conclude by saying that when we remember in these ways we get new ideas and new After proclaiming the word, you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations, taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice. Sing or listen a song such as Be God s as people gather again (Seasons Songbook, vol. 9, #3 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 9. Printed music and recording are also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, Prayers of the people Holy One, you are the one who not only creates the day but frees us from all false ways. Restore us through the rituals our tradition has given us: the ways of prayer, the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, our worship together, our reading scripture in community. Engage Respond Words of affirmation Sing to the Holy One a new song! Praise God with dancing, with tambourine and lyre. God takes pleasure in all God s people, offering forgiveness, hope, and a way, when it seems there is no way. Let us live in God s freeing presence. Thanks be to God! energy to live as God s children. We draw God s love close to us as we seek to follow in the way of Jesus. Exodus 12:1 14 Choose from the following for hearing the focus story. Bible story Have a storyteller present the story We Remember on page 49. Reading with two voices One: Read 12:1 4. Two: Read 12:5, 6. One: Read 12:7, 8. Two: Read 12:9 14. After the focus scripture Invite children, young people, and all who wish to proceed to the stations. Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word. Give us the tools to build trust among one another so that we can find our common story, and find a common purpose for the church. Lead us, God, to risk conversations and actions that can restore relationships rather than letting it be to each one s own. We long for restoration in so many things: from our distance from you, from addictions and consumption, from lost purpose and loneliness, from domestic violence and global aggression, from economic and racial injustice, from worship of idols like body image, success, and time. (Add specific intentions of your community.) Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

6 Help us to build the community we truly need by sharing your story, rehearsing our tradition, and reaching out to others in the freedom you have given us. You are a sign of God s freedom. Go now in the Spirit of God. Create a holy place wherever you go. You are a sign of God s freedom. Bless Worship Outline September 10, 2017 Prayer of dedication Bind us together in your purposes, Creator, that we may agree on the faithful use of these offerings to bring peace and healing. May we remember your presence within these very gifts. May we restore our hope in you. May we renew your church in compassionate action. Special Day Commentary September 14 Holy Cross Day Several traditions are connected with this observance. One focuses on St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. While Helena was overseeing some evacuations in Jerusalem she found what was believed to be Jesus cross. On September 14, 335 CE, a basilica was dedicated on the site of Jesus tomb, the Shrine of the Holy Sepulchre. Other traditions claim that Constantine himself found the cross. 48 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

7 Bible Story September 7, 2014 We Remember We Remember Bible Story September 10, 2017 Based on Exodus 12:1 14 Based on Exodus 12:1 14 A long time ago, the Hebrew people lived in Egypt. The ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh, did not like the Hebrew people because Pharaoh was afraid of them. Pharaoh made the Hebrew people work very hard as slaves. Pharaoh did not treat the Hebrew people very well. God sent Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt, away from Pharaoh. First, Moses tried to talk to Pharaoh, to persuade him to let the Hebrew people go. Pharaoh wouldn t listen. Pharaoh wanted to keep all the slaves working hard forever. But God told Moses to get the people ready anyway, because it was time to leave Egypt. And Moses did just what God said. Imagine that you are one of the Hebrew people: tired and sore from working hard under the hot sun, worried about Pharaoh, ready for some good news This is what God told Moses to tell the people: Today is a very important day. Today we get ready to leave Egypt. Today God will persuade Pharaoh to let us go. Every family should get some lamb to roast for tonight s evening meal. If your family is small, get together with your neighbour and share. When you prepare the meat for cooking, put a dab of blood from the meat on the doorpost of each house. When you are preparing the food, don t use yeast in your bread because we won t have time to wait for the bread to rise. Make flatbread. We won t have time to lounge around. Eat the meal with your travelling clothes and sandals on; keep your walking stick in your hand. Get ready in just this way. Tonight God will pass through the land of Egypt, to protect everyone in every home that has the special dab of blood on the door. Tonight, God will persuade Pharaoh to let us leave Egypt. Remember this important day. Celebrate it as a festival to God. Tell this story in just this way over and over again to your children so they will remember God s love and protecting care for us. The Hebrew people listened to Moses good news, and did just as Moses said. That very night, God persuaded Pharaoh to let the people go. And every year since then, the Hebrew people have told this story, and eaten lamb and flatbread to remind them of God s love and care. A recording of this story is available in MP3 format in the RCL Audio Stories folder. Bible story Materials recording of today s story We Remember (available in MP3 format in the RCL Audio Stories folder), player, paper, crayons, pencils, and a copy of the directions displayed Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc where all can see; alternatively, arrange for a storyteller to present the story The practice of storytelling Directions A recording of this story is available in MP3 1. Listen We Remember. formatto available at RCL Audio Stories. 2. Passover is a celebration that remembers God s liberation of the Hebrew people. Draw some of the symbols that you Seasons associate with celebrations of remembrance. of the Spirit SeasonsFUSION Pentecost Younger children Draw pictures of the Hebrew children and their parents sitting down to share the Passover meal together. Suitable for ages 3 11 Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

8 Living, Learning, Growing as Disciples The following stations might be set up around your worship space or in other places around the church. Choose one or more practices, depending on your space and numbers. Display the directions. Stations September 10, 2017 For your convenience, instructions are formatted for printing and available in the RCL folder. See pages for age group ideas for gathering together, and the focus story. This week s focus scripture is the story of Passover and the liberation of the Hebrew people from Egypt s oppression. God has saved them from Pharaoh. And God wants them to remember this moment. With a meal and painting their doorposts, the first Passover is celebrated. The ritual continues to this day and symbolizes hope and new beginnings. We are called to remember and continue God s work of liberation in our own communities Hanging hope Materials four inexpensive cork coasters (approximately 10 cm/4 in square) for each person (you might also cut out pieces of heavy card stock or another substantial paper to use instead of coasters); decorative, patterned paper; recycled magazines; stencils in different fonts for the letters h,o,p,e (or instead of stencils, paint, and so on you might purchase large letter stickers that will fill the coasters); pencils; scissors; glue; paint; paintbrushes; small cups filled with water; hole punch; string or ribbon, and a copy of the directions displayed where all can see. Suitable for ages 5 14 Digging deeper Materials Internet access and computers or tablets (people can also use their personal tablets or smartphones), pens and pencils, paper for journal writing, copies of the resource sheet, Modern-Day Slavery (in the RCL Extra Resources folder), personal journals, and a copy of the directions displayed where all can see The practice of creativity Directions 1. Cover four coasters or pieces of card with the patterned paper, wrapping paper, or pieces of recycled magazines. 2. Next, draw the letters h,o,p,e on your four coasters and use the paint to either trace the outline or paint the letters in. 3. Punch two holes at the top and bottom of each coaster -- evenly spaced on each one. Use pieces of string or ribbon to connect the letters vertically to spell hope. You can use the glue to tack down the ribbon on each coaster and create some space between the letters. Create a loop of string or ribbon at the top of hope for a hanger. 4. Think about how the Hebrew people longed for God to free them from slavery. Imagine how hopeful they felt when they painted their doorposts on the first Passover. When have you had hope like that hope that God would save you from a situation? If the setting allows, talk about this question with the other people at this station. Younger children Help younger children create a hope door hanger. Ask them to think about things that they look forward to or hope for (birthdays, holidays, visiting friends, going to school, etc.). The practice of social action Directions 1. Follow the instructions on the resource sheet, Modern-Day Slavery. Suitable for ages 12 adults 50 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

9 Stations September 10, 2017 God s presence Materials tealight candles, a tall pillar candle, two taper candles, matches, a large plate, cloth or a placemat, paper for journal writing, pens and pencils, personal journals, and a copy of the directions displayed where all can see Suitable for all ages New beginnings banner Materials coloured index cards (approximately 12.5 cm/5 in square), or pieces of colourful card stock about that size); string or yarn; scissors; coloured pencils; felt-tipped markers; hole punch; personal journals; and a copy of the directions displayed where all can see. Suitable for all ages The practice of remembering Directions 1. Take a few moments to calm yourself with some deep breaths. Become aware of God s presence around you. 2. Light the tall pillar candle. 3. Remembering how God was present with the Hebrew people during their captivity and liberation, spend five minutes reflecting on these questions in your journal or on the paper provided: How have you experienced God s presence in your life? When have you felt close to God? What was happening? Who was there? 4. Now, use a taper candle and light one of the small tealights with the flame from the pillar candle. Place the lit tealight on the plate as you tell about one of the moments when God was with you. (Share that moment briefly with a phrase or sentence.) 5. After someone has shared her/his moment, everyone should say responsively, God, thank you for your presence in this moment. Option You might set up a similar station of remembering at home and reflect each day on God s presence in your life. Younger children Ask younger children to think of a time when they felt God s love very close. Help them light a candle and tell about that moment. The practice of reflection Directions 1. The Hebrew people are about to begin living as the liberated children of God. Think about the Hebrew people s opportunity for a new start after years of oppression in Egypt. Think about other examples of new beginnings that you ve seen in Scripture, the news, your congregation, and personal life. 2. Next, capture the contrast between these new beginnings and what preceded them. On index cards (one side), write a word or phrase or draw a picture to represent what s ending. On the reverse side of the index card, write a word or phrase or draw a picture to represent the new beginning. For example, on one side of a card, you might write the word slavery or draw a picture of chains and on the other side of a card you might write the word Passover or draw a picture of the painted door frames of Hebrew homes. This represents the end of the Hebrew people s bondage and their new beginning as free people. 3. Punch two holes in the top corners of each card and using the string, create a banner of these endings and beginnings. Find a place to hang the banner in your sanctuary. Younger children Ask younger children to draw a picture of how God helps people or how they or the people they know help others. Add their drawings to the banner. Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

10 Age Group Ideas Ages 3 5 Welcome each child saying, Welcome (child s name). Meet our friends, (name other children). We are so glad that you are here with us. Invite all children to help you set up the worship area by placing the green cloth, the candle, and candle snuffer, Bible, and a basket of vegetables on a small table. Encourage the children to identify the vegetables. Explain that vegetables grow on plants in the gardens and fields. Place a green ribbon around the basket, saying, Green is the colour of the Season after Pentecost. This is the season when we celebrate God s growing creation. Pray Dear God, thank you for loving each one of us. Thank you for bringing us together. Amen. Ages 6 12 Play Jesu Tawa Pano/Jesus We Are Here (Seasons Songbook, vol. 6, #14 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 6. Printed music and recording are also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, www. seasonsonline.ca). Invite the children to gather at the worship table. Light the Christ candle. Ages 3 5 Tell the Story (based on Exodus 12:1 14) Practice the responses and actions with the children before you tell the story. This is a story of hope. Encourage children to smile as they raise arms and say, God did, quietly the first time and more loudly with each stanza. Long ago in Bible times, the people were very sad. They had to work for a mean king in Egypt. The people hoped that God would help them. (Fold hands and say, God would. ) The people knew that God would save them. (Raise arms and say, God did. ) God called Moses and Aaron. God said the people must come together. The people hoped that God would help them. (Fold hands and say, God would. ) The people knew that God would save them. (Raise arms and say, God did. ) God said, Paint your doors. God said, Eat together. The people hoped that God would help them. Gathering Together Engage Resource Sheet September 10, 2017 Pray O God, we gather here to learn more about you and about how to be your community. Help us to feel your presence with us. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Connect with the focus Tell about a special way that your family celebrates an event, such as a birthday, wedding anniversary, or a holiday. If possible, bring a photograph of the celebration or an item used (such as Baptism candle, special plate) in the celebration. Ask: In what particular ways does your family celebrate important times for your family? Explain that the Bible story for today is about a special celebration of the Jewish people. This celebration reminds everyone of the wonderful way that God helped the people. Ages 13 adult Gather around the worship space, and light the candle. Invite participants to imagine they are sharing a quiet meal with God at this table: What might you talk about during the meal? Offer thanks for times you have sensed God s presence as you read in unison Psalm 149:1 4. (Fold hands and say, God would. ) The people knew that God would save them. (Raise arms and say, God did. ) God saw and heard the people, and kept them safe. God said, Remember this day. The people hoped that God would help them. (Fold hands and say, God would. ) The people knew that God would save them. (Raise arms and say, God did! ) God loved the people. The people loved God. God loves us, and we love God, too. The people hoped that God would help them. (Fold hands and say, God would. ) The people knew that God would save them. (Raise arms and say, God did! Hooray for our wonderful God! Ages 6 8 Use the story We Remember on p. 49. After the story Ask the children to go around the circle, one at a time, and name something that happens at every meal at their homes (such as take turns helping set the table, sit 52 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

11 Resource Sheet September 10, 2017 in their usual chairs, light a candle ). Invite them to participate in a familiar mealtime ritual saying grace. Use a favourite grace of your tradition, or this short grace: God of peace and justice, thank you for your many blessings and never-ending love. Amen. Ages 9 11 Set the scene Explain that today s story is about the Passover, which has two meanings. The Passover was a time that God passed over the Hebrew people s houses and then set them free. Passover is also the name of the celebration to remember how God freed the Hebrew people. Give the following brief synopsis of the events that led up to the liberation of the Hebrew slaves. The Hebrew people came to Egypt during a time of famine in their land. They were happy, at first, but things turned. A new king came to power and made the people work so hard that they were miserable. The Hebrew people called on God to help them. God heard the cries and called Moses to lead them to freedom. Moses was unsure at first, but God promised to go with the people. Moses and Moses brother Aaron went to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and told him God wanted the people to go free. Pharaoh refused to let the people go. God sent many signs to persuade Pharaoh that the people should be released, but Pharaoh still refused. When Pharaoh still refused to let the people go, God told the Hebrew people that they should prepare to leave Egypt in a hurry. They were going to be set free, and they were to be ready. On their last night in Egypt, the people were to prepare and eat a meal that would mark this amazing time when God set them free. The people were to cook and share a lamb in a special way. Some of the lamb s blood was to be placed on the outside doorposts of their houses. The blood was an outward sign on their homes that they were celebrating the meal, showed that they trusted God, and were excited to be set free. Now let s hear about the meal. Read Exodus 12:1 11 (do not include verse 12). Questions for discussion What foods were the people supposed to prepare and eat? Why were they supposed to eat that food in a hurry? How do you think the people felt during their last meal before they were set free? Why do you think the people were to hold on to their staffs even when they ate? God gave the Hebrew people a ritual to remind them to give thanks for God s help in the past and to follow God s way in the future. See stations on pages Adapt for your specific setting. Respond What is something good that you would like to remember to give thanks for? What special rituals or symbols does our church have to help us remember God s love? What symbols or rituals might we use to remind us to give thanks and follow God s way? Ages Set the scene Review the history of the Hebrew people in Egypt using the information for ages These stories can be found in full in Genesis 37 and 45, and Exodus 1 and 3. Move into the focus scripture, explain that the Passover festival is as important to Jews as Easter is to Christians. It is a major holiday in which Jewish people re-enact God rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. A critical part of this holiday is the Seder or Passover meal. Retell the story of the Passover by reading Exodus 12:1 14 After the reading, explain that the foods on the Seder plate today are the same every year, and each is a symbol of an aspect of the Hebrews time in slavery. Lamb (Pesach) represents the lamb s blood put over the doorposts as a sign of God s protecting love. Unleavened bread (Matzoh) recalls the bread made quickly without yeast for the flight from Egypt. Bitter herbs (Moror) are a reminder of the bitterness of slavery and suffering in Egypt. Green herbs dipped in salt water are a reminder of the tears of sorrow shed in captivity. A mixture of chopped apples, nuts, and wine (Horoseth) resembles the mortar used to build Pharaoh s palaces in Egypt. Wine represents life and redemption. Questions for discussion Talk about how much trust the Hebrews must have had to pack up and leave on a moment s notice and journey out into the unknown. What did the Hebrew people hope would happen to them in the coming days? What kind of faith did it take for the Hebrews to make this journey? How might faith become stronger as this story of liberation is told and retold? What is something good for which you would like to remember and give thanks? What symbols or rituals might we use to celebrate God s saving love and to help us be hopeful? Ages 15 Adult See Reflecting on the Word on p. 45. Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost

12 Activity Sheet September 10, 2017 Activity Sheet September 7, 2013 Here I Am! You are God s child with a story to tell. Use this picture to tell your story to someone special. Draw your face and hair and the clothes that you like to wear. Then, draw the weather that you like to play in and an animal that you would like to stand beside you. 54 Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFusion Pentecost Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFUSION Pentecost Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc Copyright Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2013