Ruth Is Faithful. Focus on Ruth 1:1 18. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 November 4, 2018 Proper 26 Semicontinuous Ruth 1:1 18 Ps. 146 Complementary Deut. 6:1 9 Ps. 119:1 8 Heb. 9:11 14 Mark 12:28 34 Goal for the Session Children will be introduced to the story of Ruth and Naomi and celebrate the care God offers them through other people. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Ruth 1:1 18 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, John Ahn Just as the story began with Elimelech immigrating with his family to escape famine in order to live, we see a similar new beginning for Naomi and Ruth. The journey to Judah will be a journey back for Naomi, but a first move for Ruth. Knowing something of the marginalization, bitterness, rumors, judgments, and murmurs that may await them, the two widows migrate to Judah. In essence, Ruth is willing to die to her past so that her mother-in-law and she may live anew. In doing so, she finds God s people and God. Without her willingness to move, she would not have found God or Boaz, her kinsman redeemer. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Kathleen M. O Connor Today s reading tells the story of God, hidden yet active in human life, who brings about reversals, who turns barrenness to fertility and death to rebirth. This providential, inclusive God acts through the enemy, through the one least likely to matter in the community. Matthew s Gospel includes Ruth as a foremother of Jesus in the family tree (Matt. 1:5), making Jesus the offspring of mixed race and ancestry of dubious reputation. Jesus own genealogy is a theological statement that includes the nations, the enemies of Israel, the excluded ones. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Gary W. Charles For a Moabite to set foot in Bethlehem would have been to set off all the cultural, social, and religious detectors of the time. Leaving Moab, Ruth would face the constant subtle and not-so-subtle reminders that she was not one of us. Ruth 1 begins the story of a foreign woman who refuses to allow external boundaries to prevent her from maintaining her hesed (loyalty) for her Hebrew mother-in-law. Chapter 1 of Ruth speaks with narrative power to people often constricted by some sort of social, ethnic, racial, or religious boundary. It begins a story of how God can work across and despite the most entrenched positions and established boundaries to bring new life and new hope. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Dale P. Andrews Through the care we extend to and receive from one another we encounter the gifts of God. We encounter the grace of God. God s activity has already begun in our relationships. With Ruth and Naomi, we discover that God is so intimately involved in our relationships that it is hard to reduce God s presence to a linear equation of cause and effect. God is in the extra measure of relatedness or the relationships we seek. God s power and character in the midst of human suffering are experienced in that extra measure. We experience how God nurtures relationships and what God does exponentially with the extra measure. 1

2 FOCUS SCRIPTURE Ruth 1:1 18 YOU WILL NEED green tablecloth from Sept. 2 small table or large cardboard box children s crosses (from Sept. 2) washable markers basket cross that stands battery-powered candle Bible Singing the Feast, ; CD player newsprint, markers tape, scissors copies of Resource Sheet 1 on card stock Color Pack 19, 27 For Responding option 1: copies of Resource Sheet 2 on card stock and on paper, clear tape, scissors, crayons, 9" x 12" envelopes or gallon-size zip-seal plastic bags option 2: Color Pack 19, self-adhesive magnetic tape, markers, scissors, glue sticks, construction paper option 3: large foam ball Focus on Your Teaching Greetings and partings fill children s days. They say good-bye to parents, siblings, and pets, and go to school to say hello to teachers and friends. On some days, separations are easier than on others. We all want to know that someone will be by our side, especially in hard times. Young children can experience the church as one of these places where we stick together. They can begin to see how God s love is expressed in the ways we care for one another. God of Ruth and Naomi, thank you for the gift of belonging to a faith community. Give me courage to go to foreign places, knowing that as I go, you are with me. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, make enough copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Word Cards) on card stock for you to have one of each word card and for each child to have one of the cards. Write the following on newsprint: I will where you, I will where you ; your will be my, your will be my (Ruth 1:16, CEV). Create a worship center by placing the green tablecloth on a small table or a large cardboard box. Place the standing cross, candle, Bible, basket, and the children s crosses on the tablecloth; provide extra crosses for children who do not have one. Cut out the hearts from Color Pack 19 and arrange them on the tablecloth. As children arrive, gather in a circle around the worship center. Light the candle, reminding the children that God s love is a light that shines in our lives. Say, The Lord be with you, (name), to each child, pausing for him or her to speak the response ( And also with you ) and place his or her cross in the basket. Pray aloud: Teacher: The Lord be with you! All: And also with you! Teacher: Let us pray: Be with us today, O God, as we learn more about your loving and caring ways. Amen. Invite each child to select a heart. Have them name someone who cares for them as they place their hearts around the candle. Discuss: P What are some things that family members say and do to show that they care about each other? 2

3 Be sensitive to children whose families may have had to move for economic reasons or because of a divorce or job change. Assure them that God is with them even in sad times, and that there are people who care for them in their new place. EXPLORING Gather the children for the story. Hold up your card with the word go and have the group read it aloud. Repeat with the other words: live, people, and God. Give each child a word card to hold. (It is fine for several children to have the same word.) Tell them that when you hold up a word card, the children who have the same word card should call out that word. Open the Bible to the book of Ruth, and explain that the story is about two women who lived long before Jesus was born. Tell the story using the following paraphrase: This is a story about (GOD) and (GOD) s (PEOPLE). Long ago, there (LIVE)d a woman named Naomi. Naomi had a kind husband and two wonderful sons. One day, her husband said, Naomi, we cannot (LIVE) in the land of Judah any longer. There isn t enough food! We have to (GO) to a new land. So Naomi and her family packed up and traveled to the land called Moab. In Moab they met new (PEOPLE) and made a new home. They were happy to (LIVE) in Moab. There was plenty of food. Naomi s sons got married in Moab. One married a woman named Orpah. The other married a woman named Ruth. Naomi felt blessed by (GOD). She liked Orpah and Ruth very much. But then something sad happened. Naomi s husband died. Naomi s sons died. She was so sad she wondered if (GOD) still loved her. She wanted to (GO) home, back to her (PEOPLE) in the land of Judah. She didn t want to (LIVE) in Moab any longer. Naomi packed her bags. She told Orpah good-bye. She told Ruth good-bye. But Ruth said, Take me with you! You shouldn t be alone. I will (GO) where you (GO), I will (LIVE) where you (LIVE); your (PEOPLE) will be my (PEOPLE), your (GOD) will be my (GOD). I ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy I ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, Down in my heart, down in my heart; I ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, Down in my heart to stay. God is with us, God is with us, praise ye the Lord; Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord. God is with us, God is with us, praise ye the Lord; Praise ye the Lord always. Naomi couldn t believe her ears. Ruth was going to stay with her and care for her! And so they traveled together to the land of Judah. Ruth got married again and had a baby. Naomi loved that baby very much, and was so happy that she was not alone. Ask: P Where did Naomi want to go after her husband died? P Who traveled with Naomi to the land of Judah? P Do you think Ruth was afraid to go to a new land? Why or why not? P What do you think might have happened to Naomi if Ruth had not cared for her? Read the verse written on the newsprint, having the children tape on the word cards to complete it. [I will (GO) where you (GO), I will (LIVE) where you (LIVE); your (PEOPLE) will be my (PEOPLE), your (GOD) will be my (GOD).] Encourage the children to imagine Ruth and Naomi singing with you as you sing I ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy (Color Pack 27; track 7 on Singing the Feast, ). 3

4 EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Ruth and Naomi Puzzle Creating a puzzle will give the children a visual image of the story to take home. Give each child two copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah), one on card stock and one on plain paper. Have the children use crayons to color the picture on the card stock. When they have finished, have them cut the picture apart to make a puzzle of nine or ten pieces. Caution them not to make the pieces too small. Give each child an envelope or zip-seal plastic bag for the pieces. Have them tape the plain paper copy to the outside of the envelope or bag and write their name on it. Invite them to swap puzzles with another child and work each others puzzles. As a group, talk about the question on the sheet. Encourage them to use the puzzle to tell the story of Ruth and Naomi to their families, and to discuss the question together. 2. Love to Give As Ruth cared for Naomi, God wants us to care for each other. Ask each child to choose one of the hearts cut from Color Pack 19. Give each child a half-sheet of construction paper. Show them how to fold the paper in half and then cut out a heart shape (see the illustration in the sidebar). Have learners glue the small heart from Color Pack 19 to the center of the construction-paper heart. They can decorate the border of the heart with designs or a message, such as God is love. Attach a strip of self-adhesive magnetic tape to the back of each construction-paper heart. Encourage each child to give this magnet to someone who might be glad to receive a message of God s love. 3. Memory Verse Game Ruth stayed with Naomi in good times and sad times. Children can remember this story by learning Ruth 1:16. Gather the children in a circle. Enjoy tossing and catching a foam ball. Draw the children s attention to the newsprint from Exploring with Ruth 1:16 written on it. Explain the game: The first person says, I and tosses the ball. The next person says, will and tosses the ball. Continue until you have said, I will go where you go. Add I will live where you live. Then add the last two phrases. Start over from the beginning, saying the whole verse as the ball is tossed. Comment that Naomi knew that God was caring for her through Ruth s love and faithfulness. Invite learners to name people that God has sent to care for them. CLOSING Have the children link elbows. Remind the children that just as Ruth stuck with Naomi, you stick together at church, caring for each other and helping each other. Invite the children to name ways they can care for other people at church, home, and school. Ask learners to join you in prayer, repeating each phrase: Thank you, God, for friends. / Thank you for our church family. / Help us to stick together in good times and hard times. / Amen. Offer a blessing as children leave: God bless you, (name). 4

5 November 4, 2018 Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Word Cards go people go people live God live God 2018 Westminster John Knox Press

6 November 4, 2018 Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah God cared for Naomi through Ruth s love and faithfulness. Who cares for you and shows you God s love? Thank God for each one of these persons Westminster John Knox Press