What s in All-Age Lectionary Services Year C? Sample

Transcription

1 What s in All-Age Lectionary Services Year C? Activities Bible foundations: a guide to the issues involved in at least two of the set passages for the day plus background information. Bible reading: suggestions for preparing and presenting the reading of the Bible to the congregation. Bible retelling: ideas for drama, storytelling and other suggestions for alternative ways of presenting the Bible passage. Bible talk: engaging ways to share the Bible and discover the message for today in a mixed-age congregation. Beginning the service and Ending the service: a recognition of how important these are in holding a service together. Prayer activity: creative ideas for praying in response to the message of the Bible. Prayers of intercession: suggestions for talking with God on behalf of our world in need. Prayer of confession: a guide not only to recognising our need of God s forgiveness, but also asking for forgiveness and cleansing. Helpful extras: a number of additional features including Music and song ideas, Game, Statement of faith and download suggestions. Notes and comments: further advice or background information on adapting the material for your purposes. Writers Andy Bell, Janet Berkovic, Sarah Bingham, Vanessa Cato, Matt Campbell, Andrew Chuter, Andrew Clark, Michael Dawson, Jean Elliott, Ian Gooding, Andy Gray, Nick Harding, Darren Hill, Gill Hollis, Lisa Holmes, Nigel Hopper, Mike Law, Eric Leese, Joel Lewis, Jane Maycock, Tim Norwood, Rona Orme, Amy Robinson, Sera Rumble, Hil Sewell, Matt Stone, Ali Walton, John Wilks, Pam Williams, Ro Willoughby, Robert Willoughby, Ruth Wills Website Free downloadable additional resources are presented as follows: (YearC.Proper6_3) the lectionary year, the specific Sunday and the number of the download for that day. All are available from Other resources are also available on 13

2 Trinity Sunday readings: Romans 5:1 5; John 16:12 15 Psalm 8; Proverbs 8:1 4,22 31 Bible foundations Aim: to understand that although God is far beyond our comprehension, we can see him at work John 16:12 15 is a small section of what is known as Jesus farewell discourse to his disciples. John records the conversations that Jesus had prior to his death where he spoke about particularly significant matters which his disciples needed to grasp. Part of this conversation was about the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus called the Counsellor or Advocate. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity he convicts of sin and also guides into all truth. In verses 12 15, Jesus summarises something of the complexity of the Trinity Father, Son and Spirit are separate beings and yet cooperate and serve one another; listening to each other and sharing from one another. God is beyond our understanding and all attempts to explain God fall down at some point, yet we see Father, Son and Spirit at work in different ways. Proverbs 8:1 14,22 31 express something of the role of Father and Son at creation using the metaphor of wisdom to express the creative activity of God. In addition, David reflects on God s intricate creation in Psalm 8 as he wonders how this majestic God should have time or inclination to care for mere humans! Paul seeks in Romans 5:1 5 to express something of the interaction of the Trinity in regard to our salvation. Because of faith in Jesus we are justified (made right) and therefore we can live at peace with God the Father. We are loved by the Father and the Son but we are able to experience that love because the Holy Spirit is within us, poured into our hearts (verse 5). God s work within us is a complex process that we don t always immediately recognise. Paul challenges us to rejoice in our sufferings. Often, those who have learned to respond positively to God s ways seem to have developed the most Christ-like character and the deepest hope. 175

3 176 Beginning the service With: a PowerPoint sound recording or video clips Create a PowerPoint of images that show many ways in which God reveals himself, in creation and in the way that he acts. Play it as people enter, to music such as Chris Tomlin s Indescribable. As a variation on this, film various members of the congregation over the week, talking about ways in which they feel that God has revealed himself to them, and play all the video clips on a loop as people enter the service. A third option is to play a recording of Lockridge s famous My King sermon, either along with images or by itself. (There is a choice of dozens of these on YouTube, both cut down and full-length, each set to different images or film clips, some to music.) This sermon builds in hundreds of different descriptions of Jesus, but then leads into the final section with the words, I wish I could describe him to you but he s indescribable! He s indescribable! He s incomprehensible! Wait until people are sitting down and ready to listen before playing the recording. Alternatively, hold up pictures of creation and images of God s activity such as in the created world, of parental love, of someone helping another in obvious need (see Prayer activity for more specific suggestions) or just describe them, once you have welcomed everyone. Explain that, throughout this service, we will be thinking about how indescribable and incomprehensible God is, but also about how he has chosen to reveal himself to us in so many ways, especially as we see him in Christ and the Holy Spirit. Bible reading Read John 16:12 15 with several readers, breaking up the passage into different statements about what the Spirit does. The CEV is a clear version of this. Romans 5:1 5, again using the CEV (see below), could be accompanied by a mime while the passage is read clearly and slowly. The actions in brackets happen simultaneously with the verses, and should all be smooth movements between freezeframes, rather than continuous acting. For clarity and convenience Actor 1 is referred to as he and Actor 2 as she, but they could be of either gender. By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. (Actor 1 stands with his arms out and head bowed, as if on a cross.) Christ has also introduced us to God s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. (Actor 2 enters, looks at Actor 1, then approaches him and kneels as if at the foot of the cross in worship. Actor 1 bends to embrace her.) So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. (Both actors stand and face the front, smiling, holding hands.) But that s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. (Actor 2 turns away and covers her face as if crying.) And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint

4 us. (Actor 1 reaches out and touches Actor 2 on the shoulder; she lifts her head but doesn t turn round until the next line.) All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. (Actor 2 slowly turns as Actor 1 mimes offering a gift in cupped hands. Actor 2 receives it and takes it to her heart in a single movement, finishing with hands over her heart.) Romans 5:1 5 (CEV) Bible talk With: a bag or box containing a set of objects that give clues about a person (someone well-known by people in church and who won t mind being analysed ) for example, something representing a hobby, a favourite food, a book, a piece of clothing What clues tell us about a person Produce the objects one by one, asking people to suggest what they reveal about their owner. See if anyone can guess which member of the congregation is represented! Then ask: how much do these clues really tell us about the person? What else might we want to know? What clues would there be if you were trying to describe yourself? At this point, people could split into small groups to talk about this. What clues tell us about God Explain that God has given us plenty of clues that show us something about himself. They are inevitably limited in what they reveal. Link back to the images shown at Beginning the service, or ask for ideas of the kind of clues these might be: for example, God can reveal himself to individuals through friendships, nature, experiences, verses of the Bible. Just like the clues in the bag (or box), we have to think carefully about what each of God s clues shows us about him. What God tells us about himself Now ask the person represented by the objects to join you and to comment on each object, correcting or expanding on what was said when everyone was just guessing. Thank them, and when they have sat down again, point out how much easier it is to understand the clues when the person is actually there to explain them! That is what Jesus and the Holy Spirit can do for us. Ask people to look up John 16:12 15, or show it on the screen, or print it on the notice sheet, and then call out what Jesus said the Spirit was going to do. He will come to show what is true. He will tell what he has heard from Jesus. He will let you know what is going to happen. He will bring glory to Jesus by taking Jesus message and sharing it. Note too that the Father shares all he has with Jesus. The disciples were gradually beginning to understand that when they looked at Jesus, they saw God himself. These points indicate just how the three persons in the Trinity are all bound up together. Refer back to Romans 5:1 5. Paul mentioned three things in particular that Jesus has shown us about God s character: peace, grace (undeserved kindness) and glory. So we understand some things, but not everything, about God he is incomprehensible. But as Jesus said in the 177

5 178 reading from John, the Spirit will come and lead us into all truth so we will gradually understand more and more of God and come to understand just how much more there is to know. We can ask the Spirit to show us more of God. Prayer activity With: sets of small cards of pictures that show God revealing himself in the world, such as pictures of churches, people, mountains, a waterfall, space, a Bible, a newborn baby, Jesus as a child, Jesus as a man, Jesus on the cross; large thought bubble on a flipchart; pens Give each person a card and ask them to get into groups of four or five, all with different cards. Ten suggestions are given above so you could ask people to get into groups of ten, (or more or less depending on the number of different cards you produce). Be sensitive to the group size so that it facilitates rather than inhibits group prayer. Encourage everyone to look at each other s cards (or clues about God revealing himself) and then thank God that he has made himself known in such a wide variety of ways. This could be in silent prayer or one-sentence prayers going round the group. Remind people to ask the Holy Spirit to help explain God s character as they look prayerfully at the images. When everyone has got back together (or this could be done in small groups) ask what else people wished they knew about God. Write their thoughts in the speech bubble on the flip chart. Reaffirm that, although we may never know answers to some of our questions until we get to heaven, there is more to God than he has revealed to us, and he does know the answers. Prayer of confession With: a picture or model of Jesus on the cross used in the Prayer activity; optional stones Show the picture of Jesus on the cross, then explain that in Romans 5, Paul tells the Christians to whom he was writing that God chose one particular way to communicate with us and show us what he is like his Son Jesus and it is the image of Jesus on the cross that does this most clearly. Because of the cross, we can live at peace with God and have his undeserved kindness or grace, even when we get things wrong. Lead into a time of confession, either using your usual confession or, making this into a Prayer activity, encourage people to bring the things they have done wrong in the form of stones or other representative objects to the picture of the cross in an easily accessible place. Afterwards, read the Absolution or Romans 5:1 again. Ending the service Read John 16:12,13a again, encouraging people to be on the lookout for the Spirit s guidance in the everyday incidents and situations that come up during the week! These verses could be printed on the service sheet, or on a wallet-shaped card to take away if they wish. Helpful extras Music and song ideas Immortal, Invisible ; Ye watchers and ye holy ones ; Come, Holy Ghost, our souls

6 inspire ; Holy, holy, holy (various versions); From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea (Chris Tomlin Indescribable); What can I do (Graham Kendrick When I see the beauty of the sunset s glory). Taizé (sheet music and MP3s for these and more can be found at Dominus Spiritus Est ; Vieni, Spirito Creatore. Statement of faith Emphasise that despite God s incomprehensibility, there are things that he has revealed to us through Jesus that we know and can be sure of. These are the things that are listed in your usual statement of faith or creed. In that context, say the creed together. To continue the theme of clues from the Bible talk, ask members of the congregation to hold up objects or pictures at appropriate points during the statement of faith: for example, a globe to represent creation, a picture or statue of Mary, a cross, an image of a tomb, the resurrected Jesus, a cloud for the ascension and a flame for the Holy Spirit. Notes and comments The suggestions in this service centre around images, but you may wish to consider the accessibility of this for people who respond to God in non-visual ways: for example, the groups in the Prayer activity could gather around a scented candle, a bowl of herbs or flowers; or sounds, music, recorded birdsong, songs or psalms based on biblical texts all evidence of God in creation. To give the service even more focus, choose the same collection of images to show for Beginning the service, Prayer activity, Prayer of confession and/or Statement of faith. The suggestion to ask the Holy Spirit to help reveal God s character in the Prayer activity could be taken in many ways, from a simple prayer led from the front, to a time put aside afterwards for people to share what they feel they have seen or learnt about God. A prayer team being available during the activity or after the service will help people to continue praying as a result of their encounter with God. You are strongly recommended to read Top Tips on Explaining the Trinity to young people (SU) which is a clear explanation of the mystery of the Trinity and full of suggestions for how to attempt to explain the Godhead. This is relevant to people of all ages. For more details see page 215. Alternative online options Visit for additional activities for children, young people and adults. 179