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

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "What s in All-Age Lectionary Services Year B? Sample"

Darren Cain
6 years ago
Views:

1 What s in All-Age Lectionary Services Year B? 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 Janet Berkovic, Sarah Bingham, Vanessa Cato, Matt Campbell, Andrew Chuter, Andrew Clark, Andrew Evans, Lizzie Evans, Marjory Francis, Andy Gray, Darren Hill, Gill Hollis, Lisa Holmes, Piers Lane, Mike Law, Eric Leese, Joel Lewis, Jane Maycock, Tim Norwood, Rona Orme, Amy Robinson, Sera Rumble, Hil Sewell, Paul Wallis, Ali Walton, Joanna Wilks, John Wilks, Pam Williams, Tricia Williams, Ro Willoughby, Robert Willoughby, Ruth Wills Website Free downloadable additional resources are available from uk/light. Other resources are also available on 13

2 Second Sunday of Epiphany readings: 1 Samuel 3:1 10; John 1:43 51 Psalm 139:1 6,13 18; Revelation 5:1 10 Bible foundations Aim: to explore what it means to hear God calling us Samuel is clearly a very special child. The book of 1 Samuel begins with the story of his parents, a so-far childless couple, Elkanah and Hannah. Hannah s grief and her prayer for a son are described in chapter 1. She promises that, if God grants her request, she will dedicate him to the Lord (1:11). This touching story is played out against the background of the corrupt and doomed priesthood of Eli and his sons. It begins with a stark but unsurprising observation about the rarity of words from God (v 1) clearly a time of national spiritual decline. Samuel, the much-longed-for son, is sent in due course to serve at the Temple alongside Eli. The priesthood of Eli and his family seems to continue the spiritually fetid atmosphere of the time of the judges. Samuel s family is different and his dedication to God is clear. He fulfils his mother s vow but we know little more about him at this stage, other than that he hears God speak to him three times without recognising God s voice (3:4,6,8). Eli at least still has the presence of mind to understand that it is God speaking (v 9). Samuel s godly heritage and his unassuming innocence seem attractive prompts to the persistence of God in calling his servant. Unlike Samuel, Nathanael was found by Philip, whom Jesus himself had found. Unlike Samuel, Nathanael is not full of innocence and youthful naivety. He even seems slightly cynical (John 1:46) but that doesn t seem to put off Philip or Jesus. In fact, Jesus seems to appreciate his candour. Nathanael is open to listen and respond to the words of Jesus, and in this he resembles Samuel but not Jacob (otherwise known as Israel ) who met with God at Bethel (Genesis 28:10 22; 35:1 15). Jacob was a twister and schemer by nature (Genesis 25:19 28; 30:25 43). Jesus promises Nathanael that he will be blessed with even greater divine revelations, this time just like his ancestor Jacob (John 1:50,51). 55

3 56 Beginning the service With: pictures of different people whose appearance might suggest an occupation, eg slim woman, muscled person, clever-looking person with glasses, person with long fingers either on PowerPoint or actual images, available as a download (YearB.Epiphany2_1) Display the pictures. Ask which person is most likely to be a pianist, a builder, a ballet dancer or a scientist. Accept all answers, asking why anyone picked their candidate. Encourage people to disagree and make alternative suggestions. The person with the long fingers could be a ballet dancer or a scientist, for example. How we look is no way of knowing whether or not God will call us. In fact, he speaks with all sorts of surprising people throughout history. Explain that we are going to hear how God spoke with two very different people in the Bible and how they listened. Bible reading The readings from 1 Samuel 3:1 10 and John 1:43 51 both lend themselves to a dramatic reading. It would be useful to read 1 Samuel 3:1 10 partway through the Bible talk. The Gospel reading could come later in the Bible talk, or stand alone in a different part of the service. Psalm 139:1 6,18 is included in the Prayer activity. Bible retelling Ask an older man from the congregation to prepare this in advance. Use the following monologue script, available as a download (YearB.Epiphany2_2). Your actor could adapt it to his natural language. This could come in the Bible talk or towards the end of the service to reiterate the surprising nature of the call of God. (The actor leans on a stick, led in by a young man or teenager who exits; the actor then sits down.) Thanks Sam My name s Eli. I serve as a priest in the place of worship. The routine there hasn t changed for decades centuries even. I never expect anything to change. I just do my best to worship God. I am not sure if he ever hears! But I know he stopped speaking out loud to me and my people some time ago. When I was a lad I thought God was a bit of a chatterbox, he had so much to say, but not now. We just don t expect it any more. Oh, I loved God and I loved my boys! Too much, I suppose. They were always a bit wild, but as they got older they got more and more wild. They were cruel, and forced people to give them the best food. They were rude too. (Sighs.) I was in charge of a country, and I couldn t even handle my sons. The country was in a bad way too. And then God told me judgement was coming. I wasn t surprised that God should say that but I was surprised by the way he told me! A few years ago a woman arrived for the festival with her young son. I had caught her pleading with God for this son to be born some years before. But now, here she was, with her young son and she wanted him to live with me so he could serve God. I couldn t say No, could I? I was training this boy to take over the

4 routines for me. Good boy he was, too. One night he couldn t sleep. Kept coming in and asking what I wanted. Nothing, I told him. Go back to sleep. Afterwards I couldn t believe how slow I was. He came back twice more, asking what I wanted. And only after the third time did I realise he wasn t dreaming. Someone was actually calling him. And that someone was God. Now that did surprise me. God hadn t been talking much for a while. That poor boy had no idea it was God, until I told him. I had not prepared him to listen out for God. Sam was amazed that God might speak to him! The next morning, he didn t want to tell me what God had said. I couldn t see why he didn t want to. But God was using him to tell me about my faults and those of my sons. I eventually got it out of him! Now he s grown into a fine young man. He s gone on listening to God s voice. Sam! Sam! (calling) Is it time to blow out the lamps? (Sam enters and leads actor off stage.) Bible talk With: a clock with a second hand or digital face, large enough for everyone to see; a triangle or similar instrument to create a quiet, clear, single sound Show the clock and explain that you are going to sit in silence for 30 seconds (or longer if people can take it!). During this time, someone, who is hidden, makes a quiet single sound on the triangle three times, separated by ten seconds. After this, ask what people heard (which will include sounds other than the triangle). When did they realise it was a triangle, the first, second or third time? What stopped them from hearing things? What makes someone a good listener? Are children better listeners than adults? Be aware that people with hearing loss may not hear, but that is one of the answers to the question: What stopped people from hearing? physical disability. Listen to the reading from 1 Samuel 3:1 10. Alternatively, present the monologue from Bible retelling. Samuel hears God call Samuel was a young boy who lived in the place where people came to worship God. Eli, the priest, looked after this place and Samuel helped him. Explain how Eli s sons were bad men and how Eli seemed to have given up. In fact, people had just given up expecting God to speak. It was all very depressing! But then, completely unexpectedly, God spoke. Check that people know the story. Samuel was asleep (v 3) and then he was listening but he did not immediately recognise that it was God (v 7). Ask why he might not have recognised God s call. You would not expect someone so young to be the first person God chose to speak to after a long time of apparent silence. You would probably have expected God to speak to Eli. But God speaks to all sorts of people, in all sorts of ways. Refer back to the discussion at Beginning the service about how God speaks to unexpected people. If you have used Psalm 139 in any way earlier in the service, refer to that as an expression of how God knows us through and through and is with us, wherever we are; he s always ready to respond to us and to welcome our 57

5 response. This psalm is part of the following Prayer activity. God communicating with them, maybe in a surprising way. 58 Nathanael hears Jesus call Read John 1:43 51 and ask people to listen out for what Jesus says to Nathanael. Ask what sort of person Nathanael was proud of his Jewish background, sceptical, willing to give something a go. Jesus first words to Nathanael have an immediate impact. Jesus knows him! This registers with Nathanael and he responds in making some amazing claims about Jesus which he could hardly have understood! He then went on to become one of Jesus closest followers. Here is another person Jesus called. Maybe not the sort of person we would have expected to have mattered to Jesus! What does it mean to listen out for God and respond to him? What stops us hearing? (We may be distracted with other things; we may not be used to recognising God s voice just as Samuel wasn t; or we may not be expecting him to communicate with us, just like the people of Israel weren t.) We can hear God call What helps us to hear God? (We may be with others who were thrilled about Jesus as Nathanael was; we may be helped by others to recognise God s voice as Eli did; we may just be listening carefully, expecting God to speak.) He speaks to all people, even the most unexpected, and is close to all people, as Psalm 139 emphasises. Sometimes he speaks in a way that we cannot miss (at this point clang the triangle several times) but sometimes it is a single sound. If possible, ask someone to share their personal testimony of how they have known Prayer activity To respond to God s call, we need to listen out for God s voice. Ask everyone to close their eyes as though asleep (but you want them to listen and not sleep!). Read Psalm 139:1 6,18 twice, asking everyone to listen out for one thing that the psalmist says about what God does. Allow for a short time of silence, as long a time as people are comfortable. Then invite people to call out the one thing that has struck them. This could be done in small groups. Conclude with the following: Thank you, God, for always being with us, always near us and always willing to communicate with us. Help us to listen! Ending the service Ask everyone to think of one activity they are going to do this week it need not be anything special. Then ask them to think of how busy they may be in that activity and what might stop them from being aware of God and listening to him. Remind people of how Nathanael was with Philip who was enthusing about Jesus, and how much we need to be with others who are expecting God to communicate with them. This will help us to listen out for God. Then lead in prayer and, after each silence, sound the triangle once. Father God, thank you that you will be with us this week when we are (think of the activity). (Triangle) Father God, we may be so busy that we

6 forget to listen out for you and do not expect you to be with us. (Silence followed by the triangle.) Father God, help us to listen to you and respond. (Silence followed by the triangle.) Amen. Helpful extras Music and song ideas Songs might include those about listening to and responding to God s call such as I the Lord of sea and sky ; Brother, sister, let me serve you ; Be still, for the presence of the Lord. Statement of faith This is also available as a download (YearB. Epiphany2_3). Creator God, we believe that you have made us. Loving God, we believe that you love us. Speaking God, we believe that you communicate with us. Working God, we believe you equip us. Living God, we believe you live in us. Sovereign God, we believe you are our King. Help us to listen to you and follow your call. Amen. Notes and comments You will probably have at least one person in the congregation with a hearing disability. Acknowledge that they may not have heard the triangle in the Bible talk but this does not mean that they have not been listening. Hearing loss is one example of what stops us hearing others. Some people are spiritually deaf, which is a common theme in the prophets (Isaiah 6:9). And God speaks with us, whatever our hearing ability. If you use a triangle later in the service, you could accompany it by waving a flag too. Children could play other percussion instruments during the service. If you are using the Revised Common Lectionary with 1 Corinthians 6:12 20 as a reading, comment on how the apostle Paul was implying that people were not listening and were questioning everything, as though they just did not want to accept how God wants us to live. If there is a baptism during the service, it may be appropriate to focus on Nathanael and the initial call from darkness to light along with the requirement this places on us to actively follow. If Nathanael had carried on sitting under the tree and not responded to what Philip had told him, he would never have learned more or become a disciple. Parents today have listened to God and if a child is being baptised, they need to help their child to learn to listen out for God. If this is Education Sunday you may wish to pray for schools. You can download prayer material for schools and teachers from uk. In the light of today s theme, you could especially pray for children with hearing loss. Online resources All suggested downloads are available at Visit for additional activities for children, young people and adults. For your convenience, the following options are available as downloads: YearB. Epiphany2_4 for 5s and under Joining in the Bible story; YearB.Epiphany2_5 Making puppets. 59

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

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