The Widow s Offering. Focus on Mark 12: n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 November 11, 2018 Proper 27 Semicontinuous Ruth 3:1 5; 4:13 17 Ps. 127 Complementary 1 Kgs. 17:8 16 Ps. 146 Heb. 9:24 28 Mark 12:38 44 The Widow s Offering Goal for the Session Third- and fourth-graders will struggle with the story about the temple offerings and discover that they also have something to offer. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Mark 12:38 44 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Robert A. Bryant Religious office is not a safeguard against hypocrisy and greed. Indeed, this passage, like many others, shows that unfaithfulness can masquerade as faithfulness and pretense can parade as piety, even at the highest levels in the household of faith. Conversely, some of the greatest acts of faith occur simply, selflessly, and unobtrusively. Jesus helps his followers distinguish the reality of faithfulness from all counterfeits. In today s Gospel reading (Mark 12:38 44), Jesus gives a stern warning against religious hypocrisy (vv ) and offers encouragement to exercise radical trust in God (vv ). WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Emilie M. Townes In today s world, sacrifice often means something very different from an act of devotion or worship. It often means giving up more than we should and less than we can. In the United States, we ask those in the working class and those who are poor to bear the weight of tax cuts that benefit those who are wealthier. Often, those who earn less pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than those who are wealthier. This kind of sacrifice echoes Jesus warning in the passage for us to beware. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Rodger Y. Nishioka Together, these two sections read as a lament for and an indictment upon any religious system that results in a poor widow giving all she has so that the system s leaders may continue to live lives of wealth and comfort. The attack is not on Jewish religious practice. The attack is on any religious practice that masks egotism and greed. The scribes are like leeches on the faithful, benefiting from a religious system that allows poor widows to sacrifice what little they have. We should be outraged by any system that appropriates the property of the poor and the near destitute in order to perpetuate wealth for the elite. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Pete Peery Moreover, this is the last scene in Jesus public ministry. From here all that remains in Mark s telling is the temple discourse and the passion narrative. So this widow offers a glimpse into what Jesus is about. He is on the way to giving the whole of his life for something that is corrupt and condemned: all of humanity, the whole world. Jesus calls the disciples, the church, to himself and points out this poor widow and her manner of giving. Watching her will not lead to unvarnished support for religious institutions. But could it reinforce the call of Christ to the church to give the whole of its life for the sake of those who do not deserve such a gift? 1

2 The Widow s Offering FOCUS SCRIPTURE Mark 12:38 44 Focus on Your Teaching Third- and fourth-graders can have big, tender hearts for people who are in need, and they are capable of identifying with those who are marginalized or isolated by society. Sometimes this is expressed in care for their pets or for younger children. In this session, children may begin to discover that all people can be limited by social expectations. This is not God s intention for us; rather, God has created us to use our gifts and talents in concert with the gifts and talents of the people around us. Everyone has something to offer. God of abundance, help me see the blessings you have woven in the lives of everyone around me. Amen. YOU WILL NEED green cloth battery-powered white candle small basket markers, pens sticky notes Bibles Color Pack 20, 21, 31 Singing the Feast, ; CD player slips of paper, pencils For Responding option 1: newsprint, markers option 2: copies of Resource Sheet 1, paper bags, tape or glue sticks, scissors, magazines, pencils option 3: collection of small items, at least one per child; copies of Resource Sheet 2; pencils n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, if you will be using option 3 in Responding, gather small items, such as a pencil, a safety pin, a nail, pliers, a key, a cup, and soap. Have at least one item per child. Welcome the children as they arrive. Ask two volunteers to prepare to read aloud during Exploring: Mark 12:38 40 and Mark 12: Invite learners to help you arrange the green cloth in the center of your meeting area. Place the empty basket, candle, and Color Pack 21 on it. Invite learners to name some of the things that either they or their families have brought to church as an offering. Have learners write these things on sticky notes and stick them on the basket on the poster. Light the candle as a sign of Jesus presence. Teach learners the following song to the tune of Amazing Grace : My Gifts I ll Give to God with Love My gifts I ll give to God with love, These gifts that God gives me. I ll care for others as God cares, That s how God s love they ll see. After the song, offer this prayer: Loving God, teach us new ways to show your love to others. Amen. Invite learners to recall times when they have been asked to give something, such as money, canned goods, clothing, or time, to help with a project. Ask: P When does it feel good to have someone ask you to give something? When does it feel uncomfortable? 2

3 The Widow s Offering EXPLORING Show Color Pack 20. Invite learners to think of a question they might like to ask the woman in this picture. Affirm their questions. Then ask them what different questions they might ask if they knew that this woman s husband died five years ago and that she lives by herself. Again, affirm their questions. Finally, ask what questions they might ask if they knew that the woman had just gotten her purse back after someone had stolen it. Tell learners that in the Bible story for today, Jesus and the disciples are at the temple in Jerusalem. Jewish people in Jesus day came to this temple to worship God. Tell learners that, like the picture of the woman and the coins, today s Bible story invites us to ask more questions as we learn about what is going on. Encourage learners to use study notes, glossaries, dictionaries, or other reference materials in their Bibles to help answer their questions. If there are questions that you are not able to answer, tell learners that you will find an answer before the next session. Distribute Bibles and work together to locate Mark 12: Ask the volunteer to read aloud these verses. Invite learners to ask questions about this passage to guide your discussion. As needed, add the following questions to the conversation: P Who were the scribes? P Is it wrong to want to sit in places of honor or to have people recognize the good things you do? Why or why not? P What things are the scribes doing that Jesus says are wrong? Ask the volunteer to read aloud verses Again, invite learners to ask questions about the passage to shape your discussion. As needed, add: P How can a small donation be more than a large one? P What is the connection between verses and verses 41 44? P Why was the widow so poor? Why would she give an offering if she was so poor? P Do you think Jesus is encouraging people to give everything they have, even when it means they won t be able to take care of their own needs, like food and shelter? Why or why not? P In addition to money, what else can people offer to give thanks to God and show their love for God? P Why are small offerings important, as well as large ones? As you wrap up the exploration of this story, ask: P What are some things you can offer to thank God for your blessings and show your love for God? EASY PREP RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use: 1. Peer Pressure Journey with learners as they discern ways to offer their gifts in the faith community. Invite learners to recall questions that people at church ask them. List these questions on newsprint. As a group, identify those questions that invite learners to use their ideas, talents, time, or money to help the ministries of your church. Ask learners to identify one or two people at your church who seem to welcome them and 3

4 The Widow s Offering Help learners learn the difference between yes/no questions and questions that invite a deeper conversation. encourage them to use their gifts to help. What might the learners themselves say and do to invite others to take part in the caring ministries of your church? Challenge learners to follow up on one of these ideas. 2. Me Bags Help learners consider in concrete ways the gifts and abilities they have for spreading God s love. Give each learner a paper bag. Tell learners to look through magazines and cut out words and pictures that illustrate the gifts and talents of the children in your group. Take time to tape or glue these words and pictures to the outside of each other s bags. Have learners add pictures or words about their own talents to their bags. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (My Offering). As a group, discuss the kinds of gifts and talents that your group has. Take a moment for learners to write down the gifts and talents that they would like to use to show God s love to people at home, at church, at school, in the community, and in the world. Learners can place their sheets inside their bags to take home as a reminder of all they have to offer. Option: If learners know one another well, send the sheets around the group and have children add to each other s sheets. 3. What Will We Offer? This activity will encourage learners to ask questions about what they offer to God. Set out the collection of random items you collected. Ask learners to suggest which of these items might be offered to God, and discuss why they would offer them. You may need to model thinking out loud to help them get started. For example, a pencil might represent a way to communicate God s love to others and a cup might represent giving money for clean water wells in Africa. Ask if there is anything that shouldn t be offered to God. Dignify learners answers, and invite others to consider reasons those objects might be offered to God. Discuss what characteristics we each have that can be used to help others experience God s love and grace. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (What Will We Offer?). Form pairs and invite them to draw or list things that people can offer to God. This session provides an opportunity to lift up God s grace in all parts of our lives. You Shall Love the Lord Your God You shall love the Lord your God, alleluia! You shall love the Lord your God, alleluia! With all your heart and soul and mind, alleluia! With all your heart and soul and mind, alleluia! CLOSING Gather the group. Distribute slips of paper and pencils. Ask learners to think of one thing they can offer to God and write it on a slip of paper. Ask: What did you learn about offering gifts to God today? Sing together You Shall Love the Lord Your God (Color Pack 31; track 21 on Singing the Feast, ). As each learner places his or her slip of paper into the basket, speak this blessing: (Name), God bless you as you find ways to be a blessing to others this week. 4

5 November 11, 2018 The Widow s Offering Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 1 My Offering has something to offer! 2018 Westminster John Knox Press

6 November 11, 2018 The Widow s Offering Grades 3 4 Resource Sheet 2 What Will We Offer? There are many words and deeds we can offer to God so that people around us experience God s love and care. Draw or list some of these words and deeds on this sheet Westminster John Knox Press