CHAPEL TALKS for Christian Children Originally released for 1996 1997 Assembly services for Lutheran elementary schools Sunday school opening devotional services Object lessons for children s sermons Lesson introductions for vacation Bible school programs Reproducible liturgies for children s services NORTHWESTERN PUBLISHING HOUSE Milwaukee, Wisconsin
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise except for brief quotations in reviews, without prior permission from the publisher. Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284 1996 by Northwestern Publishing House. Published 2014
Table of Contents It is suggested that you schedule your chapel talks in advance and note the dates for intended use on these pages. Devotion Bible Text Scheduled Use August 1 John 4:10 2 1 John 4:10 September/October 3 1 Corinthians 8:9 4 5 Isaiah 43:11 John 1:29 6 1 Peter 5:8 7 Psalm 124:8 8 1 John 4:16 9 10 11 Psalm 103:2 Luke 11:28 John 5:39 12 13 Romans 10:17 Mark 9:24 November/December 14 15 1 Peter 5:7 1 Thessalonians 1:2 16 17 18 19 Luke 3:4,6 Matthew 11:10 Isaiah 7:14 Luke 2:15
Devotion Bible Text Scheduled Use 20 Ephesians 4:32 January/February 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Deuteronomy 33:27 Psalm 122:1 Ezekiel 18:4 John 13:34 Isaiah 53:3 Isaiah 53:4 Isaiah 53:5 Isaiah 53:6 Isaiah 53:7 Isaiah 53:9 March/April 31 1 John 1:7 32 33 34 Acts 2:24 Job 19:25,26 John 10:35 35 1 Timothy 2:3,4 36 Matthew 28:19 37 May/June 2 Corinthians 5:15 38 Acts 4:20 39 1 Timothy 6:12 40 41 Matthew 7:15,16 Romans 8:28 42 1 Corinthians 1:18
Editor s Preface Chapel Talks for Christian Children was designed as a worship tool for children attending Lutheran elementary schools. It is organized according to a standard school calendar and can easily be adapted for use as the opening devotion for Sunday schools, as vacation Bible school object lessons, or as the foundation for children s sermons. Each chapel talk includes a listing of visual materials that will be needed, an object lesson, a summary of the Bible truth and the text from which that truth flows, and several applications or discussions of the Bible truth. The devotional material is not designed to be read literally as a devotion, but to serve as a guide in preparing a devotional message for the children. The order of service can be copied and distributed to participating children who are able to read. Liturgical elements were borrowed from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal. Permission to copy the order of service is granted only to the purchaser of this resource. For additional student involvement in the service, consider featuring student art on the cover page of the service folder. The artwork might highlight symbols of the church year or seasonal themes. Use the back cover of the folder to credit the artist and note other important announcements. Lutheran elementary school teachers or Sunday school teachers may wish to use the texts in Chapel Talks for memory assignments. Care has been taken to select texts that are especially memorable. May the Lord of the church bless you and the children he has given into your care as you use this Bible resource. Acknowledgments Chapel Talks for Christian Children is a joint project of the WELS Commission on Parish Schools and Northwestern Publishing House. We gratefully acknowledge the writing team that contributed to the object lessons contained in this resource: Mrs. Frieda Rendahl, Rev. and Mrs. John Kuske, Mrs. Joyce Loeck, Rev. and Mrs. Luke Werre.
The Living Water of Forgiveness John 4:10 Suggested for Pentecost 12 Visual Materials a table a Bible a glass of water Object Lesson Set a glass of water on one side of the table and the Bible on the other side. Describe a scene in which the children are running a race, getting sweaty and hot. Ask them which of the two objects they would need to quench their thirst (the glass of water). Then ask what they would need if they had sinned (the Bible). Both objects give comfort and relief for a different need. Water is essential for our body s well-being; forgiveness is necessary for our soul s well-being. Bible Truth Not a day goes by that we don t drink water in some form. Even colas are made up of a little syrup and water, and we use water to cook many of the foods we eat. Jesus tells us that our need for his Word is even greater than our need for water. He said to the woman at the well in John 4:10, If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. Hearing that God forgives our sins through the Word in the Bible is refreshing to our souls. It removes the curse that sin brings upon us. It makes us acceptable in God s eyes. It makes us happy. It helps us live our lives as Jesus wants us to live with love and thankfulness. It is truly living water. Just as we take care of our bodies every day with food and water, we should also take care of our souls by reading and hearing the Word of forgiveness in the Bible every day. It is food and water for our souls. 1 Applications and Discussions 1. When the Holy Spirit sows the seed of faith in Baptism, what makes it grow? (Romans 10:17) 2. How is Jesus connected to the living water of forgiveness? 3. Name some times and places in which we hear and study God s Word and learn about the living water of forgiveness.
CHAPEL TALKS FOR CHRISTIAN CHILDREN PENTECOST 12 Leader: Children, let us joyfully come into the house of the Lord, that we may be filled with the truth of his Word. Children: Let us prepare our hearts to give glory to his holy name. SONG OF PRAISE (Oh, Taste and See) & # # 4 œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Oh, & # # œ œ œ & # # Bless - ed are taste and see that the œ œ œ they who take œ œ œ œ œ Word, O Lord, is e - & # # œ œ œ œ œ & # # & # # stands firm in the œ œ œ œ œ faith - ful - ness con - œ œ j Lord is good. œ œ œ œ œ j ref - uge in him. Your œ œ œ œ œ. œ j ter - nal; it œ œ œ œ heav - ev - er. Oh, taste and see that the & # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Bless - ed are they who take œ. j œ ens. Your œ œ œ tin - ues for - œ œ Lord is good. œ œ œ œ. ref - uge in him. THE MESSAGE: The Living Water of Forgiveness If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water (John 4:10). Leader: Lord Jesus, all of us are born sinful, and we sin daily. We are desperately in need of the living water of forgiveness that you give us through your death on Calvary s cross. How grateful we are! You give us the peace and joy of knowing that all of our sins are forgiven. Amen. HYMN (CW 336:1) Come unto me, ye weary, And I will give you rest. O blessed voice of Jesus, Which comes to hearts oppressed! It tells of benediction, Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that has no ending, Of love that cannot cease. PSALM 133-134 Leader: How good and pleasant it is Children: When brothers live together in unity! Leader: For there the LORD gives his blessing, Children: Even life forevermore. Leader: Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD Children: Who minister in the house of the LORD. Leader: Lift up your hands in the holy place. All: And praise the LORD. PRAYER REQUESTS THE LORD S PRAYER (spoken together) Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. SONGS, STORIES, POETRY, OR ART OFFERED IN THANKSGIVING Leader: Now, children, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. And serve the Lord with gladness. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Children: Amen.