‘Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness….” Genesis 1.26 Lesson: Looking at skin colour to learn more about God. What colour are you? Listen to this poem by Kathleen McGinnis, and see if you can find a colour that matches your skin. Some people are black like ebony wood. […]
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Lectionary 19 September Year C Supplies: a personal cross that the leader carries with them. Or if the leader does not have this, the message could be altered to be a time when the leader, also, receives a new cross to keep with them. enough crosses, ideally small metal or wooden ones, to give one […]
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Luke 15:1-32 17th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C Bible: Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that is lost until you find it? saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’… […]
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Luke 7.36-50, 8.1-3, Pentecost 4 Year C ‘Walking the talk… I forgive you with all my heart.’ Start with the four pictures and two tiles in your bag. Also have a container with broken tile pieces in it, also in your bag. Pull out first picture from your bag and ask these two questions: […]
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This might be used on Zoom or in a face-to-face service. Materials: Sign reading ‘Hospitality’ Script: Do you ever have visitors at your home? What do you do when you have visitors? What do your parents do? welcome the visitors Feed them talk with them smile play together? How do you make visitors feel […]
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Matthew 24:42-44 A Children’s Message for Advent Picture 1: Grasshopper playing fiddle + Once upon a time, on a warm summer’s day + A grasshopper stands in a field and plays his fiddle. Picture 2: Grasshopper & Ant +The grasshopper sees an ant working hard carrying something. + The grasshopper calls to […]
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Materials: a seashell — ideally with twists and hollow spaces If used in summer, take advantage of any connection available to the seaside. What’s this? [a shell] What words might we use to describe it? – pointy, smooth, hollow, full of air, hard, When we look at the shell from different angles, we learn more […]
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Pentecost (5 Aug 2012) Year B Materials: Loaf of bread (unsliced) Travel communion set Bag in which the above items are held (out of which they are drawn) Script: Pull out bread and ask: What is this? When do you eat bread? When do we eat bread in church? Bread is important. Pull out communion […]
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For Pentecost 11, Year B Supplies: bag (cloth is best, less noise) Welcome sign Script I have something in my bag…. (Take out a welcome sign or the word ‘Welcome’ printed on a piece of paper.) ‘WELCOME.’ What does ‘welcome’ mean? … take responses Safe Part of the group How do you make someone feel WELCOME? […]
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What starts this week? — the Olympics Many people are gathering from all around the world to compete in sports. And they all will try their best to win a medal. What colour medals can they win? Gold, silver and bronze Which colour means that athlete has performed the best in their sport? Gold […]
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Text: Mark 6:1-13 (Pentecost 6, Year B) Title: Like a noodle! Theme: Resilience Supplies: Dry spaghetti noodles and cooked spaghetti noodles Works well for InPerson or Zoom (online) service. Script with actions: Good morning. Today we’re thinking about resilience. I wonder what ‘resilient’ means? Any ideas? [Wait for any responses.] If a person is resilient, […]
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Arising from the Book of James Picture 1: Girl at school Once upon a time…a new girl comes to school. Picture 2: Map of UK with arrows from old home (Edinburgh) to new home (London); the map may be of any relevant country and towns. She comes from far, far away. She talks differently. She […]
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An interactive Children’s Message I have something in my bag. What is this? [a globe] Where are we? [find location] I was born in ____________________. Can you find it on the globe? Where were you born? Can you find it? What about your mums and fathers? Where were they born? Let’s find those countries on […]
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I have something in my bag. (Take out a broken bowl.) 1. What’s this? [broken bowl] 2. Have you ever broken something? 3. How did you feel? 4. Have you ever broken something your mum or dad told you to be careful with? 5. What happened? 6. Even when we do something wrong, our parents […]
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A Children’s Message for after Guy Fawkes, New Years or Independence Days, connecting to the sounds of fireworks. O Children of Jacob, O people of God, Come, let us walk in the light of God. —Isaiah 2:5 (Ask one child) What are you thankful for? God, thank you for (repeat what child said). 3-2-1 CLAP! […]
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Response-able Luke 1:26-32 (Jesus’ birth told to Mary) Advent 4, Year B Supplies: • Illustrated Bible – pictures of Mary & Angel, Nativity, adult Jesus • Strips of cloth – one for each child and leader • Baby doll – ideally brown-skinned like a baby Jesus of Palestine Empty manger, i.e. no baby Jesus yet […]
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Keep watch! Thoughts for Advent – could be morphed into a Children’s Message We used to wear watches. Now we wear devices. Still strapped to the wrist. Still sometimes called watches. Still showing us the time. But mostly we check them for everything but the time – our heart rate, driving directions to Fred’s, how […]
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Jim writes, ‘Use freely. All I ask is attribution!’ Breaking Free – a flower becomes a butterfly – and learns to appreciate flowers The Clay Bird (an interfaith message – Christian/Muslim) Elephant Eggs – pure silliness! punch line: what you need is probably already here. Of Seeds and Stardust – a poetic science-based creation story […]
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A children’s message for World Communion Sunday. Greetings from other cultures can be used. This message connects to the theme that everyone is part of God’s family.. Materials: a world map or globe Who can find where we live on the globe/map? What do we do and say in English [substitute local language] to greet […]
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Be fair! Making justice bunting & signs — A Children’s Message as part of the Black Lives Matter movement This was written to present to an inter-racial group of children. Leader’s Script Today we are thinking about how we can help change situations that are unfair. We asked you to think about situations where you […]
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Children’s Message for All Saints Day – recognizing God’s workers Images of saints, past and present, are used to help children identify and appreciate people who are ‘saints’, who use their life to make the world a better place. The iconography of Robert Lenz provides numerous portraits of what he calls “marginalized heroes” –both traditional […]
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I am Somebody! I am Somebody! I may be poor, But I am Somebody. I may be young, But I am Somebody. I may be on welfare, But I am Somebody. I may be small, But I am Somebody. I may have made mistakes, But I am Somebody. My clothes are different, My face is […]
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This children’s message was initially incorporated into a Songs of Praise service in which several church members (of all ages) chose a favourite hymn and shared why it is special to them. Download a ready-to-use script: Children’s message – Karl Barth & music PDF Children’s message – Karl Barth & music WORD Lectionary links This […]
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Holy Week in a donkey! Preparation: Fill a pinata with the items listed below and number them in order. Method of presentation: Tell the story of Holy Week as you pull the items out of the pinata, in numerical order. Story items: the donkey pinata — reminding us of the donkey the disciples brought for […]
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Matthew 28:1-18 Do not be afraid. Allow time for the children to answer each question. When are you afraid? What helps you be brave? The Easter message for us, from God, is ‘Do not be afraid. No matter how scary things are, I am with you.’ Pray with me. God, thank you for […]
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Invite a bagpiper to join the congregation for worship on St Andrew’s Sunday. They might play a traditional Scottish hymn or other songs agreed upon. Ideally, they will dress in full Scottish regalia. Invite the children to come forward to join the worship leader and to meet the bagpiper, look closely at the instrument, and […]
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Colours of the rainbow Originally used to illustrate ‘sharing’ as presented in John 6:1-15 (Jesus feeds many) and 2 Kings 4:42-44 (Tenth Week of Pentecost, Year B). Preparation: In a bag: (I use the same cloth bag each week, so children anticipate that there will be something inside it when they gather.) a selection of […]
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Out of the mouths of babes… Five-year-old Deborah has considered the gender of God. She realises God is bigger than ‘she’ or ‘he’. So Deborah offers a new pronoun for God: heesh And heesh is very pleased!
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A Children’s Message Based on Aesop’s tale, ‘The Lion and the Mouse’ Sub-themes: Build others up, not down; You never know who will help you! Lectionary: written for Proper 15 (usually 11th Sunday after Pentecost), Year A Script: I have something in my bag. They will help me tell a story. (Take all pictures […]
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Revelations 1:8, 21:6, 22:13 — Lectionary reading for Christmas and New Year A,B,C; Easter 2C, 5C and 7C, All Saints Day Year B, Pentecost 27B (Proper 29B) Alpha & Omega: Introducing the symbols of the church to children This message offers children the opportunity to look around the sanctuary or worship room and discover […]
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Luke 2:22-40, Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Readings for First Sunday after Christmas, Revised Common Lectionary Year B This is intended to be used with a group of children gathered together around the worship leader. One or two children will suffice; more is delightful. Preparation: small child-size chair, for worship leader soft cloth bag large enough to hold […]
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Standing up to bullies: Anna & Martin make change (reform) happen Works well for Reformation Sunday; could be adapted to remember another person who stood up to bullies, historic or current. I have something in my bag. What’s this? … DVD – Frozen Who has seen Frozen? Who are the characters? Who do you see here? […]
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Preparation: Bag with telephone inside. The telephone should be easily recognizable, as a telephone, by the children. Gather the children around. I like to face the children, with my back to the congregation. I either sit on the floor or on a child’s small chair. The children either sit on the floor around me or […]
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This might be included in a Blessing of the Gardeners service, or used any time during the planting and tending season. Preparation Put several items into a bag: Bible, flower bulbs, gardening gloves, small gardening tools, e.g. trowel. Take items out as they are mentioned in the script. Method I invite the children forward to […]
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Animal focus I speak of penguins. Choose an animal you like and have a special connection to, perhaps an adopted animal at a zoo or rescue centre, or a pet. Adapt to fit your animal scenario. Keep it simple. Materials: Bag large enough to hold all other items stuffed toy of focus animal photo of […]
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Baptism services often include several children in the congregation, and I want them to be involved and interested. So, I often incorporate into the service a reflection/activity which includes group participation. I ask a group of volunteers, ideally children and youth, to come forward. (The number of volunteers corresponds to the number of letters in […]
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23rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year B Children’s Conversation and Prayer Mark 10:46-52 Hold up cards of different colours, one at a time. Ask: What can you name that is… [the colour of the card being held up] orange/red/purple/etc? Thank you God for the colour orange/red/purple/etc and everything that is orange/red/purple/etc. God created our eyes to […]
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Inspired by Luke 15 originally used on Father’s Day This drama may be adapted to include any parent (mother or father) and any two siblings. Ready-to-print downloadable copies: PDF Children’s Message Prodigal Son – by Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson WORD Prodigal Son Children’s Message – by Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson Henry and Matt, the two brothers, might be exchanged […]
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We send you out to learn That God loves the world And all its people And that God loves you. We Amen. We send you out together As our loved children To learn, to play, And as part Of the family of God. Amen. From Liturgies for the journey of Life (pages 4 and […]
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