Text to read before the message: John 13:31a, 33-35
Prepared as a Children’s Message, but usable with all ages.
To learn the tune: Todah, La El, Hallelujah – YouTube ( start at 1:12; not great, but the best example I can find)
Good morning. My name is ____________. What are your names?
How does God say to treat one another? [with love]
What does that mean? How do we treat one another ‘with love’? What does that look like?
[Let children/folks respond] – Do not be selfish or cruel; Don’t hurt other people even when you are really angry at them….]
Basically, be kind, right?
In our world there are places where people are fighting and hurting others because they want what they have – it might be land, or minerals, or water.
One way we can pray for these countries and people is to sing songs that bring them peacefully together.
I’ll explain what I mean.
I am going to teach you a song in three languages from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, a place of horrific violence today.
Have you ever heard this Hebrew song from Israel?
Sing: Todah la El Alleluia. x3, Todah la El!
It means ‘Give thanks (to-dah) to God (la El), Alleluia! (Praise God!).’
El is one of the Hebrew Bible names for God.
We are also going to sing the in Arabic, the language of Christians living in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Some people are surprised that Allah is the Christian word for God in countries where Arabic is spoken. It’s just another name for our God.
We will sing first in Hebrew, then Arabic and then English.
Song – teach song in 3 languages:
Todah la El Alleluia
Shurkran, Allah, Alleluia.
Thanks be to God, Alleluia
Pray with me. God, la El, Allah, you have so many names and so many children. We do not always agree and even hurt each other sometimes. Show us the path of peace and kindness, and keep us singing. Amen.
