Sunday school activities - September 4

Think and Learn

Read today’s scripture passage below. This version is from the translation called “The Living Bible”:

Luke 14:25-33 25  Great crowds were following him. He turned around and addressed them as follows: 26  “Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—yes, more than his own life—otherwise he cannot be my disciple. 27  And no one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me. 28  “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if he has enough money to pay the bills? 29  Otherwise he might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh! 30  “‘See that fellow there?’ they would mock. ‘He started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’ 31  “Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of 10,000 is strong enough to defeat the 20,000 men who are marching against him? 32  “If the decision is negative, then while the enemy troops are still far away, he will send a truce team to discuss terms of peace. 33  So no one can become my disciple unless he first sits down and counts his blessings—and then renounces them all for me.

In this message, Jesus is telling his friends that they really need to think about what they are doing if they want to follow him. It’s not a light decision! In those days, following Jesus literally meant leaving home, your family, your job – everything! – and going on a journey that would take you far away and would often be very difficult. He is telling them that they have to be ready to give up the things they love if they are really going to make this commitment.

Being a disciple of Jesus today doesn’t usually mean that you need to leave your home and family behind, but it does mean that, if you are going to follow him, you will think about his teachings when you make decisions – and sometimes those decisions might be hard or uncomfortable. One way to be a good follower of Jesus is to think, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” Jesus says it’s like making a plan for a big project. You need to know before you start what materials you need, how much it’s going to cost, and how much time you need to dedicate to getting it done.

We know that Jesus loves us and that he wants us to be able to be good followers of his teachings. He knows that we are human and might make mistakes along the way. He wants us to know that, even when we really, really want to be the kind of people God needs us to be, there will be times when we are tempted to give up and times when doing the right thing just seems too hard. At those times, Jesus knows that God doesn’t reject us. We are blessed with the love and grace that allows us to recognize our mistake and try again. Being a good follower of Jesus takes a lot of practice, but it’s worth it, just like learning any new skill.

Wonder

1. Have you ever wanted to buy something big but didn’t have enough money for it? Maybe you’d like to buy a new bike. You might have to save up for quite a while. That can be really hard! It might be tempting to spend some of your money on something smaller – a movie with friends, or candy, or a cool t-shirt. If you really, really want that bike, you have to make some choices so that you really can save enough money. What are some ways you might plan to earn enough money to buy that bike? What are some strategies you might use to make sure you don’t spend all your money of little things along the way and miss out on that bike?

2. Do you know how to play the piano or another musical instrument? If you do, you know that it takes a lot of practice. You can’t just decide one day, “I think I will be a concert pianist!” and have it happen immediately. First you need a piano, and then you need someone to teach you, and then you need to spend a lot of time practising and learning more and more. To become a good pianist will mean giving up some time and it will mean really dedicating yourself to getting better and better. What makes this hard to do? What kind of things might you have to give up to reach your goal? How can you keep yourself motivated to learn a skill that is difficult or complicated?

3. Can you think of some times when being a follower of Jesus is hard? Read these examples and think about what you would do in that situation:

•  Someone is being bullied at recess and everyone is just watching.

•  Someone plays a prank or tells a joke that makes another person feel bad. All your friends are laughing.

•  You are making a list of people to invite to your birthday party. You want your whole class to come – except for that one kid…

•  Your Sunday School class is collecting bottles to raise money for the food bank. You could take some of the bottles back yourself and have some money to spend on a treat.

• No one would know.

Do

Sometimes it’s good to have a reminder to ask yourself, “What Would Jesus Do?” when you are making choices. You may have seen some people wearing a bracelet with the letters WWJD. Each letter stands for a word in that question and is just the reminder we might need! Here’s a simple way to make one for yourself:

You will need:

 Three colours of embroidery floss or yarn

 Two pony beads

 Letter beads W, W, J ,and D.

1. Cut the strands into about 2-foot lengths. You need enough to braid together but not so

many that you can’t thread them through the holes in your beads.

2. Tie the three colours together about 3 inches from the ends.

3. Thread on one pony bead and tie another knot to hold it in place.

4. Separate your strands by colour and braid the three colours together for about 2 inches. Make a knot.

5. Thread on your letter beads WWJD, tie another knot. If you like, you can put a knot or a little bit of braiding between the beads.

6. Braid again for about 2 inches and tie a knot.

7. Add your last pony bead and secure it with a knot.

8. Get someone to help you tie it to your wrist and trim the ends.

Sunday school activities - August 28

The scripture reading for this week is Luke 14:1, 7-14. You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HahHU5vRTns

Think & Learn

When I was growing up, my mom and dad always sat at the two ends of the table; we children seemed to always sit in the same places each time too. Even when we had company, the one thing that never changed was that Mom and Dad sat in their usual spots. Do you have a special place you like to sit at the dinner table? Does your family have set places for each person, or do you just sit wherever you want each meal? What about on special occasions; is there a special chair for the person celebrating their birthday or do they still sit in the same spot?

In today’s story, Jesus is at a wedding banquet and he notices that people are all scrambling to get the best seat, at the head of the table by the host. He tells them that this is the wrong way to go about it. You can’t make yourself the most important person in the room just by taking that seat! It would be very embarrassing if the host says, “Sorry, this seat is reserved for this special guest. You will have to move.” Jesus says it is better to start by being humble and assuming that you will be seated at one of the less desirable spots, so that, if the host comes and says, “Oh, please come sit up here by me!” you will be honoured rather than embarrassed.

Wonder

Think about the difference between the two examples in Jesus’ story.

How would you describe the person that pushed their way into the seat of honour?

How would you describe the person who let others rush for the “good seats” and found a spot out of the way?

How do you think the other people felt about each of those people?

Have you ever met someone who thought they were better than everyone else in the room?

Maybe they think only their ideas are good…maybe they don’t give others a chance to talk…maybe they brag about their clothes or their house or their abilities… How do you feel when you are around people like this, who “puff themselves up”?

Have you ever met someone who always offers to let others go first, or who likes to share things, or who compliments others’ clothes or abilities? How do you feel when you are around people like this, who are “humble”.

Which kind of person do you think will have the most friends? Which kind of friend would you like to be?

Which kind of person do you think Jesus wants us to be? Why?

Do

Can you think of someone you know who works hard at a job we all need but does not always get the the appreciation they deserve? (Perhaps the clerk at a store or the people who deliver your mail or pick up the garbage, ect.) Make a thank you card and deliver it to them.

Then, if you have time, find the hidden words:

Sunday school activities - August 21, 2022

Today’s Scripture Story: Jesus Healed a Woman with a Crooked Back (Luke 13:10-17)

One day Jesus was teaching people in one of the synagogues. A synagogue is a place of worship for the Jewish faith, like a church is for us. That day, there was a woman at the synagogue. Perhaps she knew Jesus would be there, but the woman was not able to see Jesus; she was only able to hear Him because her back was crooked. She was so stooped all she could see was the ground. The woman could not look at the sky or the birds flying above. She could not see a rainbow or look up at the faces of other people. She had been this way for a very long time. Jesus saw her. Jesus wanted to help the woman. He called out to her and said, “You are well; your back is no longer crooked.” Then Jesus gently put his hands on her. Instantly, she stood up straight. The woman was so happy! She praised God that Jesus had healed her crooked back. There were many people who watched and listened to what Jesus was doing. They, too, praised God for how Jesus had healed the woman with the crooked back. However, a synagogue leader was upset that Jesus had performed the miracle on the Sabbath because Jewish law said that no work should be done on that day. Jesus told him that no one would leave their animals unfed or tied up just because it was the Sabbath; they would feed them and let them out into the fields. He argues that, in the same way, it was right for him to heal this woman who had been bound by her disability for so long.

Think & Learn

The Sabbath day in the Jewish faith falls on Saturday. It is a day of rest and a time for worshipping God. In strict Jewish cultures, no work at all is to be done on that day – and there are a lot of things considered to be work! No cleaning or gardening or doing homework, not even any cooking – all the meals need to be prepared the day before. People who follow this law very closely even consider little things, like pushing an elevator button, to be work and so even those things are not allowed! Our Sabbath day, in our faith tradition, falls on Sunday. There was a time, not so long ago really, when stores and movie theatres and businesses were closed on Sundays. It was a day when no one had to go to work except for people in emergency services or jobs to take care of others. Many families went to church and then spent the day together or visiting friends and relatives. It was a day of rest and worship too.

Wonder

1. Why do you think the synagogue leader was upset that Jesus healed the woman that day?

2. Why do you think Jesus felt that this was something that needed to be done right then and couldn’t wait for another day? Do you think he made a good decision?

3. Do you have a day of rest? Do you think it is important? Why or why not? What kinds of things would you do or not do on a day of rest?

4. What would you like about a day of rest? What would you not like?

5. Do you think rules and laws need to be followed to the letter at all times? Why or why not? What would make it ok to ignore a rule? Who should decide if a rule or law applies or doesn’t apply in some cases?

Do

Helping Hands Chain

You will need:

• Crayons or markers

• Scissors

• Glue or tape

• Paper (Construction/cardstock)

• Stickers, glitter, or other decorative items

• Pipe cleaners

Procedure:

1. Trace hands onto cardstock or construction paper.

2. Cut hands out and add captions on one side depicting “helping hands.”

3. On the other side of hands, place different elements that can be used as a loved one for a “coupon” (a kind act, gift of time, etc.).

4. Add extra decorations as desired.

5. String onto pipe cleaner and deliver the “coupon book” to someone that might need help!

Sunday school activities - August 14, 2022

Luke 12:54 -56

54  Then he turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west,

you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right.

55  “When the south wind blows you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 56  Hypocrites! You

interpret the sky well enough, but you refuse to notice the warnings all around you about the

crisis ahead.

Think and Learn

In this section from today’s gospel reading, Jesus sounds a little frustrated! “For goodness

sake!” he says, “You recognize signs about the weather, so why don’t you pay attention to

other signs in the world that are important?”

Wonder

Are there some things happening in the world today that you think Jesus would want us to do

something about?

Are there some signs you think we should pay attention to in order to make the world a better

place today and in the future? Signs that the earth is in danger? Signs that people are not taking

care of each other?

Why do you think it is hard for people to pay attention to those signs?

Sometimes change is difficult for us – especially if that change might mean more work, or if it

means we might be a little less comfortable. Can you think of some examples?

Sometimes we feel that, by ourselves, we are too small to make a difference. Are there some

things we can do to make small differences have a big impact?

What are some things that each of us can do to protect the earth?

What are some things that each of us can do to make life better for others?

Do

1. Make leaf rubbings on paper.

2. If you’d like an extra challenge, calculate your family’s carbon footprint.

Sunday school activities - August 7, 2022

Think and Learn

This scripture has 3 messages:

1. Don’t be afraid!

2. Get rid of your “stuff” and collect “treasures” instead.

3. Be ready!

1. In the first message, Jesus is telling his followers not to worry about things so much. God

is with us to make sure we have what we need – maybe not what we want, but what we

need. We know that not everyone in the world has what they need. There are people

who are hungry or who have no home; there are people who always live with war and

violence and don’t know peace; there are lots of problems in the world, for sure. But, if

we look around, the answers to these problems are probably there. The trouble is that

those of us who have more than we need might have to let give up some of our comfort

and luxury to give others the things they need.

2. The second message tells us something about how we can do that – get rid of our

“stuff”. So much of what we think is valuable is really just “stuff” after all. So, instead of

collecting and saving that “stuff”, Jesus says we should collect “treasures”. I don’t think

he means valuable items like jewels or cars or even money - that’s just more “stuff after

all! He wants us to build up the kind of treasure that will make a difference in the world

– things like love, trust, responsibility, generosity, kindness…

He also tells us to make a strong “purse” to keep those treasures in. where do you think

you could keep that kind of treasure safe? Would you keep them in a titanium box? Or is

Jesus talking about some other place?

3. The third message says we should always be ready for when God or Jesus might come. It

would be easy to be ready if we had an email or a phone call to tell us that he’s on his

way, but we never know when Jesus is going to come through the door.

Wonder

1. Jesus tells his followers to sell their possessions. I don’t think he is saying that he doesn’t

want us to have nice things, though; he just doesn’t want us to hoard too many things

when we could use them to help others. How do you think you could help someone else

by getting rid of some of your things?

2. What do you think is the “strong purse” that Jesus wants his followers to make? Where

can you hold on to things like love, trust, responsibility, generosity, kindness? How do

you make it stronger?

What are some other “treasures” that you could keep in that “purse”?

3. What do you think it means to be ready for when He comes? What does being ready for

Jesus look like? When do you think you should start getting ready?

Do

1. Heaven Treasure

Print out the colouring page. On each picture of a jewel write something that counts as treasure in God's Kingdom. For example, sharing your toys or donating food to the food bank. Think of things that you can do to make the kind of treasure that God counts. Then colour the jewels.

2. Clutter Clearing Scavenger Hunt

Check out your own room and stuff, and see if you can find at least one of each of the following items:

• A piece of clothing that you don't wear anymore (maybe you outgrew it) that you can give to someone smaller than you.

• Something that you don't need to keep that can go into a recycling box.

• A toy or game that you don't play with anymore that you can give away to someone who would like it.

• Something you would like to share with a friend or sibling (maybe a treat like some candy, or a game you would like to play with them).

• A book to donate to the library because you aren't going to read it again.

• Something you don't need but can use to decorate a homemade greeting card (then make one with it).

Once you have found as many of these items as you can, then spend some time doing the things suggested with them (giving them away, recycling, sharing, etc.) Make sure you only find things from your own stuff (not your brother's or sister’s or parents' stuff) for this game, and check with a parent before giving or throwing away stuff. 

Sunday school activities - July 31, 2022

Think and Learn

God wants us to enjoy the world that God has made for us, and appreciate the good things that are in it: the food we eat, the clean water we can drink, safe places to live and the beauty all around us. But if we are greedy and have more than our share of things and don’t want to use these things to help others, is that what God wants us to do?

If you want something – maybe some new stylish shoes like all the other kids are wearing--and maybe tell your parents that you need it, do they ever say something like, “Do you really need that, or do you just want it?” What do they mean by a question like that? Perhaps they mean something like, “People do need shoes, but you already have a perfectly good pair of shoes that still fits, so do you really need those shoes, too? Or do you just want them because they are in style and you are envious of your friend who has them?” Then they might remind you that there are lots of other kids in the world who have to walk around in worn out shoes (or shoes that are too small for their growing feet, or even barefoot) because their families don’t have the money to buy new shoes. Is this how God wants the world to be, with some kids having more shoes than they need, and other kids having no shoes or shoes with holes or that pinch their toes? 

Jesus often taught lessons about how God wants us to live, using stories that he made up to teach us a point. We call them parables. A parable is a short little story that can really make us think. Most of them tell us something about how we should live to make the world the place that is the way God wants it to be.  Today we have a parable called “The Foolish Rich Man”, about a man who was pretty greedy and selfish, and learned a lesson about that. You can read the parable of “The Foolish Rich Man” in the Bible at Luke 12: 13-21.  A kid-friendly version of this parable can be watched on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THPWXkJI_Rs

The foolish rich man had stored up more grain than he could ever use in a lifetime and then it all went to waste because he died before he could enjoy it. Can you think of some other examples in our modern world of situations where we might be tempted to keep so much of something nice for ourselves that we never would get to enjoy it? (For example, if you had a big birthday cake and decided not to share it with your friends and family but save it all to eat by yourself, it might get stale and have to be thrown out before you could eat it all. Can you think of other examples?) Wouldn’t it be better to share it with others who don’t have any than to try to keep it all to yourself and have most of it go to waste? Which way would Jesus want us to live? 

Wonder

• Has someone ever refused to share something with you, even though they had a lot of it? How did that feel?

• Can you think of anything that’s enjoyed more when it’s shared?

Do

Sunday school activities - July 24, 2022

Think and Learn

In the last few weeks we have been looking at one special prayer for Christians all over the world: the Lord’s Prayer.  The Lord’s Prayer is special because Jesus used it to teach all of his followers how we can communicate with God every day. There are many other prayers that have also been written down that we can use to communicate with God. Some are in the Bible (for example, many of the Psalms are prayers written by King David) and some have been written down in other places. Sometimes we might find a written down prayer that does a great job of putting something like our own thoughts and feelings into words, and so we might use those same words to pray to God. We can say the words out loud or just think them, and God gets the message. Sometimes the songs we sing can be prayers, too.

Using prayers other people have written down is good, but we don’t always have to communicate with God by repeating other people’s words; we can just say what we want to say to God in our own words, or we can use other ways besides words alone to communicate with God.

Think about how you communicate with other people, especially your close friends and family members who know you well. Communication isn’t always with words. Sometimes you communicate by your actions, such as perhaps holding the hand of a person who is feeling lonely or lost, or giving a pat on the back to encourage someone who is doing well. Sometimes we communicate using music that expresses how we feel, or by painting a picture, or by our facial expressions. There are many ways that humans communicate with each other. We can also use those ways to communicate our feelings and ideas to God.

Some of the things that we might want to communicate to God include: 

Thanks and praise for the good things we and other people have received, such as our family, good food, a safe and comfortable place to live, or the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature;

Things we need and hope to have soon;

Help with problems we have and ideas on what we can do to solve them;

Help for other people, perhaps those who are sick or in danger;

Feelings we have that are bothering us. For example, being angry with someone or feeling sad about something.

Real communication is a two-way street. If we really want to communicate with God, we have to pay attention to God’s response to our prayer. God doesn’t always, or even usually, send us a message in spoken or written words. But if we wait for God’s response, we might recognize it in a feeling or an idea that comes to us as we wait for an answer to our prayers. Or it might be in seeing how a problem gets worked out or could be made better after you have prayed about it.

Wonder

• Can you think of a time when you felt that God was communicating right to you

after you messaged God with a prayer?

• How do you like to pray? Words? Singing? Using a prayer that’s already written down, or using your own?

Do

This activity emphasizes God’s love for each child and his desire to communicate with us.

Items to Pack

• construction paper

• crayons or markers

• bright and colorful stickers

Set out the construction paper, markers or crayons, and colorful stickers. Make an invitation from God, inviting you to come and talk to God. Fill in the remaining information as follows:

Time: any time!

Place: any place!

Date: any day!

Sunday school activities - July 17, 2022

(adapted from “The Lord’s Prayer: An Illustrated Curriculum” from Illustrated Children’s Ministry, 2019. Used with permission.)

Think and Learn

This is the last lesson where we’ll be looking at the Lord’s Prayer. The first of this week’s verses are “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This directly names the temptations and hard times we will face in our lives. The Jews faced many struggles, and it was a challenge to keep faith in God.

To be tempted is to feel the desire to make a choice you know you shouldn’t make. When we pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we can think of this as keeping us from the temptation to use violence or participate in harming the life of someone or something. Many times we are tempted to use our power in a way that hurts people. When we ask God to lead us not into temptation, we can think of that as a way to say we will use our power in God’s way, by being loving, just, and compassionate.

“For yours is the kin-dom and the power and the glory, forever,” are words of praise. It means that all the world, the power, and the glory belong to God, the one who can empower us to live out this prayer and bring God’s kin-dom to the world.

 The prayer ends with “Amen,” which is a way of saying “may it be so.” By ending the prayer with this, we are committing to making this prayer a reality here and now.

Wonder

• Have you ever felt tempted to do something you knew you shouldn’t?

• What has helped you make the right decision when you feel tempted?

• How have you seen power used for good? How have you seen it used for evil?

Do

In today’s colouring page, there are paths across the page, each with a different type of temptation you might face. On each of the paths, write how you would respond in a loving and caring way. When you’re done, colour in the rest. 

Click here to print pdf

Sunday school activities - July 10, 2022

(adapted from “The Lord’s Prayer: An Illustrated Curriculum” from Illustrated Children’s Ministry, 2019. Used with permission.)

Think and Learn

This is our fifth session in our lesson on the Lord’s prayer. Many churches use different versions of the line, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Some say “sins” and some say “debts”. In Matthew’s Gospel, this line is, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Throughout the book of Matthew, the words “debts” and “sins” were often used to mean the same thing. To the original listeners, sin meant the breaking of relationship or connection. 

Money and debts are one of the biggest ways to hurt each other. Because of the way the world works, having a lot of money means having a lot of power. When we pray to “forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors,” we are praying for a world where people aren’t divided, especially by money. 

A well known parable about debt and forgiveness is the story of the Prodigal Son. A father has two sons. The younger one of them asks for his inheritance early, and moves out. The son then wastes all the money he was given and is left poor and hungry. The son decides to return home to apologize to his father and ask to be hired to work on his father’s farm. The father, instead of being angry, is so happy to see his son again that he throws a party for his son who has been restored to the family. 

In this parable, forgiveness is about restoration. It heals and it puts people in harmony. Because we belong to each other and to God, we owe one another our commitment and collaboration in making a just world where everyone can flourish. For that to happen, we will need to have compassion for ourselves and each other the way the father and the younger son in the parable did. 

Wonder

• Do you remember a time when someone owed you something? Or when you owed someone else something? How did it feel?

• What did you like about the parable of the Prodigal Son?

• Have you ever forgiven someone for something? Have you ever been forgiven? How did it feel?

Do

This week's colouring page shows the party the father throws for his son. It seems to be missing things through. Draw what you think the party is missing: people, food, decorations, anything else. Then, colour the rest of the page.

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - July 3, 2022

(adapted from “The Lord’s Prayer: An Illustrated Curriculum” from Illustrated Children’s Ministry, 2019. Used with permission.)

Think and Learn

This is the fourth session in our lesson on the Lord’s Prayer. Just like the opening of the Lord’s Prayer emphasised Our Loving God, this part of the prayer also connects us with each other. As we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are asking that everyone receive daily bread.

In Jesus’ day, Jews believed there would be a huge banquet in the world to come where all people would be invited to feast with God. Praying for daily bread is praying for God’s kin-dom to come now. Bringing ‘daily bread’ requires active participation from us. While the earth makes the grain, people turn the grain to bread. God wants to partner with us in bringing God’s kin-dom, and by praying for daily bread, we are saying “yes” to being partners with God.

Bread appears often throughout the Bible. In many of the stories involving bread, Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks to God as a form of blessing, breaks the bread, then gives it to the people. Examples of such stories include the feeding of the large crowd, and the Last Supper.

Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus calls himself “the Bread of Life”. With this name for Jesus, we are reminded that Jesus feeds our hearts with the encouragement we need to keep hoping and serving as we work for God’s dream of a better world.

Wonder

1. Have you seen people take food, give thanks to God for the food, and share it with others?

2. Have you thought about how your food grows or gets made and comes to your table?

3. When have you used something God gave you to help somebody else?

Do

This week’s colouring page shows a crowd of people around Jesus as he takes, blesses, breaks, and gives bread to them. Draw yourself in one of the faces. Then, fill in the other faces with people you know.

Click to print PDF

Sunday school activities - June 26, 2022

(adapted from “The Lord’s Prayer: An Illustrated Curriculum” from Illustrated Children’s Ministry, 2019. Used with permission.)

Think and Learn

This is the third session in our lesson on the Lord’s Prayer. This week we will pray for our world, reflect on what God’s reign looks like and see how the Lord’s Prayer calls us to be active in bringing God’s transformative kin-dom to the world around us. The line that we will reflect on is this:

“Your kin-dom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

First, let’s talk about some important words.

A system organizes how a group of people live and work together. Family systems, educational systems, government systems; each system has its rules and expectations, but they can help us work together. 

Not all systems work well, though. In Jesus’ time, the Roman Empire, or kingdom, was the system governing everyone. Unfortunately, that system wasn’t a good one; the people in charge got more money and power while the poor became poorer. Even some systems today are like this.

God’s kin-dom, however, is a system where everyone is cared for, treated justly and has the things they need. When we pray “Your kin-dom come”, we commit to taking an active role in changing the unjust systems around us. We can bring about God’s kin-dom of justice and love by sharing with one another, listening to and learning from one another, laughing and crying with one another, and standing up for people treated wrongly. 

Jesus told several parables or stories about God’s kin-dom. For example, Jesus compares God’s kin-dom to a tiny mustard seed. Though it is a tiny seed, it grows to become an enormous tree providing shelter and food for other living things. This parable teaches us of how God’s kin-dom generously nourishes life and is gentle in its power.

Wonder

1. When did you stand up for someone who was being treated unfairly?

2. Have you ever worked to change a rule that wasn’t fair to make life fairer  for yourself or someone else?

3. Name some ways how you show your love and kindness to others at home, in school, at church and other places. 

Do

Write a parable like the ones Jesus told about God’s kin-dom. Keep in mind that, in parables, everyday items and ideas are used to describe more complicated ideas. For example, comparing God’s kin-dom to a mustard seed. The parable you write should be about what you think the kin-dom of God would look like today.

This week’s colouring page has plenty of space for you to draw the parable you wrote.

Click to print PDF

Sunday Worship Service - June 19, 2022

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

INDIGENOUS DAY OF PRAYER / HONOURING FATHERS

June 19, 2022 – 10 am

Summer Sermon Series: “The Good News in One Word”

* The live service will be broadcasted and recorded on YouTube, check your email for the link.
The audio recording of the live service should be available by phone Monday afternoon at 613- 820-8104

Gathering Music: We Must Learn to Walk Together – Waites
Singalong

Refrain:
As the seasons keep on turning,
we are held in Creator’s hands.
We must learn to walk together,
to reconcile this land.
To reconcile this land.

1. When our respect grows, day by day,
when we learn, and sing, and pray.
When courage rises in one and all,
then justice comes, and truth stands tall!
Justice comes and truth stands tall! Ref

2. When honest words replace old lies,
when we smudge, and sweat, and cry.
When wisdom calls and we sing Love’s song,
then balance comes, and we’re made strong!
Balance comes and we’re made strong! Ref

3. When we have honoured elder’s years;
when their stories soothe our fears
When laughter rises, we dance and drum,
then healing comes, our hearts are one!
Healing comes our hearts are one! Ref

Words & Music © 2016 Lisa Waites
Reprinted with permission for Indigenous Sunday June 2022. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgement of Territory[1] 
Rev. Lorrie Lowes

We begin this time of worship by acknowledging that we are meeting on the land of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe people. This land has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples from the beginning. We thank all the generations of Indigenous people who have taken care of this land and been its stewards for thousands of years. We give thanks for the countless ways they have assisted the settler peoples who came to inhabit the land. We also recognize the contributions Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples have made in shaping and strengthening this region, the provinces, and Canada as a whole. May the Creator hold us gently in this time as all mourn the loss of innocent Indigenous children’s lives. Meegwetch. All my relations.

Welcome & Centering for Worship
Rev. Kim Vidal

Lighting of the Four Candles
Acolytes:  Ruth & Ian Howes

From the light of Christ, we light these four candles to remind us of our relationship with our indigenous sisters and brothers.
We share in God’s dream of abundant life for all. (Yellow candle is lit)
We give and receive gifts of deep emotion, deep wisdom, and deep love. (Black candle is lit)
With gratitude, we praise Creator God, to seek transformation, and to celebrate the power of the Spirit who is always moving. (Red Candle is lit)
We light this candle to remind us that we are not alone as we do the work toward God’s dream of truth and reconciliation. (White Candle is lit).

Sung Response: Spirit of the Living God  -  Voices United #376

Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on us. (2x)
Break us, melt us, mold us, fill us.
Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on us.

Words & Music © 1926 v.1 Daniel Iverson, arr. © 1987 Darryl Nixon.
Song # FBC-A003716 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Call to Gather & Prayer of Approach [2]
Rev. Lorrie Lowes

In the presence of Creator, we gather:
People carrying burdens we may not know about looking for comfort; folks needing their spirits refreshed.
We draw together hoping for that touch that will enliven us, longing to be embraced in arms of love and understanding.
Help us to put aside our differences and see the earth as you see it, boundary-free.
You call us all: babies, toddlers on unsteady feet, school-age children with curious minds, teens with questing spirits, full of youthful confidence one moment and like frightened children the next.
We are called, as adults trying to take good paths watching out for the next generations, and those easing into their winter years passing on our teachings.
We are all kin in this meeting place whether we gather in person or through technology, our spirits joining to say meegwetch for all that we have been blessed with.
Thanks be to God for the goodness in our lives. Amen.

Opening Hymn: Called by Earth and Sky – More Voices #135

Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

1 Precious these waters, endless seas,
deep ocean’s dream, waters of healing,
rivers of rain, the wash of love again.

Refrain: (French)
Du-ciel et de la terre,
Nous entendons l’appel’
Nous de-vons ché-rir l’univers,
é-crin de vie, pré-cieuse et belle;
du-ciel et de la terre.

Verse 2 (French)
Pré-cieux est l’air que l’on respire,
libre est le vent; Es-prit qui souffle,
viens nous in-struire, de grâ-ce
nous com-blant.

Refrain (French)

3 Precious these mountains, ancient sands;
vast fragile land. Seeds of our wakening, rooted and strong, Creation’s faithful song.

Refrain

4 - Precious the fire that lights our way,
bright dawning day. Fire of passion,
sorrows undone, our faith and justice one.

Refrain

Words & Music © 2005 Pat Mayberry, Arranged © 2005 Marg Stubington, Translation: 2006 David Fines
Song#119776 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Storytime
Rev. Lorrie

Hymn: We Are One in the Spirit (They’ll Know We Are Christians by our Love)

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord (2x)
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored. Ref

Refrain: And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand; (2x)
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land. Ref

We will work with each other, we will work side by side (2x)
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride. Ref

Words and Music © 1966 Peter Scholtes FEL Publications assigned to Lorenz
Song #81199 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Prayer for Illumination[3] 
Reader: Jordan Berard

Gracious God, take the words I will speak and bless them.
Take the listening we will bring to the Word and empower our reflection with action. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 8:26–39 (The Living Bible)

26 So they arrived at the other side, in the Gerasene country across the lake from Galilee. 27 As he was climbing out of the boat a man from the city of Gadara came to meet him, a man who had been demon-possessed for a long time. Homeless and naked, he lived in a cemetery among the tombs. 28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell to the ground before him, screaming, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of God Most High? Please, I beg you, oh, don’t torment me!”

29 For Jesus was already commanding the demon to leave him. This demon had often taken control of the man so that even when shackled with chains he simply broke them and rushed out into the desert, completely under the demon’s power. 30 “What is your name?” Jesus asked the demon. “Legion,” they replied—for the man was filled with thousands of them! 31 They kept begging Jesus not to order them into the Bottomless Pit.

32 A herd of pigs was feeding on the mountainside nearby, and the demons pled with him to let them enter into the pigs. And Jesus said they could. 33 So they left the man and went into the pigs, and immediately the whole herd rushed down the mountainside and fell over a cliff into the lake below, where they drowned. 34 The herdsmen rushed away to the nearby city, spreading the news as they ran.

35 Soon a crowd came out to see for themselves what had happened and saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting quietly at Jesus’ feet, clothed and sane! And the whole crowd was badly frightened. 36 Then those who had seen it happen told how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And everyone begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone (for a deep wave of fear had swept over them). So he returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.

38 The man who had been demon-possessed begged to go too, but Jesus said no.

39 “Go back to your family,” he told him, “and tell them what a wonderful thing God has done for you.”

So he went all through the city telling everyone about Jesus’ mighty miracle.

May God’s wisdom invites us to reflect on this Gospel story. Thanks be to God.

Ministry of Music: O God, I Know Not What to Ask - Snowdon
BCUC Choir

Sermon: “Legion” 
Rev. Kim Vidal

Prayers of the People & the Lord’s Prayer
Rev. Lorrie

Grandparent God, look at our brokenness—
we know that in all creation
only the human family has strayed from the Sacred Way.
We know that we are the ones who are divided
and we are the ones who must come back together
to walk in the Sacred Way. 

As we reflect on the history of the relationship
between the church and Aboriginal peoples,
we pray for openness.
In our learning and in our growing, may there be healing. 

As we open ourselves to the stories
of Aboriginal peoples hurt and wounded
by residential school and other experiences,
we pray for compassionate listening.
In the telling and in the hearing, may there be healing. 

As we feel the pain of individuals and communities
and recognize our impoverishment of spirit
through our failure to honour the gifts of different cultures,
we pray for a hunger for new ways
of walking the earth together.
In our recognition of the need for forgiveness
and for change, may there be healing. 

As we work together to embody
the spirit of reconciliation and healing,
we pray for expectant anticipation that our life together
in the church will be enriched and deepened.
In the giving and in the receiving, may there be healing. 

As we move forward as the people of God,
lifting up and supporting our sisters and brothers
of all tribes and races, we pray for God’s richest blessings.
In the honouring and in the sharing, may there be healing. 

Grandparent, Sacred One,
teach us love, compassion, and honour
that we may heal the earth and heal each other.  [4]

All these we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us join together in reciting the First nation’s version of the Lord’s Prayer.

Great Spirit, whose long house is in the sky,
whose hunting ground is the earth,
mighty and fearful are you called,
Ruler over storm, over human, bird and beast,
over earthway, over skyway;
Find us this day our meat and bread,
that we may be strong and brave.
Put aside from us our wicked ways,
as we put aside bad works of them who wrong us.
Let us not be led into troubled roads
but keep us from all evil.
For yours is all that is: the earth, the sky, streams and hills,
the stars, the moon, the sun,
and all that live and breathe the wonderful shining mighty,
mighty Spirit. Amen 

Invitation to Offer
Rev. Kim

Our offering of time, talents and treasures, is an act of love. We give from what we have and as we are able; but always, we give in the name of love. If you are not on PAR and wish to send in your offering and donations, you can drop them in the mailbox by the kitchen door of the church, mail them to BCUC, or send in your support through e-transfer. Thank you for your continued love and support to Bells Corners United Church.

Offertory Prayer

The world is very much with us this day: places of peace and places of conflict.
Receive these gifts from our hands and hearts, so that the world may be changed through them, by the power of your Spirit working in them and working in us. Amen.[5]

*Hymn: Faith of our Fathers    Voices United #580

1 Faith of our fathers, living still
in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy,
whene’er we hear that glorious word:
faith of our fathers, holy faith,
we will be true to you till death.

2 Faith of our mothers, daring faith,
your work for Christ is love revealed,
spreading God’s word from pole to pole,
making love known and freedom real:
faith of our mothers, holy faith,
we will be true to you till death.

3 Faith of our sisters, brothers too,
who still must bear oppression’s might,
raising on high, in prisons dark,
the cross of Christ still burning bright:
faith for today, O living faith,
we will be true to you till death.

4 Faith born of God, O call us yet,
bind us with all who follow you,
sharing the struggle of your cross
until the world is made anew.
Faith born of God, O living faith,
we will be true to you till death.

Words (v2-4) © 1981 Joseph Alfred
Song # 01214 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved 

*Sending Forth
Rev. Kim

Return now to the circle of Life, knowing,
That the love of Creator God is with us,
The compassion of Jesus inspires us,
The hope of the Holy Spirit comforts us.
May everyone we meet, know of our praise
of God’s name, by the singing and dancing
of our hands, heart, and feet! [6]

Amen.

Departing Music

[1] © 2022 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non- commercial Share Alike Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc- sa/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.

[2] Ibid.

[3] David Sparks, Gathering, Pentecost 1 2018 (Year B). Used with permission.

[4] Celebrate God’s Presence, p530-531. Used with permission.

[5] Kate Crawford. Gathering Pentecost 1 2019, p49. Used with permission.

[6] Lee Claus, Francis Sandy Theological Centre, 2008.