Year A - The Fourth Sunday of Easter (May 15, 2011)

Did you know that Psalm 23 and a gospel about the Good Shepherd are read on the fourth Sunday in Easter every year of the lectionary cycle?  I read one commentator who referred to it as “Good Shepherd Sunday.”  There’s always something to learn!  Now that I know that, I’m rearranging the order of today’s texts.  We’ll explore the Good Shepherd texts first, then go to the Epistle (which actually has a very small good shepherd connection) and Acts which is about community.

Before digging into the details, it is important to recognize that the Good Shepherd is a metaphor and children have a hard time with metaphors.  Studies show that most children do not develop the brain skill of transference that is necessary to understand metaphors until they are into adolescence.  But, the Bible and our worship are filled with metaphors.  I suspect that we help the children claim them when we carefully explore the details of a few key ones, expecting them to become familiar with the concrete part of the metaphor and some of the spiritual realities it embodies, but not fully making the connection until later.  The Good Shepherd is definitely one of those key metaphors.  Maria Montessori reports that while working in a children’s hospital she found that when she told sick children stories about the Good Shepherd using small wooden figures, they almost all grabbed the shepherd figure and held onto it “for keeps.”  So the Good Shepherd made sense to them in some way.

This week we have Psalm 23 which is packed with shepherd images and Jesus’ claim in the gospel to be the gate of the sheepfold.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23 appeared on the Fourth Sunday of Lent and will appear again in Proper 23 (28) on October 9, 2011.  Go to The Fourth Sunday in Lent  for a coloring sheet to print out and notes about child friendly hymn versions of the psalm.

Read through the psalm one sentence at a time, thinking like a sheep.  At the risk of stating the obvious, below is a copy of the psalm with sheep references as children understand them.  Many church school attending children know a lot about sheep and in a conversational setting can help you with this.  Other children may be clueless about sheep and their care.  After working through the psalm, point out that we look to God to care of us in the same way a good shepherd takes care of sheep.  Note that many people learn this psalm for memory so that they can pray it whenever they need it – in hospital rooms, in scary times, when they are worried.  Consider offering a small prize to anyone who can recite the whole psalm to you in the coming weeks.

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

²     He makes me lie down in green pastures;

Sheep eat grass

he leads me beside still waters;

Sheep drown in running water.  So, shepherd's must keep them

out of streams and lead them to safer ponds.

³     he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Sheep wander and get into places they can’t get out of

⁴     Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

Name animals that eat sheep and

imagine their eyes shining in the dark.

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

Describe using a rod to beat off animals and

staff to pull sheep back from dangerous places

⁵     You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

Remind of the animals watching as sheep graze

you anoint my head with oil;

Oil was first aid for cuts and thorns.

my cup overflows.

⁶     Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

my whole life long.

                            New Revised Standard Version

 

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

R Show this picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and identify it as the first painting we have of Jesus.  Explain that it was painted in the ceiling of the catacombs where the first Christians hid to worship God.  Briefly describe the Roman practice of feeding Christians to hungry lions.  Ponder why the artist chose to paint Jesus as a strong young shepherd.  List some situations today in which we need a strong shepherd. 

To take it another step provide children with paper and crayons with which to draw pictures of a good shepherd.  Invite them to show you their drawing as they leave or to post it on a prepared door or bulletin board.

John 10:1-10

Jesus is making a fairly sophisticated point about true and false shepherds.  Verses 2-5 lay the foundation for children.  That foundation consists of information about sheepfolds and shepherd’s calling sheep who know their shepherd’s voice.  It introduces the idea of non-literal voices that call to us.

R Present information about shepherding using a small cardboard sheepfold, a shepherd figure (maybe from a crèche), and some toy sheep.  Demonstrate how the shepherd would gather the sheep into the fold, counting as they came in and checking each one for injuries, then sleep across the gate so no animal or human thief could get to the sheep at night.  Show next how in the morning the shepherd would call the sheep to the gate and lead them out into pasture.  After showing this, reread verses 2-5 and comment that just as the good shepherd takes care of the sheep, Jesus takes care of us.

R Stretch the understanding of older children by telling them that lots of voices that are not actually “I can hear you” voices call out to us every day.  To illustrate, describe a beautiful sweater.  When you see it, it is almost as if it says to you, “Look at me.  I am so soft, such a great color.  You would look so cool in me.  You have to have me.  You will be nothing without me.”  Name other things without the ability to speak that call out to you, e.g. sports equipment, a plate of cookies, a hot cheesy pizza, a sports team that you want to play on, a part that you want in a play, and put what they say to us into words.  Point out that we have to decide which of these voices to listen to.  We have to be like smart sheep who follow only the voice of their shepherd.  Then read verses 2-5 again.  Preschoolers and early elementary schoolers can’t make this stretch, but some older children can respond to the challenge.

1 Peter 2:19-25

Children need to hear this message in other words.  The message is, don’t fight back and don’t try to get even when people treat you wrong.  Jesus is the example here.  Imagine what he could have said and done to the soldiers on Good Friday or to all the disciples who ran and hid when Jesus was arrested and killed.  Then remind listeners that he forgave the soldiers and the disciples.  Be honest about how hard it is to be like Jesus on this AND challenge even children to try to do so anyway. 

                                       REVENGE or REPAIR

R With older children define the word revenge as hurting someone who hurt you.  Define the word repair as fixing things between you and a person who has hurt you so that neither of you will hurt each other again.  You may want to print the words on two posters.  Use a fist fight as an example to explain the differences in the two.  A bully pushes you down accidently-on-purpose.  You go for revenge bumping into him and his lunch tray.  Then he gets revenge by wiping his spilled food on your face and…. soon you are both wrestling on the floor and are finally sitting in the Principal’s office.  Nothing has been repaired for anybody. 

After pointing out how hard it is to find alternatives to seeking revenge, recount the story “The Karate Kid” which tells of a boy who chose to learn Karate and challenge his bully in a Karate tournament.  He won the tournament and the respect of the bully.  That took a lot of work.  This letter dares us to figure out ways to repair rather than take revenge.

R The shepherd reference in verse 25 assumes full understanding of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb as well as Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  And, it blends the two so that Jesus is seen as both lamb and shepherd.  Other lectionary years provide readings that make quicker sense to children, so I'd not try to unpack this one for the children.

Acts 2:42-47

Exploring the value of community is a logical thing to do during Easter season.  It is also a hard sell during May in North America where everyone is hanging on for dear life looking forward to summer and a let up or at least a change in community responsibilities and activities.  Still, maybe especially in that situation, it is good to ponder the importance of community in our lives as Christians.  This text provides a list of activities in the early church that match those of most congregations today.  The list is also a list of good activities for Easter people.  To explore the importance of community and the list of activities, try some of the following:

R As you read the text, ask worshipers to raise hands every time they hear an activity.  Stop to identify the activity in the text and to identify ways you congregation does that.  (Be sure to include activities in which children as well as adults participate.)

R Tell worshipers that it is test day.  Each of them is to recite the 23^rd Psalm (or Lord’s Prayer) on their own.  Ask how many think they can do it.  Then, ask the congregation to recite it together.  (See if they can do it if you start it with them, then leave them on their own.)  Note that while no one may have been able to recite the whole thing perfectly on their own, with the whole group working together, they got it.  Use this to explore one benefit of living all of life in a community.  Whenever we don’t know what to do or say next, there are people around to help us out. 

 

R Display a large bag of wrapped candies (maybe Easter candies?)  Suggest that you might put the bag in your desk and eat one candy a day.  Guess how many days your bag would last.  Imagine eating it each day.  Then, say “OR, I could keep one to enjoy right now and give one to each of you.  That would be fun.  The whole church eating candy together!”  Decide on the latter and pour the candies into a couple of baskets for children to pass to the congregation.  While eating together, reread the phrase “they ate their food with glad and generous hearts” and note that you think you had more fun sharing that candy with everyone than you would have eating one piece a day by yourself and applying that lesson to everyday living.

A twist on this would be to give each worshiper two candies and the instructions to find someone in the next day or two with whom to eat the candies with “glad and generous hearts.”

R Connect community to the congregation’s prayers of intercession.  Before the prayers walk the congregation through your congregation’s practice.  Explain how concerns are gathered.  If there is a time when worshipers can identify prayer concerns, invite worshipers of all ages to offer requests and explain what is appropriate.  Also speak about why you pray for others.  Describe both asking God’s care for them and committing ourselves to care for them (e.g. sending a card or taking a meal to one who is sick). 

It would be possible to do this with children seated around you at the front.  Involve them in identifying people they want to pray and shaping those prayers.  Then hear prayer requests of the congregation and keeping the children around you lead the prayers of intercession.  There would also be wisdom in sending the children back to their seats before gathering congregation’s prayer requests.  The latter avoids having to respond to requests that you don’t particularly want to address with the children or for worshipers with such requests to not state them out of consideration for the children. 

Year A - The Fourth Sunday in Lent (April 3, 2011)

Today’s texts are filled with images of light and vision.  Poetry and metaphor abound.  To avoid losing the children entirely, think carefully about the images you use.  Select one or two rather than include every  one of them.  The images that make most sense to children include

Ø  God sees us.  God saw the overlooked David.  Jesus saw the blind beggar.

Ø  God sees us as we are “on the inside,” not just the way we look “on the outside.”  (See the David story)

Ø  John’s word play about the Pharisees “not seeing” works well in English.  In everyday English, “I see” or “I get it” means “I understand.”  When it is laid out in detail, children enjoy the joke that the Pharisees, were blind or couldn’t see (understand) what happened to the blind man.  The joke continues in the Old Testament reading when “Samuel, the Seer” fails to see the one God has chosen to be king.

Ø  “Children of the light” or “children of darkness” are simply titles for God’s people and those who are not God’s people.  They are more like team colors than a meaningful description of the team.

Children get overwhelmed by some light images.

Ø  “I am the light of the world.”  For literal thinkers, the sun, the moon, the stars, and electricity are the lights of the world.  It is almost impossible for them to grasp light as spiritual understanding or moral guidance.  Forget lighthouses, searchlights, flashlights, etc. as object lessons.  The children just don’t see the connections.

Ø  Spiritual blindness is an idea that will simply have to wait for young brains to develop more fully. 

Ø  “Doing deeds in the light” is doing them where they can be seen. 

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Children who are shuttled off to eat in the kitchen while the grownups eat in the dining room, children who  get left at home when older family members do interesting-sounding things, and children who feel themselves always “less than” their older siblings love in this story!  It promises them that God does not overlook them, sees them as they are, and appreciates them.  The story was probably set on the fourth Sunday of Lent as encouragement to those who are struggling with keeping Lenten disciplines.  And, there are similarities between the fourth Sunday in Lent and this point in the school year.  To those who are struggling, the end of the year is very distant.  Teachers and other students have decided who you are and what you will do.  They don’t seem to see the real you and all your efforts.  In such a stuck situation, hearing that God knows and appreciates the real you is Good News indeed!

To bring this story to life, have it read and pantomimed by a group of men and boys.  The seven brothers can simply step forward and stand in place (maybe in the military “at ease” pose) as the story is read.  Old Samuel looks at each one shaking his head with surprise.  Finally, younger David is brought in, kneels to be anointed, then goes back to the sheep.  A rehearsal will be needed and should be a fun connecting time for the group.

One lectionary commentator explained the British Mothering Day custom of families worshiping together on the fourth Sunday of Lent.  He suggested building the entire service, including a child friendly sermon,  around this story so that children who are often sent away from the sanctuary can remain and worship with their mothers.  He rightly contends that people of all generations respond to this message.  Those who celebrate Mother’s Day in May might want to save this story and his idea for use then.

Psalm 23

Children who are regulars in church school are usually well versed in shepherds and recognize most of the shepherd references in this psalm.  For other urban children shepherds are fierce guard dogs.  They need a more thorough introduction.  A walking stick (rod) and shepherd’s crook (even one from a swimming pool) can be used to demonstrate the shepherd’s work and to explain why having a shepherd with those tools handy would be a comfort. 

After he was anointed, David was sent back to take care of the sheep.  When his brothers got sent to fight the Philistines, David had to say behind.  He made it to the front lines only to carry food to his big brothers.  When Psalm 23 is read as a David’s prayer while he was back with his sheep, it is possible to hear “you anoint my head with oil” more as a memory of what happened and an appreciation of the fact that God has plans for him than as a reference to first aid for sheep.  Children can imagine David back with his sheep, happily recalling being singled out and wondering what that anointing would mean for him.

Remember that for children a cup that runs over is a disaster, not an over abundance of the good things in life.

Print the words of the psalm in large print at the center of a piece of paper. Give copies and crayons to children inviting them (and other worshipers?) to illustrate the psalm during worship.  Suggest that they either underline one or two phrases to illustrate or that they surround the psalm with pictures from their own lives of times when they need to remember the psalm.  Ask children to show you their work as they leave the sanctuary or invite them to post it on a door or bulletin board near the sanctuary.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

²     He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

³     he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

⁴     Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

⁵     You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶     Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

my whole life long.

New Revised Standard Version

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are many musical versions of Psalm 23.  Many however use the King James vocabulary that few children know.  Probably the first choice is “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” (Scottish Psalter) because the tune is familiar to the congregation and because the words are closest to today’s English.  “The Lord’s My Shepherd, All My Need” (Christopher L. Webber, 1986) has easier vocabulary but the tune is less familiar.  Finally, “He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought” is a meditation on the theme of the psalm with an easy to read and understand repeated chorus. 

It is also a fact that each congregation has its favorite Psalm 23 hymn which is sung with a passion children hear.  If you select such a song knowing that children will have trouble with some of the vocabulary, in a brief introduction explain one or two key words or phrases before inviting the congregation to sing it.

Ephesians 5:8-14

The light and dark images here keep children from Paul’s point which they need to hear.  Simply put, Paul is telling us not to do or say anything that we don’t want everyone in the world to know we did or said.  This is one time when straight talk is most understandable.

John 9:1-41

A call to worship is supposed to get people ready to worship.  If you will be worshiping using vision vocabulary and images, begin by alerting especially young worshipers to that fact.  Together brainstorm words related to vision (eyes, see, light, vision, watch, etc.).  Add any words you will use, but that no one else mentions.  Encourage worshipers to watch for them in the readings, prayers and songs of the days.  Suggest that they underline all the vision words they see in their bulletins.  Then sing one or more verses of “Open My Eyes That I May See” to call yourselves to worship.

This is another of those long, complex stories that are more easily followed when they are pantomimed by actors and actresses who can show what is going on with their faces and gestures.  Older teenagers and adults do this best.  A worship leader reads from the lectern as the actors work.  They may work in a confined space front and center of the sanctuary.  Or, following the story, they might move to different parts of the sanctuary for the scenes of healing, community response, discussion with the Pharisees, and final scene with Jesus.

Much of the discussion about light and seeing in this story is beyond children.  But, the way people did or did not really see the blind man offers older children an appropriate  challenge. 

Though the blind man had been begging outside the Temple for years, the Temple leaders had paid him so little attention that they did not recognize him when he was not in his usual place.  They had seen him with their eyes, but not paid him any attention. 

Jesus on the other hand, saw him and paid him attention.  He treated him as a real person.  In response to his need, Jesus healed him.  Later, when he went looking for the man after he got thrown out of the Temple, he did not need anyone to point him out.  He remembered what he looked like. 

The challenge is to be like Jesus, i.e. to really “see” people.   Encourage children to think of people they meet everyday such as bus drivers, school cafeteria workers, the library lady, grocery store cashiers, even beggars by the road, etc.  Identify some ways they can let those people know they are important to you, e.g. learning their names and then calling them by name, smiling at them, thanking them for what they do for you… 

This could be a children’s sermon, but will probably lose the younger children.  It is better as part of the “real” sermon in which children as well as adults are challenged and children learn that sermons might be for them, too. 

One way to enable people to “see” the homeless in their community is to give them a specific way to respond.  Make meal coupons or gift cards to local fast food restaurants available for purchase by church members.  Members keep them in their cars to give to homeless people they encounter begging by the side of the road.

Year C - Christ the King/ The Reign of Christ (November 21, 2010)

The “Reign of Christ” has been suggested as a substitute for “Christ the King” as the name for this Sunday in order to de-emphasize hierarchy.  That is a worthwhile goal.  But especially non-reading children hear “Rain of Christ” instead of “Reign of Christ” and are confused.  So if you use Reign, define it and point out with a laugh what it is not.

Or, explore Christ the King in children’s terms.  In children’s stories kings may be good or bad or simply may be people in a set role.  The king has the right and power to make all the rules and demand that people do what he wants.  When the people do not obey the king has the right to punish them.  Good kings use this power and right well.  Bad kings do not.  Jesus is the very best king ever.  Jesus has all the power and chooses to use it to take care of people.  When they disobey him (think crucifixion), he forgives them.  In the context of today’s texts, King Jesus chooses to be a Good Shepherd and a forgiver.

Unless you want to save this for Palm Sunday, display a crown of thorns and a king’s crown from a costume shop.  Talk about the choice Jesus made about the kind of crown he would wear and the kind of king he would be.

If you are using white and gold paraments today, point them out, explain the significance of their color and any symbols on them.  Recall the other holy days on which they are used.

To put the Lord’s Prayer in the context of Christ’s kingship, use the phrase “Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory” of the Lord’s Prayer as a congregational response to each of the other lines of the prayer. 

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Especially in the United States this month, most people of all political persuasions, resonate with Jeremiah’s wish for political leaders who are good shepherds, i.e. leaders who have the well being of the people as their focus.  In the context of today’s theme, Jesus is that leader.  He is a king who has the good of the people as clearly in mind as a shepherd has the well being of the sheep in mind. 

For children shepherds are people who take care of sheep.  They will need to be clearly told that in the Bible Jesus is often referred to as a shepherd not of sheep but of people.  One way to do this is to show a picture of Jesus with sheep in his arms (Google “good shepherd pictures”) and a picture of Jesus with people (you may have a picture of Jesus and the children in the church school).  Note that when we say Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we do not mean that Jesus takes care of sheep.  Instead we mean that Jesus takes as good care of people as a good shepherd does of sheep.

The earliest painting of Jesus is this painting of Jesus as a good shepherd. Help the children find the sheep on Jesus' shoulders and the water he is carrying for the sheep.  Note how young and strong Jesus looks.  The painting is found in the catacombs  (tunnels under the city of Rome) where the first Christians hid out from Romans who wanted to feed them to the lions.    This painting on the wall reminded them that Jesus would take care of them.

Psalm 46     GOD IS WITH US, WE FEAR NOTHING

This psalm celebrates what the other texts for the day describe.  We are safe in the presence of God.  We don’t have to be afraid.  Verses 10-11 sum it up most simply for children. 

“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” is based on this psalm.  Martin Luther’s words are difficult for children to understand.  What they can get is the feel of fearlessness and the passion with the congregation sings this familiar, loved hymn.  Before singing it, note that Martin Luther wrote this song while his friends were hiding him in a castle from people who wanted to kill him.  Invite singers to imagine how they felt as they sang his song together.

Luke 1:68-79

Before reading Zechariah’s song, briefly tell the story behind it.  Elderly, childless Zechariah had not believed the angel who told him he would have a son.  Because he had not believed, he was unable to speak until the baby (John the Baptist) was born.  These were his first words after nine silent months.  Either invite worshipers to imagine old John holding his newborn son in his arms saying these words to God and everyone around him.  Or, if your congregation includes an older man who could speak the words dramatically from memory , ask him to present the reading (perhaps holding a wrapped baby doll in his arms).

Colossians 1:11-20

The hymn to Christ in verses 15-20 is the heart of this text.   Unfortunately for children, it is filled with so many pronouns and interchangeable names for Jesus that it is hard to follow.  Choosing to read either Today’s English Version or The Contemporary English Version rather than the King James  or NRSV may help.  But, even they need to be interpreted.  The hymn boils down to six statements about Jesus.  Children will recognize some of them and be interested in exploring them as a set of ideas about Jesus.

Jesus is God made visible. 

Jesus is better than anyone else or anything else in all creation.

God made the world through Jesus and for Jesus.

Jesus (and God) existed before anything else.

Jesus is the head of the church and what keeps it alive.

God  forgave us through Jesus’ death on the cross.

If you must offer a children’s time, invite the children to join you with the big Bible from the front of the church.  Introduce the text as a song about Jesus that the very first Christians sang.  Pause in your reading to put each big idea about Jesus in your own words.  You might want to reread this without interruptions later or this might be the epistle reading for the day.

No matter which translation of this song you use, three names appear – Jesus, Christ, and Son.  Before reading the text, point out these names and briefly explain each one.  To add a visual, present each name on a poster that can be left in full view during the reading.

Jesus is the name his family and friends called Jesus – like Susan or Lu.

Christ is actually a title rather than a name.  It is not Jesus’ last name (a common misperception among children).  The title means God’s Chosen One and applies only to Jesus.

Jesus is called God’s Son or simply the Son.  Just as people say of a son that he is just like his father, people say of Jesus that he not only is like God but is God in human form.

The text refers to Jesus at both the beginning and end of time.  If there are Alpha and Omega symbols on today’s paraments or elsewhere in the sanctuary, point them out and explain them.  Enjoy the children’s question “but what came before that…” and the mysterious answer that before anything there was God and Christ.  And, after everything there will be God and Christ.   

Luke 23:33-43

Luke’s account of the crucifixion centers on Jesus’ forgiving those who crucified him and the thief who asked for forgiveness.  On this Sunday it emphasizes Christ’s work forgiving us.  In children’s stories kings don’t have to forgive.  But, King Jesus, the king of the universe, chooses to forgive us at great cost to himself. 

It is a good day for worship education about confession and assurance of pardon as they are practiced in your worship.  Point to that section of worship in a bulletin.  Walk worshipers through the prayers and responses, putting things in your own words as you go. 

In my congregation it would go something like this:  We say together that we all know we do things that are sinful, then in the silence we each tell God some of the bad stuff we have done in the last week.  We ask God to forgive us and then hear the minister remind us that God will forgive us.  We respond with a happy song thinking God for forgiving us and shake hands to “pass the peace” that we get from God to those sitting around us. 

Rehearse any standard responses or refrains together.  For example, explain that “Kyrie Eleison” means “Christ have mercy” or “Christ forgive us,” then sing it through once.    

To emphasize the purpose of the prayer of confession, create a responsive prayer.  The congregation’s response to each plea is “Christ, forgive us.”