Worshiping With A Children

Jeremiah 8:18 – 9:1
Jeremiah grieves over the suffering people of conquered Jerusalem



Psalm 79:1-9
A lament over the nation after it is destroyed and pillaged with a plea for mercy

This psalm is not for the children.


1 Timothy 2:1-7
Praying for leaders and a Christological hymn

These seven verses offer a rather amazing variety of worship themes, some more relevant for children than others.

Paul begins with a call to prayer for leaders. In this election season with all the trash talking about leaders, have a respectful conversation and prayer with children about civic leaders. Together name some local, state and national leaders and list some of the jobs they do. You may also want to add people who are running for office. With the children, identify some prayers for our leaders, then offer those prayers.

The great Christological hymn describing Christ as a mediator between God and people is hard for children. Much of our talk with them about God has focused on God as their loving friend who is always available to them. A mediator is only needed when there are conflicts to be settled and gaps to be bridged. So, before children can see Christ as a welcome mediator, they need to identify the estrangement with God. Some older children will begin to pick up on some of the preacher’s comments, but Christ as mediator is not a great topic for a children’s time.

The theme in this hymn that does speak to children is that God loves all people and Jesus died for all people. Paul’s point was God loves all people not just the Jewish ones. Today the point is God loves all people, not just the ones like me.

• During the children’s time, present the gathered children with portraits of people. (Old “National Geographics” are good sources.) Present two very different looking people at a time with the question, “Does God love one of these people more than the other?” After discussing several pairs, conclude that God loves and cares for all the people in the world.
  
  A resource you will use again:  Portraits is a collection of 250  5x8 inch portraits of individuals from all over the world taken by Steve McCurry, renowned National Geographic photographer.  Because it has a soft bindng, I took the book apart and now have a collection of beautiful portraits that celebrate the differences and similarities in people.  Use it this Sunday for this conversation and save it for many other activities in the future.  Available through Amazon.com for about $16.
• Before singing “In Christ There Is No East or West” introduce the geographical directions in the first verse by illustrating them with hand motions. Point to your right for “east,” to your left for “west,” up for “north,” and down for “south.” Then form a huge circle with your arms for “one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.” As you do, summarize the message of the verse. This could be a brief introduction before the singing of the hymn with encouragement to children to sing with the congregation. Or, it could become a children’s time –also best done just before singing the hymn.

Luke 16:1-13
Parable of the Shrewd Manager, sayings about our use of stuff

Usually with children, it is best to go with the story rather than the teachings. Not here. The story is tough for adults and almost incomprehensible to children. (You may however want to check out a puppet-less puppet show that takes artistic liberties with the parable at http://www.sarahlaughed.net/lectionary/2004/09/for_panicking_c.html  ) In this text, the sayings that follow the parable offer more to children.

Being faithful in small things: Read this saying aloud from the big Bible. Then, admit that we would all like to do big things - important things, things that get reported on TV and make people admire us. PAUSE But most of the time most of us we don’t. Instead we do regular every day, “little” things. Jesus has two things to tell us about these “little” things. First, being faithful in little things does make a difference. Being kind to the kid no one else talks to, forgiving the person who called you a mean name, saying “thank you” and really meaning it, all those little things often make a bigger difference to people than we ever know. The second thing about being faithful in little things is that it is important practice. Shooting hoops over and over again is practice for making the important shot in the big game. In the same way being kind, forgiving, loving people on the normal days is practice for being God’s loving, forgiving people when it is REALLY, REALLY hard to do. In both basketball and being disciples, practice on the small things is very important.

Children think literally. Loving “wealth” means loving the cash and coins. I can clearly remember feeling that I was safe on this as a child. I did not love quarters or even paper bills. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I caught that the problem wasn’t the cash, it was what you could buy with the cash. Talk about a preacher who had left off preaching and gone to meddling! The text took on a whole new meaning for me. To help children get the real meaning of the text, talk about “stuff” rather than “wealth.” Cite examples like cell phones, “in” shoes, double stuffed Oreos, computer games, even the money to register to be on a sports team or see a show… It is not that any of this stuff is bad, lots of it is really cool. What Jesus tells us is that how we use our stuff is important. We can be selfish with our stuff, not sharing with others. We can spend all our time thinking about and messing with our stuff, never taking time to see what people around us may want and need from us. We can forget that who we are is more important than what we wear and what we have. The child’s version of Jesus' saying is “who you are and what you do are more important than what you have.”

• Straight conversations like this can be worked into the main sermon mixing examples from adulthood and childhood. When they hear such conversations, children (1) conclude that the sermon is for them too and (2) they begin to realize that the adults around them struggle with some of the same problems they do. When the conversation becomes the children’s time, older children who tend to disappear from the steps because the usual stories told there are for babies, may tune in and find that worship has something to say to them too.
   
• Bring a cool electronic gadget (maybe a fancy cell phone or blackberry) to the gathering of children. Show them what it will do and let them know how much you enjoy having it. Then, tell them you think Jesus cares about how you use your whatever-it-is. Point out that you could say “it’s mine! Don’t touch it!” Or, you could say, “Look how it works? You want to try it?” You could spend so much time seeing what you can make it do, that you ignore everything and everyone else. Note that you know you’ve done this when people say, “Earth to YOUR NAME – are you there?” Or, you could enjoy it some, but not all the time. Etc. Conclude that Jesus said we are to learn to use our stuff well. We are to enjoy stuff, but not make it the only thing we think about. Jesus made it very clear that people are always more important than things.

On the day after Christmas children who come to worship (not unlike the adults who come to worship) will not be many in number and will be coming in many moods. Some will be basking in the rosy glow of a happy Christmas. Others will be deeply disappointed either because they did not get what they wanted or gatherings were less than peacefully cheerful. Some will bring along leftover relatives, who are becoming more or less welcome. Others are just tired – and maybe cranky. Christmas is over and won’t come again for a year. It is a challenging day to plan worship. But, because numbers are low and expectations are not what they were for earlier December worship services, it is a relaxed Sunday with the possibility to try a few somewhat different ways of praising God and responding to the Christmas story.

Isaiah 63:7-9

I don’t find much here for the children. Maybe one of you will???


Psalm 148
A Call for Universal Praise

On the day after Christmas recall the Christmas story, then enjoy calling on everything in the universe to praise God for this amazing deed. Instead of having one reader, invite as many as possible in the sanctuary to get involved in this call to praise. As it is laid out below, Group 1 could be the choir and Group 2 the congregation. Or, Group 1 could be the left side of the congregation and Group 2 the right side. Invite children especially to join in the reading since the words are words they are likely to know.


All:           Praise the LORD!

Group 1:  Praise the LORD from the heavens;
                    praise him in the heights!

Group 2:  Praise him, all his angels;
                    praise him, all his host!

Group 1:  Praise him, sun and moon;
                    praise him, all you shining stars!

Group 2:  Praise him, you highest heavens,
                    and you waters above the heavens!

Group 1:  Let them praise the name of the LORD,
                     for he commanded and they were created.

Group 2:  He established them forever and ever;
                     he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Group 1:  Praise the LORD from the earth,
                     you sea monsters and all deeps,

Group 2:        fire and hail, snow and frost,
                     stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Group 1:  Mountains and all hills,
                      fruit trees and all cedars!

Group 2:  Wild animals and all cattle,
                      creeping things and flying birds!

Group 1:  Kings of the earth and all peoples,
                      princes and all rulers of the earth!

Group 2:  Young men and women alike,
                      old and young together!

Group 1:  Let them praise the name of the LORD,
                      for his name alone is exalted;
                      his glory is above earth and heaven.

Group 2:  He has raised up a horn for his people,
                      praise for all his faithful,
                      for the people of Israel who are close to him.

All:           Praise the LORD!

                                               New Revised Standard Version


Give children a page with a small picture of the nativity in the center and lots of space to add pictures of things mentioned in the psalm. These might be handed out during a children’s time or simply be in worship bags. Watch for children to have them as they leave the sanctuary and take time to see what they have drawn.

“All Creatures of Our God and King” sets the words of St Francis of Assisi to music. St. Francis was surely remembering Psalm 148 as he wrote it. The repeated “Alleluias” are easy for even non-readers to sing and recall all the Christmas “alleluias.” Other hymns based on this psalm are harder for children to sing.


Hebrews 2:10-18
A reflection on the Incarnation

Children will miss this abstract text almost entirely. If you want to explore the incarnation in children’s terms, go back to the suggestions for the Fourth Sunday of Advent’s Matthew text. It includes a discussion outline and a plan for walking through “Once in Royal David’s City.”

On birthdays we not only retell stories about “the day you were born,” we also celebrate all you are doing and becoming. So on the day after Jesus’ birthday it is appropriate to take time to connect Baby Jesus with stories about the man Jesus. If there is an old teaching picture file in the church school, dig out pictures of Jesus to show the children in order to remind them of familiar stories. Basically you need a nativity scene and pictures of Jesus teaching, healing, and on the cross followed by a picture of the empty tomb. (If you add pictures of events such as calling Zacchaeus down from the tree, be ready to take time to hear a young story teller tell a rather long version of the story with possibly garbled details. Teaching and healing pictures can be identified without reference to details of specific situations and therefore move along a little faster.)


Matthew 2:13-23
Flight into Egypt

Children hear this horrifying story most easily when the emphasis is on the flight into Egypt rather than the slaughter of the children. One way to tell it is to work with a crèche. Recall the Christmas story and how almost magical the night was. Then announce that the story did not stop there. Remove the angels noting that they went back to heaven. Set the shepherds aside noting that they went back to their sheep in the fields. Touch the three magi, noting that they did not sleep well that night. They had a dream in which God told them King Herod was really jealous of the new king and was ready to try to kill the baby. Given this God said they should go home without stopping off to tell Herod where Jesus was. Move their figures off to another side and note that they did as God told them. Now go back to Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Tell the children that they did not sleep well either. Joseph had a dream in which God warned him that Herod was out to get the baby. So, they were to get up right then, in the middle of the night and head down the road to Egypt. Move their figures away from the central place. Explain that they stayed in Egypt for two years. It was not an easy time for them. After two years they started back home, but God warned them that the King who followed Herod was just as evil as Herod was. So, instead of going back home, they settled in the little town of Nazareth. PAUSE. SIGH. Admit that this is a sad follow up for such a wonderful Christmas in the stable story. It would be nice if everyone had gone happily home and watched Jesus grow up safe and secure with angels watching over him and no problems for anyone. But it didn’t work that way. It doesn’t work out that way for any of us. We all have all sorts of problems to worry about and work on. The good news in this story is that God knows that. Jesus’ family had to run away in the middle the night to escape an evil king. So God understands when we and our families have scary problems. God is with us and loves us not just when things are Christmas Eve wonderful but also when nothing is going right. Right now, on the day after Christmas, that is really good to know. Christmas is over for this year. We still have New Year’s Day to look forward to. But, soon it’s back to school and all the old problems and people we will struggle with. It’s a good time to remember that God was with Jesus and his family in the peaceful stable AND on the scary road to Egypt.



Especially if your congregation is active in ministry to refugees in your community, explain that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus became refugees. Compare their experiences in Egypt where they were foreigners with the challenges refugees in your community face. Talk about some of the ways your congregation reaches out to refugees. Suggest that taking care of refugees is an especially good “after his birthday” birthday present for Jesus or a good New Year’s resolution in Jesus’ honor.

There are three sets of readings for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: some prophecies from Isaiah, Luke’s account of the shepherds, John’s poem about the incarnation, and some theological comments from the writer of Titus. For the children it is all about Luke’s story. They are well served by services of lessons and carols that walk them through the story. Do take care to select a few carols they likely know.

Christmas Carols for Children

Angels We Have Heard on High  
Even non-readers can be invited to sing all the fun to sing Gloria’s in the chorus

Away in the Manger
Older children consider this a baby song and are often embarrassed by being asked to sing it with other children in the sanctuary

Go Tell It on the Mountain
The chorus feels like an Epiphany message, but the verses tell the story of the shepherds. So, it can be sung on Christmas and again in Epiphany.

Infant holy, Infant Lowly
This less familiar carol has easy, concrete vocabulary. It would be a good choice to explore in a children’s time, then sing with the whole congregation.

O Come All Ye Faithful
This carol is sung so often that we count on children learning it by osmosis. But, singing it with understanding will probably not come until late childhood or adolescence.

Once in Royal David’s City

• With its simple story of Jesus growing up, this is also a good opening hymn for worship on the Baptism of the Lord.

The First Nowell
This song is a good candidate for a children’s time in which the word “Nowell” and its other spelling “Noel” are defined as “good news!” The verses then describe good news for shepherds and for wisemen and finally for us. This might be especially good for December 26th this year when we are all trying to turn the corner from Christmas to more ordinary living.

Silent Night
For children (and even most adults) this carol is all about the feeling communicated in the music. The ideas in the words are not all that significant to children. They learn to sing the carol with adults they can tell both love the song and love singing it with them. Just watch the adults smile and draw their children close to sing this song together.

We Three Kings
Once you get past the silly “We 3 kings of OrientAre (perceived as the name of one place) tried to smoke a rubber cigar…” older children enjoy working through the significance of the gift each king brought. This is conversation can be a good children’s time for Epiphany.

For family oriented services, lessons and carols invite some visual drama to grab the attention of children hyped up on Christmas Eve. As each lesson is read, costumed characters move around the sanctuary. Actors may speak or simply walk through their part as readers read. Mary and Joseph walk up the center aisle leave out a side door. Shepherds, angels and their reader may appear in the balcony. The Magi may come one at the time bearing their gifts regally up the central aisle and bow in front until the end of the reading. It is often easier not to build a final scene, but to have the characters leave the sanctuary after their reading. This leaves space in the front for choirs, extra musicians, poinsettias, etc.

Isaiah 9’s “unto us a child is born…and his name shall be….” Is the Isaiah text that will mean most to children because it so clearly tied to the birth of the child story. Shorten it to Isaiah 9:2b, 6-7 to keep the attention of children.

If you follow a more “standard” order of service, consider having the gospel read by several costumed shepherds. They could be members of one family (families often stayed out together to care for the sheep) or a group of teens (bet they often got the overnight shift). This version is set for three readers. It could easily be adapted for more or fewer. It would also be possible to have one reader read verses 1-7 about the birth, then let the shepherds take it from there. The shepherds could read from the usual upfront Bible or around a microphone an unexpected corner of the sanctuary.

                             Luke 2:8-20 Reading Script

Shepherd One:
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.

Shepherd Two:
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

Shepherd Three:
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Shepherd One:
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Shepherd Two:
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

Shepherd Three:
and they were terrified.

Shepherd Two:
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

Shepherd Three:
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
          “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
           and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Shepherd One:
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,

Shepherd Two:
“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

Shepherd Three:
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

Shepherd One: When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

All shepherds:
This is the Word of the Lord!

                                        From The New Revised Version


If you have been moving crèche figures around the sanctuary during Advent, tonight is the night to add the baby and move the shepherd, sheep and angels into place. If you have not displayed a crèche, add one tonight. During a children’s time have the children help you retell the story as together you move or place the figures. An unbreakable crèche is a real asset on this night when “accidents are prone to happen.”

Out of the sanctuary note: Providing child care for infants and toddlers on Christmas Eve allows parents to take their older children to worship. Many families will decide to stay home rather than risk taking their youngest to the sanctuary and thus miss out on Christmas worship. And, some families try to bring children who are too tired and off schedule to make it through the service without causing pain to all around them. So, hiring child care workers at even twice their normal hourly wage is a significant gift to the entire congregation. If you usual staff are made aware of this well in advance, many will gladly arrange their plans to be at the church and reap the extra financial reward.

I suspect that on the fourth Sunday of Advent there are lots of congregation’s worshipping “away from the lectionary.” So, what about sharing in the Comments what your congregation (and its children) is doing this fourth Sunday when Christmas is still six days off. Names of cantatas, dramas, etc. that you think are child friendly AND appropriate to the congregation’s worship would be appreciated by all of us.

Isaiah 7:10-16
A woman shall bear a son named Emmanuel

The key verse for children is verse 14, “a virgin (or young woman) shall bear a son.” The Old Testament context is beyond them. They mainly want to know that the phrase is a promise in the Bible and perhaps link this promise to the name Joseph is to give Jesus in the Matthew reading. Select music that uses the name Immanuel in it after explaining the meaning of the word and pointing to its appearance in the gospel text.


Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Another prayer for national restoration

Especially on the Sunday before Christmas, this prayer for national restoration is going to fly past the children. Let it go.


Romans 1:1-7
Who is Jesus?

The ideas about who Jesus is that are woven into this text are important. But it seems to me that today worshippers of all ages are more interested in hearing them fleshed out in the gospel text. Maybe one of you has an idea about how to use this text in a way that will speak to children on the Sunday before Christmas.


Children are likely to miss the story as it is read from Matthew. So, you may want to retell it in your own words with the children in mind. If you told the story of Mary last week, this week recall Mary’s story and tell Joseph’s story. Talk about all things Joseph did – search for a place to stay in Bethlehem, make the barn as comfortable as possible, even stay close to Mary when the shepherds showed up. (Mary must have been surprised and a little frightened.) Then imagine together some of the ways Joseph took care of Jesus as he grew up. He taught him carpentry skills, told him Bible stories and taught him the Ten Commandments. Children are curious about Joseph who gets much less attention than Mary.

If you did not tell Mary’s story last week, take more time telling the story of the couple. Note Mary’s bravery in being willing to have a baby, even God’s baby, before she was married. Note Joseph’s strength in being willing to marry her, even though she was pregnant. Talk about how much they must have loved and trusted each other and how curious they must have been about this special baby. Then light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath for the love and courage of Mary and Joseph and move the Mary and Joseph figures to the manger in the crèche.

Or, be brave. Discuss the incarnation with the children:

The name Joseph and Mary are to give this child is Emmanuel, “God with us.” When we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus. Jesus once said, “If you have seen me, you have seen God. What I say is what God says. What I do is what God does.”

Who can think of one thing Jesus did or said? In response to their answers say, “yes, God …..(does that)… too.” (Be ready with a few hints to get it started, e.g. what did Jesus do with Zaccheus? When people were sick, what did Jesus do?)

God is invisible. Jesus when he lived on earth could be seen and heard and touched. Jesus is God with skin and bones.

God is more than we can understand. But Jesus is like us. He was born, grew up, told stories, and took care of the people around him. I think that is one reason God became Jesus. God wants us to know what God is like.

• For the purpose of this discussion, I’d not bring up that Jesus is God’s son. If children bring it up, note that many fathers and sons look and act alike. Jesus and God are even more alike than human fathers and sons. Jesus is God in human skin.
• If impossible to answer questions such as “when God was being Jesus, who was taking his place in heaven” come up, affirm them as good questions that everyone wonders about at times. Most such questions have the same answer. We don’t know how God does it because God is bigger and “more” than anything we can imagine. It is mysterious.

• Verse 1 simply gets the story started. So just read it or ask one of the children to read it.
• Verse 2 is pure incarnation. After reading the words, make comments, “hey, did you hear that? It says Jesus is God straight from heaven AND that Jesus who was God was born in a barn and lived among the poor people. He didn’t have to do that. He was GOD! But he did. Wow!”
• Ask another child to read verse 3. Note that this verse recalls Jesus’ childhood experiences to make the point that because he has lived through the same things we do, Jesus understands us. He knows how we feel.
• Read verse 4 using your voice to emphasize its message that even though Jesus was a child, just like us, he was also always God and Lord. Ponder that, the lord of the whole universe understands us and loves us.

Then, invite the congregation to sing the carol.

Isaiah 35:1-10
The safe, glorious road back to Zion

This song is about the promised return of the people from Exile, but is filled with snippets that have become part of the Advent imagery related to waiting for the Lord. Choose just one of these images to explore with children.

• Verses 3-4 call on listeners to be strong and not be afraid no matter how bad things look at the moment because God will come to their rescue. Explain briefly that the listeners were prisoners of war in a foreign country. Things were lousy. Isaiah urged them to be strong because God will always have the last word and it will be good. Point out to the children that though we are not prisoners of war, we face lots of really hard situations and must deal with people who are really rough. Isaiah’s promise is for us. No matter how hard things seem at the moment, we know that God will eventually win and peace will come. Knowing that, we can be strong and patient.
• Verses 5-6 describe the healing of the lame and sick. A similar list appears in the gospel account of Jesus answer to John the Baptist’s question about whether Jesus is the Messiah. Because of this context, the gospel list is easier to explore with children.

Psalm 146:5-10
Praise THE LORD for great deeds

This is a psalm of praise. The psalmist lists some of the wonderful things God does. The NRSV translation begins each item in the list with “THE LORD.” Before reading this version of the psalm, alert worshippers to listen for the things that THE LORD does. As you read, emphasize THE LORD vocally and even with a raised finger each time you read it.

James 5:7-10
Be patient

The dictionary definition of patient is “able to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset”. After reading the text, first ask children for their definitions of patient, then bring out the dictionary to look it up. See what it says that is just like what you already said and what it adds.

Or, bring the big Bible down to the steps to read these verses. You might even get one of the children to read a sentence or two. Then talk through a series of examples of patience moving from the hard enough waiting for what is delayed without getting annoyed or upset to the even harder enduring provocation (difficulties) without becoming annoyed or upset.

• Note that the manger in the crèche is still empty. It’s been up there two whole weeks and there are still two weeks to go until Christmas. That feels like forever. But Jesus says be patient. Be kind and good to each other while you wait.
• Jesus talks about the farmer who plants seeds and has to wait months for them to grow. That’s patience. But, how many of you would like to be tall enough to really real slam dunk a basketball? No matter how hard you practice, it is going to be years before you are tall enough to it! Adults (people already tall enough to slam dunk) say it’ll come before you know it. But, it is going to be YEARS! You’ve got to be patient. You’ve got to keep working on your basketball skills and waiting to grow.
• And then there are the things that look like they will never change. Your sister never cleans up her side of the room you share. Her stuff is all over everything. Even when your side is neat and pretty, her side makes the whole room look like a pig pen. She might get neater as she grows up, but she might not. Still, she’s your sister and you do have to share a room. You have to be patient with each other just the way you are.

There have got to be some good children’s fables and stories about patience that could be read during children’s time or used to illustrate a point in the “real” sermon. Share ones you know of in Comments.

Conversation with children about patience sets you up to discuss the need for patience among adults – a plenty big subject in this year’s provoking clashes between almost everyone about almost everything. Patience may be the most essential Advent discipline for 2010.

Light the third candle of the Advent Wreath with a prayer for patience.


Matthew 11:2-11

John asks, “are you really the one we’re waiting for, are you really God With Us?” Jesus replies, “Look at what I’m doing. Doesn’t that look like God in action?” The challenge for the next two weeks is to celebrate Jesus' birthday by doing the things he did, i.e. care for those who need our assistance.

Talk with the children about birthday parties that feature things the birthday girl or boy really likes to do – skating, swimming,… Point out that since Christmas is Jesus’ birthday we should be doing the things he likes to do. Read verses 2-6 paraphrasing as you go. Then, point out that what we should be doing is to take care of people who need it. We may not be able to cure someone by touching them like Jesus did, but there is plenty we can do to help out. Describe a couple of local possibilities like buying a gift for a child on an angel tree, buying an animal through Heifer project,… Make your suggested projects ones that are easy for a family to do, then challenge the children and their families to do at least one thing Jesus likes to do between now and Christmas to celebrate his birth.

After exploring the meaning of the name Emanuel, sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Check the First Sunday of Advent for additional notes about this hymn.

Light the third candle of the Advent wreath for Immanuel to remind ourselves that God was with us in Jesus and is with us every day.


Luke 1:46b-55 (Alternate Reading)
The Magnificat

If you read the Magnificat in today’s worship, tell the story of the annunciation before it is read. Since the Biblical version includes language about Mary being a virgin, read the story from a Bible story book or tell it in your own words. (The key is to replace, “but I am still a virgin” with “but I am not yet married.”) Then ask a well prepared teenage girl to read Mary’s song with appropriate power and possibly to move the crèche Mary figure from its current position to its place by the manger. This could be done with the children in their pews. Or, the children could be invited to the front to hear the story from you, listen to the teenager reading from wherever scripture is usually read, then return to their seats. The teen’s reading should clearly be the gospel reading of the day and not just something done for the children.

Light the third candle of the Advent Wreath for brave Mary ready to do what God asked.

Hicks, Edward, 1780-1849. Peaceable Kingdom, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Isaiah 11:1-10
A new shoot from Jesse. The lion and the lamb

Advent liturgy is filled with references to the lion and the lamb image of this text. Isaiah’s promise that God intends peace for both animals and people is as powerful for children as it is for adults. Children, especially those who live caught in the crossfire at home, at school, and in their neighborhood, find deep comfort and hope in this promise. But they need to explore its physical details before they can grasp its message.

• Show the painting to the children. Help them identify the animals they see in it. Talk about the problems some of those animals have getting along, e.g. lions tend to eat lambs for dinner. If no child notices them, point out the people in the background. Note that when Mr. Hicks painted this picture Indians and white settlers were at war, but that the people in the picture seem to be talking peaceably. Finally read Isaiah’s promise that one day all animals and all people will get along (vv.6-9 only).
   
• Or, after presenting Hicks picture, encourage children to create other pictures of animals that usually don’t get along, being together. Children can put pictures in offering plate, bring them forward to talk to pastor while the offering is being collected, or work on them during sermon, then come forward before the congregation’s prayers to discuss their work and have their hopes added to congregation’s prayers.

Light the second candle of the Advent wreath for God’s promised peace. Reread Isaiah 11:6-9 as you light the wreath. Pray for peace at home, at school, at work, in the nation, in the world….

A prayer for guidance and support for the king

Introduce this psalm as a prayer for kings, mayors, governors, and presidents. If you did not identify prayers for the nation last Sunday, talk with the children to identify prayers for leaders today. Either, gather their prayers into one prayer which you voice with them at the conclusion of the conversation. Or, include their prayers in the congregation’s prayers. The latter is most effective if that prayer immediately follows the conversation with the children.

Romans 15:4-13
Accept one another as Christ accepts you

Verse 7 is the summary of this message and the easiest part for children to understand. (The remainder of the text gets involved with circumcision and Gentiles and Jesse stumps.) Verse 7 makes sense on its own. Get along with each other!

Present pictures of a variety of very different people (old National Geographics are a good source). Offer some odd pairs. Include some international photos and some pictures of people who could be local, e.g. an elegantly dressed person and a roughly dresses person displaying a tattoo. Ask what would be hard for these people to get along. Close by reading verse 7 from a Bible (perhaps bringing the big pulpit Bible down and reading from it) and pointing out that we are to be friends with all people. If your congregation uses projected pictures, project pictures of unusual looking people during the singing about getting along.


“Help Us Accept Each Other” is a sing-able new hymn that offers prayers for people working to get along with each other. “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World” is the only other child friendly one that comes to mind. There have got to be others – right?

Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist preaches repentance and warns people not to count on being Abraham’s descendants


Another way to retell the story of John the Baptist is to pick up a shepherd from the crèche. Present it to the children noting that there is one person who is never in Nativity sets, but really ought to be. He probably looked most like the shepherds. Tell what he wore and ate. Then tell what he did. He called people to admit what they were doing that they knew was wrong and did anyway. He baptized them to show them that God forgave them and would give them another chance. He also told them God was sending someone very special indeed. With that, put the figure near the empty manger just for today.

I don’t know any good worship songs about John the Baptist. If you do, what about directing the rest of us to it in the Comments.

Isaiah 2:1-5
Making Swords into Plows

This text features the well known prophecy about swords being turned into plows and spears into pruning hooks. For children that means two vaguely known items are being turned into two totally unfamiliar items. If we provide the details about the weapons and tools, they quickly grasp the message. So take time to illustrate how swords can be made into plows and how a plow is used. Because the pruning hook in the garden today is hard to visualize being made from a spear, and because one prop is enough anyway, skip the pruning hook.

• Bring a sword (toy or real) or a poster board sword (perhaps created by an artistic parishioner) and a picture of an old fashion plow. If the sample is flexible, show how it could be bent to be used as a plow. Then read the text and rephrase it something like, “God promises that there will be a time when everyone gets along. It will be so peaceful that people won’t need swords and other weapons anymore. So, they will turn them into garden tools.” Challenge the children to watch for swords turned into plows in the prayers and songs of the church during Advent. (Make sure to provide them a sample or two in today’s worship.)
  
• If yours is an imaginative group, imagine together peaceful uses for modern weapons, e.g. think of cool things you could do if an aircraft carrier were turned into a cruise ship – take off from the short runway, land with a jolt on the hook, riding in helicopters, holding sports events and big dances. Send the children back to their seats to reform other weapons to peaceful uses.

The candles of the Advent Wreath have no set meaning. So this year light the first candle to remember God’s promise of peace. Read Isaiah 2:4 as the candle is lit. If possible light the candle later in the service after the text has been explored. If it must be lit earlier, point to it and recall its meaning as you work through this discussion.

Psalm 122
Praying for the nation


Romans 13:11-14 and Matthew 24:36-44
Watchful Waiting


A better way to introduce Advent waiting on the first Sunday of Advent is to get out a set of nativity figures for use in the sanctuary. Set aside all the angels and the baby. Place the shepherds and some sheep in one area of the worship center, the traveling magi in another, and Mary and Joseph in separate areas. In the stable area place the empty manger and animals. As you do, talk about what each set of characters was probably doing. Then read Romans 13.11. Note that it is a message to each of those people waiting for Jesus to be born AND it is a message to us. We need to wake up and pay attention, too. God is at work all around us.

•   FYI Mary moves to the manger on the third Sunday (if you read the Magnificat that week). Joseph (and Mary if you did not move her on the third Sunday) move on the fourth Sunday. The Shepherds move on Christmas Eve and the baby is placed in the manger. The wise men wait until Epiphany.
• Invite worshippers over the weeks of Advent to add a straw around manger for each good deed done. Provide a basket of pre-cut short straws on the floor near the table. People can bring their straws before or after worship or even during the offertory. The good deeds of watchful waiting become the setting for the crèche figures as they are moved to the manger at Christmas.

If you plan to devote time to the list of sins to avoid in Romans, note that the last pair –fighting and jealousy– fits children. Avoiding fighting and jealousy during Advent is a worthy discipline. List examples such as fighting among siblings while traveling or when stuck home for the long holiday weekend. Point out how easy it is to get jealous and get the “I wants” as Christmas gets closer. Paul says we can be better than that. We are Jesus’ people. We can stop the fighting and work on not getting so greedy.

• This could be a children’s time or could be dealt with in the middle of the sermon. “Listen up children, I think Paul wrote this especially for you, maybe especially during December….”

Watchman Tell Us of the Night is another song that is best understood when sung antiphonally by either a choir and the congregation or two halves of the congregation. In either case one group becomes the Traveler singing the first and third lines and the other group becomes the watchman singing the second and fourth lines.