 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 CHILDREN’S SERMONBy Dawn Montgomery Pastor of Family Ministry First Christian Church Frankfort, KY Prior to the Sunday the sermon will be shared, ask the youth in your congregation to brainstorm ideas for gifts that God has given them and the gifts that they notice in other people in your congregation and throughout the community. Ask them to specifically think of gifts that they share with other people or those that can be used to serve God by serving others. Invite them to write (neatly and in print) one gift on a slip of colorful paper that is three inches long and wide. Make enough slips for every person and guest in your weekly worship service(s). Gifts can be repeated. Then take the slips to two or three small groups within the life and ministry of your congregation. Take with you enough small boxes or some sort of container for each slip of paper, wrapping paper, and some sort of ribbon or raffia. Ask the members of the groups to wrap the gifts. Take the gifts with you to the Week of Compassion children’s sermon time. Instruct the greeters/ushers to give each person in worship a gift, asking worshippers to not open it until the children receive theirs. Prepare two greeters/ushers to come forward with two baskets of gifts for the children. Greet the children by name as you welcome them to this time that belongs to them during worship. After all the children have arrived to the sermon spot, begin by giving a brief description of what Week of Compassion is in the life of the church, specifically your congregation. For instance, you might say, “Today we begin a week-long celebration called Week of Compassion. It’s a special time set aside each year to give special attention to the needs of God’s children in all places -- people of our community, in our state, our country and the whole world. We use the gifts that God has given us to help others.” Ask the children to think about the most precious gift that they have ever received. Close your eyes so that they will understand that you are thinking, too, about the most precious gift you have ever received. After a few brief moments, say, “God has given each of us gifts, too. All of God’s children and each of you have received gifts from God which make you so wonderful. Some of us give great hugs or smile big and wide when we say hello to people. Some of us hold doors open for others. Some of us … you fill it in according to the gifts of your children. Wonder about the gifts of people you know. Wonder about how different gifts serve God and help others in so many different ways. Invite the greeters/ushers forward. Each child may take a gift from the basket. Say to the children, ?I didn’t know that there would be gifts for us here today, did you?? Invite the congregation to open the gifts with the children. In closing, say, “These are just some of the gifts of our congregation. We can use them to help other people throughout the Week of Compassion and everyday. God has given us just what we need to help other people”. |
||
