Children’s Craft to Accompany Sunday Services

Some notes for the adults: The reading from Ezekiel 18: 1-4, 25-32 was written when the Hebrews were in exile in Babylon. People were quoting the old proverb, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” which is another way of saying children suffer the consequences of their parents’ actions. So they were trying to avoid responsibility for their own future, blaming others for what they were going through, claiming the sins of their forefathers were the reason for their present suffering.

God’s message to them through Ezekiel was “Don’t blame others for where you are at now. It’s in your hands what happens to you. I’m not interested in retribution. I am the God of both parent and child. I take pleasure in whoever repents and changes their ways. It’s up to you.” Back in Judea the prophet Jeremiah had been delivering the same message to the Hebrews left behind in a conquered country.

I wonder what the message for us today is? How do we survive the current pandemic and other global crises like climate change? How do we cope with personal crises? Blame others for our present predicament (e.g. President Trump blaming China, the Democrats, forest management – anyone but his own ineptitude, for their current situations) or accept where we’re at and find a way forward with hope and courage.

“Turn then, and live,” says the Lord. Whatever our current personal situation we all have the choice of how we will react: blame others and avoid personal responsibility, or choose to look to God for a better, positive way forward.

The message today for the children is: when things get tough, life seems to have gone sour, look to God for the love, courage and hope – the ‘sugar’ – that sweetens the way forward.

Ezekiel 18 Sweet and Sour-Sunday 27.09.2020

For Sunday, 20th September 2020

Jonah under the vine

For Sunday, 13th September 2020

Matthew 18 v. 21-35

The Bible story this week is a story (parable) that Jesus told to explain how we should show love and kindness and forgiveness to others. It all began when Peter, a disciple, asked Jesus “How many times should we forgive someone who has done something bad to us? Is seven times enough”

“I tell you seven times is not enough. Forgive them seventy times seven” Jesus said. Then he told this story.

There once was a king who wanted his servants to pay back money they owed him. One servant owed more than all the rest and it was a huge amount of money, maybe as much as a million dollars, which is enough money to buy a beautiful, big house.

The king said, “You must pay back the money today and if you don’t I will sell you and your wife and children to be slaves.” The man cried and begged the king to give him a chance to pay back what he owed over a few years. The king felt sorry for the man, as he knew he could never pay him back, so he decided to let him go. The man was amazed that he didn’t have to pay back anything and he was not going to be punished. The king showed him mercy.

The servant left the king and he found his own servant who owed him just a few dollars and he grabbed him and shouted, ”You must pay me back what you owe me.”

“I can’t pay you back today, give me more time please,” the servant begged. But the man said, “No” and put him in Jail. When the king was told what his mean servant had done he called him in. “You wicked servant. I showed you kindness and mercy because you cried and begged me, but now you have not shown any mercy to your servant.”

The king sent him to jail until he could pay back all he owed, and he would have been in jail forever.

Jesus said, “This is how your heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive each other with all your heart.” So God wants us to go on forgiving over and over again just as God forgives us for big and little things. It is not always easy but that is what God wants us to do.

The story of The Lion and the Mouse shows how forgiving someone can be good for everyone involved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq6sf-8tVf4

For a ‘Storycine’ telling of the story from Mathew’s gospel, (told with plastercine), see:

https://www.facebook.com/UCAChildrensMinistry/posts/4279795655396148

or directly at https://ctm.uca.edu.au/children-and-families/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/08/Matthew-18-21-35-The-unforgiving-servant.pdf

The attached craft activity is making a forgiveness crown which you can wear or give away. It is a reminder of the King who showed mercy and forgave his servant and helps us to remember to forgive too. For extra decoration, design and colour a fancy number seven to glue onto your crown.

You can also visit DLTK for a number 7 craft: https://www.dltk-teach.com/numbers/mseven.html

forgiveness-crown Activity

*These activities are free to duplicate for church or home use.*

For Sunday, 6th September 2020

Father’s Day-Matt 18-06.09.2020

For Sunday, 30th August 2020

Take up your cross-Matt18-30Aug20

For Sunday, 23rd August 2020

Peter the Rock craft23Aug

For Sunday, 16th August 2020

Intro to activities16Aug

Cube

Good things to eat

For Sunday, 8th August 2020

Jesus Walks on Water Paper Craft-

DLTK’s Template Printing-Jesus-water-cloud-c

DLTK’s Template Printing-Jesus-water-cloud-bw

DLTK’s Template Printing-boat-c

DLTK’s Template Printing-boat-bw

For Sunday, 2nd August 2020

Loaves and Fish Paper Plate Craft

Paper plate basket craft

For Sunday, 26th July 2020

The Bible story: Matthew 13 31-32

Jesus said; The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree and birds come and make nests in its branches.

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is the tiniest seed, so small you can hardly see it. Jesus told this story to help everyone know that from tiny things big things can grow. The mustard seed turns into a tree 3-4 metres tall and it has big strong roots and makes lots of seeds for birds to eat but also for more trees to grow. It also provides shelter for birds to nest in.

Even children are not too small to help grow Jesus’ love and spread it around the world. That is what God wants us to do so the world becomes kind and loving.

You might like to plant some seeds in a pot and watch them grow. Perhaps you could ask Mum to buy some from a shop. Alfalfa seeds grow very quickly and can be used in sandwiches.

Check out this youtube story, “Be kind; a story about things that matter”