We have a few curious children who are great participants in the children’s message during worship provided it is brief! We are always looking for good ideas and sometimes adapt from others we have seen. Sometimes, we must be creative and those ideas are here. My husband preaches the lectionary, so when no ideas spring from those texts, we get creative!

Children’s Sermons on this page:

• Cameras
• Happy New Year
• Temptation
• God’s Promise
• Easter I
• Easter II
• Earth Day

Earth Day

You will need:  Small ziplock bag or cup of dirt and an empty plastic bottle

Today we are talking about Earth day!  Will you help me today with our test?  It only has three questions, and I know you will do well:

First question:  Is this soil alive or dead? (Hold up bag for all to see) 

Answer:  Right! It’s alive – it is full of tiny organisms, little animals that help to make the soil rich for plants to grow.

 

Second question:  What should I do with this bottle?

Possible answers:

A  Throw it on the ground,

B  Recycle it

C  Put it in the trash

Right Answer:  Recycle it! 

 

Third question:  When is Earth Day?

Possible answers:  Today or Everyday

Every day is Earth Day!

 

Dear Lord,  Thank you for the earth.  We are sorry that we have not taken better care of your precious gift.  We ask for your help as we work together to save it from further harm and repair the damage we have done. Amen

 

Cameras

How much does God love us? He loves us very much doesn’t he?

I heard a story of a little boy who was your age Henry. He was playing outside when a storm began. His Mom was calling him from the door. He didn’t come in and she called louder and louder. Finally, after several big flashes of lightning, he came inside to his mother and said angrily, “God was taking my picture Mom!.”

Let’s take a few pictures to see what he was talking about– see the flash? (Children take pictures of congregation)

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, Thank you for your love for us. We know that you are always with us, right now in our church and also in a dangerous lightening storm. Amen

(These pictures later were put on the church bulletin boards in the fellowship hall.)

Happy New Year (Uses the font as basis for presentation)

Happy New Year! Guess what we are remembering today? I’ll give you a hint – what is this for?

Right, Pastor uses this water to baptize babies and bigger people with the holy spirit.

Today, we are remembering when Jesus was baptized. Do you know what happened? A dove came from heaven and landed on him. And, the heavens opened and God announced “you are my so. I love you and am pleased with you.”

It was a big day for Jesus and for the world!

Let us pray.

Dear Father, thank you for new beginnings. Help us to make the most of them – not through out own strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Amen

Temptation

Did you have breakfast today? Have you ever been really hungry? Are you really hungry now? Here is some food (Each child receives a lunch bag. Inside is a rock)

One time Jesus was hungry – he had not eaten for a long time. The Devil showed up and he knew he was hungry. He gave him a rock like this. And he said, if you are God’s son, you’ll turn this into a loaf of bread. Could Jesus have done that? Sure.

But, what do you think Jesus did? Did he do what the devil wanted him to do? He couldn’t trick Jesus – no way. Jesus was not going to do anything that the Devil wanted him to do. Because Jesus knew that we have to stay true to God – we don’t live by bread alone.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for giving us your son Jesus to show us the way to live. Please help us to stay strong when the Devil tempts us and to remember the way to you want us to live. Amen

 

God’s Promise: Isaiah 55:1-13 (Little cups with soil and sprouts)

It’s cold outside and it’s been cold outside a long time. Do you think it will stay winter forever?

I don’t see new plants or flowers outside – do you?   God promised he would send snow and rain to water the earth, and we would have a new crop of seeds and flowers –

 

 

And look. I planted these seeds and grew these little plants. When it is warm, they will go outside into the garden and make flowers and food. Spring is going to come!

Lord, thank you for your making promises to us that you always keep. We depend on you and know that Spring and a new crop of seed and flowers is coming. Amen

 

Easter:

Here is a basket of plastic eggs left for us with instructions to open on Easter morn for the best Easter ever. Why don’t we look inside? (Be sure eggs are numbered)

Here is the first egg – What is this? A little piece of palm for the jubilant procession into Jerusalem.

Now, let’s look inside the second egg: What is this? Candy since we always get candy on Easter.

And inside this egg…vinegar on a sponge. They gave this to Jesus when he said he was thirsty! (Frowny face here!)

What about this egg? A thorn like the crown of thorns they made Jesus wear when he was crucified!

Does this feel like a happy Easter?

Now, a piece of wood in the next egg. From the cross where Jesus died.

And now, the last egg, the best egg of all! It’s empty! Wonderful! Because Jesus rose from the tomb. When they went to find him, he was gone!

Let us pray. Lord, thank you for the gift of your son Jesus and for his sacrifices so that our sins may be forgiven. Amen

Easter II

Good morning!  Happy Easter!

Didn’t we have fun yesterday?  The Easter Egg Hunt was amazing – so many eggs!  Eggs were everywhere, and you all found so many!

I have some special eggs here – let’s be careful because they are real!  What color are they – Green, greeny blue?  Yes, but I didn’t make them this way, God did.   They came from a special chicken, the Aracauna, the Easter Egg chicken. 

But here is the important question:  What happens after a mother chicken sits on the egg for a few weeks?

A baby chick comes out!  A new life! 

The egg reminds us of Jesus on Easter!  He came out of the tomb with a new life even though when they closed him up inside, he was dead.  That is why today is a special day.

Lord, Thank you for the gift of your son Jesus and for the joy of Easter.  We celebrate that he is alive on this happy day!  Amen