Children's Church
Kindergarten-5th Grade
Sundays after Time With Children
Starts September 12th
Kindergarten-5th Grade
Sundays after Time With Children
Starts September 12th
Letter for the Family
Theme Introduction
In Luke 4:14–30, Jesus reads the words of Isaiah as he boldly proclaims that he has been sent to preach good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed. As followers of Jesus, we do this work as well. Often Christians talk about being Christ’s hands and feet. There is truth in this statement, yet God’s justice is not only our work in the world, but God’s work in us. As we are transformed and become aligned with the heart of God in Christ, we are better able to reflect God’s justice and peace through our lives to the world.
This is a lifelong journey toward loving kindness, courage, justice, peace, and reconciling love in relation-ship with God, other people, self, and the earth.
In Luke 4:14–30, Jesus reads the words of Isaiah as he boldly proclaims that he has been sent to preach good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed. As followers of Jesus, we do this work as well. Often Christians talk about being Christ’s hands and feet. There is truth in this statement, yet God’s justice is not only our work in the world, but God’s work in us. As we are transformed and become aligned with the heart of God in Christ, we are better able to reflect God’s justice and peace through our lives to the world.
This is a lifelong journey toward loving kindness, courage, justice, peace, and reconciling love in relation-ship with God, other people, self, and the earth.
October 17 and October 31
With your Family:
Share: Share a story using the situations from your own lives. Have everyone come up with six different needs and ways they might be met, for example, "For I was lonely, and you asked me to play with you."
Books: The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley; Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson; Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Share: Share a story using the situations from your own lives. Have everyone come up with six different needs and ways they might be met, for example, "For I was lonely, and you asked me to play with you."
Books: The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley; Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson; Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Matthew 25: 31-46
The Judgment of the Nations
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
September 16th and October 10th
With your Family:
Share: Share a time when you may have felt left out. What did that feel like? What did you do? How would you have felt had someone included you?
Create: Act out how you might fix the situations you came up with if you were on the other side. How might you make someone else feel welcome.
Books: Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Share: Share a time when you may have felt left out. What did that feel like? What did you do? How would you have felt had someone included you?
Create: Act out how you might fix the situations you came up with if you were on the other side. How might you make someone else feel welcome.
Books: Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
James 1:27–2:8, 14–17
True devotion, the kind that is pure and faultless before God the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties and to keep the world from contaminating us.
Don’t show favoritism
My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags. Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, “Here’s an excellent place. Sit here.” But to the poor person you say, “Stand over there”; or, “Here, sit at my feet.” Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges?
My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism?
You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker. Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it. The one who said, Don’t commit adultery, also said, Don’t commit murder. So if you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder, you are a lawbreaker. In every way, then, speak and act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. There will be no mercy in judgment for anyone who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy overrules judgment.
Showing faith
My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.
Don’t show favoritism
My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags. Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, “Here’s an excellent place. Sit here.” But to the poor person you say, “Stand over there”; or, “Here, sit at my feet.” Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges?
My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism?
You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker. Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it. The one who said, Don’t commit adultery, also said, Don’t commit murder. So if you don’t commit adultery but do commit murder, you are a lawbreaker. In every way, then, speak and act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. There will be no mercy in judgment for anyone who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy overrules judgment.
Showing faith
My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.
Sept. 12th and 19th
With Your Family:
Share: What makes you unique? Who do you think that God wants us to care for?
Create: Make good news cards for people in the church who are sick or can’t come to church for other reasons. Cards might include messages, such as “Jesus loves you,” “You belong!” and “God’s good news is for you!” Make sure the cards are delivered to those who need them.
Books: The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson; The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio
Share: What makes you unique? Who do you think that God wants us to care for?
Create: Make good news cards for people in the church who are sick or can’t come to church for other reasons. Cards might include messages, such as “Jesus loves you,” “You belong!” and “God’s good news is for you!” Make sure the cards are delivered to those who need them.
Books: The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson; The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio
Luke 4:14–30
Jesus went from town to town and taught in the synagogues. People were amazed by what he said and did.
Jesus traveled home to Nazareth. On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue as usual. As he looked around, he saw his friends and neighbors. He saw his family. They had all come to worship God together.
The leader in the synagogue asked Jesus to read the scriptures. Th e synagogue helper handed a scroll to Jesus. Jesus unrolled the scroll to fi nd the place where the prophet Isaiah wrote (unroll the prepared scroll and read from it):
Th e Spirit of God has blessed me. God has sent me to bring a special message. Th is good news message is
for all people who are poor, hurting, or in trouble. Listen closely, for God says, “You will be free! You will be healed! My love is for all of you!
Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the helper, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue watched him closely. Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture has come true. I am the one God has sent.”
Everyone was amazed to hear how well Jesus spoke. They praised God. They asked each other, “Isn’t this the son of our friends, Mary and Joseph?”
Jesus said to them, “I have done amazing things in other towns. You probably think I should do amazing things for you, since you are my friends and family. But, do you remember when it didn’t rain in Israel for over three years? It was in the time of Elijah the prophet. There was hardly any food in Israel. Many widows went hungry. But God sent Elijah to help a widow in a faraway city, not in Israel.
Then Jesus said, “Do you remember when many people in Israel had skin diseases? It was in the time of Elisha the prophet. But Elisha healed only Naaman, a man from the enemy country of Syria.
Then Jesus said, “Do you think God’s good news will be just for you (place hand above synagogue), or will the good news be for all people?” Th e people became angry and tried to force Jesus to leave town. But Jesus slipped through the crowd and continued on his way.
Jesus traveled home to Nazareth. On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue as usual. As he looked around, he saw his friends and neighbors. He saw his family. They had all come to worship God together.
The leader in the synagogue asked Jesus to read the scriptures. Th e synagogue helper handed a scroll to Jesus. Jesus unrolled the scroll to fi nd the place where the prophet Isaiah wrote (unroll the prepared scroll and read from it):
Th e Spirit of God has blessed me. God has sent me to bring a special message. Th is good news message is
for all people who are poor, hurting, or in trouble. Listen closely, for God says, “You will be free! You will be healed! My love is for all of you!
Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the helper, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue watched him closely. Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture has come true. I am the one God has sent.”
Everyone was amazed to hear how well Jesus spoke. They praised God. They asked each other, “Isn’t this the son of our friends, Mary and Joseph?”
Jesus said to them, “I have done amazing things in other towns. You probably think I should do amazing things for you, since you are my friends and family. But, do you remember when it didn’t rain in Israel for over three years? It was in the time of Elijah the prophet. There was hardly any food in Israel. Many widows went hungry. But God sent Elijah to help a widow in a faraway city, not in Israel.
Then Jesus said, “Do you remember when many people in Israel had skin diseases? It was in the time of Elisha the prophet. But Elisha healed only Naaman, a man from the enemy country of Syria.
Then Jesus said, “Do you think God’s good news will be just for you (place hand above synagogue), or will the good news be for all people?” Th e people became angry and tried to force Jesus to leave town. But Jesus slipped through the crowd and continued on his way.
