Sunday School, June 30, 2024 6 Pentecost, Cycle B, Proper 8
The themes of sickness and death are not always easy to present to children
It is important to teach children that faith is learning the ability to live with life as it happens
Certainly we do all we can to prevent unpleasant events of loss and pain.
Question: What is the best thing about falling and scraping one’s knee?
The best thing about scraping one’s knee is to have mom or dad or a person with us to comfort us and to give us some first aid.
A child might say, “I wish I hadn’t fallen and scraped my knee” but such a wish could not prevent it.
All bad things in life cannot be prevent; so the best thing that can happen in a bad event is to have people with us to help us.
The Bible Stories are about being honest about bad things like the loss of health and the loss of someone’s life.
The Gospel is about having the present of Christ with us at the times of our sickness and at the time of death.
With the resurrection of Christ we believe that God cured death in allowing us to live again in a new way and because we know this, we don’t have to live in fear of loss and pain.
One can teach about one of the sacraments of the Church: The prayer for the sick
Everyone experiences sickness and varieties of pain in their life. The church believes that sickness is a time to be together with the support of our Christian family and to pray for the sick and ask Christ to be present with us during the time of sickness.
This sacrament, the prayer for the sick is given to us to draw us together to support each other in very special ways during the time when one of us is sick.
Puppet Show on the Gospel Lesson
Puppet Show Musical Extravaganza
Faith, Health and Life
Puppet 1: Our puppet extravaganza from Puppet Camp is called, Faith, Health and Life. And Faith begins in believing that this world was made and belongs to God.
Song: (all sing) Tune: This Land is your land, this land is my land.
This world is God’s world, this world is God’s world. From Morgan Hill to the farthest star.
This world is God’s world, this world is God’s world. God made this world for you and me.
Puppet 2: Can everyone say “Salvation?” Salvation is a very important word. Salvation can mean that God’s preserves or saves us even after we die. Or Salvation while we live is called health. How many of you like health?
All Puppets: We like to be healthy! We don’t like to be sick!
Song: We don’t like to be sick (tune, If You’re Happy and You Know It)
We don’t like to be sick, no we don’t. We don’t like to be sick no we don’t. We don’t like to be sick, we don’t like to be sick. We don’t like to be sick. No we don’t
(puppet shaking their heads no as they sing)
Puppet 3: God takes care of our afterlife because God promises us eternal life. Eternal life is another kind of health. It is salvation.
Puppet 4: There are many stories in the Gospels about Jesus healing people. Jesus taught and healed in a place called Galilee. There was a big lake called the Sea of Galilee
Song: We’re off to Galilee (Farmer in the Dell tune)
We off to Galilee, We’re off to Galilee. Jesus is there, Jesus is there, we’re off to Galilee.
Puppet 5: Jesus got out of a boat on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee. He was with his disciples and a very worried father named Jairus was there to meet him.
Puppet Jairus: Jesus, Jesus! I need your help. My daughter is so sick that I think that she is going to die. Come and bless her and pray for her so that can get better.
Jesus: Jairus: I will go with you to see your daughter.
Song: O Lord hear our prayer (Taize, O Lord Hear My Prayer)
O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord hear my prayer. When I call, answer me. O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord hear my prayer. Come and listen to me.
Puppet 6: Jairus did the right thing. When he had a problem he came and asked Jesus for help. We should pray and ask Jesus for help in our lives too. Do you agree?
All Puppets: Yes, we should pray to Jesus.
(On the way to Jairus’ house, a crowd is following closely)
Suddenly Jesus stopped:
Jesus: Who touched me?
Disciple John: Jesus, lots of people are touching you. So many people are crowding around you.
Jesus: I felt some healing power go out of me to one person. Who touched me?
Shy woman: O, Jesus, it was I who touched you. I am so sorry. I have been in pain for so long and I have heard so much about you and I did not want to bother you. I thought that if I could just touch you then I would have a chance to get better.
Jesus: My friend, I’m not angry with you for touching me. I honor your faith. I am glad that you still have hope even when you were sick. I am glad that you acted upon your hope and came to me. You are a good example to everyone. Whether we are sick or well, it is good to have faith.
Shy woman: Thank you, Jesus. I can already feel that my body is healed.
Song: I touched Him (Tune: He Touched Me, Bill Gaither)
Refrain: I touched him. O I touched him. And O what health came to me. I touched Jesus and now I’m well. O, I touched him and He made me well.
Puppet 6: I hear bad news.
Puppet 7: What kind of bad news?
Puppet 8: It is very sad new?
Puppet 9: What kind of sad news?
Puppet 10: Jesus does not have to come to the home of Jairus now.
Puppet 11: Why, what’s happened?
Puppet 12: The daughter of Jairus has died! Everyone is sad and everyone is crying. What can Jesus do now?
Puppet 13: Jesus, what will you do?
Jesus: If you have energy to have fear, you can take that same energy and have faith. Just have faith and good things will happen.
Song: We’ve got faith like a River (tune, I’ve Got Peace Like a River)
We’ve got faith like a river, we’ve got faith like a river, we’ve got faith like a river in our souls. We’ve got faith like a river, we’ve faith like a river, we’ve got faith like a river in our souls.
Peter: Jesus, I’ll go with you into the house of Jairus.
James: I will go with you too. I want to help in anyway that I can.
John: Jairus is my friend and I want to comfort him. I’ll go with you Jesus.
All the puppets at the house of Jairus:
Puppets: All are moaning and crying….”Oh the girl has died. The girl has died.”
Jesus: Why are you crying so much? The girl is not dead; she is only sleeping.
Puppets: (laughing)….
Puppet 14: Jesus, we know when someone is dead. Go and see the girl and you’ll see that she is dead.
(Jesus and the Three disciples go into the house where the girl is lying on a bed)
Jesus goes up to the girl and speaks in Aramaic
Jesus: Talitha cum. Little girl get up.
Song: Talitha Cum (tune: God is so Good)
Talitha Cum. Talitha Cum. O little girl, Arise, Get up!
(Sing three times)
Little Girl Rachel: (awakens) O Daddy! What has happened? I can’t remember anything? I think that I’ve been in a deep, deep sleep.
Jairus: Rachel, you are awake and well. Jesus came and he made you well again. We are very thankful for Jesus. He is a great doctor and healer.
Jesus: Please get Rachel something to eat. I’m sure that she must be very hungry after such a long sleep.
Song: The Lord Is My Health (tune: Taize, The Lord Is My Light)
The Lord is my health. My health and salvation. In him I trust, in him I trust.
(Sung three times)
Puppet 14: What did we learn today?
Puppet 15: We learned to go to Jesus when we have a problem in life. So when we are sick we pray to Jesus to help us get better.
Puppet 16: We learned that it is important to have faith. Faith means that we can believe in God’s goodness and love even when we have a difficult problem.
Puppet 17: We learned that Jesus wants to restore people to good health. Let us all say, “Thank you Doctor Jesus!” Amen.
Sermon:
How many of you like stories? You like to read stories because they are fun. But something else happens when you read a story. You learn something even when you don’t know that you are learning something.
What do you learn in the story of Cinderella? One thing you learn is never to lose hope, even when it seems that some sad things are happening. Never lose hope.
What do you learn in the super hero stories? About Batman, Spiderman, and Superman? We can learn that is very important to fight and struggle against evil and against people who want to hurt others. It is important to work for fairness and honesty.
So even when you are enjoying a story, you are really secretly learning some very important lessons.
Jesus used to tell stories and within those stories, he would hide some very important lessons for his friends to learn.
And his disciples learned many things from Jesus. They learned to tell stories too. They learn to tell stories about Jesus and within those wonderful stories they hid some very important messages.
Today we have read a story about Jesus bringing a little girl back to life. And in this story we have a very important lesson.
After Jesus had died, his friends still believed that Jesus was with them. They believed that the Spirit of Jesus was still with them. And when other people became aware of the Spirit of Jesus, their lives changed. They felt like they had been born again. They felt like they were like young children all over again. They felt like they had hope and joy and happiness. They felt like they had been brought back to life, just like the little girl in the story.
And that is what the friends of Jesus were trying to teach when they wrote the stories about Jesus. To know that the spirit of Jesus is so close within us, is to feel like we have awaken from a long, long sleep and to receive back our lives, the lives that we felt when we were young, young children.
Jesus said to his follower that they needed to be childlike to understand his kingdom. They had to receive his kingdom like a young child. And he also said that the kingdom of heaven belonged to children.
Since many of you are children you have an advantage over us adults. Sometimes we adults, forget and lose our understanding of God’s kingdom. That is why…our little girl…our little boy within us needs to come to life again. So do you see the teaching about coming back to life is hidden within this story about Jesus?
Jesus wants us always to keep something that we have as children. We have joy and wonder. And if we keep that joy and wonder, we will be able to know that we live in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Inter generational Family Service with Holy Eucharist
June 20, 2024: The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Gathering Songs: Hallelu, Hallelujah; Jesus Loves Me; Seek Ye First; America
Song: Hallelu, Hallelujah (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 84)
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah.
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.
Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Liturgist: Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Liturgist: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Liturgist: Let us pray
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Litany Phrase: Alleluia (chanted)
O God, you are Great! Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us! Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior! Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family! Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins! Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead! Alleluia
A reading from the Book of Lamentations
This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 130
For there is forgiveness with you; * therefore you shall be feared.
I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope.
My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen for the morning, * more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the LORD, * for with the LORD there is mercy;
Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)
Litanist:
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.
Thanks be to God!
Liturgist: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." He went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, `Who touched me?'" He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Liturgist: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Children’s Creed
We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.
Since God is so great and we are so small,
We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.
We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.
We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is
welcome.
We believe that Christ is kind and fair.
We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.
And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever. Amen.
Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy. (chanted)
For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.
For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.
For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.
For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.
For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.
For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.
For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.
For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.
Liturgist: The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering.
Song: Jesus Loves Me This I Know (All the Best Songs for Kids, # 54)
Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! He who died! Heaven’s gates to open wide. He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Prologue to the Eucharist
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might. Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.
Children may gather around the altar
Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
the bread and drink the wine, we can know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as
this food and drink that becomes a part of us.
The Prayer continues with these words
And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbors.
On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.
Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ. May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.
By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory
is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,
(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)
Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father who art in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.
Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.
And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.
Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.
Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.
Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant: Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
Words of Administration
Communion Song: Seek Ye First (Blue Hymnal, # 711)
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you; Allelu, alleluia.
Refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, allelu, alleluia.
Ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you; Allelu, alleluia! Refrain
Post-Communion Prayer
Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;
We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.
And His Presence has been known to us.
We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers
and sisters in Christ.
Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the
bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,
As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Closing Song: America (blue hymnal, # 719)
O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul with self control, they liberty in law.
O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
