Jesus and the Canaanite Woman

Kids’ Worship Service

August 14, 2011

Proper 15 Year A

I.            Welcome!

a.    Gathering – Children find a letter to sit on the gathering carpet. Recognize and welcome visitors.

b.    Opening Prayer: “Blessed Be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom now and forever. Amen”

Children’s Collect for the Day:

“Heavenly Father, we are here to worship and praise you. Open our hearts and minds so that we may hear your words spoken to us through the Bible story today. Give us strength that we may serve you through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

II.          Bible Lesson: Jesus and the Canaanite Woman

 (Proper 15, Year A)

a.    Introduction:  How many of you have a dog? What do you feed your dog? Canned dog food? Dry dog food? Do you ever feed him scraps from the table? Most veterinarians say that you should not feed your dog table scraps. Why? They say that table scraps are not intended for dogs and may not provide what a dog needs. That may be true, but just try to convince your dog of that as he sits by the table watching you enjoy a juicy steak. Maybe the meal was not intended for him, but that doesn't keep him from sitting by the table, begging for a little scrap, hoping that just one small bite might fall on the floor for him. I want you to keep that picture of the dog wanting table scraps in your mind as you listen to our Bible lesson today.

b.    Bible Story: Let us light the candles as we do in church when we read God’s word. (Read aloud from the Children’s Lectionary or Bible found on the children’s alter in Kids’ Worship room. You will also find the Gospel reading below.)

Matthew 15:21-28: Jesus left Gennesaret and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." So Jesus answered her saying, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." He replied, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.

c.    Lesson: When Jesus came to earth, he came to preach and teach to the Jews, but that does not mean that He didn't love the other people of the world. When other people saw Jesus healing the sick and lame, they followed him wherever he went. The Canaanite woman was not a Jew, but because she showed that she had great faith, Jesus healed her daughter. Who can tell me what faith is? Yes, faith is having complete trust in God. When the Canaanite woman’s request was not immediately granted by Jesus, she still showed that she had faith that Jesus would heal her child by remaining by his side just as a dog sits at the table waiting for scraps.  Jesus tested the woman with a test he knew she would pass. Jesus treated the people he healed as individuals, and dealt with each person differently based on their level of faith. Some people's requests were granted when they asked; some were healed without asking for it; some were asked if they believed Jesus could heal them before they were healed. Jesus may have done this to teach the woman and the disciples: the woman learned that she could always trust in God's love and mercy, even when her requests were not immediately answered, something Jesus taught the disciples, and the disciples learned that God's love and mercy were given to all people in the world even if they were not Jewish.

d.    Prayer: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the lesson of Jesus and the Canaanite Woman. Help us to have a strong faith in you just as the Canaanite woman had in Jesus. Amen.

III.       Response Activity:  Today you will all decorate a cross with the word faith and other decorations as a reminder of God’s love for you and as a reminder that you can always come to God in faith and prayer. (Children will decorate a pre-made cross with glitter stickers).

IV.         Closing Prayer and Benediction

a.    “Our Father” Say the Our Father aloud and ask children to join in if they know the prayer.

b.    Benediction: “Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord. (all together) Thanks be to God.”

a.    Return to Church services: Children line up behind the acolyte and follow silently to return to church.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Kids’ Worship Service

August 7, 2011

Proper 14 Year A

I.            Welcome!

a.    Gathering – Children find a letter to sit on the gathering carpet. Recognize and welcome visitors

b.    Opening Prayer: “Blessed Be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom now and forever. Amen”

Children’s Collect for the Day:

“Heavenly Father, we are here to worship and praise you. Open our hearts and minds so that we may hear your words spoken to us through the Bible story today. Give us strength that we may serve you through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

II.          Bible Lesson: The Miracle of Jesus Walking on the Water

 (Proper 14, Year A)

a.    Introduction:  While Jesus lived here among us, he performed miracles. Who can tell me what a miracle is? Yes, a miracle is a marvelous and wonderful act that only Jesus who is God can do. Last week we talked about the miracle Jesus performed of feeding the crowd of 5000 with only two fish and five loaves. Today we’re going to hear about another miracle that Jesus performed.  First, I want to show you something. As you can see, I have a tub of water and several other things with me this morning. Some of the items that I have with me will float in water and some of them will sink. I am going to show you an item and ask you to vote as to whether you think it will float or sink. Then we will put it in the water to see if you were right or not. Are you ready? Here is a wooden building block. How many of you think it will float in the water? How many think it will sink? Let's try it and see. Great! Most of you were right. The block is floating in the water. Here is the second item. A metal spoon. How many of you think it will float? How many think it will sink? Well, let's try it and see. You were right again! It sank! Here is another item. A piece of heavy duty foil. How many of you think it will float? How many think it will sink? Okay, let's see. You were right again! It floats! Here is another piece of foil. It is exactly the same as the other one. (Wad it up into a ball.) Now how many of you think it will still float? How many think it will sink? Right again! Do you think if you were put in the water, feet first that you would sink or float. Yep, we would sink, but then we could float by swimming, right. But people cannot walk on water, right? No, we would sink. Remember the story we just talked about in the Bible when Jesus fed five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish? After he had finished feeding the five thousand, Jesus told his disciples to get into their boat and go to the other side of the lake while he went up into the mountains to be alone and to pray. Let’s listen to the next miracle Jesus performed.

b.    Bible Story: Let us light the candles as we do in church when we read God’s word. (Read aloud from the Children’s Lectionary or Bible found on the children’s alter in Kids’ Worship room. You will also find the Gospel reading below.)

Matthew 14:22-33

 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me you to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.
But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

c.    Lesson: Who can tell me the miracle that Jesus performed in this story from the Bible? Yes, Jesus walked on the water and allowed Peter to walk on the water too. How do you think Peter walked on the water too? Yes, He had faith that Jesus would let him walk on the water and he was able to do so. Faith, what does that mean? It means that we trust God and know that he loves us and takes care of us in good times and bad, even though we can’t see him. What happened when Peter looked away from Jesus and got scared? “Yes, he sank!” But when he called out to Jesus to help him, Jesus did. We can always remember that Jesus will always be there to help us, even when we are really scared. All we have to do is to have faith and ask, like Peter did, and Jesus is always there to help.

d.    Let’s pray. Dear God, thank you for Jesus and for showing us that we can always trust you to help us even in hard and scary times.   Amen.

III.       Response Activity :  Today we are going to make a sea shell boat to remind us of Jesus’ miracle of walking on the water and to have faith in him even in times when we are scared. You will color the sail to place on your boat.

Sea Shell Boat Bible Craft

From  http://christiangamesandcrafts.com/items/view/195

***Boats will already be assembled. Children will just be coloring their sails. All materials will be ready for you on Sunday.***

Children will be able to take these boats home with them.  

IV.         Closing Prayer and Benediction

a.    “Our Father” Say the Our Father aloud and ask children to join in if they know the prayer.

b.    Benediction: “Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord. (all together) Thanks be to God.”

a.    Return to Church services: Children line up behind the acolyte and follow silently to return to church.