Pentecost

Children’s Chapel

May 15, 2016
Pentecost

Introduction for Teachers: Today is Pentecost Sunday in which we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. In today’s Bible story, Jesus has ascended to the Father in Heaven and the apostles have gathered together. Before Jesus’ Ascension he told the apostles that he would always be with them and that they would receive an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to help strengthen and inspire them in the work God has called each of them to do in his name.

Welcome: Children will enter quietly and sit together on the floor. Welcome all children and ask if there are any new friends today.

Preview the Story: Last week we talked about how we are all children of God and that each of us together, like puzzle pieces, make up the bigger picture which is the kingdom of God. We are all unique and we are all equally important in God’s kingdom. We are all also deeply loved by God.  Jesus tells his disciples before his Ascension to the Father in Heaven that he will continue to live among them in their hearts and that the Father will be sending the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and inspire them. Today we will hear about the special day, which we call Pentecost, that the disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

           

The Bible Story: Acts 2:1-21 (For Teacher Reference)

2When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Read Aloud: The Jesus Storybook Bible pages 326-331

Respond to the Story: Isn’t it wonderful how much God loves each one of us! God loves us so much that he gives us the Holy Spirit just as he gave to the disciples all those years ago on the first Pentecost. We can rejoice knowing that God’s love strengthens and inspires us through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can also know that God’s love for us is never ending and that we are never alone because God lives in each of our hearts.

This morning I want to show you something that might show you how the Holy Spirit works in each of us. Do you see this flashlight? How many of you have flashlights at home? Flashlights are useful for helping us to see in the dark. I wonder how a flashlight works to make it light up? (Allow answers, then open up the flashlight and look inside.) You’re right! A flashlight has batteries that give power to the flashlight to make it shine. Even though we can’t see the source of the power in the flashlight, we know that the batteries are there to make the flashlight shine. In the same way a battery gives power to make a flashlight shine, the Holy Spirit gives power to each of us to shine the light of Jesus. Even though we can not see the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit and love are always with us to strengthen and inspire us.

Sing: Younger children sing with Kathryn first and then she will go to the older children’s classroom

Pray:  Thank you God for loving each of us as your children and for sending us the Holy Spirit to strengthen and inspire us as we grow in your love each day.

Response Activity: Children will make a Holy Spirit Flame Headband to wear as they return to the sanctuary.

God's Love Revealed in the Whole

Christ Episcopal Church

Children’s Chapel

May 8, 2016

Introduction for Teachers: In today’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking with our Father in Heaven about the relationship we all have as children of God. Jesus says, “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus continues his prayer asking that all of God’s children be one just as he and the Father are one. In Jesus’ words, the glory of God is revealed when each individual is joined in love with the Father as one. The kingdom of God has many parts, each unique, each equally important. One part reveals a glimmer of God’s love. Joined as one together, God’s love is revealed in whole. In talking about today’s Gospel lesson we will use the example of a puzzle (Each classroom will have it’s own puzzle box.)

Welcome: Children will enter quietly and sit together on the floor around the puzzle box. Welcome all children and ask if there are any new friends today.

Preview the Story: How many of you like to work puzzles?  Puzzles can be a lot of fun, right? (Open the box to reveal the pieces of the puzzle.) Wow! Look at all the pieces of this puzzle. The pieces of this puzzle are in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. Each of the pieces shows a bit of the picture and each piece is important. When the puzzle pieces are all joined together and become one, they show the entire picture. Let’s listen to the story from the Gospel of John.

           

The Gospel Story: John 17:20-26

Read Aloud

²⁰”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

²⁴Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Respond to the Story: In the Gospel story today Jesus talks to God in heaven saying that just as He and the Father are one, so too are each of us one with the Father. Like the pieces of this puzzle, the members of God’s kingdom come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Jesus himself prayed that each person would be joined as one with the Father so that the world would see God's love in us. You and I are part of the picture that is the kingdom of God. When we love one another, help one another, and serve one another we become one, just as Jesus prayed we would be, and when we are one, the world can see God's love in us.

Pray: Thank you God for making us each unique and thank you for making us each one with you. Help us to be kind and helpful to one another so that your love may be seen by the world as we are joined together in you.

Choosing God's Glory

This morning I watched our dog Macy eagerly tracking a pair of doves she had seen in our back yard. They had long since flown away to the safety of an upper branch, but that didn't detour Macy in her pursuit of sniffing them out and doing her best to find them. After awhile she came back in tired from her pursuits, but content. She had followed her instincts and was doing what she was born to do, what really, she loves to do. 

Dogs and all of God's creatures instinctually follow what they are made to do in essence giving full glory to their Maker. As humans we too are each given gifts and talents, that when we use, ignite great contentment, joy, and love as we live into the persons God created us to be. But we have a choice of whether or not we will live into these gifts. May you live into your God given passions today and always and receive the gifts of peace, joy and love as you follow your own design.

An Instrument of Love

Emma-Caroline found this little guy while we were out on the polo field on Sunday. She gently cared for it and brought it home to place in a shady spot in our garden. Her act was from a pure heart for God's creation and she was an instrument of his love as she cared for this tiny creature. In the same way, we all are instruments of God's love when our heart resides in love in whatever we do to shine God's light to another.

The smallest most seemingly insignificant act done to... serve another of God's creation through love is actually one of the most wondrous acts any one of us can allow to happen through our own very beings. And we are given countless opportunities to be God's instrument of love each day that we live. May you know that you are God's instrument of love to another and may you know that any act great or small done in love is a wonderful and glorious act of God.

His Eye is On the Sparrow

 I had never heard the song "His Eye is on the Sparrow" until this past year, and now the melody of that beloved old hymn plays through my head with almost every breath I take. I once heard that the Old Testament Hebrew name for God "Yahweh" when spoken correctly was like the inhale and exhale of one complete breath. In essence, that the name of God is on each breath we take. How comforting to know that God's name is in every single breath we all take! The sparrow song is like that for me. It is a constant reminder that God is always watching me and that He is in every breath I take.

 The comfort I found in the sparrow song began earlier in the spring when we encountered a baby sparrow who had taken a tumble from her nest and was mortally wounded. She knew she wanted to live this life and struggled to fly away. I wanted to help her, but I soon realized her life was near it's end. I made a comfortable nest for her and placed her in it. She was fully aware and continued her struggle to live this life she so desperately wanted. Her struggles soon gave way to shallow breathing, slow breath in . . . slow breath out. I stroked her feathers to let her know she was not alone and I prayed that God would take her soon. The sparrow, however, would not lose this life without a fight. Soon she closed her eyes, slow breath in . . . slow breath out. My own salty tears streamed down my face as I watched this sweet little creature in her final moments on earth. I continued to pray and I gave thanks for the gift of this little bird's life.  I also gave thanks for the gift of being able to be with the sparrow in her final moments. Although the day had been previously calm, I was suddenly caught by surprise by a huge gust of wind swirling around me and blowing through the trees. In that same instant the sparrow lifted her wings and flapped them while her final breath exhaled out of her body. I knew at that moment that God himself had taken her spirit home and that the sparrow had a new life with her Creator. It was a holy moment that I will never forget and it is one that leaves my eyes still brimming with tears as I recall that very special memory of God's love for all of his creation.

   In comparison to the life of the sparrow, so it is with us. God loves us with such a love that we can't even begin to fathom it's depth or extremity. We struggle to hold on to this life, and yes, we were meant to lead this life, but God has a plan for our lives that is far greater than we could ever imagine or dream of. We worry and we fret over the smallest of details. We try to measure up to expectations  that are of this world and we fear that we may never meet the mark. We struggle to lead this life not the life that God intended for us. We fight to keep what we have here instead of throwing caution to the winds of trust and faith and allowing ourselves to soar into the life that God really intended for us to lead. But first we have to let go, and let God.
   In verbally sharing my story of the baby sparrow, I was asked if I had ever heard of the song "His Eye is On the Sparrow."  Although I had not heard of the song, I looked up the lyrics and found them very comforting.

Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me

I sing because I'm happy

I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me

 

What is so comforting to me in these lyrics and what we can all find peace in is that God watches over all of us just as he watches over all of his creation. In Matthew Jesus says, "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26) and "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29–31).

I have recently started upon a new path that God is calling me to. This new call has been wrought with my own feelings of uncertainty, unworthiness, and fear. As I have tried to place fear, worry and uncertainty aside, and as I have trusted God, he has been there, holding my hand, showing me that he is watching over me as he leads me into this new life. Although I have always known that God loves me, and although it is not necessary to have symbols of God's love, God gives them to us anyway and wants us to enjoy them and find them as a source of encouragement. Throughout this past year, the sparrow has been a very big symbol of God's love for me and has brought me great encouragement and peace as I begin a new journey in my life.  For each of us, God indeed watches over  us and wants to lead us on the path he has planned for us.  As much as we may worry over our lives and what paths we are to follow, we have only to remember that "his eye is on the sparrow," and know and trust that he is watching over each of us too. May you see your own symbols of God's love and encouragement surrounding you in your lives  and know that he is always with you, watching you and leading you to the life you were always meant to lead.

 ***Photos taken this January 2014***