Elijah and the Widow

Children’s Chapel

June 5, 2016

Proper 5C

Introduction for Teachers:  Last week’s Bible story as well as this week’s story come from the Old Testament and center on the prophet Elijah. Elijah comes to the home of a widow and asks for something to eat. The widow shows that she has faith in God through trusting Elijah’s instructions to her.

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: In last week’s Bible story we heard a story about God’s prophet, Elijah who was a special servant of God. Elijah trusted in God and helped the people of Israel understand that there are no other gods but Yahweh. Today we will hear another Bible story about Elijah and a widow woman and how they both trust God.

           

The Bible Story: (Read Aloud)

1 Kings 17:8-24

⁸Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹“Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” ¹¹As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” ¹³Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” ¹⁵She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

¹⁷After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸She then said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!” ¹⁹But he said to her, “Give me your son.” He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰He cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” ²¹Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” ²²The Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” ²⁴So the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

Respond to the Story: In the Bible story Elijah comes to a widow woman and asks her to prepare him a little loaf of bread. She tells Elijah that she has barely enough to make bread for her and her son and that then they will die. Elijah responds by telling her that her grain will not run out nor will her oil. The woman shows great faith in the God of Elijah and does as Elijah says. The grain miraculously does not run out and the oil remains in the jar. But then the widow’s son becomes sick and dies. The widow asks Elijah why she has had such misfortune when she has trusted in Elijah and his God. Elijah takes the child to his own room and prays that God will restore the life of the child. God hears Elijah’s prayers and the child is alive. God loves Elijah and the widow and her son. God loves each of us too because we are his children. God provides for our needs and is always with us in good times, difficult times and everywhere in between. We can have faith like Elijah and the widow and know that God hears our prayers and provides for us.

Pray:  Thank you God for taking care of us, for blessing us with all of our needs and for calling us your children. Let us grow in our relationship with you through your Holy Spirit that we may live in peace and love with one another.  Amen.

Response Activity: “Elijah and the Widow” story board.

Psalm 8

Children’s Chapel

May 22, 2016

Proper 4C

Introduction for Teachers:  In our lesson today we will be looking at a reading from the book of Psalms. In the reading the author praises God for his creation drawing specific reference to how God created man to care for creation. As children of God we are made in his image and given many gifts and talents that are ignited by the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen each one of us as we serve God and care for his creation.

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: In last weeks Bible story we learned about a very special gift that is given to each of us because God loves all of us as his children. That gift is the Holy Spirit who is a part of God and lives in each of our hearts to strengthen and inspire us as we grow in God’s love every day. Today we will listen to a reading from the book of Psalms which is a collection of prayers and songs written to God.

           

The Bible Story: (Read Aloud)

Psalm 8

¹O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;

⁴what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

⁵Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,

⁷all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

⁸the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Respond to the Story: In the chapter of Psalm that I just read to you, the author is praising God for the gift of creation. He says as God’s children God has “crowned [us] with glory and honor [and has] given [us] dominion over the works of [God’s] hands . . .” God has given us all of creation to care for. That’s a big job isn’t it? But God does not ask us to do this all by our selves. Just as we learned last week, God is always with us and through the power of the Holy Spirit he gives us certain gifts and talents from his own heart that give us the ability to care for his creation. God works through each of us his children to allow his love to flow into the world and to care for all of his creation. Just as the author of the Psalm we just heart had a grateful heart, we too may have grateful hearts knowing that God has made us his children and has given us the Holy Spirit to help us as we care for his creation.

Pray:  Thank you God for making us each one of us in your image and calling us all your children. Thank you for your creation and for your Holy Spirit who lives in one with you and your Son Jesus. Strengthen and inspire us through the power of the Holy Spirit to care for your creation. Amen.

Chapel Response Activity: Children will make a Psalm 8 craft. (Materials and supplies will be provided and set up for craft response activity.)

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.