sunday 02 october 2016 - scripture union service... · sunday 02 october 2016 ... play some sad...

© Scripture Union www.scriptureunion.org.uk/light

Sunday 02 October 2016Jesus brings life

Theme introductionThis is the fi rst in a series on the love and compassion of God as seen through Jesus’ encounters with different characters.

In this session, Jesus meets a woman who is utterly distraught. Her son is dead. Her means of income and support is gone!

All hope has departed. Anyone recently bereaved will identify with her sadness.

Play some sad music as introduction – for example, Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. What thoughts does that bring to

people’s minds? How does it make them feel?

Explain that there are many reasons why people are sad. For example: life is tough, they are ill, they may have lost

something, someone they love has died, they may be lonely or they may feel that God is far away from them.

Read Lamentations 3:1–13 slowly, asking people to think of things that make them sad or that have made people they know

sad. But fi rst explain that this was written at the time when God’s people living in Jerusalem were suffering badly. They felt

that God had left them. (This was before the time of Nehemiah (remember the series in August), when the walls were being

destroyed, which Nehemiah then rebuilt!)

Then read Lamentations 3:21–24, explaining that just after the writer wrote the previous words, he wrote down these words.

Emphasise that God can be trusted.

Prayer activityYou will be aware of people who are sad in the congregation or of sorrowful situations in the News.

Pray very specifi cally for these issues, that people will be aware that God is with them in their pain.

Extra ideaIf you wanted to hold a time of interactive prayer, show a large tear drop on an acetate or sheet of card and invite people to

come forward to write down the names of people or situations in the world where there is sadness. Use that to inform your

prayers.

Bible passage: Luke 7:11–17

Session aim: To be encouraged that Jesus

acts in response to our pain

Song suggestions‘What a load of rubbish!’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Leave all your worries’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Call to me’ Bitesize Bible Songs 2 CD

‘God is an awesome God’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Jesus’ hands were kind hands’ kidsource 194

‘Great is thy faithfulness’ Songs of Fellowship 147


Sunday 09 October 2016Jesus brings freedom

Theme introductionDownload a photo of a maze from Hampton Court or another national stately home. (Or show an enlarged maze from a

puzzle book: the 5 to 7s may be experiencing a maze during the storytelling in their session.) Talk about how diffi cult it is to

fi nd your way out of a maze if the hedges are really high and all paths look more or less the same. Make sure that children

are engaged in this discussion because high hedges are even more of a challenge for them because of their height. What

experiences do people have when fi nding their way out? What helped them? For example: the position of the sun, a tower in

the middle, or someone to guide them out.

What does it feel like to feel trapped literally or emotionally? If possible, invite someone to talk about a situation where they

felt trapped and could not see any way out of it, but God helped them see what choices were open to them, and a resolution

was found. This needs to be appropriate for children and young people, so the details of an unhappy marriage would not be

suitable, however helpful for adults! For example: a diffi cult job situation, house relocation, recovery from an illness, bullying

at school.

Explain that today’s story is about a man who was trapped and not free.

Prayer ideaDisplay the words of the Lord’s Prayer and ask people to focus on the following phrases:

Forgive us our sins

…as we forgive those who sin against us

Lead us not into temptation

…but deliver us from evil

Say that sometimes we feel trapped because we have done something wrong that damages our relationship with others and

God. We need to ask for forgiveness. God has promised to forgive us if we ask him and he will keep us safe.

Say the Lord’s Prayer together very slowly, pausing after each of these phrases. Ask everyone to speak with God in the

silence of each pause.

Extra ideaIt would be appropriate to pray for those who suffer for their faith or are even imprisoned. For more details see Christian

Solidarity Worldwide at www.csw.org.uk.


Session aim: To realise that Jesus came to set

people free

Song suggestions‘What a load of rubbish!’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Leave all your worries’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Call to me’ Bitesize Bible Songs 2 CD

‘God is an awesome God’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Jesus is a friend of mine’ kidsource 195

‘Jesus never’ kidsource 602


Sunday 16 October 2016Jesus brings challenge

Theme introductionYou will need to arrange for someone to be your ‘plant’ in the congregation. Use a washable marker (check fi rst!) to make

a prominent mark on your face. As you welcome everyone to the service your ‘plant’ should interrupt you, saying that your

face is dirty.

Using humour, deny all knowledge of the mark (as you cannot see it) while your ‘plant’ encourages the congregation to

agree that there defi nitely is a mark. In exasperation, call for a mirror (make sure your ‘plant’ has one in case no one else

offers) and discover that you do indeed have a dirty face. If it is impractical for you to be the one with the dirty face, arrange

for someone else with a mark to come to the front (eg to give out a notice). You then point out the mark on his or her face.

Use this introduction to point out that sometimes we cannot see the truth about ourselves and need someone else to show

us what we are really like. Say that the children will be hearing how Jesus helps us see the truth about ourselves.

Prayer ideaWrite the word ‘IMPORTANT’ down the side of a fl ip chart. Ask for suggestions of things that begin with these letters that

are important to us. (The congregation could discuss their ideas in small groups fi rst.) Choose one suggestion to write

beside each letter. Topics can be vague or specifi c, for instance use people’s names or ‘The…’ could start the T words. A

sample list could read:

Ice cream; Mothers; Pauline; Older folk; Rules of the road; Travel; Animals; Nurses; The community

Read out the list and agree that all these things are important for various reasons and in varying degrees. Either say a prayer

to thank God for these things that matter to us, or ask everyone to shout out any one of them after you say, ‘Thank you God

for…’

But as important as these things are, there are other things even more important, like knowing, loving and serving God.

Sometimes we ignore the most important for the quite important. Ask the congregation to join in the response in the

following prayer of confession:

Father God, it is important to listen to others, but sometimes we forget to listen to you.

Forgive us when we forget the things that are important to you.It is important to spend time with other people, but sometimes we forget to spend time with you.

Forgive us when we forget the things that are important to you.It is important to have money, food and good things in life, but sometimes we forget to share these with others who have

little or none.

Forgive us when we forget the things that are important to you.


Session aim: To see that Jesus helps us to see

the truth about ourselves

Song suggestions‘Come back’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Call to me’ Light for Everyone CD

‘I try to do what’s good’ Reach Up! CD

‘Lord, you have searched me’ Reach Up! CD

‘Abba, Father’ kidsource 3


Sunday 23 October 2016Jesus brings salvation

Theme introductionDisplay a large globe or map of the world. Ask someone to point to ‘where we are’. Mark this place with a sticker or fl ag.

Invite the congregation to chat in small groups about people they know who are far away. Ask them to write down some of

these people’s names on separate fl ags or stickers to display in the appropriate places on the map or globe. Look at the map

together and see which people are the furthest away.

Choose one person who would be known by several people (eg a missionary from the church or a family who have relocated

abroad) and think about how long it is since the congregation saw them. Ask what you would all do if this person or people

were coming to visit you soon. Get enthusiastic about planning an imaginary party or special event because it would be so

exciting to have your friends coming back to see you. Say that when people we love come back from being far away it is

always exciting to see them.

Sometimes we go away from God and his plan for us, but he is always ready to welcome us back. The children will be

hearing how Jesus helped someone come back to God.

Prayer ideaProvide two large, strong strips of card or wood to make a cross shape. Keep them separate to begin with, but have some

way to fi x them together. Show the shorter strip and ask for suggestions about what God is like, then write these on the

strip, eg ‘kind’, ‘faithful’.

Spend time praising God for who he is, either by singing a song or having a time of confession, saying that we do not live up

to God’s standards.

Produce the second strip. Explain that God came down (hold the strip vertical) to bring us back to him. Join the strips to

make the cross shape. Ask the congregation to think of someone (or perhaps a group of people) who is far from God and

needs to be brought back to him. Suggest they symbolise that person or group on a sticky note by drawing an image or

symbol of them to preserve privacy. Invite them to come and fi x their sticky notes to the vertical arm of the cross.

Say the following prayer or similar: ‘Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to earth and dying on the cross to bring us back to

God. We pray for anyone we know who is still far from you. We ask you to bring them back to yourself.’


Session aim: To discover that Jesus came to

bring back those far from God

Song suggestions‘So far’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘God’s love’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Deep love’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Anyone can come to God’ Reach Up! CD

‘Amazing grace’ kidsource 9


Sunday 30 October 2016Jesus brings light

Theme introductionBefore the session, dress slightly strangely – put on odd socks or shoes, wear mismatched top and trousers/skirt etc. Do

whatever you can to make it look like you have dressed in the dark. (Alternatively, you could get a member of your church to

do this, and then to come to the front at the right time.) Also, prime some volunteers to have (appropriate) stories of things

that have gone wrong for them when they weren’t able to see.

Let the congregation realise what you have done – if they need some prompting, say that you had to leave the house early,

in a hurry this morning, and you didn’t turn the lights on because you didn’t want to wake anyone else up! By the time you

realised that you had dressed so strangely, it was too late!

Invite the stories from your volunteers and then, once you have fi nished, point out the power of light to both enable us to

complete tasks and see clearly, but also to show up mistakes.

Prayer activityIf you can safely do so, give everyone a candle. If not, share round torches, storm lanterns and electric tea lights. Light the

candles (or ask everyone to switch on their lights), and encourage people to look at their lights and think about what it

means to follow Jesus.

After a moment, ask people to put out their candles/lights and sit in the comparative darkness. Comment that even when

the literal lights are out, if we follow Jesus, he is our fi gurative light. We will always have that light that gives life. Ask people

to think about what in their lives might need to be brought into the light. Encourage people to talk to Jesus about that now. If

possible, have ministry teams to pray with people if they’d like to do so.

Extra ideasSing the Learn and remember song ‘Follow Me’ (from the Bitesize Bible Songs CD, Scripture Union) together – this is the text

of John 8:12.

Put together a PowerPoint presentation of lots of different sources of light, and set it to music. Finish with a picture of Jesus

and John 8:12. Before you show the presentation, ask people to think about how powerful each source of light is, including

Jesus.

Bible passage: John 8:12

Session aim: To understand that Jesus

is the Light of the World

Song suggestions‘Follow me’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Light for everyone’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Light of the world’ Tell the World CD, Hillsong Kids

‘Here I am to worship’ Here I Am to Worship CD, Tim Hughes


Sunday 06 November 2016Our choice

Theme introductionYou will need three identical tins or boxes, or make three individual parcels that look the same. Label them: ‘Delicious’,

‘Valuable’ and ‘Funny’. Put a wrapped sweet or chocolate in ‘Delicious’, a coin of small value in ‘Valuable’, and in ‘Funny’

put a silly photo of a church member (make sure they will not mind) or something such as a funny hat or a cartoon from a

newspaper.

Ask for a volunteer to choose and open just one of the boxes, assuring them they can keep the contents. Make a fuss of

reading the labels, speculating what something ‘valuable’, ‘delicious’ or ‘funny’ might be. At last let the volunteer open the

box of their choice and claim their ‘prize’.

Talk about how diffi cult making choices can be. In this instance, the volunteer had very little information to go on.

Sometimes it is like this with more important choices, and sometimes we have very little time to choose. Say that involving

God in our lives each day will help us make the right decision when an important choice has to be made. The children will

hear today about two people who had to decide whether to choose God’s way or not.

Prayer ideaAsk (in advance) different people to read out the sections of this prayer and introduce them appropriately. Or you could

tailor your own version. Invite the congregation to join in the emboldened response.

A mother or father in a family with children: ‘When there are important things to decide at home; when things get busy and

fraught; when everyone in the family wants to do something different… help us to choose your way.’

A school child: ‘When the teacher gives us hard things to do; when people in our class want us to join them in doing wrong

things; when our friends fall out with us… help us to choose your way.’

An employed person: ‘When relationships with work colleagues get diffi cult; when we see things happening that aren’t right;

when there is more work than time to do it in… help us to choose your way.’

A retired person: ‘When we have to organise our time; when we meet up with sad or lonely people; when we have big

decisions to make… help us to choose your way.’

Extra ideaEmphasise the idea of making the right choice by playing a game of noughts and crosses. Draw a large grid on a fl ip chart

(or similar) and divide the congregation into two teams. You could ask questions on any subject, for example, this morning’s

Bible reading, ‘the life of the Minister’ or general knowledge. Choose one person from each team to fi ll in the grid. They

should make the decision themselves and not be infl uenced by the rest of the team. Point out at the end of the game

how important it was to choose wisely where to put the symbols. Alternatively, a version of hangman could be played to

emphasise good choices.

Bible passage: Genesis 4:1–16

Session aim: To understand that it is best to

choose God’s way

Song suggestions‘Love the Lord’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD


‘Abba, Father’ kidsource 3

‘Jesus, be the centre’ kidsource 587


Sunday 13 November 2016Flood warning

Theme introductionAsk for three volunteers. Parade them as you describe their dreadful misdemeanours: the fi rst (horror of horrors!) has been

scrumping apples in Mr X’s garden; the second (disgraceful!) forgot to wash behind his ears; and the third (how could she?)

played a muddy game of football in her best shoes. All three should look suitably ashamed.

Such dreadful crimes must, of course, not go unpunished. You will have to look in the punishment box for suggestions. Bring

out a suitable box containing three cards that you read out, namely: ‘Help Mr X to pick his apples’; ‘Have a bath every night

this week’; and, fi nally, ‘Clean everybody’s shoes’. Ask for help in making the punishments fi t the crimes, and then allow the

three miscreants to leave suitably chastened.

Point out that even minor wrongdoings spoil God’s world. God is holy and clean but still wants to be involved with the

people in his world, so he has to deal with wrongdoings. The greatest thing he did was to send Jesus to die for us, and by

his Spirit, he helps all those who trust and follow him to live his way. The children will hear about something else God did to

deal with the wrongdoings in the world.

Prayer ideaTeach the congregation hand gestures for the following phrases: ‘Stop!’ (fl at hand held upright); ‘You call us’ (hand

beckoning); and ‘You will help us’ (one cupped hand being held by the other). Suggest that they use these gestures as their

response in the prayer below:

Lord God, when we think wrong thoughts, help us to stop. You call us to follow you, and you will help us to see what is

right.

Lord God, when we are about to say wrong things, help us to stop. You call us to follow you, and you will help us to see

what is right.

Lord God, when we do wrong things, help us to stop. You call us to follow you, and you will help us to see what is right.

Lord God, when we make wrong friendships, help us to stop. You call us to follow you, and you will help us to see what is

right.

Bible passage: Genesis 6:1 – 8:19

Session aim: To see that God needs to deal with

wrongdoings and that he helps those who want to

follow him

Song suggestions‘Come back’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘So far’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Eyes fi xed’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD

‘Reach up’ Reach Up! CD


‘One more step’ kidsource 273


Sunday 20 November 2016Rainbow promise

Theme introductionDisplay a home-made cake or plate of biscuits. Ask the cook to tell everyone about the ingredients, which are on display – a

bag of fl our, some eggs, butter and sugar. Invite different children to hold these up. Ask the fi rst child where the fl our came

from. In the fi rst instance, the answer might be the supermarket, but gradually get back to the fact that God made the wheat

grow. Give the child a label saying ‘God’ to hold in exchange for the fl our. Ask the second child where the eggs came from,

reaching the conclusion that God made the hen, and give them a label saying ‘God’. Go through all the ingredients in the

same way. Eventually you will have a row of children all showing the word ‘God’. Point out that God provides everything for

people on earth. God provides even more for people who trust and obey him. He gives us, among other things, knowledge

of himself, security and eternal life.

Prayer ideaGive at least one small brightly-coloured card to each person present. Try to include as many different colours and shapes as

possible. Each card should have a hole punched near the edge. Loops of yarn could be fi xed to each card, or these could be

attached later.

Display a bunch of bare twigs. Say that they look dull and lifeless, and this is what our lives would be like without God to

provide for us. Ask everyone to think of something they would like to thank God for. Give out the cards and ask people to

write or draw their prayers on them before hanging them on the twigs.

If possible, invite all to stand around the ‘rainbow tree’. Say a prayer such as the following: ‘Lord, we are your people who

trust and try to obey you. Thank you for being our provider. We praise you now.’

Extra ideaMake a joint banner saying ‘Thank you, God’. Invite small groups to collage the letters separately using rainbow colours. Fix

the letters onto a strong background and invite ‘all those who trust and obey God’ to write their names around the words.

Bible passage: Genesis 8:20 – 9:17

Session aim: To thank God for providing for

those who trust and obey him

Song suggestions‘So amazing God’ Light for Everyone CD

‘God’s promises’ Light for Everyone CD

‘Father God, I wonder’ kidsource 52

‘Oh! Oh! Oh! How good is the Lord’ kidsource 266

(make up your own appropriate verses)


Sunday 27 November 2016A surprise

Theme introductionDisplay the SU Bible Timeline at the front of your worship space. Talk about God and his plan for salvation, using the

Timeline and these points:

• God created everything perfectly and people lived in relationship with him.

• They decided to go their own way, and that perfect relationship was gone.

• But God never gave up. He honoured Abraham with a family that grew into a nation.

• He rescued that nation from slavery and called it his own.

• He gave a homeland to that people.

• He rescued them time and again, even though they turned against him.

• He promised he would send a Saviour, a forever King to rule over his people.

Point to the part on the Timeline just before Jesus’ birth. Say that your Bible story this week happens here. People have been

waiting and waiting for that forever King. And now, this next part of God’s plan is about to swing into action.

Prayer activityGive out small versions of the Timeline (mini timelines are available from SU) and encourage people to look at it. Family

groups can review what they’ve heard about in the service. As the congregation looks at the Timeline, and God’s plan to

save his people, encourage them to thank God for sending John, and ask him to help them get ready for celebrating Jesus

birth.

Extra ideasRead Matthew 3:1–12. Marvel at what John the Baptist looked like when he was grown up (you could get someone to dress as

John, and say what John said). What do people think of John? What about his message?

Give some people in the congregation an unexpected present. Make it something nice – a homemade cake, an invitation to

the cinema – and then ask them what they thought of getting such a present. How must Elizabeth and Zechariah have felt

about the news Gabriel brought them?

Read Elizabeth’s Christmas (Scripture Union) together – you could also give everybody a copy to hang on their Christmas

tree!


Aim: To hear God explain John’s part in

his plan

Song suggestions‘God has a plan’ Bitesize Bible Songs CD


‘Ah, Lord God’ Mission Praise 6

‘Good news, good news’ Songs of Fellowship 739

‘We have a gospel to proclaim’ Songs of Fellowship 1583


Sunday 04 December 2016A song

Theme introductionBefore the session, fi nd a song that tells a story. It could be a song from a musical, such as ‘On the steps of the palace’ from

Into the Woods or ‘Feed the birds’ from Mary Poppins. Or you could use a pop song, such as ‘Leader of the pack’ by the

Shangri-Las, ‘Pearl’s a singer’ by Elkie Brooks or ‘The day before you came’ by ABBA. If possible, play the extract from the

fi lm/pop video, so that the congregation can watch it.

In intergenerational groups, ask the church family to discuss what the song might be about. Can they tell what is happening

from the discussions they’ve been having? Then ask the groups to think about what might be in a song of their lives. After a

few moments, gather in a few suggestions!

Prayer activityGive out pens and paper and ask the congregation to write a verse of what they might sing to God. How might they describe

what God has done in their lives, and his plan for them, in the same way as Zechariah? Give everyone a few moments to

write a couple of lines – you might want to play some refl ective music as they do so. Any children who aren’t able to write

yet should be encouraged to tell someone older what they’d like to say, or draw what God has done for them.

After everyone is happy with what they have written, have a time of prayer where people (who are happy to do so) read out

the verses of their song. You could repeat verse 68 as a response after each verse of people’s songs.

Extra ideasLook at other songs of God’s goodness, such as Simeon’s song in Luke 2:29–32 or the songs of Moses and Miriam from

Exodus 15.

Review on the SU Bible Timeline what God’s plan has been so far (reviewing from last session, or explaining anew).

Have a volunteer dress up as Zechariah and tell the story of John’s birth. Zechariah can then read out (or indeed perform!)

his song from Luke 1:57–80.


Aim: To explore Zechariah’s song about God’s

plan



‘To God be the glory’ Mission Praise 708

‘One shall tell another’ Songs of Fellowship 439


Sunday 11 December 2016A sermon

Theme introductionBefore the session, recruit three or four volunteers – people who are living out God’s plan for them. Make sure you have

both people in full-time Christian ministry and those who have been called to other roles, but who share Jesus through

their day-to-day lives. You might have people like doctors, teachers, café workers, cleaners, solicitors or drivers. Ask your

volunteers to think about how they are playing their part in God’s plan through what they do day by day.

In the services, interview your volunteers, and draw out what you have asked them to think about. You could include these

questions:

• Why do you do the job you do?

• How do you play your part in God’s plan?

• Have you had any experiences where you have seen God work through you?

You could also ask if any members of the church family (whatever their age) have any questions for the volunteers: you may

get some strange questions (particularly from children!), but try to understand what is behind the question and help the

volunteer address that.

Prayer activityGive out semicircles of paper and pens, and have lots of sticky tape available (you might want to ask the sidespeople to

wander the aisles with rolls of tape!). Encourage people to think about those in their lives who don’t know about Jesus. To

whom could people act as John the Baptist?

On both sides of the semicircle, ask the congregation to write or draw people that they would like to tell about the coming of

Jesus. Then, after a few minutes, show everyone how to curl the paper round to make a cone – a loudspeaker! If appropriate,

encourage the church family to shout the names of the people they wrote down through their loudspeaker. Then round

off the time of prayer asking God for the opportunities to tell other people about Jesus, and the courage to take those

opportunities!

Extra ideasIf you had someone pretend to be John the Baptist last week, invite them back to act out what John says in Luke 3:1–20.

If you have anyone wishing to be baptised, you could include their baptism as part of this service.

Bible passage: Luke 3:1–20; Isaiah 40:1–11

Aim: To see John living his part of God’s plan



‘One shall tell another’ Songs of Fellowship 439

‘Make way, make way’ Junior Praise 427


Sunday 18 December 2016No ordinary child

Theme introductionBefore the session, ask some new parents if they would mind bringing their babies to the front during the service, and

talking about the names that they chose to give them. To introduce the theme for this service to the church family, invite

your volunteers to the front and ask them whether their baby’s names have a meaning and why they gave the baby those

names.

Comment that often we give children names that have signifi cance for us – because of the meaning or because that name

has been in the family for a few generations. Sometimes we choose a name that we just like the sound of!

Ask your volunteers how they felt when they found out they were going to have a baby. Try to draw out all different

emotions: excitement, fear, hope, love, joy, anxiety. Thank your volunteers and get the congregation to give them a big round

of applause!

Finally, ask the church to think about how they might feel if they found out that they were going to have a child, when it was

virtually impossible for that to be the case.

Prayer activityBefore the session, ask some volunteers to read aloud and divide up Mary’s song of praise (Luke 1:46–55) between your

readers. When your prayer time arrives, give out copies of Mary’s song of praise to everyone in the congregation, as well as

felt-tip pens. As your volunteers read out Luke 1:46–55, ask everyone to write down around the Bible story things they want

to say to God. They could also underline anything in the Bible verses that God is saying to them, or challenging them about.

(Some younger children may need the help of young people or adults to articulate what they want to say.)

Once the reading is fi nished, allow a few minutes for people to continue their prayers. Then ask if anyone would like to pray

aloud something that God has spoken to them as they listened and read. Once everyone who wants to has had the chance to

pray aloud, fi nish by reading verse 46 again.

Extra ideasRead ‘A Message for Mary’ (pages 120 and 121) and ‘Mary’s song’ (page 122) from The Big Bible Storybook (Scripture

Union).

Show the Bible Timeline (SU) and point out where Jesus’ birth comes in the whole story of the Bible. Talk about how God’s

plan for salvation turns on Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection.


Aim: To discover that Mary’s baby is the Son

of God



‘Angel came to Mary’ Carol Praise 12

‘Isn’t he beautiful?’ Songs of Fellowship 250

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