24th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 28 (33) Things to keep ... · the promise of liberation and justice experience the real-time joy of the realm of God movement, breaking into our

Ecumenical Prayer Calendar

Things to keep in mind this weekhellip

Planning aheadhellip

Lection Connection links current events with this weekrsquos scriptures Go to wwwseasonsonlineca and click on the link

Liturgical colour green

Revised Common Lectionary (Year A)

147147Copyright copy Wood Lake Publishing Inc 2019 Seasons of the Spirittrade SeasonsFUSION Season of Creation bull Pentecost 2 2020

Seasons of the Spirittrade is based

on the semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary

Ecumenical Prayer Calendar

If you have Internet access visit wwwseasonsonlineca to access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage

Sunday November 15 ndash Saturday November 21 bull 2019

Based on In Godrsquos Hands Common Prayer for the World ed By Hugh McCul-lum and Terry MacArthur (Geneva World Council of Churches 2006)

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30

November 2020

December 2020S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

October 2020S M T W T F S

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 31

24th Sunday after PentecostProper 28 (33)33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Judges 41ndash7Psalm 123Matthew 2514ndash30the focus for age-level materials1 Thessalonians 51ndash11

Cameroon Central African Republic Equatorial Guinea

148 Seasons of the Spirittrade SeasonsFUSION Season of Creation bull Pentecost 2 2020 Copyright copy Wood Lake Publishing Inc 2019

Biblical Background bull November 15 2020

Seasons of the Spirittrade is based on the semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary

Season of Creation Pentecost 2 2020Judges 41ndash7Psalm 123I Thessalonians 51ndash11Matthew 2514ndash30 the focus in age-level materials

Rejecting Fear ndash Embracing Joy

Holy One you call us as witnesses to your world-transforming love and liberation Yet we are often cautious denying ourselves the joy of your presence Grant us the courage we pray to utilize our talents and gifts Amen

This weekrsquos readings remind us that living in faithful-ness to the liberating movement of Godrsquos spirit re-quires courage and is a source of deep joy Fear is a

barrier to faithfulness that can be overcome by trusting the one whose love never ends

Judges 41ndash7 creates tension with the promise of liberation and justice for all people However it makes clear that we are free to decide what we will do with our lives Psalm 123 reminds us that faithfulness never means everything goes our way On the contrary faithfulness to love and justice can increase our awareness of injustice and suffering which is why the writer relies on God 1 Thessalonians 51ndash11 Paul and the early church are aware of the thin line between the present and the inbreak-ing of Godrsquos future Paulrsquos encouragement is clear be strong be ready to participate in the realm of Godrsquos justice and lib-eration No one needs to go it alone as a community of faith encourage and build each other up

Matthew 2514ndash30 comes as both encouragement and warn-ing to all those who sign up for the realm-of-God movement It invites us to live as though the realm of Godrsquos justice and liberation is happening now and we can share in the joy of being part of this movement The future is present

The gospel of Matthew is written to people who have reason to be afraid They have signed on to a realm-of-God movement whose leader was executed on the cross by Rome Those crosses were still present as a means of intimidation and control Those deemed a threat were hung out as a warning to anyone who challenged the power of Rome Playing it safe was a logical and practical choice for lives governed by fear

The story that Matthew recounts takes an exploitive economic system designed to enrich the few and impoverish the many and turns it on its head Servants are entrusted with a large sum of money Each talent is the equivalent of 15 years of earning for a day labourer There is no micro-

managing Each person is provided the freedom and responsibility of using the talents they have received The opportunity and the risk are the same for each regardless of how many talents they receive

The one who lets fear govern his life buries the talent When the master arrives he faces the anguish and tears of a life shrivelled up by caution and playing it safe In sharp contrast the two who reject letting fear govern their lives invest what they have received doubling the talents entrusted to them They in turn are given greater responsibility and are invited to share in the joy

If this were a story about how to function in an unjust economic system it would be a story about how those who have get more while those who have the least are left to suffer This after all is how unjust economic systems work Christians to whom Matthewrsquos gospel is written know this reality all too well However this is a story about challenging that system by taking those same principles used by architects of greed and selfishness and applying them to advancing the realm-of-God vision of liberation and justice No one will tell you precisely what you are to do with your talents other than put them to use Risk is involved Success is never guaranteed Playing it safe is an option Matthew however is unequivocal in rejecting this cautious play-it-safe approach warning that it leads to sadness and despair Those who take the risk of loving faithfully challenging unjust economic systems advancing the promise of liberation and justice experience the real-time joy of the realm of God movement breaking into our world

bull bull bull bull bullGodrsquos love and justice is both a promise for the future in all its fullness and a lived reality for all who are prepared to encounter the opportunities of love as they come our way Life may not always turn out as we hope and expect but our texts today are clear we are all called to take the risk that love requires embracing the joy found in trusting the one to whom ldquowe lift our eyesrdquo

Reflection and Focus bull November 15 2020

Adapt and use for youth and adult studies sermon seeds lay worship teams

Reflecting on the WordSeason of Creation Pentecost 2 2020

Connecting with life When are you most likely to be extra cautious playing

it safe What do you hope to gain or avoid by this approach What do you stand to lose

When have you experienced fear holding people back from taking the risks needed to bring about needed change What is it that people fear

What examples can you give in which joy is only available to those who take risks refusing to let the fear of failure stand in their way

ScriptureJudges 41-7

What are some examples in your life of strong female leaders who challenge the community to live with courage

Psalm 123 In what way might resistance to oppression and

injustice increase onersquos sorrow How might one find strength by lifting onersquos eyes to the Holy One

1 Thessalonians 51ndash11 offers words of encouragement to the early Christian church especially those who had expected immediate change and results following the resurrection of Christ Paul insists change is coming but we do not know the day or the time Instead we are called to be full participants in bringing this new world into being

What is it that makes your community feel like nothing is changing and there is little or no evidence of Godrsquos love and justice being fulfilled How does Paul counter this cynicism

In what ways does your community encourage one another and build each other up

Matthew 2514ndash30 is an acknowledgement of the under-standable fear felt by the early Christian church if they were to become too visible The values these Christian com-munities embraced the world for which they worked was often in direct conflict with the values and the domination system employed by Rome Living out realm of God values as quietly as possible seemed to some like a practical play it safe approach This lesson tells the early Christians that caution itself can come with a cost

How might fear have been an issue for the early Christian community

Imagine you were a member of one of these early Christian communities How would you have felt about taking the type of risks that might draw unwanted attention from Rome and the authorities What advice would you offer to the community

What do you think gave two of the slaves the courage needed to risk putting their talents to use What might their example mean to the early Christian community

What might have been the costs experienced by early Christian communities who chose to play it safe In what way might judgment and the cost of onersquos choice be seen as synonymous

What does it mean for those who risked using their talents to enter into joy What is needed for this joy to be experienced by the early church

Connecting scripture and life In what ways are you as an individual called to further

love justice and freedom by taking a risk What is the risk you need to take

What are you individually and as a church afraid of when it comes to using your gifts What fears do you have What holds you back

What might you gain by refusing to let fear hold you back fully utilizing the gifts and talents that are yours

Focus for Worship Learning and ServingThere is a somewhat confessional aspect to this week but more importantly a naming of some of the burdens and stressors of our lives of which we have had enough Many people are carrying heavy loads For many there are political social environmental and personal issues on our shoulders This worship can be a rare opportunity to name these out loud to share them to ask for Godrsquos help and relief to comprehend how tired many are We know how to complain in our societies but we may not be pro-ficient at using ritual and worship to unburden ourselves

in healthy ways How might you offer this opportunity in your context

This week also offers an opportunity to explore the ways that the powers of empire can usurp and disrupt our God-given talents making it difficult for us to relate to them and the world through them in healthy and nourishing ways How might your community be bold in utilizing its gifts and talents in healthy and nourishing ways

Music Suggestions

A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at wwwseasonsonlineca Click on Library Seasons Music Information Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate

Worship Outline bull November 15 2020

NOTE All of these suggestions are mere starting points adapt delete and add according to your local needs

Prepare

Gather

Recruit volunteers needed for worship Choose an option for hearing Matthew 2514ndash30 For

the Bible story arrange for a storyteller to present ldquoHide and Seekrdquo on p 154 For Between the world and the realm of God prepare some categories of ldquotalentsrdquo

Bring items for setting the worship space For Psalm 123 place a large clear bowl surrounded by

many smaller bowls on the worship table Have col-oured sand in the smaller bowls

For the reading from Thessalonians 51ndash11 set an array of candles on the worship table or around the worship space

For the reading from Judges 41ndash7 prepare to project images of people you consider to be wise leaders in your community

You might choose to print Truth Teller on or in your bulletin (in the Images to Project and Print folder) For background to the art and artist see ldquoConnecting with the Artrdquo on p 10

Bring song such as ldquoAs Long as We FollowNa Nzela Na Lolardquo (Seasons Songbook vol 9 17 on Seasons Music CD vol 9 Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads wwwseasonsonlineca)

Set stations as described on pp 155ndash156

As Long as We FollowNa Nzela Na LolaJoseph Kamemba Seasons Songbook vol 9

A World of DifferenceMonica OrsquoBrien Gina Ogilvie Seasons Songbook vol 9

Be GodrsquosDanielle Rose Seasons Songbook vol 9

Fill Us GodGerry Holmes Seasons Songbook vol 9

The AnointingJames Maher Seasons Songbook vol 9

Irsquove Got a VoiceDavid MacGregor Seasons Songbook vol 7

The Heart of Your DreamingKevin Bates Seasons Songbook vol 5

We Give Our Hands to YouReamo LebogaDaisy Nshakazongwe Seasons Songbook vol 1

Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ Fred Kaan

Take My Life God Let It Be Frances Havergal

Call to worshipInspired by Psalm 123One We lift our eyes to you O God we lift our spirits in

worshipAll We look to you seeking guidance and comfortOne We look to you seeking healing and renewalAll We look to you seeking mercy and graceOne for we have had our fill of struggles and stressAll We have had more than our fill of worrying and wonderingOne To you O God we lift our eyes and spirits with hope

and confidence in your loveAll Be known to us as we worship and help us find rest

Opening prayerYou have given us each many talents Gracious Creator and we give thanks to you for such generosity and kindness You have given us as a community many opportunities to reflect your beauty wisdom and love and for this we give thanks You have bestowed upon us opportunities to invest the gifts you have given us ndash to reach out in faithful joy and to share from our abundance And you have called us together in worship and invite us to be accountable to you for our lives and our love Be with us as we gather and help us to boldly proclaim the ways we have shared your love

Engage

through the gifts you have given us Hear our songs prayers and silences as testimony of our stewardship And bless us as we worship ndash increase our strength and courage through this time we pray Amen

Prayer of confessionAll You bestowed upon us many talents and we confess we have often squandered them Right side You gave us lands and seas mountains and

plains and we confess we have polluted and allowed for their demiseleft side You gave us diversity in ethnicity culture and

race and we confess we have often used these to uphold

and support division Right side You gave us creatures and plants flora and

fauna beyond imagining and we confess we have consumed and overtaken

habitats allowing whole species to disappear

All You gave us humanity in miraculous diversity We confess we have failed to invest in this beauty

and celebrate it and have allowed prejudice and judgment to create

suffering for too many One You entrusted us with so much and yet we allowed our fears to overtake us and failed to bring new life in the abundance possible in your loveAll Forgive us Holy Wisdom and teach us again how to trust in you how to live in the hopeful knowledge that you will multiply our investments and be with us all the ways We pray in Christrsquos name Amen

Words of affirmation As we turn to God in confession God turns to us in invest-ment God offers us abundant life Let us embrace it celebrate it multiply it and rejoice For Godrsquos investment in us never ends Amen

Opening the wordJudges 41ndash7 The most powerful kernel of help in this pas-sage comes in the image of Deborah the priestess to whom the Israelites come for wisdom and guidance Invite the con-gregation to reflect on the people ndash past present or future (the youth who are speaking with clarity and challenge in this day) ndash who might guide in the struggle to be ldquofaithful stewardsrdquo of the blessings God gives You might project images of some of these people or display in your worship space

Psalm 123 ldquoWe have had more than our fillrdquo What are the things of which your community has had more than its fill Have there been too many funerals lately Is the climate crisis hitting too often and too close to home Are issues like immigration or the economy weighing too heavily on your hearts As a form of prayer invite the gathered community to come forward and pour sand from various containers into a clear vessel (layering the different colours) and asking God to remove the burdens of worry if even for a short time and to hold them in Godrsquos heart Invite people to speak the words ldquoIwe have had more than myour fill of ________rdquo as they pour sand into the bowl

1 Thessalonians 51ndash11 ldquoLet us shine a light on injustice ndash for we are children of the lightrdquo Invite the people to come forward to light candles that are set around the space or on the worship table and name an injustice The text invites us to ldquobe readyrdquo One of the ways we can be more ready is to be more honest about what is happening in our world Lighting these candles can symbolize a willingness to do so You may also want to invite people to come up at the end of the service and take a candle home in commitment to those issues and to staying ldquoawakerdquo Moving into Matthew 2514ndash30 the focus scripture for age-level materials in ENCORE

Choose from the following

Bible story Have a storyteller present the story ldquoHide and Seekrdquo (p 154)Between the world and the realm of God The impact of this story comes when the perception is not an image of the realm of God instead it reflects the powers and ways of empire (See ldquoTwo Perspectivesrdquo on p 153) We have all been given talents We are called not to fear using them but to invest them no matter how many or how few they seem to be or what form they may take The hero in the story might be the one who does not subscribe to oppressive systems

If possible invite people to stand around the worship space so that the centre is clear or there is a space where individ-uals or small groups may ldquostep uprdquo Be ready with some categories of ldquotalentsrdquo One by one call out a talent such as ldquomusical abilityrdquo When people around the circle recognize it as a talent they have invite them to step up In the centre they are invited to reflect on how this ldquotalentrdquo is invested in the ldquoworld of empirerdquo and how it might be investing in the ldquorealm of Godrdquo And how does fear stop us from investing For instance ldquomusical abilityrdquo invested in the ldquoworld of em-pirerdquo is commodified based on technical ability competitive edge and even things that have nothing to do with music such as appearances Fear stops us from letting our hearts sing (literally) because we fear judgment But musical abil-ity in the realm of God hears everyonersquos voice ndash no matter the technical quality or capacity ndash as beautiful Everyonersquos

Invite children young people and all who wish to move to the stations Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word

Respond

expression is music Once these two differences are named the people return to the outer circle

Do this as many times with as many categories as your time permits Encourage people to wonder about the story in light of these experiences What does investment in the realm of God look like and how can we support each other in doing so Are there ways in which we can reduce the amount of fear we all live with all the time

Potential categories could be ease with technology finan-cial knowledge academic achievement language fluency social privilege gender advantages advocacy Be creative Be evocative

At the end of the exercise invite participants to choose to invest their lives in the realm of God

After proclaiming the word you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice

Sing or listen to a song such as ldquoAs Long as We FollowNa Nzela Na Lolardquo as people gather together again (Seasons Song-book vol 9 17 on Seasons Music CD vol 9 Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads wwwseasonsonlineca)

Prayers of the peopleYou have given us song Help us to invest in this gift and sing with abandon You have given us dance Help us to invest in this gift and move our bodies with joy- ful exuberance You have given us a natural world to care for Help us to invest in this gift and plant seeds protect habitat decrease our carbon footprint and relish in the delights of your harvestYou have given us responsibilities Help us to invest in these gifts by recognizing them not as

burdens but as blessings and opportunities to show you our love and devotionYou have given us relationships Help us to invest in these gifts and discover how they offer us new dimensions to our souls Help us to honour and cherish everyoneYou have given us community Help us invest in this gift and open the doors wide to a need any in need of our communion of a safe harbour and the nourishment of welcome You have given us your Holy Spirit Help us to invest in this gift and be a people of justice peace and renewal We thank you Great God for all the gifts of our lives May we invest them wisely and joyfullyAmen

Prayer of dedication or offering prayerHere is it ndash our treasure ndash returning to you what you have given to us Bless and sanctify it we pray that it may multiply and increase in every way through your love and promise Amen

Children of the Light let us take our willingness to see and to name and to tend and to care out into the world that is

so often shadowed And let us invest ourselves in helping to bring about Godrsquos realm on Earth Let us go in peace Amen

Poetry and Prose bull November 15 2020

Two PerspectivesMatthew 2514ndash30When Jesus told parables he used examples from everyday living ndash things that would have been familiar to his audience People thought deeply about what each parable meant in their own lives their context and the parables would have been interpreted differently Here are two possible ways to hear Matthew 2514ndash30

Perspective A

Landowner I am the rightful owner of the property I am a good person I trust my slaves and expect them to invest my money at a good rate of return

First slave I am a responsible slave I recognize the legitimate authority of the landowner I know that I will be rewarded if I invest the money wisely and well I have been entrusted with five talents ndash each talent is equivalent to 15 years of an average salary

Second slave I am a responsible slave I recognize the legit-imate authority of the landowner I know that I will be re-warded if I invest the money wisely and well I have been entrusted two talents ndash each talent is equivalent to 15 years of an average salary

Third slave I am a responsible slave I recognize the legit-imate authority of the landowner I know that I will be re-warded if I invest the money wisely and well I have been entrusted one talent ndash a talent is equivalent to 15 years of average an salary

Perspective B

Landowner I am a harsh person I take what is not mine to take I have no legitimate claim on the property I am an ab-sentee landowner ndash profit is all that matters to me Many rich landowners like me live outside of Palestine I am not con-

cerned about country and its people I am more concerned about getting as much profit as I can The well-being of my tenants is not my concern

First slave I fear the landowner If I do not imitate the land-ownerrsquos practice of exploiting other poor people by changing interest I will be in danger of being destroyed by the land-owner I have been give five talents ndash a talent is equivalent to about 15 years of an average salary ndash with the expectation I will increase the landowners profits I know that charging interest is against the Jewish law at this time because char-ging interest exploits people whose families are so poor they cannot help each other

Second slave I fear the landowner If I do not imitate the landownerrsquos practice of exploiting other poor people by changing interest I will be in danger of being destroyed by the landowner I have been give two talents ndash a talent is about 15 years of an average salary ndash with the expectation I will increase the landowners profits I know that charging interest is against the Jewish law at this time because char-ging interest exploits people whose families are so poor they cannot help each other

Third slave I am aware that the landowner is a harsh man who takes what is not his to take I know that the landowner does not have any legitimate authority I will resist the land-ownerrsquos requirement to invest the equivalent of 15 years of an average salary to increase the landownerrsquos wealth I know the consequences of this defiance I can resist in two ways I can bury the money (the respectful and expected action of a free person at this time) therefore challenging the land-ownerrsquos ownership of me and also refuse to participate in the exploitation of the community

How does the parable speak to you about how we invest ourselves in Godrsquos reign of justice and peace

Bible Story bull November 15 2020

A recording of this story is available in MP3 format in the Audio Stories folder

Hide and Seek Based on Matthew 2514ndash30Jesus continued talking with groups of people He told them more stories about Godrsquos dream The dream was about a community where everyone was loved healthy and happy People would be treated well everyone would eat and be filled and the place where they lived would be beautiful Some called it the kingdom of God and some called it Godrsquos reign

This community was so big and beautiful that it is hard to describe so Jesus told stories to help the people imagine such a place The stories also helped the people to imagine wonder and think deeply about how we should live into the world that God wants for all people

This story was about a rich man who was talking with the people who worked for him

Jesus said that there was once a man who was about to leave on a long journey The man gathered together the people who worked for him and asked them to take care

of his gold treasures He gave one person five pieces of gold he gave one person two pieces of gold he gave one person one piece of gold

The person who had five pieces decided to invest all of them They earned five more pieces of gold they had 10 in total

The person who had received two pieces of gold also invested those pieces they earned two more pieces of gold they had four in total

The person who was asked to care for one piece of gold was not sure what to do with it and how to care for it So this person dug a hole in the ground and hid the piece of gold

One day the rich man came back home He gathered together the three people who worked for him and asked them what they did with the pieces of gold The person who had received five pieces of gold explained that they had invested the money and made more ndash and gave the rich man ten pieces of gold in total The rich man was very happy He said ldquoWell done you have been trustworthy in a few things I will put you in charge of many thingsrdquo In the same way the person who had received two pieces of gold explained that they had invested the money and made more ndash and gave the rich man four pieces of gold in total The rich man was very happy He said ldquoWell done you have been trustworthy in a few things I will put you in charge of many thingsrdquo

Then the person who had received one piece of gold came forward and said ldquoI was scared I did not want to lose your gold because I know that is important to you I hid the gold so that it would be saferdquo And the person gave the rich man back his one piece of gold

But the rich man was not happy with this news He said ldquoYou are lazy Why did you not invest the gold Then I would have earned morerdquo The rich man took back the one gold and gave it to the person who had ten pieces of gold so even more money could be earned for the landowner

The people looked at each other This was a hard story Jesus had given them a lot to think about how they should live

Bible storyThe practice of storytellingMaterials recording of todayrsquos story

ldquoHide and Seekrdquo player paper or drawing pads crayons pencils a copy of the directions displayed where all can see alternatively arrange for a storyteller to present the story

Directions1 Listen to the story ldquoHide and Seekrdquo 2 Use the art supplies to record your response to the story

Stations bull November 15 2020

Suitable for ages 10ndashadult

Suitable for all agesworking together

Living Learning Growing as DisciplesThe following stations might be set up around your worship space or in other places around the church Choose one or more practices depending on your space and numbers Display the directions

For your convenience instructions are formatted for printing and available in the Stations folder

The article ldquoConnecting with the Artrdquo on page 10 provides some background to the two posters for Season of Creation Pentecost 2 and some art engagement ideas for individuals and groups You might choose to

add an Art Engagement station each week using one of the art engagement ideas

Christian characteristics The practice of living faithfullyMaterials long length of mural paper

pens pencils markers and a copy of the directions displayed where all can see

DirectionsIn 1 Thessalonians 51ndash11 one of the readings for this week Paul imagines Christians clothed in faith hope and love as we wait for and live toward Godrsquos reign of justice and peace1 Have someone lie on a long length of newsprint while another person traces around

his or her outline2 Everyone at this station then works together to clothe the outline in Christian

characteristics for examples T-shirt labelled faith shoes labelled peace 3 The patterns of the clothing might be made up of words shapes and symbols that

represent each of the Christian characteristics

Creator of life and promise you imagined our unfolding world and called it into being

Bulletin board display

The practice of building communityMaterials church bulletins and news-letters computer or computer tablet with Internet access paper construc-tion paper poster board scissors pencils felt-tipped markers and copy of the directions displayed where all can see

DirectionsIn a letter to the church in Thessalonica Paul urged the early Christians there to encourage one another and to build each other up as they waited and worked for Godrsquos reign of justice and peace 1 Think of the many ways that the people in your church invest their lives and gifts

as they show Godrsquos love and compassion in and for the community 2 Encourage one another and build each other up by decorating the bulletin board or

making a poster that celebrates and recognizes the various ministries undertaken by your church and individuals in their daily lives

3 Look through church newsletters and bulletins for information about the stories and ministries use photos and check your churchrsquos website (if it has one) for details and inspiration

One parable ndash two perspectives The practice of digging deeperMaterials Bibles copies of ldquoTwo Per-

spectivesrdquo (p 153) DirectionsWhen Jesus told parables he used examples from everyday living ndash things that would have been familiar to his audience People thought deeply about what each parable meant for their own lives and the parables would have been interpreted differently 1 Read Matthew 2514ndash302 Take a copy of the resource sheet ldquoTwo Perspectivesrdquo3 Read Matthew 2514ndash30 from the perspective of A4 Read Matthew 2514ndash30 again from the perspective of B5 How does the extra background information given in perspective B change your

understanding and reaction to the parable 6 Considering each perspective what do you think Jesus might be teaching about

how we invest ourselves in Godrsquos reign of justice and peace7 Depending on time and space you might dramatize the parable from both perspec-

Words of encouragement The practice of remembering Materials Bibles or copies of 1 Thessa-

lonians 51ndash11 the five wordsphrases copied onto a large sheet of paper or whiteboard a copy of the directions displayed where all can see

DirectionsThessalonica was an important city on the coast of Greece The apostle Paul had established a church there After he left Paul wrote a letter of encouragement with some teaching tossed in1 Read Thessalonians 51ndash11 Then focus on verse 11 These are wise words and good

counsel to commit to memory By the time you leave this station the words will be etched on your heart and in your mind

2 Break the sentence into small phrases as shown on the boardThereforeencourage one another and build up each otheras indeed you are doing

3 Begin by saying the first word Then repeat the first word and add the second phrase Look away from the display repeat the first two lines look back at the dis-play and add the third line Look away from the display say the first three lines look back at the display and say the fourth line Repeat for the fifth line Or if in a group have someone lead while others echo

4 If in a group gather in a circle Hold hands Begin with one person saying one word ldquoThereforerdquo the next person says ldquoencourage one anotherrdquo and so on around the circle until the entire verse is said Next everyone prays together 1 Thessalonians 511 looking into the faces of each person in the circle Conclude with ldquoYesrdquo

Doodle journal

The practice of reflectionMaterials paper pens pencils mark-ers pastels personal journals (option-al) copies of the directions (one for each person)

Directions1 In todayrsquos Bible story from Matthew 2514ndash30 a talent refers to money The parable

can also work if we understand talent to mean a knack for doing something well We each have several God-given talents some we recognize others we have yet to discover Some we bury others we practice and excel even more What are some of your talents How do you share them

2 Reflect on a story of a time when something you were good at brought joy or pleasure to someone Most times talent is found in ordinary things that become extraordinary

3 Doodle journal your response4 Think about a talent contest in which you would do particularly well Here are ideas

to get people thinking room organizer soccer player cookie baker enthusiastic singer big sister

5 If this is a group activity have each person explain one of their talents with the group Note how everyone is unique and skilled at different things

6 Questions for reflection Do you ever base your self-worth on being better than others or on not

feeling you are as good as others What have you learned about our faith and about Jesus that challenges these

conclusions about self-worth From where does our value as a person come Out of love God created us We are unique and filled with possibility We have talents

What do you think the parable suggests about what to do with our talents 7 Doodle journal your response

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N Season of Creation bull Pentecost 2 2020 Copyright copy

Wood Lake Publishing Inc 2019

Seasons of the Spirittrade SeasonsFUSION Season of Creation bull Pentecost 2 2020

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ood Lake Publishing Inc 20193

2Seasons of the Spirittrade

SeasonsFUSION Season of Creation bull Pentecost 2 2017

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activity

The landowner helped the workers to see that they were all important and could make a difference Even a small gesture makes a difference Write or draw about ways you can use your abilities and gifts to make a difference in the world Herersquos one idea Draw a smiling face and think about ways your smile or kindness can make a difference What other gifts do you have to offer

_GoBack

__DdeLink__580_40522629