Lectionary Links: Sunday, June 16, 2013

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year C:  June 16, 2013
First Reading: 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a
What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson
(Written for ages 4-8)
Comment: “I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, I will bring disaster on you…” In today’s text, Ahab and Jezebel follow through with a wicked plan to take what doesn’t belong to them. While the full text is quite tragic and Naboth is unfairly executed, the story ends on a point that will make sense to children: wicked behavior has consequences. Through his words, Elijah makes it clear to Ahab that he will not get away with doing what is evil in the Lord’s sight. In Donaldson’s What the Ladybug Heard, farm animals use their voices to foil the wicked plan of a pair of thieves. The thieves’ attempt to steal the farm’s prized cow ends with them facing the consequence of jail. Inspired by these stories, wonder together with your congregation about the ways God calls us to use our voices against injustice.
Second Reading: Galatians 2:15-21
Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el
(Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: Theologian Wendy Farley suggests that this text calls us to consider who we include or exclude from our communities. “If we think of a traditional practice as essential for faith, we exclude from our community lovers of Christ who practice differently than we do.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 134) Christ living within us should open our hearts to loving and welcoming others, rather than judging or excluding. Different doesn’t have to mean bad. The dragons learn this in the story Not Your Typical Dragon. At first they have trouble accepting Crispin because he doesn’t breathe fire, but as the story ends they learn that there is space in their community for someone who is not your typical dragon. As we reflect on this text and story, we might ask ourselves who the Crispins are that we have excluded or welcomed within our own communities.
Gospel Reading: Luke 7:36-8:3
The Goblin and the Empty Chair by Mem Fox
(Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: For the sake of reflection imagine that you are hearing this story for the first time. You understand that a Pharisee is an upright member of the community and follower of the law. You expect good things from him. On the other hand a woman, particularly a sinful woman, would not be someone you would want to interact with or expect good behavior from. Yet in this story, it is the woman, not the Pharisee, who shows Jesus great love and hospitality. “And [Jesus] said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” We don’t expect much from the woman, yet her faith, as displayed through her acts of compassion, free her and bring her peace. The Goblin in Fox’s story is similar to the woman. He appears to us as a hideous character who remains hidden from world so that he will not frighten others. His compassionate acts towards a nearby family change his own perception of himself, save him from a life of loneliness, and bring him peace.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, June 9, 2013

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C:  June 9, 2013

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:8-16, (17-24)

Mama Panya’s Pancakes by Mary and Rich Chamberlin

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  We certainly can’t fault the widow for being concerned that there was not enough food for her family, let alone to share with Elijah. Yet, Elijah assures her not to fear, but to trust that God will make enough. “She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail…” Mama Panya shares similar concerns when it comes to feeding her family on very little money. Yet her son Adika invites all of their friends to come share a meal, faithful that there will be enough. In both of these stories, the act of hospitality leads to miraculous abundance. Use these stories to explore you own congregation’s experiences of sharing and abundance.

Second Reading: Galatians1:11-24

Freaks and Revelations by Davida Wills Hurwin

(Written for ages 16+)

**This YA novel contains mature content including sex, drugs, and strong language.**

Comment: “You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life… I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it.” In this text, Paul shares part of his story with the Galatians. Once he was a violent persecutor of Christians, now he proclaims the faith he once tried to destroy. In Freaks and Revelations, Jason, a gay teen living on the streets of LA, and Doug, a teenage skin head lock eyes during a violent encounter in an alley. Eighteen years later, they find themselves locking eyes again, this time to work together as employees of the Museum of Tolerance. Although it is disturbing and at times difficult to read, this book points to a powerful moment of transformation that follows a long journey of persecution. The program FROM HATE 2 HOPE shares more about the true story that inspired Hurwin’s novel.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 7:11-17

Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: “When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her…” In his commentary on this text, Gregory Anderson Love discusses the way compassion leads to action. “This scene reveals Jesus’ compassionate character and intent toward us. He meets our needs, even when we are too torn apart to ask for help.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 118) Eula the square cat is so unhappy, she loses her purr. Her friends Patsy and Maude, both round cats, recognize her sorrow and work to figure out how to make her feel better, and eventually, regain her purr. Use this simple story to help young children explore the way our compassion stirs our actions.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun.

 

Lectionary Links: Sunday, June 2, 2013

9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C:  June 2, 2013

First Reading: 1 Kings 18:20-21, (22-29),30-39

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty.’” The people of Israel were faced with a decision–follow Baal or follow YHWH. While kids might not completely understand the idea of idolatry, they will connect with the notion of following the crowd. It would have been difficult to listen to Elijah, prophet for God, when he was up against 450 other people. Often we find it easier to follow the crowd, than the smaller voices that are meant to guide us. It’s hard for Jeremy to listen to his grandma’s advice about getting what he needs when he wants so badly to blend in with the crowd at school. Just about everyone has a pair of Those Shoes, and he wants them too.  With these these stories, explore the ways personal experience, paired with the voice of a guide, can help people come to the right decision.

Second Reading: Galatians 1:1-12

What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: “Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval?” In the introduction to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we see that he is trying to help the people recognize that they are faced with a choice. Paul’s language suggests that he wants this community to recognize that all choices have consequences. To follow the gospel would lead to a life free from the present evil age, but to follow a false gospel would  lead to being accursed. Often in caring for children we talk about choice and natural consequences. If I choose to do abc, then naturally xyz will occur. What If? is a simple picture book that explores the consequences of three different choices made in a particular situation. Wonder together with the children of your church about the way our choices create different outcomes. How do we listen for God in the midst of our decision making?

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:1-10

Albert the Fix-it Man by Janet Lord

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: “…they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people…’” It is especially interesting to note the role the community plays in this story. They go to Jesus and speak on behalf of the centurion because of their love for him and his love for them. If it’s important to the centurion that his servant be healed, it’s important to the community. Like the centurion, Albert the Fix-it Man cares for his community, building and repairing things. When he finds himself in need, the same community he has loved and cared for reaches out to love and care for him. Use these stories to explore the vital role community plays in the life and well being of people and talk about the ways this is particularly lived out in your church.

The Lectionary Links this week are written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Trinity Sunday, May 26, 2013

 Trinity Sunday

Year C:  May 26, 2013

First Reading: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

The Museum by Susan Verde

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: As we celebrate the work of Wisdom, we are invited to think about the ways she  was a part of creation from the beginning and continues to be present with us, inspiring our own creativity. The Museum is the story of a girl whose creativity and emotions are stirred by great works of art. Much like Wisdom rejoices and delights in the work of the great master of all creation, the girl rejoices and delights in the work of great master artists. As she leaves the museum, the girl carries it within her, causing creative visions to burst forth around her. With the help of this text and story, wonder together with the children of your church about the ways Wisdom and the beauty of creation inspire our own creativity.

Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: While this short passage will not likely be understood by children in your church, the concepts mentioned are things they know and experience. You may choose to explore their understandings of peace, hope, and love. Additionally, you might explain the ideas of suffering and endurance, and explore the ways that they’ve experienced or witnessed these ideas. The Curious Garden is a lovely illustration of hope growing in the midst of suffering. Liam shows endurance and patience as he tends a tiny garden that eventually spreads throughout his dilapidated, dreary city. With Liam’s hope, color and light blossom in the midst of a broken world.

Gospel Reading: John 16:12-15

Zip, Zip… Homework by Nancy Poyder

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” Help children connect to the work of the Spirt by reflecting on the ways they find guidance in life. Who are the people that guide them in truth and what does that guidance look like? In Zip, Zip… Homework, Violet is guided in the ways of truth by her teacher Ms. Patience. Even when she is caught lying, Violet experiences grace when Ms. Patience teaches her the importance of truth. Wonder together about what Violet experienced when she was lying and what changed when she was able to live into the truth.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

 

Lectionary Links: Sunday, May 19, 2013

Pentecost

Year C:  May 19, 2013

Pentecost Reading: Acts 2:1-21

Say Hello by Rachel Isadora

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: “Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?’” How overwhelming and incredible it must have been for the multicultural crowd to gather and hear the good news being shared in their own languages! On Pentecost, we are reminded that the Spirit weaves us together, regardless of our race, class, gender, age, or nationality. This is a day to celebrate our connectedness as we hear many languages spoken aloud. Say Hello follows Carmelita as she walks through her multicultural neighborhood, greeting friends and neighbors in their native languages. As you read this story alongside the Pentecost text, invite your congregation to experience the power of connection that exists beyond language barriers.

Additional suggestions for this text may be found in our posts from Year A.

First Reading: Genesis 11:1-9

We by Alice Schertle

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  In his commentary on this text, Ralph W. Klein offers an alternative interpretation that differs from the traditional focus on human arrogance and God’s punishment. He suggests that God’s scattering of the people is not due to punishment, but to a desire for cultural diversity. “The story embraces cultural solidarity and cultural difference and acknowledges the value of both.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 7) We follows humanity from its origins in Africa to its expansion throughout the world, acknowledging our common beginnings as well as our cultural diversity. Use this story to help the children of your church explore what it might look like for God to scatter the people abroad over the face of all the earth.

Second Reading: Romans 8:14-17

We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families by Todd Parr

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: “…you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” This text invites us to reflect on what it means to be children of God. Some of the children in your church may be adopted or know someone who has been adopted. Talk together about the way they understand adoption. How is being adopted by God related to other kinds of adoption? We Belong Together explores different types of adoptive families and what brought them together. The book emphasizes that adoption is something that occurs when people belong together and are rooted in love. This is also what it means to be children of God. God adopts us because we belong to God and God loves us.

Gospel Reading: John 14:8-17, (25-27)

The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: The disciples express anxieties that are quite typical of those who worry about permanent separation. In promising the Advocate, Jesus is responding to their need for something concrete to hold, be guided by, and find comfort in. With the presence of the Spirit, their anxieties will not paralyze them from continuing the work of Christ. The Spirit provides peace, comfort, and guidance, helping us to remember Jesus is with us, even though we can’t see him. The Keeping Quilt helps a family remember they are with one another. Despite the distance across oceans and the separation of death, the quilt binds the generations of a family together through love and memories. When Anna’s mother makes the quilt from different family members’ clothing, she says, “It will be like having the family in backhome Russia dance around us at night.” Today is a day for dancing with the Spirit. May our Pentecost celebrations help us to see the way we are connected to Christ and the disciples of the church throughout time.

This week’s Lectionary Links are written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, May 12, 2013

7th Sunday of Easter

Year C:  May 12, 2013

First Reading: Acts 16:16-34

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: This reading shares three stories of bondage and freedom. A girl is possessed by and freed from a spirit of divination (though we are left questioning if this act also freed her from slavery). A jailer is bound to and freed from the requirements of his job. Paul and Silas are held captive and then freed from prison. In hearing these stories, we might ask ourselves where we witness bondage today and how are we are called to participate in the work of freedom? Brave Girl is the story of many brave girls, women, and men who worked to free clothing factory workers from oppressive employment conditions. Though Clara was a small, young girl, her actions made a huge difference in the lives of many people. God strengthens us to do the work of justice, too, no matter our size, age, or condition!

Second Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

Possum’s Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: Though these verses from the final chapter of Revelation are segmented, they are full of rich imagery of the one who was, and is, and is to come,  the one who calls us to join him. Jesus, the bright morning star is calling us to drink our fill of grace. “And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’” Possum sees the harvest moon as a sign and invitation to celebration. His friends are all too busy to join him until they have their own experience of the Harvest Moon’s inviting light. Then, it’s as if they hear “Come!” for the first time, and invite others to join them for the celebration. May we open our ears and eyes to the invitation of Christ’s light, and share that invitation with others.

Gospel Reading: John 17:20-26

Becoming Me by Martin Boroson

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us… I 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.” Jesus prays for his disciples (and us) to experience the unity and oneness he has with God. Becoming Me helps young readers explore the experience of a oneness with God. The story echoes Jesus’ prayer for his disciples as God tells the reader, “I’m right here, reminding you [who you are].” Illustrations of wat and destruction touch on the danger of forgetting our unity in God, but the story ultimately ends with the light-filled experience of God’s love. Use this story to wonder together with the children of your church about the ways we can share in God’s light and love.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

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Lectionary Links: Sunday, May 5, 2013

6th Sunday of Easter

Year C:  May 5, 2013

First Reading: Acts 16:9-15

My Great-Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: I love the opportunity to share stories of women in the bible with children. Though we don’t get a lot of information about Lydia, we know she was a worshiper of God who opened her home to Paul after she and her household were baptized. We can imagine that she held some influence in her community, and clearly touched the lives of those who were in her household. Great Aunt Arizona also touched the lives of people in her community as she taught, inspired, and cared for generations of children at Henson Creek. Use Lydia and Arizona’s stories as a springboard to help your congregation reflect on women in leadership that have a made a difference in your community.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

The Red Bird by Astrid Lindgren

(Written for ages 8-12)

Comment: “And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” This year’s Easter texts from Revelation continue to inspire hope in a just and shining future, where God’s reign and light will be fully experienced.  In times of great suffering, sometimes hope is the one thing that helps people to move forward in life. This is the experience of orphans Matthew and Anna. Their gray, joyless, hunger-filled life seems more than they can handle until they discover a door on the other side of the mountain. The door leads to the light-filled paradise of Sunnymead, where they experience love, joy, and full bellies. Experiencing Sunnymead helps Matthew and Anna move forward in their lives until they can finally settle there once and for all.

Gospel Reading: John 14:23-29

Kisses on the Wind by Lisa Moser

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” Even as he is preparing the disciples for his departure, Jesus gives them words of comfort. He will send them an advocate to remind them of all he has taught them. Through remembering and seeking to follow his teaching, the disciples will continue to feel Jesus with them, even though he has gone to be with the Father. Permanently saying good-bye to the people who love us and have helped shape us is a hard thing to do, but is eased through the comfort of memories. In Kisses on the Wind, Lydia must say goodbye to her grandmother, who will not travel with the family along the Oregon trail. Much as Jesus promises the Advocate, Lydia’s Grandma gives her a book filled with her stories. With Grandma’s stories,  Lydia will remember her and the lessons she taught and they will be able to love one another from far away.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, April 28, 2013

5th Sunday of Easter

Year C:  April 28, 2013

First Reading: Acts 11:1-18

The Duchess of Whimsy by Randall de Sève

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: Peter’s story is one of a change of heart. Through his dream, and his experience following the Spirit’s guidance, he overcomes the prejudices he held for Gentiles. It seems that prejudices are most often overcome through the power of relationships and a willingness to step outside of oneself. The Duchess of Whimsy, discovers this to be true when she is finally able to accept that ordinary might not always be bad. In opening herself up to a friendship with the Earl of Norm, she see how her prejudices kept her from actually knowing or understanding him. This text and story invite us to consider which people we call unclean or hold prejudices against and challenge us to ask how might we open ourselves to new relationships.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-6

Next Year I’ll Be Special by Patricia Reilly Giff

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: In this text we see a world that is just and filled with right relationships. “In the context of Easter season, this passage may be understood as providing strength and hope in desperate times.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 2, p 464) In her commentary, Dana Ferguson goes on to explain that John’s vision helps us move forward from the devastating places by strengthening us with the awareness of the new life that lies ahead. Children and adults alike struggle with painful life experiences. In difficult times, sometimes the only thing keeping us on the journey is the belief in the goodness that lies ahead. Next Year I’ll Be Special is a little girl’s vision of a better future that lies ahead. Marilyn is able to journey through the difficulties of first grade by holding hope for what the second grade will bring.

Gospel Reading: John 13:31-35

Willoughby & The Lion by Greg Foley

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” This text is central to our understanding of what it is to be a Christian. With Jesus as our teacher and example, we strive to live lives centered of love. This love is not the rosy valentine variety, but of the deep-rooted kind that Jesus displayed in serving strangers, outcasts, and friends. It is a love exemplified to the point of Jesus denying his own comfort and safety.  Willoughby learns something of this love when he encounters a golden lion in his back yard. The lion will remain imprisoned in the yard unless Willoughby wishes for the most wonderful thing of all. At first Willoughby is only focused on what the lion can do for him, but with his final wish,  Willoughby trades all he’s gained for the lion’s freedom. As the story ends, readers discover that the most wonderful thing of all is a selfless act of love. In reflecting on this text and story, wonder together with your congregation about what lives centered on love might look like.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, April 21, 2013

4th Sunday of Easter

Year c:  April 21, 2013

First Reading: Acts 9:36-43

Saving Strawberry Farm by Deborah Hopkinson

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: In his commentary on this text, Stephen D. Jones focuses on the healing power of community, a notion that lies counter to our cultural values of rugged individualism and pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps. Jones says that a time of catastrophe call for a community to be vulnerable, like the community at Joppa, who “stood together, using all the tools and spiritual resources available to them–weeping together, hoping together, and celebrating together.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 2, pp 429 & 431) Saving Strawberry Farm is the story of a community coming together during the Depression to help a neighbor keep her farm. The community hoped and worked together, using what little they had, to make a big difference in a beloved neighbor’s life. This week, invite your congregation to share and reflect on stories of healing communities.

Second Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

Mama by Jeanette Winter

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal… They will hunger no more, and thirst no more… God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” This text emboldens us to proclaim that while suffering is very real in our world, it will not have the final word in our lives. Our Easter hope clings to the vision of God’s Kingdom, a vision we are called to live into even in the midst of the not-yet. For children, focus on what it looks like for a life to be set right after a great ordeal. The baby hippo in Mama experiences a great ordeal as a tsunami tears him away from his mother and washes him out to sea. His tears are dried, his belly filled, and his heart warmed when he finally finds an unexpected home.

Gospel Reading: John 10:22-30

Toby, What Are You? by William Steig

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Sometimes we want simple answers to our questions, particularly when they concern identity. Jesus answers that his words and his work point to his identity. Having been given these clues, it’ requires belief on the part of his questioners to recognize that he and the Father are one. The language of this text will likely not make sense to children, but they will connect to the theme of identity. Toby is a boy who takes on many identities, while challenging his parents to guess who or what he is. His story is a great way to explore how we use clues to figure out more about one another, both in our pretending and in our reality.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, April 14, 2013

3rd Sunday of Easter

Year C: April 14, 2013

First Reading:Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: Saul was a zealous persecutor of Jesus’ followers. Today’s story of his conversion highlights how personal experience can change someone. Paul’s experience of Jesus on the road to Damascus changed him completely, turning him into one of Jesus’ most vocal followers. A similar conversion occurs in the classic Dr. Seuss tale Green Eggs and Ham. The main character avidly points out his distaste for green eggs and ham, but after actually tasting them, he’s a believer in their goodness. Sometimes we need an experience to shake up our preconceived notions and change our hearts.

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

Pest Fest by Julia Durango

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: This hymn of praise serves to remind us that Jesus is not the type of person we would expect to be at the center of heavenly adoration. As we join in praising the lamb who was slain, we come to understand that God’s power is different from our cultural understandings of power. Our understanding of power and victory are turned upside down through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Use this text to reflect on the attributes we value as powerful versus those which are not prized. How does Jesus shift our understanding of what it is to be powerful and worthy of praise? Pest Fest is a silly story of an unexpected victor. In hearing all the wonderful attributes of the various insects, it’s clear to Housefly that he should not enter the competition for Best Pest of the Year. In the end, readers will cheer along with the other pests when he is crowned victorious.

Gospel Reading: John 21:1-19

The Stray Dog by Marc Simont

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: What a surprise and delight it must have been for the disciples to encounter the risen Lord by the Sea of Tiberias; it was so wonderful, that Simon Peter couldn’t wait for the boat to be steered to shore, but felt the need to jump into the sea and greet the Lord as quickly as he could. As they share a picnic, Jesus commissions Simon Peter to show his love by feeding and caring for Jesus’ sheep, setting the direction for the rest of Peter’s life. The Stray Dog is also a story of a life-changing picnic where a stray dog’s life direction is changed, from a nobody on the run, to a named dog, with a place to belong.  Wonder together with the children and adults in your congregation about the meals that have been the setting for life-changing experiences.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.