Display two “houses” made of small blocks of wood or perhaps marshmallows. Have one house represent a typical house in Canada or United States. This “house” could be glued together if made by wood and if made with marshmallows it could be sewed together or held together with nails or toothpicks. The other “house” would look the same but have nothing binding the blocks together. Shake the structure like an earthquake and let the children observe what happens. Explain how poor countries like Nepal can’t afford to build houses with expensive reinforcing and other safety features. Pray for the people of Nepal and involve the children in some relief or development project.

 

Objects: Two small houses made with building blocks or marshmallows (see above). Reinforce one of the structures with tape, thread, toothpicks etc. (You could also drive reinforcing nail up through the piece of plywood and place marshmallows over the nails. Place the “houses” on a tray ready for an “earthquake.” A small world map or globe.

 

Full Children’s Sermon: Good morning Children. In our church this morning we are praying for the people who live in a country called Nepal. It is a small country and most of the people who live there are very poor. It’s this small country here on this map. (Use a globe or projected map)  Do you know what happened there recently? Yes. That’s right. There was a very big earthquake that destroyed many buildings and homes. It may be hard to understand how this happened. I want to show you one reason so many people were hurt or killed. Do you see this tray here? I made two little houses out of marshmallows. I’m pretending the marshmallows are like building blocks of cements. This house on the left will represent a typical house in the Canada / USA/ etc. I’m pretending that this house on the left is a house in Kathmandu, the main city of Nepal.

Let’s see what might happen if there was an earthquake. (Shake the try up a down, back and forth until the unsecured “building blocks” of the Nepal house fall down.) What happened here? Yes, this house that has a steel nail through the centre is standing strong. However, this house here fell completely down. This building was not nearly as strong as this building. This building is like many of the buildings in Kathmandu. The people are strong and hard working but they are very poor and they cannot afford to build houses as strong as our houses. When an earthquake shakes the country many of the houses fall down and many people are injured our killed. It’s very sad. As followers of Jesus we need to think of ways that we can help the people in Nepal as they try to recover from this tragedy. How could we possibly help out and support them in this time of need? (Let the children respond.) Those are all very good ideas. We can send doctors to help, we can send food and clothing, and we can send money so they can buy the things they don’t have. Later on we might be able to be involved in helping them rebuild some to the homes that have been destroyed. (Consider presenting a specific project that the church is involved with.

 

 

Text Mark6: 30-34        Lectionary Trinity 6 

 

Basic idea: Have the children pretend they are sheep without a shepherd (Bleat, go around in circles and bump into one another). Then show how a shepherd can protect the sheep and lead them into good pasture.

 

Alternate idea: Discuss the problem of having a train without a conductor, a plane without a pilot, a classroom without a teacher. Explain why it is important for the sheep (us) to have a shepherd (Jesus).

 

Full Story: Good morning children. Today’s bible reading is about Jesus and his compassion and love for all the crowds of people. Jesus said he was very concerned because the people were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus was like a good shepherd and he longed to show his love and care for all the people just as a shepherd would look after a flock of sheep. I want us to pretend that we are like a flock of lost sheep with no shepherd. (I would ask a number of young adults to come up and help be a part of the flock. It supports the children and encourages them to get involved with the actions)

First of all, let’s practice bleating like sheep (bah bah…) Good. Now I want you to walk around and pretend that you are lost and hungry. (I think they will get the idea and it should be fun). Well done. You really look like a flock of lost sheep. What you need is a shepherd to protect you, and to lead you into good pasture. (You could demonstrate this by acting as a shepherd by pulling the children (sheep) together and then leading them over to a place where they can sit down and rest.) Thank you for being such good sheep. Jesus said without him we are just like sheep without a shepherd. Without Jesus we are lost, hungry and don’t where to go. I’m so grateful that Jesus is like a good shepherd.

 

Pray: Dear God, on our own we are all like sheep without a shepherd. God, thank you that Jesus is a good shepherd who loves us and longs to guide us in his ways. Help us to follow him as he leads us into the wonderful life you have for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Copyright Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus.com   Feel free to use this on Sunday Morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you! A.H.

 

Themes:  We are blessed, abundance, giving to the less fortunate, taking things for granted, thanksgiving

 

Summary:  Ask kids to help you pack up a shoe box for someone in need (This teaches about Thanksgiving but also promos the shoe box compassion project)  As you pack items in ask if any of the kids helping you have any of the items such as tooth brush,  soap, hair brush,  cleanex,  pencils, etc.   Be amazed that all the kids have all the items! Compared to most children in the world they have so much.

 

Time:  5 minutes – although this could be stretched out into a full length lesson.

 

Full Story:  Good Morning children!  Do you see this empty shoe box?   We are packing these up with things to give children that don’t have as much as we have, and I want you kids to help me pack this up.  Here is a bag full of things that these less fortunate kids might like.  (Open up the empty shoe box and from another container pull out an item to put inside.) What’s this?  A toothbrush!  Should we put that inside the box?  Yes? Ok.  Do any of you have a toothbrush? (Probably all the kids will put up their hands – be surprised) What! That’s amazing.  All of you have a toothbrush. Wow.  You know, many children in the world have never had a toothbrush.  Let’s put that inside. (You can let the children help place items in the box)   What else do I have here?  (Hold up a crayon or pencil) Should I put that in?  OK. Have any of you ever had a crayon or a pencil?  What!  All of you have!  Wow. You are so blessed.  Many children in the world have never had those before.  (Keep going with a few more articles that you know all the kids will have. (It’s ok for your amazement to sound repetitious)

Summarize:  Most of us that live here in (your city or town) have so much compared to many children in the world.  It’s good to remember how much we have and to give thanks to God.  Since we have so much it’s also good for us to share with kids that don’t have the things that we have.  (When the box is full close it up) There, I think we are done.  Thank you for helping.

 

Pray:  Lord.  Thank you that most of us here this morning have so many good things.  Help us to share and help out those other kids in the world that don’t have as much as we do. (In our church I had a stack of the prepared shoe boxes up front and I asked the kids to put their hands on the boxes as I prayed)  “Lord God, may these boxes bring help and joy to other children that don’t have so much.  Thank you that as we share with them we can make a difference in their lives.  Amen!

 

(Copyright 2009) – Andrew Hewlett     sundaychildrensfocus.com