Childrens Sermon Service

First Thoughts: As we celebrate the birthday of the church, we can also revisit our own first experience of God's Spirit indwelling our lives. Perhaps it was at our baptism or confirmation, when we first consciously decided that we would lead a Christian life. Or perhaps we can remember a powerful moment in our lives when God showed us a new path and moved us in that direction. Or perhaps we found a sudden experience of strength and solace in a time of struggle or loss. Whatever the occurrence, we suddenly knew -- really knew -- we were not alone. We could feel God was with us, an almost palpable experience of comfort and grace. Perhaps that feeling isn't always with us, or at least not as strongly as those moments of extraordinary power, but we still live in the echo of that feeling. We still live with the promise that the Spirit of truth guides us, protects us, and leads us home. Carry that confidence, that experience of faith, with you in your time with the children.

Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has a compass.)
Leader 1: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 2: Something that saved my life.
Leader 1: Wow -- what is it?
Leader 2: A compass.
Leader 1: A compass? How did a compass save your life?
Leader 2: I was on a hike this weekend with some friends, but I got separated from the group. Suddenly I was on my own, in the wet and cold, with the wild animals...
Leader 1: Wait a minute -- are you talking about your walk at the state park? But there's sidewalks and everything there!
Leader 2: True, but it was still scary. Anyway, I used this compass to figure out which way to walk, and I was able to find the exit!
Leader 1: Compasses are great things to have. You know, they always point north, wherever you are. You can count on them, just like we can count on the Holy Spirit to help us know which way to go.
Leader 2: I've heard of the Holy Spirit, but I'm not really sure what it is.
Leader 1: The Holy Spirit is the part of God that lives within us, in our hearts and minds. Jesus told his friends that when he left the earth, he wouldn't leave them alone but would send them the Holy Spirit. So that, even though Jesus wouldn't be around to teach them, they could keep on learning and growing in their faith. That same Holy Spirit lives in us as well, helping us to know what to do and letting us know we're not alone.
Leader 2: But how do we know when the Spirit is talking to us?
Leader 1: It's something we learn over time. When we pray, when we worship together, when we read scripture, we begin to learn the voice of the Spirit inside us. It's a voice that calls us to love, to trust in God, and tells us there's nothing to fear.
Leader 2: Nothing to fear -- now that's something to celebrate!

Teaching On Your Own: See what I have here? Do you know what it is? It's a compass, and yesterday it saved my life! I was on a hike this weekend with some friends, but I got separated from the group. Suddenly I was on my own, in the wet and cold, with the wild animals... Okay, I was only at the state park, and I was still on the sidewalk, but I did have a hard time figuring out which way would get me to the exit. That is, until I pulled out my trusty compass. I looked at it, and it showed me the way to go. Compasses are great things to have. You know, they always point north, wherever you are. You can count on them, just like we can count on the Holy Spirit to help us know which way to go. Do you guys know what the Holy Spirit is? It's that part of God that lives within us, in our hearts and minds. Jesus told his friends that when he left the earth, he wouldn't leave them alone but would send them the Holy Spirit. So that, even though Jesus wouldn't be around to teach them, they could keep on learning and growing in their faith. That same Holy Spirit lives in us as well, helping us to know what to do and letting us know we're not alone. Over time the voice of the Spirit gets stronger in our lives. When we pray, when we worship together, when we read scripture, we begin to learn the voice of the Spirit inside us. It's a voice that calls us to love, us to trust in God, and tells us there's nothing to fear. Nothing to fear -- now that's something to celebrate!

Closing Prayer: Thank you, God, for sending us the Holy Spirit to give us light and encouragement. Teach us to hear your voice when we're afraid, when we're confused, and when we're in need. We look to you to guide our feet. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or schoolroom environment, ask the children to think about words of advice they've received in their lives from parents, teachers, and friends. Offer suggestions if they don't immediately have an answer: "Look both ways before crossing the street," "Don't talk to strangers," "Brush your teeth every day," and so on. Help them see that even though the people who gave them this advice aren't here anymore, the voices are still in their heads helping them to make good choices. Now help them think of things they've heard in church to help them make faithful decisions, like "Turn the other cheek," "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," "Seek you first the kingdom of God," and so forth. Invite them to share stories they remember, and what those stories teach us. Ask the children how these teachings can be applied to their daily lives and how God can lead them. Now remind the children that this is the birthday of the church. The church has been around for over 2,000 years, with all of these teachings being passed down from one generation to the next. It's not just the teachings being passed down, but the teacher with the teachings. Throw a party for the church, with cupcakes and balloons. Remind the children that we are celebrating not something that happened long ago, but something that is alive and active today. We celebrate the kingdom of God, and we are a part of that kingdom. Happy birthday to us!