The Friday Club
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. In our worship today let us explore how different people respond to that love.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I hide my love for you because I am afraid of what people might think.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I find it difficult to understand your words and your stories.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I find it difficult to believe in heavenly things.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 3:1-17 (NRSV)
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. [2] He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." [3] Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." [4] Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" [5] Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. [6] What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' [8] The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9] Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" [10] Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
[11] "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. [12] If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
[16] "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
[17] "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Story:
It isn't easy to stand against your peer group to follow Jesus, as Nicodemus found. He was so frightened of being ostracised that he would only come to Jesus by night, but Jesus told him he would have to make an open choice eventually (start over, be born again, be born from above).
It isn't any easier today, especially for children who are very susceptible to peer pressure. This is a story about Tom and the new Christian club at school.
The Friday Club
When Tom heard that a new club was starting in school on Fridays just after school, he was thrilled. He ran all the way home and waved the leaflet in front of his mother.
"Look!" he exclaimed, "there's going to be handwork and stories and acting and going on outings and games and — "
"Stop!" cried his mother, laughing. "Let's have a look."
They sat down together at the kitchen table and read the leaflet. The Friday Club was going to be based on stories about Jesus and would be run by two of the school governors who were members of the local church.
"Can I go?" asked Tom eagerly.
"Of course you can," replied his mother. "I think it's an excellent idea and I reckon you'll have a lot of fun."
Tom couldn't wait until Friday. He chattered to all his friends at school and asked whether they were going. Lots of the girls were going to attend, but to Tom's dismay no other boys wanted to go. He wondered why.
"It's about Jesus!" scoffed his friend Graham, as though that explained everything and would naturally dampen anyone's enthusiasm. The other boys were much ruder and immediately started to laugh at Tom and tease him.
Tom crept away, hurt and upset. He really wanted to go to the club, but he didn't want to be the only boy and he certainly didn't want to become the butt of all the jokes.
Then he thought of a brilliant plan. When Friday came he laughed and jeered at the club with all his friends and pretended to go home. But then he doubled back to school and slipped in by the back door when nobody was looking. He did this for week after week.
Tom really enjoyed the club and found that being the only boy didn't matter at all. In fact he soon forgot that all the rest were girls. But when the club began to rehearse a Christian play to put on for the school, he knew he couldn't be part of it in case his secret was discovered.
"Well, Tom," said the leader. "It's entirely up to you. Only you can decide. But sometimes Christians have to make hard decisions if they really want to follow Jesus. Perhaps Jesus is challenging you now to come out into the open and dare to stand up for him."
Tom thought long and hard about what he should do. In the end he decided that following Jesus was even more important than being popular in school, so he bravely took a major part in the play. But when he spotted all his friends sitting in the audience, his heart fell. He just knew they'd give him a hard time next day and he didn't know whether he could take it, even for Jesus.
Next morning he wondered whether to go into school at all. He was feeling sick, so perhaps he should stay at home. But then a strange thing happened. His best friend Graham came to call for him and said, "Your play was brilliant! Can I come to Friday Club this week?" and Tom knew it was going to be all right.
'Jesus really did protect me,' he thought. 'Thank God for Jesus and thank God for the Friday Club.'
Activity:
Complete last week's model of the temptations of Jesus. This week you need:
Paints
Pipe cleaners or paper drinking straws
A couple of small buttons
Scraps of brightly coloured material, some red
A few metal paper clips (optional)
Glue
This week paint the mountain appropriately and also the temple, if you wish.
Make the figure of Jesus and the figure of the devil. You can use either pipe cleaners (which would enable the figures to be bent into different shapes) or paper drinking straws (but once you've made the figures, you probably won't be able to change them.)
Use a straw or pipe cleaner for the body. Tie or twist another straw/pipe cleaner around the body about two thirds of the way up, to form the arms, and a further straw/pipe cleaner about two thirds of the way down, to form the legs. Bend to shape. Glue a button to the top of the body to form the head.
Dress the figures using the material. You might like to dress the devil in traditional red and if you wish, can use the paper clips to make a trident for him, or to add horns and a tail, but be careful of sharp ends.
Place the figures as you wish -- either amongst the pebbles for changing stones into bread, or on top of the mountain, or on top of the temple. Display the model proudly to the church!
Prayers:
God of openness, help us in the church to avoid secrets and cliques. May we always be open in our approach to you and to each other and never feel the need to interact only under cover of darkness.
God of openness, may those who are afraid to acknowledge you in the daylight receive your strength and your courage deep within their inner being. May all countries strive to provide an atmosphere of trust for all their people.
God of openness, help us to be born from above with your Holy Spirit deep within our being. May we receive you when we ask, find you when we seek you and may your door be opened for us when we knock.
God of openness, we ask your blessings upon those who are in need, especially upon those who are sick and those who have suffered a death in the family. We name them before you .....
Blessing:
May you respond with great joy
to God's great love for you.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. In our worship today let us explore how different people respond to that love.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I hide my love for you because I am afraid of what people might think.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I find it difficult to understand your words and your stories.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I find it difficult to believe in heavenly things.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 3:1-17 (NRSV)
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. [2] He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." [3] Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." [4] Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" [5] Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. [6] What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' [8] The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9] Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" [10] Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
[11] "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. [12] If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
[16] "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
[17] "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Story:
It isn't easy to stand against your peer group to follow Jesus, as Nicodemus found. He was so frightened of being ostracised that he would only come to Jesus by night, but Jesus told him he would have to make an open choice eventually (start over, be born again, be born from above).
It isn't any easier today, especially for children who are very susceptible to peer pressure. This is a story about Tom and the new Christian club at school.
The Friday Club
When Tom heard that a new club was starting in school on Fridays just after school, he was thrilled. He ran all the way home and waved the leaflet in front of his mother.
"Look!" he exclaimed, "there's going to be handwork and stories and acting and going on outings and games and — "
"Stop!" cried his mother, laughing. "Let's have a look."
They sat down together at the kitchen table and read the leaflet. The Friday Club was going to be based on stories about Jesus and would be run by two of the school governors who were members of the local church.
"Can I go?" asked Tom eagerly.
"Of course you can," replied his mother. "I think it's an excellent idea and I reckon you'll have a lot of fun."
Tom couldn't wait until Friday. He chattered to all his friends at school and asked whether they were going. Lots of the girls were going to attend, but to Tom's dismay no other boys wanted to go. He wondered why.
"It's about Jesus!" scoffed his friend Graham, as though that explained everything and would naturally dampen anyone's enthusiasm. The other boys were much ruder and immediately started to laugh at Tom and tease him.
Tom crept away, hurt and upset. He really wanted to go to the club, but he didn't want to be the only boy and he certainly didn't want to become the butt of all the jokes.
Then he thought of a brilliant plan. When Friday came he laughed and jeered at the club with all his friends and pretended to go home. But then he doubled back to school and slipped in by the back door when nobody was looking. He did this for week after week.
Tom really enjoyed the club and found that being the only boy didn't matter at all. In fact he soon forgot that all the rest were girls. But when the club began to rehearse a Christian play to put on for the school, he knew he couldn't be part of it in case his secret was discovered.
"Well, Tom," said the leader. "It's entirely up to you. Only you can decide. But sometimes Christians have to make hard decisions if they really want to follow Jesus. Perhaps Jesus is challenging you now to come out into the open and dare to stand up for him."
Tom thought long and hard about what he should do. In the end he decided that following Jesus was even more important than being popular in school, so he bravely took a major part in the play. But when he spotted all his friends sitting in the audience, his heart fell. He just knew they'd give him a hard time next day and he didn't know whether he could take it, even for Jesus.
Next morning he wondered whether to go into school at all. He was feeling sick, so perhaps he should stay at home. But then a strange thing happened. His best friend Graham came to call for him and said, "Your play was brilliant! Can I come to Friday Club this week?" and Tom knew it was going to be all right.
'Jesus really did protect me,' he thought. 'Thank God for Jesus and thank God for the Friday Club.'
Activity:
Complete last week's model of the temptations of Jesus. This week you need:
Paints
Pipe cleaners or paper drinking straws
A couple of small buttons
Scraps of brightly coloured material, some red
A few metal paper clips (optional)
Glue
This week paint the mountain appropriately and also the temple, if you wish.
Make the figure of Jesus and the figure of the devil. You can use either pipe cleaners (which would enable the figures to be bent into different shapes) or paper drinking straws (but once you've made the figures, you probably won't be able to change them.)
Use a straw or pipe cleaner for the body. Tie or twist another straw/pipe cleaner around the body about two thirds of the way up, to form the arms, and a further straw/pipe cleaner about two thirds of the way down, to form the legs. Bend to shape. Glue a button to the top of the body to form the head.
Dress the figures using the material. You might like to dress the devil in traditional red and if you wish, can use the paper clips to make a trident for him, or to add horns and a tail, but be careful of sharp ends.
Place the figures as you wish -- either amongst the pebbles for changing stones into bread, or on top of the mountain, or on top of the temple. Display the model proudly to the church!
Prayers:
God of openness, help us in the church to avoid secrets and cliques. May we always be open in our approach to you and to each other and never feel the need to interact only under cover of darkness.
God of openness, may those who are afraid to acknowledge you in the daylight receive your strength and your courage deep within their inner being. May all countries strive to provide an atmosphere of trust for all their people.
God of openness, help us to be born from above with your Holy Spirit deep within our being. May we receive you when we ask, find you when we seek you and may your door be opened for us when we knock.
God of openness, we ask your blessings upon those who are in need, especially upon those who are sick and those who have suffered a death in the family. We name them before you .....
Blessing:
May you respond with great joy
to God's great love for you.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
