The Life-Saver's Badge
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
God said to Jesus, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." As we worship him today, let us offer him ourselves, so that he may be well pleased with us, for we too are his beloved children.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, when we fail to notice your Holy Spirit in our lives or the lives of others, Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, when we ignore your Holy Spirit in our lives or the lives of others, Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, when we reject your Holy Spirit in our lives or in the lives of others, Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 3:15-17 and 21-22
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. [16] John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened [22] and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Story:
We no longer see the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove or any other form, but we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is within us, part of us, waiting to help us when asked.
This is a story about Martin, who drew on the Holy Spirit, the God within, when he needed God's help.
The Life-Saver's Badge
Martin took a deep breath, tucked in his head, kicked up his heels and dived under the surface of the water. When he was deep down in the swimming pool, he opened his eyes. The chlorine in the water stung his eyes but he didn't care. He was trying for his life-savers badge and he was determined to get it.
Martin had had to learn how to resuscitate an unconscious body and give it the kiss of life. He'd had to learn how to swim with an unconscious body, then to lift it out of the pool by himself. He had to be able to swim 100 metres in a fast time and he had to know how to roll over in the water without getting into difficulties. He'd also had to learn some stuff from a book and write down what it all meant.
Martin had done all that and had passed every phase of the badge so far. His final test was to dive under the water, pick up from the bottom of the pool a heavy brick made out of galvanised rubber and swim back with it to the edge of the pool. If he could manage that, he'd gain his Life-Savers Badge.
As he swam under the surface, Martin opened his eyes and looked around him. He couldn't see the brick anywhere. He turned in the water and looked the other way, scouring the bottom of the pool, but he couldn't spot the brick. When his lungs were bursting he was forced to swim to the surface and take in great gulps of air.
He was nearly in tears, because he wanted so desperately to get his badge and he knew he had to pass every part of the test.
"Not much good saving lives if you can't even find the drowned person," remarked his teacher, cheerfully.
Martin scowled and stuck out his lower lip. Then he said, "Let me have another go. Please! I know I can pick up the brick if only I can see it."
His coach nodded. "O.K. Go on, then. Be quick about it this time. You were under so long last time I thought we'd have to come and rescue you."
Martin took the deepest breath he could, then dived again. He swam along the bottom of the pool searching for the brick, but it was no good. He just couldn't see it anywhere. He knew he was going to fail. Again, he stayed under water as long as he possibly could, but in the end he was forced to surface.
His coach was looking dejected. He'd had high hopes for Martin, but now it looked as though he'd have to fail Martin.
Martin was in despair.
"One more try," warned the coach. "But it's your last chance. If you can't do it this time, you'll have to wait another year."
A whole year! Martin couldn't bear the thought, but he didn't know what to do. Then he remembered God and the way that Jesus had said, "I shall always be with you."
"Please, please, please!" whispered Martin, screwing his eyes tight shut. "Please help me."
Then he prepared for his dive. First he looked carefully into the pool from the edge and spotted the brick. Then he made a mental note of where it was and the direction he'd have to swim to reach it. Then he took a deep breath and dived under the surface. He kept his eyes open and swam in the direction he had plotted in his head. There was the brick! It was so easy. Martin picked up the brick and swam quickly back to the edge. He placed it triumphantly on the edge of the pool and grinned all over his face.
"Well done!" exclaimed his coach, delighted.
"Thank you, God," whispered Martin as he went to receive his badge.
Activity:
We all have God' spirit within us, whether or not we've been baptised. But baptism is an important acknowledgment of that fact. Today's activity relates to baptism and would be suitable for a baptism service.
You need:
A drooping Busy Lizzie houseplant (or another plant which perks up quickly when watered)
An empty flowerpot
Some suitable houseplant soil
An indoor watering can containing water.
A bar of soap
A bowl
A towel
A torch or baptismal candle
Oil for anointing
Paper tissues
Show the drooping houseplant and ask the children what they think is wrong with it. Hopefully someone will say that it needs water. Suggest that it also needs repotting. Get the children to take the houseplant out of its pot, fill the other pot with soil, plant the houseplant and water it. Set it to one side.
By now the children should be dirty. Ask how they can get clean, then offer the bowl, water, and the bar of soap. Let the children wash their hands. Ask how their hands felt when dirty and how they felt when clean. Point out that we sometimes get dirty "inside" ourselves, by doing/thinking wrong things. This usually feels bad. Then we need to wash to get clean again. This feels good. The water of baptism is a symbol showing us that when we get dirty inside we can run to God and God will wash us clean.
Keep an eye on the houseplant, and when it begins to perk up point out that the water of baptism is also about growth. We all need water to survive and to grow. Just as we grow outwardly, so we also grow "inside" - we grow towards God. The water of baptism is about getting clean inside and growing towards God.
Have a few moments of quiet to bring to mind past regrets and pain and sadnesses, then suggest that the children can bring them all to God now and he will make them clean. To do this symbolically, pass the anointing oil around. Each child should dip their thumb in the oil, then make the sign of the cross on their neighbour's palm, saying to them, "N, Jesus forgives you." When all heave been anointed, pass around the tissues. Point out that when we are baptised we receive an invisible badge, the sign of the cross. Sometimes oil is used for this. It's a badge which we keep for life and it shows that we belong to Jesus for the whole of our lives.
Finally, talk about darkness and the difficulty of seeing which way to go when it's dark. Shine the torch to show how we need a source of light to help us find our way when it's dark. Point out that everybody has dark moments in life, when we need a light. Then light the baptismal candle and tell the children that it symbolises that Jesus is the light of the world and will be there for us when life is dark for us.
Finally, summarise the symbols of baptism - water for growth and cleanliness, sign of the cross as an invisible badge to show that we belong to Jesus, the lighted candle to show that Jesus is the light of the world.
When we make these symbols real in our lives we become much more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, the God within us, just as Jesus was aware of the Holy Spirit at his baptism.
Intercession:
God within, may you blossom and develop within each of us and within this, your church. Help us all to grow towards you, to turn to you in our needs and to belong to you forever.
God within, fill the whole world with your grace and beauty so that violence and war and hunger and poverty may be banished forever. Help us to do our part in ridding our world of all the effects of evil
God within, help us to look out for symbols of your goodness and of your activity among us. May we become increasingly aware of your presence both in the world and within us as we follow your path.
God within, we pray for all who are sick or sad or suffering in some way. May they know your love and your power to heal and may they quickly become the fit, healthy people you want them to be.
Blessing:
May the God within watch over you
keep you washed and clean
and bring you to eternal life.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
God said to Jesus, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." As we worship him today, let us offer him ourselves, so that he may be well pleased with us, for we too are his beloved children.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, when we fail to notice your Holy Spirit in our lives or the lives of others, Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, when we ignore your Holy Spirit in our lives or the lives of others, Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, when we reject your Holy Spirit in our lives or in the lives of others, Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 3:15-17 and 21-22
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. [16] John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened [22] and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Story:
We no longer see the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove or any other form, but we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is within us, part of us, waiting to help us when asked.
This is a story about Martin, who drew on the Holy Spirit, the God within, when he needed God's help.
The Life-Saver's Badge
Martin took a deep breath, tucked in his head, kicked up his heels and dived under the surface of the water. When he was deep down in the swimming pool, he opened his eyes. The chlorine in the water stung his eyes but he didn't care. He was trying for his life-savers badge and he was determined to get it.
Martin had had to learn how to resuscitate an unconscious body and give it the kiss of life. He'd had to learn how to swim with an unconscious body, then to lift it out of the pool by himself. He had to be able to swim 100 metres in a fast time and he had to know how to roll over in the water without getting into difficulties. He'd also had to learn some stuff from a book and write down what it all meant.
Martin had done all that and had passed every phase of the badge so far. His final test was to dive under the water, pick up from the bottom of the pool a heavy brick made out of galvanised rubber and swim back with it to the edge of the pool. If he could manage that, he'd gain his Life-Savers Badge.
As he swam under the surface, Martin opened his eyes and looked around him. He couldn't see the brick anywhere. He turned in the water and looked the other way, scouring the bottom of the pool, but he couldn't spot the brick. When his lungs were bursting he was forced to swim to the surface and take in great gulps of air.
He was nearly in tears, because he wanted so desperately to get his badge and he knew he had to pass every part of the test.
"Not much good saving lives if you can't even find the drowned person," remarked his teacher, cheerfully.
Martin scowled and stuck out his lower lip. Then he said, "Let me have another go. Please! I know I can pick up the brick if only I can see it."
His coach nodded. "O.K. Go on, then. Be quick about it this time. You were under so long last time I thought we'd have to come and rescue you."
Martin took the deepest breath he could, then dived again. He swam along the bottom of the pool searching for the brick, but it was no good. He just couldn't see it anywhere. He knew he was going to fail. Again, he stayed under water as long as he possibly could, but in the end he was forced to surface.
His coach was looking dejected. He'd had high hopes for Martin, but now it looked as though he'd have to fail Martin.
Martin was in despair.
"One more try," warned the coach. "But it's your last chance. If you can't do it this time, you'll have to wait another year."
A whole year! Martin couldn't bear the thought, but he didn't know what to do. Then he remembered God and the way that Jesus had said, "I shall always be with you."
"Please, please, please!" whispered Martin, screwing his eyes tight shut. "Please help me."
Then he prepared for his dive. First he looked carefully into the pool from the edge and spotted the brick. Then he made a mental note of where it was and the direction he'd have to swim to reach it. Then he took a deep breath and dived under the surface. He kept his eyes open and swam in the direction he had plotted in his head. There was the brick! It was so easy. Martin picked up the brick and swam quickly back to the edge. He placed it triumphantly on the edge of the pool and grinned all over his face.
"Well done!" exclaimed his coach, delighted.
"Thank you, God," whispered Martin as he went to receive his badge.
Activity:
We all have God' spirit within us, whether or not we've been baptised. But baptism is an important acknowledgment of that fact. Today's activity relates to baptism and would be suitable for a baptism service.
You need:
A drooping Busy Lizzie houseplant (or another plant which perks up quickly when watered)
An empty flowerpot
Some suitable houseplant soil
An indoor watering can containing water.
A bar of soap
A bowl
A towel
A torch or baptismal candle
Oil for anointing
Paper tissues
Show the drooping houseplant and ask the children what they think is wrong with it. Hopefully someone will say that it needs water. Suggest that it also needs repotting. Get the children to take the houseplant out of its pot, fill the other pot with soil, plant the houseplant and water it. Set it to one side.
By now the children should be dirty. Ask how they can get clean, then offer the bowl, water, and the bar of soap. Let the children wash their hands. Ask how their hands felt when dirty and how they felt when clean. Point out that we sometimes get dirty "inside" ourselves, by doing/thinking wrong things. This usually feels bad. Then we need to wash to get clean again. This feels good. The water of baptism is a symbol showing us that when we get dirty inside we can run to God and God will wash us clean.
Keep an eye on the houseplant, and when it begins to perk up point out that the water of baptism is also about growth. We all need water to survive and to grow. Just as we grow outwardly, so we also grow "inside" - we grow towards God. The water of baptism is about getting clean inside and growing towards God.
Have a few moments of quiet to bring to mind past regrets and pain and sadnesses, then suggest that the children can bring them all to God now and he will make them clean. To do this symbolically, pass the anointing oil around. Each child should dip their thumb in the oil, then make the sign of the cross on their neighbour's palm, saying to them, "N, Jesus forgives you." When all heave been anointed, pass around the tissues. Point out that when we are baptised we receive an invisible badge, the sign of the cross. Sometimes oil is used for this. It's a badge which we keep for life and it shows that we belong to Jesus for the whole of our lives.
Finally, talk about darkness and the difficulty of seeing which way to go when it's dark. Shine the torch to show how we need a source of light to help us find our way when it's dark. Point out that everybody has dark moments in life, when we need a light. Then light the baptismal candle and tell the children that it symbolises that Jesus is the light of the world and will be there for us when life is dark for us.
Finally, summarise the symbols of baptism - water for growth and cleanliness, sign of the cross as an invisible badge to show that we belong to Jesus, the lighted candle to show that Jesus is the light of the world.
When we make these symbols real in our lives we become much more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, the God within us, just as Jesus was aware of the Holy Spirit at his baptism.
Intercession:
God within, may you blossom and develop within each of us and within this, your church. Help us all to grow towards you, to turn to you in our needs and to belong to you forever.
God within, fill the whole world with your grace and beauty so that violence and war and hunger and poverty may be banished forever. Help us to do our part in ridding our world of all the effects of evil
God within, help us to look out for symbols of your goodness and of your activity among us. May we become increasingly aware of your presence both in the world and within us as we follow your path.
God within, we pray for all who are sick or sad or suffering in some way. May they know your love and your power to heal and may they quickly become the fit, healthy people you want them to be.
Blessing:
May the God within watch over you
keep you washed and clean
and bring you to eternal life.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
