Little Lester
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to worship:
Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. As we grow, let us too become strong, with the favour of God upon us.
Invitation to confession:
Lord, we would grow inwardly strong, as you were strong.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, sometimes we are weak and do that which we later regret.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, may we hold fast to you and become filled with wisdom.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), [24] and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
[25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. [27] Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, [28] Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
[29] "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
[30] for my eyes have seen your salvation,
[31] which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
[33] And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. [34] Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed [35] so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
[36] There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, [37] then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. [38] At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
[39] When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. [40] The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Story:
Although we can't help growing taller until we're fully grown, we can help ourselves to grow strong. Inward strength needs a lot of effort and has to be nurtured, with God holding our hands.
This is a story about Lester, who was afraid of everything, but who eventually learned to be brave.
Little Lester
Lester was small and thin for his age and spent most of his life feeling afraid. He was frightened of the shadows in his bedroom at night, so his mother left a nightlight on for him. He was frightened of the boys at school, because all of them were bigger than him and Lester thought they were rough. He was frightened of being naughty or doing something wrong, so he was always good and he always studied hard.
Lester had no friends. Nobody liked him because he was such a wimp. He never joined in any playground games because he was afraid of getting hurt. And he always got all the answers right in class because he was afraid of getting something wrong.
His mother called him "Little Lester" and it was OK when she said it. Unfortunately the boys at school overheard her one day and now everyone called him "Little Lester". But it wasn't OK when they said it, for they jeered and used it to ridicule Lester and make him feel stupid. That made him even more afraid.
One sunny day Lester went out with his grandpa into the country. It was alright until insects started to buzz round his head and a wasp came after his jam sandwich. Then Lester shrieked and cried and wanted to go home. "I might get stung," he whimpered.
His grandpa sighed. "Listen, Lester," he said. "You must be brave. Otherwise your life is going to be very unhappy."
Lester cried some more. Then he said, "I can't be brave. I'm not a brave person. Everything frightens me and I'm so small that I can't stand up for myself."
"Which people do you think are brave?" asked his grandpa.
"People who are big and strong and can do anything. Superheroes like Spiderman and Batman. If I was like them, I'd be brave too."
But to Lester's surprise, Grandpa laughed. "No," he said. "You're quite wrong. The really brave people are just like you."
"Like me?" asked Lester, unable to believe Grandpa's words.
Grandpa nodded. "Just like you. The really brave people are those who are small and skinny and terrified of everything."
Lester frowned. "How can they be brave? They're just wimps, like me."
"No," said Grandpa. "That's how they feel. Terrified of everything. But they don't allow their feelings to decide their behaviour. They feel terrified, but they face their fears."
"How do they do that?" asked Lester.
"Well," began Grandpa, "you could start by ignoring the wasps and insects. I know how frightened you are, but let's finish our walk just as though they're not there at all. Come on, you can hold my hand."
Lester clutched his grandpa's hand very tightly. He wanted to run every time a wasp came near, but he made himself ignore the wasps. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst and his hands felt clammy, but he walked on with his head held high. And he finished the walk.
"Well done," said Grandpa. "I'm proud of you. You were very brave."
Lester beamed. He felt proud of himself. And he decided he would always be brave, no matter how frightened he felt.
Lester's life changed after that. He threw himself into the roughest games in the playground and discovered that when he got hurt, it didn't last very long. Sometimes he was naughty and got into trouble with the other boys. He turned off the nightlight and faced the shadows in his bedroom. And before long people stopped calling him "Little Lester" and everybody wanted to be his friend.
Six moths later when he looked in the mirror, Lester realised that he really had changed. He'd grown taller and he'd filled out. And he knew then that although he might continue to be afraid of lots of things in his life, he was never again going to let his fear stop him doing anything.
Activity:
You need:
A clip of a superhero film, such as Batman or Spiderman
A means of showing the film
A flipchart and pens
A piece of paper for each child
Coloured pencils or felt-tip pens for each child
Show the film clip and ask the children what they think is special about that particular superhero. Write all the answers on the flip chart. Then ask whether they themselves can be like that superhero in any way. In a different colour, cross out those characteristics which are impossible for human beings (such as flying, scaling high buildings, superior powers of hearing and sight, etc.) and see what's left. Hopefully there will be plenty of human characteristics such as bravery, wisdom, fighting for what is right, etc.
Give out the paper and ask the children to draw themselves as the superhero they'd most like to be. Then ask them to make a list of all the characteristics which they think are most important and which they think they can achieve. Finish by reminding the children that Jesus grew in wisdom and strength and in favour with God, and have a short prayer with them to ask God's help in enabling them to become the people they'd like to be.
Prayers:
Courageous God, give courage to all of us in your church. May we be brave enough to face those who ridicule our faith and stand up for our beliefs.
Courageous God, may Christians stand up for all in need who cannot stand up for themselves. May we be especially determined that all who are hungry should be fed.
Courageous God, help each of us to grow in wisdom and inner strength. Remind us that by holding your hand we can do anything, and don't allow us to chicken out just because we are afraid.
Courageous God, give peace and health to those who are sick. May they be aware of your love for them and may they be supported by our prayers. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May God give to you
The courage you need
To grow in wisdom and inner strength.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you
And remain with you
Now and always. Amen.
Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. As we grow, let us too become strong, with the favour of God upon us.
Invitation to confession:
Lord, we would grow inwardly strong, as you were strong.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, sometimes we are weak and do that which we later regret.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, may we hold fast to you and become filled with wisdom.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), [24] and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
[25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. [27] Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, [28] Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
[29] "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
[30] for my eyes have seen your salvation,
[31] which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
[33] And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. [34] Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed [35] so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
[36] There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, [37] then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. [38] At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
[39] When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. [40] The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Story:
Although we can't help growing taller until we're fully grown, we can help ourselves to grow strong. Inward strength needs a lot of effort and has to be nurtured, with God holding our hands.
This is a story about Lester, who was afraid of everything, but who eventually learned to be brave.
Little Lester
Lester was small and thin for his age and spent most of his life feeling afraid. He was frightened of the shadows in his bedroom at night, so his mother left a nightlight on for him. He was frightened of the boys at school, because all of them were bigger than him and Lester thought they were rough. He was frightened of being naughty or doing something wrong, so he was always good and he always studied hard.
Lester had no friends. Nobody liked him because he was such a wimp. He never joined in any playground games because he was afraid of getting hurt. And he always got all the answers right in class because he was afraid of getting something wrong.
His mother called him "Little Lester" and it was OK when she said it. Unfortunately the boys at school overheard her one day and now everyone called him "Little Lester". But it wasn't OK when they said it, for they jeered and used it to ridicule Lester and make him feel stupid. That made him even more afraid.
One sunny day Lester went out with his grandpa into the country. It was alright until insects started to buzz round his head and a wasp came after his jam sandwich. Then Lester shrieked and cried and wanted to go home. "I might get stung," he whimpered.
His grandpa sighed. "Listen, Lester," he said. "You must be brave. Otherwise your life is going to be very unhappy."
Lester cried some more. Then he said, "I can't be brave. I'm not a brave person. Everything frightens me and I'm so small that I can't stand up for myself."
"Which people do you think are brave?" asked his grandpa.
"People who are big and strong and can do anything. Superheroes like Spiderman and Batman. If I was like them, I'd be brave too."
But to Lester's surprise, Grandpa laughed. "No," he said. "You're quite wrong. The really brave people are just like you."
"Like me?" asked Lester, unable to believe Grandpa's words.
Grandpa nodded. "Just like you. The really brave people are those who are small and skinny and terrified of everything."
Lester frowned. "How can they be brave? They're just wimps, like me."
"No," said Grandpa. "That's how they feel. Terrified of everything. But they don't allow their feelings to decide their behaviour. They feel terrified, but they face their fears."
"How do they do that?" asked Lester.
"Well," began Grandpa, "you could start by ignoring the wasps and insects. I know how frightened you are, but let's finish our walk just as though they're not there at all. Come on, you can hold my hand."
Lester clutched his grandpa's hand very tightly. He wanted to run every time a wasp came near, but he made himself ignore the wasps. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst and his hands felt clammy, but he walked on with his head held high. And he finished the walk.
"Well done," said Grandpa. "I'm proud of you. You were very brave."
Lester beamed. He felt proud of himself. And he decided he would always be brave, no matter how frightened he felt.
Lester's life changed after that. He threw himself into the roughest games in the playground and discovered that when he got hurt, it didn't last very long. Sometimes he was naughty and got into trouble with the other boys. He turned off the nightlight and faced the shadows in his bedroom. And before long people stopped calling him "Little Lester" and everybody wanted to be his friend.
Six moths later when he looked in the mirror, Lester realised that he really had changed. He'd grown taller and he'd filled out. And he knew then that although he might continue to be afraid of lots of things in his life, he was never again going to let his fear stop him doing anything.
Activity:
You need:
A clip of a superhero film, such as Batman or Spiderman
A means of showing the film
A flipchart and pens
A piece of paper for each child
Coloured pencils or felt-tip pens for each child
Show the film clip and ask the children what they think is special about that particular superhero. Write all the answers on the flip chart. Then ask whether they themselves can be like that superhero in any way. In a different colour, cross out those characteristics which are impossible for human beings (such as flying, scaling high buildings, superior powers of hearing and sight, etc.) and see what's left. Hopefully there will be plenty of human characteristics such as bravery, wisdom, fighting for what is right, etc.
Give out the paper and ask the children to draw themselves as the superhero they'd most like to be. Then ask them to make a list of all the characteristics which they think are most important and which they think they can achieve. Finish by reminding the children that Jesus grew in wisdom and strength and in favour with God, and have a short prayer with them to ask God's help in enabling them to become the people they'd like to be.
Prayers:
Courageous God, give courage to all of us in your church. May we be brave enough to face those who ridicule our faith and stand up for our beliefs.
Courageous God, may Christians stand up for all in need who cannot stand up for themselves. May we be especially determined that all who are hungry should be fed.
Courageous God, help each of us to grow in wisdom and inner strength. Remind us that by holding your hand we can do anything, and don't allow us to chicken out just because we are afraid.
Courageous God, give peace and health to those who are sick. May they be aware of your love for them and may they be supported by our prayers. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May God give to you
The courage you need
To grow in wisdom and inner strength.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you
And remain with you
Now and always. Amen.
