The Odd Bunch In The Street
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
When Jesus came, many people failed to recognise him. As we worship him today let us try to recognise him in each other.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 1:10-18
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. [11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- [13] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. [14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " [16] From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Story:
When Jesus started his ministry the world didn't recognize him. They were expecting someone quite different. Even his own people rejected him, so that he was unable to perform many miracles in his home town.
This is a story about those odd people who live in The Street. They too were rejected in the early days, because no-one could see past their oddity to the real and valuable people inside. But once that changed and the odd bunch were accepted, everybody's lives blossomed.
The Odd Bunch In The Street
Mr. Skillett, who was as tall as a bus and as thin as two pieces of paper stuck together, remembered the days when he had first moved into the village. It was his new home, yet people had treated him so oddly. They'd taken one look up at him, then scurried indoors, warning their children never to go near him. Mr. Skillett was hurt and upset and somehow ashamed.
He wasn't sure why he was ashamed, but for the first time he became aware of his great height and his stark thinness. He folded himself in two and sat slumped in armchair, not daring to go out and face the fear and horror of the village.
But one day, Mr. Skillett had met Mrs. Round, who was just like a little round ball. She was the same size round as she was tall, and she only came up to Mr. Skillett's knees. But she had been kind to him and although they had been wary of each other at first, they had soon learned to like each other and enjoy each others company. They had become firm friends.
The two of them had discovered other odd people living in The Street, people who had been too afraid to venture out of their houses until they saw Mr. Skillett and Mrs. Round walking happily together.
There was Dr Black, who was completely black had no white on him anywhere. He only went out at night so that nobody could see him since even his teeth and eyes were black. Then there was Hopalong, the schoolboy with a limp who always used crutches. His school friends used to laugh at him because he couldn't keep up with them, but Mr. Skillett would pick him up and carry him as though he was as light as a feather.
Hopalong had felt much happier with Mr. Skillett on his side. And when Mr. Skillett showed Timid Tilly the school teacher how to be confident and sure of herself, Hopalong's life improved even more, because Timid Tilly started to stand up to the other boys.
Now, after some tears of living in The Street, the five odd people were firm friends and often went about together. And now when people saw them they'd say, "There they go, the Odd Bunch!" But they said it in a nice way, because they'd all grown fond of Mr. Skillett and Mrs. Round, DR Black and Hopalong and Timid Tilly.
"But," confided Mr. Skillett to Mrs. Round, "it was awful for us in the beginning. I hated it here, and so did you. And poor Dr Black couldn't work properly because no-one trusted him, and poor Timid Tilly dreaded going to school every day because she couldn't keep order."
"Well," said Mrs. Round who was always sensible, "just think of it like this. Those people didn't know what they were missing. None of us odd bunch could help the village until they allowed us to help. And when they did, look how much better their life has been!"
"It doesn't matter what we're like on the outside," mused Mr. Skillett. "It's what people are like inside that matters. I love living here now, don't you, Mrs. Round?"
And Mrs. Round nodded so hard and smiled so much that she thought she might never stop.
Activity:
What's My Line?
You need:
Two sets of identical cards, each card with an occupation written on it, eg. policeman, postman, nurse etc. Choose some occupations which are more obscure, so that the game isn't too easy.
Divide the children into two teams. Ask the first person from each team to come up, and show them the first card. They go back to their team and mime the occupation but are not allowed to speak, except to say "yes" when the team guess right and "no" when the team guess wrong. As soon as the team guess right, the person who got the right answer comes up for the second card, and mimes that. And so on. The winners are the first team to guess all the cards correctly.
When the game is finished, ask the children how they knew the answers. Was it because of what the person looked like? (No, it was their actions.) Did they get it right first time, i.e. did they always interpret the actions correctly? (No, it took some practice, they had to watch carefully and concentrate, and they had to guess several times.)
Ask them how they know whether other people are "nice" . What they look like? Their actions? Point out that like the game, they may be wrong if they make judgments too soon. You have to really get to know someone if you want to find out what they're really like. You can't tell by skin colour or straight hair or crooked teeth. Remind the children that each of us has God within us (through God's Spirit) and that a good game is to try to spot the God within each person.
Intercession:
God within, may our Church be so filled with you that your light streams from us and everyone can see you when they look at us.
God within, soften the hearts of those who are filled with hatred. May they receive the gift of forgiveness so that they are able to forgive those who have injured them and grow full of love and gentleness.
God within, help us not to judge other people but to get to know them so well that we are able to spot you within them. Help us to respond to each other and build each other up.
God within, pour your love and your healing power into and over and round all those who are sick so that they may soon feel better. We name them before you....
Blessing:
May God the Holy Spirit
so fill your inner being
that the whole world can see
the light of Christ within you.
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.
When Jesus came, many people failed to recognise him. As we worship him today let us try to recognise him in each other.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 1:10-18
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. [11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- [13] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. [14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " [16] From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Story:
When Jesus started his ministry the world didn't recognize him. They were expecting someone quite different. Even his own people rejected him, so that he was unable to perform many miracles in his home town.
This is a story about those odd people who live in The Street. They too were rejected in the early days, because no-one could see past their oddity to the real and valuable people inside. But once that changed and the odd bunch were accepted, everybody's lives blossomed.
The Odd Bunch In The Street
Mr. Skillett, who was as tall as a bus and as thin as two pieces of paper stuck together, remembered the days when he had first moved into the village. It was his new home, yet people had treated him so oddly. They'd taken one look up at him, then scurried indoors, warning their children never to go near him. Mr. Skillett was hurt and upset and somehow ashamed.
He wasn't sure why he was ashamed, but for the first time he became aware of his great height and his stark thinness. He folded himself in two and sat slumped in armchair, not daring to go out and face the fear and horror of the village.
But one day, Mr. Skillett had met Mrs. Round, who was just like a little round ball. She was the same size round as she was tall, and she only came up to Mr. Skillett's knees. But she had been kind to him and although they had been wary of each other at first, they had soon learned to like each other and enjoy each others company. They had become firm friends.
The two of them had discovered other odd people living in The Street, people who had been too afraid to venture out of their houses until they saw Mr. Skillett and Mrs. Round walking happily together.
There was Dr Black, who was completely black had no white on him anywhere. He only went out at night so that nobody could see him since even his teeth and eyes were black. Then there was Hopalong, the schoolboy with a limp who always used crutches. His school friends used to laugh at him because he couldn't keep up with them, but Mr. Skillett would pick him up and carry him as though he was as light as a feather.
Hopalong had felt much happier with Mr. Skillett on his side. And when Mr. Skillett showed Timid Tilly the school teacher how to be confident and sure of herself, Hopalong's life improved even more, because Timid Tilly started to stand up to the other boys.
Now, after some tears of living in The Street, the five odd people were firm friends and often went about together. And now when people saw them they'd say, "There they go, the Odd Bunch!" But they said it in a nice way, because they'd all grown fond of Mr. Skillett and Mrs. Round, DR Black and Hopalong and Timid Tilly.
"But," confided Mr. Skillett to Mrs. Round, "it was awful for us in the beginning. I hated it here, and so did you. And poor Dr Black couldn't work properly because no-one trusted him, and poor Timid Tilly dreaded going to school every day because she couldn't keep order."
"Well," said Mrs. Round who was always sensible, "just think of it like this. Those people didn't know what they were missing. None of us odd bunch could help the village until they allowed us to help. And when they did, look how much better their life has been!"
"It doesn't matter what we're like on the outside," mused Mr. Skillett. "It's what people are like inside that matters. I love living here now, don't you, Mrs. Round?"
And Mrs. Round nodded so hard and smiled so much that she thought she might never stop.
Activity:
What's My Line?
You need:
Two sets of identical cards, each card with an occupation written on it, eg. policeman, postman, nurse etc. Choose some occupations which are more obscure, so that the game isn't too easy.
Divide the children into two teams. Ask the first person from each team to come up, and show them the first card. They go back to their team and mime the occupation but are not allowed to speak, except to say "yes" when the team guess right and "no" when the team guess wrong. As soon as the team guess right, the person who got the right answer comes up for the second card, and mimes that. And so on. The winners are the first team to guess all the cards correctly.
When the game is finished, ask the children how they knew the answers. Was it because of what the person looked like? (No, it was their actions.) Did they get it right first time, i.e. did they always interpret the actions correctly? (No, it took some practice, they had to watch carefully and concentrate, and they had to guess several times.)
Ask them how they know whether other people are "nice" . What they look like? Their actions? Point out that like the game, they may be wrong if they make judgments too soon. You have to really get to know someone if you want to find out what they're really like. You can't tell by skin colour or straight hair or crooked teeth. Remind the children that each of us has God within us (through God's Spirit) and that a good game is to try to spot the God within each person.
Intercession:
God within, may our Church be so filled with you that your light streams from us and everyone can see you when they look at us.
God within, soften the hearts of those who are filled with hatred. May they receive the gift of forgiveness so that they are able to forgive those who have injured them and grow full of love and gentleness.
God within, help us not to judge other people but to get to know them so well that we are able to spot you within them. Help us to respond to each other and build each other up.
God within, pour your love and your healing power into and over and round all those who are sick so that they may soon feel better. We name them before you....
Blessing:
May God the Holy Spirit
so fill your inner being
that the whole world can see
the light of Christ within you.
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.
