The Potato Race
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are only faithful in areas that can be seen by other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 16:1-13 (NRSV)
Story:
The steward took a great risk, for his master might have thrown him in jail for his dishonest actions. But the steward knew his master and relied on his love and forgiveness. Although the master lost out financially, he applauded the steward's astuteness in his dealings with people.
Today's story is about taking a risk, but seeing it through – i.e. being faithful in all things.
The Potato Race
Jennie was in her first School Sports Day and she was very excited. She was in Red House and she was very proud to be running in the Potato Race for her house. She had practised hard at home and had won her heat at school so she knew she had a good chance of winning the final.
Jennie looked at the four potatoes laid out on the ground in front of her. She knew she had to run fast to pick up each potato one at a time and place them in her bucket. Then with the bucket she had to to run like the wind for the finishing tape.
Just before the race began, Red House captain slipped over to Jennie. "Go for the furthest potato first while you're fresh," she urged Jennie. "Then you'll have more energy for the final run."
Although this was a different way of running the race, it sounded sensible to Jennie. She thought she might try it.
But then her mother called out, "Go for it, Jennie! Remember how we practised at home. Do it just like that."
Jennie hesitated. When she'd practised at home, she'd gone for the nearest potato first, leaving the furthest potato to last. That was the way everybody ran the Potato Race. Now she was unsure what to do. She knew that Yellow House and Blue House were tying for the lead, that Red House was just behind and that Green House was just behind them. That meant that the overall winner would be decided by the Potato Race. Jennie had to get it right.
Jennie didn't know what to do. If she lost the race she knew that she'd be in trouble with someone, whichever method she chose. Either the captain would blame her for going for the nearest potato first, or her mother would blame her for going for the furthest potato first.
Jennie prayed a quick prayer for help, took a deep breath and made up her mind. She knew she was taking a big risk but she decided to go for it. When the starting whistle was blown, Jennie hared all the way down the race track to the furthest potato, picked it up and hared all the way back to put it in her bucket. All the other children went for the nearest potato first and had picked up two potatoes each by the time Jennie had finished her first one. She felt really scared being so far behind everyone else, but she'd made her decision and was determined to see it through. She ran as fast as she could for the second potato. Then she forgot about everyone else as one by one she picked up the potatoes nearest to her, threw them in her bucket, picked up her bucket and sprinted for the tape. To her surprise, she could see that no-one else had yet reached their bucket.
Jennie won the race and Red House were awarded the cup. Afterwards Jennie's mother said, "That was a funny way to run the race. But it certainly paid off - you were brilliant." And she gave Jennie a big hug.
Jennie said a quick thank you to God for helping her out and decided it was worth taking risks because sometimes the rewards were terrific.
Activity:
You need:
Four potatoes for each child
A bucket for each child
Flipchart or whiteboard and pens
Run a potato race, letting each child decide for him/herself whether to go for the furthest potato first or the nearest potato first.
Ask what would have happened if Jennie had changed her mind when she saw that all the other children were running the race differently (she would have lost a lot of time and lost the race). Explain that it needs courage to be different, to take risks and to stick to your decisions. Ask what Jesus meant when he talked about people who were faithful in small things also being faithful in big things, and write the suggestions on a flipchart or whiteboard. Talk about "invisible" wrongs (like verbal bullying, lies, spreading gossip) and write them on the board. Ask whether they are as important or less important than "visible" wrongs (like stealing, physically hurting someone). Explain that we need to be completely honest and truthful in everything if we want to follow Jesus.
Prayers:
God of truth, may we in the church get to know ourselves so well that we dare to be honest and truthful in everything. May we refuse to accept anything less than the full and complete truth.
God of truth, help us to support Fair Trade throughout our world, so that those who subsist with no money and no hope may begin to look forward to a better standard of life.
God of truth, when we fail to keep your high standards because no-one is looking, forgive us and help us to start over again with renewed determination to be faithful in the little things as well as the big things.
God of truth, we pray for those who are sick or sad. May they know your comfort and help and may they continue to faithful to you despite their pain.
Blessing:
May God give you the courage and the strength
to be faithful to him in all things great and small.
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.
Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are only faithful in areas that can be seen by other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 16:1-13 (NRSV)
Story:
The steward took a great risk, for his master might have thrown him in jail for his dishonest actions. But the steward knew his master and relied on his love and forgiveness. Although the master lost out financially, he applauded the steward's astuteness in his dealings with people.
Today's story is about taking a risk, but seeing it through – i.e. being faithful in all things.
The Potato Race
Jennie was in her first School Sports Day and she was very excited. She was in Red House and she was very proud to be running in the Potato Race for her house. She had practised hard at home and had won her heat at school so she knew she had a good chance of winning the final.
Jennie looked at the four potatoes laid out on the ground in front of her. She knew she had to run fast to pick up each potato one at a time and place them in her bucket. Then with the bucket she had to to run like the wind for the finishing tape.
Just before the race began, Red House captain slipped over to Jennie. "Go for the furthest potato first while you're fresh," she urged Jennie. "Then you'll have more energy for the final run."
Although this was a different way of running the race, it sounded sensible to Jennie. She thought she might try it.
But then her mother called out, "Go for it, Jennie! Remember how we practised at home. Do it just like that."
Jennie hesitated. When she'd practised at home, she'd gone for the nearest potato first, leaving the furthest potato to last. That was the way everybody ran the Potato Race. Now she was unsure what to do. She knew that Yellow House and Blue House were tying for the lead, that Red House was just behind and that Green House was just behind them. That meant that the overall winner would be decided by the Potato Race. Jennie had to get it right.
Jennie didn't know what to do. If she lost the race she knew that she'd be in trouble with someone, whichever method she chose. Either the captain would blame her for going for the nearest potato first, or her mother would blame her for going for the furthest potato first.
Jennie prayed a quick prayer for help, took a deep breath and made up her mind. She knew she was taking a big risk but she decided to go for it. When the starting whistle was blown, Jennie hared all the way down the race track to the furthest potato, picked it up and hared all the way back to put it in her bucket. All the other children went for the nearest potato first and had picked up two potatoes each by the time Jennie had finished her first one. She felt really scared being so far behind everyone else, but she'd made her decision and was determined to see it through. She ran as fast as she could for the second potato. Then she forgot about everyone else as one by one she picked up the potatoes nearest to her, threw them in her bucket, picked up her bucket and sprinted for the tape. To her surprise, she could see that no-one else had yet reached their bucket.
Jennie won the race and Red House were awarded the cup. Afterwards Jennie's mother said, "That was a funny way to run the race. But it certainly paid off - you were brilliant." And she gave Jennie a big hug.
Jennie said a quick thank you to God for helping her out and decided it was worth taking risks because sometimes the rewards were terrific.
Activity:
You need:
Four potatoes for each child
A bucket for each child
Flipchart or whiteboard and pens
Run a potato race, letting each child decide for him/herself whether to go for the furthest potato first or the nearest potato first.
Ask what would have happened if Jennie had changed her mind when she saw that all the other children were running the race differently (she would have lost a lot of time and lost the race). Explain that it needs courage to be different, to take risks and to stick to your decisions. Ask what Jesus meant when he talked about people who were faithful in small things also being faithful in big things, and write the suggestions on a flipchart or whiteboard. Talk about "invisible" wrongs (like verbal bullying, lies, spreading gossip) and write them on the board. Ask whether they are as important or less important than "visible" wrongs (like stealing, physically hurting someone). Explain that we need to be completely honest and truthful in everything if we want to follow Jesus.
Prayers:
God of truth, may we in the church get to know ourselves so well that we dare to be honest and truthful in everything. May we refuse to accept anything less than the full and complete truth.
God of truth, help us to support Fair Trade throughout our world, so that those who subsist with no money and no hope may begin to look forward to a better standard of life.
God of truth, when we fail to keep your high standards because no-one is looking, forgive us and help us to start over again with renewed determination to be faithful in the little things as well as the big things.
God of truth, we pray for those who are sick or sad. May they know your comfort and help and may they continue to faithful to you despite their pain.
Blessing:
May God give you the courage and the strength
to be faithful to him in all things great and small.
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.
