When Anna Died
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to worship:
Jesus faced plenty of trouble in his life. He didn't flinch from trouble or try to avoid it, but asked God's help in handling it. In our worship today, let us explore how Jesus handled trouble.
Invitation to confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that we tell lies in order to avoid it.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that we don't do anything so that we can't get anything wrong.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that our courage fails us and we become cowards.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:1-9
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? [3] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. [4] Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? [5] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."
[6] Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. [7] So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' [8] He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. [9] If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.' "
Story:
In today's Bible story, Jesus explains that the troubles which happen to people are not God's punishment for sins. But he adds a story to show that God can use those times of trouble to help us to become better people.
This story explores that theme.
When Anna Died
Nathan felt dazed and confused all at the same time. He couldn't take in what his parents were saying. He knew that his little sister Anna was ill, but nobody had told him that she might die. And Nathan knew that people didn't die until they were old. So how could Anna have died?
Nathan's parents were telling him about Anna going to live with Jesus, but Nathan didn't want to hear it. He felt furiously angry with Jesus. Why should Jesus have Anna living with him? Jesus had enough people. Nathan only had Anna and now Jesus had taken her away. Nathan hated Jesus for doing that.
A week or two later when Nathan really began to realise that Anna was never coming back, he became aware of a dull, throbbing ache, like he had a big hole inside. It hurt so much that Nathan thought he must be ill, but his parents told him it was grief, because he was so sad that Anna had died. That didn't help very much, so Nathan began to do all sorts of naughty things, just to make the pain go away. He found that when he was really naughty it was exciting and scary and he didn't have time to think about the pain inside him.
But Nathan was so disruptive in class that people began to get angry with him. Maisie, who was in his class but who actually enjoyed studying, said to him one playtime, "My Mum said no wonder your little sister died. She probably couldn't put up with you any longer!"
Nathan was so upset that he hit Maisie on the nose and knocked her down. Her nose began to bleed and she started to cry and Nathan got into awful trouble. Then her parents came to the school and complained about Nathan, saying that he ought to be taken away from the school. Nathan felt ashamed, but somehow or other he just couldn't help being naughty.
One day, when Nathan was feeling fed up and angry all at the same time, he called his teacher "a silly old fool". All the class giggled and gazed at him admiringly and Nathan preened and felt proud of himself. But the teacher was furious and sent him out of the class to the Head. Nathan went, but he kicked his teacher on the ankle as he passed and thought, 'Good!' when he heard her gasp of pain.
Nathan expected more terrible trouble from the Head teacher, but to his surprise the Head sat him down quietly and gave him a biscuit and a glass of milk. He was so kind and gentle that Nathan felt tears spring to his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "It's just that I'm an awful person. I'm so awful that my sister died. She just couldn't stand me any more."
The Head teacher frowned. "Who told you that?" he asked quietly.
"That's what Maisie said," replied Nathan. "And children don't die, only old people die. So I know it must have been my fault."
But the Headteacher shook his head. "No, Nathan. Anna had been very ill for a long time. She died because her body became too weak to live. That was very sad, but it was nothing to do with you."
"I was nasty to her," admitted Nathan in a low voice. "She was always ill and everybody fussed over her all the time and no-one had any time for me, so sometimes I teased her and hid things so that she couldn't find them. I thought that perhaps that was why she died?"
"No," said the Head teacher firmly. "Perhaps you were nasty to her sometimes, but God understands why you were nasty and forgave you long ago. God loves you very much and so do your parents. Do you think you might be ready now to begin to settle down and become the lovely person you really are inside?"
Nathan gazed at him in astonishment and whispered, "You mean - I'm not the worst person in the world?"
"I think you're one of the finest people in the world," declared the Head teacher, "and I'm really looking forward to seeing that person. Will you let him emerge?"
And Nathan nodded. That night, he quietly told Anna in his mind how sorry he was, and the next day he started a new life.
Activity:
You need if possible (but not essential):
A video camera
Television
Today's activity explores the response to trouble through the children's own drama. The children should work together as a group, but will probably need some adult help. Set them the task of devising a short drama in which somebody gets into trouble of some sort. Then they should work out as many ways as they can of the character getting out of trouble and act out each one.
Video the finished dramas, then show them on the television. Talk about the possible responses to trouble and ask the children which response they think is the most effective (it may be telling a lie!) and which response is the most Christian response. If there is a difference between the most effective response and the most Christian response, ask why the Christian response is the most effective in the long run.
Remind them of Jesus' story about the useless fig tree. As a last resort, the gardener put manure around the roots to try to get the tree to produce fruit. “Manure” in human lives can be interpreted as trouble. It is often through trouble that character is really built in human beings.
Prayers:
Compassionate God, may we in your church always care for those whom nobody much likes. May we offer them true friendship without judging them because of their lifestyle.
Compassionate God, we pray for those who hurt other people because they are so angry or so sad. Soften their hearts so that they may learn to forgive and to love.
Compassionate God, help those people who behave badly because they hurt so much inside. Heal their wounds and enable them to realise your great love for them.
Compassionate God, pour your healing power into those who are sick. Be with the dying and comfort the families and friends of those who have died. We ask your especial care for any children who are coping with death in their family.
Blessing:
May God's love fill you to overflowing,
may God's forgiveness pour
into every part of your being, and
may God himself hold you in his arms.
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 faced plenty of trouble in his life. He didn't flinch from trouble or try to avoid it, but asked God's help in handling it. In our worship today, let us explore how Jesus handled trouble.
Invitation to confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that we tell lies in order to avoid it.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that we don't do anything so that we can't get anything wrong.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so afraid of trouble that our courage fails us and we become cowards.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:1-9
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? [3] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. [4] Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? [5] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."
[6] Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. [7] So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' [8] He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. [9] If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.' "
Story:
In today's Bible story, Jesus explains that the troubles which happen to people are not God's punishment for sins. But he adds a story to show that God can use those times of trouble to help us to become better people.
This story explores that theme.
When Anna Died
Nathan felt dazed and confused all at the same time. He couldn't take in what his parents were saying. He knew that his little sister Anna was ill, but nobody had told him that she might die. And Nathan knew that people didn't die until they were old. So how could Anna have died?
Nathan's parents were telling him about Anna going to live with Jesus, but Nathan didn't want to hear it. He felt furiously angry with Jesus. Why should Jesus have Anna living with him? Jesus had enough people. Nathan only had Anna and now Jesus had taken her away. Nathan hated Jesus for doing that.
A week or two later when Nathan really began to realise that Anna was never coming back, he became aware of a dull, throbbing ache, like he had a big hole inside. It hurt so much that Nathan thought he must be ill, but his parents told him it was grief, because he was so sad that Anna had died. That didn't help very much, so Nathan began to do all sorts of naughty things, just to make the pain go away. He found that when he was really naughty it was exciting and scary and he didn't have time to think about the pain inside him.
But Nathan was so disruptive in class that people began to get angry with him. Maisie, who was in his class but who actually enjoyed studying, said to him one playtime, "My Mum said no wonder your little sister died. She probably couldn't put up with you any longer!"
Nathan was so upset that he hit Maisie on the nose and knocked her down. Her nose began to bleed and she started to cry and Nathan got into awful trouble. Then her parents came to the school and complained about Nathan, saying that he ought to be taken away from the school. Nathan felt ashamed, but somehow or other he just couldn't help being naughty.
One day, when Nathan was feeling fed up and angry all at the same time, he called his teacher "a silly old fool". All the class giggled and gazed at him admiringly and Nathan preened and felt proud of himself. But the teacher was furious and sent him out of the class to the Head. Nathan went, but he kicked his teacher on the ankle as he passed and thought, 'Good!' when he heard her gasp of pain.
Nathan expected more terrible trouble from the Head teacher, but to his surprise the Head sat him down quietly and gave him a biscuit and a glass of milk. He was so kind and gentle that Nathan felt tears spring to his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "It's just that I'm an awful person. I'm so awful that my sister died. She just couldn't stand me any more."
The Head teacher frowned. "Who told you that?" he asked quietly.
"That's what Maisie said," replied Nathan. "And children don't die, only old people die. So I know it must have been my fault."
But the Headteacher shook his head. "No, Nathan. Anna had been very ill for a long time. She died because her body became too weak to live. That was very sad, but it was nothing to do with you."
"I was nasty to her," admitted Nathan in a low voice. "She was always ill and everybody fussed over her all the time and no-one had any time for me, so sometimes I teased her and hid things so that she couldn't find them. I thought that perhaps that was why she died?"
"No," said the Head teacher firmly. "Perhaps you were nasty to her sometimes, but God understands why you were nasty and forgave you long ago. God loves you very much and so do your parents. Do you think you might be ready now to begin to settle down and become the lovely person you really are inside?"
Nathan gazed at him in astonishment and whispered, "You mean - I'm not the worst person in the world?"
"I think you're one of the finest people in the world," declared the Head teacher, "and I'm really looking forward to seeing that person. Will you let him emerge?"
And Nathan nodded. That night, he quietly told Anna in his mind how sorry he was, and the next day he started a new life.
Activity:
You need if possible (but not essential):
A video camera
Television
Today's activity explores the response to trouble through the children's own drama. The children should work together as a group, but will probably need some adult help. Set them the task of devising a short drama in which somebody gets into trouble of some sort. Then they should work out as many ways as they can of the character getting out of trouble and act out each one.
Video the finished dramas, then show them on the television. Talk about the possible responses to trouble and ask the children which response they think is the most effective (it may be telling a lie!) and which response is the most Christian response. If there is a difference between the most effective response and the most Christian response, ask why the Christian response is the most effective in the long run.
Remind them of Jesus' story about the useless fig tree. As a last resort, the gardener put manure around the roots to try to get the tree to produce fruit. “Manure” in human lives can be interpreted as trouble. It is often through trouble that character is really built in human beings.
Prayers:
Compassionate God, may we in your church always care for those whom nobody much likes. May we offer them true friendship without judging them because of their lifestyle.
Compassionate God, we pray for those who hurt other people because they are so angry or so sad. Soften their hearts so that they may learn to forgive and to love.
Compassionate God, help those people who behave badly because they hurt so much inside. Heal their wounds and enable them to realise your great love for them.
Compassionate God, pour your healing power into those who are sick. Be with the dying and comfort the families and friends of those who have died. We ask your especial care for any children who are coping with death in their family.
Blessing:
May God's love fill you to overflowing,
may God's forgiveness pour
into every part of your being, and
may God himself hold you in his arms.
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.
