October 9, 2021 - Recorded Story of The Ark and a Tent for God

Story of the Ark and a Tent for God

See this and other Children & Worship & Wonder here

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children??

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 8, 2021 - The Story of The Ark and a Tent for God

Story of the Ark and a Tent for God

Go here for more guidance on engaging in this year's Light a Candle with Children.

Story Preparation: Find a place in your home to worship with the story.

Sing: “Be Still and Know that I Am God”

Be Still and Know I am God, Be Still and Know I am God, Be Still and Know I am God.

Center Your Mind and Body

Share the Story: The Ark and a Tent for God Young Children and Worship by Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman

Exodus 25:1-40:38

The desert is a strange and wild place. At night it is very cold, but in the day, it is burning hot. There is almost no water at all…The desert is always changing. The wind comes. It shapes and mold the desert so it is never the same.

God led the people through the water to freedom and gave them the Ten Best Ways to Live. Now the people of God were on the way to the Promised Land, the land God promised to give them. The people of God loved the Ten Best Ways to Live so much that they wanted to carry them with them. But they needed a way to come close to something so precious. So, God told them how.

First, they made a special box, an Ark, to carry the Ten Best Ways to Live.

It was covered with gold, and on the top were two golden angels. And inside they put the Ten Best Ways to Live.

But now they needed a way to get ready to come close to the Ark.

So, they made an altar where they could burn incense which made a wonderful smell and smoke. Now the priest could go through the sweet-smelling incense and smoke to the Ark and be close to God. But this still wasn’t enough to come close to something so precious.

So, they made a special table called the Table of Shewbread. It was covered with gold, and every Sabbath day they put twelve loaves of unleavened bread on it. On the other side they put the gold candlestick with seven burning lights called the Menorah. Now the priest could walk between the Table of Shewbread and the Menorah through the sweeting-smelling incense and smoke to the Ark and be close to God. But this still wasn’t enough to get ready.

So, they made a tent, called a Tabernacle, the tent for God, was a special veil that divided the inside room from the outside room. They called the inside room the Holy of Holies. And that is where they kept the Ark. And now the priest could walk into the tent, between the Table of Shewbread and the Menorah, through the sweet-smelling incense and smoke, through the curtain, in the Holy of Holies to the Ark, and be close to God.

Outside of the tent for God, the people made sacrifices, at the great Altar of Burnt Offering.

Here they gave the very best of their animals to God. A great bowl of water, called the Laver was placed in front of the tent so the priests could wash their hands and feet before they went inside the tent, between the Table of Shewbread and the Menorah, through the sweet-smelling incense and smoke, through the curtain, into the Holy of Holies to the Ark, and be close to God.

They covered the tent for God with beautiful cloths.

And finally on the outside they put one that was rough and wooly, so when people passed by in the desert, they would just pass on by. This was still not enough.

They couldn’t just leave all this sitting out in the desert, so they put a linen fence around it.

Now they had a special place…and a special way to come near to God. It was a tent for God.

So whenever the people of God moved in the desert, they could take down the fence and the tent and everything in it and carry it with them. The Ark with the Ten Best Ways to Live led the way.

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children?

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Exodus 40:1-9

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 7, 2021 - Reflection of The Ten Best Ways to Live - Pat Barton

Reflection of the Ten Best Ways to Live

Love God, Love People, God Loves You

Where will we go? In this story, the people of God, after going through the waters to freedom - didn't know which way to go. God, once again, said I will show you the way.

As we navigate in our time, feeling like we are wandering in the desert, and change that we could not have imagined, children have little memory of the time before the hurt and stress of the last year and a half. God will show us the way

God gave them the 10 Best Ways to Live, four best ways for loving God and six best ways for Loving people. We add God loves you as a reminder of why God gave us the 10 best ways to live. One fourth grader wondered, "Maybe there should be Love Yourself?" Maybe there should be.

Prayer: Loving God

I wonder how living loving God, loving people and loving ourselves helps us heal the hurt - and how it can help us help others, especially the children.

Today, love God, love People, love yourself and remember God loves you. God will show us the way.

Pat Barton, CW&W Trainer
Mesa. Arizona

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children??

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 6, 2021 - Recorded Story of the Ten Best Ways to Live

 Story of  the Ten Best Ways to Live

See this and other Children & Worship & Wonder here

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children??

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 5, 2021 - Story of The Ten Best Ways to Live

Story of The Ten Best Ways to Live

Go here for more guidance on engaging in this year's Light a Candle with Children.

Story Preparation: Find a place in your home to worship with the story.

Sing: “Be Still and Know that I Am God”

Be Still and Know I am God, Be Still and Know I am God, Be Still and Know I am God.

Center Your Mind and Body

Share the Story: The Ten Best Ways to Live Young Children and Worship by Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman

Exodus 19-20; Deuteronomy 6:4-6

The desert is a strange and wild place. At night it is very cold, but in the day, it is burning hot. There is almost no water at all.. The desert is always changing. The wind comes. And as it blows it shapes and mold. The desert is never the same.

After God led the people of God through the water to freedom, they were free to go any way they wanted. But what was the best way to go? Well, God loved the people so much that God said to Moses:

“I will show you the way. I will lead you to the holy mountain, Mount Sinai.

Now when they came close to the holy mountain, they could see fire and smoke and they were afraid even to come close. But Moses went close.

Moses climbed the holy mountain and stayed there and talked with God. God told Moses the Ten Best Ways to Live.

When Moses came down from the holy mountain, he gave the Ten Best Ways to Live to the people.

There were four best ways for loving God.

There were six best ways for loving people.

The Ten Best Ways to Live are so important we call them “the Law (Torah).”

We can remember why God gave us the Law, the Ten Best Ways to Live. It says, “God loves you.”

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children?

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 4, 2021 - Reflection of Exodus - Julia Jordan-Gillett

Reflection of Exodus

Some children sit for a few minutes before responding to the wondering question as they think about being hungry or having to move to a place just for food. Other children become animated and find themselves in the story when they are called by name to move one of the People of God through the waters to freedom. Their eyes shine with excitement as they scan the people and find the right one to move. I remember one child, who had heard the story before said, “There, now I can dance! I am free!”

Exodus 15: 1-2

Prayer: Oh God, in these changing times, may we find ourselves in the stories. Realizing we are not alone in our struggles. Others have gone before us and found you are present in our times of danger and despair. And Holy One may we rejoice when we find you as well in our times of joy, when we to get to dance. Amen

Julia Jordan-Gillett
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children??

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.

October 3, 2021 - Recorded Story of Exodus

 Story of Exodus

See this and other Children & Worship & Wonder here


Wonder:

I wonder what is the most important part of this story?

I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder how this story helps us listen to children?

Response:

If you would like to make something that shows how this story feels to you. You may use any art materials that are available to you.

Read Scripture: Exodus 15:1-2

Share:  We would love you to share your responses on our Light a Candle With Children Facebook page at facebook.com/LightaCandleforChildren.