planning - diowillochra.org.au · genesis 25:19–34 additional scriptures psalm 119:105–112...

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Ecumenical Prayer Calendar

Things to keep in mind this week…

Planning ahead…

Planning

If you have Internet access, visit www.seasonsonline.ca to access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage.

Liturgical colour: green

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Revised Common Lectionary (Year A)

8787Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2017

Seasons of the Spirit is based on semi-

continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

Sunday, July 16 – Saturday, July 22 • 2017

S M T W T F S

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 2225 26 27 28 29

July 2017

June 2017S M T W T F S

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30

August 2017S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

23/30 24/31

6th Sunday after Pentecost15th Sunday in Ordinary TimeProper 10 (15)

St. Mary Magdalene

Genesis 25:19–34 Psalm 119:105–112Romans 8:1–11Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama

88 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

Biblical Background • July 16, 2017Pentecost 1 2017

Divided

Focus scriptureGenesis 25:19–34

Additional scripturesPsalm 119:105–112Romans 8:1–11Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

Gracious God, you never turn away from us. In all that we are and all that we do, even the things that are our failures and our flaws, we are your beloved. Knowing that we are your beloved is our guide. Amen.

We might recall words of Jesus when he claims that “a house divided will not stand” (Mark 3:25 and Matthew 12:25), yet from such a house God cre-

ates the people of Israel. The house doesn’t stand, not really. Generations of animosity will exist between the descendants of Jacob and Esau but God’s love stands steadfast. We are reminded that nothing, not even family jealousy and resent-ment and selfishness can separate us from the love of God.

Focus scripture: Genesis 25:19–34 We continue the saga of Abraham’s line and the stories of flawed personalities that populate it. For God’s promise to Abraham to come true, Rebekah has to have a child. She, like Sarah, has been barren but at this point in the narra-tive God hears Isaac’s prayer and Rebekah conceives – with twins. The twins are antagonists from the time of their con-ception. When Rebekah prays that the unrest in her womb might cease, God answers that these children will always be “divided” and that “the elder shall serve the younger.”

For the Hebrews in exile, this story of the reversal of societal norms reassured them that God is with the underling not the powerful. Yet Jacob could hardly be considered an underling. When it comes down to it, he takes full advantage of Esau’s weakness in order to gain Esau’s birthright. This is just the beginning of a series of incidents in which Jacob manipulates circumstances and people for personal gain.

This is another very human story. The people and

incidences are so messy and so real – the favouritism of parents for one child over another, the uneasy relationship between siblings, poor decision-making and lack of insight/long-sight, opportunism for self-gain. In all this, there is God – always present. The word of God is what guides the life of the writer of Psalm 119:105–112.

The path walked has not been easy (an echo of what we have learned of the path of the disciples in previous weeks), but the psalmist vows to continue to observe God’s “law” and to recognize a dependence on the continuing blessings of God.

In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23, Jesus once again illustrates the over-generosity, wastefulness really, of the love of God for us. The sower walks up and down the field not careful with the valuable seed. Rather it is scattered in good, passable, and adverse conditions alike.

In Romans 8:1–11, Paul also teaches about God’s generosity. God forgives us and frees us from our past mistakes. We are called to a new way of living – one focused on God’s ways, not on the ways of the material world.

• • • • •How do we, the people who hold dear the idea of oneness, live in a divided world? Perhaps the mindset we would do well to adopt is that of the sower, that God’s generosity and kindness is constant and available to all, fully aware that God is eternally of the mind that normal, imperfect people will change the world.

Seasons of the Spirit™ is based on the semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.


Reflection and Focus • July 16, 2017

Adapt and use for youth and adult studies, sermon seeds, lay worship teams.

Reflecting on the WordPentecost 1 2017

Connecting with lifeScientists are warning that we are overtaxing Earth’s ability to sustain our lives and lifestyles. Humanity’s short-sight-edness could be catastrophic.

■■ In what ways do you live a sustainable life?■■ What behaviours and practices might change when

thinking long-term?

ScriptureGenesis 25:19–34 Esau is seen as foolish because he gives up his birthright in an instant for short-sighted gain. Yet, are we any wiser?

■■ What struggle or tension exists in the family? What happens because of these dynamics? (Scan the story up to Genesis 28:5.)

The Edomites, descended from Esau, and the Israelites, des-cended from Jacob, lived in the same region but remained “divided.” The same kind of “division” exists between of the descendants of Isaac (Jews) and Ishmael (Arabs) thou-sands of years after Isaac and Ishmael lived. Family and tribal conflicts and troubles can carry into generations long after the time of their origin. Many of the conflicts and war we see today are intergenerational and there remain long-time hurts associated with colonialization and the removal of land from indigenous peoples.

■■ What conflicts within your community are like this? ■■ Is there a part your congregation can play in being part

of resolution?■■ What conflicts are so entrenched that there seems no

solution to them? How might one approach them?■■ On a personal level, are there hurts and conflicts within

your community that need healing and resolution before they get out of hand?

Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23 invites us to be aware of God’s abun-dance in unlikely places.

■■ How do you understand God’s economy of abundance at work, even in the rocky and thorny times and places of the world?

Theologian Tom Long writes: “The church is called to ‘waste itself,’ to throw grace around like there is no tomorrow, pre-cisely because there is a tomorrow, and it belongs to God” (Matthew, Westminster John Knox Press, p. 151).

■■ How do you respond to this statement?

Romans 8:1–11■■ What images of abundance and scarcity does Paul use?■■ Where are the rocks and the thorns in this passage?■■ Where are the seeds being sown?

The parable of the sower is a metaphor for God’s overabun-dant generosity, for the sower doesn’t just distribute the seed abundantly into the good soil; but surprisingly, irrationally, scandalously, even precious seed is spread abundantly into unfavourable/bad soil.

Jacob appears rather unpleasant yet he takes a major part in our salvation history and is a patriarch of our faith. Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann writes that Jacob was a person who scandalized the world. Jesus was not the kind of person the Jews were looking for as Messiah; he, too, scandalized the religious and public leaders of his time. It seems God is happy to surprise us, scandalize us, with those whom God uses to bring about salvation.

■■ With whom might God be surprising us today? Could it be you?

Connecting scripture and lifeThe story about rival twins can be a jarring one, especially in families, communities, or even nations that are divided through difference or inequality. With help from the other readings that depict ways we can follow God and live a just life, consider:

■■ How might we examine the things that divide us?■■ To what is God calling us in putting division aside,

travelling together, “throwing grace around as if there is no tomorrow”?

Focus for Worship, Learning, and ServingGod tells Rebekah that her twins “shall be divided,” yet God worked in the divided lives of these people. The church is often divided on issues, yet called to unity. This can be a burden and the cause of much heartache. In wor-ship today, we try to negotiate the idea that God will work

for good through all things, no matter what, and will not be limited by our prejudices and ideas of who is or isn’t suitable as a vehicle for good. You are invited to investigate the idea that God loves us as we are, yet longs for us to be more our true selves.


Music Suggestions

A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at www.seasonsonline.ca. Click on Library; Seasons Music Information. Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate.

Worship Outline • July 16, 2017

NOTE: All of these suggestions are mere starting points; adapt, delete, and add according to your local needs.

Prepare

Gather

Divided

❑❑ Recruit volunteers needed for worship.❑❑ Choose an option for hearing Genesis 25:19–34. For the

Bible story, arrange for a storyteller to present the story “Jacob and Esau” on p. 94. For the dramatic reading, arrange for a woman to play the role of Rebekah.

❑❑ Bring items for setting the worship space.❑❑ Bring paper and pens for prayers of the people.❑❑ You might choose to print the art image Most Unlikely

Place II on your bulletin covers (in the Images to Project and Print folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFUSION). You might also include one of the art engagement ideas described in “Con-necting with the Art” (p. 4).

❑❑ Bring song such as “Come One, Come All” (p. 24. Recording of the song is available for purchase and download at https://malcolmgordon.bandcamp.com/track/come-one-come-all).

❑❑ Set stations as described on pp. 95–96.

Come One, Come All Malcolm Gordon, p. 24

All Are WelcomeMarty Haugen; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

As Long as We Follow/Na Nzela Na LolaJoseph Kabemba; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

Still, I Search for My GodFrancisco Feliciano; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

I Am a Child of GodBruce and Cheryl Harding; Seasons Songbook, vol. 8

ShelterJared, Rebecca Haschek; Seasons Songbook, vol. 5

Kyrie EleisonTraditional Russian; Seasons Songbook, vol. 2

Walls Mark Our BoundariesRuth Duck, Jim Strathdee

Come as You AreDeidre Browne

In the Garden C. Austin Miles

Call to worshipHow shall we come to worship today?Shall we come in our Sunday best with our manners in tow?Shall we come all buttoned up and tight-lipped with the “truth”?Shall we come with our game-face on, primed to put on a great show?Shall we come prim and pressed with no hair out of place?We come as we are. We come searching for an authentic and genuine relationship with God.Come worship God. Amen.

Opening prayerHoly One,as we gather for worship this day,

may we come united in your love.May we seek wholeness in your Spirit.May we find peace in your presence.May we absorb the kindness found in our neighbours.May we come ready.Amen.

Prayer of confessionOne: We come with our confession: When we have been careless with our birthright – we

have failed Earth, and all of creation that dwells on her.

All: Lord, have mercy.One: When we have hidden our true intentions – have been

dishonest in word and deed, in order to achieve per-sonal gain.

All: Lord, have mercy.

http://www.seasonsonline.ca/11/seasons_music_license_chart/

https://malcolmgordon.bandcamp.com/track/come-one-come-all

https://malcolmgordon.bandcamp.com/track/come-one-come-all

https://www.songsthatunite.org.au/congregational-songs/category/181-malcolm-gordon.)



Engage

One: When we have behaved dishonourably – hurt our fam-ilies and betrayed the trust of those near and dear to us.

All: Christ, have mercy.One: We pray that your spirit might touch our hearts with a

longing for reconciliation and a yearning to put aside what separates us from you and our neighbour, and we sing:

Sing a Kyrie known to your community, or Kyrie Eleison Seasons Songbook, vol. 2.

Words of affirmationOne: God is saving all of us by divine mercy, no exceptions.

We are all saved in spite of ourselves – good and bad alike. God is with us, holding us in love as we repair what is broken and reform our lives.

All: We are grateful. Amen.

Opening the wordMatthew 13:1–9, 18–23 Those of us who have or have had gardens know that there are always some patches that are trouble spots, places that seem to get all the same care and attention as the rest of the garden, but somehow aren’t as productive, or struggle. Ask the people to think about how they treat these spots – do they spend more time, effort and money on them, or do they leave them be. Avid gardeners, those who love their gardens to bits, tend to make the ef-fort to treat the trouble spots. Is God an avid gardener? You may like to use the traditional hymn “In the Garden” by C. Austin Miles here.

Moving into the focus scripture Jacob and Esau both do something at odds with their respon-sibilities, something wrong by the traditions and standards of the day. Share information from the article “Bad People Doing Good, Good People Doing Ill” on p. 93, which outlines activities of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Oskar Schindler during World War II. Invite the people to contemplate Bonhoeffer’s words “God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world.” What do our real selves look like? What does the real world look like? The quote from Ethics ends, “real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love.” Invite the people to ponder these questions:

■■ In what ways do we encounter God’s unfathomable love in our real world and to our real selves?

■■ In what ways does God use our “realness”?

Genesis 25:19–34 Choose from the following for hearing the focus story.Bible story Have a storyteller present the story “Jacob and Esau” on page 94.

Dramatic readingHave a “heavily pregnant” woman (or someone playing the role of a heavily pregnant woman) introduce the reading, WOmAn: Patting her stomach as if trying to soothe the turmoil that is happening inside.The kicking had gotten so bad all I could do was raise my voice and tell God to stop the incessant wrestling and writh-ing about in my womb. I’m not sure that I was actually expecting a response – I was venting, so when a response came I was unprepared and taken aback, and I didn’t really listen. When I finally did pay attention, I was upset. God says I am carrying two babies. Well, that’s an expla-nation for all that kicking. The two of them are competing for space; this I understand. God also says that they will continue this internal rivalry once they are born and it will continue all their lives, that they will forever be divided. How can this be? Does having to compete in the womb bring about a mindset that carries on through a life? Surely not! I remember how it was in my family, between my sisters and me, we had spats and quarrels, even days of not talking to each other, but it didn’t last. All families have disagree-ments and fights, naturally our family won’t be any different. Surely God knows that, so why would God insist that the conflict in our family will be extreme, so unmanageable? Ahh! There it goes again, see those feet banging against me. Shoosh, little ones stop fighting, enough for now, will you ever let me have any rest?As the woman leaves, have someone step forward to pick up the story, reading from Genesis 25:24–34.

After the focus scriptureInvite children, young people, and all who wish to move to the stations. Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word.


Bless


RespondAfter proclaiming the word, you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations, taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice.

Sing or listen to a song such as “Come One, Come All” as people gather together again (p. 24).

Prayers of the peopleProvide paper and pens to the people and invite them to consider this question:

■■ What do you hope and pray for yourself and your family?

After giving people time to think, invite them to write their prayers on the paper, then fold it and hold the papers in their hands. Ask:

■■ What scandals have been in the media lately? What have you been scandalized by recently?

■■ Think about the people involved in these situations. What impact do you think such an incidence has on the well-being of these people?

■■ They have families and friends that love and care for them and that they love and care for. What impact do you think such an incidence has on these people?

Invite them to open their prayer papers. Ask:■■ Could you give your prayers to another person as

if what you have written is not just what you want yourself but is what you desire from for another person also?

■■ Could you offer these prayers to all those in the scandalous situations that you have thought about?

Hold a period of silence and invite the people to pray for themselves, their families, and also those involved in scandal.

Invite the people to respond in any of the following ways:■■ Is there someone specific to whom you would like

to give this prayer? It need not be someone in the congregation. If so, you are invited to send/give it to them.

■■ Would you be willing to give this randomly, to anyone who visits the church during the next week? If so, you are invited to place your prayer in the offering plate or in a bowl or box specifically for this.

■■ Do you need to keep this for yourself? If so, you are invited to do so.

Prayer of dedicationWe are grateful that you love us as ourselves and despite our imperfections. We will endeavour to live authentically and in unity, not through our dividedness. We dedicate ourselves to being real expressions of your love and grace in our real world. Amen.

Go from here, reconciled to God, encouraged to be a voice for justice in the world, and equipped and ready to continue living your life within God’s grace and loving kindness.

Special Day Commentary

July 22 – St. Mary MagdaleneWhile the lists of which women first went to the tomb on Easter morning varies, in John’s gospel Mary Magdalene is commissioned as the first apostle of the risen Christ, and is sent to tell the other disciples about the Resurrection. While the gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus healed her from some kind of affliction it is important to note that there is abso-lutely no evidence that she was a prostitute, as she has too often been portrayed by the church.


Poetry and Prose • July 16, 2017

Bad people doing good, good people doing illNeryl McCallum

It’s funny how we tend toward thinking that it is good people who do good things, and bad people who do bad things, even though it isn’t the reality in which we live. Bad people do good things and vice versa.

Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist, spy, and mem-ber of the Nazi Party who saved the lives of around 1,200 Jewish people in World War II. He was an opportunist and used the circumstances of the war and his influential con-tacts to accumulate a fortune. He joined the Nazi party early, in 1936, and before the beginning of WWII he was engaged in espionage for the Abwehr (German military intelligence) in the Czech Republic.

After the invasion of Poland in 1939 he arrived in Krakow and through his alliances managed to appropriate owner-ship of an enamelware factory from its Jewish owners, Abra-ham Bankier and Samuel Wiener. They provided him with necessary capital to take over the factory and became de-pendent on him for their very existence, he saw it as a good way of making a great deal of money.

Initially the factory produced metal cookware and dinner-ware for the German army, but Schindler expanded produc-tion to include cartridge cases and fuses for bombs and artil-lery shells. He replaced Polish staff with cheap labor from the Jewish ghetto that was not far from the factory. When the ghetto was razed in 1943 and its inhabitants moved to the Plaszow concentration camp, Schindler build a “subcamp” at his factory complete with barbed-wire fences and watch-towers and his workers remained there.

During the war he kept the factory open and operational and at its peak production in 1944 over 1,000 Jews worked there. Throughout this time Schindler protected his workers from deportation and death in concentration camps. He did this by giving bribes and gifts of luxury black-market goods to Nazi officials.

In 1944 and the realization Germany was losing the war, the SS began closing down concentration camps in the east and removing any remaining prisoners to Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen where most died. Schindler convinced the commandant of the Plaszow camp to allow him to move his factory to Gross-Rosen; in doing so he saved his workers from death. He continued to bribe SS officers and prevent the deaths of his workers until the end of WWII. He spent his fortune on bribes and black-market purchases of supplies for his workers.

Was he a good man?

At the same time as Schindler was saving his Jewish work-ers, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian was also working for the Abwehr. He shared the intelligence he accumulated for the Nazis with the resistance movement and it was used to advantage by the allies and to help Jews escape Germany. When he became aware of the enormity of the atrocities that were being done by he became involved in a plot to assassinate Adolph Hilter, the democratically elected leader of Germany. He accepted that in doing so he was guilty of a criminal offence.

Was he a bad man?

Bonhoeffer saw himself as a flawed human being and looked to the grace of God for forgiveness and salvation. In his work Ethics, which was written for his former students during his time as a double agent, he states:

“God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, namely, real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love.” (Ethics)


Bible Story • July 16, 2017

A recording of this story is available in MP3 format in the Audio Stories folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFusion.

Jacob and EsauBased on Genesis 25:19–24

More than anything, Isaac wanted to have a child. Isaac loved his own dad, Abraham, very much, and Isaac knew that Abraham had a special re-

lationship with God. So, when Isaac married Rebekah, he also wanted to become a loving dad for his own children. Every day, Isaac and Rebekah hoped that they would have children of their own. But, year after year passed, and still there were no children.

One day, Isaac said to Rebekah, “Let’s pray to God about our hopes.” Rebekah said, “We do not know what will happen when we pray to God.” Isaac replied, “Let us pray anyway, and trust that God will decide what God thinks is best.”

Isaac and Rebekah prayed together. They waited on God. Then, one day they got a message. They were going to be parents. They were going to have children of their own. And, they were not going to have just one baby – they were going to have twins! Isaac and Rebekah were so excited. They jumped up and down, and they danced. “God has answered our prayers,” they shouted. They were so happy.

But soon, there was trouble. Even before the children were born they were fighting. Rebekah asked God what was happening. “Why are my children struggling with each other?” God answered, “Your children will become two different nations. Your children will be very different from each other. The older one will serve the younger one.” Rebekah thought that was strange. Didn’t the younger one normally serve the older one?

Soon it was time for the babies to be born. The first twin came into the world. His parents looked at their baby. “He is so hairy!” exclaimed Isaac. “And, his skin is so red!” exclaimed Rebekah. They named him Esau, which means “red” in Hebrew.

Then, the second twin came into the world. The parents looked at their baby. The baby was doing something strange, so they looked closely. “He is holding the heel of his brother!” they said together. They named him Jacob.

Years passed, and Jacob and Esau grew up together. The two brothers were very different. Esau was rough, hairy, and liked to hunt. Jacob was shy, stayed close to home, and liked to cook. One day, Jacob at home was cooking a delicious lentil stew. Esau was out hunting, and could smell the food from very far away. He decided to come back home and eat something – maybe his brother would share with him. So, Esau went to see his Jacob. “Your food smells so good. May I have some, please? I’m so hungry!”

Jacob did not give his brother food. Instead, he looked at him directly and said: “Sell me your birthright first.”

Esau was shocked. “What?! But the inheritance is given to me because I was born first. I’m the elder one. The inheritance is my blessing. Dad promised me land and money because of this inheritance. I can’t sell it to you!”

Then, Esau looked at Jacob, and said, “Brother, I’m begging you, could I please just have some stew?”

Jacob shrugged his shoulders. “Well, if you want some stew now, you have to sell me your inheritance.”

Esau was so hungry. He didn’t know what to do. Should he give up the money and land, or not? Finally he said to his brother, “I don’t really care about the inheritance. It’s not that important. I promise that I’ll sell it to you.”

Jacob asked Esau, “Do you really promise?” “Yes, I promise,” replied Esau. They shook hands.

So, Esau sold his inheritance to Jacob. Then, Esau sat down with his brother and ate lentil stew and bread.

Bible storyThe practice of storytellingMaterials recording of today’s story

“Jacob and Esau,” player, paper or drawing pads, crayons, pencils, a copy of the directions displayed where all can see; alternatively, arrange for a storyteller to present the story

Directions1. Listen to the story “Jacob and Esau.” 2. Use the drawing pads and pencils to record your response.


Stations • July 16, 2017

Suitable for all ages

Suitable for all ages working together

Living, Learning, Growing as DisciplesThe following stations might be set up around your worship space or in other places around the church. Choose one or more practices, depending on your space and numbers. Display the directions.

For your convenience, instructions are formatted for printing and available in the Stations folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFUSION.

The article “Connecting with the Art” on page 4 provides some background to the two posters for Pentecost 1 and some art engagement ideas for individuals and groups. You might choose to add an

Art Engagement station each week and choose one of the art engagement ideas.

The living library The practice of building community through telling and collecting stories

Materials as listed on the resource sheet “The Living Library: Living Books and Family Tree” on pp. 9–11 This practice is to engage people within your community with the idea that they

are part of the church’s salvation history. It is also a chance for people to share their stories, to include their encounters with God and others into the collective narra-tive of God’s beloved creation. This is a set station for each week during Pentecost 1. However, as you will not want to use it every week, it can also stand alone. Each week has a different theme. Today’s theme is divided lives.Alternatively, it can be included as part of worship, with a speaking spot included in worship each week, and/or the family tree being “built.”

See the resource sheet, “The Living Library: Living Books and Family Tree” on pp. 9–11 for directions, weekly themes, materials, and suggestions for guest speakers.

Tangrams The practice of rebuilding lives and relationshipsMaterials sheets of square card, ruler,

pencils, scissors, computer or tablet with Internet access, copy of the dir-ections displayed for all to see

Directions God can help us remake lives and relationships that are fractured. They can be put back together but may not be exactly the same, or they may become something new.1. Make a tangram set by ruling grid of 4 x 4 squares on a square of card as shown

as broken lines on in illustration #1. 2. Then use a ruler to draw the solid lines, forming the seven lines of a tangram set

(illustration #2). You will have five triangles, a square and a rhomboid.3. With this tangram set you can arrange and rearrange these seven geometric pieces

into interesting patterns and use the pieces to create other shapes and images.Note: there are many templates for tangrams available online, along with ideas for the shapes and images that can be made from the pieces.

#1 #2


Stations • July 16, 2017

Suitable for ages 6–adult

Love booklet The practice of showing love and appreciationMaterials sheets of copy paper, cop-

ies of the resource sheet “Love Book-let” (in the Extra Resources folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFUSION), scissors, markers, pens, and pencils, copy of the directions displayed where all can see.

DirectionsAlthough Jacob loved Esau, it seems that Jacob was more interested in what he could get from Esau than in how he could show his love for Esau. The people we love on a deep level are people that we love for more than what they do for us, or what they possess; we love them for who they are. Whom do you love on a deep level? Create this booklet for them as a way of sharing your appreciation.1. Follow the instructions on the resource sheet to create a booklet.2. Number each page and follow the suggestions for each page:

page 1: All the Ways I Love You…(insert name)page 2: I love your personality. You are so…(add two ideas)page 3: I love your many talents. You are good at…(add two ideas)page 4: I love your thoughtfulness. You are always remembering… (add two ideas)page 5: I thank God for you! I am so grateful for…(add two ideas)page 6: Thank you, God, for (insert name) and for the love we share. Amen.

Sowing seeds The practice of sustainabilityMaterials Bibles, pre-soaked lima

beans, damp paper towels, resealable bags, soil, paper cups, copy of the dir-ections displayed where all can see

DirectionsBasic things that a seed needs to grow include water light, soil, and air. In this week’s gospel reading – Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23 – Jesus mentions four different soils on which seed is scattered: a road/path, rocky ground, amongst thorns, and fertile soil.1. Together talk about these things:

■■ How might we, our relationships, and our faith be similar to seeds?■■ What are the basic things needed for faith to grow?

2. Seeds scattered on the path: peel open a lima bean. Examine the inside. Do you see the plant waiting to grow?

3. Seeds scattered on rocky ground: put some lima beans and damp paper towel in a resalable bag and seal it. What do you think will happen? The roots will grow, but they will be shallow and weak.

4. Seeds scattered amongst the thorns: together, imagine what it would be like for the lima bean as it struggles through the weeds and thorns.

5. Seeds sown on good soil: plant some lima beans in plastic cups or soft drink bottles. What do you think will happen? The more the roots can grow, the bigger (more fruitful) the plant will be!

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sto

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ti

me

crea

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41

Esa

u a

nd

Jac

ob

Base

d on

Gen

esis

25:

19–3

4

Isaa

c an

d R

ebek

ah h

ad t

wo

little

ba

bies

. Fi

rst

Esau

was

bor

n. T

hen

Jaco

b w

as b

orn.

The

two

boys

wer

e tw

ins,

but

the

y w

ere

very

dif

fere

nt. E

sau

had

dark

cu

rly

hair

. Jac

ob h

ad v

ery

little

hai

r. Es

au h

ad d

arke

r ski

n an

d Ja

cob

had

light

er s

kin.

Esau

was

bor

n fir

st a

nd th

at m

eant

th

at o

ne d

ay E

sau

wou

ld b

e th

e fa

mily

’s le

ader

. Th

en E

sau

wou

ld

have

all

the

thin

gs h

is fa

ther

, Isa

ac,

owne

d.

Whe

n Es

au g

rew

up,

he

liked

to b

e ou

tsid

e. H

e be

cam

e a

good

hun

ter

and

foun

d fo

od fo

r the

fam

ily to

eat

.

Whe

n Ja

cob

grew

up,

he

liked

to b

e in

side

. He

liked

to c

ook

good

foo

d fo

r th

e fa

mily

.

One

day

, Esa

u ca

me

into

the

hou

se

whi

le Ja

cob

was

coo

king

bea

n so

up.

Esau

sai

d,

“I’m

hun

gry!

Giv

e m

e so

me

soup

!”

Jaco

b an

d Es

au d

idn’

t alw

ays

spea

k ni

cely

to e

ach

othe

r.

Jaco

b w

ante

d so

met

hing

tha

t Es

au

had

so h

e de

cide

d to

tric

k hi

m. “

OK

. I’l

l giv

e yo

u so

me

soup

and

bre

ad,”

sa

id J

acob

. “Bu

t yo

u m

ust

prom

ise

me t

hat o

ne d

ay I

will

be t

he fa

mily

’s le

ader

.”

Esau

was

ver

y hu

ngry

. All

he c

ould

th

ink

abou

t was

get

ting

food

to e

at.

Esau

said

, “W

ho ca

res?

I ne

ed to

eat

. Ye

s, I

will

pro

mis

e. Y

ou c

an b

e th

e le

ader

of

the

fam

ily. N

ow g

ive

me

som

e so

up!”

Jaco

b sm

iled.

He

had

tric

ked

Esau

. Ja

cob

knew

he

had

done

som

ethi

ng

wro

ng. B

ut Ja

cob

didn

’t ca

re b

ecau

se

he w

ante

d to

be

the

fam

ily l

eade

r. H

e w

ante

d to

get

mos

t of h

is fa

ther

’s gi

fts.

I w

onde

r ho

w h

is b

roth

er E

sau

felt

whe

n he

late

r fou

nd o

ut th

at h

e w

as

tric

ked

by Ja

cob?

Jaco

b co

oked

som

e de

licio

us s

oup

and

then

tri

cked

hun

gry

Esau

into

gi

ving

aw

ay t

he r

ight

to

be t

he

fam

ily le

ader

.

Use

you

r m

arke

rs t

o de

cora

te t

he

pict

ure

of J

acob

and

the

pic

ture

of

hung

ry E

sau.

Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSIO

N Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright ©

Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSIO

N Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright ©

Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

Activity

32

Playing instructions1. Place the flip-flap on your fingers. Invite someone to choose one of

the colours on the outside square.2. Open and close the flip-flap for each letter in the colour that was

chosen. For example, three times for red and four times for blue.3. Repeat this three times. On the third time, your playing partner

chooses one of the numbers showing on the open flip-flap.4. Open the the flip-flap of the number named and read the kind ac-

tion that corresponds with the number chosen.5. What would happen if everyone chose to do this kind action?

Follow these directions to make a flip-flap.

Building instructions1. Place a large square on the

table and invite children to gather around.

2. Follow the step-by-step instructions to make a flip-flap.3. Colour the four outside

squares a different colour and write the name of the colour on the square.

4. Number the inside triangles "1" through "8".

5. Ask the children for sugges-tions of actions we can choose to add kindness in the world. Write all the suggestions down.

6. Choose eight suggestions and write one idea on the under-side of each numbered triangle.

planning - diowillochra.org.au · genesis 25:19–34 additional scriptures psalm 119:105–112...

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