Gracious God you bless every generation with new life in vulnerable infants like your Son, Jesus. You teach us to bring our children to you. In the end you teach us through them and rend open our hearts with their honesty and love. That is the greatest gift of all. Amen.
I need to share with you what happened during my "children's" sermon at our family service last night. It connects deeply to the events of the last two weeks.
Every year I give to the children at the Christmas Eve service some small gift. It is often an ornament, one year a bell like in Polar Express, other years a small Chrismon, or a candy cane, whatever fits my message for the evening. This year I decided I would not give them a present and would attempt to focus their thoughts on the importance of giving freely to others who are vulnerable and in need.
I began with the usual warm up of getting the kids to say something loud. Last night I got them to shout out Merry Christmas. I then told the kids I would not have the usual Christmas gift for them this year. All was cool.
I started talking with them by asking them what was the best Christmas present they ever received. After a couple of moments of shy hesitation as they tried to figure out what I was after one young girl said, "Jesus." I thanked her for cutting out 10 minutes of my message but assured while she was right I wasn't looking for that type of gift yet. Much laughter all around. The ice broken, another little boy quickly said his new baby brother who is just two weeks old. More laughter.
We, finally, settle down to their more typical Christmas presents and someone says a Wii, and another a favorite doll. I tell about my personal favorite including how my brothers and I had to wait on the stairs until my parents called us downstairs at 6:00 am. One kid says he can't get up until 8 or9:00 am and I tell him I'm impressed with his parents because they must be really, really strong. More laughter. I tell them about getting my best present an American Flyer and going sledding on fresh snow that Christmas.
I always try to spend time playing for a bit with the kids in children's sermons and a little more on Christmas Eve. It is part of helping them to know that the church is a safe place and is their place, not just for adults or others. Then I turned to the core of the message.
I asked them if they thought they had enough gifts. They all immediately nodded yes. I looked to the girl who had said Jesus was the greatest gift and told her thank you for remembering that for us as Christians that Jesus was indeed the greatest gift and that he had given us a second great gift and that it was the chance to join him in giving.
I told them that in place of giving them a gift this year that together we would make a gift to help someone else. I told them I had four choices for them: 1) the local food pantry; 2) the local meals on wheels program; 3) Heifer International who helps people world wide to be able to develop self sustaining livelihoods; 4) someone or something of their choice. I asked them did they have any ideas. Immediately, a hand shot up and when I asked her idea she said something for the school kids in Sandy Hook and other kids nodded and reacted with enthusiasm. Quickly, I moved on to a vote and after a couple of stray votes for the first three options there was a united and unanimous excited vote for 4. Without any seeding or encouragement from adults including myself the kids thought of and chose to make a gift for the children in Sandy Hook. I could never have asked the kids to do this because my connection to CT and the events in Sandy Hook are far too personal.
Sometimes when you give yourself to the kingdom of God wonderful and unexpected gifts are discovered in the giving. Merry Christmas. I have a new best Christmas present ever.
Sorry for the length but I thought that all of you needed to know that in a small church in PA there are kids who are thinking about your kids or grand kids and want to do something for them.
Merry Christmas and blessings to all of you.
I need to share with you what happened during my "children's" sermon at our family service last night. It connects deeply to the events of the last two weeks.
Every year I give to the children at the Christmas Eve service some small gift. It is often an ornament, one year a bell like in Polar Express, other years a small Chrismon, or a candy cane, whatever fits my message for the evening. This year I decided I would not give them a present and would attempt to focus their thoughts on the importance of giving freely to others who are vulnerable and in need.
I began with the usual warm up of getting the kids to say something loud. Last night I got them to shout out Merry Christmas. I then told the kids I would not have the usual Christmas gift for them this year. All was cool.
I started talking with them by asking them what was the best Christmas present they ever received. After a couple of moments of shy hesitation as they tried to figure out what I was after one young girl said, "Jesus." I thanked her for cutting out 10 minutes of my message but assured while she was right I wasn't looking for that type of gift yet. Much laughter all around. The ice broken, another little boy quickly said his new baby brother who is just two weeks old. More laughter.
We, finally, settle down to their more typical Christmas presents and someone says a Wii, and another a favorite doll. I tell about my personal favorite including how my brothers and I had to wait on the stairs until my parents called us downstairs at 6:00 am. One kid says he can't get up until 8 or9:00 am and I tell him I'm impressed with his parents because they must be really, really strong. More laughter. I tell them about getting my best present an American Flyer and going sledding on fresh snow that Christmas.
I always try to spend time playing for a bit with the kids in children's sermons and a little more on Christmas Eve. It is part of helping them to know that the church is a safe place and is their place, not just for adults or others. Then I turned to the core of the message.
I asked them if they thought they had enough gifts. They all immediately nodded yes. I looked to the girl who had said Jesus was the greatest gift and told her thank you for remembering that for us as Christians that Jesus was indeed the greatest gift and that he had given us a second great gift and that it was the chance to join him in giving.
I told them that in place of giving them a gift this year that together we would make a gift to help someone else. I told them I had four choices for them: 1) the local food pantry; 2) the local meals on wheels program; 3) Heifer International who helps people world wide to be able to develop self sustaining livelihoods; 4) someone or something of their choice. I asked them did they have any ideas. Immediately, a hand shot up and when I asked her idea she said something for the school kids in Sandy Hook and other kids nodded and reacted with enthusiasm. Quickly, I moved on to a vote and after a couple of stray votes for the first three options there was a united and unanimous excited vote for 4. Without any seeding or encouragement from adults including myself the kids thought of and chose to make a gift for the children in Sandy Hook. I could never have asked the kids to do this because my connection to CT and the events in Sandy Hook are far too personal.
Sometimes when you give yourself to the kingdom of God wonderful and unexpected gifts are discovered in the giving. Merry Christmas. I have a new best Christmas present ever.
Sorry for the length but I thought that all of you needed to know that in a small church in PA there are kids who are thinking about your kids or grand kids and want to do something for them.
Merry Christmas and blessings to all of you.
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