St Pauls Wibsey 11 th Sunday after Trinity

St Paul’s Wibsey 11 th Sunday after Trinity WELCOME TO YOUR FAMILY SERVICE AT HOME Together: Growing, Caring and Sharing In God’s love

WELCOME TO OUR WEEKLY FAMILY SERVICE. This Power. Point presentation will give you all what you need to celebrate at home this service, in which special activities are proposed to involve the whole family. For the songs, just click on the title, and the weblink will open them on You. Tube. Watch them on full screen, then come back to the Power. Point presentation. Some templates or text may need to be printed; to access them, click the weblink and the page will open in your browser.

The Service is divided in 8 sections: ‘Gathering’, with different parts (Song, ‘Praise and Thanksgiving’, ‘Sorry Prayer’); ‘The Bible Story’ (with an activity or pictures); ‘Talk about it’ to deepen the reading; ‘Play together’ with a game connected to the reading; ‘Create’ with craft activities about the reading; ‘Think/Reflect’ to go back to the reading; ‘Pray’; ‘Live your Faith’ with a challenge for the family during the week ahead. Feel free to do all the parts, or only some: it’s your time.

Today, for the ‘create’ section, you may need: a cup full of flower seeds, a bucket, a yoghurt pot or small container, compost, flour, water, tray.

10 th Sunday after Trinity: Jesus meets a woman with amazing faith and heals her daughter, despite what others might expect.

We are here to listen, God, (Place hands behind ears) we are here to understand. (Place finger on head) Help us not to be distracted. (Place hands over ears) Amen.

SING TO THE LORD Jesus, you’re my number one

PRAISE AND GIVE THANKS

Lord Jesus, you came to earth and walked among us. You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. You have shown us the truth… You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. You are living with us, showing us the way to live… You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. We thank you and praise you that… You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Amen.

SAY ‘SORRY’ TO GOD (Remember the wrong things you have done and want God to forgive you. Ask God to help not to do it again and fix what you can. Then say the prayer on next slide)

Lord Jesus, we are sorry that we do not always recognise who you are. Help us to see you as our Messiah, the Son of the living God. Amen.

(Open your heart to God’s forgiveness) May God forgive us all our sins, and help us to follow Jesus. Amen.

THE BIBLE STORY

Today’s story: Matthew 16. 13 -20. Peter says that Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus promises that Peter will be the foundation of the first church. Read the text in the next slides, commenting the pictures.

When people heard the stories about Jesus, they couldn’t believe that he was just an ordinary man. They thought he was a prophet, like their Old Testament heroes.

Arriving in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am? ’ And his followers had a list: ‘Some say Elijah, or Jeremiah, or another of the prophets. ’ They even included some more recent heroes: ‘Some say you are John the Baptist. ’

Jesus asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am? ’

Simon Peter said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. ’ Now, the Messiah was someone that the Jews had been waiting for: a person God would send to rescue them from their enemies.

‘You are blessed, Simon, ’ Jesus said, ‘because God, my Father in heaven, has given you this answer. From now on you will be known as Peter. ’ Jesus gave him this name because it means ‘rock’.

‘On this rock, ’ Jesus continued, ‘I will build my Church, and even hell will not defeat it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you say is allowed on earth, will be allowed in heaven. ’

Then Jesus warned his disciples, ‘Do not tell anyone that I am the Messiah. ’

ACTIVITY: Retell the story in this shortened version, encouraging everyone to join in the actions as indicated. Jesus and his friends were walking along. (walk on the spot) Jesus said, ‘Who do you think I am? ’ (turn both hands upwards) Simon Peter was the first to answer. (point one finger up) He said, ‘You are the Son of God. ’ (point a finger on the other hand up) Jesus said, ‘You will be called Peter –the rock. (clench one fist to make a ‘rock’) I will build my Church on you and I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. ’ (clench both fists together and ‘build’)

TALK ABOUT IT

• What is the most important part of the story that we hear about Jesus today? • How would you respond if Jesus asked you ‘Who do you think I am? ’? • How important is it to you, to be able to trust your friends and family?

NOTES FOR PARENTS OR CARERS • The exchange between Jesus and the disciples takes place in a newly named district where Caesar is proclaimed to be God. For Jews, this is a repugnant, blasphemous place to go to. But Jesus comes here to ask pointedly political questions about his identity. • In this charged atmosphere, Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is. Peter shoots back, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. ’ In the shadow of the walls of the seat of government, where there was a king, this was dangerous talk; if Peter is saying that Jesus is Lord, then he is saying that Caesar is not. But Jesus confirms that Peter has spoken God’s view on the matter.

• Throughout history, empires have told the same story: they all celebrate power and self-interest, and crush anyone who opposes them. But there is an alternative story to be told: one that champions forgiveness, compassion and self-sacrifice. This is the agenda loosed by Jesus and his followers. Jesus offers something different from the narrative of power and self-interest: a better story than the one told by Caesar and other earthly empires. • With the confession that Jesus is the Messiah, we break free from a system that oppresses us. It is a statement of liberation. But not only will God’s people be set free, they will also hold the keys to God’s kingdom. How can we proclaim afresh that message of liberation to those oppressed in our society today?

SING TO THE LORD No, not one

PLAY TOGETHER

1 st GAME: WHO AM I? Each member of the family receives a sticky note, and write on it the name of a famous people or character from fiction (e. g. the Queen, Harry Potter, Lady Gaga). Without showing it, they stick their note of the forehead of someone else. Each has to discover the identity of the person/character they wear the name on their forehead by asking the others ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. The winner is the one who needed the least number of questions to discover it. If you go over 20 questions without discovering it, you are eliminated.

2 nd GAME: WHAT’S IN THE BOX? Someone prepare the game without participating in it. They need: a box, 2 or 3 items of strange textures (e. g. silly putty, jelly, pine cones, a hairbrush, cling film, frozen peas) per other person. Display the box with 2 -3 items hidden inside, and invite a volunteer to come and put their hand in the box without looking in it – What does it feel like? Can they tell what the object is? Change the items after each volunteer. Ask how it feels to trust and without knowing what they will experience.

CREATE

CARDBOARD CHURCH Build together a cardboard church, starting by a solid foundation. Everyone work together and make a flat base, then construct a building on top of it, out of the cardboard boxes, held together with masking tape. At the end, you can write some of the Bible verses from today’s story on your cardboard church. If you haven’t got boxes, use cushions, throws, etc. and write the Bible verses on paper to tuck into your building. Talk and pray about times of trust when you went in a real church.

KEYRING TO THE KINGDOM You need: colouring pens/pencils, scissors, the printed of the five keys with a Bible passage here. If you can’t use the template, cut out five key shapes from paper, and write one of the words from the phrase, ‘The keys to the kingdom’ on each key. Decorate the keys, make a hole in each key, and thread a piece of string through it, put the five keys in the correct order to tell the story of today, and tie them together in a loop like a keyring.

SING TO THE LORD Trust in the Lord

THINK/REFLECT

• What make you trust some people and others not? • Were the disciples right to trust Jesus? Why?

PRAY

To the God we can trust, we pray: for those who do not have you in their story: for those who have stories of pain; for those who have stories of loss; for those who have stories of fear; for those who have stories of need. Help them find a better story in you. Amen.

Trace a huge tick symbol (ü) in the air every time the word ‘right’ is used. Lord, you asked who people thought you were. You got all kinds of answers. Only you had the right answer. Help me, Lord, always to trust you to give me the right answers to my questions. Help me always to remember that you are the Son of the living God – right!

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done; on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

SING TO THE LORD One way

LIVE YOUR FAITH

Trust someone (you feel trustworthy) with doing something for you this week

Through our words and actions, make us Ready to take every opportunity Under your protection and guidance. Send us out to share your story The good news for all people. Amen.

OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES: FOR CHILDREN: -SUNDAY: In the main service, there a children sheet and a colouring page for a Sunday School. There is also a ‘Family Time’ sheet, with other activities proposed around the reading. -MONDAY: a weekly ‘MESSY CHURCH’ with more videos and craft activities proposed for children, divided in KS 1 and KS 2. -TUESDAY: a weekly TODDLERS’ SERVICE for the youngest. FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: -FRIDAY: a weekly Service for Young People ‘WWJD’

FOR ADULTS: -EVERY DAY: a Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer services can be downloaded, with a modern or traditional option, and changing every day. -SUNDAY: A main service is proposed, with a modern or traditional option. A special sheet can also be downloaded to deepen your faith. -WEDNESDAY: a weekly ‘SONGS OF PRAISE’. -THURSDAY: a weekly BIBLE STUDY to deepen our understanding of the Gospel reading.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: -SATURDAY: a weekly Family Service anticipating the Sunday service with family activities. Note that you can access any kind of service at any time and not only on the day indicated, if you go to ‘Services and Events’ / ‘One. Off Events’ or ‘Calendar’ at the date the service is uploaded to. If you cannot find them because they not been uploaded yet, come back later.

Our church is open for worship: Main Sunday service at 10. 30 am; Midweek Service at 10 am. You are requested to wear a mask (unless good reason not to do so), and advised to book a place before for the Sunday service. To book a place, go on the homepage of the website, at the bottom, open the news ‘Our church is open!’ and follow the instructions.

See you next week! Have you used this service? Please, send us a feedback or message by using the ‘Contact us’ tab on the website. Thanks. Most material is © ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www. rootsontheweb. com) 2002 -2020. Reproduced with permission.