January 31st, 2015
Intro
We speak often of God as Father. We look to God to father us but also to help and inspire us towards the best in fatherhood and to understand what makes for healthy fatherhood and what doesn’t.
We also have need to speak of God as Mother. We need to see God as a true mother to us and also to help and inspired us towards the best in motherhood and to understand what makes for healthy motherhood and what doesn’t.
So today as we celebrate Mothering Sunday and thank God for our mothers who gave us birth, we also give thanks to God our mother who is the very source of our being.
Opening Hymn/Song
Confession
Before confession or at beginning of service get congregation to practice the actions below.
As we stand, let us prepare to ask God’s forgiveness.
Silence
As a mother comforts her child,[hold arms like rocking baby]
So shall the Lord comfort us.
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
You Lord will not always be chiding, [hold out finger, telling off]
Nor will you keep your anger forever:
Christ have mercy
Christ have mercy
I have calmed and quieted my soul [finger to mouth]
Like a child upon it’s mother’s breast is my soul within me:
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Oh The Lord have mercy upon us [arms open]
Forgive us all our sins
Enfold us in your love
And bring us to eternal life.
Amen.
Psalm
Someone read this from Good News and with ‘she’.
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
She lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
She gives me new strength. She guides me in the right paths, as she has promised.
Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord,
for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.
You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me;
you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim.
I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;
and your house will be my home as long as I live.
Talk
Leader asks children/congregation:
What do shepherds do?
Look after sheep? What sort of things:
- Make sure they’re fed
- Make sure they’re safe
- Stop them from getting lost
- Protect them from wolves and bears
- Get stones out of their hooves
- Cut their hair
- Most important they love their sheep. That’s why they do all that for them. They love their sheep so much that they will risk their lives to protect them.
That sounds a lot like what mums and dads and carers need to do.
Leader may share:
Jesus said “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – and I lay down my life for my sheep”
Leader tells everyone we’re going to have a gospel reading and a sketch now.
Question: What is it that you can give away and share and never runs out?
Gospel Reading
Feeding of the 5000 Mark 6: 34-44
Sketch
Feeding of the 5000
Talk
Love never runs out
Parents bring what they can. Sometimes those offerings are very small. But we offer them to God. We also need our community to support us so that our children can be fully fed and cared for
Prayers:
Could have kids standing up around the church and saying a short prayer
(get them to make them up before) – thanks for love shown and pray for healing for those who are lonely, hurt by lack of love… etc
give out slips of paper for people to write their own prayers on for parents, children, the world… with pen or their finger… Bring up the prayers
Peace
Hymn/Song
Eucharistic Prayer
Song
Eat this Bread
Give Out Posies
With celebration and thanksgiving for all
Susan Stead