whisper whisper

Material for worship: discovering God’s traces

Children learn best interactively and close to everyday life. What they can experience makes them think. Everyday observations that represent experiences of faith in a simple and vivid way are suitable for children’s services and stories in the parish letter. So I wrote an article for the children’s page on "Discovering God’s Footsteps". It is written in simple language and is also suitable … Read More Material for worship: Discovering God’s traces

Children learn best interactively and close to everyday life. What they can experience makes them think. Everyday observations that represent experiences of faith in a simple and vivid way are suitable for children’s services and stories in the parish letter.
So I wrote an article for the children’s page on "Discovering God’s Footsteps". It is formulated in simple language and is also suitable for working with people with little knowledge of German or intellectual disabilities.

“It is often mushy in winter. We can discover traces in the damp ground: from feet with shoes that have run there for a long time. From the tires of the bicycles and the paws of the dogs that were traveling here. From the different tracks we can see who used this path before us.

Some people say that they discovered "God’s traces". They don’t mean that Jesus walked through the kitchen. They are surprised at how something happened. Something that went well even though they were afraid of it: a difficult visit to the doctor or an expensive car repair or a conversation after a stupid argument. We are often worried that something will be difficult. We wonder what we do best so that it works well. And sometimes afterwards we discover that it was much easier than we thought before. Suddenly there was enough money for the broken car. And the doctor was almost without pain. And the person we were arguing with wanted to get on well again. Then we are amazed at how easy and easy it was. Because God was there and helped us without us realizing it. Only then do we notice it. Like the traces in the mud that we discover from people who have been here before. Jesus often goes before us and takes care that difficult tasks become easier.
How did you discover its traces in your life? "

Who does not want to present a finished text to the children, but would like to discover together in the service:
Photographing traces in everyday life, for example tire marks in the snow, paw prints in the mud, condensation stripes in the sky, scratch marks on the front door, dirty boots outlines in the hallway, jam stains on the tablecloth, etc.
The children look at one photo at a time and guess who caused these traces. For small groups, printed images or showing on a screen is enough. For large groups or a family service, the photos can also be projected onto a screen via a projector so that the whole community can see something.
What traces have the children discovered (irrespective of the photos shown) in their everyday lives or caused them themselves?
Then we talk about how God’s traces can be discovered in everyday life.

Further material for impulses with groups of children:

My text may be used for non-commercial purposes by naming my name. All rights are mine.

What would you be happy about if you were a poor child?

In our service there is a “word to the children” every Sunday. You will be addressed in an age-appropriate manner, will receive adult attention and appreciation, and will then leave the church service room for your own children’s program.
Today I took over part of the moderation and the “word to the children” relatively spontaneously. As a reason to talk, I took the package for "Christmas in a shoe box" that I had packed and wanted to hand in afterwards.
"Christmas in a shoebox" is an initiative that invites to send a package to needy children in Eastern Europe and Asia. There are recommendations for three different age groups as to which items are needed and which should not be packed (for reasons of security and logistics, in order to respect believers of other religions or not to frighten children from war zones). Depending on the local religion, the Christmas story is enclosed as a booklet or not. The parcels are collected regionally, checked, objectionable objects (such as second-hand clothes, gummy bears with gelatin or war toys) removed and brought on the way by truck.
Since parcels can still be packed until November 15th, 2016, I share my “word to the children” today, which is surely also suitable as an impulse for other church congregations and children’s services.

"Hello children, come to the front of the stairs. I brought you a package today. And a big bag. Which of you take the box please? I don’t have that much space on my lap.
(Give the colorfully glued shoebox to a child who would like to hold the box)
Now take a look at the package. Is there something in there? No, it’s empty. I want to pack a package with you today. For a child who lives in another country and whose family has very little money. Imagine that you are a child in a distant country. Mom and Dad always have to work, and even though they work so much, they make very little money. The country is very cold in winter, and the icy wind blows right into the house. The house is not as cozy and warm as ours because good houses cost a lot of money. And the family doesn’t have that. The family only has boring food like rice and potatoes, sometimes a little vegetable. But no chocolate and no cake, that’s too expensive. If you were a child there, you would have little toys. And you should always share that with the siblings. If the toy breaks, there is no new one. If you grow and your pants are too short, or the sweater too small, then mom and dad have to work extra to earn money for clothes. And if the pencil is written in small letters at school and the felt-tip pens are used up, then it’s bad luck. That’s what life is like for a poor family. You have a really good time here when we think about it.
Now think about it: If you were such a poor child, what would you be happy about??
In this bag I have all sorts of things that the child can use well. You just tell me your ideas and see if I can put it in the package. The package is really real for a child, I will close it later and hand it in.

(The children name their suggestions, I moderate. I take suitable items out of the bag, give them to the respective child, have them "examined" once and put the item in the box. I comment appreciatively on suggestions that I have nothing within reach and briefly explain why I don’t have it with me (too big for a shoebox, not suitable for the long way to the destination, didn’t even think about it, etc.) As soon as the ideas become fewer, I put the bag in the middle and the kids can reach in. I’ll give what they get out and why the kid needs these items.)

Many thanks for your help. Together we have prepared a surprise for a child. Now the package comes to a collection point and is packed there in a truck so that it can go on the journey. There is still two weeks until the last package is to be delivered. Maybe you would like to buy practical and beautiful things with mom and dad and also pack a box. Then we not only get a package for one child, but two or three or four children can be happy. "

Further impulses for groups of children:

Material for worship: Explain the Holy Spirit to children

In our church, the children are addressed and valued in the first part of the service with the so-called “word to the children”. That happens through a story, a common song, a sketch or something similar – depending on who comes up with something. They then leave the service room and are cared for in groups, while the main part of the service and preaching begins for the adults.
In the following I would like to introduce my "Word to the children" on the topic of Pentecost, in which I try to represent the Holy Spirit – which turns out to be difficult, as the children soon realize. The Bible verses I am referring to can be found here:

Acts 2, 2 + 3

2 Suddenly a roar came from the sky like a mighty storm and filled the whole house where they had gathered.
3 At the same time they saw something like a licking fire that settled on each one of them.
4 So they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, (…)

2 Corinthians 6, 6

6 We do not let ourselves be to blame and recognize God’s will; we are patient and kind, God’s Holy Spirit works through us and we sincerely love everyone.

Today is Pentecost.
At Easter, Jesus died and then rose from the dead. He then met all of his friends, the disciples, and spent time with them. Then he flew back to God in the sky on a cloud. The disciples now sat very depressed at home, where they had all met at one, and did not know how to go on without Jesus. Something suddenly happened – the Holy Spirit came. We call it Pentecost when God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples so that they no longer feel so alone.
But how? And what is the Holy Spirit? We want to have a look.

Please come up to me, I have a bag full of things. Everyone can take something out of here. You hold it up and I’ll tell you something about it.

You have a handkerchief ghost. It is a spirit, but I made it myself and therefore it is not the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, it is not good for anything.

Then here is a blank sheet. You cannot see the Holy Spirit. Here the Holy Spirit could be painted invisibly, but because it is invisible, we do not recognize it. Or do you see the Holy Spirit on it? No, neither do I. So that’s not good for anything.

We have a hair dryer for wind here because the Bible says that there was a loud roar from the sky and a big wind that hissed into the house like a storm. With the storm, the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ friends for the first time. But here we don’t need a hair dryer to make us wind. The Holy Spirit is different from the hair dryer.

You have matches for fire because the Bible says that it looked like little flames of fire that came to the friends of Jesus through the storm. But the matches are NOT the Holy Spirit and do not help us either.

So here we have nothing left to recognize the Holy Spirit. Damn.

Now I have to take my top off briefly, because I want to show you something on my arm. Here: "Holy Spirit" is on the arm. We do not need anything for the Holy Spirit because it is already there. Here, on my arm, it says: The Holy Spirit is very close to me, even in me, and helps me when I get scared or alone or sad or no longer know. I may not notice that the Holy Spirit is in me, but in the Bible God promises us that each and every one of us has the Holy Spirit in us. Invisible but strong. In you as well. And suddenly we realize that we can do really good things because the Holy Spirit begins in us. In you too, and for that we are thankful to God. We celebrate that at Pentecost.

Further material for impulses with groups of children:

This is the blog from
Marie Krüerke from Hamburg:
After intensive years as a speech therapist (speech therapist) I work with great pleasure in the organization of parties and creative groups. For senior citizens I developed “breath joy”, an enjoyable concept of breathing gymnastics. With my textbook I would like to guide interested people to help older people to get more energy and strength through “breathing pleasure”. Various articles by me appear in specialist magazines.

All texts and images are from Marie Krüerke, if no external source is specified. All rights are with her. Contents of these pages may not be downloaded, reproduced or passed on. More details in the imprint.

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