Sunday, June 15, 2008

Proper 7 A (June 22): Deserts and Wells/Fear Not


THERE IS AN 2023 UPDATED VERSION OF THIS POST WITH MORE RESOURCES - SEE MY ARCHIVE COLUMN AT LEFT

Bible Readings: Genesis 21:8-21, Psalm 86:1-10, Romans 6:1b -11, Matthew 10: 24-39.
Theme: Deserts and Wells/Fear Not

About the first theme:
For anonymous:-) Specifically based on the Genesis reading.

About the Image:
This is a microsoft free clipart background with my text.

Kid's Story: The Very Worried Sparrow
By Meryl Doney, Anzea Publishers or Lion Publishing, 1978, ISBN 858920948 (pictured at left).

Quote: The Little Prince
"What makes the desert beautiful", said the Little Prince, is that somewhere it hides a well..." .... The Little Prince added: "But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart".

Discussion:
Brainstorm desert experiences and wells.
How do we find wells in our desert experiences?

Film Clip: The Incredibles
Show the scene contained in the first 15 minutes where Mr Incredible is blamed for doing good.

Discussion: On The Incredibles
1. When was Jesus treated in a similar way?
2. When were the disciples treated in a similarr way?
3. When do we, as Christians, have to put up with similar treatment and what can/should we do about it?

Story:Names or Numbers
Marvin Rosenthal, writing in Israel My Glory, tells about a mother who was asked by a census taker how may children she had. She said, "Well, there's Billy and Harry and Martha and--" "Never mind the names," the man interrupted. "Just give me the number!" The mother indignantly replied, "They haven't got numbers, they've all got names." Sorry, can't source this any more than I have other than I think Israel My Glory is a magazine.

Story: Bonhoeffer
The story of Bonoeffer's imprisonment and death fits very well with the cost of discipleship mentioned in the gospel.

Listening Song: God is In Control
By Twila Paris on her album, Beyond a Dream or on WOW 1996.

Listening Song: You're Here
By Sixpence None the Richer on the album, City on a Hill, 2000 (pictured at right).

Poem: The Candle
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew, 2003, ISBN 1844170441, page 78 (pictured in an earlier blog)

Response Activity:
Give each person a small card with a desert and a well pictured on it. Ask people to write down a situation that can make their life a bit of a desert on the desert picture and then on the picture of the well, ask them to write something God has provided to help them survive.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ann,creative as always but showing my ignorance .... where does the theme of deserts and wells come out of the readings?

Anonymous said...

I think you'll find it links to the reading from Genesis.