Ideas You Can Use

Ashes to Go

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My church is having pancakes and ashes on Tuesday night. We will enjoy a time of fellowship over tasty pancakes made by the youth and then everyone will leave with a baggie of ashes and a piece of paper with the following words.

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow. This special day is the beginning of the
season of Lent. For the next 40 days, we will focus on the life of
Jesus preparing ourselves to follow him as witnesses of his death and
resurrection. Lent is a time to focus on following Jesus through
prayer, Bible reading, sharing what we have with each other, and
asking for forgiveness when we are wrong. As you place these ashes on
your head, consider how you will follow Jesus this Lenten season.

Bible Reading from Joel 2: 12-16a

“Even now,” declares the Lord,
   “return to me with all your heart,
   with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
   and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
   and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast,
   call a sacred assembly. 16 Gather the people, consecrate the
assembly; bring together the elders,    gather the children.

Blessing of Us as We Receive the Ashes

Holy God, you created humans from the dust of this earth. You created
us in your own image. We are grateful to be your beloved children. As we receive these ashes, help us to remember your love and your call
for us to return to you. We admit we have sinned and we know that
these ashes are a sign of your forgiveness and your love for us.
Through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who we are following today and each
day, we pray, Amen.

Imposition of Ashes-

You can place the ashes on your own head or have someone else place
them for you. As the ashes are placed say-

Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.

Or

Remember God’s amazing love for you and that you belong to God today
and everyday.

Closing Prayer and Blessing (Psalm 51:10)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

Five Years without My Mom (Thoughts on Grief)

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Today marks five years since the death of my Mom. I miss her. I spent time today wondering through Barnes and Noble (which she loved to do), looking at pictures of her, and remembering.

And I spent time thinking about what grief looks like for me. It is now much different from that initial grief when I could cry so easily and the missing her was an intense ache. Today, there were tears and sadness and a longing for her to have not been absent the past five years. The feelings change even as they linger.

I want to normalize grief and death in our society. We all grieve, and we will all die. It is not something we must think about all of the time until we are preoccupied with it. Also, we do not need to fear it or ignore it or pretend it will never happen to us.

For me, rituals have been helpful in coping with the deaths of people I love. I find ways that are meaningful to me to mark important days. I honor my Mom’s birthday and the day of her death. My whole family honors cheeseburger day which is the day she and my sister completed chemo (same day different years).

Honoring these big days in my Mom’s life is one way I hold on to her memory while also living my life as part of her legacy.

In honor of my Mom, I invite you to read a book, wear comfy pants, put your feet up and cover up with a blanket, eat a food you enjoy, hug your family, laugh out loud or silently, watch a movie you have seen countless times, go buy a book you may never read, visit your local library, build something with Legos, or just smile and be thankful for your life.

Working on a Difficult Task with Prayer and Post-its!

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I know I am not the only one who has not-favorite tasks to do. I have found that putting them off does not solve any problems. Somehow no one else is picking them up and magically doing them for me.

One task that has been challenging for me lately is reading for a class I am taking. I have tried reading in chunks with breaks for something fun. I have tried reading in different spots in my house and outside. I have tried and tried. And then in a moment of total desperation, I turned to one of my favorite things…post its (off brand-don’t worry I am not a wasting the good stuff). Here is what is working for me. I write down the page numbers I need to read-each one on a different page. When I finish a page in my textbook, I rip off the numbered page on the notepad! The physical act of tearing off a page and seeing my done pile stack up is helping me get through the reading!

While this method may not work for you, I hope you will keep trying to find your way of working through the difficult tasks in your life. Reward yourself when you do well. Be kind to yourself as you search for your methods toward success. You can do it!

Loving God, Some tasks slow us down more than others. Inspire our creativity to work through the challenging tasks in life. Give us a spirit of perseverance. And help us to feel a sense of joy and accomplishment when our task is done. Thank you, Amazing God, for cheering us on each and every day. Amen.

Fruits of the Spirit Interactive Sermon

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I wanted to do a different sermon when I preached earlier this summer, so I decided to have the congregation take an active role in a sermon focusing on the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.

First, I gathered some actual fruit and a Sharpie. I used bananas, lemons, and oranges. On each fruit, write one of the fruits-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control.

And my friend designed these awesome question sheets on Canva.

And then I wrote an introduction and a wrap up for the sermon.

Just before these verses in Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia are a list of do not dos. We will not be reading those verses today because we are focusing on the to do! The fruits of the Spirit are actions that pour out of us as a response to God’s love.

The fruits of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control-are not things we do to be saved. Jesus already took care of that . The fruits of the Spirit are our response to God’s love living inside of us. Because we are filled with God’s love, we can be fruit trees bearing lots of fruit. And this text isn’t just talking about us as individuals-it is talking about the church. So because Buckingham Presbyterian Church is filled with God’s love, our grateful response is being a church that shares all of these fruits.

It is easy to say these fruits so fast that we don’t even think about them. Instead today we are going to dive deep into this fruit salad. We are going to divide into groups and answer the questions on our sheet about our fruit. Then we will come back together and share what we said.

After each group has shared, it is time for the wrap up!

I want you to be on the lookout for these fruits in the coming days. I am giving everyone a Fruit of the Spirit Bingo Card. When you see a fruit or you put one of these fruits in action, cross it off your card. When your card is full, bring it back to church and give it to me. I will have a special prize for you (spoiler alert-it is fruit snacks). We are going to work together as a community of faith to be people who respond to God’s love by sharing love, joy, peace, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, generosity, gentleness, and patience. Amen.

Thanks to my creative friend for making these question and Bingo cards.

Giving Thanks and Turning Off the To Do List

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My wonderful sister sent me this gift recently.

It is a jar filled with 120 Scriptures. They are color coded and one is invited to select one when feeling-happy, anxious, lonely, thankful, sad, or angry.

I was so excited that I dove right into the jar and started pulling out Scriptures and reading them. And then my brain kept going (like it often does). I was thinking this is such a great idea. I could create something like this for my families at church. How wonderful would that be. And yes, it would be wonderful. And yes, it might still happen in the future. Not today. Today, I am going to enjoy this gift. I am going to avoid adding another thing to my to do list. I am going to smile when I pull a Scripture from the jar. I am going to give thanks for the gift and for the giver of this gift. And that will be enough for today.

Giver of All Good Gifts, Remind us that it is okay to say thank you and enjoy a gift. Every great idea does not need to be acted upon immediately. You remind us to be still and know that you are God. So today, help us to be still. Slow down our ideas that make us more work. Let us be still and rest in you. Amen.

Lent is here! Woohoo or maybe just woo.

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The season of Lent (the 40 days not including Sundays that lead up to Easter) begins today. Very few people call this their favorite season of the church year. On the Everything Happens podcast, Kate Bowler called Lent a “bummer” because we know what is going to happen. Jesus is going to be betrayed. Jesus is going to die.

Lent is a bummer and also a realistic season. Parts of our lives have been a bummer too. Things don’t always work out like we planned. Life is hard. Somedays we are lonely, sad, mad, frustrated, and so many other “negative” emotions. We have learned over our lifetimes that happy emotions are good and sad emotions are bad. Nope. They are all our feelings. There are not good emotions nor bad emotions…just emotions.

So, join me in embracing this season of real life. Let’s sit in the sad. Let’s mourn what has been lost or never was. Let’s give up the idea that our life must be perfect. And let’s commit again to following Jesus even when where he leads isn’t exactly where we’d prefer to go. Let’s follow Jesus together.

Faithful God, these ashes on our heads are a reminder that we have failed and that is okay. These ashes are a reminder that our time on earth is limited and that is okay. These ashes are a reminder that you created us and we are all made in your image and called your beloved. In these next forty days, walk with us Jesus as we go where you lead. Forgive us and remind us to forgive ourselves. Amen.

Decluttering-My Tea Drawer!

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Everywhere I look, I see stories of people cleaning and decluttering. So, I thought I would join in the fun by cleaning out my tea drawer.

Step 1-Make a cup of tea. I went with peppermint as that was on top of the overflowing drawer!

Step 2-Take everything out! This is the step where you find that you didn’t need to buy your husband more of his favorite green tea as he still had an unopened bag. And you’ll probably discover five of your own things you didn’t remember or haven’t enjoyed recently.

Step 3-Get rid of anything you didn’t love. I added a few not favorites to my compost bin.

Step 4-Put everything away and enjoy how good it looks!

Step 5-Reward yourself with another cup of tea!

Teas, hot chocolate, and a few other drinks that snuck in!

Jonah Chapters 3 and 4 (for youth)

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My goal for this final time with Jonah was to share the end of the story and include time for a recap of the whole story. I decided today to do this by sending the youth to stations set up around the space.

Here’s how we did it. We divided up into two groups. Each group went to the stations in any order and did what was stated on the information sheet at the station. Then, they took their station information sheet and went to the next station. The stations can be competed in any order. This is because the final step is assembling the story in order using the information sheets from each station.

Station 1-Call from God!

I would have loved to have a telephone with a prerecorded message when they picked up the phone with God’s call to Jonah. What I had was a picture of a telephone and one person was asked to be the voice of God and call Jonah!

Station 2-Build a Boat!

If Jonah is going to flee on a boat, he needs you to build him one. Make a boat using the materials on this table. The boat must float for 10 seconds.

For this station, I sent out a big bowl of water and a random assortment of items from the craft closet (popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, small cups, glue, etc).

Station 3- Rock, Paper, Scissors

While on the boat, the sailors cast lots which could be something like rock, paper, scissors to see who was causing the problem on the boat. Play rock, paper, scissors until someone is the winner-this person is your Jonah and needs to be thrown overboard.

Station 4-Jonah into the Fish

This station requires a cup, string, tape, a tiny figure to be Jonah. I borrowed this idea from somewhere online that I cannot find again to give them credit. The goal is to catch Jonah in the cup, so you need to tie the string around Jonah and then attach the string to the cup. Each person takes a turn being the fish who swallows Jonah.

Station 5-Write a Prayer in the Fish

Working together as a group, talk about how Jonah might have been feeling inside the big fish for three days and three nights. He didn’t know God was going to save him. Pretend you are Jonah and write a prayer to God together.

Station 6-Go to Nineveh!

God called to Jonah a second time. Be like Jonah and walk all around the city (or this room) yelling, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

Station 7-Repent with the People of Nineveh!

Instead of sitting in ashes, we sat in scraps of paper. And in place of sackcloth, we used old painting shirts from the craft closet.

Have someone read out loud-The people heard Jonah and changed their ways. They promised not to eat (fast). They put on sackcloth (old, not fancy clothes) and sat in ashes. They hoped God would see the changes they made in their lives and forgive them. And guess what? It worked. God saw their changed behavior, and God forgave the people of Nineveh.

Station 8-Sit Under a Tree

You might think Jonah would be happy that God was kind and forgave the people of Nineveh. Nope! He got mad. Jonah said, “God, I know you are merciful. I didn’t even want to come here because I knew you would forgive them.”

Take turns sitting in this chair under the tree being grumpy like Jonah was. Remember that God forgives us and loves us just like God forgave the people of Nineveh and grumpy Jonah too.

Once all eight stations have been completed, it is time to put the story in order and tell it to the awesome adults waiting to hear the story.

Jonah Chapter 2 (for youth)

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So, friends for chapter 2 of Jonah we need to get ourselves into the belly of a big fish (some people still say whale and I think there are better things to argue about than fish vs whale).

You can search online and find great plans for huge tarps that you inflate with a fan. This sounds like a bunch of fun. I didn’t have the time, energy, or budget to make this happen.

My cheaper option required 18 blue plastic table cloths, blue duct tape, painters tape or masking tape, a ladder and a hallway at church!

Step 1-Hang up your table cloths!
Keep on hanging them until your whole space is blue.

Next, you need a mouth, so you can get swallowed by the big fish.

I was told it looked like a monster at this point.
Finished fish!

The hard work is done. Now on to the lesson for the youth. Begin by reviewing what happened in Chapter 1. Last time we left Jonah floating in the sea, and now he gets swallowed by a big fish.

Everyone into the fish. You can sit or stand for this part. Ask wondering questions. I wonder what Jonah was thinking? I wonder what you are thinking since you are now in the belly of a fish? I wonder what Jonah did to pass the time? I wonder how you would spend your time in here? I wonder what it smells like in the belly of a fish? (It was suggested that I place open cans of tuna fish around the room to help create the ambiance. I didn’t. You can if you would like).

Read Chapter 2 of Jonah out loud. You can divide it up and have different youth read. Stop before Jonah gets out.

Ask the youth what they would have said or prayed in this situation?

And then together, get vomited out of the fish back onto dry land like Jonah. Give thanks to God for caring for us and sharing Jonah’s story with us. Encourage the youth to come back next week to hear the rest of the story!

Jonah Chapter 1 (for youth)

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My youth asked for ways they could be Jonah, so for three weeks we are making Jonah’s story come to life.

Week 1 was chapter 1 (except the last verse). We left Jonah floating in the water with a to be continued and come back next week.

So for chapter 1, my friend and I built a boat.

We used cardboard and paper and tape from church. We used empty boxes from church as the cargo to be thrown overboard.

And then I rewrote the chapter into a youth friendly play. One of their favorite things they took from the lesson was that casting lots was something like rock, paper, scissors. We are doing more rock, paper, scissors now since they see the connection to the Bible.

We had a great time enacting the story and learning more about God through Jonah’s story.