The bible reading just prior to the childrens address is
Isaiah 40 21-31
Includes
31 But those who trust in the Lord for help
will find their strength renewed.
They will rise on wings like eagles;
they will run and not get weary;
they will walk and not grow weak.
Makes you want to sing.
Or fly a kyte in the shape of an Eagle.
So this is what we did:
Bible reading finishes
then Dan and Jemma run down one isle each with a bird kite. Jemma had the small Eagle kite. Dan had the larger rainbow Lorakeet kite. We practiced this a bit before church and luckilly no old ladies were hauled off with a kite in the eye.
I walked down the isle after Dan and encouraged the kids to come out the front.
The video screen switches to the Google Streetview of our church.
Q "Who has ever wished they could fly"
A (From kids): "me", "me", "me", "me"
Q: "Why?"
A: (From kids): "Get up high", "Get there faster", "So you don't have to catch the train".
Say: When we sit in our chairs in the curch we get this view.
[I move down and sit with the kids]
But when we are up high we get a different view.
We see things differently.
Remember back to the bible reading
Megan: Re reads the last bit of the reading.
From the message
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.
As we said earlier we get a different view from up high. I would like to invite each of you kids to come up here on the dais where I have convieiently placed two chairs because I forgot to book a cherry picker or build a mountain out the risers. Some come on up here and have a look at the congregation.After some encouragement, the kids came up and stod on the chairs and had a look at the congregation.
Megan meanwhile has changed the image on the video projector to the Google Earth picture and then slowly starts to zoom it out.
Say"When you are flying, you are up high. You see what we call the big picture. We do not worry about little things like 'did mum give me the wrong sandwich in my school lunch'. Do you remember Dave Baker mentioned going to help clean up from the flood in Charlaville - that's big picture stuff. When we are flying like a bird we are thinking about more than just the things real close to us.
Now Nick and Danika are moving to Adelaide. We can see on the viseo screen where Adelaide is. Here is Adelaide and here is Brisbane. So for Nick and Danika they get the birds eye view, they get to see that there is more to the world than just Sherwood Church. Yes we are sad to see them go but happy that they are a part of a much bigger thing and that thing is God's world. So to help you remember, we present to you the Eagle kite. (as an aside, this is not a memorial that needs a plarque and meeting of the national trust to preseve it. It is just a symbol to remind you to take that eagle view)
Now we zoom out further on Google Earth until we see the whole earth.
Remember the first part of the reading:
God sits high above the round ball of earth.
The people look like mere ants.
He stretches out the skies like a canvas—
yes, like a tent canvas to live under.
He ignores what all the princes say and do.
The rulers of the earth count for nothing.
The message guys is this:
God's holy spirit lifts us up and inspires us. It gives us energy. We catch the vision that God presents for us and we don't then feel weiged down as we work to make it happen because we have that big picture view.
And now we will sing the next hymn, have a prayer or do something.
:)
Some other notes that were part of the prep but got ditched in the develpment of the idea:
It also includes
21 Do you not know?
Were you not told long ago?
Have you not heard how the world began?
So we could have a discussion about the origin of the universe.
Maybe describe the Microwave Background Radiation to a 4 year old. (Which I liken to the Holy Spirit in that it is spread through out the universe)
So I am casting out for ideas for the Children's story
It is worth noting that these beautiful promises of God's strength were addressed first to a people in despair, the Jews in exile in Babylon, those who had seen their city and Temple destroyed by an invading army, those who were far from home with no hope of returning. These are those who feel abandoned and forgotten by God. Their weariness is not so much physical as it is spiritual. They are heartsick, hopeless and sapped of strength.
And of course we could sing "The Power Of Your Love" by God INC (That would be Hill$ong).
It would also be most excelent to sing the old NCYC song:-
Dreams and Visions
As a dream receive your history
from the martyrs and the saints
May their history be your history.
yours the ???? yours the pain.
We will rise, We will rise up on wings like Eagles
Run and not be tired...
And that is all I remember. :) and it does not seem to feature on google or youtube so here is a Hill$ong rendition of a wonderful song "The Power Of Your Love"
Other songs:
fly eagle fly by white heart.
On The Wings Of An Eagle-John Denver
The Key Message from Isiah 40:21-31
The holy spirit lifts us up, gives us strength. (Ties in with light burden from the Gospels someplace)Other random thoughts
This bible reading encourages us to know how big the universe is. God has the big picture.
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