Help! I’m Leading a Children’s Sermon, Volume 1

Brief Description

Children are an important part of the worshipping community and need to have opportunities that create for them a sense of belonging. Children’s sermons provide this opportunity and should be events of proclamation. Help! I’m Leading a Children’s Sermon, Volume 1 contains a collection of children’s sermons designed to involve children creatively in worship and the proclamation of the Word. The collection contains two sermons for each Sunday with a key emphasis on Scripture, including key verses to be read within the sermon. The sermons invite the children to participate in corporate worship in a meaningful, creative way by asking questions and using hands-on activities to explain themes such as hope, forgiveness, repentance and God’s sovereignty. Help I’m Leading a Children’s Sermon, Volume 1 is an essential book for the collection of any worship leader.

About the Author

Marcia Taylor Thompson is a writer and teaches adjunctly at North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is a mother of three sons, Nathanael, Andrew, and Matthew, and a ministry partner with her husband, Philip Thompson. Marcia has served as a Preschool/Children’s Minister and Weekday Director in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia and has written and edited for Smyth & Helwys FaithSteps and Intersection curriculum for children and youth.

Table of Contents

Preface

Common Lectionary Year A
First Sunday of Advent Isa 2:1-5: Will Peace Ever Come?
First Sunday of Advent Rom 13:11-14: Putting On Jesus
Second Sunday of Advent Matt 3:1-12: Preparing for Jesus
Second Sunday of Advent Rom 15:4-13: Welcomed by Jesus!
Third Sunday of Advent Psa 146:5-10: Seeing Differently
Third Sunday of Advent Jam 5:7-10: Patient Promise
Fourth Sunday of Advent Matt 1:18-25: Announcing Jesus
Fourth Sunday of Advent Rom 1:1-7: I Belong to Jesus
First Sunday after Christmas Psa 148: Praise God Who Makes Us and Saves Us
First Sunday after Christmas Heb 2:10-18: Jesus Can Help Us
First Sunday after Epiphany Isa 42:1-9: New Things
First Sunday after Epiphany Acts 10:34-43: God’s Impartiality
Second Sunday after Epiphany John 1:29-42: You Can’t Keep Jesus
Second Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 1:1-9: The Fellowship of Jesus
Third Sunday after Epiphany Psa 27:1, 4-9: “Peek-a-Boo”
Third Sunday after Epiphany Matt 4:12-23: Instant Commitment
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Mic 6:1-8: Not Stuff
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Matt 5:1-12: True Happiness
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Psa 112:1-9 (10): Fearing and Following God
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Matt 5:13-20: Flavor and Light
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Deut 30:15-20: Choices
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 3:1-9: Who Gives the Growth?
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Matt 5:38-48: Reflecting God
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 3:10-11, 16-23: Christian Builders
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Psa 131: Hopeful Trust
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Matt 6:24-34: Come the Kingdom
Transfiguration Sunday Matt 17:1-9: Remember, But Don’t Tell
Transfiguration Sunday 2 Pet 1:16-21: Coming Soon

Common Lectionary Year B
First Sunday of Advent Isa 64:1-9: Mold Me, Lord!
First Sunday of Advent Mark 13:24-37: Is It Time?
Second Sunday of Advent Isa 40:1-11: Echoing the Good News
Second Sunday of Advent Mark 1:1-8: Messengers of God
Third Sunday of Advent Psa 126: Be Rejoicers
Third Sunday of Advent 1 Thes 5:16-24: Always Worshiping
Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1:26-38: That’s Impossible
Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1:47-55: Upside Down
First Sunday after Christmas Psa 148: Praising God
First Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:22-40: Grow in God’s Favor
First Sunday after Epiphany Gen 1:1-5: God’s Creation
First Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:4-11: Who Is Jesus?
Second Sunday after Epiphany 1 Sam 3:1-10 (11-20): Did You Hear?
Second Sunday after Epiphany John 1:43-51: Have You Seen?
Third Sunday after Epiphany Psa 62:5-12: My Rock
Third Sunday after Epiphany Jonah 3:1-10: Turn Around Toward God
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Deut 18:15-20: Who Is a Prophet?
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 8:1-13: “Love-Them-Alls”
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Psa 147:1-11, 20c: Beyond Measure
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 9:16-23: Expectations
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:40-45: I Choose
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 9:24-27: The Real Race
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Mark 2:1-12: Faithful Friends
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany 2 Cor 1:18-22: A Big “Yes!”
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Psa 103:1-13, 22: Endless Forgiveness
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Mark 2:13-22: Following Jesus
Transfiguration Sunday Mark 9:2-9: Listen!
Transfiguration Sunday 2 Cor 4:3-6: Distractions

Common Lectionary Year C
First Sunday of Advent Psa 25:1-10: A Waiting Prayer
First Sunday of Advent 1 Thes 3:9-13: Hearts of Holiness
Second Sunday of Advent Luke 1:68-79: The Promise Keeper
Second Sunday of Advent Phil 1:3-11: Sharing Good News
Third Sunday of Advent Zeph 3:14-20: Joy
Third Sunday of Advent Luke 3:7-18: What Should We Do?
Fourth Sunday of Advent Mic 5:2-5a: Why Bethlehem?
Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1:39-45: I Believe!
First Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:41-52: Who’s Lost?
First Sunday after Christmas Col 3:12-17: Be Like Jesus
First Sunday after Epiphany Psa 29: Say Glory!
First Sunday after Epiphany Acts 8:14-17: Just One
Second Sunday after Epiphany John 2:1-11: Mysterious Generosity
Second Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 12:1-11: Teamwork
Third Sunday after Epiphany Neh 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10: Stand Up! 
Third Sunday after Epiphany Psa 19: How Sweet It Is
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Jer 1:4-10: When I Grow Up
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany 1 Cor 13: Love Acts
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Isa 6:1-8, (9-13): Who? Me?
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Luke 5:1-11: Fishing
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Jer 17:5-10: True Happiness
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Luke 6:17-26: Expect the Unexpected
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Gen 45:3-11, 15: Good or Bad—God Provides
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Luke 6:27-38: The Golden Rule
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Isa 55:10-13: Plant the Word
Eighth Sunday after Epiphany Luke 6:39-49: What Have You Heard?
Transfiguration Sunday 2 Cor 3:12-4:2: Shining Face
Transfiguration Sunday Psa 99: Awesome Gods

Appendix
Christmas I Isa 9:2-7: What’s in a Name
Christmas II Luke 2:1-20: Celebrating Jesus’ Birth
Christmas III John 1:1-14: How Can We See
Second Sunday after Christmas John 1:10-18: God’s Generosity
Second Sunday after Christmas Eph 1:3-14: Thanks for the Gifts
Epiphany Sunday Matt 2:1-12: The Shepherd King
Epiphany Sunday Eph 3:1-12: Now That We Know
Stewardship 1 Chr 16:8-36: Our Offering
Stewardship 2 Cor 9:6-15: Cheerful Giving
Missions Mark 16:9-18: How Far Will It Go?
Love 1 John 4:7-21: Being Loving
Family Exo 20:1-17: Honoring Parents
Family Col 3:18-4:6: Obedience
Friendship Prov 17:17: True Friends
Bibliography
Scripture Index
Subject Index