3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Year A:  June 29, 2014

First Reading:  Genesis 22:1-14

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren

(Written for ages 3-Up)

Comment: The story of Abraham and Isaac highlights Abraham’s trust in God and God’s provision. “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Isaac was God’s gift to Abraham. Abraham trusted God so  Isaac did too. Isaac trusted his father. In the book God Gave Us You, Little Cub asks “Mama, where did I come from?” Mama Bear says “from God.” Mama narrates the story of Little Cub’s birth from the time she knew she was going to give birth to little cub. Mama and Papa bear knew that Little Cub was a gift from God. They prayed to God for Little Cub to be healthy and strong. Mama and Papa Bear thanked God when Little Cub arrived. Little Cub was happy that God had given her to Mama and Papa Bear. She trusted them and knew that they would protect her from harm’s way. This book reminds children that they are a gift from God and that God cares for them just as their parents care for them.

Second Reading:  Romans 6:12-23

Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill

(Written for ages 4-8)

Comment: Paul tells the Christians in Rome that they are no longer slaves to sin. Through Christ’s death and resurrection they are given freedom from sin. In Christ we are given the power to resist the urge to sin and to do what is right. We remind children that God has empowered them to make right choices in life. We can encourage them to stay away from sin. One evening when Jamaica was alone in the park playing, she found a red sock hat and a gray stuffed dog. She gave the red sock hat to the man in the park-house but took the stuffed dog with her back home. She liked the stuffed dog even though it lost its nose and looked rugged. Jamaica’s family did not like her bringing the stuffed dog home and knowing that some other kid might be missing the stuffed dog made Jamaica sad. She decided to return the stuffed dog to the park house. Children will learn that making a right choice not only made Jamaica happy but also helped her find a new friend.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 10:40-42

How Full Is Your Bucket by Tom Rath & Mary Reckmeyer

(Written for ages 3-8)

Comment: In the scripture lesson we are invited to welcome God’s people and be hospitable to them. In doing so we might actually be hosting God. God rewards a hospitable person. The book How Full is your Bucket? For Kids teaches children that every kind word or act helps fill each other’s “invisible buckets.” Felix thought that his grandpa was joking when he said that everyone had an “invisible bucket.” Felix woke up the next morning and found his “invisible bucket” half full on top of his head. On a grumpy morning Felix heads to school and notices his bucket almost empty. His mood changes when Felix’s teacher congratulated him for his writing skills. “Drip, drip, drip” Felix’s “invisible bucket” fills back up with every compliment he received. Felix noticed that kind words from others refilled his bucket and his kind deeds filled others’ buckets. From then on Felix filled others “invisible buckets” with affirming words and kind gestures.

We’d like to thank alumna Mary Taneti, coordinator of children’s and youth ministries at First Presbyterian Church, Goldsboro, NC, for writing the Lectionary Links for the past five weeks.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, June 29, 2014 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.