25th Sunday after Pentecost

Year 3: November 6, 2016

Preaching Text: Jonah 1:1-17; 3:1-10 [4:1-11]

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away by Elanna Allen

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  Itsy Mitsy hates the thought of bedtime much like Jonah hates the thought of going to Ninevah. Both decide the best solution is to flee. Through a great storm and a great fish, God makes it pretty clear to Jonah that running away might not be as easy as it seems. Similarly, Itsy Mitsy is weighed down by her dad’s suggestions as she tries to run away. In the end, both arrive at the very point they were trying to escape: Jonah finds himself in Ninevah and Itsy Mitsy falls fast asleep. Using this text and story, invite your congregation to share their own experiences of trying to run away from something they didn’t wish to do. Running away might feel like an easy solution, but often proves to not be the best solution. Wonder together about the ways we might confront the difficult things God calls us to do, rather than withdrawing from them.

The Narrative Lectionary Links for Year 3 are written by alumna Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links (NL): November 6, 2016 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.