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Conversations with Children

Click on the title of each Children's Sermon to jump to the text.

October 27, 2002 - Pastor Appreciation

January 22, 2003 - Fruits of the Spirit

April 27, 2003 - The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy

May 2003 - Are You A Kind Person?

November 30, 2003 - All Kinds of Envelopes

December 8, 2003 - Ready, Set, Worship!

January 28, 2004 - How Jesus Helped Some Fishermen

February 29, 2004 - Forgiving Seventy Times Seven

August 22, 2004 - Without Hands There Is No Show

September 19, 2004 - Don't Let Your Gifts Become Stale

November 28, 2004 - Spiritual Gift or Christmas Gift

Children’s Sermon
October 27, 2003
(Props-APPRECIATION poster, banner, Kids Bible and gift)
Pastor Appreciation Month

This morning I want to introduce you to an important word that we don’t use often enough. It is the word APPRECIATE. If you appreciate someone you might say that you VALUE them, or that you are GRATEFUL for all they do, or maybe you feel RESPECT for the person.

Now in the Bible John the Baptist and two of his disciples showed their appreciation for Jesus.

It tells us the story of how this happened In the gospel of John 1:35 –36. Let me read it to us.

"The next day John was again with two of his disciples. He saw Jesus walking by. John said, "Look! The lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus."

So, John showed he appreciated Jesus by complementing him and recognizing who he was and what he would do for the world, when he called Jesus the Lamb of God in front of all the people who had come to be baptized. The disciples showed their appreciation by leaving John the Baptist and immediately going to follow Jesus.

You know Jesus wants us to show our appreciation for each other too. He thinks that is important. When you want to show your appreciation for someone what do you do?

Well I sometimes maybe send a card, or I give a present or maybe I say thanks to that person in front of other people.

And that’s what we are going to do right now. Ben, can you go up and get Pastor Muntz and bring him here. This is Pastor Appreciation Month.

And last week we did something with our hands that is a surprise for our Pastor. Should we show him what it is? Ok we will need our 5^th and 6^th graders to help me hold it up. Who would like to read our card?

The members of our church also have a gift for Pastor Muntz and Mrs. Sulcs is here to present that gift.

Conversation with Children
January 22, 2003

I have a fruit basket with me today. These are not real fruits. We can’t eat them because they are plastic. I put this fruit basket together so it will help us to remember some important words that are found in the Bible in Galatians 5:22. The Apostle Paul tells about 9 things we as Christians need in our lives.

He calls them Fruits of the Spirit. Let me show you what they are. (Pass out the fruits) Each one of these words is a description of how Jesus led his life when he was on Earth, and these are the same things we should try to be. Why do you think the Bible describes them as fruits? They are sweet and juicy, and fresh—and doctors tell us they are good for us to eat some everyday because they can keep our bodies healthy. The words can also keep us help us to be healthier Christians.

I have a goal for us as we begin this year. I want us to understand how we can use these fruits to be more like Jesus. But first we have to be able to remember what all 9 of the fruits are. I want to teach you a rap song. Brandon is here today to help me by giving us a beat. I will rap it first and then you can try it with me. I also have all the words for you so you can take them home and practice because next month when I am back to do another conversation, I will not only be talking about one of the fruits of the spirit but I will want you to do the rap song with me. OK let’s try it.

Excellent. Let’s have a prayer.

Dear God. You are so wise. You have so much to tell us in your book the Bible. You tell us about how we can be more like your son Jesus. Thank you for the 9 important words…the fruits of the spirit. Help us to remember each one by name and help us to learn how each one of those words can become a part of our life. Amen.

Conversation with Children
April 27, 2003
The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy.

One of my fruit of spirit signs is missing. Can you help me figure out which one it is? Let me give you a hint?

(READ THE RIDDLE)

You know what? Sometimes JOY is missing from our lives too. I know sometimes I don’t feel very JOYFUL. What about you Mrs. Meese are you sometimes lacking JOY? I bet there are a lot of adults, parents and grandparents here today who aren’t JOYFUL.

But I know something that would make me JOYFUL right now. The Bible even tells us what that is in Psalm 95:1. Can you read this for me?

Come let us sing with JOY to the Lord. Psalm 95:1

Yes, I always am filled with JOY when I hear you sing your Praises to the Lord. I know that at Christmas time the children’s choir learned a great JOY song. Boy it would make me JOYFUL if those of you who know the song could sing it for us right now. Don’t all you adults agree-- What a JOY it is to hear the children share their musical gifts with us. Mrs. Meese is already at the piano ready to play for you.

Pretty please I need some JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my soul.

(Kids sing)

That was such a blessing I just may be JOYFUL for the rest of the day!!!

Let us pray. Our dearest God. It is sad when JOY is missing from our lives, but when we sing to you Lord we bring the JOY back.. We thank you for the songs of our children and their willingness to sing Praises to you. Help us to remember in times of sadness those lovely young voices in song. In your precious Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Children's Sermon
May 2003
Are You a Kind Person? Theme: Kindness

Scripture: 41:1 Blessed are the ones who care about weak people.

When they are in trouble, the Lord saves them.

Will the children join me. The other teens come to both sides and once the kids are seated say… Today Brian French is going to help me with the conversation.

Brian come on down here.

Brian runs and trips and falls. Teens on his left stand laugh and point at him while teens on his right help him. Brian acts hurt.

Boy that was too bad that Brian fell down. I’m glad he didn’t hurt himself bad. Did you notice that the two groups of teens reacted very differently to Brian’ s falling down? What was different? (kids answer) Yes, I think one group was kind and the other was unkind. How did the group over here show kindness to Brian? How did this group show unkindness? ( kids answer)

It’s easy to recognize when someone is kind, but it’s not always as easy for us to show kindness. We have to work at thinking of ways to show kindness to others especially those that are different from us. Psalm 41:1 tell us what happens when we are kind. (Pick a teen to read it) ___________ can you read the passage for us.?

Showing kindness to people who are weak may mean protecting them if they can’t defend themselves or if someone is hurt it might mean caring for them. If someone has an accident like Brian it might mean assisting him by helping him get up or if he’s injured get him medical help.

Let’s all try to think of someone in our life right now who needs our friendship. It might be someone you don’t know very well or someone you don’t usually treat very kindly. Maybe a little brother or sister. ( pause to think) I think today I will try to be especially kind to my younger brother. Now think of something you can do to be kind to someone today. I think I will ask my brother if he needs help with his homework. Do you think that would be kind? Yes. Let’s us pray.

Dear God …thank you for reminding us that we are to be kind to others especially those that are weak or sick or in trouble. Help us remember today and everyday the kindness that your son Jesus showed. Help us to use him as our model. Amen.

Children’s Sermon
November 30, 2003
All Kinds of Envelopes

Good Morning. Did everybody have a great Thanksgiving? I ate too much. Do you remember last Sunday? Mrs. Landis told us that Thanksgiving is a special day to give thanks, but she also said we can give thanks to God everyday. Now on Sundays we have a special way of showing our thanks to God. We use envelopes to say thanks. Now there are a lot of different types of envelopes and I brought some with me today, see? But these are not the type of envelopes I’m talking about. The kind I am talking about come in a box like these. The adult members of the church get envelopes like these. Do you know what they do with them? (put there offerings in them and then put them in the offering plate that the Deacons collect) That’s right. Now next week the young adult and adult members will be getting boxes of envelopes to put their offerings in each week. But there is something new. The 3^rd graders through 8^th graders will be getting envelopes too. Children and youth didn’t have envelopes before. Here is what those envelope boxes look like. Why do you think 3rd grades up to 8^th grade are getting envelopes? Well its because they stay in worship and are here when we collect the offering. Starting in the New Year they will put their offerings to God in one of their envelopes and place the envelopes in the collection plate. But what about the rest of you who go to Jr. Church and are younger than 3^rd grade? Well, wait. We have a special way to collect your offerings too. We will collect your offerings at the beginning of Jr. Church with this. I call it the Noisy Can. Here is how it works. When you get into your Jr. Church classroom your teachers will pull out the Noisy Can. (shake it) Hey that’s not very noisy. See, at first the can will be quiet and empty but as we pass the can around will fill up with our offerings and those offerings will start making noise. (add some money to the can) There is even a song we can sing as we pass the Noisy Can and it goes like this.

Let’s all pass the Noisy Can
Noisy Can
Noisy Can
Let’s all pass the Noisy Can
And add our offerings to God.

Yes we will begin using the Noisy Can or envelopes for our offerings after Christmas.

The offerings to you give our important because we use that money to help people in our world or to help our church buy special things it needs.

Let’s pray.

Dear God. We have so much for which to be thankful. On Sunday we show our thankfulness by bringing our gifts to you. And no matter whether we use special envelopes or the Noisy Can we pray that our gifts make a joyful noise in the World Amen.

At this time I would like to ask our Ready, Set Worship instructors Celeste Shook and Eca Taylor to come forward to assist Pastor Muntz with the 3^rd Grade Bible presentation. This is the second year that Celeste and Eca have taught this important class and I really appreciate the help they have provided me as I become familiar with all our Christian Education programs.

Would the children like to join me.

Today I have some special helpers who will be assisting me with our conversation.

The third graders are going to share with us some important things they learned in the Ready, Set Worship class.

Did you know that when you become a third grader you stay in the sanctuary for the whole worship service and you get to hear the message that Pastor Muntz has prepared?

We want our third graders to feel good about staying in worship so we teach them to understand more about what happens during worship in this special class.

Now our third graders are going to share with you some of the things they learned.

First they learned about two sacraments that happen during worship. Lindsey can you tell us what those sacraments are?

Lindsey: Baptism and Communion

Yes, that’s right. The name of the area we are sitting on right now is called the chancel and there are some interesting pieces of furniture that are on the chancel. Jesse can you tell us what this piece of furniture is called?

Jesse: The Baptismal Font

Yes, we Baptize babies, children and adults. Through baptism a person becomes a member of God’s family and all the members of the church promise to help this person grow to know all about God’s love.

Sean can you tell us what this is?

Sean: The Communion table.

Yes, this is where Pastor Muntz prepares the bread and wine that is used to celebrate that Jesus gave His life for us and our togetherness as a church family. Will what is this called?

Will: The Pulpit.

Yes, This is where Pastor Muntz stands when he reads to us from the Bible and preaches the sermon.

We did a lot of fun things during our four week class. Kevin, can you tell us what was your favorite part?

Kevin: The tour.

Yes, we took a tour of the sanctuary when no one else was here. We even went back behind those doors to the sacristy where the Deacons prepare communion.

We also learned about the parts of the worship service and our third graders got a special bulletin today so they could fill in the names of all the parts of the service as they participate.

We also learned about singing Hymns. Alex can you tell us how to find a hymn in the hymnal.

Alex: Look for the number in the bulletin and then find that number in the hymnal. The numbers in the hymnal are hymn numbers not page numbers.

Yes, we also practiced the two songs we sing every week. One of those songs is called the Doxology. Doxology means "to give God glory". We sing the Doxology right after the Sermon. We are going to sing it for you now. If you know if you can sing it with us too.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow
Praise God all creatures here below
Praise God above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

I want to thank our third graders for helping me with our conversation today.

Now let us pray.

Thank you God for the opportunity we have each week to worship you.

Thank you for the opportunity that we have each week to learn more about you through our Sunday school classes, our Junior Church, our Worship service and during special programs like Ready, Set Worship. Amen.

Children’s Message
January 28. 2004

Mark 1:16-20

Today we are going to talk about fishing and how Jesus helped some fishermen.

Craig Davenport is going to read us the story.

Thank you Craig. Now this story is more than just a story about how Jesus helped the fishermen catch a lot of fish. This is a story about how Jesus called his first followers the Disciples and what he was going to expect of them.

They would no longer be fishing for fish, but fishing for people. What do you think Jesus meant by "fishing for people?" The job of the Disciples would be to tell people about Jesus and get them to follow him too. Now Jesus wants us to also tell people about him. He wants us to fish for people too—people who may not know about him. Let’s see who we might catch. Can I have three fishermen? Take a pole and put it over the side of the boat.

Now that we have caught them what might be a good way to introduce these people to Jesus? Now there is only one right answer to that question and I will ask Mr. Livingston to answer that question. Yes…we can invite people who don’t know about Jesus to come to church with us. But how do we know if these people we have caught need to learn about Jesus? Well, we have to be brave and bold and ask them.

Let us pray. Dear God. You have told us in your word the Bible that we are to go out and tell others about you. But God that is not easy. To ask someone to come to church with us means we have to be brave, because the people we ask may say "NO". God we need your help. Help us to be bold and brave. Help us to believe so strongly in you that we just can’t wait to invite people to come to church with us. In your Son’s name we pray. Amen.

I have some extra people. Maybe you can think of one of these people to invite to Pioneer.

Children’s Sermon
February 29, 2004
Forgiving 70 Times Seven Times

When someone does something that makes us feel bad, what do we want him/her to do that will make us feel better? (Say they are sorry) But that doesn’t always happen does it? Often people don’t say they’re sorry when they hurt us. But whether or not they say they are sorry or apologize to us, and ask us to forgive them do you know what Jesus tells us to do??? (To forgive them anyway) Jesus wants us to overlook what they did and try to be friends again!! That is what forgiveness is all about. It is easier to forgive someone when they say they are sorry. It is harder to forgive someone when they don’t say they are sorry isn’t it?

Now suppose a friend hurt your feelings, not just once, but maybe even 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 times. How many times do you think we should keep forgiving someone? The bible tells how the disciple Peter asked Jesus just that question. Let’s read what he said.

Matthew 18:21

So what did Jesus tell him to do? Just keep forgiving and forgiving, not seven times but seven times 70 times.

Let’s see. I am going to count out seven fish crackers so we can all see how many that is. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,. Now this is how many seven is. But this (pour 483 more into the container from a pitcher) how many seven times seventy is. That’s quite a lot isn’t it? I think maybe Jesus was trying to say that we should ALWAYS forgive people when they do wrong things to us. We know that no matter how many time we sin, Jesus still loves us and forgives us, so we should do the same thing for others shouldn’t we???

Let’s all pray together. Dear Jesus thank you for your grace and your forgiveness. You forgive us every time even though we don’t deserve your forgiveness. Please help us to forgive other when they hurt us too. Amen.

So that you will remember about forgiving I have seven fish crackers for each of you. If we all begin by forgiving our friends at least seven times when they hurt us we will be on the right track to forgiving them every time they hurt us.

Children’s Message
Sunday August 22, 2004
Without the hands there is no show

Look the puppet theater is in place so that must mean our message today is a puppet show.  I love our puppet shows don’t you.  Well let’s all get comfortable and watch.  (settle the kids in front of the stage and sit among them)  It looks like we are all set so (speaking up so the puppeteer in the back can hear) THE SHOW CAN BEGIN NOW.  ( wait in silence for 15 seconds or so and then start getting impatient. After one minute…)  THE PUPPET SHOW CAN START NOW.  (still nothing happens) What is going on?  I guess I better look. ( go around the stage and come back with a basket of puppets) Oh dear, this is all that was back there, this basket of puppets.  We need more than just a basket of puppets and a beautiful puppet theatre in order to have a puppet show don’t we?  What are some of the things we need?  ( encourage children to answer—We need people to work the puppets, especially we need their hands and arms and voice.  We need someone write out a story that the puppeteers can perform. We need someone to operate the microphones so we can hear the puppeteers voices and maybe someone to play a CD for music. Sometimes we need costumes,  props and scenery that someone made to help make the story. Come to life.)

I guess when there are no hands to do all those jobs there is no show.

You know puppets are like churches. If a church is to do God’s work in the world it takes a lot of hands to get inside and make things move.  I can think of a lot of things around our church that just don’t work without people putting their hands in. Why just this morning the greeters shook my hand and welcomed, and I was handed a bulletin.  Maybe you were handed a children’s worship clipboard.  Without Mr. Mason’s hands we would be singing our hymns without any music to back us up. That wouldn’t sound so good.  We sing our hymns to praise God so we want our singing to be the very best it can.  If our church doesn’t have people who want to use their hands to glorify God, our church becomes like our puppet theatre today—a disappointment.   I’m disappointed, are you?  I thought I would see a puppet show and learn a message that would teach us about how God wants us to live in the world.

Wait a second maybe we still can have a children’s message with puppets, but it won’t be a show we watch.  You all have hands don’t you? Do they fit in the puppets?  Take one and see. Will you pitch in and use your hands this morning to make the message?   If so look at your puppet, think about the voice you will use. Take your puppet and go behind the stage.    

Don’t Let Your Gifts Become Stale
Children’s Message    September 19, 2004

Scripture Lesson:

Matthew 5:13-16  You are the salt of the earth.  But suppose the salt loses its saltiness.  How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything.  It will be thrown out.  People will walk over it.  You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill can’t be hidden.  Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand.  Then it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your let shine in front of others.  Then they will see the good things you do.  And they will praise your Father who is in heaven.

Definition of Stale:

Not fresh; ceased to be interesting or novel.

A loss of force or effectiveness due to absence of action.

 Isn’t this a pretty box?  It’s a gift box.  I have been storing up my favorite snacks for a couple of weeks in this box, so when I am ready to eat them it will be like giving myself a gift.   And now I’m ready to eat these snacks, and share them with whoever likes the same snacks I like.  I like crackers all kinds of crackers-saltines, Ritz crackers…graham crackers.  Does anyone here like crackers too?  What do you like about crackers?  I like crackers mostly because they are crisp and crunch and they make a cracking noise when you break them.  I like to chew them.  I like salty and sweet crackers.  And now I’m ready to enjoy them and I will even share some with you.  (Put napkin down and take out crackers)   Let me taste this saltine first.  (taste) Ugh!  What is wrong with it?  There is no crunch.  It tastes funny—blah…no flavor at all.  Let me try a graham cracker.  Yeck! It’s soft not crunchy or even sweet.   And the Ritz crackers taste like cardboard.  What happened?   Oh,no!  I think all my crackers have gone stale.  I think I kept these crackers hidden away in this box for so long they have lost all the freshness that makes them delicious to eat.  Now I guess I can still eat them if they haven’t got any mold on them but I won’t enjoy them. Does anyone want these stale crackers now?

 You know Jesus told us about how people can become stale just like these crackers.  Let me read it to you what he said.  His message is found in Matthew 5:  13-16.

 I have been talking a lot about gifts lately.  Remember when I came into church dressed like a gift box? Craig and Jesse helped me.  Last week we went on the Gift Hunt?  So now we all know we have gifts that God gives us. Now that we know we have gifts God wants us to take them out of our boxes and let them shine for everyone to see.  If we hide them away in a box like I hid my crackers they will go stale too.  I know you each have a special talent that you can share with others…maybe it is the ability to draw a picture, or sing a song and be a member of the Kingdom Kids choir. You can go visit some one who is sick or pray for a friend in trouble.  Jesus tells us ..do it now. Today is the right time to take your gifts out of the box so you won’t become a stale cracker.

 Let’s pray:

Lord today we want to be your light.  We want to face each day with saltiness and freshness so that we can show your love to the world.  It’s scary sometimes and we would rather store a way our talents and gifts…keep them hidden and safe.  But we know if we don’t share ourselves  and find ways to serve  others we will become like stale crackers that have lost freshness and value.  Give us the courage to find our gifts and use of gifts.  In your Son’s name we pray.  Amen.

November 28, 2004
Spiritual Gift or Christmas Gift

Maddie:  Will the children join us for our Advent Message?  We are the Confirmation class.  (Introduce yourselves)  We have been learning a lot about Spiritual Gifts so far this year, haven’t we?  Now we have a game we want to play with you.  It’s called Spiritual Gift OR Christmas Gift.  This is how you play.  On this table we have a little Christmas tree and on this table we have a manger.  David will be passing out a card to everyone.  On each card is a picture of a spiritual gift OR a Christmas gift. You must decide where your picture belongs under the tree, as a Christmas Gift or by the manger as a spiritual gift.  Now before we pass out the cards we will do a practice round.  Ben and Michelle will get a card and show us how to play.

(Ben and Michelle take a card, show it to the kids, place it on a table, and explain why.  Then Ben goes to stand by the tree and Michelle goes to stand by the manger.)

David:  Now I’ll pass out the cards, but don’t look at your card until I say “Look.”  Now go put your card where you think it belongs.  Ben and Michelle will be the judges and will be there to help you. (When all the cards are placed David will ask Michelle to show some of the picture cards that were placed in the manger.  Ben will do the same thing at the tree)

David:  Oh we forgot these two important cards. What do you see in the pictures?  Right, these are pictures of Jesus. Where do you think they go? Is Jesus a Christmas Gift OR a Spiritual Gift? 

Maddie:  Well I think Jesus is a Christmas gift because He is a gift to us from God.  God gave us His son Jesus so our sins are forgiven.

David:  Well I think Jesus is a spiritual gift because He did all kinds of good works like healing people, and preaching and teaching.

Ben and Michelle:   Jesus belongs in both places.

Maddie:  What do you think?  I think I agree with Ben and Michelle.  Jesus was the first Christmas gift to the world and His life was a demonstration of how we should live.  That was a fun game, wasn’t it? Now before you all go let’s pray.  Dear loving God.  Thank you for all the gifts that you give us both our spiritual gifts and Christmas gifts.  Today as we begin the Advent season we especially thank you for the gift of your Son who is both our spiritual gift and the best Christmas gift we could ever receive.  Amen.