For children
Seed prayer
Look together at the seed pictures or cards from Respond to the Word Seed pictures and Seed cards if you made them, as a focus for prayer.
Wonderful God,
thank you for seeds,
small and dry,
waiting to go in the earth.
In the dark earth, the rain comes,
the warmth comes,
and the seeds start to grow.
Life bursts out,
and out of the tiny seeds come
new plants, and fruits …
and more seeds.
Thank you for seeds.
Amen.
Honoured by God
In quietness, think of something kind you have done recently. Have you been friendly to someone? Have you helped, or shared, or smiled? Have you looked after someone, or have you been cheerful? Have you done something kind when you didn’t really want to? God is always so glad when we are like that. Thank you God for the times when we do things that make you happy. Amen.
Take my life
Dear God, I want to be like Jesus — who did what you wanted, even when it was hard and scary. He gave his life, just as you asked him to. And now millions of people have come to know you — because of what he did. That’s lots of fruit from one life. Please help me to follow you when it’s hard, as Jesus did. Please will you use my life to bear lots of fruit too? Amen.
For young people
You need a large bowl or pot of earth and a seed for each person to hold. Use the prayer below, based on today’s Gospel passage, allowing time for each member of the group to plant their seed. Remember to tend the seeds so that the promise of bearing much fruit can be seen.
You hold in your hand a seed,
small and brittle,
new life that can only be realised
when that seed is buried in the dark earth,
tended by water and sun.
Our lives are like that seed,
filled with potential,
yet buried in darkness,
while we wonder if new growth will come.
(Invite the group to plant their seeds.)
Tended by the light of Christ,
and the water of your word,
bring forth new life,
and draw us closer still to you.
Amen.