Prayers for groups of children and young people based on the reading John 12.20-33
Have ears to hear
For children
Mission control
Ask children what they think an astronaut needs most (apart from a space ship and space suit) to complete a mission successfully. Bring out the fact that she or he needs regular contact with mission control.
In today’s reading, Jesus was in regular contact with mission control. He prayed, he heard God speak and he always did God’s will. In the Bible passage we read that God spoke in a loud voice. More often, though, he speaks to us quietly through his word and in our hearts.
Explain that you are going to ask God to bring to your minds some things that he wants to do in the week ahead. Then, with some music playing softly, lead into a time of quiet with the words:
Father, our aim is to love and serve you.
Please show us the things you want us to do.
Bring the ‘listening’ time to a close saying:
Thank you, Lord God, that you hear us when we pray.
Help us to hear you and to do as you say.
Amen.
Drawn to him
(This is to be used along with option ‘Fingerpaint harvest’ from Be active .) Draw a cross on a large sheet of paper. Write the words of John 12.32 across the top and ask the children to read the verse aloud. Then ask each child to write the name of one of their friends on to their blank ‘ear of wheat’. With some worship music playing in the background, invite them to bring their ‘ears of wheat’ and stick them around the cross. Finish with a prayer thanking God that Jesus was willing to die so that all people could be drawn to him.
For young people
Invite the young people to arrange their good news stories from Get started into the shape of a cross and remember the idea of God’s goodness in people and in the world.
As a prayer action, ask each young person to come forward and choose a newspaper page. Invite them to write their own asking prayer onto the page and then to work with the rest of the group to make these into a paper chain.
As a closing reflection, play some instrumental music, or ‘Search for the Hero’ (see Resources ), and invite someone to read the Scripture of the day.