Outline act of worship for all ages

Is it true? 

• Ask people how they find out what is going on in the world. For example, do they read newspapers? Use online media, television or radio? What sources do they trust, and why?
• Share a selection of crazy facts interspersed with a few that you have made up. After each ‘fact’, vote by show of hands on whether people think it is true or invented.
• Today we explore how the truth that Jesus shares with us is gradually unfolding, and where we are right now in our relationship with God.

First impressions

You could also use the image and following questions to help introduce the theme.

Click on the image to view a larger version or use the Jump menu to go to This week's images. For artist's details, see this issue's illustrators.

Questions

• How does this photo show that immediate action is needed?
• What is going on in your own faith journey right now?
• What can we do right now with the gifts and knowledge that we have to further God’s kingdom (rather than wait)?

Proverbs 8.1-4,22-31

The Book of Proverbs personifies Wisdom as a woman. She comes to us and welcomes us. She offers knowledge and seeks to encourage her listener to turn away from evil. Her words are a poem that speak truth to the hearer then and now.

The reader should ideally be an older woman. She could be dressed in a cape or shawl, and standing against the backdrop of a city – a silhouette perhaps. Alternatively, you could use two female readers, one old and one younger, to emphasise that the Wisdom here is both ancient and contemporary.

John 16.12-15

The reader brings out a large book, for example an encyclopaedia – but not a Bible. Make a dust cover for it with the title in large letters: ‘Life, the universe and everything’. Explain that this book is a handbook of life and living, and you will now read it all out loud so that people can understand how to live and what life is all about. As you open the book to read, the Gospel reader – suitably primed – interrupts and starts reading the John passage. At the end of the reading, discard your large book and pick up a Bible instead.

Active worship

Make friendship bracelets

Reminding us that we are interwoven with God

You will need: coloured threads or strands of wool, cut to about 80cm – enough for everyone to have four threads of different colours; pieces of cards, sticky tape.

• Use four threads to make a friendship bracelet. Knot the four threads together at one end, and attach to a card with sticky tape just above the knot. You can see this on a YouTube video, together with the rest of the instructions for making the bracelet.
• As you construct the bracelet, think about the interrelationship of the Holy Trinity, and your own relationship within that Trinity. Is your life as fully interwoven with God as the threads are in the bracelet? E S

Questioning Jesus

An opportunity to share the truths we would like to know more about.

You will need: paper and pens.

• Give out paper and pens and ask everyone to write down three questions they would like to ask Jesus, if they had the opportunity. Give people time to think this through.
• Invite one or two willing volunteers to share one of their questions. Ask them: Why this particular question? Invite others to respond: How do you think Jesus would answer that question?
• Encourage as many people as possible to share their questions and join the conversation by breaking now into groups of six to eight people (groups smaller than this will require a greater level of mutual trust). W E A

A simple worship activity 

An opportunity to be still and be with God.

• Do an internet search for images of a triquetra, a triangular shape composed of three interlaced arcs, sometimes used to represent the Holy Trinity. Choose your favourites, then print and cut out enough for everyone to have one.
• Give out the triquetras. Encourage everyone to clear their minds and listen to a worship song with a trinitarian focus – for example, ‘Father we love you’. As each verse is played invite people to trace the triquetra with their finger and simply to be with God in that moment. After the song ends, keep a time of silence and then say, Amen. E S

Make an origami butterfly

To show how sometimes, truth is not obvious straightaway.

You will need: 8.5cm paper squares.

• Give everyone a paper square. Ask if people can guess what they are about to do with these squares. Accept all answers – don’t give any hints about what is right or wrong. Say that it will become apparent, but sometimes it takes a while for the full picture to become clear.
• Make butterflies giving one instruction at a time – the full instructions are found here.
• When the butterflies are made, you could comment that, although Jesus promises to be with us always, sometimes his truth takes time to become apparent to us. W E

Activity sheet 

• Invite people to revisit, briefly, the items they have made or used today, which may include: a friendship bracelet, a triquetra and a butterfly, focusing on some or all of these questions: What were your expectations when you entered the church today? What were you looking forward to? Was there anything you were dreading? Is there one thing that has struck you today? What are you looking forward to in the coming week?
• Putting all of that important ‘stuff’ to one side for a moment, think only of now. Today. What one piece of advice would you give yourself about living for God and with God in the now? W E S A

Go with God 24/7

Encourage everyone to put their faith into action

Every day spend at least three minutes just being with God. Avoid thinking too much about the past or the future – just be ‘in the now’. If you find it helpful, use the triquetra (see A simple worship activity).  E S

Give out the ROOTS at home resource to encourage faith at home.