Gather

Adult & All Age

Gather

Use the activity and prayers to gather the group and introduce the theme

Use the Jump menu on the right to find Prayers and other resources.

All age act of worship Session

Your choice

Have you ever had to make choices quickly? Let’s try! Invite three volunteers to come out. To the first offer a £1 coin in one hand, and a bag with 22 five pence coins (£1.10) in the other – they have three seconds to choose. If they don’t do it quickly enough, offer them to someone else. To the next person offer a bar of chocolate and a bag of chocolate buttons or pieces (one option a little heavier than the other). Again, three seconds to choose or move on. Finally, offer a large bag and small bag without saying what is in them – it could be anything you choose, or nothing, but make them the same. Reveal what the choices were. Did the choosers make the best choices? Ask them why they chose as they did. Today we are exploring choices and consequences.

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

Can you think of an action you have taken that has caused big ripples?
Where was God in the decision you took?
Are you aware of situations in the news where big decisions must be made? How might you pray for the decision-makers?

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Children & Youth

CHILDREN

Very young childrens Session

Gathering song

Sing to the tune: Row, row, row your boat

Hear, hear, hear about Samuel, David and Saul.
Of how God spoke to them, and how he loves us all.

Childrens Session

Game choices E S

You will need: a selection of games.

Display a selection of well-known games where the choices made have consequences. Encourage the children to play some of these. These games could include JengaTM, Four in a row, KerPlunkTM, noughts and crosses, and DownfallTM. Ask the children how it feels when the choice they make works out well, and how it feels when it doesn’t.

My journey here W E

Ask the children to describe how they travelled to the group today.
When everyone has described their journey, ask:
- Could you have gone in another direction or made a change to the way you travelled?
- What would have happened then?
- Who decided how you got here?

Today, the children will hear a story full of choices and changes.

YOUNG PEOPLE

Young people Session

Speed listing W E S

You will need: paper and pens.

Ask the group to come up with categories based on top five favourites. For example, ‘Top Five Movies’, ‘Top Five Foods’, etc. The more the better.
Allow two minutes for everyone to fill in as many of the lists as possible. The winner is whoever fills in the most lists.
Get the group to feedback their choices. Were there any surprising choices? Did all the choices reflect what they thought, or were some choices just made at random, under pressure? Explain that the session will be about the importance of making good decisions.

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

Can you think of an action you have taken that has caused big ripples?
Where was God in the decision you took?
Are you aware of situations in the news where big decisions must be made?How might you pray for the decision-makers?

Spiritual styles abbreviations
W Word E Emotion S Symbol A Action
Read our Spiritual Styles articles