Lenten materials compiled and edited by Julia Frisbie, with
childrens materials written by Anne Kayser and additional
contemporary elements from Maria Maxwell.
ContentsRoad Map3Letter of Appeal from Pastor4Worship
ResourcesAsh Wednesday5Week 1: Give Up Excess8Week 2: Give Up
Indifference11Week 3: Take Up the Charge13Week 4: Take Up the
Challenge16Week 5: Lift Up The Hurting18Week 6 (Palm Sunday): Lift
Up the Healed20Week 7: (Easter Sunday) Look Up to
Overcome23Childrens MessagesFirst Sunday in Lent32Second Sunday in
Lent33Third Sunday in Lent34Fourth Sunday in Lent35Fifth Sunday in
Lent36Palm Sunday Childrens Message37Sunday School Materials for
Children Grades Pre-K to 2Sunday before Ash Wednesday38First Sunday
of Lent40Second Sunday of Lent41Third Sunday of Lent42Fourth Sunday
of Lent43Fifth Sunday of Lent44Sixth Sunday of Lent45Sunday School
Materials for Children Grades 3-6Sunday before Ash Wednesday46First
Sunday of Lent47Second Sunday of Lent48Third Sunday of Lent49Fourth
Sunday of Lent50Fifth Sunday of Lent51Sixth Sunday of
Lent52Materials for Youth or Adult Sunday SchoolRoad Map54Sunday
School Skit54Week 1 of Lent: The Start of Jesus Ministry55Week 2 of
Lent: Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection55Week 3 of Lent:
Jesus Shakes Things Up56Week 4 of Lent: New Life and Second
Chances56Week 5 of Lent: Jesus Shows Great Emotion57Week 6 of Lent:
Palm Sunday57Labyrinth Instructions57Daily Lenten
Devotions64Mission MomentsMalaria Basics Mission Moment67Mission
Moments from Kanzenze, Democratic Republic of the Congo67Church
Growth Mission Moment: Kortihun, Sierra Leone69Sister Abigail
Mission Moment: Nyadire, Zimbabwe70Muriel and Tiaima Mission
Moment: Sierra Leone70
Road Map
January: Appoint leadership team (including Sunday school and
youth leaders). Meet to go over the road map and determine a
goal.
February: In your church newsletter, include a letter of appeal
from the pastor. Order giving envelopes, collection boxes and other
needed supplies from shop.umc.org.
Two Sundays before Lent: Introduce the theme to your youth group
or an adult Sunday school class. Invite them to prepare a skit for
the Sunday before Lent.
Sunday before Lent: Print the Giving from Abundance calendar to
include as an insert in each bulletin. Invite your youth group or
adult Sunday school class to perform their skit during your worship
service (possibly as part of the childrens moment).
Each Sunday during Lent: Keep reminding your congregation about
Imagine No Malaria by using the social media graphics, bulletin
inserts and/or worship resources provided in this toolkit. Use the
supplementary Sunday school activities to teach children about
Imagine No Malaria.
Palm Sunday: Remind people to bring the money they have
collected through the giving calendar for the special offering on
Easter Sunday. Include giving envelopes as an insert in the
bulletins.
During Holy Week: If your youth group or adult Sunday school
class has created a labyrinth, plan to consecrate it during worship
on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday. Additional
prayers and litanies are available for these days in the worship
resources packet.
Easter Sunday: Celebrate the risen Christ with a special
offering for Imagine No Malaria. Make sure briefly to explain the
program or show a short video clip for any visitors. Make giving
envelopes available.
April or May: In your church newsletter, include a letter of
thanks from the pastor, announcing the total raised by your church
during Lent.
Letter of Appeal from Pastor
Dear Friends:
Watching a small child die from malaria is a horrific
experience. First, come the headache, tiredness, weakness in the
joints and general malaise, followed by a very high fever. Then the
fevers effect on the brain causes the childs muscles to jerk, just
before the end. ~Tom Gillem, Interpreter, July/August 2009.
Our church has the opportunity to change this image and help
eliminate deaths from malaria. Through Imagine No Malaria, we can
save thousands of lives. It is possible to give without loving,
said John Wesley, but it is impossible to love without giving.
Imagine No Malaria is our opportunity to respond to our calling to
show our love through our generous gifts.
In 2006, our church embraced the message Send a Net, Save a Life
through Nothing But Nets. Over four years, we raised $7.5 million
for this cause, and in doing so, ignited the passion of our members
for global health. Now, through Imagine No Malaria, we have
increased our participation tenfold, because we believe we are
called to strengthen the infrastructure of malaria treatment and
prevention to ensure the greatest impact of this effort. Our
efforts may have started with nets, but they will not end there! We
will revitalize hospitals and clinics that treat malaria and
distribute medication. We will support and train additional
community health workers who educate communities about proper net
usage and other simple ways to prevent malaria. We will build
communications networks to spread health information. Finally, we
will enhance partnerships with leaders in global health to leverage
the greatest impact of our resources.
On Easter Sunday, please join us in a Sunday to Save Lives and
help our church reach our goal to raise [$X,XXX]. During all
services on this day, members can return gifts to support Imagine
No Malaria by using the special envelope provided and placing it in
the offering.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8, CEB says, Now if there are some poor persons
among you, dont be hard-hearted or tight fisted. To the contrary!
Open your hand wide to them. You must generously lend them what
they need.
We are blessed to live in a country where diseases of poverty
like malaria do not touch our lives on a daily basis. In Africa, a
child dies from malaria every 60 seconds. We can help to provide
hope through this effort. Five dollars is enough to provide a
lifesaving course of medication. Ten dollars protects a family.
Just imagine what $100, $500 or $1,000 could do. How many lives
will you save?
The spirit of Christ is in our church as we care for each other
in our times of need.
Blessings,
[INSERT PASTOR NAME]
Worship Resources
Sunday before Ash Wednesday
Show the Malaria by the Numbers video, available at
http://youtu.be/yDpTeD7f9uE, and have your youth or adult Sunday
school class introduce Imagine No Malaria as a theme for Lent.
Include the Giving from Abundance calendar as an insert in every
bulletin.
Ash Wednesday
Lectionary Years A, B and C: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, CEB. This
Scripture describes how to give, pray and fast in humility. Where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The way we spend our time, money and energy reflects our true
passions. Lent challenges us to become passionate about God once
more as we hear and read stories of Jesus life. This year, we are
using Imagine No Malaria as a way to focus ourselves on Gods work
in the world.
Calls to Worship
Leader: God, as we enter this Lenten season,
All: Help us feel your spirit close by.
Leader: Move us to generosity,
All: And not to pride.
Leader: Move us to prayer,
All: And not to performance.
Leader: Move us to sacrifice for the sake of love,
All: And not for the sake of self-punishment.
Leader: Everything we have on earth will pass away,
All: But your love lasts forever.
O God, you delight not in pomp or show,
but in a humble and contrite heart.
Overturn our love of worldly possessions
and fix our hearts more firmly on you,
that, having nothing,
we may possess everything,
a treasure stored up for us in heaven.
(Worship and Song Worship Resources, page 11)
Prayers
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the
earth.
Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and
penitence,
so that we may remember that only by your gracious gift
are we given everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
(United Methodist Book of Worship, page 323)
Cover me with ashes, the thick-smoke soot of the earth.Make my
breathing like the journeyfrom death into life second by second,
prayer by prayer.
Cover me with a cloak bring me low to the earth,your justice
whispering to me like the gleam of red rocks,the colors dancing in
the darkness.Let me know the power of sage and cedar in my
bones,not that I may trap them there,but bring them forth in
words.
Cover me with darkness with the presence of my elders, their
tears falling around me, reminding me of why we are here sighing,
groaning with our singing, longing to hear us into being,stretching
us beyond breathing and praying and weeping.
Cover me with mercy let the bones you have crushed rejoice, like
the woman who channeled every ounce of courage and dignityto touch
your cloak and find new life.Breathe unto me life anew, of
possibility, of beauty, of balance,of grace.
Cover me with mud bring me to my lowest state, so that in my
weaknessesI see your strength the reflection of your eyes in the
brokenness around me, the fullness of your love in the depths of
our hearts.
Cover me with ashes the ashes of my grandmother, who in living
her days knew no strangers,worked tirelessly with worn handsand
lifted grandchildren high into the air.
Cover me with mercy let my cheek come to rest on the cold earth,
its faithful presence a call to walk humblybeyond myselfbeyond my
fearsand ever on to the red road that leads to your love.
xs Changer. Cover me.Cover me with ashes.Change me.
(By Adrienne Trevathan, director of Christian education,
Northminster Presbyterian Church, Evanston, Ill. As a Native
American (Port Gamble S'Klallam) and United Methodist, Adrienne is
seeking new ways to weave these traditions together as a part of
her teaching and work in the church.
http://www.gbod.org/resources/changer-a-prayer-poem-for-ash-wednesday)
Prayer in Poetry: Blessing of the Ashes
All those daysyou felt like dust, like dirt,
as if all you had to dowas turn your facetoward the windand
be
scatteredto the four corners
or swept awayby the smallest breathas insubstantial
Did you not knowwhat the Holy One can do with dust?
This is the daywe freely saywe are scorched.
This is the hourwe are markedby what has made itthrough the
burning.
This is the momentwe ask for the blessingthat lives withinthe
ancient ashes,
that makes its homeinside the soil ofthis sacred earth.
So let us be markednot for sorrow.And let us be markednot for
shame.
Let us be markednot for false humilityor for thinkingwe are
lessthan we are
but for claimingwhat God can dowithin the dust,within the
dirt,
within the stuffof which the worldis made,
and the stars that blazein our bones,
and the galaxies that spiralinside the smudgewe bear.
(By Jan Richardson)
Imposition of the Ashes
God can works wonders with dust.
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.
Amen.
Altar Decoration Ideas
Remove all shiny objects and flowers from the worship space.
Drape burlap or another rough gray or brown cloth (to symbolize
sackcloth) over the altar. Perhaps, make a small campfire the week
before and let some logs burn halfway before dousing the fire and
allowing them to cool. You can then bring the charred logs into the
worship space and arrange them on the burlap. You may also choose
to include:
Tea lights
Bowls of ashes used for anointing
Song Ideas
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian, UMH 402
Sundays Palms Are Wednesdays Ashes, TFWS 2138 (new words to a
familiar tune)
Come and Find the Quiet Center, TFWS 2128
Dust and Ashes, W&S 3098
Falling on My Knees, W&S 3099
A Wilderness Wandering People, W&S 3113
The Lords Prayer by Mark Miller (possible choral anthem)
Treasures in Heaven by Burlap to Cashmere
Multimedia Resource
Meditative video about Ash Wednesday by Trinity Cathedral Media:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB_OflgtJwg
Dear God 2.0 by The Roots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Qr5oKKP-M&ob=av3e
Week 1: Give Up Excess
Lectionary Year A: Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus is tempted in the
desert.
Lectionary Year B: Mark 1:9-15. John baptizes Jesus; Jesus is
tempted in the desert.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 4:1-13. Jesus is tempted in the
desert.
When Jesus went into the desert, he was giving up food, shelter
and an opportunity for instant notoriety after Gods spirit had come
down like a dove at his baptism. Sacrificial giving was a crucial
part of his relationship with his Father. We, too, are called to
give from Gods abundance. It is our privilege to give up excess and
turn it into a holy offering.
Calls to Worship
As we walk through the unfamiliar and unknown,
Walk with us, God.
As we are tempted to gather more than we can possibly carry for
the journey,
Help us trust that you will provide.
As we are called to give things away,
Replace those things with your love.
God, we need you in the wilderness and on the journey.
We step out in faith because we know you go with us.
(Adapted, Ministry Matters Living Stone resource 2013)
In the deserts of the heart,
Let the healing fountain start;
In the prison of his days,
Teach the free man how to praise.
(From the poem In Memory of W.B. Yeats by W.H. Auden)
Prayers
Eternal God, rock and refuge:
with roots grown old in the earth,
riverbeds run dry,
and flowers withered in the field,
we wait for revival and release.
Abide with us
until we come alive
in the sunrise of your glory. Amen.
(2002 Consultation on Common Texts, administered by Augsburg
Fortress Publishers, from Worship and Song Worship Resources, page
16)
Lord, prevent us from falling into the sin
of believing that the slavery of Egypt
is better than the struggle in the desert. Amen.
(From the church in Nicaragua, Worship and Song Worship
Resources, page 69)
Poem: The Desert Has Many Teachings
In the desert,
Turn toward emptiness,
Fleeing the self.
Stand alone,
Ask no ones help,
And your being will quiet,
Free from the bondage of things.
Those who cling to the world,
Endeavor to free them;
Those who are free, praise.
Care for the sick,
But live alone,
Happy to drink from the waters of sorrow,
To kindle Loves fire
With the twigs of a simple life.
Thus you will live in the desert.
(By Mechthild of Magdeburg, translated by Jane Hirshfield, from
Women in Praise of the Sacred, 1995)
Altar Decoration Idea
Use a purple cloth to symbolize the season. Cover the altar with
rocks of various sizes. Gather three clear vases of various shapes.
Fill them halfway with sand. Place one bare branch in each vase and
arrange them on the altar among the rocks. The finished altar
should look simple and spare.
Song Ideas
Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days, UMH 269
What Gift Can We Bring, UMH 87
God, How Can We Forgive, TFWS 2169 (new words to a familiar
tune)
Live in Charity, TFWS 2179
Amazing Abundance, W&S 3120
For the Sake of the World by Bethel Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9oqi86yS3g
Multimedia Resources
Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpSxEWXE_mo
Week 2: Give Up Indifference
Lectionary Year A: John 3:1-17. Jesus speaks with Nicodemus.
Lectionary Year B: Mark 8:31-38. Jesus rebukes Peter: take up
your cross and follow me.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 13:31-35. Jesus longs to gather
Jerusalem like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings.
In these Scripture passages, Jesus shows deep emotion as he
foretells his transformation from life to death and Resurrection.
He is passionate about Gods plan. Malaria attacks the most
vulnerable people in the world, and we know it is not part of Gods
plan. This week, challenge one another to give up indifference and
take malaria personally. In order to end preventable deaths, we
must work with true passion alongside our Creator.
Calls to Worship
The needs of our world are too numerous to name.
Shelter, food, clean air and water ...
Our gifts touch these needs,
but the biggest gift we can give is to love the world
so much that we give of ourselves.
Nothing will transform need more than sacrificial love.
Todays offering is just the beginning.
Something drew us together this morning
Something we cant name but which we experience in worship
Some holy mystery we call God
Some sacred calling we hear in the life of Jesus
Some indescribable hope we feel when we gather in the Spirit
May our experience of the Divine transform our doubts and fears
and prepare us to love the world.
(The Indescribable Radiance of Love, Service Prayers for
Transfiguration Sunday, was written by the Rev. David Bahr, pastor,
Park Hill Congregational United Church of Christ, Denver, Colo.
2010 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and
Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect
Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100.Permission granted to reproduce or
adapt this material for use in services of worship or church
education.All publishing rights
reserved.http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/nlb/advent-christmas-epiphany/epiphany-transfiguration.html)
Prayers
Jesus prayed that we might be one: one in spirit, one in
mission, one in communion with each other and with you. Today, God,
we confess fumblings and failures in accomplishing unity. We think
first of our needs, and not your abundance. We treat lifesaving
resources as pocket change. We have divided the world into us and
them, even as we try to make a difference. Forgive us, O God.
On this communion Sunday, give us eyes to recognize your
reflection in the eyes of Christians everywhere.Give us a mind to
accept and celebrate our differences.Give us a heart big enough to
love your children everywhere.We thank you for setting a table with
space enough for us all! Amen.
Adapted from the Africana Worship Book, Year B, (Discipleship
Resources, 2007)
http://www.gbod.org/resources/a-prayer-for-world-communion-sunday
Change our hearts, O holy one. Jesus longs for us and wants to
give us new life, but unless we turn away from our worldly things
and toward him, we are not ready to be changed. Help us get ready.
Conquer our indifference. Light us with passion to improve the
lives of people living with malaria, and as we pursue that goal,
help us come face-to-face with you in an encounter that changes us
for good. Make us hungry for your face and for your reimagined
world. Amen.
Altar Decoration Idea
Start with last weeks altar setting (purple cloth, various
rocks, and vases with sand and bare branches). Portray
transformation on the three branches. Leave one branch bare. On the
middle branch, glue tiny tissue paper buds (1-inch squares of
tissue paper, rolled tightly). On the third branch, glue small
tissue- paper flowers. Viewed side by side, these branches depict a
reawakening as the sap rises.
Song Ideas
This Is a Day of New Beginnings, UMH 383
Quando El Pobre (When the Poor Ones), UMH 434
Give Me Jesus, W&S 3140
For Everyone Born, a Place at the Table, W&S 3149
Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin (2008):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1008615
Captivate Us by Christy Nockels (2004):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=560992
Multimedia Resource:
Inmate Gift Fights Malaria:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL-Y4GfWr5U
Week 3: Take Up the Charge
Lectionary Year A: John 4:5-52. Jesus speaks with a Samaritan
woman at a well.
Lectionary Year B: John 2:13-22. Jesus drives out the
moneychangers from the temple in Jerusalem.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 13:1-9. Jesus tells the parable of the
fig tree that will not bear fruit.
Todays theme is Take Up the Charge. In the Scripture passages,
Jesus disrupts the status quo by talking with a Samaritan woman,
driving out the moneychangers or entreating his listeners to change
their lives. This is in line with many of Jesus parables, in which
the kingdom of God turns the normal order of things on its head.
Jesus is a disruptive teacher. Our church has the opportunity to
disrupt the status quo of malaria. Malaria is a disease of poverty.
It affects mostly poor people and keeps them poor. However, we can
eliminate it in our lifetime. This is a good time to review Imagine
No Malarias four program areas:
Communication Our work in each community starts with
public-awareness campaigns through radio, cellphones and schools.
We are trying to get the message out about what causes malaria, how
to prevent it and where people can get treatment.
Education We teach leaders to apply for grant funding through
the health board system. We also train community health workers and
equip them to improve health in their neighborhoods. This is what
makes our program sustainable.
Prevention Networks of volunteers, led by community health
workers, go door-to-door distributing bed nets. We also clean up
stagnant water and target use of pesticides inside homes.
Treatment We work to improve access to health care in
sub-Saharan Africa by building infrastructure and supporting our
300+ United Methodist Church health clinics and hospitals so they
have the medicine, staff and facilities they need to fight malaria.
This also equips them to fight other diseases.
Through all of these strategies, we try to make sure that the
malaria status quo of lost lives and lost opportunities does not
continue forever.
Calls to Worship
Show us, good Lord, how to be frugal
Till all are fed;
How to weep
Till all can laugh;
How to be meek
Till all can stand in pride;
How to mourn
Till all are comforted;
How to be restless
Till all live in peace;
How to claim less
Till all find justice.
(Peter W. Millar, Worship and Song Worship Resources, page
77)
Just as Jesus turned societys norms on their heads,
Help us disrupt the status quo this season.
Throughout history, children have died from mosquito bites.
But we can imagine a world with no malaria.
Help us to take this dream
And make it real.
Just as Jesus preached good news to the poor and broken,
Help us to spread the word.
Just as Jesus healed the sick,
Help us to stop needless suffering.
Prayers
O Lord our God, listening to us here, you accept the prayers of
our sisters and brothers in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Americas
and Europe. We are all one in prayer. So may we, as one, rightly
carry out your commission to witness and to love in the church and
throughout the world. Accept our prayers graciously, even when they
are somewhat strange. They are offered in Jesus name. Amen.
(From the church in Ghana, Worship and Song Worship Resources,
page 69)
God, today we pray for the family of Domingos Antonic. He was 8
months old and weighed only 15 pounds when his family brought him
to the hospital. His malaria was advanced, and he was completely
unresponsive. He struggled to breathe, but the hospital had no
oxygen tank. He needed a transfusion, but the doctor did not have a
small enough needle for his tiny veins. We lost him that day. We
will never know what blessings he could have brought to our world.
Guard his soul, Lord. Comfort his parents, aunts and uncles.
Sustain his community as they struggle to keep their other children
alive. Guide the doctors and nurses. Lord, use us today to make
sure that hospital gets the supplies it needs. With your help, we
will see a day when children like Domingos are safe from malaria.
Amen.
Altar Decoration Idea
Use the same altar decorations as the previous week, but add a
photo of Domingos [available in the Graphics folder], framed or
mounted, among the vases. Add a strip of white tulle snaking
through your desert-scape to symbolize a bed net.
Song Ideas
We Cannot Measure How You Heal, W&S 3139 (new words to a
familiar tune)
Heal Us, Emmanuel, Hear Our Prayer, UMH 266
Wounded World That Cries for Healing, TFWS 2177
You Are Mine, TFWS 2218
Come, Let Us Dream, W&S 3157
God Is Able by Reuben Morgan, Hillsong (2010):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1849637
Multimedia Resource
Imagine No Malaria ministry overview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE6DiD0QOho&list=PLByvp1Kd0UotFdnNAlBMHZTe5yD9C9JB4
Week 4: Take Up the Challenge
Lectionary Year A: John 9:1-41. On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a
man born blind.
Lectionary Year B: John 3:14-21. Jesus explains his presence in
the world to Nicodemus.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. Jesus tells the parable
of the prodigal son to a room full of tax collectors and
sinners.
Our theme is Take Up the Challenge on this fourth Sunday of
Lent. The Scripture passages describe new life and second chances.
The man born blind gets a new lease on life when Jesus heals him.
Jesus explains to Nicodemus that Jesus has come into the world so
people can be born again into a different kind of life eternal
life. The parable of the prodigal son describes God as a loving
father whose arms are always open, even when his children make
mistakes. As we take up the challenge of building a new world
without malaria, we fight for the sake of children and pregnant
mothers who would otherwise die from this disease. We fight to give
them a second chance at life abundant.
Calls to Worship
Come let us worship and praise God
Creator of heaven and earth, who is still creating and
re-creating.
Come let us worship and praise God
Jesus, who ushered in a new order and a new way of life.
Come let us worship and praise God
Holy Spirit, who empowers us to transform.
Come let us worship and praise God
Trinity, holy mystery, imagination itself!
(Adapted, Ministry Matters Living Stone resource 2013)
It is by our love that we are known to be followers of
Christ.
It is by trusting that we become fully human.
It is by changing that we hope to grow.
What we were when we came here, we will not be when we
leave,
For we have met each other in the presence of God.
Let us therefore show love to one another.
Gods love will transform the world!
(Adapted, Worship and Song Worship Resources, page 76)
Prayers
O God, be with our brothers and sisters who suffer from malaria
today. Slow the course of the parasite. Cool the fevered brow.
Comfort the aching muscles. Steady the hands of the caretakers.
Jesus the healer, be present in Africa. Lift away the disease so
that those who are afflicted get a new lease on life. Make us your
hands and feet, that in helping to end malaria, we are also born
anew. Amen.
God of all nations, your love and mercy surround us, wherever we
are. So many people are suffering from malaria. Help us to learn
about the suffering of others and give us the wisdom and compassion
to act. It is so easy to look the other way. With open hearts and
open minds, we seek to learn what you would have us do. We ask all
this in your sons name. Amen.
(By the Rev. Marji Bishir, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Altar Decoration Idea
Remove the photo of Domingos from your altar. Add more
tissue-paper buds and flowers so that the formerly bare branch now
has buds, the once-budding branch has flowers and the formerly
flowering branch has flowers and leaves. Add more tulle so that it
begins to overflow from the altar.
Song Ideas
The Summons, TFWS 2130
In Christ There Is No East or West, UMH 548
Sent Out in Jesus Name, TFWS 2223
Risen by The Indigo Room (2013):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1990263
Lift High (also known as Broken People Call His Name) by Steve
Fee (2007):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=974654
Multimedia Resource
Sierra Leone Church Growth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnxCXPo0HMw
Week 5: Lift Up The Hurting
Lectionary Year A: John 11:1-45. Jesus raises Lazarus from the
dead.
Lectionary Year B: John 12:20-33. Jesus predicts his death.
Lectionary Year C: John 12:1-8. Mary anoints Jesus feet with
oil.
Our theme in the fifth week of Lent is Lift Up the Hurting. In
all three lectionary cycles this week, Jesus shows his empathy and
humanity. He weeps with Mary and Martha before raising Lazarus from
the dead. He is full of sorrow and fear as he approaches his final
days. He is deeply moved when Mary anoints him with oil. Jesus was
fully God as the mysteries of the next few weeks will prove but
also fully man. Because Jesus empathizes with us, we are called to
empathize with each other. That is what it means to lift up the
hurting: not just to send money for a quick surge of
self-satisfaction, but to be moved with compassion for families
affected by malaria. We lift up the people of sub-Saharan Africa,
not as faceless beneficiaries, but as our brothers and sisters in
Christ.
Calls to Worship
We worship a Christ
Who is fully God, and yet fully man.
We worship a Christ
Who is moved by compassion to heal and protect.
We worship a Christ
Who becomes vulnerable for the sake of others.
We worship a Christ
Who calls us to follow him!
Prayers
God of our ancestors, when your children are suffering, hear our
cry. Help us to remember your faithfulness in ages past, and teach
us to offer ourselves and our gifts as generously as you do. Let
our giving bear witness to your love and make it possible for
others to experience the abundant life Jesus offers. May our
journey this Lent draw us closer to Christ and so to you. Amen.
(By the Rev. Kerry Greenhill, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Dear Lord, make me an instrument of your peace and love by
sharing with others that they may have freedom from the disease of
malaria. May we do this not for our own ambition, but simply out of
interest and love that we have for others, as Christ has for us. In
Your name, we pray. Amen.
(By Dr. Peter L. Paulson, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Altar Decoration Idea
Add to last weeks altar by draping additional tulle so that it
spills onto the floor. Print out and frame/mount pictures of
children and their families, arranging them with the tulle and
vases.
Song Ideas
O Love, How Deep, UMH 267
There Is a Balm in Gilead, UMH 375
Rule of Life, W&S 3117
Forever, W&S 3023
Come, Now Is the Time to Worship, W&S 3176
Greater by Chris Tomlin (2014):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=2240401
Multimedia Resource
Imagine Text to Donate video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaQDTdAR-qc&list=PLByvp1Kd0UotFdnNAlBMHZTe5yD9C9JB4&index=2
Week 6 (Palm Sunday): Lift Up the Healed
Lectionary Year A: Matthew 21:1-11. Jesus enters Jerusalem.
Lectionary Year B: Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16. Jesus enters
Jerusalem.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 19:28-40. Jesus enters Jerusalem.
On Palm Sunday, our theme is Lift Up the Healed. The United
Methodist Church operates more than 300 hospitals, clinics and
health posts across the African continent. Staff and volunteers,
who dedicate their lives to improving access to health care, have
already saved thousands of lives. The death rate from malaria has
been cut in half!
In the lectionary passage, Jesus rides into Jerusalem and puts
it all on the line for the people he loves. God calls us to do the
same. God calls us to step outside our comfort zones in the fight
against malaria. As we celebrate Jesus triumphal entry, we also
celebrate the people whose lives have been spared from malaria.
(Most of the focus for this week is on Jesus story, not the Imagine
No Malaria story, and that is appropriate.)
Calls to Worship
We tell your story.
We follow in your footsteps.
Lead us Into Holy Week!
We walk toward the city.
We wait in the garden.
Lead us onto Holy Ground!
We journey toward death.
We hope for resurrection.
Lead us into Holy Joy!
(Shout Hosanna!Service Prayers for Palm/Passion Sunday was
written by the Rev. Daniel B. Randall, senior pastor, First
Congregational Church, UCC, Bristol, R.I., and a USAF chaplain
(reserves). Copyright 2011, Local Church Ministries, Congregational
Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ,
700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100. Permission granted
to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship
or church education. All publishing rights reserved.
http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/le/lent-service-prayers-2.html
)
Come and give thanks!
Our God is doing miracles!
Parents can rest easy knowing their children are safe.
Children have a chance to reach their potential.
Come and hear the good news!
Gods love is stronger than disease.
With our gifts and prayers,
We can lift up precious lives.
Prayers
Creator and Lord of us all, we are marching with you to Zion.
Remind us again of your power to break through even the dissonance
and incongruence of life. We pray for our brothers and sisters on
the continent of Africa who daily face the challenges of poverty
and disease. In the words of Sir Isaac Watts, Come, we that love
the Lord join in a song with sweet accord and thus surround the
throne. May the harmony of our individual voices create a symphony
of praise that gives life to your children around the world. We
pray in the name of Jesus who died that all might have life.
Amen.
(By the Rev. Janice Griffith, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Lord, we are too nervous to ask for help from one another. The
Master needs your donkey, but we're afraid to ask.
Lord, we are afraid to give you what you ask. Help us realize
that what we have is just a gift from you.
Lord, we are too proud to lay our cares before you.Help us to
lay our cloaks on the colt, on the road, on your way.
Lord, we have been quiet in our praise, our shouts of Hosanna!
sound like mice whispering.Put palms in our hands; help us in grace
to stand.
Lord, we have looked from the pinnacle of the temple,craving,
protecting and manipulating power.We have told you, time and time
again,make the crowds pipe down!Break our hearts of stone; let us
see your steadfast love,and bring forth your kingdom in this
place.
Lord, forgive us for what we have not asked; forgive us for what
we have asked that was not needed, for what we have kept that was
needed,and for what we have given that was unjust.
Hear the good news. Christ came riding a donkey of peace and
reconciliation,not a charging warhorse of judgment. In the name of
Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.Glory to God.
Amen.
(Adapted, A Prayer of Confession for Palm Sunday by the Rev.
Nathan Decker,
http://www.gbod.org/resources/the-master-needs-your-donkey-a-prayer-of-confession-for-palm-sunday)
Altar Decoration Idea
Add palms to your existing altar design. Put some in the vases
alongside the branches, tape others to the back of the altar so
that they point upward behind it, and lay many on the ground in
front of it.
Multimedia Resource
There Is Hope for You by William Elliot Whitmore, with art by He
Qui (Lenten meditation from the perspective of Jesus):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-27PYq60WSg
A Message for United Methodists from Rear Admiral Tim Zeimer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLoM4LqbsOg
Song Ideas
All Glory, Laud, and Honor, UMH 280
Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, UMH 278
I Will Enter His Gates, TFWS 2270
The Trees of the Field, TFWS 2279
Hosanna by Brooke Ligertwood, Hillsong (2006):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=979900
Hosanna (Praise is Rising) by Paul Baloche (2005-06):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=559270
Week 7: (Easter Sunday) Look Up to Overcome
On Easter Sunday, as we celebrate the risen Christ, we also
celebrate the role we play in the fight against malaria. Collect
the special offering generated by the Giving from Abundance
calendars. Make sure to provide a brief overview of Imagine No
Malaria for visitors through a bulletin insert, video clip or brief
announcement so they, too, can participate.
Calls to Worship
God of new beginnings, you wipe away our tears and call us to
care for one another.
Give us eyes to see your gifts, hearts to embrace all creation
and hands to serve you every day of our lives. Amen.
(2002 Consultation on Common Texts, Worship and Song Worship
Resource, page 71)
Morning has broken, but this morning is different.
The birds are singing tunes of joy in the trees surrounding the
graves.The flower buds are bursting in colors vibrant around each
stone.
We've come to visit the grave of a friend, but "he is not
here."
The sun is rising in the east; the shadowed grays turn bright!
The Son is risen in our hearts; darkness and death end in
defeat.
Now we understand what Christ said, what God did.
Now we can proclaim, CHRIST IS RISEN! HALLELUJAH!
(By the Rev. Nathan Decker,
http://www.gbod.org/resources/morning-has-broken-easter-call-to-worship)
Prayers
Lord, we can still see miracles performed by your hands, if only
we look. Allow us to be your hands and feet here on Earth each day
so that the miracle of the elimination of malaria may occur. Every
life that is saved is a reason to celebrate. Praise be to you, O
God. Amen.
(By Margo Jacobs, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Good God, we are so blessed that Jesus made room for us at the
table. We are so blessed that the love of Christ breaks down every
wall and helps us to see the entire human family as brothers and
sisters. Help us to see Imagine No Malaria as a way to return to
the Lord for all his bounty. Let our support of Imagine No Malaria
be just another expression of your invitation to be at the table
together, sharing of the abundance you have given so freely.
Hallelujah! Amen!
(By Rev. Gary Henderson, Imagine No Malaria 2013 Lenten
Devotionals)
Altar Decoration Idea
The liturgical color for Easter is white, so decorating with
white tulle (representing mosquito nets) is appropriate. Cover the
altar with as many flowers as possible. Have at least one piece of
netting loose on the altar to collect the Easter offering.
Multimedia Resource
Thanks to You play this video before the offering so visitors
get a brief overview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3yYhDnxiX8
Communion Litany
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise!
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere
to give thanks to you, Creator of heaven and earth.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
Your Spirit anointed him
To preach good news to the poor,
To proclaim release to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed.
O Lord, we have fallen short of the example of your son, Jesus
Christ.
We can do more for those who are oppressed, blind, captive and
poor. Too many children still die from the bite of a mosquito.
Today we celebrate Gods vision for our world and the new life of
the Resurrection by helping to end malaria.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are beloved and forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are all beloved and forgiven!
Thanks be to God!
On Jesus last night, he gathered with his closest friends for
the Passover dinner. During the supper, Jesus took bread and gave
thanks to God, saying, Take and eat. Every time you do this,
remember what I have taught you. After the supper, he took the cup
and gave thanks to God saying, Drink from this all of you. This is
the cup of grace, poured out for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins. Every time you do this, remember what I have
taught you.
O God, pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on all
your beloved children around the world. Help us to see your grace,
forgiveness and surprising joy in the empty tomb. Your amazing love
will always have the last word.
Amen.
(Drew Frisbie, 2014)
Song Ideas
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, UMH 302
Easter People, Raise Your Voices, UMH 304
In the Garden, UMH 314
Woke Up This Morning, TFWS 2082
Trading My Sorrows, W&S 3108
Christ Is Risen by Matt Maher (2009):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1004257
Happy Day by Tim Hughes (2006):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=558069
Offering
Assign children and youth to be readers and ushers for this
offering.
Reader: Todays offering will benefit Imagine No Malaria. Every
minute, a child in Africa dies from malaria, even though we know
how to prevent and treat it. However, United Methodists can imagine
a better world where no child lives in fear of a mosquito bite, and
with Gods help, well make it happen! Hear what our brothers and
sisters in Sierra Leone say about it.
[Play the Thanks to You video]
Sung response: Our God Saves by Paul Baloche:
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1018722
[While the congregation learns this simple melody, four ushers
come forward to remove the net from the altar and bring it to the
head of the aisle. Each usher holds a corner so that people can
place money in the middle. Then, singers pause between the verse
and the chorus while the instrumental music continues.]
Reader: We have saved our gifts for an entire season. Today, we
bring them forth and dedicate them to the God who gave up
everything for us. We will do it in the African style by singing
and dancing while we give! When moved to do so, make your way
forward and place your offering in the net. Today, we have the
power to save lives.
[Continue the sung response. It may be helpful to prep a few key
people for this moment so that they will be ready to dance first.
Continue the song until people are finished coming forward.]
Reader: Dear God, thank you so much for working through us to
help save lives and create a better world. Our gifts represent a
tiny fraction of what you have given to us. We stand in awe of your
generosity. Death will never have the last word. In the spirit of
Christs Resurrection, bring new life to communities affected by
malaria. You have already brought new life here. We can feel it!
Thank you, God. Hallelujah!
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before Easter
We realize that every church has different traditions for the
three days leading to Easter. We have tried to provide a variety of
adaptable resources that can fit into your services, whether you
celebrate Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, or some
combination.
The Passion
Lectionary Year A: Matthew 26:14-27, 66 OR Matthew 27:11-54.
Jesus is killed.
Lectionary Year B: Mark 14:1-15:47 OR Mark 15:1-39. Jesus is
killed.
Lectionary Year C: Luke 22:14-23, 56 OR Luke 23:1-49. Jesus is
killed.
Calls to Worship
May the Christ who walks on wounded feet
Walk with us on the road.
May the Christ who serves with wounded hands
Stretch out our hands to serve.
May the Christ who loves with a wounded heart
Open our hearts to love.
May we see the face of Christ in everyone we meet,
And may everyone we meet see the face of Christ in us.
(Adapted from the traditional Celtic blessing, Worship and Song
Worship Resources, page 15)
From Bethlehem to Nazareth,
From Jordan to Jericho,
From Bethany to Jerusalem,
From then to now,
Come, Lord Jesus.
To heal the sick,
To mend the brokenhearted,
To comfort the disturbed,
To disturb the comfortable,
To cleanse the temple,
To liberate faith from convention,
Come, Lord Jesus.
Today,
To this place,
To us,
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
(Wild Goose Group, 1998, Worship and Song Worship Resources,
page 13)
Prayers
Eternal God, when nothing existed but chaos, you swept through a
formless void and brought forth order with the creation of day and
night. We celebrate day as it brings forth light that enables us to
see the beauty of your creation. We cherish the stillness of the
night where your promise for the world is revealed to us as we
rest. Day and night, darkness and light, they belong to you. You
created them and you called them good. Yet God, in the beauty of
creation, chaos still appears. Chaos can remind us of what weve
overcome. Chaos can lead us to seek realities different from that
which weve become complacent in. Chaos can turn us into better
versions of ourselves, but chaos can also consume and destroy us.
From the chaos of lies, misinformation and ignorance, defend us.
From the chaos that severs right relationships and leads to the
study of hate, violence and war, save us. From the chaos of fear,
release us, and from the chaos of unexpected suffering and untimely
death, heal us. Remind us to pray together and for one another.
Teach us to mourn together and for each other and lead all of your
people to fully rest in the assurance that whether we are in deep
waters or walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are
with us. With the audacity of faith, and through the power of your
Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen!
(By Janjay Innis,
http://www.umcmission.org/learn-about-us/news-and-stories/2014/august/0806aprayerfortheworld)
There are questions that wait in the shadows, doubts that lurk,
and so we shut the lights off and try to sleep. The kind of despair
that forms its own tape over our mouths when we try to pray. The
question trembles in our chest, fights its way out of our throats
and sticks in the air, vapor like warm breath meeting cold wind:
God, where are you? Maybe I shouldnt question you, maybe I shouldnt
doubt you, but sometimes I do. Sometimes life and tragedy and grief
make it difficult to believe you. I want to. But sometimes its hard
to. So, where are you now when I cry, when I try, when I want to
know why? Where do I find your quiet in the midst of the noise? How
do I not mistake your silence for the thought that you dont hear my
voice? There are questions that wait in the shadows, doubts that
lurk and so we shut the lights off and try to sleep.
(From Garden, by The Liturgists. Used with permission.)
Tenebrae Prayer
Dear Jesus, because you became human, suffered and died, we know
you are with us even in our darkest nights and deepest valleys.
Tonight we remember your final moments. We also remember the
innocent lives extinguished by malaria. Hear our silent prayers
tonight. We will put out a candle every 60 seconds to signify one
life lost to a preventable, treatable disease. Be near us, Lord
Jesus.
[Silence as candles are extinguished, one every minute]
Jesus, guard these souls and keep them close to you. Comfort
their families. Help us to end this disease. Until it ends, have
mercy. Amen.
Altar Decoration Idea
Dismantle altar decorations completely. Use only a black cloth
and candles to decorate the altar and remove any other decorations
in the worship space.
Song Ideas
Eat This Bread, UMH 628
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, UMH 286
Were You There, UMH 288
We Sang Our Glad Hosannas, TFWS 2111 (sing all but the last
verse)
Jesus Remember Me, UMH 488
At the Cross by Darlene Zschech (2006):
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1798199
(See Taize service below for additional music suggestions.)
Foot-Washing Litany based on John 13
Necessary items include pitchers of lukewarm water, basins and
at least one towel per person.
Leader: It was Jesus Christ who humbled himself on his last
night by kneeling before each of his closest friends and washing
their road-weary feet before the Passover Feast. This was a
servants job. An unpleasant task. And yet, he did tenderly, it with
tears of affection in his eyes.
All: O Lord, teach us to be humble!
Leader: As Jesus tied the towel around his waist, the disciples
became uneasy. Was this some sort of test? It was clear Jesus meant
business as he wiped their feet clean. Peter couldnt bear the
thought of his teacher and Messiah doing such a task. But Jesus
assured him that this was part of a much bigger lesson. He would
miss out if he didnt allow the master to become a servant.
All: O Lord, teach us to serve!
Leader: In washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus gave us an
example of how to live our lives in service to God and our
neighbors both near and far. As we gather today humbly to wash each
others feet, we remember children of God around the world who are
suffering. We imagine their feet: calloused, mosquito bitten, muddy
because even asphalt is a luxury would we be willing to wash those
feet? Help us today to wash away our guilt, our trepidation and
anything else that holds us back from serving our global neighbors
with Gods living water. With Gods help, we will make malaria a
thing of the past.
All: Thank you, Lord, for the chance to be your hands and feet
in a world of need! Amen.
Jesu, Jesu (UMH 432)
All are invited to come to one of several foot-washing stations
to kneel and serve one another until everyone has had an
opportunity to wash someones feet or hands.
Leader: Will you join me in prayer?
All: Jesus, you are our teacher and our Lord. We are humbled by
your example and called to do likewise. We pray today for those all
around the world who are afflicted by disease, war and poverty.
Jesus, just as you sought out those living on the margins to offer
new life, we are called to change the world so it reflects your
love. Amen.
(Drew Frisbie, 2014)
Labyrinth Taize Service
Youth or adult Sunday school materials include instructions for
making a labyrinth. If your church participates in this project,
this is a great way to dedicate and use the labyrinth. If not, you
can still sing the Taize songs and do the reading; just skip the
dedication. Set up a darkened worship space with candles and
assorted chairs and pillows for seating. Taize songs repeat many
times until the spirit moves the assembled group to silence. After
a minute of silence, begin the next song. Keep the music quiet and
simple to facilitate meditation. The Holy Saturday reading can be
read aloud, printed in a bulletin, or simply written on paper and
placed in the center of the labyrinth. Print a notice or announce
that someone is available just outside the worship space to pray
with people.
Reader 1: Dear God, were here today to present this labyrinth to
our church.
All: Please bring peace to every person who walks on it.
Reader 1: Help it remind us of what weve learned during Lent
this year.
[Silence when each person who helped create the labyrinth can
think about the word they painted on it]
Reader 1: Let it be a sacred space where we find you at the
center of our lives.
All: Guard our steps, and help us to know that you are with
us.
Reader 2: Sometimes when we pray, we focus inwardly and forget
to focus outwardly.
All: Its easier not to think about children who have
malaria.
Reader 2: So we put up walls and say, This problem is too huge!
Theres no way I can make a difference.
All: But the walls we create are not as powerful as your
love.
Reader 2: This labyrinth leads us to the center of our faith,
where we remember that every child of God is precious.
All: Help us to tear down the walls!
[As a group, carefully peel off the blue tape to reveal the
lines of the labyrinth. Joyful noises are appropriate! If your
group likes to sing, choose a few favorite songs for this time. It
will take a few minutes. When the tape is off, place candles around
the labyrinth. Slowly dim the lights and light the candles.]
Reader 3: Ephesians 3:20, CEB, says, Glory to God, who is able
to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at
work within us.
All: We have the power to create beautiful things and save
lives.
Reader 3: God, thank you for working through us today!
All: We really can change the world.
Pastor: Thank you! We accept this labyrinth as a precious gift.
We promise to take care of it and use it with joy. Let us pray.
All: In the name of God who created us, taught us how to live
and walks beside us wherever we go, we dedicate this labyrinth. May
it be a tool for peace, centering and connection here at our
church. O God, without you, none of our projects or prayers have
meaning. Accept this gift as a symbol of our love for you. Just as
we dedicate the labyrinth to your service, we dedicate ourselves.
Amen.
In the Lord Ill Be Ever Thankful, TFWS 2195
Come and Fill Our Hearts, TFWS 2157
Bless the Lord, TFWS 2013
Live in Charity (Ubi Caritas), TFWS 2179
Holy Saturday Reading (below)
Wait for the Lord, W&S 3049
Exit in silence
Holy Saturday Reading
Oh, my God! Where are you? In the Sabbath garden, silenced,
broken, behind the stone my God is lost to me.
Oh, my God! Where are you? In the bodies of children too young
to name, almost weightless when tucked into the soil my God is lost
to me.
Oh, my God! Where are you? In the grief which first shatters
life into before and after, then consumes, chaperons and carves me
my God is lost to me.
Oh, my God! Where are you? I resist my day of rest and prepare
Sundays burial spices. I take the night watch even though I am
spent. I wait. I beg my lost God for the dawn and my lost God holds
vigil.
Childrens MessagesFirst Sunday in Lent
Visual prop: Gift bag of box wrapped in Christmas paper
containing bright green Imagine No Malaria bracelets
Script: Merry Christmas! (After children laugh and correct you):
What? It isnt Christmas now? Do I have the wrong season? Well, what
season is it now? (Kids will probably say winter; if anyone says
spring, acknowledge whatever early signs youve noticed maybe little
green shoots pushing up through the ground. If anyone says Lent,
affirm this answer and ask if he/she knows what Lent is about.)
In the Christian calendar, the word for early spring is Lent.
Its the season leading to Easter.
Advent was the season leading to Christmas, when we remembered
Baby Jesus. During Lent, we remember Jesus as an adult. When Jesus
grew up, he did and taught some amazing things. Lent is a time to
learn about that.
Lent reminds me of Christmas because both are about Jesus, and
both are about gifts (hold up wrapped package). When Christmas was
coming, did you think about what gifts you might get? Yeah? Well,
during Lent, its time to think about what gifts you might
share.
Its tempting to keep our gifts all to ourselves (hug the wrapped
present and say something like this is all mine!). Even Jesus was
tempted to use his gifts just for himself, but he knew God wanted
him to share his special gifts with all sorts of people. He gave up
some of his gifts for us.
Many Christians have a tradition of giving up something for
Lent. Usually its something they like but might not be very good
for them maybe TV or candy.
This Lenten season, many United Methodist Christians around the
world are going to give up or share a gift that can help others.
United Methodists have a theme for this Lent: Give up a gift, take
up a cause, lift up a life. Thats what Jesus did. In church and
Sunday school, we can learn more about what he did, and what we can
do during this season leading up to Easter. For right now, I think
its time for me to give up holding on to this gift, and to share it
with all of you! (Let the kids help unwrap and/or reach into the
present. Give a bracelet to each of them.)
Youll find out more about what these spring-green bracelets mean
in Sunday school today!
Lets fold our hands now and say a prayer:
Dear God, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, into the world.
Help us learn about him and become ready to share as he did.
Amen.
Second Sunday in Lent
Note: This message assumes that Imagine No Malaria Lenten
Calendars were already introduced to the congregation and Sunday
school students.
Visual props:
Pipe cleaner mosquito inside a small opaque container
Imagine No Malaria Lenten calendar
Collection container (jar or small box) with some money in
it
Script: Good morning! Today I need your help to get rid of some
evil villains! Ive captured one of them in this box (hold up the
opaque container). Do you think an evil villain could fit inside
this little box? Well, the big monsters you see in some movies
couldnt fit in here, but there are some tiny monsters that can do a
lot of harm. Can anybody guess what kind of villain this is? (Reach
in and pull out the pipe cleaner mosquito.)
Yeah, its a mosquito! See, here are its six legs and its evil
little eyes and its long proboscis thats what it uses to suck your
blood! Its like a creepy little vampire! And do you know what? Real
mosquitoes are a lot tinier than this pipe cleaner one.
Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito? Yeah? Did you get a
bump on your skin that itched a lot? Around here, mosquitoes can
make us itch, but they usually dont make us sick. In some other
places, though, especially in Africa, theres a type of mosquito
that only comes out at night, and she carries a bad disease that
makes millions of people sick! Who remembers what that disease is
called? (Give the kids a chance to answer.)
Malaria. It isnt something you can catch here in the United
States anymore; we got rid of malaria in this country a long time
ago. But children who live in Africa are in danger because of
villains like this (hold up the pipe cleaner mosquito again).
The good news is that we can help protect malaria! Some of us
here at church have already started doing that. (Hold up the
Imagine No Malaria Lenten calendar). How many of you (ask kids and
the whole congregation) are doing the activities on this Imagine No
Malaria Lenten calendar? If youve been collecting some money each
day (hold up jar/box with coins in it), then you are helping to
fight bad bugs like this one (hold up the mosquito).
How many of you helped your parents count all the medicine
bottles in your house this past week? That was one of the first
activities on this Lenten calendar, wasnt it? Did it surprise you
to find so much medicine in your house? Most of us can go to a
doctor or drug store to get medicines we need to help us get and
stay well. But many people in poor countries have trouble getting
medicines they need. Thats one thing the money we collect (hold up
the jar) this Lent can pay for: it can help hospitals and clinics
in Africa provide medicine for people with malaria.
When Jesus walked on the Earth, he showed concern for people who
were sick, and he helped them. He taught his friends to do the
same. This Lent, lets try to be like Jesus and do what we can to
help people. Lets be thankful for the good things we have, and
share some of our money so other people can get what they need to
be healthy.
Now lets fold our hands and pray together:
Dear God, thank you for blessing us with so many good things.
Please help us to bless others as Jesus did. Amen.
Third Sunday in Lent
Visual props:
Bed net or large piece of filmy fabric folded and wrapped in a
bag, mailing box or envelope
Pipe cleaner mosquito
Script: Good morning! Someone just gave me this package (hold up
whatever youve wrapped the bed net in). Im curious to find out
whats inside. Lets find out together! (Pull out the net and unfold
it.)
Hmmm I wonder what it is. Maybe its some kind of clothing (get
up and wrap the net around you like a shawl). Well, maybe not. It
isnt very warm because it has all these little holes in it. Hey,
maybe its a fishing net! Lets see (try casting one edge of it out
in front of you while you hold on to the other edge).
Well, that didnt work quite right. I dont think I could catch
many fish this way, do you? Hmmm maybe I could make a hammock out
of this thing. What do you think? (By now, some kids who were in
Sunday school last week will recognize that its a bed net and say
so. If not, prompt them with questions like, Have you ever seen
anything like this? or Did you have something like this in Sunday
school last week? What did you do with it? Let a few of the
children help you hold the net up like a tent over a few other
kids).
OK; I see. This is a bed net to hang around people who are
sleeping. Why would people want to sleep under a bed net? (Give
kids a chance to answer, and help paraphrase any relevant
responses.)
(Take out the pipe cleaner mosquito). Remember this little
villain? Yeah, its a mosquito. What if this were one of those
mosquitoes in Africa that only come out at night to bite people?
What if it carried that bad disease, malaria, that makes so many
people sick? (Make the mosquito fly into the net.) The net keeps
mosquitoes from the people under it. The mosquito nets our church
gives people in Africa have a little mosquito poison on them, so
when the mosquitoes land on them, they die (make a choking noise
and drop the pipe cleaner mosquito off the net).
Weve learned that when we only give out nets without explaining
what they are and how to use them, people try to use them for all
sorts of other things like wedding gowns, fishing nets and
hammocks. Thats why a big part of the Imagine No Malaria project is
about teaching. The United Methodist Church teaches community
health workers to teach everyone in a whole village why these nets
can help keep their families safe, and how to use them right.
Thats kind of like what Jesus and his disciples did long ago.
They traveled from village to village, teaching and healing people.
They helped all sorts of people. By helping to raise money for
things like nets and education, we can help all sorts of people,
too.
Lets pray together: Dear God, thank you for the example Jesus
set for us. Please use our gifts to help others get and learn what
they need to stay healthy. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Visual prop: Photograph of Bill Gates large enough to see easily
for the size of group you expect
Script: Hi, everyone! I have a picture to show you this morning.
Do any of you know who this man is? (Hold up the photo and move it
around so everyone gets a view of it.) No, it isnt Jesus! (If no
one guesses right, give some hints): I have read that, at some
point, this man was the richest man in the world. Hes a computer
genius. He started Microsoft. He and his wife, Melinda, also
started a foundation to give money to make the world a better,
healthier place. Its called the Gates Foundation.
Yeah, this is a picture of Bill Gates! Many people envy Bill
Gates because hes so smart and rich. Many people also admire him
and his wife because they have been very generous to a number of
good causes.
One of those causes is ending malaria. In fact, the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation has given $5 million to Imagine No
Malaria, the United Methodist project weve been talking about
lately. Yeah, thats a lot of money! You might wonder, with so many
good causes to support, why would Bill and Melinda Gates choose
this one?
Bill Gates says one reason is that we know how to prevent and
treat malaria. Do you remember what we learned about last week that
can stop mosquitoes from biting people and giving them malaria?
Thats right: bed nets. When people learn how to use bed nets right,
they can protect themselves and their families from catching
malaria. If some people are already sick with malaria, medicines
can help them get better.
The United Methodist Church has been providing bed nets,
education and medicine for quite a few years in many African
countries. In those countries, less than half as many people die
from malaria now. In fact, a child lives every minute who otherwise
would not have survived.
Bill Gates could see that what our church is doing is working.
He also knows that in some African communities, four out of every
10 people who go to a hospital or clinic have malaria. That one
disease takes up so many resources that there arent enough left to
treat other problems. If we could end malaria, the doctors and
nurses in these places could spend more time helping to cure and
treat other illnesses.
Bill and Melinda Gates have made fighting malaria one of their
causes. So have many people in our own church. (Turn to the
congregation and ask): Please raise your hand if you have helped
raise money for Imagine No Malaria. Thank you for taking up this
cause!
Lets pray together: Dear God, thank you for working through all
kinds of people, rich and poor, to help all kinds of people. Please
work through us, as you worked through Jesus. Amen.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
The following suggestion for an enactment of John 11:1-44 would
take longer than an average childrens message, but could substitute
for a straight reading of this Scripture passage, thereby combining
the childrens message with the Gospel lesson for the day.
If you can recruit enough volunteers to enact the story of
Lazarus as a skit, it would be an engaging way to tell the story.
Ideally, you would need to cast a narrator, Jesus, Lazarus, Martha,
Mary, a messenger, a few disciples and a few mourners/witnesses to
the scene at the tomb. Having Lazarus come out (perhaps from behind
the alter or organ) wrapped like a mummy would be unforgettable for
kids! It would be powerful to see Mary, Martha and their friends
follow Jesus instructions: Unbind him. Let him go!
Heres a lead for such a skit that would relate it to Imagine No
Malaria:
During this season of Lent, we have been learning about Jesus
and about a project inspired by our desire to follow Jesus example.
Do you remember what that project is called? (Wait a few seconds
for a response, and give some hints if necessary: Many of us have
been raising money for this project. Weve been learning about it in
Sunday school.) Its called Imagine No Malaria. Our Lenten theme has
been Give up a gift, take up a cause, lift up a life.
Todays Scripture lesson is about Jesus lifting up a life. Its
from the Gospel according to John. Its a long story, so rather than
just read it to you, some of my friends will act it out for you
while I narrate.
(Begin reading John 11:1-2 as Mary and Martha walk out in front
of the kids.)
The way you adapt the story to a skit will depend on how many
players you have and how much time you want to take recounting the
details of the story. You could do something as simple as having
two other readers in addition to the narrator, one for Jesus and
one for all other speaking parts; you could have a cast of two
dozen all in costume, with a different actor for each speaking
part, plus many other actors playing the rest of the disciples and
crowd. Or you could just tell the story.
Palm Sunday Childrens Message
Visual props:
Palm branch
Imagine No Malaria calendar
Jar or other clear container with some coins and bills in it
Script: Hosanna! What do you think that means? Hosanna! (Listen
to responses.) We say Hosanna today because its a special day,
right? What day? Yes, its Palm Sunday (wave your palm branch). On
Palm Sunday, we remember when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a
donkeys colt and hundreds of people came out to greet him with
songs and shouts of joy! They said, Hosanna! Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord! Thats a quote from one of King
Davids psalms, and it was a way of saying Hurray! Here comes the
hero weve been waiting for! He has already done great things, and
now hes coming to our city to set things right!
Many people in Jesus time hoped that Jesus would fix all their
problems right away. They cheered for him because they believed he
would free them from injustice under Roman rule and from every kind
of sickness. The Bible tells us that Jesus did speak and act out
again injustice, and he did cure many people who were sick, but he
didnt do it all at once. He left much work for his followers like
us to do.
Ill bet when United Methodist community health workers arrive in
African villages where they have visited before, they are greeted
with songs and shouts of joy and high expectations. After all, the
death rate from malaria has been cut in half since they started
bringing bed nets and teaching people how to use them. Many people
who would have died from malaria are alive today because of
lifesaving medicines made available by the Imagine No Malaria
project.
Stopping malaria isnt something we can do all at once, or by
ourselves. It will take the help of many people over several more
years to get rid of this awful disease for good.
How many of you have been helping by doing the activities on the
Lenten calendar and collecting money for Imagine No Malaria? (Hold
up your calendar and cash container. Acknowledge the adults in the
congregation as well as the kids who raise their hands.) Thats
great! This is the last week of Lent Holy Week when we remember
Jesus last week before his death and Resurrection. Lets try to
complete what we have started, and bring what we have collected for
Imagine No Malaria on Easter Sunday. Together, we can make a
difference. We can lift up a life!
Sunday School Materials for Children Grades Pre-K to 2
Be sure to check out the Imagine No Malaria coloring book!
Sunday before Ash Wednesday
Ten-Minute Sunday School Lesson Add-on for Grades K 2
Supplies needed:
Imagine No Malaria Lenten calendars (one for each child)
Jars or boxes for collecting coins and bills
Blank sticky labels for jars that can be labeled and colored
Crayons and/or markers
Cups and fresh water; snacks, if possible
A globe or map of the world
Enough coins to complete one easy calendar activity
Outline for lesson:
Consider having all the children sit at tables for snacks and
cups of water. While they are eating, give them a simple
explanation about what Lent is a time when we learn about the
grown-up Jesus getting ready for the first Easter.
Ask children to pick up their water cups and look in them. Ask
if they see any bugs in their water. This should get them looking
and giggling. Look in your own cup, saying something like, Hurray,
no bugs! and then drink the water. Make a satisfied sound and
smile. Invite the kids to do the same.
As kids finish their snacks, explain that in some places in the
world especially in Africa there are bugs in much of the water.
These bugs sometimes carry diseases that make people sick. (Point
to Africa on a globe or map). Malaria is a bad sickness that many
people in Africa catch because it is carried by mosquitoes that
hatch in still water.
Distribute blank sticky labels to kids as they finish their
snacks and water. Before you pass out crayons or markers, explain
that during this Lenten season, people in our church will collect
money to help get rid of bad bugs in Africa. A special Lenten
calendar will help us know how much money to put in our jars each
day. (Pass out a calendar to each student). Explain that this
calendar helps us realize some of the blessings we have that help
us stay healthy, like fresh, clean water with no bugs!
Ask an older student to look at a particular day on the calendar
and read what it says. (Choose a day that asks you to count
something your classroom has, such as light switches or electrical
outlets). Call on a few younger kids to find and count those things
in the classroom. As they count, drop a coin in a jar or box for
each one. Tell kids that this money will help pay for fresh water,
mosquito nets and medicine to protect people from getting sick.
Brainstorm a few ideas about how to decorate sticky labels to go
on collection jars/boxes. Then pass out crayons and/or markers.
Encourage kids to draw something that will help them remember what
the containers are for and help them (if they need and want help)
with printing words like Imagine No Malaria. Then help them affix
labels on their jars/boxes.
When parents pick up their kids at the end of Sunday school,
make sure the adults get the calendars and containers.
First Sunday of LentK-2nd Grade Lesson Add-on
Note: This lesson should immediately follow the first childrens
time story in which all the children receive bright-green Imagine
No Malaria bracelets out of a gift box or bag from the
storyteller.
Supplies needed:
A few extra bracelets for kids who dont have them
A few extra Imagine No Malaria Lenten calendars for kids who
missed last weeks lesson
A few extra labeled collection containers (jars or little boxes)
for kids who missed last weeks lesson
Pictures of magnified mosquitoes, stagnant water and people
under bed nets (Many images are available online, so consider
bringing a laptop or tablet.)
Play dough or clay for each child
Timer
Outline for lesson add-on:
Gather and seat children together at tables or in a circle. Ask
them to hold up their hand if they didnt get a green bracelet.
Distribute bracelets to those who dont have one yet. Ask if anyone
can read the words on the bracelet (help them as needed). Ask if
anyone remembers from last weeks lesson what malaria is. Remind
them that malaria is a bad disease carried by mosquitoes that only
bite people at night, mostly in Africa. Show pictures of
mosquitoes, stagnant water where they can hatch and a family under
a bed net. Can the kids guess why the family is sleeping under a
net?
Hold up an Imagine No Malaria calendar and ask kids to raise
their hands if their families have started using one. Tell them you
have extras for their parents if they didnt get one last week.
Demonstrate how to use the calendar by asking an older child to
read a particular days activity (choose one that tells you to count
something you have in the classroom but didnt count last week).
Have a few younger kids look for and count these items. Put a coin
in a container for each item counted.
Tell kids that you will give this money help to protect people
from malaria. Encourage them to talk with their parents about
giving some money for this cause, too. Tell them you have extra
jars/boxes for their families if they didnt get one last week.
Make a Jesus connection: Jesus gave people good news. He told
them God loved them and wanted to help everyone who turned to God.
He told people to love and help each other. We can help people in
Africa by giving money to Imagine No Malaria. The money can pay for
bed nets, medicines and other things people need to get rid of
mosquitoes and sickness.
Activity: Tell kids they get to make play-dough (or clay)
mosquitoes and germs, and then squish them! Pass out play dough or
Sculpey. Put a picture of a mosquito where kids can see it, but
encourage creative-looking germs of whatever variety kids want to
make. Set a timer for this activity, letting the kids know that
when it goes off, everyone gets to squish his or her bugs!
When parents pick up their children, be ready to provide Imagine
No Malaria Lenten calendars and labeled collection containers to
any who didnt receive one the previous week. Encourage adults to
involve their children in counting things in their home that are
listed on the calendar, and to give thanks for these blessings.
Second Sunday of LentK-2nd Grade Sunday School Lesson Add-on
Supplies needed:
Mosquito net or similar filmy fabric
Pipe cleaner mosquito
Imagine No Malaria Lenten calendar
Outline for lesson:
Gather children, preferably in a circle on the floor. Ask if
anyone remembers the name of this church season. Affirm that it is
Lent, the season leading to Easter. Hold up an Imagine No Malaria
Lenten calendar and ask kids to raise their hands if theyve been
using the calendar at home. Praise the kids who have been, and ask
them to name something theyve helped to count in their homes. Ask
if they thought about these things before or felt thankful to have
them. Can they imagine not having sinks with clean, running
water?
Pull out the pipe cleaner mosquito and hold it up so kids can
see but not touch it. Ask if anyone remembers from the childrens
message in church what it is. Ask if anyone remembers the name of
the bad disease that some mosquitoes carry, especially in Africa.
Reassure them that they wont catch malaria from mosquitoes here,
but help them understand that children in some parts of the world
are in danger because of the sickness they can get from mosquitoes
that bite only at night.
Pull out the bed net (or big piece of similar fabric). Explain
that nets like this can protect whole families from mosquitoes. Ask
a few kids to lie on the floor next to each other and pretend to go
to sleep. Ask a few other kids to help you make a tent over them
with the net and whatever you can rig up to hold it. To be
protective, the net must go all the way to the sleeping surface (or
be tucked under it), and it cant be touching someones skin because
its possible for a mosquitos proboscis to stick through the netting
and into a person lying against it. The kids will learn that its
harder than it looks to get the net just right all the way around
the sleepers. Use the pipe cleaner mosquito to pretend to bite
sleepers if they arent protected completely by the net.
Acknowledge that this is hard. Thats why The United Methodist
Church has trained thousands of community health workers in Africa
to teach people why bed nets are important, and how to hang them
right. The money we are raising helps buy nets, but it also helps
pay for education so people learn how to keep their families safe
from bad mosquitoes.
Make a Jesus connection: People often called Jesus Teacher
because he taught people about things that mattered. Ask kids if
they can name a few things Jesus taught, like maybe the Golden
Rule, or the two most important commandments (to love God and to
love our neighbors as ourselves). Affirm what children know, and
help clarify it. Then build on it. When someone asked Jesus, Who is
my neighbor? he told about a foreign man who stopped to help a
stranger who was badly hurt. Jesus told everyone listening to do
the same. Jesus taught that God cares about all people, no matter
what country they are from, and we should too. When we help someone
even someone on the other side of the earth we act as that good
foreigner acted in Jesus story.
Third Sunday of Lent
Sunday School Lesson Add-on for K-2nd Grade
Supplies needed:
arge piece of poster board or butcher paper with open block
letters (ready to color): TAKE UP A CAUSE!
Crayons or markers
Ready-made Imagine No Malaria poster
Lesson outline:
Invite children to gather around a table or other hard surface
where the TAKE UP A CAUSE poster is spread. Help them read it and
understand that it means to work at solving a hard problem. Ask who
remembers the name of a problem that makes so many people sick in
Africa the disease carried by mosquitoes. By now, some of them will
probably be able to answer, Malaria!
Show them the ready-made Imagine No Malaria poster. Tell them
that ending malaria is a cause on which our church has chosen to
work. We need a reminder to keep at it.
Ask children to color in the letters of the poster so people can
read them easily from a distance.
When the letters are colored, go on a quick field trip to hang
the handmade and ready-made posters side by side in a place where
many people will see them. Let the kids help choose the place
(maybe give them a choice of two places) and help affix the posters
with sticky putty or tape.
Make a Jesus connection on the way back to the classroom and/or
when you arrive there: Jesus went to pray and teach in a building
like a church. People called it the temple. He cared a lot about
what happened in the temple. Jesus cared about how people at the
temple used money. He got mad when he saw some people making other
people pay a lot of money for things they were supposed to have to
get into the temple. He turned over their tables so the money they
had taken rolled all over! Another time, he watched people give
offerings of money at the temple. He noticed when a woman with very
little money gave all she had.
Some people in Africa have very little, but still give as much
as they can to help their neighbors. When people in the United
States give as much as we can to help people in Africa, we use
money for a good purpose that honors God.
The posters we helped make and hang will remind people in our
church to use some of their money for a good cause. You can remind
your family to keep doing the activities on the Lenten calendar.
Putting in a little money each day will add up to enough to buy bed
nets and medicine for people who need them.
Fourth Sunday of LentAdd-on for K-2nd Grade
Supplies needed:
Hula hoop
Enough string, rope or masking tape to make a circle on the
floor about 6 to 8 feet in diameter
Human costumes (not animals or movie characters) that will
approximately fit kids
Small, individually wrapped treats that everyone can eat without
a mess
Outline for lesson:
Before class, set hula-hoop in the middle of the floor and make
a larger circle around it with string, rope or tape so there is
room to stand between the hoop and the larger circle.
As children arrive, invite them to put on a costume (this could
be as simple as a firefighters hat or a small flag from another
country for them to hold). If you dont have enough costumes to go
around, thats OK; whoever doesnt have a costume (or doesnt want to
choose from the selection you have) can stand inside the hula-hoop.
Make sure at least two kids and one adult are in the hoop together.
This small circle represents our closest friends and family.
Ask the kids with local-looking costumes (like the firefighters
hat) to stand between the circles. As their teacher, you can stand
between the circles, too. This second circle represents our
community.
Everyone in the room who is outside the circles represents the
wide world. Ask the kids which groups God loves. Ideally, they will
answer, All of us! or God loves everyone. Thats the point.
Turn toward the kids in the smallest circle. Explain that Jesus
told a story about two brothers who lived and worked together on a
farm with their father. The younger one wanted to leave, so his
father gave him half of all he had, and the young man went away
(lead one child out of the inner circle and outer circle and across
the room). This son spent all the money and then felt hungry and
lonely. He decided to go back home and tell his dad he was sorry
for what he had done. (Lead the child back into the hula-hoop). His
father was so happy to have him home safely that he threw a big
party! When the older brother found out, he was angry. (Prompt
another child inside the small circle to pout.) He thought his
little brother had wasted their dads money. But the father assured
the older son that there was plenty for him, too. He asked his
older son to celebrate his brothers return with him. Jesus said God
is like that father: God wants us to love and forgive our brothers
and sisters and others close to us. He wants us to live and eat
together in peace. (At this point, the adult in the inner circle
gives each child in the inner circle some treats.)
Jesus also taught that God wants us to care about and help other
people in our communities (gesture toward the kids between the two
circles). Jesus healed, taught and fed many people near him. He
taught his disciples to do the same. (Start passing out treats to
kids between the circles and ask people in the inner circle to
share their treats with them so everyone has some.)
Jesus also taught that God loves the whole world. God cares
about all people everywhere. (Gesture toward the kids outside the
circles.) Start handing them treats and ask the kids who have been
inside the circles to step out and share with those who have been
outside the circles.
Ask kids to sit together at tables or in a big circle before
they unwrap and eat their treats. While they enjoy their snacks and
some water, remind them that our work for Imagine No Malaria is
like stepping outside the circles of our close friends, family and
community. Its sharing with the wider world. Just like sharing with
people we know well or who live near us, its important to God,
because people everywhere are important to God.
Fifth Sunday of LentAdd-on for K-2nd Grade
Supplies needed:
Poster board or butcher paper of similar size as the one used in
class two weeks ago (for the Take Up a Cause banner) with open
block letters on it spelling LIFT UP A LIFE
Pictures of all sorts of people from magazines and catalogues,
scissors, glue sticks and/or crayons or markers to color the banner
letters
Sticky putty or tape to affix the banner on a wall
Lesson outline:
Spread the banner on a table or other flat surface where kids
can gather around and work on it. Put supplies where they can reach
them.
As children arrive, invite them to start gluing pictures of
people into the open block letters of the new banner (you may need
to help them use scissors to trim pictures so they dont overlap too
much and make the words hard to read). If you prefer, just have
them color in these letters as they did with the banner two weeks
ago. If you have some pictures but not enough for the whole banner,
have the kids color the first three words and just use glued
pictures to fill in the word LIFE.
While kids are busy filling in letters, talk to them about the
childrens story theyve just heard in church about Jesus bringing
Lazarus back to life. Ask them if theyve ever felt like Martha and
Mary at the beginning of the story. Have they ever been worried
about someone they love who is very sick? Listen to their
stories.
Tell Muriels story: Muriel was the mother of four children who
all got very sick at the same time. She took them to a United
Methodist clinic near her village in Africa. The doctor said all
four children had malaria. Muriel was afraid they would die because
malaria had killed so many children in her country. But the doctor
gave Muriel medicine for her children, and all of them got better!
Muriel was so thankful that she brought the most valuable thing she
owned a milk goat to the clinic to pay for the medicine. The doctor
and nurses at the clinic would not take her goat; they told her
that people like us already paid for the medicine people who had
given money to Imagine No Malaria. Muriel was so surprised and
grateful that she decided to be trained as a community health
worker so she could teach other families how to protect their
children.
Help kids see a parallel between Jesus lifting up the life of
Lazarus and us lifting up the lives of children like Muriels. Jesus
had power to restore life and health, but even we have power to
save lives from malaria.
Go on a short field trip to the same place where you hung the
TAKE UP A CAUSE banner. If theres room enough, hang up the new LIFT
UP A LIFE banner next to or under it. If theres not room for both,
put the new banner over or in place of the old one. Let kids help
aff