Planning · 2020. 8. 3. · ual spheres’ of our lives, and ministry to personal, private ‘spiritual’ acts – a good deed here, a good deed there…The church is the people

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Ecumenical Prayer Calendar

Things to keep in mind this week…

Planning ahead…

Planning

Lection Connection links current events with this week's scriptures. Go to www.seasonsonline.ca and click on the link.

Liturgical colour: green

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Revised Common Lectionary (Year A)

123123Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2019 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2020

Seasons of the Spirit is based on semi-

continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

Sunday, August 9 – Saturday, August 15 • 2020

As listed in In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World, ed. By Hugh McCul-lum and Terry MacArthur (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 2006).

S M T W T F S

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 2223/30

24/31 25 26 27 28 29

August 2020

July 2020S M T W T F S

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

September 2020S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30

10th Sunday after Pentecost19th Sunday in Ordinary TimeProper 14 (19)

St. Mary Mother of Jesus

Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28 the focus for age-level materialsPsalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45bRomans 10:5–15Matthew 14:22–33

Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia

124 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2020 Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2019

Biblical Background • August 9, 2020Pentecost 1 2020

Seasons of the Spirit™ is based on the semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.

Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28 the focus in age-level materialsPsalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45bRomans 10:5–15Matthew 14:22–33

Dreaming Big

Liberating God, we raise our voice with thanksgiv-ing and praise for the presence of your spirit that is continually at work among saints and sinners, bringing into being the hope of your love and justice for all creation. Amen.

This week, we are introduced to the larger narrative of Joseph, the dreamer, and the role he plays in the unfolding promise of liberation for all people. Each of the readings, in their own way, reminds us we too are a part of a larger narrative of God's grace infused into the fullness of all creation. Beyond the limitations of our imaginations is the hope and promise of Love’s “Good News.”

Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28 It comes as no great surprise that one of Jacob’s sons was both despised and celebrated for dreams that enabled him to anticipate and imagine a world that was yet to be. It was Jacob who, in the middle of the night, saw angels climbing and descending a ladder, and it was Jacob whose middle of the night encounters included a stranger with whom he wrestled. Joseph shared this gift of dreams, and he was both despised and celebrated for them. Joseph’s brothers were already resentful of the favouritism their father offered their younger brother. Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:5–11), skipped over in our reading, only makes things worse. In one dream, Joseph’s brothers and his par-ents bowed down to him.

Joseph’s brothers who undoubtedly have dreams of their own, conspire to kill Joseph, covering their misdeeds by concocting a story that he was killed by a wild animal. Instead, however, they find a less troubling and slightly profitable alternative by selling Joseph to Midianite traders who, in turn, bring Joseph to Egypt. In time, Joseph’s dreams are celebrated by the Egyptian pharaoh, who comes to trust the strategic insights they provide (Genesis 41:39,40).

Nowhere in this story do we hear a word about God, but when one puts today’s text within the larger context of the Joseph narrative, it becomes clear that the central dream is not the lesser dreams of Joseph, with his visions of personal power and authority or even the dreams of his brothers with their longing for retribution. The dominant dream in

this narrative is what African American theologian, Verna Dozier refers to as “The Dream of God.” In her book, by the same name, Dozier states, “God’s great dream is founded on the rock of human freedom,” later noting the biblical name for this overarching dream is the realm of God.

Throughout this story, the shortcomings of human dreams are continually caught up in the much bigger dream of God. There is no indication that either Reuben or Judah recognizes the dream of God’s freedom at work, but they do their small part, and it is sufficient in not only keeping Joseph alive but also the dream of God’s liberation for all people.

Psalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b comes as a reminder to give thanks for and remember the liberating dream of God, especially when that dream seems far away, and we are inclined to forget or become consumed by our lesser dreams.

Romans 10:5–15 is Paul’s proclamation that the dream of God for our salvation/liberation is particularly good news, one we are called to share with all without distinction or limitation. It is a salvation of unfolding liberation. Matthew 14:22–33 comes as an encouragement to the early church who face the type of uncertain future faced by Joseph. Even amidst fears and doubts, we can put our faith in the one who calms troubled waters.

• • • • •The exiles in Babylon, the first recipients of sacred text writ-ten down, needed, and no doubt cherished, the reminder that even when all looks lost, the liberating dream of God is at work. Joseph’s uncertain future was their uncertain future. The small dreams of Joseph and his brothers were their dreams as well. Like Joseph and his brothers, they too are caught up in a larger dream of God's liberating love and justice. How might the dream of God’s liberation make a dif-ference for the Israelites, the psalmist, Paul and the disciples?


Reflection and Focus • August 9, 2020

Adapt and use for youth and adult studies, sermon seeds, lay worship teams.

Reflecting on the WordPentecost 1 2020

Connecting with life■■ How do the dreams we have for ourselves and for our

world make a difference in our lives? ■■ How does the future you imagine for yourself make a

difference in the choices you make today?

ScriptureGenesis 37:1–4, 12–28 Joseph is a dreamer, one who is ex-ceptionally gifted with insight and imagination about a future yet to unfold. Unfortunately, Joseph dreams are limited by human frailties. A certain hubris and Joseph’s lack of empathy contribute to bitterness and resentment from his brothers.

■■ What other factors stood in the way of Joseph’s brothers valuing his gifts?

■■ What do the brothers hope will happen to Joseph’s dreams once he is gone from their midst?

■■ What might be the dreams of Joseph’s brothers? What are the limitations of their dreams and what contributes to those limitations?

■■ What are the limitations of Joseph’s dreams? How do they fall short of the dream of God?

■■ How do you see the liberating dream of God at work in this story, even though God is never mentioned?

Psalm 17:1–7, 15 encourages a spirit of thanksgiving and remembrance. The writer also encourages remembrance of concrete ways the liberating spirit of God is at work in the world.

■■ How might a spirit of thanksgiving move us beyond our small dreams into the big liberating dream of God?

■■ How does remembering ways in which God has been with us in the past impact us now and our ability to imagine a world beyond our current reality?

Matthew 14:22–33 The disciples are afraid and filled with doubt about their own survival, but also about the faith they have placed in the one who has revealed the liberating power of God’s love.

■■ What was the reason for the disciple’s fear? Was it the storm or the unnerving reality of one who confronts the storm?

■■ What did faith require of Peter? ■■ What is the relationship between faith and the realm of

God’s dream proclaimed by Jesus?

Connecting scripture and lifeIn her book The Dream of God, Verna Dozier states: “The call to ministry is the call to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God in a new way, the daring, free, accepting, compassion-ate way Jesus modeled….Ministry is a commitment to the Dream of God…I think we have lost the capacity to dream great dreams. We reduce God to the personal, private, ‘spirit-ual spheres’ of our lives, and ministry to personal, private ‘spiritual’ acts – a good deed here, a good deed there…The church is the people of God…We gather to break bread as a community, to hear our story, and to recommit ourselves to the dream of God. We scatter to live into that dream.”

■■ What are the barriers that inhibit you, individually and as a faith community, living into the dream of God?

■■ What is required of us to embrace the dream of God? What doubts and fears need to be faced?

Focus for Worship, Learning, and ServingThis week’s scriptures contain stories of both dreaming and fear – great possibilities and great loss – and of all the dynamics that dance between these two extremes. The gathered community will be invited to consider how we enable good dreams to come to fruition or allow our fears to get in the way of this happening. We will move between the accounts of betrayal and abandonment in our Hebrew text and rescue and renewal in the New Testament.

Many will identify with the feelings of resentment and jealousy embodied in Joseph’s brothers. We all have known the destructive power of such feelings – to our

spirits, to our relationships, and our world. This week offers an opportunity to identify some of the ways these are active in our world.

Consider filling the bulletin cover and the worship space with photos of people whose dreams have changed the world – Martin Luther King, Jr., Malala Yousafzai, Bill and Melinda Gates, and so on. Intersperse pictures of members of your community. Include in the bulletin an insert that is blank, except for the words, “I have a dream” at the top, and “I am part of God’s dream...” in the middle, with space for writing after each.


Music Suggestions

A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at www.seasonsonline.ca. Click on Library; Seasons Music Information. Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate.

Worship Outline • August 9, 2020

NOTE: All of these suggestions are mere starting points; adapt, delete, and add according to your local needs.

Prepare

Gather

Dreaming Big

■❑ Recruit volunteers needed for worship.■❑ Choose an option for hearing Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28. For

the Bible story, arrange for a storyteller to present “Look-ing Back” on p. 130. Alternatively, for younger children, arrange for a storyteller to present “Meet Joseph” that is on page 1 of children’s activity sheet at the end of this week’s resources. For the dramatic reading, arrange for six readers to present the passage from The Voice translation that can be found at https://www.biblegate way.com/passage/?search = Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICE.

■❑ Bring items for setting the worship space: Consider fill-ing the bulletin cover and/or the worship space with photos of people whose dreams have changed the world – Martin Luther King, Jr., Malala Yousafzai, Bill and Melinda Gates, and so on. Intersperse in this gal-lery pictures of members of your community. Include in the bulletin an insert that is blank, except for the words, “I have a dream” at the top, and “I am part of God’s dream...” in the middle. Place a large bowl for collecting the dreams.

■❑ You might choose to print For What Binds Us on or in your bulletin (in the Images to Project and Print folder). For background to the art and artist, see “Connecting with the Art” on p. 10.

■❑ Bring a song such as “Be God’s” (Seasons Songbook, vol. 9, #3 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 9. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, www.seasonsonline.ca).

■❑ Set stations as described on p. 131–132.

Be God’s Danielle Rose; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

I Feel God around MeBruce Harding; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

Strength for the JourneyMichael Poirier; Seasons Songbook, vol. 9

When We Are LivingTraditional; Seasons Songbook, vol. 8

Don’t Be AfraidJohn Bell; Seasons Songbook, vol. 7

Dreams and VisionsAndrew Tanner; Seasons Songbook, vol. 5

Bring Many Names and God of Many NamesBrian Wren

God WeepsShirley Erena Murray, Jim Strathdee

Teach Me, God, to WonderWalter Farquharson

This week’s scriptures contain stories of both dreaming and fear; of great possibilities and great loss; and of all the dynam-ics that dance between these two extremes. As people gather, invite them to consider how we enable good dreams to come to fruition or allow our fears to get in the way of this happening. Worship will move between the accounts of betrayal and abandonment in the Hebrew Scriptures and rescue and renewal in the New Testament. Central to this week is the very well-known story of Jo-seph and his brothers. You might set your space as described in Prepare.

Call to worshipOne: In a world that often feels overwhelmed by waves of

bad news,

All: we often feel like disciples at sea – tossed and turned in the chaos of current events.

One: But we are part of a dream – we are part of God’s great dream!

All: And we are not alone in this time of storms and tur-moil.

One: There is a presence reaching into our lives, offering calm and peace and hope.

All: There is a dream that is being fulfilled through our lives; God’s dream of abundant life.

One: Come, Disciples of Christ, let us hold tight to the vessel of faith and the dream of possibilities; and let us be God’s people in worship.

All: For in our worship, we reach new shores; and in our worship, God’s dream is fulfilled.

One: Come, let us worship in hopeful anticipation and faith.

http://http://http://www.seasonsonline.ca/11/seasons_music_license_chart/www.seasonsonline.ca/order_products/https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICEhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICEhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICE



Engage

Opening prayerHere we are, Holy Dreamer, your people. Here we are, carry-ing our dreams in our spirits, and at the same time wonder-ing what your dream is for us. Here we are, tossed about in a sea of anxiety and conflict, holding fast to the edges of our known reality, yet hopeful that even our current uncertainty and anguish is somehow part of your great dream for hu-manity and this planet. Come to us, we pray, as Jesus came to the disciples in that stormy sea many years ago. Come to us, as Reuben came to the rescue of his brother, Joseph. Come to us and bring your calming touch and faithful presence into our aware-ness. Enter our boat and be in our midst in ways so tangible that we have no more room for doubt or fear. Come to us, and anchor our confidence in your grace. Amen.

Prayer of confessionIn unisonOur dreams have been small, Loving God. We confess that we have not believed ourselves to be worthy of the bigger dreams that linger in our imaginations and knock

at the doors of our hearts. We have allowed our fears and self-doubt to diminish our courage. We have allowed our past experiences of failure to define how we see the fu-ture. We have allowed resentments of others’ success to get in the way of wonderful possibilities in your grace. Forgive us, and dance in our dreams once more. Whis-per your wisdom as we sleep so that we arise with hope renewed. Spark our waking hours with visions of what is possible, so that we act with faith and confidence. Help us enable fruition of all good dreams, even those of our brothers and sisters, toward healing this world, and strengthening all relations. Forgive us and help us to dream again. Amen.

Words of affirmation The great good news is that each of us is part of God’s great dream. And God is not afraid to act upon God’s vision of what is possible. When we turn in contrition and confession, God’s dream is closer to being realized. Let us stand tall in knowing that we are each important to God’s good dream of wholeness. We are loved, forgiven, made new. Amen.

Where is God in the dream of any given moment? This week’s texts might raise the question, “Where might we see the unexpected or intervention of God?” Rather than just giving attention to the main story and main characters, you are invited to explore the less obvious aspects with an eye toward the possibility that God is at work in these more hidden places and occurrences.

Opening the wordIntroduction to the readingsPsalm 105:1–6, 16–22, 45b retells some of the story of Joseph’s captivity and struggle, and reminds us that it is through him that God was able to save the Israelites. In this psalm, God’s dream is held in the unmet outcomes of struggle and pain. God doesn’t cause pain and struggle intentionally, but God – a responsive God – will always be able to use our pain and struggle to help in healing.

Romans 10:5–15 offers an opportunity to explore and grap-ple with the difference between spoken dreams and em-bodied dreams. Paul would assert that we are part of God’s dream by proclaiming our faith in Jesus. How does this help God’s dream to be fulfilled in the world today? Do we believe that this is enough? How do dreams become enfleshed and come to fruition? And how does belief in the Risen Christ become part of God’s dream for humanity?

Matthew 14:22–33 If the situation of the disciples were a dream-world event, it would be considered a nightmare. Dream expert, Jeremy Taylor, asserts that “all dreams come in the service of healing and wholeness” and that nightmares are our subconscious way of getting our attention. How is the storm in which the disciples find themselves God’s way of getting their (and our) attention? What are the storms in our lives to which we need to give more attention? While Jesus is striving to find time away to renew, the realities of the stormy world are never far from his attention. While it is easy for us to get into overwhelming situations, we are not always as good at getting out of them. In what ways do we see God approaching us in calm help, even when we are tossed and uncertain?

Moving into Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28 the focus scripture for age-level materials in ENCORE

Choose from the following.

Bible story Have a storyteller present the story “Looking Back” (p. 130). Alternatively, for younger children, arrange for a storyteller to present “Meet Joseph” that is on page 1 of children’s activity sheet at the end of this week’s resources.



Bless

Dramatic reading Arrange for six readers to deliver the reading from The Voice translation, which can be found at h t t p s : / / w w w . b i b l e g a t e w a y . c o m /p a s s a g e / ? s e a r c h = G e n e s i s + 3 7 % 3 A 1 -4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICE.

After the scripture reading There are glimpses of sal-vation in this story of Joseph being sold into slavery. There is one brother who is unwilling to kill him and convinces his other brothers to moderate their in-tentions. This one small act, however insufficient it may have seemed to Reuben at the time, creates the possibility of Joseph’s powerful story being lived. What are our dreams for ourselves, the community, our family, the planet? Invite the people to write them down (on the bulletin insert if you have prepared one), and by doing so, to bring them into the realm of possibil-ity. Encourage them to believe in the possibilities of their dreams.

Invite them to imagine and write a few words about the ways their dreams are part of God’s dream. Is there new life held in their dreams for someone? If so – affirm that it is part of God’s dream. Is there healing and wholeness held in their dream? If so – affirm that it is a part of God’s dream. Is there joy, creativity, kindness, caring, compassion, or justice held in any of their dreams? If so – these are very much part of God’s dream.

Before finishing this part of the service, take some time to invite listeners to hold the greatest challenges in their hearts – their illnesses, concerns for the planet, interpersonal struggles, even financial and logistical burdens. Remind them that these are exactly the kinds of struggles people like Joseph, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malala Yousafzai, and others experienced. And all of them can be part of God’s dream when we remain faithful to the part of God’s dream we hold in our spirits. “Hold fast to dreams.” Invite members to fold and hold their dreams.

Invite children, young people, and all who wish to move to the stations. Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word.

RespondAfter proclaiming the word, you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations, taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice.

Sing or listen to a song such as “Be God’s” (Seasons Songbook, vol. 9, #3 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 9. Printed music and re-cording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, www.seasonsonline.ca).

Prayers of the peopleHoly One, in our hands, we hold our dreams. Cradled in our palms are the visions we each have for something powerful and good. Curled within our fingers are our hopes for how our dreams can be part of your Good Dream. Bless and make it so, we pray. Be with us as we endure the challenges of struggle and hardship, knowing that the arc of every faithful story bends toward healing and wholeness. Help us to open our imaginations to the great possibilities of transformation held in your Great Dream of humanity on this abundant and powerful planet. Accompany us as we struggle to hold tight to the vessel of salvation, in what often seems a sea of every sin of humanity.

When the waves of hatred threaten, help us to open our eyes and hearts with love, holding tight to your dream of compassion.

When the waves of scarcity crash in, help us to open our hands in generous love, remembering your dreams of abundance.

When the waves of greed and materialism press in, help us to live simply and with courage, embodying your dream of grace.

Loving Dreamer, help us to turn your dreams into reality, living into the fullness of life we know you desire for all creation and landing on the stable shores of compassionate love that we know you have for all your people.

Prayer of dedication or offering prayerIf people wrote about their dreams after the scripture readings, invite them to bring to a bowl on the Communion table. Say together:Gracious Dreamer, we bring you our dreams. Bless and transform them, we pray, into your great and good dream fulfilled. Along with our time, talent and resources, we of-fer our visions and hopes for the possibilities of new life in all your people. Help us to endure, to be renewed, and to be agents of your grace whenever possible. We thank you for dreaming us into being, and we offer ourselves to your love. Amen.

Go now, and live with the hope and courage of knowing yourselves to be God’s great vision. Go in peace. Amen.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICEhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICEhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-4%2CGenesis+37%3A12-28&version=VOICEwww.seasonsonline.ca/order_products/www.seasonsonline.ca/order_products/


Poetry and Prose • August 9, 2020

Special Day Commentary

August 15 – St. Mary the Mother of JesusMary, the mother of Jesus, plays a significant role in his-tory, even though the biblical references to her are few. She pronounces the prophetic words of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), is present at the cross and, significantly, is present at a foundational meeting of the early church (Acts 1:14), suggesting an ongoing role in the ministry of the Christian church. Numerous traditions, legends, and doctrines have arisen with regard to this young peasant woman who said simply, “I am God’s servant; let it be to me as you have said.” Some churches call this day by various names, such as the Feast of the Assumption.

Proclaiming Jesus as Lord in an Era of Me TooTim Johnson

For many, the exploitation and abuse of women by men, more clearly exposed to the light of day by the Me Too Movement, is an unsurprising consequence of patriarchy deeply embed-ded in Western culture, including our religious traditions. Among the unavoidable and discomforting questions, an awareness of patriarchal influence in our religious tradition arises; what do we as Christians do with the proclamation “Jesus is Lord”? Can this language, adopted from a male-dominated culture, have relevancy and more importantly be liberating in the twenty-first century?

There are no easy answers, and because “Lord” is shared widely among many Christian traditions, its ecumen-ical relevancy makes any question about the affirmation of “Jesus is Lord” all the more challenging. We are best served, however, to avoid certain liberal fundamentalism by insisting contemporary understanding of this gender-based image captures the fullness of its original intent when used by the Apostle Paul and writers of the Gospel.

Admittedly, Paul himself has been accused of being an archi-tect of male dominance in the Christian tradition. More re-cent scholarship, however, has sorted out the wheat from the chaff in these canonical writings revealing Paul as one who stands squarely within the liberating, justice-infused claims

of the prophets. Jesus’ expectation of the realm of God (the Kingdom of God) is the same. Hope animates from Paul’s call for a new humanity out of which the church is built as a subversive alternative to the domination system of Rome.

When Paul says, “Jesus is Lord” in Romans 10:9 he is throw-ing down a direct challenge to a domination system pro-claiming the Emperor as Lord. In sharp contrast to a hier-archical system of domination, Paul insists all who align themselves with “Jesus is Lord” are entering a new way of being in which “there is no distinction…..the same Lord is Lord of all” Rom 10:12. Paul’s affirmation stands within the subversive tradition of Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, who found ways to subvert patriarchy even while living within its constraints. Paul stands with the midwives Shiprah and Puah, Moses’ mother and sister, and Pharaoh’s daughter all of whom subvert patriarchal domination thereby unleash-ing the liberation to which Moses gives voice.

It may well be time to find alternative expression to “Jesus is Lord.” The liberating spirit of God unleased at the beginning of Creation and who continues empowering movements of justice gives license to the new things that are to come. In the present time of Me Too and the in-between time of the Realm of God’s fullness, we must hold fast to the subversive insistence for an alternative world of justice and inclusion, which the affirmation “Jesus is Lord” proclaims.


Bible Story • August 9, 2020

A recording of this story is available in MP3 format in the Audio Stories folder.

Looking BackBased on Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28, and told by one of Joseph’s brothers

I know it wasn’t right, what we did. Now, seeing my fath-er’s pain and anguish, I feel bad. It started as a practical joke – a joke that very quickly escalated out of control. Next thing we knew, we’d done something horrible.

You see, Joseph always found a way to get the rest of us in trouble. We’d be out in the field shepherding the flocks. Sure, maybe we weren’t working as hard as we were supposed to, but we always did our jobs; yet, Joseph still found a way to get us into trouble.

And as much as he made us all jealous – seeing how much our father loved him, compared to the love our father showed the rest of us – we were able to deal with it. However, what sent things over the edge was when our father bought Joseph that elaborate coat. It was unlike anything any of us had ever seen before – let alone anything our father had ever given any of us. It was very expensive, the kind of coat you wear when you’re too important to do manual work. It never made any of us happy to see Joseph being treated so differently than the rest of us, but the coat…the coat just took things to a whole new level. That day when we were all out with the flock, and we saw Joseph coming, we couldn’t take it anymore. We

thought we’d gone far enough away that he wouldn’t find us, but he did. In some ways, I wish he hadn’t found us that day – then maybe none of this would have happened.

I can’t remember who it was that suggested we kill Joseph. The severity of those words sent a shiver down my spine. I was so relieved when Reuben opposed the idea. I don’t think I would have had enough integrity to do what Reuben did – to say no. But I sure am glad he did.

Instead, we decided to throw Joseph into a pit. We took his precious robe off him and threw him into that pit. He yelled a bit – not a lot, though. Mostly he just cried. We knew we were hurting him. Then, that caravan of Ishmaelites came by, and Judah had the idea that instead of just leaving Joseph in that pit, we would sell him to the Ishmaelites and make a profit. So that’s what we did. Before we knew it, our brother Joseph was gone – on his way to Egypt.

Looking back on it now, I am sure we were often instigators of our troubles with Joseph. Maybe he wasn’t that bad after all…but what good will those feelings do me now? We have to live with what we’ve done. He’s gone, and we will never see our brother Joseph again.

Bible storyThe practice of storytellingMaterials recording of today’s story

“Looking Back,” player, paper or draw-ing pads, crayons, pencils, a copy of the directions displayed where all can see; alternatively, arrange for a story-teller to present the story

Directions1. Listen to the story “Looking Back.” 2. What do you imagine was going through the brothers’ minds as they debated and

decided first to kill Joseph and then sell him into slavery? When have you experi-enced that kind of anger and jealousy?

3. Using the crayons and markers, you might draw what you think Joseph’s brothers’ feelings looked like.

Younger children Ask children to think about times when they might be jealous or angry with someone. Ask them to draw a picture of what that looks like.


Stations • August 9, 2020

Suitable for all ages


Living, Learning, Growing as DisciplesThe following stations might be set up around your worship space or in other places around the church. Choose one or more practices, depending on your space and numbers. Display the directions.

For your convenience, instructions are formatted for printing and available in the Stations folder.

The article “Connecting with the Art” on page 10 provides some background to the two posters for Pentecost 1 and some art engagement ideas for individuals and groups. You might choose to add an

Art Engagement station each week and choose one of the art engagement ideas.

Dream catchers The practice of creativityMaterials paper plate; scissors; paint;

yarn; feathers; beads; hole punch; stickers or markers (optional), a copy of the directions displayed where all can seeOriginally made by Ojibwa Chippewa Native Americans, these decorated hoops hung over a sleeping infant to catch bad dreams and let good dreams through. There are many styles and sizes of dream catchers. Traditionally they were small, only a few cm/ins in diameter. Search the In-ternet for both history and ideas for how to make a dream catcher. No mat-ter the age and abilities of your group, there is a dream catcher project avail-able. Here is one idea.

Directions1. Cut a hole in the middle of the plate, leaving

about 5 cm/2 in of edging. Discard the middle material. Punch holes around the edging ap-proximately 1.25 cm/½ in apart.

2. Paint the rim of the plate.3. String beads onto the yarn. When finished, tie

several knots at the loose end of the string to act as a stopper and secure the beads in place. (Tip: Roll a piece of tape around the tip of the yarn similar to a shoelace before starting. This prevents the yarn fraying.)

4. Repeat step 3 until you have the desired num-ber of strands.

5. When the paint is dry, randomly string your remaining yarn through the holes bordering the plate. Create a web pattern. Add a few beads onto the yarn for colour.

6. At the bottom of the plate, punch one hole for each beaded strand of yarn made earlier in #3. Tie the beaded strands onto the plate with the feather hanging at the very bottom of the strand.

7. When finished, hang the dream catcher near a place where people dream.

Dreamers: A picture book The practice of reading and wonderingMaterials copy of children’s book,

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (New York: Neal Porter Books/Holiday House. 2018), copy of the directions displayed where all can see

Directions1. Read the story Dreamers, spending time examining and enjoying the detailed pic-

tures. The author is also the illustrator. Dreamers is an autobiography of the author’s immigration to the United States from Mexico.

2. Reflect on or talk about the parts of the story that were sad, funny, and hopeful. Who are immigrants? Why do they leave their home country? What are the dreams of immigrants? What are your experiences of immigration and people called im-migrants? What do God and Jesus say about welcoming the stranger? What might God’s Big Dream be?


Stations • August 9, 2020


Suitable for ages 9–adult

Suitable for all ages working together

Painting hope The practice of creative expressionMaterials small pieces of sponge at-

tached to clothes pegs/clothespins, tempera paint in shallow dishes, art paper, supplies for cleanup, copies of the directions displayed where all can see

DirectionsSometimes there are no words to express our deep feelings when all seems lost, or when we feel alone and without friends.1. Think of times when you have felt lost, or alone and without friends.2. Fold a sheet of art paper in half.3. Use shapes, images and hues to express those feelings, working with a sponge to

dab or swirl hues onto one half of the paper.4. On the other side, dab or swirl shapes, images, and hues of feelings experienced

when other people have been a sign of God’s love, presence, and support.

Confiding in God The practice of prayerMaterials pillows and blankets, a low

table, votive candles in small jars (or battery-operated tealights), matches, writing paper, pens and pencils, per-sonal journals (optional), copy of the directions displayed where all can see

Directions1. Spend several minutes thinking about the times in your life when you were jealous,

angry, vengeful, or even driven to mistreat someone. Think about family relation-ships, work, or school relationships, or even church interactions that are difficult or characterized by conflict and disagreement.

2. Now, reflect in your journal, or on a piece of paper about these conflicts or dis-agreements and your reactions to them. Write a message to God, asking for help in dealing with your feelings, and for help in mending these relationships.

3. Sit quietly and listen for how God might be speaking to you, or how God might be moving in your life to resolve these feelings and reactions. What is God saying? What does God want you to do to reconcile with someone?

4. If the space allows, share some of what you have been reflecting on and praying about with others at this station, and pray together as a group.

Expressing feelings The practice of creativityMaterials paper lunch bags; mark-

ers; scissors; construction paper in a variety of colours; scraps of rich fabric, 1.25 cm/½ in; glue; newsprint, or re-cycled newspaper; copy of the direc-tions displayed where all can see

DirectionsUsing a paper bag and the materials at this station, create a puppet of Joseph wearing his extravagant long-sleeved coat. 1. Decorate the coat as you imagine it might have looked. 2. Next, think about how you might have felt if you were Joseph in this story. 3. Use your Joseph puppet to speak, using these questions as a guide:

■■ How do you feel about the relationship between your father, your brothers, and yourself?

■■ Why do you think your brothers are jealous of you?■■ What ideas do you have for how you might all get along better?

Younger children Help younger children create a Joseph puppet. Ask them how they might have felt if they were Joseph and didn’t get along with their brothers or sisters.

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32







3

activity

2 Joseph’s brothers thought their father loved Joseph more than he loved them. They felt hurt. They didn’t think it was fair, so they blamed Joseph and treated him badly. Below are some pictures of people being treated fairly. What do you see in each picture? In the empty boxes, draw pictures of how you like to be treated in different situations.


Activity Sheet • August 10, 2014

Joseph’s brothers thought their father loved Joseph more than he loved them. They felt hurt. They didn’t think it was fair, so they blamed Joseph and treated him badly.

Below are some pictures of people being treated fairly. What do you see in each picture? In the empty boxes, draw pictures of how you like to be treated in different situations.

Older children Learn about the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. (Go to: http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources/plainchild.asp ) Read and talk about them. Which of these Rights do you think people are respecting? Which Rights need more attention? How can you treat other children better?

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Documents

Planning · 2020. 8. 3. · ual spheres’ of our lives, and ministry to personal, private ‘spiritual’ acts – a good deed here, a good deed there…The church is the people