Be an encourager
Children's sermon
Object:
a pat on the back, a smile, and some applause
Good morning, boys and girls. It is so good to be together. Today we are going to do something really special. We are going to encourage each other. How many of you know what I mean when I say we are going to be encouraged? (let them answer) We are going to make each other feel better about ourselves than we did before we got here. How many of you would like to be encouraged? (let them answer) Great!
Please stand up and form a circle with me. Wonderful! Now we are going to look to the person who is standing beside us and give them a big smile. We will go all around the circle and we will start with me. (look to the person at your right side and give him/her a big smile) Terrific, you did a great job of smiling.
Let's try some more encouragement. Please give the person next to you a very nice pat on the back. When you pat them on the back I want you to say, "God loves you." Let's start with me. (do it) Magnificent. Isn't this fun to give encouragement?
Let's try one more bit of encouragement. I want the person next to me to stand in the center of the circle. (put him/her in the center) Now let's clap or applaud our friend. (have each person go to the center of the circle and applaud each one with you being the last person) Very good! You were very encouraging. I would like the entire congregation to stand and give this group of children a standing ovation. (have the congregation stand and watch the faces of the children)
Thank you, thank you! Now, everyone can be seated. Saint Paul tells us in his letter to Thessalonica that we should encourage each other in our Christian ways. This is really quite easy and helps us to remember God in our lives. When we are together we can do some things that help us. For instance, when we are ready to eat our lunch we can ask one of our friends or family to say the prayer before we eat. When we visit one another, we can begin or end our visit with a reading from the Bible. When we come to church and we meet each other instead of saying, "Hello," we can say, "God's peace is with you." When someone thanks us for a kind thing that we have done, we can say, "Thank you and remember God loves you."
We want to encourage each other to include God in our lives. It is good and helps us prepare for the day when God comes to share his kingdom with us.
Prayer: Thank you for encouraging friends, dear God, and help us remember to encourage others. Amen.
Please stand up and form a circle with me. Wonderful! Now we are going to look to the person who is standing beside us and give them a big smile. We will go all around the circle and we will start with me. (look to the person at your right side and give him/her a big smile) Terrific, you did a great job of smiling.
Let's try some more encouragement. Please give the person next to you a very nice pat on the back. When you pat them on the back I want you to say, "God loves you." Let's start with me. (do it) Magnificent. Isn't this fun to give encouragement?
Let's try one more bit of encouragement. I want the person next to me to stand in the center of the circle. (put him/her in the center) Now let's clap or applaud our friend. (have each person go to the center of the circle and applaud each one with you being the last person) Very good! You were very encouraging. I would like the entire congregation to stand and give this group of children a standing ovation. (have the congregation stand and watch the faces of the children)
Thank you, thank you! Now, everyone can be seated. Saint Paul tells us in his letter to Thessalonica that we should encourage each other in our Christian ways. This is really quite easy and helps us to remember God in our lives. When we are together we can do some things that help us. For instance, when we are ready to eat our lunch we can ask one of our friends or family to say the prayer before we eat. When we visit one another, we can begin or end our visit with a reading from the Bible. When we come to church and we meet each other instead of saying, "Hello," we can say, "God's peace is with you." When someone thanks us for a kind thing that we have done, we can say, "Thank you and remember God loves you."
We want to encourage each other to include God in our lives. It is good and helps us prepare for the day when God comes to share his kingdom with us.
Prayer: Thank you for encouraging friends, dear God, and help us remember to encourage others. Amen.
