Login / Signup

Free Access

Molly's Family

Children's Story
"I'm never going to get married," declared Molly. Her parents had divorced the previous year, and her mum was now living with a new boyfriend. Molly didn't like him, and he made it fairly clear he didn't like Molly either. It was fine when her mum was around, he was all sweetness and light then. But whenever her mum was absent, he was quite nasty to Molly.

It was no better at her dad's new home. Her dad was living with a new girlfriend, who wasn't very keen on having Molly around. Molly was forced to visit them every other weekend, but since her dad lived on the other side of town she had no friends there and she hated it. Her dad and the new girlfriend were wrapped up in each other, and Molly was always bored.

"It can be all right," ventured her friend Tracy, cautiously.

"All right for you," replied Molly. "You're happy. I've never been happy at home. I do remember one Christmas when I was very small, but it's never been any good since then. I'm happy when I'm with my friends, but I hate going home. I always have. And underneath everything, I always feel really sad."

Tracy didn't know what to say, so she just gripped Molly's hand and squeezed it. Molly was her best friend, and she hated seeing her so unhappy. Then she said impulsively, "Come to my house. We can play upstairs in my bedroom, my mum won't mind."

It was good at Tracy's home. Tracy's parents were very relaxed, and pleased when she brought her friends home. The two girls spent some time in Tracy's bedroom, playing music very loudly and laughing and chatting. Nobody seemed to mind the noise thumping through the house. Then Tracy's mum asked if they would like to help her make some cakes, so they both went down to the kitchen and had a wonderful time with flour and eggs and milk. When it was time to go home, Tracy's mum hugged Molly, and Tracy's dad winked at her.

After that, Molly often went to Tracy's home. Sometimes she stayed over, and that was the best time of all. She wished her own family could be like Tracy's family, but this was the next best thing. Tracy's mum and dad were so good to Molly that she always felt like a member of the family when she was with them, and she grew to love them very much. And Tracy herself had always felt just like asister to Molly.

Sometimes, Tracy's parents drankwine with their meal. They often commented on the quality of the wine, and Molly noticed that Tracy's mum occasionally pulled a face when she took the first sip.

"Don't you like wine?" asked Molly.

Tracy's mum laughed. "I enjoy a glass of wine with my meal," she said. "But I don't like wine which is too dry. I prefer something fairly sweet, so sometimes the first taste makes me shudder a little. But after that I generally get used to it and then it tastes fine."

Molly looked at her thoughtfully. "Is marriage like that?" she asked. "I never wanted to get married because my mum and dad were so unhappy when they were married. I hated it when they split up, and I didn't much like my mum's boy-friend, butsince I've been coming round here it's been better at home. And your home is always happy even though you're married. So I wondered whether marriage could be like wine. The first taste might not always be very good, but perhaps it kind of grows on you?"

Tracy's dad winked at her and grinned at his wife. "Put it like this, love," he said. "I'd rather have wine with my meal than water. Even if the wine isn't too brilliant, it's a bit more interesting and exciting than water. And you're right. Marriage is like that. It might not be brilliant all the time, but it's a lot more exciting and interesting than just living together. Not that I condemn anyone for living together, but that's like settling for water when you could have wine. It's the commitment of marriage that makes it fun. Just as good wine has to be matured before it's really drinkable, so a marriage has to be worked at before it gets really good."

When Molly reached home that evening, her mum looked really serious. She hugged Molly and then said, "I don't know whether you're going to like this Molly, but Paul and I have been talking. We've known each other for a long time now, and we want to get married. But we're both concerned about you. You seem to get on better with Paul now, but how would do feel if he became your stepfather?"

Molly grinned. Then she flung her arms around her mum and Paul and hugged them both. "Go for it, mum," she said. "I'll be a bridesmaid." Then she added with a twinkle in her eye, "After all, living together is like settling for water when you could have wine. Let's make wine together, and be a proper family."

And remembering a story she had heard in Sunday school about Jesus changing water into wine, she added impulsively, "You will get married in church, won't you? Because I really, really do want God to help make this marriage special."

And I'm delighted to tell you that they did get married in church, and that they all lived more or less happily ever after.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
For May 25, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A mat, like an exercise mat, or a blanket.

Note: You can do this all by yourself, but if you want to have more fun, help your children role-play the story. Select one child to be the sick man, and a few children to be the crowd. I usually play the role of Jesus so I can easily guide things. As you tell the story, have the sick man try to crawl, and have a group of children be the crowd blocking him, and then after Jesus helps him, have the man stand up, roll the mat up under his arm, and walk away smiling. Have fun with it!

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
(This particular installment of StoryShare is adapted from a review of “Seven Psalms” that I wrote for Messenger, our denominational magazine.)

During the night, Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (v. 9)

It all began with a dream.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work. In the absence of synagogue worship, Lydia and her fellow believers meet anyway at the riverside. Their faithfulness leads to Paul’s dream which helps create something where there was nothing. The passage from Revelation creates a target for us to aim for, and to work for, even as we wait for its perfect fulfillment.
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 16:9-15
John Calvin claimed that this is a text to stir up our commitments to reach out to those in need, especially in this time of intolerance towards immigrants and the poor. A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that 56% of Americans favor mass deportation. And in the most recent poll on the subject of the poor, (a 2002 NPR/Kaiser poll), 52% of Americans found the poor not to have a proper work ethic. It is unlikely we have outgrown that prejudice. In response, the reformer of Geneva wrote:

SermonStudio

Wayne Brouwer
During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did.
Forrest E. Chaffee
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Stephen P. McCutchan
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us....
-- Psalm 67:1

Steven E. Albertin
(Sing the first verse and chorus of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
1

Charles D. Reeb
Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I remember facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL