Praxis Receives Power
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
On the day of Pentecost, six weeks after Jesus had risen from death, when the disciples were gathered together in one place, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As we gather together on the day of Pentecost, let us ask God that we too might be filled with his Holy Spirit.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, forgive us our sins and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, forgive us our apathy and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, forgive us our fear and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Story:
The Holy Spirit, the God within each of us, can fill us with amazing power and energy if we allow that to happen. In this story Praxis, the pixie who changes colour according to his moods, finds the energy and power to save someone's life.
Praxis Receives Power
Praxis the pixie was bored, so his skin was a pale orange colour. His friends nudged one another and laughed with glee when they saw it, for they knew it meant that he would soon be up to mischief.
They followed closely behind as Praxis wandered out of the pixie glade and into the dangerous forest beyond. When Praxis spotted his friends he lightened up immediately and began to glow a much brighter orange. Mischief was much more fun in a group than alone. Soon he had one of his wild ideas and turned bright pink.
"C'mon!" shouted Praxis. "Let's climb to the top of the woodpecker tree! Last one up is a wimp!" And he dashed to the foot of the tallest pine in the forest, wrapped his arms around the trunk as far as he could reach and began to climb.
Pixies are notoriously agile, but they are also very small. Some of his friends quailed when they saw the great height of the woodpecker tree, towering up nearly into the clouds. But Praxis had already scrambled up the smooth trunk and had reached the first branches several feet above ground.
"Come on!" he yelled again. "It's great! You can see for miles -- and I can hear the woodpecker up above. Let's visit her!"
Some of the bolder pixies began to climb the woodpecker tree after Praxis, but one or two remained huddled on the ground, looking fearful. The youngest and smallest pixie, not wanting to be left out, took a deep breath and started to climb. He felt very frightened but didn't want the other pixies to know that, so he gritted his teeth and scrambled up. Willing hands reached down and pulled him into the lower branches and encouraging voices called admiringly, "Well done! Never thought you'd make it!"
The smallest pixie swelled with pride. He felt so pleased with himself that he began to swagger and show off. Before any of the other pixies could say a word, he set off up the tree, leaping nimbly from branch to branch until he was just behind his hero, Praxis.
"You're a good climber and brave too," Praxis said to him, and the smallest pixie was so thrilled that he thought he might burst with delight. He and Praxis were now high above the other pixies, who were watching their progress, and very high above the ground. When the smallest pixie glanced down to wave at them and show them how clever he was, he suddenly felt sick and giddy.
He clung to the tree and discovered that he couldn't move a muscle.
"What's the matter?" asked Praxis. "Come on. It's only a little further. I can see the woodpecker from here. She might let us look at her eggs."
But the smallest pixie began to sob. "I -- can't -- move," he gasped, between sobs. "My legs have stopped working." Then he wailed, "I'm going to fall! I can feel it! I'm going to die!"
Praxis was horrified. In a sudden blinding flash of clarity he realised how stupid and thoughtless he had been. The smallest pixie was far too young and far too small to have climbed so high and now he was stuck. And it was all Praxis fault. Praxis turned very blue and began to shiver. He had no idea what to do and all the other pixies were too far away to help. Besides, most of them had already had second thoughts and climbed back down to the ground.
Praxis began to return to the lower branch where the smallest pixie was clinging to the tree weeping, with his eyes tightly closed. Praxis glanced down at the smallest pixie and couldn't help but see that the pixies on the ground looked like insects, they were so far away. Praxis gulped. He had never climbed so high before and now he himself was beginning to feel queasy.
He took a deep breath and began to pray, "Help! Please help me God, but especially, please help the smallest pixie. Please don't let him die. Oh, and God, I'm really, really sorry. I just didn't think."
All at once, Praxis began to feel calmer. His blue colour subsided and paled. He began to think more clearly and suddenly had an idea. He edged close to the smallest pixie.
"It's all right," he said gently. "You're going to be just fine. I'll take you down. Can you hold round my waist? That's good. Now with the other arm too. That's right. Lock your hands together around my waist." The smallest pixie managed to follow Praxis' instructions. Then Praxis slipped off his own jacket and used it to tie the smallest pixie to him, all the while murmuring encouragingly. Then he took a deep breath, sent another arrow prayer to God and gingerly began to descend the tree. With the added weight of the smallest pixie clinging to him like a limpet it was tricky, but Praxis climbed down slowly, testing each foothold and each handhold as he went. The only thought in his mind was getting the smallest pixie down to safety.
The descent seemed to take hours, but they made it in the end. The other pixies crowded round, congratulating Praxis on a brilliant rescue, but Praxis was strangely quiet and his skin was nearly white.
'It wasn't me,' he thought to himself, 'it was God's power within me. Even though I was so stupid, God still gave me his power. Thank you, God.'
Activity:
You need:
Party poppers for every one
Balloons for everyone
Some helium--filled balloons
Party candles that relight when you blow them out
Tell the story of the first Pentecost after the resurrection. Then tell the church/children that the arrival of the Holy Spirit was spectacular, a bit like party poppers all going off together. Instruct them to point their party poppers to the ceiling, then to set them off on the count of three. The streamers should cascade over everyone, just as the Holy Spirit cascaded over everyone.
Then get everyone to blow up their balloon and to let go. The balloons should career crazily about the church. Point out that the power which moved the balloons was the breath inside them, just as the power which moves us -- the power of the Holy Spirit -- is the breath of God inside us. Read John 20:19 and 22.
Then explain that the power isn't much use if it is just dissipated. It needs to be harnessed and used. Release the helium filled balloons, which stay up for a long time. Explain that if God's breath within us is nurtured and enabled and encouraged, our power remains for a long time instead of getting "blown out."
Then light the candles and get the children to try and blow them out. Explain that when God's power is harnessed and used properly, the light and flame within us can never be blown out but is always there, protecting us, guiding us and enabling us to do whatever we wish to do. Explain that the flame is kept alight through prayer and meditation and reading/learning about Jesus from the Bible.
Intercession:
God of power, fill our church with your breath so that we may have the power to move mountains. Fill us all with your courage so that we are not afraid to use your power, but go out in confidence to help other people to find you and to discover your power in their lives.
God of power, we continue to pray for the movement of your Holy Spirit amongst all the nations of the world, so that an age of peace might dawn and swords might be beaten into ploughshares.
God of power, teach us to connect with your power by learning how to find you deep within ourselves. When we are weary, encourage us to continue in prayer and meditation, and enable us to discern your spirit in our lives.
God of power, pour your Holy Spirit into all who are sick, so that they may be filled with health and wholeness. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you be so filled with God's Holy Spirit
that you are full of confidence and happiness,
peace and energy.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
On the day of Pentecost, six weeks after Jesus had risen from death, when the disciples were gathered together in one place, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As we gather together on the day of Pentecost, let us ask God that we too might be filled with his Holy Spirit.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, forgive us our sins and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, forgive us our apathy and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, forgive us our fear and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.
Story:
The Holy Spirit, the God within each of us, can fill us with amazing power and energy if we allow that to happen. In this story Praxis, the pixie who changes colour according to his moods, finds the energy and power to save someone's life.
Praxis Receives Power
Praxis the pixie was bored, so his skin was a pale orange colour. His friends nudged one another and laughed with glee when they saw it, for they knew it meant that he would soon be up to mischief.
They followed closely behind as Praxis wandered out of the pixie glade and into the dangerous forest beyond. When Praxis spotted his friends he lightened up immediately and began to glow a much brighter orange. Mischief was much more fun in a group than alone. Soon he had one of his wild ideas and turned bright pink.
"C'mon!" shouted Praxis. "Let's climb to the top of the woodpecker tree! Last one up is a wimp!" And he dashed to the foot of the tallest pine in the forest, wrapped his arms around the trunk as far as he could reach and began to climb.
Pixies are notoriously agile, but they are also very small. Some of his friends quailed when they saw the great height of the woodpecker tree, towering up nearly into the clouds. But Praxis had already scrambled up the smooth trunk and had reached the first branches several feet above ground.
"Come on!" he yelled again. "It's great! You can see for miles -- and I can hear the woodpecker up above. Let's visit her!"
Some of the bolder pixies began to climb the woodpecker tree after Praxis, but one or two remained huddled on the ground, looking fearful. The youngest and smallest pixie, not wanting to be left out, took a deep breath and started to climb. He felt very frightened but didn't want the other pixies to know that, so he gritted his teeth and scrambled up. Willing hands reached down and pulled him into the lower branches and encouraging voices called admiringly, "Well done! Never thought you'd make it!"
The smallest pixie swelled with pride. He felt so pleased with himself that he began to swagger and show off. Before any of the other pixies could say a word, he set off up the tree, leaping nimbly from branch to branch until he was just behind his hero, Praxis.
"You're a good climber and brave too," Praxis said to him, and the smallest pixie was so thrilled that he thought he might burst with delight. He and Praxis were now high above the other pixies, who were watching their progress, and very high above the ground. When the smallest pixie glanced down to wave at them and show them how clever he was, he suddenly felt sick and giddy.
He clung to the tree and discovered that he couldn't move a muscle.
"What's the matter?" asked Praxis. "Come on. It's only a little further. I can see the woodpecker from here. She might let us look at her eggs."
But the smallest pixie began to sob. "I -- can't -- move," he gasped, between sobs. "My legs have stopped working." Then he wailed, "I'm going to fall! I can feel it! I'm going to die!"
Praxis was horrified. In a sudden blinding flash of clarity he realised how stupid and thoughtless he had been. The smallest pixie was far too young and far too small to have climbed so high and now he was stuck. And it was all Praxis fault. Praxis turned very blue and began to shiver. He had no idea what to do and all the other pixies were too far away to help. Besides, most of them had already had second thoughts and climbed back down to the ground.
Praxis began to return to the lower branch where the smallest pixie was clinging to the tree weeping, with his eyes tightly closed. Praxis glanced down at the smallest pixie and couldn't help but see that the pixies on the ground looked like insects, they were so far away. Praxis gulped. He had never climbed so high before and now he himself was beginning to feel queasy.
He took a deep breath and began to pray, "Help! Please help me God, but especially, please help the smallest pixie. Please don't let him die. Oh, and God, I'm really, really sorry. I just didn't think."
All at once, Praxis began to feel calmer. His blue colour subsided and paled. He began to think more clearly and suddenly had an idea. He edged close to the smallest pixie.
"It's all right," he said gently. "You're going to be just fine. I'll take you down. Can you hold round my waist? That's good. Now with the other arm too. That's right. Lock your hands together around my waist." The smallest pixie managed to follow Praxis' instructions. Then Praxis slipped off his own jacket and used it to tie the smallest pixie to him, all the while murmuring encouragingly. Then he took a deep breath, sent another arrow prayer to God and gingerly began to descend the tree. With the added weight of the smallest pixie clinging to him like a limpet it was tricky, but Praxis climbed down slowly, testing each foothold and each handhold as he went. The only thought in his mind was getting the smallest pixie down to safety.
The descent seemed to take hours, but they made it in the end. The other pixies crowded round, congratulating Praxis on a brilliant rescue, but Praxis was strangely quiet and his skin was nearly white.
'It wasn't me,' he thought to himself, 'it was God's power within me. Even though I was so stupid, God still gave me his power. Thank you, God.'
Activity:
You need:
Party poppers for every one
Balloons for everyone
Some helium--filled balloons
Party candles that relight when you blow them out
Tell the story of the first Pentecost after the resurrection. Then tell the church/children that the arrival of the Holy Spirit was spectacular, a bit like party poppers all going off together. Instruct them to point their party poppers to the ceiling, then to set them off on the count of three. The streamers should cascade over everyone, just as the Holy Spirit cascaded over everyone.
Then get everyone to blow up their balloon and to let go. The balloons should career crazily about the church. Point out that the power which moved the balloons was the breath inside them, just as the power which moves us -- the power of the Holy Spirit -- is the breath of God inside us. Read John 20:19 and 22.
Then explain that the power isn't much use if it is just dissipated. It needs to be harnessed and used. Release the helium filled balloons, which stay up for a long time. Explain that if God's breath within us is nurtured and enabled and encouraged, our power remains for a long time instead of getting "blown out."
Then light the candles and get the children to try and blow them out. Explain that when God's power is harnessed and used properly, the light and flame within us can never be blown out but is always there, protecting us, guiding us and enabling us to do whatever we wish to do. Explain that the flame is kept alight through prayer and meditation and reading/learning about Jesus from the Bible.
Intercession:
God of power, fill our church with your breath so that we may have the power to move mountains. Fill us all with your courage so that we are not afraid to use your power, but go out in confidence to help other people to find you and to discover your power in their lives.
God of power, we continue to pray for the movement of your Holy Spirit amongst all the nations of the world, so that an age of peace might dawn and swords might be beaten into ploughshares.
God of power, teach us to connect with your power by learning how to find you deep within ourselves. When we are weary, encourage us to continue in prayer and meditation, and enable us to discern your spirit in our lives.
God of power, pour your Holy Spirit into all who are sick, so that they may be filled with health and wholeness. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you be so filled with God's Holy Spirit
that you are full of confidence and happiness,
peace and energy.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
