Mrs Cluckabut's Chick
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to worship:
In our worship today let us thank God for sending us his son and say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."
Invitation to confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other people think.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other say.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other people do.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." [32] He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. [33] Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' [34] Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [35] See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' "
Story:
Jesus was sad about Jerusalem and all those people who refused to see him as he really was and to believe the truth of what he was saying.
This is a story about Mrs Cluckabut, the hen who weeps over her errant chick who refuses to believe what she tells him.
Mrs Cluckabut's Chick
Mrs Cluckabut clucked loudly as she glanced about her. She counted under her breath. "One, two, there's Chickalee and Chickadee - oh, and over there are Chickafee, Chickaree and Chickamee. That's three, four and five. But where's number six? Where's Chickasee? That chick! He's such a nuisance! He will keep wandering off by himself. Whatever shall I do? How will I find him? Still, let's see. Over there are numbers seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven. That's all accounted for except Chickasee."
Mrs Cluckabut clucked and scolded anxiously. She knew the Wily Fox was nearby and she wanted to protect her chicks, to keep them safe from danger. But Chickasee never wanted to be protected. He didn't want to stay safe under his mother's wings and he didn't want to share his space with all his brothers and sisters.
Besides, he didn't believe all his mother's tales about that old Wily Fox. They were just bedtime stories designed to keep the chicks in order. Chickasee had no intention of falling for such fairy tales. He knew what he wanted to do and he was determined to do it. Nobody was going to stop him, least of all his fussy old mother.
Chickasee had never seen a fox so he wasn't entirely sure what foxes looked like. His mother had warned all the chicks that any fox would gobble them up in two seconds flat, which was why they should keep near her and away from foxes, but Chickasee thought it was all rubbish. Why, how could any animal eat feathers and claws and beaks? It was impossible. It was just a story. He was safe.
Chickasee heard his mother clucking and calling, calling and clucking, as she scratched at the ground with her feet, but he took no notice. He simply hid himself deeper under the leaves at the side of the road. He saw some cars swoosh by with a terrifying roar, but after a bit forgot to be frightened of them and wandered out into the road to peck at gravel with his little yellow beak.
Once, a large hare bounded out of the undergrowth and made Chickasee's little heart beat very fast indeed, but the hare bounded on without a backward glance, so Chickasee forgot to be frightened.
When a tabby kitten wanted to play, Chickasee cheeped loudly and the two of them had a good game. Chickasee wasn't a bit frightened.
But poor Mrs Cluckabut was worried sick. She clucked and squawked and pecked and scratched. All her chicks huddled uncertainly beneath her feathers, fearful and frightened because their mother was so upset. They raised their little voices with hers and cheeped as loudly as they could, but their brother took no notice.
The Wily Old Fox bided his time. He watched Chickasee closely, but kept himself hidden. When Chickasee was quite alone and his mother had wandered away to search elsewhere for her lost chick, the Wily Old Fox pounced.
Chickasee was so terrified that he opened his little yellow beak to shriek, but it was too late. In less than one second, the Wily Old Fox had gobbled him all up, feathers, beak and claws included.
Poor Mrs Cluckabut discovered a sad little pile of discarded yellow feathers next day. She wept and wept and wept, but Chickasee was gone for good.
Nobody ever saw him again.
Activity:
This week, play a game with the children. You yourself are Mrs Cluckabut and all the children are her chicks. Your assistant is the Wily Fox. The Wily Fox should leave the room and the children then find somewhere to hide. When the Wily Fox returns to the room, s/he should begin to hunt for the children.
After a bit, cluck loudly. This is the signal for all the "chicks" to try and reach home (that's you!) without being caught by the Wily Fox. Whenever you cluck, the children can move. Whenever you stop clucking, they try to find somewhere to hide until you cluck again. The Wily Fox may only catch chicks which are moving.
The game is ended when everyone has either reached home, or been caught by the Wily Fox.
Follow the game with some teaching about Jesus. Ask the children why they think Herod was called a wily fox. Ask them why Jesus was sad about the people of Jerusalem and why the people of Jerusalem didn't turn to Jesus. Ask whether Jesus still loves people who don't do what he expects or asks. Finally, ask why it might be a good idea to do what Jesus asks us to do.
Prayers:
Loving God, you cared for all human beings even when they failed to respond to you. Help us to care for other people even when they don't respond to us.
Loving God, we pray for the people of Jerusalem even while we weep over Jerusalem. May peace grow between all different people in the Holy Land.
Loving God, help us to realise when we are in danger. May we be always aware of the concern of those who love us and behave so responsibly that they have no need to worry.
Loving God, touch with your healing hands, those who are sick as we name them before you....
Blessing:
May you be easy in your minds,
have no fears for those whom you love
and trust in the Lord always.
The blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
In our worship today let us thank God for sending us his son and say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."
Invitation to confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other people think.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other say.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid of what other people do.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." [32] He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. [33] Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' [34] Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [35] See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' "
Story:
Jesus was sad about Jerusalem and all those people who refused to see him as he really was and to believe the truth of what he was saying.
This is a story about Mrs Cluckabut, the hen who weeps over her errant chick who refuses to believe what she tells him.
Mrs Cluckabut's Chick
Mrs Cluckabut clucked loudly as she glanced about her. She counted under her breath. "One, two, there's Chickalee and Chickadee - oh, and over there are Chickafee, Chickaree and Chickamee. That's three, four and five. But where's number six? Where's Chickasee? That chick! He's such a nuisance! He will keep wandering off by himself. Whatever shall I do? How will I find him? Still, let's see. Over there are numbers seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven. That's all accounted for except Chickasee."
Mrs Cluckabut clucked and scolded anxiously. She knew the Wily Fox was nearby and she wanted to protect her chicks, to keep them safe from danger. But Chickasee never wanted to be protected. He didn't want to stay safe under his mother's wings and he didn't want to share his space with all his brothers and sisters.
Besides, he didn't believe all his mother's tales about that old Wily Fox. They were just bedtime stories designed to keep the chicks in order. Chickasee had no intention of falling for such fairy tales. He knew what he wanted to do and he was determined to do it. Nobody was going to stop him, least of all his fussy old mother.
Chickasee had never seen a fox so he wasn't entirely sure what foxes looked like. His mother had warned all the chicks that any fox would gobble them up in two seconds flat, which was why they should keep near her and away from foxes, but Chickasee thought it was all rubbish. Why, how could any animal eat feathers and claws and beaks? It was impossible. It was just a story. He was safe.
Chickasee heard his mother clucking and calling, calling and clucking, as she scratched at the ground with her feet, but he took no notice. He simply hid himself deeper under the leaves at the side of the road. He saw some cars swoosh by with a terrifying roar, but after a bit forgot to be frightened of them and wandered out into the road to peck at gravel with his little yellow beak.
Once, a large hare bounded out of the undergrowth and made Chickasee's little heart beat very fast indeed, but the hare bounded on without a backward glance, so Chickasee forgot to be frightened.
When a tabby kitten wanted to play, Chickasee cheeped loudly and the two of them had a good game. Chickasee wasn't a bit frightened.
But poor Mrs Cluckabut was worried sick. She clucked and squawked and pecked and scratched. All her chicks huddled uncertainly beneath her feathers, fearful and frightened because their mother was so upset. They raised their little voices with hers and cheeped as loudly as they could, but their brother took no notice.
The Wily Old Fox bided his time. He watched Chickasee closely, but kept himself hidden. When Chickasee was quite alone and his mother had wandered away to search elsewhere for her lost chick, the Wily Old Fox pounced.
Chickasee was so terrified that he opened his little yellow beak to shriek, but it was too late. In less than one second, the Wily Old Fox had gobbled him all up, feathers, beak and claws included.
Poor Mrs Cluckabut discovered a sad little pile of discarded yellow feathers next day. She wept and wept and wept, but Chickasee was gone for good.
Nobody ever saw him again.
Activity:
This week, play a game with the children. You yourself are Mrs Cluckabut and all the children are her chicks. Your assistant is the Wily Fox. The Wily Fox should leave the room and the children then find somewhere to hide. When the Wily Fox returns to the room, s/he should begin to hunt for the children.
After a bit, cluck loudly. This is the signal for all the "chicks" to try and reach home (that's you!) without being caught by the Wily Fox. Whenever you cluck, the children can move. Whenever you stop clucking, they try to find somewhere to hide until you cluck again. The Wily Fox may only catch chicks which are moving.
The game is ended when everyone has either reached home, or been caught by the Wily Fox.
Follow the game with some teaching about Jesus. Ask the children why they think Herod was called a wily fox. Ask them why Jesus was sad about the people of Jerusalem and why the people of Jerusalem didn't turn to Jesus. Ask whether Jesus still loves people who don't do what he expects or asks. Finally, ask why it might be a good idea to do what Jesus asks us to do.
Prayers:
Loving God, you cared for all human beings even when they failed to respond to you. Help us to care for other people even when they don't respond to us.
Loving God, we pray for the people of Jerusalem even while we weep over Jerusalem. May peace grow between all different people in the Holy Land.
Loving God, help us to realise when we are in danger. May we be always aware of the concern of those who love us and behave so responsibly that they have no need to worry.
Loving God, touch with your healing hands, those who are sick as we name them before you....
Blessing:
May you be easy in your minds,
have no fears for those whom you love
and trust in the Lord always.
The blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
