SermonStudio

(Ask the children to come to the chancel after the entrance hymn. Have a copy of the greeting for each child, with one of three symbols on each - a smiley face or a rainbow, a heart or welcome sign.)

What's the first thing you say when you get up in the morning? (LTA) What's the first thing you say when you meet your best friend? (LTA) Greeting people is very important, isn't it?

As we begin our worship, the pastor shares a greeting with the whole congregation. It's sometimes called an "apostolic greeting," because it is a greeting that came to us from the apostles. Who were the apostles? (LTA) Yes, they were the followers of Jesus.

(Pass out a copy of the greeting to each child.)

First, what is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? (LTA) Seem like strange words. What is grace? (LTA) Sometimes we call the prayer before meals "grace." Does anyone know why? (LTA) Well, grace is another way of saying a free, undeserved gift. At the table we call the prayer grace because it describes the food as a gift from God that we don't deserve. God loves us so much he gives us our daily food even when we haven't been perfect angels. On the back of some of your greetings there is a smiley face. Would all of those who have smiley faces stand over here on my left?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is more than just food. What else do you think this greeting wants us to have? What did our Lord Jesus Christ do for us? (LTA) That's right. He died for our sins and guaranteed a place for us in his Father's house. Do we deserve it? (LTA) No, we don't. So we call that grace.

There is something else the pastor greets us with. The love of God ... be with you all. Does anyone know what God's love is? (LTA) Yes, it could be like a favorite grandma's or grandpa's love. They love us no matter what. Do you remember the words from the Bible we learned in Sunday school? God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son to die for us. Can you say it with me? (LTA) That's the kind of love that God wishes for us in the greeting. Some of you have a heart on the back of your greeting. Would all of you gather here in the center in front of me?

There's one more thing in the greeting - the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. What is communion? (LTA) Yes, sometimes it means the special meal we have which we call Holy Communion. It can also mean a group of Christians who are brought together by God's love to share their faith with one another. So the pastor is praying that God will help everyone present share their faith in worship. When the Holy Spirit makes people part of our communion, he makes them feel welcomed. Some of you have a welcome sign on the back of your greeting. Will you gather together here on my right?

Would all of you like to join me in greeting the congregation with this prayer? (LTA) Good! Let's turn to face the people and pray it together, and hold up your sign as we say that part of the greeting. When we say "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," who will hold up their sign? (LTA) And when we say "the love of God" which group will hold their sign up? (LTA) Good. And finally the last group gets to hold up their sign when we say, "the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Okay, now let's all say it slowly together: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

(The congregation will respond: And also with you.)

Did you all hear what the congregation replied to us? (LTA) That's right, they are greeting us, or the pastor when he says it alone, with the same greeting.

Thank you for sharing the greeting with the congregation this morning.