I am doing the children's sermon at our church

[norepubsin08]

First United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Washington We are in a liberal denomination... I want to do it on the election (no endorsement of course) but just to teach the kids about the importance of being involved in the political discussion of our nation. Any suggestions...I'll have about 10 kids ages 3-12

[norepubsin08]

1. Oops

I wanted to post this in Religion and theology...how do I do that? Sorry.

[TomInTib]

3. It is in Religion/Theology nt

[thunder rising]

2. If you love your church don't do it!! You can easilly get your church in trouble.

[JerseygirlCT]

15. Not if there's no endorsement of a candidate or party

If one is talking about the importance of civic involvement there's no problem whatsoever.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Better not

better to tell them about the teachings of Jesus--that his message was to LIVE like HE did.

[msedano]

5. what does it profit a person...

to gain the whole world yet suffer loss of one's own soul?

desperate ambition versus a general sense of the common good.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. What are the appointed readings for the day?

When dealing with children, you don't want to say anything that parents could construe as trying to influence their children politically.

I just looked at the Revised Common Lectionary. The Gospel for that day is the Beatitudes. What better passage to introduce to children? And in a way, it's even relevant to the election, but not blatantly so.

[norepubsin08]

10. That day's readings are based on the fact that it is

All Saint's Day..I am focusing my prayers on that. What I was thinking was telling the kids, that they need to pay attention to what is happening around them (per the election) and choose who they would think would be best for helping get rid of hunger, war etc. At the end I would give them maps of the US and crayons and have them watch the results with their parents on election night.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Leave all overt political references out--even the crayons

The kids can't vote anyway, and the parents will not be happy to see you discussing politics with their kids, especially if they know that you've been actively involved in the Obama campaign. You'll get more props from the parents if you DON'T bring politics into the discussion.

Since it's All Saints' Day, ask the children if they know what a saint is. After they have given their ideas, tell them that "saint" comes from the Latin word for "holy," and it refers to a person who does God's will. Often it is used to refer to people who have gone before us and are now with God, but it can also refer to people who are alive today. (If your church is named after a saint, explain who that person was.) Note that Paul always addressed his letters to "the saints at the church in...."

So what is God's will? This is the perfect segue into the Beatitudes, which you can explain in simple language. Here's a good commentary:

http://www.relijournal.com/Christianity/The-Beatitudes-Explained.126818

If you have time, ask the children what they could do to be saints in their everyday lives.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. You might include that we are all saints

and part of that is being involved in our communities - one way of doing that is voting. And as Lydia suggests, ask them how they can be saints in their everyday lives and communities now.

[fulllib]

7. Take a look at Jim Wallis writings . . .

He is a minister with a progressive bend.

I think some of his ideas here might be useful:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/my-personal-faith-priorit_b_137530.html


It is more about being a true person of faith in the world, and not one stuck on certain divisive political points, or focused on particular Bible passages.

[FLyellowdog]

8. I'd do something about making choices...

Use two different props (i.e., food, or candy or toys, etc.) and teach that everyone has choices to make...we have to decide for ourselves which choice to make based on what would be better for us personally.

Talk about looking at why one choice might be better than the other.

Encourage them to respond about which item they would choose and why...then tie this into the fact that they will always have to make choices even when they grow up and that the most important thing is that God gave us the free will to choose and to think for themselves.

End with a prayer asking God to give us the wisdom to make the right decisions.

Then let the kids choose which little thing you're offering.

Just an idea.

[norepubsin08]

11. Good idea thanks

[Occam Bandage]

9. Do it naked.

[mikelewis]

12. You should talk to them about Amos then...

Amos was a shepherd who was called from his flock to serve as a prophet in Bethel... away from his home and family who lived in Judah. He sacrificed the life he loved for the God and country he loved. Sometimes, we as a people forget that sort of sacrifice when it comes to serving our own country... we forget about those who left their homes to go to war and those who go to serve in more peaceful endeavors. We forget about those who abandon their lives and offer service as everyday heroes and servants... and on election day, it's a chance for us to participate in a process that will elect those who will serve us. Many of those people come to the process with the best intentions in their hearts to do as much good as they can do. Some of them come to make their community, their city, their world a better place and they see it as their calling... just as Amos saw his daily prophecies in the markets of Bethel as his calling. Amos is also a good choice to discuss because he called for social justice... he called for the leaders of both the Northern and Southern Kingdom's of Israel to remember the poor, to take up the cause of the widow and to value justice and righteousness above all things. This is why Martin Luther King Jr. quoted him so frequently when he would say that he would continue his struggle till "justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Especially in this election, we all would do well to remember those words and that dream that echoes through the ages and calls us all to remember the true call of a servant.

[knitter4democracy]

13. What about using Hebrews 12:1-2

You can talk about the "great cloud of witnesses" and ask them who would that be. Then, go into running the race and what it is to run a race. Segway into asking them if they've been hearing about the presidential race and what it must be like to run in that race with that great cloud of witnesses watching. It goes both with All Saints and with the election.

[TKolmsi]

17. I would tell them that they

should always know and understand the basics of their faith and the moral code that grew up around it so that they can live it through their actions, which includes their vote.

Or skip the whole thing and hand out Oreos.