Additional Scriptures 

Isaiah 63:7–9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10–18 

Prelude  

Gathering Song   Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own. 

“All Creatures of Our God and King” CCS 98 

OR “Jesu, Tawa Pano/Jesus, We Are Here”  Repeat several times  CCS 71  

Welcome 

Call to Worship Responsive Reading  

Leader: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 

Congregation: Praise the Lord! 

Leader: Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! 

Congregation: Praise the Lord! 

Leader: Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! 

Congregation: Praise the Lord! 

Leader: Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the heavens! 

Congregation: Praise the Lord! 

Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He established them forever and ever… 

Congregation: Praise the Lord! 

—based on Psalm 148 

Song of Praise 

“When We Seek Language” CCS 61 

OR “Creator God, Creating Still” CCS 60 

Invocation 

Focus Moment 

“Listen to the Still, Small Voice” see below 

OR Scripture Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 162:1.  

Explain these verses are about listening closely to God. 

Hymn of Listening 

“Listen in the Silence” sing several times CCS 153 

Prayer for Peace 

Light the Peace Candle. 

Prayer

Compassionate and Loving God,

We come today in faith, hope, and trust to celebrate the Christ Child and to welcome that which is also being born within each of us. O God, there are times when we encounter you in the sacredness of our own burning bush experiences, or in an angel’s song, or as a feather floating on the soft breeze. We experience your sacredness in all places because you are within, around, and part of all things and all places. We encounter your welcoming peace when we feel your presence. We meet you in our sanctuaries of peace and celebrate you in community.

Creator God, we come in hope as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Here in this space we choose gratitude. We make this choice of gratitude knowing that it is humbling to say, “thank you.” We see your sacred generosity in the gift of the Christ Child, aware that we live in an infinite circle of gratitude.

We are all guests traveling to the stable around which gifts are given and love is received. We will not let anything opposed to love take over this place of welcome. Instead, we choose grace, free and unmerited love, the giftedness of life everywhere in the name of the Christ Child. In this choosing, and in this giving, we will pass gratitude into the world.

And now, O God, we arrive at the stable to find the newborn child lying in the manger, bringing into the world your source of light and gift of love. We humbly kneel before you because we know that the world is about to turn. In the name of Jesus, the Peaceful One, Amen.

—Cheryl Saur, used with permission 

Proclamation Scripture Reading 

Matthew 2:13–23  

Song of Confession and Thanksgiving 

“As Joseph Lay in Troubled Sleep” CCS 439 

OR “The Love of God” CCS 210 

 Proclamation Message 

Based on Matthew 2:13–23 

Ministry of Music or Congregational Hymn 

“Lully Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child” CCS 447 

OR “Joseph, Son of an Ancient King” CCS 443 

Disciples’ Generous Response 

What Can I Give? 

Read “In the Bleak Midwinter,”  stanza 4  CCS 422 

Share an experience when you wondered, “What Can I Give?”  

Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes  

Song of Commitment 

“God’s Love Made Visible!” CCS 411 

OR “Go Tell It on the Mountain” CCS 409  

Sending Forth 

God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn…Christ has come among us!  

Postlude 

Listen to the Still, Small Voice 

Preparation: Have props in place before the service begins. Toward the end of the praise song, turn on a fan or ticking clock you placed near the front of the worship space. It should be loud enough to be heard, but not so noisy that it is distracting. Bring a radio (turned off at first) or music maker to the front at the beginning of the focus moment. If desired, call children forward and welcome them at that time. 

Read Doctrine and Covenants 162:1: 

Listen, O people of the Restoration—you who would become a prophetic people, embodying in your life together the ministries of the Temple. Listen to the Voice that speaks from beyond the farthest hills, from the infinite heavens above, and the vast seas below. 

Listen to the Voice that echoes across the eons of time and yet speaks anew in this moment. Listen to the Voice, for it cannot be stilled, and it calls you once again to the great and marvelous work of building the peaceable kingdom, even Zion, on behalf of the One whose name you claim. 

Explain that these verses are about listening very closely to God. 

It seems like everyone wants us to listen to them: advertisers try to get our attention with television and radio commercials and Internet ads; our radio invites us to listen and win; pets bark, meow, tweet, or claw for attention; teachers ask us to listen up; and meanwhile our family and friends want us to hear them. 

How do you manage to listen to so much? Do you often try to listen to more than one thing at once? How does that work for you? 

Sometimes we think we are really good at listening to many things at once. Let’s listen for a moment now to all the things we can hear. Hold up the radio or music maker and ask the children or congregation to listen closely to all that they hear. 

Play some music for a few moments. 

Stop the music and ask listeners to describe what they heard as closely as possible. What words, sounds, and noises, did you hear? 

When they finish, suggest that there is something they did not mention. Ask them to listen closely again for a moment, this time without turning on the radio or music maker. 

Point out that we can hear the fan or ticking clock, too. Many of us had tuned out that sound as background noise. 

Turn it off, and the silence we are left with makes us even more aware of the background sound we had been tuning out. 

In our lives, it is sometimes the still, quiet sounds that are most important. We must learn to listen very closely and tune our ears to those sounds. 

Maybe it is the sound of a shy or ignored person who needs our love and support, even though he or she isn’t outspoken. Maybe it is God’s creation that is being polluted, but doesn’t complain very loudly. Or maybe it is God speaking to us. Sometimes we call the voice of God or the Holy Spirit a “still, small voice.” This morning let’s learn about and practice listening very closely to those voices that matter most. 

Gathering

Welcome

Prayer for Peace

 Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.
Light the peace candle.

O Lord of all creation,

We meet you in this sacred time to express the yearning in our hearts for peace.

Enfold each of us with your mantle of great inner calm as we live in an age of confusion. Show us the real and lasting truths of your peace that we may share with others.

There is a great concern that all might be treated with humanity, as individuals, as equals.

Grant that we may choose the best paths to alleviate suffering.

May we seek and acknowledge the Divine in every creature of your world.

Give us the discerning wisdom to leave open areas in our hearts for our differences.

Teach us tolerance.

Help us always to uphold the image of Jesus Christ, your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

—Barbara L. Beal

Spiritual Practice

Praying the Psalms

I will read Psalm 139:1–6, 23–24 NRSVue, adapted, pausing after each verse. When I pause and open my hand toward you, we will say aloud together: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
  you discern my thoughts from far away.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

You search out my path and my lying down,
  and are acquainted with all my ways.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

Even before a word is on my tongue,
  O Lord, you know it completely.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

You hem me in, behind and before,
  and lay your hand upon me.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
  it is so high that I cannot attain it.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
  test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
  and lead me in the way everlasting.

(Open hand toward the group)

All: “Search me O God, and know my heart.”

Amen.

Sharing Around the Table

Matthew 2:13–23 NRSVue

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  Then Joseph^[a] got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. Then what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” Then Joseph^[d] got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazarene.”

On this first Sunday after Christmas, we realize that Joseph and Mary’s faith adventure with God is not yet finished. They are tasked with protecting God’s Son, no easy feat.

An angel visits Joseph in a dream to warn and guide him on a journey. Joseph, fearful and needing safety for his family, is led to Egypt. When Herod dies in 4 BCE, Joseph and his family head back to Israel in response to another visit from the angel. Along the way, Joseph is visited a third time, and is warned to be afraid of Archelaus (Herod’s son, who became ruler over Judea, where Bethlehem is located) and not to go back to Bethlehem. So instead, they settle in a new home in Nazareth in the district of Galilee, which has a much kinder ruler.

Joseph is a hero in this story because he listened and obeyed, therefore fulfilling his divine calling as Jesus’ protector. However, in all this, the real hero is God. Everything is caused by God and points back to God’s leadership. God’s divine purpose is fulfilled because, when God speaks, people respond.

Amid the noise of everyday life, it can be hard to hear God’s voice. Many “voices” in our lives compete for our attention. But God wishes to be with us, dwell with us, and lead us. Much like Joseph and Mary, we, too, are on a faith adventure with God. As modern-day travelers seeking the Divine, let us seek to discern God’s voice calling and leading us.

Questions

1. What adventures might lie ahead in your faith journey? How will you listen to God’s voice as you journey?
2. How do you determine whether you are following God’s voice or the voice of others?
3. How might we benefit by listening to the voice of God in a community of travelers?

Note: If you are using “Thoughts for Children,” make time for them to share their drawings at this time. 

Sending

Generosity Statement

Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint.

—Doctrine and Covenants 163:9

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing small-group ministries as part of your generous response.

God of love and light,

In this season of hope, love, and joy, may the peace of your Son, Jesus, be made real in the world. May our hearts, minds, hands, and resources be useful in the cause of bringing your light where there is darkness and your love where there is despair, anger, fear, and suffering. May our offerings be used toward your purposes we pray. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

CCS 432, “What Child Is This”

Closing Prayer

Additional Options Depending on Group

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us, was born on Christmas Day; leading the walk in the way of truth; showing us how to love and serve one another. In the birth of Jesus we recognize God’s great love. In the sacramental act of sharing Communion we remember the gift of Jesus Christ to our world.

As we celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, our experience of being together as we share in Communion is an expression of blessing, healing, peace, and community.

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

—Matthew 26:26–29 NRSVue

Invitation to Communion

All are welcome at Christ’s table. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a sacrament in which we remember the life, death, resurrection, and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. In Community of Christ, we also experience Communion as an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and to be formed as disciples who live Christ’s mission. Others may have different or added understandings within their faith traditions. We invite all who participate in the Lord’s Supper to do so in the love and peace of Jesus Christ.

In preparation let’s sing from Community of Christ Sings 527, “Bread of the World.”

Blessing and serving bread and wine.

Thoughts for Children

Materials: paper, crayons

Ask: Have you ever seen an angel in a book or on television? What do they look like? Do they all look alike, or can they be very different? Have you ever seen one in real life?

Angels are one way to describe how God interacts with people. What are some other ways God interacts, or speaks, to people?

Explain prayer, study, nature, a sense that God is present with us.

In the Bible we read about an angel visiting Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. The angel had an important message. The angel warned Joseph that someone wanted to harm the child, Jesus. Because of the angel, Joseph took Jesus to safety and stayed there until the angel came again and said it was safe to return home.

Has there been a time where you felt God was sharing an important message with you?

Affirm the examples and offer guidance as the children respond.

It is important to remember that God speaks to us in many ways: through study, prayer, the Holy Spirit, nature, or even something like an angel.

Hand out paper and crayons and ask children to draw a picture of the way God speaks to them.

Ask the children to share their drawings at the close of the group lesson.

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 2:13–23 

Lesson Focus

Disciples seek God’s voice and respond in servant ministry. 

Objectives 

The learners will… 

• consider the significance of the Epiphany. 
• discuss the focus scripture passage and its invitation to disciples today. 
• explore opportunities for individuals and congregations to promote and protect the well-being of all children. 

Supplies 

• Bible  
• Pens or pencils 
• Community of Christ Sings (CCS) 

Notes to Teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 2:13–23 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year A: New Testament, p. 26, available through Herald House. 

Gather

Activates background knowledge, prepares, and motivates for lesson (15% of total lesson time)

Today is the first Sunday after Christmas and the Sunday before the Epiphany, observed on 6 January. Epiphany means “manifestation” or “appearance” and relates specifically to God revealed in Christ. The day of Epiphany commemorates the visit of the magi (wise men) to Jesus as divine manifestation to the Gentiles (Donald K. McKim, The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition, p. 104). 

Read Matthew 2:1–12 and respond to the following questions in writing, discuss in groups of two or three, or share with the larger group. 

• What does it mean for you to seek Jesus today? 
• In what new ways can you invite others to Christ? 

Read or sing “Not in Grand Estate” CCS 444. 

Engage

Invites exploration and interaction (35% of lesson time)

Today’s focus scripture passage follows the story of the wise men in Matthew’s Gospel. Read Matthew 2:13–23. 

The author of Matthew’s Gospel proclaims Christ Jesus as the Messiah and fulfillment of the Old Testament. The author does this through connections of Jesus to Israel, particularly to Moses, and through prophecies quoted from the Old Testament. 

Form three small groups or pairs and assign each group or pair one of the following paragraphs from today’s passage: verses 13–15, verses 16–18, verses 19–23. Discuss the following in small groups or pairs and share insights with the larger group. 

• What connection do you find between Jesus and Moses, or Jesus and Israel, in these verses? 
• What prophecy is quoted and how is it fulfilled? 

Dreams are used five times in Matthew’s birth story to communicate divine will. The wise men and Joseph promote God’s purposes through their responses to the divine will. 

• What is the invitation to disciples today about discerning God’s will? 

Respond

Takes the learners from hearing to doing (35% of lesson time)

There are moral and theological challenges in today’s text. Why is only one family warned in a dream and only one child saved? Could not an all-powerful God have stopped Herod’s designs in the first place? These are questions which naturally surface if the text is taken as historical and literal fact. While Herod was a cruel and paranoid ruler, it should be noted there is no historical evidence of children in Bethlehem being slaughtered. Matthew’s intent is to communicate God’s purposes fulfilled in Christ, despite human evil. 

• What represents present-day “slaughter of the innocents” in the world and your community? (handguns, land mines, domestic abuse, preventable poverty-related diseases, child slavery and soldiering) 
• What is the role of the church in response to these circumstances? 
• What awareness or education would help your congregation or community respond to these circumstances? 

Send

Explores how the lesson might be lived (10% of lesson time)

The imagery of Rachel weeping for the children of Israel originated during the Babylonian captivity. In Matthew’s passage, it is used to show further fulfilling of the Old Testament in Christ Jesus the Messiah. It can be understood as the maternal nature of God who weeps for all children who suffer. Disciples are called to protect and promote the well-being of all children. 

Prayerfully consider your response to the following question and make it part of your personal spiritual practice throughout the coming week. 

• What is the light of hope you are called to bring to all children in your community? 

Bless

Time of prayer, praise, blessing, and hope (5% of lesson time)

Offer a closing prayer of blessing or read the following as a prayer of blessing. 

Show us the way, Christ Jesus, to offer the light of hope for all your precious children. 
Come, shine through us today.
Amen. 

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 2:13–23 

Lesson Focus

The faithful listen and respond to God’s call. 

Objectives 

The learners will… 

• explore the scripture passage. 
• be reminded of a king born for everyone. 
• engage in stories about the faithful. 

Supplies 

• Bible 
• Card stock (three sheets per person) 
• String or yarn, hole punch or tape 
• Crayons or colored pencils 

Notes to Teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 2:13–23 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year B: New Testament (with focus on the Gospel according to Matthew), p. 26, available through Herald House. 

Gather

Activates background knowledge, prepares, and motivates for lesson (15% of total lesson time)

Read Matthew 2:13–18. Review the events that led to this time. Describe Joseph’s dream. Give each group member a sheet of card stock to sketch Joseph’s dream. What were the conditions at home? Where were Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to go? What prophecy was fulfilled by this action? Who was the prophet giving the prophecy? 

Read Matthew 2:19–21. Ask group members to describe what happened next. Give each group member another sheet of card stock and sketch scene two. Who appeared? What was their destination? 

Read Matthew 2:22–23. Provide a third sheet of card stock to sketch scene three. Who was king and what was his relationship to Herod? How was Joseph warned? Where were they told to go? What prophecy was fulfilled this time? What acts of faith can be identified in the story? 

In ancient times, triptychs were writing tablets composed of three panels of writing, pictures, designs, or carvings hinged or tied together. They were used as altarpieces. Make triptychs by connecting each of the three sheets sketched by class members. Use tape or punch holes and join the three sheets with string. Stand the triptychs up, adjusting outside panels forward slightly until they stand by themselves. Display the triptychs throughout your place of worship. 

Engage

Invites exploration and interaction (35% of lesson time)

Faithful Journey 

Today’s scripture passage reports the tragic story of King Herod killing all male infants in Bethlehem. The faithful response of Joseph allowed Jesus to avoid this fate. After Joseph’s dream, his response was to listen and move Jesus and Mary to safety. Because Joseph had faith and listened to God’s call, Jesus was safe. 

• Joseph was on a faithful journey. What was an unexpected experience on your faithful journey? Explain. 
• In what ways is it difficult to be faithful? In what ways is it easy? 
• How do you listen for God’s direction in your life? 

Respond

Takes the learners from hearing to doing (35% of lesson time)

Listen to God’s Voice 

Arrange the group in pairs. Take turns having each pair try to converse while the rest of the group talks loudly around them. The pairs should find it difficult to hear each other over the loud talking and distracting voices of those around them. 

It can be difficult to listen for God when there are many things going on that distract us. Just like trying to converse while other people are talking over you, if we are too distracted by what’s going on in our lives, then we will miss what God is trying to say to us. There are many “voices” in our lives that compete for our attention, but it is God who wishes to be with us, dwell with us, and lead us. All are called to share gifts, invite others to Christ, and to do good in the world. 

• What does it mean to listen for God’s voice? 
• Have there been times in your life when you listened for God’s voice and responded? What was the result? 

Send

Explores how the lesson might be lived (10% of lesson time)

Challenge Question 

Today is the beginning of a new year, and a chance to listen for God’s voice calling to you. In the pairs formed above, have group members share their answers to the challenge question. 

• At the beginning of this year, what actions will you take to be a faithful participant in the sacred story? 

Going Deeper: The Wise Men Out of Place 

Place a nativity scene (one that includes the wise men) on a table or somewhere the group can see it. Now that the group has read today’s scripture passage, ask them what is out of place with the scene. The wise men, Magi, or three kings as they are sometimes called, only appear in the Gospel of Matthew. While they are often depicted in nativity scenes when Jesus was born, they did not arrive until later. The wise men were from the East, foreigners to Jesus, and yet they recognized Jesus as the king. It fits that these visitors to Jesus, a king for all, were outsiders. 

• How would you describe the wise men in today’s passage? 
• Who are the “wise men” today? 
• Whom do the “wise men” represent in your community? 

Bless

Time of prayer, praise, blessing, and hope (5% of lesson time)

In closing read Doctrine and Covenants 162:2a. 

Listen carefully to your own journey as a people, for it is a sacred journey and it has taught you many things you must know for the journey yet to come.

Invite a group member to offer a prayer of blessing. 

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 2:13–23 

Lesson Focus

We are called to listen for what God is asking us to do.  

Objectives 

The learners will… 

• discover how Joseph listened to God through responding to his dream. 
• practice listening. 
• discuss what they can do to help build God’s kingdom on Earth in the coming year. 

Supplies 

• Bible OR Lectionary Story Bible, Year A, by Ralph Milton, illustrated by Margaret Kyle (Wood Lake Publishing, 2007, ISBN 9781551455471) 
• Community of Christ Sings (CCS) 
• Assorted instruments, noisemakers, or recorded music 
• Paper, crayons or markers 

Notes to Teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 2:13–23 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year A: New Testament, pp. 26–27, available through Herald House. 

Gather

Activates background knowledge, prepares, and motivates for lesson (15% of total lesson time)

Greet students and invite them to sing “Listen in the Silence” CCS 153 three times through. Invite students to sit in a circle and turn to a partner. Have partners take turns telling three facts about themselves. After one partner shares, the other partner then repeats the three facts they heard. Have partners trade roles and repeat. 

Ask the students to share what was difficult and what was easy about the activity. 

Repeat activity adding extra background noise (music playing, banging on percussion instruments, or other noisemaking). After the students learn and repeat three new facts about their partners, ask them to share what was difficult or easy about the object lesson this time. Did they have to listen more closely to one another? Could they hear their partners the first time or did they have to say it more than once? 

Engage

Invites exploration and interaction (35% of lesson time)

After Jesus was born, his parents stayed in Bethlehem for a while. They planned to return to their home in Galilee after Jesus was a bit older. In a far-off country, a group of wise men (magi) saw a bright star shining in the sky. They were sure that star meant someone important had been born, so they packed their belongings and traveled to see where the star led. They stopped in Jerusalem to ask King Herod if he knew where this new king was. Herod learned the baby might be nearby in Bethlehem and became afraid. What if this new king tried to take his place as king? The wise men went on to see baby Jesus but promised to let Herod know where they found the baby. 

• What can you tell me about the wise men who came to visit baby Jesus?  
• What did they bring to him? 

After they had visited Jesus, one of them had a dream that Herod was going to try to kill the baby. So they did not go back to tell Herod where the baby was and went home another way. 

Today’s scripture passage is about a time when Joseph, like the wise men, had to listen carefully to learn what God wanted him to do to protect his family. 

Read Matthew 2:13–23 or “Run Away from King Herod” from the Lectionary Story Bible, Year A, pp. 40–41. 

• Who warned Joseph that his family was in danger? (an angel) 
• How did the angel visit Joseph? (in a dream) 
• Why did the family need to run away to Egypt? (King Herod wanted to kill Jesus) 
• Who visited Joseph after Herod died? (an angel in another dream) 
• Where did they go when they left Egypt? (Galilee) 

When Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were forced to leave their home and go to another country, they became what we call refugees. A refugee is someone who goes to live in a foreign country because it is unsafe for them to live in their country. Even today millions of people are refugees. They often must live with little food and water around many strangers. Close your eyes and imagine what that would feel like. 

• Would you feel safe?  
• What would you miss about your home if you had to leave today?  
• What would you take with you if you could only take what you could carry in a small bag?  
• Who would you miss most? 

It must have been strange and scary for Jesus’s family to leave all their friends and family and move to a country where they were strangers.  

• Have you ever moved to a different place? How did you feel? 

Note: If you have an older group of children or want to go deeper, invite the children to research more about refugees in magazines, the newspaper, or on the Internet. One site that offers information about refugee children is Save the Children. You can also search “refugee children” for more information and pictures. 

Respond

Takes the learners from hearing to doing (35% of lesson time)

In our scripture passage today, God communicated with Joseph in a special way—through dreams. Tell about a dream you have had. Was it scary? Was it funny? Did it feel real? 

Dreams can be funny or scary. They can be realistic or silly. God has a dream for us—to create God’s shalom (God’s kingdom on Earth). What do you think that might look like? What can you do to find out what God’s kingdom will be like? 

In Community of Christ, we believe that our choices and the way we live our lives help create God’s kingdom (shalom) here on Earth. We do this by acting in ways that promote justice, wholeness, and peace for every person. When people disagree, we try to help them reconcile with each other and try to treat every person as a child of God who is worthwhile and sacred. 

Write the word “shalom” at the top of the chalkboard or a large piece of paper. Brainstorm with the class what shalom looks like and list ideas on your paper. These might include no war, no bullies, everyone is safe, people take care of one another, or everyone has enough to eat and drink. 

Pass out a piece of paper and markers or crayons to each student. Ask them about their dream for the world. Have them draw how they will help make that dream of shalom come true. 

Send

Explores how the lesson might be lived (10% of lesson time)

Gather in a circle with the pictures the children created. Go around the circle and have each child share about their pictures and one way they will work this week to help God’s vision of shalom become real. 

Sing together the first stanza of “Jesus Is Calling” CCS 578. Have children brainstorm ideas for motions to the song as time allows. An alternate song is “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” CCS 310. 

Bless

Time of prayer, praise, blessing, and hope (5% of lesson time)

Close by reciting the Mission Prayer together or use the alternative wording for small children. Encourage children to create motions for each line of the prayer. 

God, where will your Spirit lead today? 
Help me be fully awake and ready to respond. 
Grant me courage to risk something new 
And become a blessing of your love and peace. 
Amen. 

God, what should I pay attention to today?
Give me courage to care for people like you do. 
Help me to think and say loving things about others. 
Amen.