Children's Message: Pentecost 4 - Year A
It was Sunday morning and her mom and dad were getting their special church clothes on, but Donna was plopped down in her favorite Bean Bag chair, watching her favorite cartoons. Donna didn’t get her clothes on because she was hoping that it would her parents wouldn’t notice that she wasn’t ready until it was too late. Then she would be able to stay home. Donna had plans this Sunday morning, and church wasn’t a part of them
“C’mon, Donna, you need to get dressed, we’ll be late.” Donna’s mom shouted back.
“I don’t want to go today!” Donna shouted back. “Janet and Kate asked me to come over this morning then we’re going to the Mall.”
“Yes you are and no you’re not” shouted dad, confusing everyone. “Yes you are coming to church and no you aren’t going to the mall this morning”
“But I don’t want to! Janet and Kate go to the Mall every Sunday and they tell me how much fun they have. For once I want to have fun with them.”
“Donna, it’s getting late.” Her dad bellowed from the top of the stairs. “I had to go to church when I was your age so doggonnit, you have to go to church too, just like I did!”
Donna sat at the back of the church with the other young people. That way the pastor couldn’t see what they were up to. But Donna was in a bad mood and couldn’t concentrate on the service. She was thinking about Kate and Janet at the Mall trying on funky clothes and slurping down Orange Julius, and she was missing out on all that.
After church, the drive home was very quiet.
That night, when Donna was getting ready for bed her mom came in to say their prayers.
“Donna, did you have fun at the back of the church today?” ask her mom brushing the bangs from Donna’s face.”
“I guess,” muttered Donna.
“You wanted to go to the Mall instead of going to church, didn’t you?” asked her mom.
“Yes” replied Donna.
“Do you not like church?” asked her mom?
“Its not that I don’t like church, it’s just that I like a lot of other stuff as well. Do we have to go to church every Sunday?”
“We try to,” said her mom. “Its all a part of what it means to follow Jesus. Its like what the bible story said today, that Paul tried to tell his friends in Rome why it is important to worship Jesus, and that following Jesus may not be what we always feel like doing, but it is the only time during the week we get to pray and sing and with other Christians.”
“So, going to church is what it means to be a disciple?” asked Donna?
“It’s part of it. Besides, you can see Kate and Janet at school. Donna, I don’t want to make you go to church because that’s not what church is about. But I do what you to grow in your faith and love of Jesus, and big part of that is going to church and learning more about him. Do you understand?”
“I suppose,” said Donna not completely convinced, but her mom did give her something to think about.
Then they said a prayer like this as we do now: “Dear God, help us to be disciples of Jesus. Amen.”
“C’mon, Donna, you need to get dressed, we’ll be late.” Donna’s mom shouted back.
“I don’t want to go today!” Donna shouted back. “Janet and Kate asked me to come over this morning then we’re going to the Mall.”
“Yes you are and no you’re not” shouted dad, confusing everyone. “Yes you are coming to church and no you aren’t going to the mall this morning”
“But I don’t want to! Janet and Kate go to the Mall every Sunday and they tell me how much fun they have. For once I want to have fun with them.”
“Donna, it’s getting late.” Her dad bellowed from the top of the stairs. “I had to go to church when I was your age so doggonnit, you have to go to church too, just like I did!”
Donna sat at the back of the church with the other young people. That way the pastor couldn’t see what they were up to. But Donna was in a bad mood and couldn’t concentrate on the service. She was thinking about Kate and Janet at the Mall trying on funky clothes and slurping down Orange Julius, and she was missing out on all that.
After church, the drive home was very quiet.
That night, when Donna was getting ready for bed her mom came in to say their prayers.
“Donna, did you have fun at the back of the church today?” ask her mom brushing the bangs from Donna’s face.”
“I guess,” muttered Donna.
“You wanted to go to the Mall instead of going to church, didn’t you?” asked her mom.
“Yes” replied Donna.
“Do you not like church?” asked her mom?
“Its not that I don’t like church, it’s just that I like a lot of other stuff as well. Do we have to go to church every Sunday?”
“We try to,” said her mom. “Its all a part of what it means to follow Jesus. Its like what the bible story said today, that Paul tried to tell his friends in Rome why it is important to worship Jesus, and that following Jesus may not be what we always feel like doing, but it is the only time during the week we get to pray and sing and with other Christians.”
“So, going to church is what it means to be a disciple?” asked Donna?
“It’s part of it. Besides, you can see Kate and Janet at school. Donna, I don’t want to make you go to church because that’s not what church is about. But I do what you to grow in your faith and love of Jesus, and big part of that is going to church and learning more about him. Do you understand?”
“I suppose,” said Donna not completely convinced, but her mom did give her something to think about.
Then they said a prayer like this as we do now: “Dear God, help us to be disciples of Jesus. Amen.”
posted by Unknown at 8:21 AM
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