Children’s Liturgy Instructions
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B
Welcome children to their worship space.
Ask them to get their carpet squares and sit down in a circle.
Introduce yourself and your helpers.
Ask children to add their names to the cutouts (rectangles) provided. Explain that we are making a poster for each Sunday and that they will sign a cutout and glue it on when they are here.
Explain: Jesus leads us and helps us know what to do. He takes care of us because we have... what? <faith>
Introduce
Explain: Today is the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Ask: Does anyone remember what our symbol was for last week? (suitcase ) And what did it stand for? <travelling lightly - not worrying so much about ourselves - trusting God to take care of our needs>
Introduce symbol
Say: Our symbol today is a shepherd’s staff.
Ask: What do you remember about what shepherds do? <discuss>
Explain: Many of the early Christians who were learning about Jesus were shepherds. Those are men who take care of sheep. They took their jobs very seriously and took good care of each and every lamb.
Say: Now we are going to practice the Responsorial Psalm, that part between the readings where you get to help. The Responsorial Psalm comes from the Bible just like our readings do. Today’s psalm is: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Can you say this with me? <Have the children repeat it.>
Introduce readings
Ask: Does anyone remember what part of the Bible the first readings usually come from? (Old Testament)
Say: Today the first reading comes from the book of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23:3-6).
Ask: Does anyone know what a prophet is? (A prophet is a spokesperson of God - not a person who tells the future)
Explain: In the Old Testament, God often spoke through holy men who were prophets. Which prophets have we heard about recently? <Amos and Ezekiel> Jeremiah was also a prophet. Jeremiah tells us what the Lord said about gathering His people together and providing them with a leader. Listen closely and see if you can figure out who the leader is that God is going to send.
Say: Now we will have the first reading (light the candle)
Have the first reading
Ask: Jeremiah told about the leader that God was going to send to lead his people. He described the leader as “a king from the family of David.” Did you figure out who that leader was going to be? <Jesus>
Say: Next we will have the Responsorial Psalm
Your part will be to say:
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. (hold up poster)
Have reader read the psalm
Say: The Gospel reading was written by St. Mark (Mark 6:30-34). St. Mark tells about the people who had heard Jesus loved him so much that they followed him everywhere. Mark describes the people as acting like a certain animal. Listen closely and hear what kind of animal it was.
Say: Now we will get ready to hear the Gospel
Please stand up.
(hold up card) Alleluia! Alleluia!
Read: Read:
“a reading from the holy gospel.....”
All respond: Lord, let your Word be in my mind <make cross on forehead>, on my lips <make cross on lips>, and in my heart <make cross on heart>.
Read the Gospel
Ask: What kind of animal did you hear about? <sheep> Why did he say the people were like sheep? <because they followed Jesus around like they did not know what to do, they needed someone to lead them>
Hand out the symbols to color and cut out. (The symbol is a shepherd’s staff )
Explain: Color this symbol of a staff and bring it to the altar (don’t forget to put your name on the back!) to show that we have learned about trusting in God.
If there is time, ask questions and go over the lessons one more time to help the children remember.
While they are coloring, explain how we will go back into the church, up to the front with our gifts and rejoin our families.
Give out stickers, parent letters and hand-outs as they leave.
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| Use for the small poster symbol |
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| Use for the mid-sized banner symbol and the full-sized coloring sheet Offertory gift |
Parent Letter
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today is the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Today your children heard a simplified version of the same readings that you heard, Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Mark 6:30-34.
To reinforce at home:
Today we talked about how much Jesus cares for all of us. We talked about how frustrated Jesus and the Apostles must have been since they couldn’t manage to get any time alone but how Jesus only showed caring for the people who followed them.
The 23rd psalm was read today and is copied below. It is a beautiful psalm to memorize and/or pray with your children in that it shows how much they are loved and cared for by God.
Activities to do at home:
*Help your child understand the ways that God cares for us by helping them to learn to care for others. Helping them to care for siblings, plants or pets might be one way to teach them about how much God cares for each of them.
*Read the 23rd psalm together and have your child illustrate one of the lines in it. Bring it in to hang in the Children’s Chapel.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul,
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread your table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come
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