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Please choose from the following children's sermons:

• Shake it, Matthew 18:15-20
  by Rev. Randy Quinn  (see below)
   
• Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, Romans 13: 8-14
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer
  (see below)
   
• Making Up With Your Brothers and Sisters, Mt 18:15-20,
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer (please scroll down)

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Shake it
children's message based on Matthew 18:15-20
by Rev. Randy Quinn

Let me shake your hand.

Do you know what it means when you shake a person's hand? It's a symbol of unity. It means we're friends.

But have you ever tried to shake your own hand? Try it

It doesn't work, does it? We need two people to shake hands.

But what if I don't want to shake your hand? Can we still shake hands? No. We can only be friends if both of us want to be friends.

I can still care about you and I can still love you; but we cannot be friends if both of us don't agree to be friends.

So if I want to be your friend and you don't, it's up to me to come to you and say, "I want to be your friend." I reach out my hand and hope you will take it. I do everything I can to become your friend, but it's up to you to respond.

Did you know that God wants to be your friend, too? God reaches out to us and asks us to shake hands. God comes to us, and it's up to us to respond. But God can only offer an invitation. We need to answer, "yes."

Let's pray:

God, thank you for caring for us and about us. Thank you for reaching out to us. Help us to take your hand and walk as your friend for the rest of our lives. And when we see someone else whom you love, help us to reach out our hands to him or her so they, too, may know that you love them and want to be their friend. Amen.

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Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
a children's sermon based on Romans 13: 8-14
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
props: a bag of candy (individually wrapped candy pieces like tootsie rolls)

Greetings, my little friends, today I brought some of my favorite candy.  Well,   before I open the bag and eat some of this candy, I'd like you to know that I really care for all of you kids. (continue to talk while you unwrap a piece of candy and stick it in your mouth) I like you guys so much, I outright love you.   Hmmmm, I tell you this candy is soooo good.

How would you feel if I decided to eat this whole bag of candy all by myself, right here in front of you?  Would you still believe me that I care about you? Even if I didn't  share my candy with you?  That doesn't make sense doesn't it.  It would be like saying one thing, but acting a different way.

This is exactly what Jesus is saying in one of our bible lessons this morning. Jesus says: "love other people as you love yourself."  And that means that we should act like we love others--not just say it.

How should we love others?  Just as much as we love ourselves!  Hmmm.  I wonder whether that means that I should give you some of my candy?  What do you think?

Give out the candy pieces and, as you hand them out,  tell each child that you care about (love) them.

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Making Up With Your Brothers and Sisters
a children's sermon based on "Forgiveness"
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

props: pictures of your brother(s) or sister(s) or cousin(s)

Show the pictures of your brother(s) or sister(s) or cousin(s) and consider sharing a little story of how you made up with them.

Ask the children about their own brothers or sisters: how many, if any do they have?  If they don't have siblings do they have cousin(s)?  Do they always get along with them?  Do they sometimes fight?

Ask the children if they ever feel betrayed or hurt by bothers or sisters?   Did they make up with them? How did that feel? Do they find it easy to forgive them for wronging them?

Conclusion: The thing is that brothers and sisters or even cousins are a gift from God.  They are special.  Friends may come and go during your life time, but you will always have a special bond to your brothers and sisters.  It is important to make up with them.  Even though there are fights and disagreements, love must prevail in every family, including the church family.

Let us give thanks to God every day for our brothers and sisters at home and in the church; and let us ask God to help us forgive them.