34:5 "Look to him & be radiant".... A friend shared with me her
"pumpkin sermon" which I plan to use this Sunday for the Family
Service. Prepare a large jack o'lantern ahead of time by cutting out
eyes, ears, nose and mouth, slicing off the stem end and hollowing
out the rest. Put all the pieces (except the seeds, pulp, etc.) back
in place, so that the pumpkin still looks whole. Then talk about how
the senses (sight, hearing, etc.) allow us to be in touch with God.
As each is mentioned, remove the pieces and reveal the face. Then
ask the children what is missing. When they respond "a light", place
the candle and light it to show God's spirit within each one. Then
talk about how sometimes we refuse to use what we have to get in
touch with God. Put back the pieces to stop up the nose, mouth, etc.
Put back the top and observe what happens to the light within us.
The parable of the three pumpkins: This story touches several
central mysteries of our faith: Baptism. belonging to the light;
forgiveness, conversion, and transformation: new life and life
eternal. Display three pumpkins; the first without any face carved
or painted; the second with a face painted with a black marker(if
you choice to do it at the time of the story telling); the third
with eyes, nose and mouth carved out but with the cut-out pieces
plugged into the holes. You will also need a candle and a match.
Once upon a time there were three little pumpkins. The lst little
pumpkin said, "I want to remain just as I am. I never want to
change." The 2nd little pumpkin said, "I want to be a jack-o-lantern
but I don't want to let go of what I already have. I want to change
but I'm afriad to let anyone carve eyes, nose and mouth out of my
shell. So I won't change either. I will just pretend" The 3rd little
pumpklin said, "I want to shine like the sun. And in order to let
the light come out of me I need ot lose part of myself. I need to
change. Open my eyes, ears and mouth and put a lighted candle inside
me. (take out the plugged pieces and light the candle within).
After a while the lst little pumpkin rotted away and disappeared
into the soil. After a while the 2nd little pumpkin did the same.
After a while the 3rd little pumpkin shriveled and turned back to
the soil as well. But its light seemed to grow even brighter because
there was nothing blocking it. The light of the 3rd little pumpkin
together with the light of all the other jack-o-lanterns, made the
night become brigher than day, and darkness went away forever.
You could play with "Jesus calling us" some answer, some pretend,
some ignore... losing part of yourself (jealousy, anger, forgive...)
Enjoy. Rev.WWM
