for Sunday, August 1 (Proper 13)

Treasures
Luke 12:13–21

Kids can almost always teach grownups something about value. Depending on their age and experience, they may or may not have concepts of intrinsic value, but even if they do, you might undermine it by showing them some well done chocolate coins and then letting them choose to eat them or not.

If you have an opportunity for adults to break off and talk seriously among themselves (and if they have established an environment of deep trust), you might give them an opportunity to talk about the rising acceptability of “wealth” in Western culture. It’s a challenging topic, though, so don’t do more than let it happen if your group wants it to.

Props: All kind of collections will be fun here, but only if the collector is willing and able to tell the love stories behind any item that piques a child’s interest. It’s also a good time for slide shows on a laptop or digital photo frame.

Musical ideas: Malvina Reynolds’s “Magic Penny” (1955)