for Sunday, August 8 (Proper 14)

Believe
Hebrews 11:1-3

It’s hard to say much of value about faith without mentioning fear and loss. But they are no surprise to children, no matter how we may try to shelter them. The good thing is that neither is faith a surprise to a child. The image of a newborn expressing faith in its cry for help comes from Alison Gopnik in The Philosophical Baby (2009). And the context of faith may provide the safest environment for children to name their fears and to learn that adults also know about fear and loss and how to survive it.

• What about a session of Preaching Colors, starting with just the darker crayons? Or you might invite each participant to draw a representation of God as seen with their “inside eyes.”

Props: Great opportunity to observe the faith of a baby, if you have one handy.

Musical ideas: Ending this worship on an upbeat is vital. A very direct application, and one that tends to stick in the ear and has hand motions (sign language), would be “What Went Right Today” by Joan Buzick (2006 Buz-Land Presentations). You could even focus on the sign for day as an excellent self-prompt to expect joy to come in the morning.