planning - diowillochra.org.au · as genesis 32 begins, jacob is near the border of his homeland...

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Ecumenical Prayer Calendar

Things to keep in mind this week…

Planning ahead…

Planning

If you have Internet access, visit www.seasonsonline.ca to access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage.

Liturgical colour: green

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Revised Common Lectionary (Year A)

123123Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2017

Seasons of the Spirit is based on semi-

continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.

12

11

10

9

8 7

6

Sunday, August 6 – Saturday, August 12 • 2017

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

August 2017

July 2017S M T W T F S

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 2225 26 27 28 29

September 2017S M T W T F S

1 23 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 30

9th Sunday after Pentecost18th Sunday in Ordinary TimeProper 13 (18) Anniversary of the Bombing of Hiroshima Transfiguration (Orthodox) Genesis 32:22–31

Psalm 17:1–7, 15Romans 9:1–5Matthew 14:13–21

Canada, USA

23/3024/31

124 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

Biblical Background • August 6, 2017Pentecost 1 2017

Struggle

Focus scriptureGenesis 32:22–31

Additional scripturesPsalm 17:1–7, 15Romans 9:1–5Matthew 14:13–21

Loving God, hold me as I struggle through my life. Remind me always of your generosity and care. Amen.

Jacob’s life has fluctuated between contentment and struggle, and most likely everything in-between. In this strange story in which Jacob wrestles with God, we see

the tenacity with which he holds on to God,and God continu-ing to keep covenant with Abraham’s descendants.

Focus scripture: Genesis 32:22–31We miss the story of Jacob’s life in Haran as we move from last week’s reading to today’s, but in short, after his son Jo-seph is born, Jacob hears God’s voice telling him to return home to Canaan. As is typical in this narrative, this doesn’t happen without intrigue and there is a lot of back-and-forth between Jacob and Laban, as Jacob reveals his intention to leave and prepares to do so. In the end there is reconcilia-tion between them and Jacob and his family travel toward Canaan in peace.

As Genesis 32 begins, Jacob is near the border of his homeland and preparing to meet his brother Esau. He is rightfully fearful of how he will be received, so he sends messengers to Esau with gifts and words of peace. They come back with the news that Esau is coming to meet them with four hundred men. Jacob divides his entourage into two groups, and sends them in different directions, so if Esau and his men devastate one group, the other may survive unharmed. He then sends additional peace offerings to Esau with the hope that they appease him and banish thoughts of vengeance and destruction.

That evening, Jacob sends his wives and children to safety; he remains alone on the way to Canaan. In the dark he encounters a stranger with whom he wrestles. Jacob appears to be outmatched but does not give in. He is injured in his thigh, yet they still wrestle. Near daybreak

Jacob demands a blessing and the name of the one with whom he has struggled. He is given no name but receives a blessing. We discover Jacob has been wrestling with God when God gives him the name Israel. Jacob calls the place Penu’el, meaning “face of God” for he has had a “face-to- face” confrontation with God. This is an extraordinary event for ancient Hebrew people believed that to see God face to face would bring death (Exodus 33:20).

In Psalm 17:1–7, 15, the writer is letting God know that the people are angry, they are suffering an injustice and they are expecting God to listen to their grievances. There is a built-in understanding that God is big enough to take this anger and frustration and that ultimately justice will come through God’s everlasting mercy. Paul longs for all of those who share his heritage to know the blessing of Christ in Romans 9:1–5. The well-known story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in Matthew 14:13–21 shows his compassion as he insists that the crowd be fed. Meagre rations turn into an abundant feast when blessed.

• • • • •Rarely do we encounter a story in which a person’s struggle with God is so plainly told as that of Jacob wrestling with God at Penu’el. Rarely do we encounter a story that so clear-ly illustrates God’s generosity as that of the feeding of the crowd in Matthew 14. Rarely do we read a text that berates God like the psalmist does in Psalm 17. These texts are gifts to us because they give us the freedom to know that we can struggle with God and wrestle with faith without fear or guilt. God’s generosity does not depend on our good be-haviour. Rather God is present in all of life’s circumstances – good and bad and everything in-between.

Seasons of the Spirit™ is based on the semi-continuous readings of the Revised Common Lectionary.


Reflection and Focus • August 6, 2017

Adapt and use for youth and adult studies, sermon seeds, lay worship teams.

Reflecting on the WordPentecost 1 2017

Connecting with life■■ When has a struggle led you into a new beginning?

ScriptureGenesis 32:22–31 Jacob separated his community into two groups and sent his family ahead to safety. He then prepared to face any potential danger alone.

■■ What might this evening have been like for Jacob’s family?

Many refugee and asylum seeker families separate in the hope of at least one of them getting to a safe haven. We often hear about those who go on dangerous journeys, but we don’t often hear about those left behind.

■■ What might be their experiences?

Recall the Jacob stories encountered in this season: from birth, to scheming, to dreams of ladders, to being tricked by his uncle yet remaining steadfast in his love for Rachel, and now his wrestling in the night before his reunion with Esau.

■■ With what realities of the past do you think Jacob might be wrestling at this time?

Jacob shows incredible tenacity to hold on, though he is in-jured. He wrestles before receiving a blessing.

■■ When have you found yourself wrestling spiritually before being satisfied?

■■ Have there been times when you have found yourself holding on to faith tenaciously, despite feeling injured or hurt?

■■ What gave you the strength to hold on?■■ Why do you think others let go of faith in similar

circumstances?■■ What might the church be lacking for people who find

themselves unable to hold on?

Psalm 17:1–7, 15 The lectionary has omitted the latter half of the psalm that holds strong messages of pay-back and violence. While this is a misfit with Jesus’ command to love our enemies, the vengeance the psalmist calls for is a very human response.

■■ Would you be able to write a psalm, letter or poem to God expressing anger, or giving voice to your wrestling with God? Why or why not?

■■ What is it like to express a “negative,” to give voice to an injustice, frustration, distress, regret, discontent, or disillusionment?

■■ Is there liberation in expressing such humanness? ■■ What do you do next in terms of seeking a resolution?

Matthew 14:13–21 Struggling with the death of John the baptizer, Jesus seeks solitude. Passages from Genesis and Matthew also begin with a drawing apart, followed by a holy encounter.

■■ When have you drawn apart? What was it that spurred this?

■■ How did this change you? your faith?■■ In what ways did this experience lead you back into the

gift of community?

Connecting scripture and life■■ How might we provide a safe environment in which to

do some robust wrestling and investigate and “give voice to those raw, essential, heart-breaking and life-giving places in us”? (Kristen Trippet)

Focus for Worship, Learning, and ServingIn her book Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living (Penguin Press, NY 2016), Kristen Trippet writes:

“On the night the (Berlin) Wall fell, after a bumbling bureaucrat misspoke at a press conference, the entire city walked joyfully through it. It was truly nearly that simple. There are places in human experience that pol-itics cannot analyze or address, and they hold more possibility for change than we can begin to imagine.

“My time in Berlin began to point me to the kinds of questions I’ve asked ever since. How to give voice to those raw, essential, heart-breaking and life-giving places in us, so that we may know them more consciously, live what they teach us, and mine their wisdom for our life together? Theology, which I began

to ponder in my thirties, offered up vocabulary and resources to pose these kinds of questions. As much as theology’s public face has been equated across time with abstractions about God, and fights about God, I cherish its robust wrestling with the maddening complexity of human nature, human action, human being.”

Worship today is a place and a time where you are invited into a safe environment in which to do some robust wrestling and investigate and “give voice to those raw, essential, heart-breaking and life-giving places in us.” Communion would be fitting today, for at the table we come face-to-face with God in the word of Christ. Be vigilant in your pastoral care of your community today; deep things can be triggered by wrestling.


Music Suggestions

A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at www.seasonsonline.ca. Click on Library; Seasons Music Information. Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate.

Worship Outline • August 6, 2017

NOTE: All of these suggestions are mere starting points; adapt, delete, and add according to your local needs.

Prepare

Gather

Struggle

■❑ Recruit volunteers needed for worship.■❑ Choose an option for hearing Genesis 32:22–31.■❑ For the Bible story, arrange for a storyteller to present

the story “Jacob Struggles” on p. 130. For the poem, ar-range for someone to read “God Cheats” (p. 129).

■❑ Bring items for setting the worship space.■❑ Bring song such as “In Full Flight” (Seasons Songbook,

vol. 6, #23 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 6. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Down-loads, www.seasonsonline.ca).

■❑ Set stations as described on pp. 131–132.

O God, You Search MeBernadette Farrell; Seasons Songbook, vol. 7

All We Long ForTrisha Watts; Seasons Songbook, vol. 6

In Full FlightSean Gilbert, Jill Scott; Seasons Songbook, vol. 6

Like a CandleCraig Mitchell, Tim Beale, Roger Imms; Seasons Songbook vol. 3

Come and Find the Quiet CenterShirley Erena Murray

Face to FaceRobin Mann

Never Let GoDavid McGregor

You Are the Face of GodKaren Drucker

Call to worshipOne: People of God, look around. Here in this place we come face to face with the people of this church community,All: the Body of Christ alive and active in the world. One: Here we meet God face to face All: in the telling of the stories of our faith, One: in recalling the deeds of the community of saints,All: in the sacrament of bread and wine, One: in confession offered and forgiveness granted. Here as the spirit dances around and within us All: we encounter God as the word made flesh and we are held in grace. Come, let us worship God.

Opening prayerOne: Like a hungry crowd, All: we come to be fed.One: Like an anxious child,All: we come to be comforted.One: Like a forlorn friend,

All: we come seeking kindness.One: Like an agitated mob,All: we come demanding answers.One: Like a refugee,All: we come needing a home. One: Like a joyous bride,All: we come to share our joy.One: Like a newborn babe,All: we come with hearts and minds open to all that life offers.One: Like pilgrims of old,All: we come looking for truth.One: Here we reach out to grasp your hand, here we meet you face-to-faceAll: and we are glad. Amen.

Prayer of confessionGod of steadfast love,some days are not easy, and we do not always find our way to you.We can struggle with much of the injustice and callous accounting we see in the world,

http://www.seasonsonline.ca/11/seasons_music_license_chart/

www.seasonsonline.ca/order_products/



Engage

Respond

and we wrestle with how we might intercede in compassion- ate and meaningful ways. We can be caught in the grip of despair, anxious and hurting, unable to find a place of rest and peace.We are tricked into false moves by devious people with insincere words and promises.We tussle with our neighbours and allow petty arguments and misdemeanours to take more energy and commit- ment than they deserve, and we grapple with knowing what our faith should look like as it is lived out in the world. At times we feel pinned to the ground and hopeless to do anything, and we release our hold on the things that are life giving, and grasp on to the things that are destructive and toxic.

We give in to fear and exhaustion as we strain to understand the all-encompassing nature of your kindness.We lose strength, and let go of you.Forgive us.Amen.

Words of affirmationGod never lets us go. God is saving all of us by divine grace, no exceptions. Good and bad, faithful and unfaithful, cer-tain and uncertain, agitators and peacemakers, battlers and cruisers, faultfinders and bright sparks, the strong and the weak, strugglers and the easy going, however we are, what-ever do, we are all saved, in spite of ourselves, by the gener-ous compassion that is at the heart of God.

Opening the wordPsalm 17:1–7, 15 The poem “Poetry Failure” by Mark Hal-liday on p. 129 speaks of the poet’s failure to truthfully ar-ticulate his mother’s nature when he wrote his first poem about her death, because of his need for the words to be poetic. We might be tempted to retell our scriptures so they are appetizing to our current day notions of what is accept-able, but perhaps there is much to be learned by taking them as they are and examining them in the context of their time and place, for the stories of our faith are about the power love and truth have to transform the world. What transformation can be found in today’s psalm in its entirety?

Moving into the focus scripture During the 1930s the cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz became interested in knotted, writhing forms. One of the results is his sculpture “Jacob and the Angel” (http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lipchitz-jacob-and-the-angel-t03516). Lip-chitz wrote this about it:“The theme of the struggle of Jacob and the angel began to obsess me in 1931. This is a curious story. Jacob was sleeping and the angel came to him and woke him and challenged him to do battle, so that Jacob began to fight. Although the angel was a messenger of the Lord, and Jacob could not over-come him, he did fight nevertheless, and after that, the Lord rewarded him for having fought and named him Israel. To me, this meant that God wants us to fight with him. From

these tentative ideas emerged many sketches and, finally, a complete sculpture made in 1932. Again, I realize that there is always the theme of the embrace, which is also a struggle, a tension of opposites that seems to occur continually in my sculpture.”

In this interesting tension in the sculpture and in Lipchitz’s thinking. We are invited to wonder if God’s invitation to wrestle with God is at at the same time an invitation to be embraced by God? In today’s focus scripture we might hear the tension of opposites built into the narrative.

Reflect on times when you have had nights of struggle when coming face to face with love and truth. Where, when, in what ways have you felt God’s embrace in the struggle?

Genesis 32:22–31 Choose from the following for hearing the focus story.Bible story Have a storyteller present the story “Jacob Strug-gles” on page 130. Poem Read the poem “God Cheats” on p. 129, before or after the scripture reading.

After the focus scriptureInvite children, young people, and all who wish to move to the stations. Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word.

After proclaiming the word, you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations, taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice.

Sing or listen to a song such as “In Full Flight” as people gather together again (Seasons Songbook, vol. 6, #23 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 6. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads, www.seasonsonline.ca).

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lipchitz-jacob-and-the-angel-t03516

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lipchitz-jacob-and-the-angel-t03516

www.seasonsonline.ca/order_products/



Bless

Prayers of the peoplePrayer is powerful when held in community. Invite the people to hold (grasp) each other’s hands during this prayer.

God of all, as we pray for our world and all that dwell in it,we grasp hold of you and each other knowing that strength comes from community and faith,and that we encounter you as we pray together.

For those struggling to find a safe home, we pray.For those who wrestle with illness and infirmity, we pray.For those who struggle to gain an education and for those

who are unable to find meaningful work, we pray.For those who do not have safe water and enough to eat, we pray.For those who live in conflict, we pray.End with the prayer that Jesus taught.

Prayer of dedicationGod of grace, you open your arms wide as you welcome all of creation into your merciful kindness. Remind us, your people, of our call to be peacemakers and advocates for a universal justice that reflects your coming reign of goodwill and compassion. Amen.

God never lets us go – we are eternally held in the loving embrace of God: Creator, Saviour, and Spirit. Go with this assurance to meet God face-to-face in the world. Amen.

Special Day Commentary

August 6 – Anniversary of the Bombing of HiroshimaThis day is the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, an event that reveals the terrifying power humankind has amassed, the extent to which we have gone to use that power, and the critical discernment required by those in power who are asked to exercise authority like this.


Poetry and Prose • August 6, 2017

Poetry FailureFor example, I wrote my first poem in 1976 about being in the Vermont houseafter my mother’s death; she died the year before;she loved that house. My father said he kept having momentsof thinking she must have just stepped outside for a minuteto weed the garden or to walk just a little wayalong Prospect Street, for a few minutes only and nowalmost now she’d be coming back, we’d hear the screen door,Bev would be back and saying something casual about – about the cats, Daphne and Chloe, or about Mrs. Yamokofsky next dooror about the pear tree, “or a colored stone she found.”That was the phrase that ended my poem in 1976:“or a colored stone she found.” The phrase rang slightly falsebut I wanted it – the “ound” and “one” sounds sounded profoundand in 1976 “stone” was still a word guaranteed poetic.But did my mother ever pick up colorful stones?Wasn’t that more something I did fifteen years earlier?In the poem I was trying to turn my ironic mother intoan ideal figure certified sweet like a child. But what could I make her say? Something very sly and wry?The poetry would be in her voice, the way of her voice beinghers – voice of my mother – whether the words were aboutthe cats or Mrs. Yamokofsky or potatoes to peel for mashing.Not your mother. My mother. Poetry of hersaying in her Bev way “those potatoes” or “Mrs. Yamokovsky”or “Daphne’s gone down by the Black Riverbut if we feed Chloe I’m sure she’ll be back.”And my father and Kimbo and me just going “Yeah” or “In a minute”because this was all just life.

JAB by Mark Halliday. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637 The University of Chicago, Ltd., London Copyright © 2002 by The University of Chicago Press. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

God Cheats by Kilian McDonnell OSB

from Yahweh’s Other Shoe (Order of St Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota 2006)

Late we cross the ford of the Jabbok,Wives, camels, sheep I send ahead.

Alone in the sanctuary of nightWhere only touch can see.I wrestle with a stranger until dawn breaks,Sweat to sweat, flesh to mystery.

When I pin him I’m stunned,Not a stranger, but my God.

When Yahweh sees that I prevail,He fouls me by a touch, unsocketing my hip.

I contended in the womb with hairy Esau and won. I’m a mirror of my foes.

Yahweh pleads, The day is near upon us, now let me go. But I still lock him.

I held Esau’s heel in the womb; Ido not surrender when I’m winning.

Not unless you bless me with a winner’s blessing that cannot be annulled. No sly cancellations.

In the failing mist I feel, then see his face,Tell me your name and I’ll let you go!

The Almighty Con, thrones upon the cherubim,Names me “Israel” but not himself.

With an extorted blessing, a new name, I walk away limping.

Copyright © 2006 by Order of Saint Benedict.Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.

Used with permission.


Bible Story • August 6, 2017

A recording of this story is available in MP3 format in the Audio Stories folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFusion.

Jacob Struggles Based on Genesis 32:22–31

I had sent them all away, I was completed alone at the border of my homeland hoping to reenter in peace, to meet my brother without hostility, to be able to come

home after so many years in self-imposed exile.

Suddenly, a stranger appeared, didn’t greet me or make an introduction, just stood there! My first thought was that he had been sent by my brother and he held some malice intent towards me. I had left home in terrible circumstances. I had been deceitful and dishonourable, it would not be surprising if this stranger had come here to this lonely place, so close to my homeland, to punish me for those past wrongs.

We stood face-to-face and I struggled to know what to do, how to behave, what to say. I couldn’t let him stay here with-out explanation. I couldn’t let this stranger go, let him jour-ney toward those I loved without knowing who he was and what were the intentions. I couldn’t put them in danger. So I stood tall and straight and demanded that he tell me who he was, and what he was doing here.

Nothing, not a word! I was determined not to let this pass, not to let him think silence would appease me or give any advantage over me, and so I stepped forward -- and that’s when the struggle began.

I was stunned, but not so overcome that I could not defend myself, and so I grabbed this stranger and the two of us began thrashing about on the ground. I was struck on the thigh, it was painful and debilitating but it made me more

determined to hold on, not to give up. He tried to hold me pinned to the ground but I twisted around and held him down. He struggled to get out of my grasp but I held on tight and refused to let him go. For hours on end, all throughout the night we remained flaying about locked in this battle of will and strength and all the while not a word uttered.

Birdsong broke through the silence of night and day began to break in rays of pink and gold. The stranger spoke and demanded to be set free. Maybe it was the sound of the voice, but suddenly I was struck by the memory of the last time I was in a place like this on the edge of home and totally alone – God had come to me and spoken to me. Could it be that this was God? I needed to know if I was right, I breath-lessly asked for a name but still got no response. I drew on my strength and demanded the stranger’s name.

My demand was refused but if this was God then at the very least I needed a blessing. I could not let this struggle go until I had the reassurance that God remembered the promise made to me all those years ago when I was on the run. But then he asked me my name, “Jacob,” I said.

“Your name is no longer Jacob, you are now Israel, for you have wrestled with God and with every kind of person and have not been defeated.”

I let him go. Once again I have encountered the God of my forefathers, and I have been transformed.

Bible storyThe practice of storytellingMaterials recording of today’s story

“Jacob Struggles,” player, paper or drawing pads, crayons, pencils, a copy of the directions displayed where all can see; alternatively, arrange for a storyteller to present the story

Directions1. Listen to the story “Jacob Struggles.” 2. Use the drawing pads or paper, and crayons and pencils to write or draw your

response to the story.


Stations • August 6, 2017

Suitable for all ages working together

Suitable for ages 9–adult

Living, Learning, Growing as DisciplesThe following stations might be set up around your worship space or in other places around the church. Choose one or more practices, depending on your space and numbers. Display the directions.

For your convenience, instructions are formatted for printing and available in the Stations folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFUSION.

The article “Connecting with the Art” on page 4 provides some background to the two posters for Pentecost 1 and some art engagement ideas for individuals and groups. You might choose to add an

Art Engagement station each week and choose one of the art engagement ideas.

The living library The practice of building community through telling and collecting stories

Materials as listed on the resource sheet “The Living Library: Living Books and Family Tree” on pp. 9–11 This practice is to engage people within your community with the idea that they

are part of the church’s salvation history. It is also a chance for people to share their stories, to include their encounters with God and others into the collective narra-tive of God’s beloved creation. This is a set station for each week during Pentecost 1. However, as you will not want to use it every week, it can also stand alone. Each week has a different theme. Today’s theme is It’s tough.Alternatively, it can be included as part of worship, with a speaking spot included in worship each week, and/or the family tree being “built.”

See the resource sheet, “The Living Library: Living Books and Family Tree” on pp. 9–11 for directions, weekly themes, materials, and suggestions for guest speakers.

Prayers for healing and wholeness The practice of prayerMaterials a table set in a quiet place,

and set with a cloth and a single lit central candle; tealight candles; the words of Psalm 17:6 from the CEV writ-ten in large print and placed on the table – “I pray to you, God, because you will help me. Listen and answer my prayer!” Display a copy of the dir-ections where all can see.

Directions 1. Reflect on the words of Psalm 17:6 and take a time for quiet reflection.2. You might light a candle and place it on the table during this time of prayer.

Things that are hard to do The practice of persistenceMaterials large paper, pens, pencils,

magazines, scissors, glue sticks, copy of the directions displayed where all can see

Directions It was not easy for Jacob to return home and have to face his brother Esau, after so many years away, and it was not easy leaving Haran. But with God, Jacob found a way.1. In the middle of the paper write the words, “Things I find hard to do” or “Things

with which I struggle.”2. Write, draw, or find a picture of something you find hard to do – stand on one leg,

throw a ball, draw a horse, calculate in your head, juggle…3. When you have finished, talk together about what kinds on interventions might

make these hard things easier to do, such as use a calculator, have clear instruc-tions, practice, and so on.

4. Talk about ways that God helps us with hard things and is with us in the struggle, and how we can bring our struggles to God.

Suitable for all ages


Stations • August 6, 2017

Suitable for all agesworking together

Puzzles The practice of working at hard thingsMaterials a collection of puzzles –

Sudoku, word find, crossword, mazes, any 3-D puzzles you may have (Rubik’s cube, puzzle cubes – of varying dif-ficulty), copy of the directions dis-played where all can see

Directions 1. Spend time working with the puzzles; helping, when you see another struggling

with the solution.2. What skills are needed to solve the more difficult puzzles – persistence, memory,

practice, friends?3. Together talk about how Jacob persistently held on in the struggle, and was given

a blessing. In the same way if we persist with difficult things it will be a blessing.Suitable for all ages

Face-to-face The practice of discernmentMaterials dark coloured sheets of

paper, sheets of plain white copy paper, make cardboard templates of one half a vase from the pattern that is in the Extra Resources folder on the Pentecost 1 CD and in the web version of SeasonsFUSION, copy of the direc-tions displayed where all can see

Directions 1. Fold a piece of the white copy paper in half and draw around the template with

the straight edge of the template on the fold.2. Carefully cut around the outline.3. Unfold the copy paper, and cut along folded line.4. Glue the two pieces to the dark coloured sheet of paper, with the two pieces facing

each other and about 2.5 cm/1 in apart.5. What do you see? Invite people at the table to say what they see. 6. Do you see two faces or a vase? 7. Talk together about how it can be easy to see God in the world, and sometimes it

is not as easy. Sometimes God is not what we expected, or we see God in different ways.

8. In his struggle, Jacob came face-to-face with God, face-to face with the truth. Think about times when this has been true for you.

Name signs The practice of you

Materials colourful card stock/heavy paper or other heavy paper, card-board, pencils, markers, paints, paint brushes, small cups of water, paper towels, newsprint or recycled news-paper, alphabet stencils, recycled magazines, stickers, ribbon, string, scraps of fabric, scissors, glue, hole punch, copy of the directions dis-played where all can see

Directions1. After his struggle, Jacob received a new name. Jacob knew his name was not just

for him, but also for his whole family. At this station you can make a name sign to affirm your name and who you are.

2. Using the materials on the table, create a hanging name sign. Use the card stock/heavy paper (you might glue this to a heavier piece of cardboard) and stencils to write your name in large letters (or write it freehand). Decorate your name sign using the other art supplies.

3. When your name is finished, punch holes in the top corners and feed a piece of fabric, or ribbon, or string through the holes, tying it at the top to create a hanger.

4. On the back of your name sign, jot down at least three adjectives or characteristics that you would use to describe yourself that begin with the first letter of your name. (For example, someone named Mary is musical, motherly, motivated.) Share these words with the other people at this station.

Younger children Help younger children create their own hanging name signs. And ask them for words they would use to describe themselves to others – these might include their interests or “favourites” (food, colour, school subject, and so on).

Suitable for all ages

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Lea

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Aug

ust 6

, 201

7

1

Jaco

b’s S

trug

gles

Base

d on

Gen

esis

32:

22–3

1Ja

cob

wan

ted

to g

o ho

me

to s

ee h

is

brot

her,

Esau

. Jac

ob w

as s

orry

tha

t he

had

bee

n m

ean

to h

is b

roth

er. S

o Ja

cob

and

his

fam

ily p

acke

d up

all

thei

r be

long

ings

. The

y co

llect

ed a

ll th

eir a

nim

als

and

they

sta

rted

trav

-el

ling.

It w

ould

be

a lo

ng jo

urne

y.

One

nig

ht, J

acob

lay

dow

n to

sle

ep.

Whi

le h

e was

slee

ping

, Jac

ob st

arte

d to

toss

and

turn

on

the g

roun

d. It

felt

like

he w

as fi

ghti

ng w

ith s

omeo

ne!

All

nigh

t lon

g he

toss

ed a

nd tu

rned

, an

d to

ssed

and

tur

ned.

The

n Ja

cob

hear

d a

voic

e sa

y, “

Wha

t is

you

r na

me?

”

Jaco

b sa

id, “

My

nam

e is

Jaco

b.”

The

voic

e sa

id,

“Now

you

r na

me

won

’t be

Jac

ob a

nym

ore.

You

will

be

cal

led

Isra

el. B

less

you

.”

Whe

n Ja

cob

wok

e up

he

had

a so

re

hip,

and

he

was

wal

king

with

a

limp.

Jac

ob d

idn’

t kn

ow i

f it

was

a

drea

m o

r if

som

ethi

ng h

ad r

eally

ha

ppen

ed. B

ut d

eep

dow

n an

d al

l ar

ound

, Ja

cob

knew

tha

t G

od h

ad

alw

ays

been

with

him

– w

hen

Jaco

b w

as h

appy

; w

hen

Jaco

b w

as s

ad,

God

had

sta

yed

with

him

.

Muc

h la

ter,

whe

n Ja

cob

met

his

br

othe

r Es

au,

Esau

was

n’t

angr

y w

ith J

acob

any

mor

e. E

sau

hugg

ed

and

kiss

ed J

acob

, an

d th

ey b

oth

crie

d.

The

two

brot

hers

be

cam

e fr

iend

s.

God

Lov

es U

s(M

ake

up a

ctio

ns fo

r the

wor

ds in

bol

d pr

int.)

G

od lo

ves

us w

hen

we’

re a

ngry

.

God

love

s us

whe

n w

e’re

sad

.

God

love

s us

whe

n w

e’re

sill

y.

God

love

s us

whe

n w

e’re

gla

d.

God

list

ens

to o

ur fe

elin

gs,

ea

ch a

nd e

very

day

.

Hid

den

Mes

sage

U

se a

bla

ck m

arke

r to

fill i

n al

l the

squa

res t

hat a

re n

ot le

tter

s of

the

Engl

ish

alph

abet

to re

veal

the

hidd

en m

essa

ge. W

hat

did

Jaco

b di

scov

er w

hen

he w

rest

led

with

the

stra

nger

?

Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSIO

N Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright ©

Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSIO

N Pentecost 1 2017 Copyright ©

Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2016

32

activityOne night Jacob found himself alone with God, and he received God’s blessing. During the night Jacob injured his hip so that he had a limp. The limp always reminded him of being with God.Make a copy of this page.Use markers to decorate a sign of the night sky and add more objects. With a grownup’s help, read the words on the crescent moon. then cut out the sign, fold it, and place the sign on your beside table. Every night it will remind you that God blesses you.


Activity Sheet • August 3, 2014

One night Jacob found himself alone with God, and he received God’s blessing. During that night Jacob injured

his hip so that he had a limp. The limp always reminded him of being with God. Use markers to decorate a sign of

the night sky and add more objects. With a grownup’s help, read the words on the crescent moon. Then cut out the sign, fold it, and place the sign on your bedside table. Every night it will remind you that God blesses you.

Older childrenAfter being together one night. God blessed Jacob. Talk to a grownup about what blessings are and reflect on how God has blessed you. Then draw or write about one way you feel blessed.

God loves YOU day and night.

planning - diowillochra.org.au · as genesis 32 begins, jacob is near the border of his homeland...

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