Faith like a Mustard Seed (Luke 17:5-10)
As we see in our gospel passage, Jesus talked about having faith as small as a mustard seed, yet this is big enough to make a difference in our lives and to other people’s lives. In this week's reading Jesus says "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you." The Gospel of Matthew expands on this illustration, and says "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13: 31-32). It may be helpful to share both concepts with our children to unpack this powerful metaphor.
Input for leadersGospel Conversations 2025: Huge thanks to Peg Riley, Wendy Scott, John Franklin and Lisa Emerson for continuing our series of tricky Lucan passages under such challenging circumstances!
|
Visio Lectio
Ooh, we love this week's Visio Lectio from Rev. Sarah West, shared here with permission. Check out her website at visiolectio.com PNG Download Terms of Use 
|
Intergenerational Worship
Ordinary Time Year C 2025 Part 2 Intergenerational Worship Series
(Angela Blundell, Auckland Dio Intergenerational Ministry) This resource has 8 weeks of worship ideas to help your community connect to God and each other through worship, sharing and creativity. 27th Sunday Ordinary Time to Reign of Christ Sunday Opening ActivitiesActivity: Seeds (Mission Bible Class)
Try this introduction before you teach the lesson, or make it part of the story time. Provide some different seeds and seed packets so the children can examine and compare them. Discuss what will grow from each. You could also cut up fruit and look at the seeds inside (then eat the fruit, of course). Strawberries are a good example because the seeds are on the outside, and they are very small compared to the fruit. Then you can lead in with... “Jesus once told a parable about a very small type of seed. Let’s listen to the story.” Activity : Think Small/Scattergories (Ministry to Children) - suitable for kids who can write. Give each child some paper and a pen. Have them number their page 1-10. Next, read each category below and give the kids 30 seconds to think of an answer and write it down. After completing all ten categories go through each category and award a point to anyone with a unique answer, as well as a point to whomever chose the smallest thing.
TalksFull lessons plans & activities (Trueway Kids) - for a variety of ages.
Just a Mustard Seed! Object Lesson (Ministry to Children) - Faith is not about us, but about WHO we put our faith in. Recharging Mustard Seed Faith (RFour) Object Lesson: What is Faith? (Ministry to Children) - the important thing about our faith is not how much there is but what (or who) we have faith in. Faith and sharing it with others (Singing about Cooking) - short and simple, sharing our faith with others. Choose to Believe (Sermon Writer) - short and simple, believing in things you cannot see. Questions to think about
|
Mustard Seed Activities
Have a snack! Why not grab some hot dogs and a selection of different mustard types to try?! Seed planting activity - Give out a small plant pot or paper cup, some soil, and a mustard seed or cress seeds, these grow quickly so you can see results. You can link it to this seed is like your faith, it may look small now, but God will help it grow. Preschool PlayFull lesson plan for babies/toddlers (Trueway Kids) - definitely worth checking out. Or just use to share the story.
Big or small? Set up a station with items that are big and small. If you can include some small things that are mighty (e.g. spice or strongly scented items) and pairs of things that start small but end up big! (e.g. seeds and plant in a pot, pics of leaders as babies and as adults). Talk about - big and small? Can things be big and small? Is big better or small? Why? Building - Use small items like blocks, Duplo, or cardboard boxes and challenge the kids to build the tallest thing they can! Talk about: Tall and short. You might like to measure the kids on a tall plank and 'guess' how tall they will end up! Planting station - provide some yoghurt pots or similar, some soil and some easy to grow seeds to plant. Talk about how do plants grow? what do they need? How do we grow? What do we need? How does God want us to grow? Playdough Station - try this playdough mat (Flame Creative) or provide some flowers, stalks, leaves, branches to make a playdough garden. Seed Sensory Bin (Baby Devotions) 
Pray it!Give each child a seed (make it something foolproof!). Invite them to place it in a group pot or tray, and say, “Dear God, we give you our little faith—even small seeds. Help it grow and help us help others, even in small ways.”
Keep the pot somewhere where your group can appreciate it's growth each time you meet. |
Media
|
|
|
|
Jesus heals 10 Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
Input for leadersGospel Conversations 2025: A fascinating discussion of the 10 lepers. You may have thought you'd already plumbed this story for all it has to tell us, but you are almost certain to hear a new angle this week!
|
Gospel Conversations 2022: A university lecturer, a school chaplain and a parish priest (sounds like the start of a joke...) gather to give us the sorts of varied insights their people might want to hear in this discussion on Jesus' encounter with the ten lepers.
|
Intergenerational worship
Ordinary Time Year C 2025 Part 2 Intergenerational Worship Series
(Angela Blundell, Auckland Dio Intergenerational Ministry) This resource has 8 weeks of worship ideas to help your community connect to God and each other through worship, sharing and creativity. 27th Sunday Ordinary Time to Reign of Christ Sunday 
A collection of resources and ideas (Intergen Australia)
Written and compiled by Chris Barras. Bible references: Luke, Psalms. TalksFull lessons plans & activities (Trueway Kids) - for a variety of ages.
Jesus and the thankful leper (RFour) - giving thanks helps us pay attention to God. Who says thanks? (Ministry to Children) The thankful leper (Sermons for Kids) - short and simple reminder to thank God. Activities
|
Quick questions
Pray it!Colourful prayers!
You will need: lengths of coloured ribbon plus something to tie them to. (This could be a branch in a jar or a small net/mesh board).
Thank you lights You will need: Battery tea-lights or small candles. If using battery lights a simple circle of fabric will work to put them on. If real candles use a tray with sand and keep water on hand.
Play for preschoolersFull lesson plan for babies/toddlers (Trueway Kids) - definitely worth checking out. Or just use to share the story.
First Aid Set up a corner with some toys, dolls, or some willing adult patients. Add some plasters (lots of plasters!), bandages and anything else first aid-ish. Talk about - what happened in the story. Who do we know that is sick and sad? How can we help them? Can we pray for them? |
Media
|
|
|
|
