Parable of the Seeds (Mark 4:1-20)
The parable of the sower can be found in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15.
Input for leaders
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Gospel Conversations 2023 - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (Diocese of Dunedin)
The parable of the sower is not only very familiar, but is also the one parable Jesus "explains" in detail. Is there anything left for us to glean from it, then - any new way of applying it to our lives? |
Intergenerational Worship
TalksGodly Play - The Sower (Salvation Army) - Play session outline for telling the story of the parable of the sower. Includes some great wondering questions.
The parable of the sower (Gary Neal Hansen) - a paraphrased retelling of the bible story with wondering questions. Parable of the sower (RFour) - simple talk using food to talk about growing and nurturing our relationship with God. Parable of the sower and soils (Ministry to Children) - full lesson plan. Games & Activities
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Preschool PlayThe Four Soils Sensory Tray
You can create a sensory tray similar to talk through the story today, and let them drop a bean or seed onto four different sections representing the soils:
The Play-Dough Mat Use play-dough to mold different shapes on a laminated sheet (here's a template). Kids can sculpt birds eating seeds, roots struggling in the rocks, thorns, and large green plants growing in the good soil. Planting seeds Using a recycled yogurt pot or a newspaper folded pot, add some soil and plant some cress seeds. Encourage the kids to water gently and watch for growth over the coming weeks. PrayerFarmer God.
good soil brings forth a hundredfold of grain. May we be that soil; vibrant, deep and teeming with life. This we ask in God’s name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen |
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Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41)
Calming the storm is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.
The Storm that StoppedThis book is a wonderful retelling of the bible story found in Mark 4, with vivid illustrations and an engaging prose. The Storm that Stopped is a great telling of this story by Alison Mitchell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri.
Children's MinistryThese lesson plans have been created by 'The Storm that Stopped' team.
Introduction Preschool lesson plan (2-4year olds) Children's Ministry Lesson Plan (5-7year olds) Activities
Quick Questions
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Jesus and the StormJesus and the Storm storybook, by Lost Sheep. Downloads and other resources available on their website
Prayer in a BottleWhat you need: paper, pens and felts, bottles (1 per child). Soft drink bottles are ideal! Paddling pool filled with water, or a piece of large blue material to represent water.
What to do: Get each of the children to write/draw a letter (prayer) to God for help with something that scares them or they are having trouble with. Roll up the letter and put it in a bottle. Write ‘SOS!’ in large letters on the bottle. Tell the children about how in the past people would write messages in bottles and throw them out to sea in the hope that someone across the sea would find the message -- either a stranger, or someone they loved (if you were a hopeless romantic!). With either the paddling pool or the piece of material, get the children to one by one put their bottle into the ‘water’ and remind them that God hears their prayers, even in the storms. Water Art prayers
Intergenerational ArtBeth Barnett has put together some fantastic Intergenerational resources for Intergen, part of the Centre for Theology & Ministry in Melbourne.
Today's creative art ideas can be found here. Well worth a look! Boat RaceA game for younger children
What you need: Large boxes from the supermarket. What to do: Give each child a box and get them to line up at one end of the room. Get them to kneel inside the box so they can push themselves along with their hands. When you say ‘Go!’ they have to try and get to the other side of the room first! Crossing the Sea TagA game for older children
What you need: Nothing! What to do: Choose someone to be ‘In’. Have them stand in the middle of the room. Get the rest of the children to stand at one end of the room. The person who is in, calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’ and all the children have to try and run to the other end of the room without getting tagged. The person who is in tries to tag as many people as they can. If a child gets tagged, they must freeze where they are. They are now also ‘in’ but can only tag people that they can reach without moving. The next round starts when the person who is in calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’ The game ends when there is no one left to tag! Boat prayersWe used these origami boats to pray for the plans that God has for us in the weeks ahead. They are a bit tricky to master first time, so you might like to make some in advance, and then get people to decorate or write prayers on them. And then float your boats in a paddling pool or tub! Instructions here. (the video is helpful!)
Source: One Little Project
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The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:26-34)
There are multiple references to mustard seeds in the gospels, as Jesus used the simplest of parables to share a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.
Parables of growthDo you ever get confused as to which seed or planting parable Jesus is talking about? This parable, shared in three gospels, is spoken to the disciples (rather than a wider crowd of listeners). Within Marks Gospel, it comes in a chapter full of growth parables, and it can be helpful to locate where this story falls:
Mark 4 1-20 The Parable of the Sower 26-29 The Parable of the Growing Seed 30-34 The Parable of the Mustard Seed The Mustard Seed parable occurs in Matthew (13:31–32), Mark (4:30–32), and Luke (13:18–19). When you read this parable in Matthews Gospel, it's surrounded by many more seed stories! Children's Talk: Little Mustard SeedHave any of you ever seen a mustard seed? (pause for answers) Well, did you know that mustard seeds are sooooo tiny, that you would have trouble trying to hold a single mustards seed in your hand? But the amazing thing is, the tree that the seed eventually grows into is sooooo big, that it's hard to believe it came from such a small seed!
In today's story, Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. What a strange thing to say, what do you think he meant? (pause) Well, I think that Jesus was trying to explain that even one person who lives their life by following Jesus' example, can cause a ripple effect that causes lots of people to meet Jesus and start to follow his example. Each of us can be like a mustard seed too. Just by being ourselves and following Jesus's example, we too can play a part in being a big mustard tree! Exciting huh?! Mustard Seed Activities
Visio Lectio
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Godly PlayHere is a video of the Godly Play session for the Parable of the Mustard Seed
Quick Questions
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 Gospel ConversationsA GC from From 2023
A great discussion from the Diocese of Dunedin. Tony, Gillian and Anne thoroughly enjoy themselves as they toss around ideas about mustard seeds and seed-scattering, kereru and ploughers - and some bonus Martin Luther. Mark 4:26-34 for Ordinary Sunday 11. Alternative CollectCreator God,
you created the world and all that is in it, you planted us as seeds into that world; may we flourish and grow and in turn sow seeds of love and compassion, justice and truth, hope and faith. Through Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen Seed Scramble GameToday's game is a variation on a lolly scramble!
What you need: lots of something that represents seeds (e.g. pom poms), and paper cups (1 per child) What to do: Explain to the children that you will throw the seeds to them, and they have to try and catch them in their paper cups. Variation: You could separate them into pairs and get them to try throwing and catching them to each other. |
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Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41)
Calming the storm is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels
The Storm that StoppedThis book is a wonderful retelling of the bible story found in Mark 4, with vivid illustrations and an engaging prose. The Storm that Stopped is a great telling of this story by Alison Mitchell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri.
Children's Ministry lesson plansThese lesson plans have been created by 'The Storm that Stopped' team.
Introduction Preschool lesson plan (2-4year olds) Children's Ministry Lesson Plan (5-7year olds) Activities
Quick Questions
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Jesus and the StormJesus and the Storm storybook, by Lost Sheep. Downloads and other resources available on their website
Prayer in a BottleWhat you need: paper, pens and felts, bottles (1 per child). Soft drink bottles are ideal! Paddling pool filled with water, or a piece of large blue material to represent water.
What to do: Get each of the children to write/draw a letter (prayer) to God for help with something that scares them or they are having trouble with. Roll up the letter and put it in a bottle. Write ‘SOS!’ in large letters on the bottle. Tell the children about how in the past people would write messages in bottles and throw them out to sea in the hope that someone across the sea would find the message -- either a stranger, or someone they loved (if you were a hopeless romantic!). With either the paddling pool or the piece of material, get the children to one by one put their bottle into the ‘water’ and remind them that God hears their prayers, even in the storms. Intergenerational ArtBeth Barnett has put together some fantastic Intergenerational resources for Intergen, part of the Centre for Theology & Ministry in Melbourne.
Today's creative art ideas can be found here. Well worth a look! Boat RaceA game for younger children
What you need: Large boxes from the supermarket. What to do: Give each child a box and get them to line up at one end of the room. Get them to kneel inside the box so they can push themselves along with their hands. When you say ‘Go!’ they have to try and get to the other side of the room first! Crossing the Sea TagA game for older children
What you need: Nothing! What to do: Choose someone to be ‘In’. Have them stand in the middle of the room. Get the rest of the children to stand at one end of the room. The person who is in, calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’ and all the children have to try and run to the other end of the room without getting tagged. The person who is in tries to tag as many people as they can. If a child gets tagged, they must freeze where they are. They are now also ‘in’ but can only tag people that they can reach without moving. The next round starts when the person who is in calls out ‘Crossing the Sea!’ The game ends when there is no one left to tag! Boat prayersWe used these origami boats to pray for the plans that God has for us in the weeks ahead. They are a bit tricky to master first time, so you might like to make some in advance, and then get people to decorate or write prayers on them. And then float your boats in a paddling pool or tub! Instructions here. (the video is helpful!)
Source: One Little Project
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