8 September 2024

---

Bible readings for today

• Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
• Psalm 125:1-5
• James 2:1-17
• Mark 7:24-37

Liturgical Colour: ​GREEN

Season of Creation​ continues. Resources here.

Collect

E te Atua, te kaha o te hunga whakapono,
whakanuia tō mātou whakapono me te whakawhirinakitanga
i roto i tāu Tama i a Īhu Karaiti,
kia noho ora ai mātou i roto i tōna wikitōria,
i roto pū i a Īhu Karaiti tō mātou Ariki.
Āmine. 

God the strength of all who believe in you,
increase our faith and trust in your Son Jesus Christ,
that in him we may live victoriously,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. 

---

The Faith of a Gentile Woman (Mark 7:24-30)

The gospel reading today tells of two healing miracles. First, Jesus heals the a young girl, and then he heals a man who could not hear or speak. 

Jesus heals the woman's daughter

Wow that was quite a story today. Jesus didn't seem to be treating the woman very well in the first part of the story. How did you feel about it? (pause) It might have been a bit hard to pick up, but the woman and her daughter were from a different town than Jesus. In Jesus' time, people often thought that Jesus had come just for the people of his town, not the rest of the world.
Does that sound like the Jesus you know? (pause)
​

• Have you ever felt left out of a group? 
• How did that make you feel? (pause) 

​
Well, Jesus did heal the woman's daughter in the end. Some people think that this story was Jesus' way of letting people know that he had come for all people, not just a few.

As Christians, we are called to be like Jesus. And just as Jesus healed the daughter in the story even though she was from a different town, we too need to treat everyone the same way and not just be nice to our friends.

Quick Questions

• What do you think Jesus meant when he said: 'The children must first be fed! It isn't right to take away their food and feed it to dogs.”
• Have you ever felt left out? How did that make you feel?
• Do you think Jesus loves everyone? Who do you think it would be hard to love?
• What are some ways that we can show people that Jesus loves them?

Media

Leaders input

Gospel Conversations 2024: It's our favourite controversial Gospel story - the Syro-Phoenician woman's encounter with Jesus. Kelvin provides some vital background to understanding this complex scene, and then Esther, Kelvin, and Mannie explore what's happening and where we find good news.

Gospel Conversations 2021: One of the most uncomfortable passages we encounter in Mark's Gospel is the story of Jesus and the Syrophonecian woman. This week Chris Holmes, Jan Clark and Richard Atiken join Michael to face the challenges of a Jesus who does not always fit our comfortable images of him, and who yet brings hope that is extended to us no matter who we are.

​Intergenerational Worship

Check out these intergenerational resources on Mark 7:24-27 from Intergen.

Jesus Heals the Deaf and Mute Man (Mark 7: 31-36)

All of these games and activities can be used as conversation starters about what it might be like to be Deaf or Mute

Activities

• Sign Language Activities (Twinkl)
• Silent Ball Game (Playworks)
• Silent Signs Game (Jubed)
• Solemn and Silent Game (Youth Group Games)
• Silly Ears Craft​

Quick Questions

• I wonder how it must have felt being able to hear for the first time in your life. 
• What sounds do you think he heard?
• Would these be the same as you would hear today? Why? 
• What sounds can you hear from where you are sitting now? (can you hear the wind? traffic? What other noises can you hear?)
• What do you think the man's first words would have been?
• What would you say if it was you?

Media