Ordinary 24

14 September 2025

Bible readings for today

RCL

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14:1-7
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10

Liturgical colour: GREEN

Holy Cross Day / Te Rā o te Rīpeka Tapu

Numbers 21:4b-9
Psalm 98:1-5 or Psalm 78:1-2,34-38
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
John 3:13-17

Liturgical colour: RED

This week is Te wiki o te reo Māori (Māori Language Week)

Collect

E te Atua Aroha,
i roto i a te Karaiti ka whakaēmihia
mātou ki roto i tōu whanau;
ka āhei mātou ki te kī atu ki a koe, e te Matua;
meinga mā tōu Wairua mātou hei toha
i te korōria o te herenga kore o āu tamariki.
Whakarongo ki tēnei īnoi i runga i tōu aroha.
Āmine.

Loving God,
in Jesus you gather us into your family;
confidently we call you Father;
may your Spirit bring us to share
the glorious liberty of your children.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.

School Holidays start 20 Sept.
Find some ideas here.

Season of Creation resources
1 Sept - 4 Oct

The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7) and The Lost Coin (Luke 15: 8-10)

This week Jesus is telling stories about things that are lost and found. (The parable of the lost sheep can also be found in Matthew 18:10-14.)

Input for leaders

Another great print illustration from Rev. Sarah West, from Visio Lectio (shared with permission)
PNG Download
Terms of Use

Gospel Conversation 2025: After a series of tricky, challenging passages, we have the beautiful, reassuring stories of the lost sheep and lost coin. And they should be reassuring! But are they more than that?

Gospel Conversations 2022: This week we get one of the most beloved passages in Luke's gospel to enjoy together: the lost sheep and lost coin. When these parables are so familiar, do we simply retell them, or do we dig a little deeper into the joy and promise they give?

The Sheep Prayer (JD Greear) - a reflection on being a sheep. Worth a read!

Intergenerational worship

Quick Questions

A collection of resources and ideas (Intergen Australia)
Written and compiled by Rev Sandy Brodine. Bible references: Luke.

Talks

Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin (Rfour) - even when we’re feeling separated from God, God doesn’t ever forget about us or lose sight of us.

The Lost Sheep (Sermons 4 Kids) - simple talk suitable for younger ones.

The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin (Ministry to Children) - some great teaching here about how God loves and pursues us!

Lost Things Get Found (Ministry to Children) - lots of words - more suitable for older kids (See also mini booklet in activities section)

Parable of the Lost Coin (Ministry to Children) - Full Lesson plan.

Lost and Found (Ministry to Youth) - suitable for older children. Lots of good stuff about our relationship with Jesus.

Games

Lost and Found Games (adapted from Ministry to children)

If you have the space for it, play a game of hide and seek or sardines. To play sardines, one kid hides, and everyone else counts. When a searcher finds the hiding kid, they hide with them until there is only one child left looking for the hiding place. They get to hide next.
If space is limited try a game of hot and cold. Have a child close their eyes or step into the hallway. Meanwhile, the other kids will work together to decide on a hiding place for a stuffed animal or small toy. When the child in the hall comes in, they have to find the hidden toy. The other kids call out “hotter” if the searching child is getting closer to the toy and “colder” if the searching child is moving in the wrong direction.

Activities

Sensory Play (Flame Creative Kids)
Storytelling Idea (Faith Sprouts)
Sheep Mask (Danya Banya)
Minute to Win it Cotton Ball Game (Holly's Home)
Balloon Herding (Joyful Mama's Place)
Pompom Sheep (One Little Project)
Sheep Snack (Who's the Farris)
Lost things get found mini-booklet (Ministry to children)
Colouring page - Jesus is the good shepherd (Ministry to children)
Fondant Sheep (Red Ted Art) - you might like to use air-dry clay instead of fondant

How does it feel to be lost?
How does it feel when you are found?
What is it like to look for something?
Why do we look for things when we lose them?
Who or what would you look for if it was lost?
I wonder why the shepherd left all the other sheep to look for just one?
I wonder how the woman felt when she found her coin?
I wonder why Jesus told this story?
I wonder what kind of party God throws when someone is found?
I wonder if you’ve ever helped find something or someone important?
I wonder if you know anyone who might need to know how much God loves them?

Preschool Play

Tell the story

This simple lesson using a collection of stuffed toys (Sermons 4 Kids)
Tell the story using a story bag (like this one from Flame Creative).

Search & Find - Hit the local library and bring some 'search and find' picture books. Two popular series are “Where’s Waldo?” and “I Spy”. Get the kids to see what they can find. Talk about: - What were you doing with the books? Why? What is it like to look for something? Why do we look for things when we lose them? Who or what would you look for if it was lost?

Treasure hunt - have treasure hunt for something e.g. sheep toys, fake coins. Talk about: I wonder why the shepherd left all the other sheep to look for just one? I wonder how the woman felt when she found her coin? I wonder why Jesus told this story?

Balloon/Sheep herding - You'll need white balloons with sheep faces drawn on, a start and finish line, rolled up A4 paper 'rods'. Get the kids to 'herd' their sheep across the finish line - is it hard? Talk about: I wonder if sheep get lost a lot? I wonder why? I wonder if you have been lost? Who came to find you?

Sensory Play on the lost sheep or lost coin (Flame Creative)

Selection of lost coin activities (Flame Creative)

Lost sheep prayer activities - group poster or hearts hide and seek (Flame Creative)

Farm play station - Why not set up some duplo or fisher price farm props for kids to act out the story or have open-ended play.

Pray it!

Have a bowl of sheep toys or coins or stones with sheep drawn on them - something to remind the kids of the story you talked about today. If you can, make it be something the kids can take home as a reminder. Let the kids choose one to hold during the following reflection.

Hiding Place Reflection
God’s grace comes to find us, like the woman who stops what she is doing to find the missing coin. We all need God to find us and bring us back to the place where we belong.
Imagine your best hiding place, where no one can find you.
What’s it like?
Is it dark, or light?
Can you see out?
Can you hear any other people?
Keep perfectly quiet there – not a sound, not even the sound of your breathing.
Then imagine letting God in to your secret hiding place – how does it feel to have God in your secret hiding place with you?
Imagine God taking your hand, and leading you to the kitchen where everyone is waiting to celebrate – they couldn’t start until you got there!

Finish by thanking God that we are so precious to him and he will always come looking for us if we get lost.