15 February 2026

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Bible readings for today

• Deuteronomy 30:15-20
• Psalm 119:1-8 
• 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 
• Matthew 5:21-37

Liturgical Colour: GREEN

Collect

God of Israel old and new, 
write in our hearts the lesson of your law; 
prepare our minds to receive the gospel 
made visible in your Son Jesus Christ our Saviour. 
​Amen.

E te Atua o Īharaira o tūāwhakarere, onāianei, tūhia ki ō mātou ngākau ngā akoranga o āu ture; whakaritea ō mātou hinengaro kia whiwhi ai ki te rongopai i whakatinanatia ai i tāu Tama i a Īhu Karaiti tō mātou Kaiwhakaora. Āmine.

Family Matters (Matthew 5:21-37)

This tricky passage from Matthew can be a difficult one to preach on! With teaching on anger, adultery, divorce, and the vows we make. With sensitivity for those in your church or group, you may wish to summarise this passage to teaching about how God cares about our relationships, and how we treat our family. 

Input for leaders

​Gospel Conversations 2023 (Diocese of Dunedin) Year A Ordinary 6
​This is one of those very uncomfortable Gospel readings which leaves us all realising how far we fall short of Jesus' teaching, and how very much in need of grace we are.

​Visio Lectio
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It begins in our hearts
We start this passage, remembering that the beatitudes came first. Jesus was clear that His kingdom started not with our own goodness, righteousness or power. But rather knowing that in our brokenness… we need Him...

It might be easy to think that we can meet a righteous goal like not murdering our brother or sister when we are angry with them. But Jesus exposes our hearts. We may not act out terribly in our anger but we still get angry. When we are tempted to have pride in our own righteousness, all we have to do is look back a few hours and there is someone that we have gotten angry with, a relationship broken because of our desires. We want something that we don't have and we are willing to fight for it. God's kingdom is different....

Pray that the kids understand that Jesus’s kingdom is a kingdom of love that starts in our hearts... not in our actions, and only Jesus can change our hearts.  ​[Missio Dei Kids]

Intergenerational Worship

Year A, Epiphany 5 ​(Intergen Australia).
Epiphany 6, Year A 2023.
​
Bible references: 1 Corinthians, Matthew, Psalms.
Written and compiled by Elizabeth Waldron Anstice.

Activities

Filled-Heart Sandwiches (childrensministry.com)
Make a snack together, changing the shape of the bread and filling it with good things You'll need: bread, a selection of fillings, heart shaped cutters, a plate and 2 slices of bread for each kid.

• Say: It’s time for a snack—and this is one that’ll keep us talking about how following Jesus’ teaching changes our hearts for good.
• Demonstrate how to take one slice of bread and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make a heart-shaped piece of bread.
• Give each child a paper plate with two slices of bread. Take turns using the heart-shaped cookie cutters so everyone ends up with two heart-shaped pieces of bread.
• Let each child choose a topping or two to spread on one of the heart shapes, then have kids place the other heart on top to create a simple sandwich. Have kids wait to eat until everyone’s finished. 
• Looking at everyone’s sandwiches around you, explain whether you can tell what’s inside those hearts.

Say: We changed the shape of our bread into hearts—and put something good inside each heart. Some of the hearts have the fillings oozing out—so it’s easy to tell what’s inside. Others might have a topping that’s harder to see from the outside. We’d have to open up the sandwich to see what’s in those hearts.

Let everyone begin eating as you continue.

• How do you think others can tell what’s inside our hearts?
• In what ways do our actions reveal what’s in our hearts?

Say: It’s true that our actions tell people more about our hearts than anything else. Our actions can let others know that we’re Jesus’ followers.

​Angry Ping-Pong (Childrensministry.com) 
You'll need ping-pong balls, fine-tipped markers, slingshots, cardboard building blocks
Put kids in groups and give them a few minutes to build towers with their blocks. Then give each group some ping-pong balls. Have each person write at least one thing on each ball that makes him or her angry.

Say: Let’s play a game. Your team’s goal is to knock down any other team’s towers. Use the slingshots and the ping-pong balls to do this, but stand at least 4 metres from any tower you’re aiming at.

Talk about the things you wrote on your ping pong balls. What things has that anger “knocked over” in your life or in others’ lives? Can anger be good as well as bad? Why? How? How does God want us to approach our anger? 

​God looks at the heart (Flame Creative)

Talks

It begins in the heart (Missio Dei Communities) - full lesson plan.

Matthew 5:21-37​ (Gary Neal Hansen) - Paraphrased retelling of Matthew 5:21-22 (anger)

Forgiving and forgiven (Sermons 4 Kids)

Jesus teaches his disciples what not to do (RFour)

Let your yes be yes (Ministry to Children) 

Is it okay to be angry? (Sermon Writer)​

Preschool Play

This is a pretty tough one to do with preschoolers who will have limited understanding of some of these concepts, or very little developmental ability to practice self-control in the face of extreme emotions! 

Some alternatives:

• If you only did one of Beatitudes recently - you might like to pick another one to explore. 
• Or revisit last years session and activities on Loving One Another.​

Pray it!

Guided Prayer Exercise: Bringing Our Hearts to God [Teri Johnson-Frow]

Say - “Jesus teaches us that God cares not just about what we do, but about what is going on inside our hearts — our feelings, our words, and how we treat others. Today we’re going to pray using drawing and writing. There are no right or wrong answers. God listens kindly.”

1. Give each child their first piece of paper titled “Words to Describe God and What God Can Do”. Say - “On this paper, I want you to write or draw words or pictures about who God is and what God can do.  Take your time. This is between you and God.” (Give quiet time — 2–3 minutes)
2. Give each child a second piece of paper titled “Something I’m Finding Hard”. Say - “On this paper, you can write or draw about a situation or a person you are finding hard right now. It might be someone who has made you angry, someone you argue with, or a situation that feels unfair or difficult. You don’t have to show this to anyone. God already knows.” (Quiet time — reassure children they can draw symbols, colours, or shapes if words are hard.)
3. Say - “Now sit quietly and look at both your paper about the hard situation. Just notice it. You don’t have to fix it.” (Pause). “Now look at your paper about who God is and what God can do.” (Pause). “I wonder what it’s like to hold these two things together — something that’s hard… and a God who is loving, kind, and strong.”
   
4. Give each child a third piece of paper, titled “God, Please Help Me”. Say - “On this paper, write or draw two things: What you would like to ask God for help with, and What you think God might be inviting you to do — maybe a kind word, a calm choice, asking for help, or letting go of anger. “This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about asking God to help our hearts.” (Give time — 2–3 minutes)

Pray to close:
“God, you see our hearts.
You know when things are hard.
Thank you that you are loving and kind.
Please help us with the things we’re struggling with.
Help us choose words and actions that bring peace.
Amen.”

Say - “You can keep these somewhere safe this week. When you look at them, remember that God cares about your heart and wants to help you.”

We are God's field (1 Corinthians 3:1-9)

"​For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."

Input for leaders

Following leaders or God?
It can be easy to spend our lives following people, other leaders. Perhaps we get inspired by the stories of other Christians, or we follow a particular church speaker or preacher. 

When Paul was talking to the people in todays passage, he reminds them that they don't need to pick sides and follow Apollos or Paul, but we are all co-workers in God's field. 

Kids talk

Quick Questions

Think of the biggest tree that you have seen.

• Who planted this tree? When did they plant it? 
• Who watered it? And how often? 

No matter who planted it, God provides the sunshine, the rain and the seed. 

Choose life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

Input for leaders

Faith not works
It is easy for this passage to lead to a “works-focused” lesson discussing the things that we do to obey God. Remember to emphasize that God has first loved us and gives us good things. God chose us and loves us, and He wants what is best for us. He wants to bless us, and gave us Jesus, the best blessing of all! We make mistakes, but God will always forgive those mistakes and welcome us back into His family.

Gospel Conversations 2026 (Diocese of Dunedin)
Year A Ordinary 6 OLD TESTAMENT
​Moses' words in Deuteronomy faced the people of Israel with a stark and clear choice as they were about to launch into a new life in a new country. Choose life or death, the way of God or the way of their own desires. Millenia later, what do these same words say to us? No shortage of challenge, but is there good news?​

Kids Talks

Choose Life (Ministry to Children) - uses a Superbowl metaphor but could easily be switched out for NZ context appropriate sports.

Blessed or broken (Ministry to Children) - All actions have consequences. Full lesson plan.

Activities

Choose life spinner activity (Sunday school Works) - you could also do a version of this using a paper fortune teller - free template here (Pawprint family)

Questions

• I wonder why God gives people choices?
• I wonder what makes some choices easy and some choices hard?
• I wonder if small choices matter as much as big ones?
• I wonder what “choosing life” might look like at school?
• I wonder what “choosing life” looks like at home?
• I wonder how we know when we are choosing life?
• I wonder if choosing life always feels good straight away?
• I wonder how we stay close to God?
• I wonder what happens inside us when we listen to God?
• I wonder what kind of life God wants for His people?

Pray it

Give kids a moment to quietly think:
“What is one choice I need to make this week?”

Then pray together:
“God, help us choose life. Help us love You and walk in Your ways. Amen.”