Creation Rejoices || Living Shalom with the Earth || Psalm 96:11–13
Sunday, October 18, 2020 — Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward
As our congregation has made the decision to move to a digital online format for our Sunday Family Gathering due to COVID-19, FirstPresKids is here to provide resources that can help you create your own at-home family worship experience or supplement the one that will be streamed on Sunday mornings, 10PST from FirstPres Hayward.
NOTE: You can also go to the FPK YouTube Channel to view most (not all) of these materials on this week’s FirstPresKids YouTube Playlist.
Scriptural Focus: Psalm 96 is a song celebrating God’s ultimate reign over God’s kingdom; it is a psalm sung in three parts, inviting the first the people, then the heavens, then earth to sing; in the last verses we see earth presented as a living, breathing thing as it sings, rejoices and feels
Lesson Objective: to push back against our cultural (western, colonialist, white supremacist and capitalist) beliefs about the possession and control of the earth; to understand that the earth itself, nature, land, all creation is a living and God-filled creation with it’s own relationship to God; and that pre-colonial societies including the Israelites worked towards achieving harmony/shalom with creation
Parent/Caregiver Resources:
- When I Remember I See Red: America Indian Art and Activism in California — explore this virtual art exhibit, think and share with your kids about the Indigenous cultural resistance and renewal: “I believe that art is one answer to preventing the emptiness that the loss of culture or the indifference of society will impose. We are still alive.”- Frank LaPena
Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, We have been raised to believe that the earth and nature is something that we can own, use and control. When we read the Bible, when we think about how the Israelites lived and how Indigenous people lived when you first created humans, we see that we are wrong to believe that we can be owners of the earth. Help us to remember, to re-wire our brains to know that the earth is alive, God is IN all things, the earth, the fields, the forests can feel, can rejoice, can cry out — but we need to listen. Help us to listen to and be in harmony with the earth — to live in balance, in right-relationship (or shalom) with the earth as the Israelites did, just as God intended. Amen.
Scripture:
- Psalm 96 (song)
Videos for Kids:
- “Shalom — Peace” — meaning of shalom, shalom as a verb
Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever thought of the earth as alive before? As able to sing and feel? Why or why not? Can you share an example of how the earth might sing or feel or express itself?
- Both the Israelites and Indigenous people existed for a loooooong time before what we think of as “modern” society. What beliefs do you think the Israelites had in common with Indigenous people?
- What can we learn from Indigenous people about our relationship to the earth? And to God? And to each other?
- What is shalom? Is it a noun? A verb?
- What can you do in your daily life and thinking to bring shalom?
Play:
- “Wildlife Charades” — use this video or grab a partner and play charades acting out animals, plants, rocks, anything from nature!
Create:
- “Weaving for Wholeness” — follow this tutorial as is or instead write prayers for places we need shalom and places you see shalom at work!
Books: libraries are closed and you may not have time to order books, but check out the lists below and often a quick internet search will turn up a video version of many picture books. Or see below for my quick picks that you can “read” online!
- “10 Beautiful Indigenous Children’s Books to Add to Your Library”
- “Better Bookshelf Club || Book Talks || Indigenous Children’s Books”
