All-age service: Room without a roof

To download the PDF, click here.

PRAYER AND WORSHIP ACTIVITY

Option 1

5 minutes

You will need: captioned photos printed onto card (see below); noticeboard; pens; drawing pins

Do an internet search for captioned photos of devastated-looking people with ‘first world problems’, for example:

“I wanted to listen to my iPod but I forgot to sync my music.”

“I tried to spread cold butter on my toast and the bread ripped.”

“My diamond earrings keep scratching my iPhone.”

Print these onto cards and display them on a board as people come in. Let everyone take one and talk about what an actual problem in the world today might be, writing it on the back of the card. Pin the cards back to the board as an act of giving these problems to God.

Option 2

5 minutes

You will need: chalk or masking tape; two signs saying ‘GOD’ and ‘PEOPLE’

Mark two lines on the floor, more than jumping distance apart. Behind one line, tape the word GOD and behind the other, PEOPLE. Ask people to try and jump the gap (they shouldn’t be able to!). If you’ve got a small congregation, everyone can have a go; if it’s a larger church, you can do this as an illustration from the front. Talk about the fact that, left to our own devices, all of us would end up separated from God because we are not perfect. Jesus comes to give us his perfection so that we can get across the gap. Think quietly about people we know who don’t yet know Jesus and are separated from God. Pray they would meet Jesus.

STORY

15 minutes

You will need: roof tile; karaoke track of ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams and the means to play it; someone to lead the singing

Show the roof tile as a prop and ask if anyone can guess what today’s story is about. Have someone read Luke 5:17-26 in an easy-to-read version. This story is a familiar one so invite the congregation to join with you in singing the story! Sing this song together, perhaps with some dance moves or actions. Display the following lyrics on your screen:

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say,

Jesus is here, I could get a break!

So I’m lowered through the roof and into space.

And then he’s there, and he cares for me, by the way...

Because I’m happy!

Clap along if you were healed in a room without a roof.

Because I’m happy!

Clap along if you feel like Jesus is the truth.

Because I’m happy!

Clap along if you know what forgiveness means to you.

Because I’m happy!

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.

Here come the priests talking this and that. (Yeah!)

Well, dissing Jesus Christ, sayin’ he is bad. (Yeah!)

Well, I am gonna tell you I am just fine: (Yeah!)

No offence to you, don’t waste your time.

Here’s why!

(Chorus)

(Happy!) Bring me down,

Can’t nothing bring me down.

My faith is too high!

Bring me down,

Can’t nothing bring me down.

I said (let me tell you now)…

Repeat bridge

Chorus (x2)

Bridge

Chorus (x2)

REFLECTIVE RESPONSE

Option 1

10 minutes

You will need: large cardboard box; art materials; scissors; slips of paper; pens

Make a house out of the cardboard box. Cut a hole into the flat roof and display the house centrally. Give everyone slips of paper, no bigger than business cards. Ask people to draw a person on one side and think about those who need God to heal them physically, mentally or emotionally. Write that person’s name on the back of the slip. They can come and post their people through the roof of the house as they give them to God for healing.

Option 2

10 minutes

You will need: plastic building bricks eg Lego

Give everyone two bricks. Say that by forgiving the man, Jesus was making sure that he wouldn’t be separated from God. When we choose to follow Jesus, we know that we’ll never be separated from him, but sometimes we can feel far away from him when we do wrong things. Ask everyone to pull their bricks apart and think of times this week when they have felt far from God. Say together: “Thank you God that you don’t want us to be separate and alone.” Then put the bricks back together.

Take the bricks apart and ask everyone to think about people they know who don’t know Jesus and are separated from God. Say together: “Thank you God that you don’t want us to be separate and alone.” Put the bricks back together.

Take the bricks apart and ask everyone to think of a person they are separated from because they have fallen out (or other people who are separated from each other). Say that God can restore friendships and bring us back together when we are able to forgive one another. Say together: “Thank you God that you don’t want us to be separate and alone.” Put the bricks back together.

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

10 minutes

Split into mixed-age groups and discuss these questions:

• Which part of the story did you like the most?
• Why did Jesus forgive the man before he healed him?
• What kinds of things do we need Jesus to forgive us for?
• Why were the Pharisees so cross about the whole thing?
• If you were going to put yourself into the story, who would you be? The man, the man’s friend, someone in the crowd or a Pharisee?