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PRAYER / WORSHIP ACTIVITY
OPTION 1
5 mins
With this activity you could ask the whole congregation what they think, or ask one or more children to act out their answer.
Say: did you know that shepherds have their own language which they use to instruct their sheepdog where to go and what to do? Show a clip of some sheep dog trials from YouTube and then ask: if you were a sheepdog, what would you do with these instructions, inviting the congregation to guess the answers given below.
Come-by: instructs the dog to circle around the sheep clockwise
Away to me: instructs the dog to circle around the sheep anti-clockwise
Stand: this depends on the tone of voice - a sharp voice means ‘stop’ or a softer voice means ‘slow-down’
That’ll do: means ‘job done, return to shepherd’
Say: I wonder if our worship together today is a time of ‘That’ll do’ – a time to return to the shepherd. Leave a moment to quietly reflect on that thought.
OPTION 2
5 mins
Ask an older child (whose dad is in the congregation) to come to the front and blindfold them. Then ask four men, one of whom is the child’s father, to say ‘It’s me, Dad’. See if the child recognises their father’s voice. You could extend this to see if mums or dads recognise their child’s voice, or if regular church-goers recognise their vicar’s voice!
Talk about how easy or hard it is to recognise the voice. What made you choose? Were you surprised you got it correct or incorrect? Ask how we hear God’s voice. How do we know if it’s God or not? Is it easy or hard to hear God’s voice? Is it hard or do we not pay proper attention?
STORY: JOHN 10:1-18
Resources needed: some fencing (or you could use chairs, tables or benches – whatever you use, people need to safely climb over it), large pictures of sheep (painted onto lining paper or boxes), volunteers to be a hired hand, the good shepherd, robbers, sheep and wolves, costumes or props for the volunteers (optional)
10 mins
Set out your ‘fencing’ in a square at the front of your meeting space, but leave a gap for the gate. Put your sheep inside the fold. Stand in the gate and start to tell this story:
Jesus once told a story about sheep and shepherds. Well, he talked quite a bit about sheep and shepherds, but this story in particular tells us lots about who Jesus is. Jesus asked his listeners to imagine a sheepfold, a bit like ours here. (Gesture to your fold, and ask your sheep to bleat!) He told people that thieves and robbers will climb over the fence to get to the sheep. (Your robber should try to climb the fence around the fold. The sheep should bleat and panic! After a few seconds, the robbers should retreat.) But only the shepherd uses the gate. (Your good shepherd walks up to the gate and you let them through.) He calls them by name and leads them out. They follow him, because they recognise his voice. (The shepherd leads the sheep around in front of the fold. They could use some of the shepherd terms from the first prayer / worship activity.) The sheep won’t follow strangers, because they don’t know their voice. (The shepherd leads the sheep back to the fold.)
Jesus’ listeners didn’t understand the story, so he told them more. He said, ‘I am the gate for the sheep.’ (Move out of the way and let your shepherd lie across the gap in the fence.) ‘All who come in through me will be saved.’ (The shepherd gets up and moves to the side of the gate.)
Jesus told his listeners something else. He told them about a hired hand, about when a hired person, not the shepherd, takes out the sheep. (The hired hand should lead the sheep out of the pen.) When danger comes close (your wolf volunteers should circle the sheep, who should bleat worriedly) what does the hired help do? He doesn’t care about the sheep, he runs off to save himself! (The hired hand runs off screaming and the sheep scatter, chased by the wolves.)
Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd.’ The good shepherd cares for his sheep. (Your good shepherd should round up the scattered sheep again.) Unlike the hired man, he doesn’t run away when danger comes. He is willing to die to save his sheep. (A wolf comes on and wrestles with the shepherd.)
Jesus also gave his listeners a clue about what was going to happen soon. He said that he would willingly give up his life for the sheep, and also then receive his life back again! Some of his listeners understood, some were confused, some were angry! What do you think about Jesus the gate and Jesus the good shepherd?
Split the congregation into small, all-age groups to discuss the story. Use these questions: I wonder which part of the story you liked the best… I wonder what part of the story is the most surprising… I wonder what part of the story is the most frightening… I wonder where the Good Shepherd leads the sheep to… I wonder how you hear the shepherd’s voice…
REFLECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE STORY
Give people a few moments of quiet to reflect on the story experience.
OPTION 1
Resources needed: postcards or post-it notes left around the church, a rubbish bin, felt-tip pens and a large sheet of lining paper
5 mins
Draw attention to the verse, ‘He calls his own sheep by name’. Ask: have you ever been called a name that hurt you or that you didn’t want to be known by, or had a nickname that you didn’t like? The shepherd knows you and knows your name.
Invite the congregation to write the unwanted name on a postcard or post-it note and put it in the bin. Then go to lining paper and draw around your hand and write your name on it. You could play an appropriate piece of music while this is going on. Remind everyone that the Good Shepherd knows your name refer to Isaiah 49:16: ‘See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands’. As people go back to their seats finish with an appropriate prayer.
OPTION 2 - PRAYING HANDS
5 mins
Use your hands as a guideline for prayer.
Tommy thumb: thumbs up thank you prayers
Peter pointer: pray that we would point to God in all that we do and say
Toby tall: pray for those who lead us and look after us
Ruby ring: pray for our relationships with others, those we find easy and those we find hard
Baby small: pray for the sick, the weak, the vulnerable and all in need Draw your reflections on the Good Shepherd together in the words of the Celtic hymn, St Patrick’s Breastplate:
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort me and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend or stranger.
