Children's Messages
Ash Wednesday - Year B

#1
Topic: Come Together
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Object: a friendship necklace which is cut in half - you give one 
half to your friend and were the other yourself, but when brought 
together, they become whole again

Hello, everyone.

I want to tell you the beginning of a story. But you will have to tell 
me how it ends.

One day Lisa notices that two of her friends - Amy and Brandon - 
are not talking to each other. In fact, they are mad with one 
another. Seems that something happened that made them not wish 
to be friends any longer.

If Amy and Brandon were your friends, what would you do? (Let 
them answer)

Chances are you would try to bring them back together, wouldn't 
you? To make them friends again. 

How would you do that? (Let them answer)

Yes, you would talk to each of them, try to find out what was 
wrong, try to get them to talk to one another and forgive each 
other. 

This is called a very large word - "reconcilation," which gets 
means to bring back together people who have been separated from 
one another.

Just as you would try to do that for your friends, this is what Jesus 
does for us. You see, the Bible teaches is that we have done things 
called "sins" that separate us from God, that make us not feel very 
close to God. Jesus is the one God sent to bring reconciliation, to 
bring us back into a loving relationship with God. He does that by 
telling and showing us just how much God loves us.

I have a special necklace here. Have you ever seen one or have 
one? (Let them answer)

This is a friendship necklace. It has is two halves. And look what 
happens when I put them together. It's a whole necklace again. 
This is a gift you might give a friend to let that friend know how 
you feel about him or her.

This is what Jesus does for us - like the halves of this friendship 
necklace - Jesus brings us back together with God, our great and 
best friend of all.

Loving God,
thank you
for sending Jesus
to help make us
friends with you again.
We know
you must love us a lot
to do that.
We love you too.
Amen.


#2
Topic: I'm Sorry
Texts: All
Object: some of the ashes you will use in the service

Let me ask you a question, "If you know you have done something 
that has hurt someone else, what could you do to help make things 
right again?" (Let them answer).

Very good. You would find a way to say and really mean, "I'm 
sorry. Please forgive me. Can we start over again, be friends 
again?" And if our friend forgives us, that sure feels good, doesn't 
it?

In a way, that's what we are here tonight to say and do - to say and 
show to God that we are sorry for our sins, for those things we 
know we do that are not right. And we show this in a very special 
way - with these ashes (show the ashes). When place them on our 
forehead, we are saying to God, "God, we are sorry for our sins. 
Can we start over again, be friends again?" And when we really 
say and mean this, it really feels wonderful inside, for God is 
always loves us and wants to forgive us.

Pray with me.
God of love,
we know
that we
do not always
do or say things 
that please you.
This makes us
feel sad inside.
Please forgive us
and help us
do and say
those things
that do
please you.
Help us
forgive others
who might
do or say things
that hurt us.
Amen.

Copyright (r) 2006 Homilies By Email