ROOTS is a partnership of denominations and other Christian organisations and has been publishing lectionary-based worship resources online and in print since 2002.
Go to: Resources for families; Resources for adults
Copyright
You are welcome to copy this material for use in your own resources e.g. printed sheets or web pages including audio/video recordings. If you do so, please include this acknowledgement to ROOTS:
© ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020.
Reproduced with permission.
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For families
Introduction
Jesus calls us in this passage to come to him and learn from him. Now more than ever we may feel the need to be self-sufficient and ‘keep going’. Take time as you worship together today to give over anxieties, concerns and ‘to-do’ lists to God and learn to rest in him.
Gather
Use this prayer as you begin your time of worship together. Nominate a leader or all join in together.
Father God,
we come to you to find rest today.
Help us to be ready to learn from you.
Amen.
Read
Share the Bible story using the idea below to help you explore it together.
Bible story
Open the Bible at Matthew 11.16-19,25-30: Jesus reassures us that no matter how busy life is, if we ask him, he will share our burdens and give us rest.
Shopping
Explain that this story happens in a marketplace. Encourage everyone to help pack some shopping, e.g. fruit, vegetables, bread and tinned food into a large rucksack. Put on the rucksack and then read the story as you walk around the room. When Jesus asks the crowd to come to him, take off your rucksack. Finish by showing everyone a picture of a yoke and talking about what it was.
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Activities
You may wish to use these additional resources to worship together and/or the activity sheets for children.
Take my yoke upon you
Experiencing what a burden really feels like
You will need: images of yokes (put the word ‘yoke’ into a search engine and click the images option); a garden cane (1m); a thick towel; some duct or parcel tape; two lengths of strong cord (2m each); two plastic buckets; sand or other items to place in the buckets.
- Display the images of yokes. Explain that you are going to make your own version.
- Wrap the towel around the garden cane and secure with the tape.
- Double the cord and attach the looped end to one of the bucket handles. Tie the other end to the cane. Repeat for the other piece of cord.
- Invite someone to try out the yoke. Can they lift the buckets?
- Next, add some of the sand to the buckets. Can they still lift them? Is it easier if someone else comes to share the yoke?
- Give everyone a turn with the yoke.
Wisdom revealed
Provide:
- two large sheets of paper - one headed ‘WISE’ and the other ‘UNWISE’.
- marker pens
- a selection of recent newspapers
- scissors
- glue sticks.
Invite everyone to cut out examples of wisdom and folly from the newspapers, then stick them onto the appropriate sheet. Discuss their choices. Are there any names they would like to add to the sheets?
Activity and colouring sheets
(Links to the PDFs for these can also be found at the end of the page.)
Activities for families - English |
Colouring sheet English |
Activities for families - Welsh |
Colouring sheet Welsh |
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For adults
PostScript - reflection for the week
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In conversation with the Scriptures: Already but not yet |
| Cherryl Hunt explores how we read Scripture, in conversation with John Parr | |
Live your faith
This week's Live your faith sheet for adults with Bible notes, prayers, a picture and questions for reflection, a live your faith action
