Welcome to ROOTS at home for 3-9 May
Worship at home resources for everyone linked to John 10.1-10
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.
For families
Introduction
What a reassuring message to have from Jesus as this time. This passage has a promise of care, protection, the knowledge which the shepherd has about each of us and the full and happy life he offers us. These are comforting words, even when that full and happy life seems to have been curtailed. See what abundance you have experienced even now and thank God for it as you worship him.
Gather
Use this prayer as you begin your time of worship together. Nominate a leader or all join in together.
Awesome God,
you gathered the disciples of Jesus,
and you gather us, here and now.
Just like the disciples, we pray:
fill us with your Holy Spirit
until we are overflowing.
Amen.
Read
Share the Bible story using the idea below to help you explore it together.
Bible story
Open the Bible at John 10.1-10: Jesus tells us he is like a shepherd: he loves and protects us, so we can live a full and happy life.
Pen them in
Use objects to make your space look like a sheep pen, surrounded on every side, except for one open space for the entrance. You could invite someone/everyone to help set the area up.
Ask everyone to walk through the entrance and find a space to sit down. Once everybody is inside the ‘pen’, ask someone to lie down across the entrance to block it. Explain that this was how shepherds looked after their sheep: they became the ‘gate’, looking after their sheep.
Read the passage while inside the ‘pen’ together.
Stu McLellan, www.stumclellan.co.uk
Jesus said, ‘I am just like a good shepherd who takes care of his flock of sheep. He knows the names of all his sheep. When he calls them, they follow him into the safety of the sheepfold. And when he calls them out, they follow him wherever he goes, because they know and trust him. But if a stranger gets into the sheepfold and calls to the sheep, they refuse to follow, because they do not know the stranger’s voice. The gatekeeper only opens the gate for the good shepherd. Thieves and robbers try to break into the fold to steal the sheep, but the shepherd protects them from danger.’
The people listening to Jesus still did not understand what he was saying, so he said to them, ‘I am just like the gate of the sheepfold. All those who went before me were thieves and robbers who wanted to lead the sheep astray, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am not like a thief who comes to steal and kill and destroy. I am the gate: whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. I came that the sheep might have a full and happy life.’
Glossary
sheepfold an enclosure in a field to keep sheep safe from wild animals and thieves; firstcentury Middle Eastern sheepfolds were made of stone.
Activity
You may wish to use these additional resources to worship together and/or the activity sheets for children.
Outside the fold
Many people feel outside the grace and love of God.
- Create a circular ‘sheepfold’ in the middle of the room using rope or cloths. Cut out some card sheep (template).
- Invite everyone to pray for any individuals or groups that they want to bring close to God.
- Write their names on the ‘sheep’ and place them in the fold.
- Pray Psalm 23 together.
Activity and colouring sheets
(Links to the PDFs for these can also be found at the end of the page.)
For adults
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| Rachel Nicholls explores Easter readings and themes, in conversation with Arnold Browne. |
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
A prayer of approach
Lord, be our shepherd, and keep us safe;
watch over us by day and by night, and keep us safe;
draw us together as a church and community,
and keep us safe.
Amen.
Activity