Outline act of worship for all ages

Stepping out

You will need: a variety of shoes.

• Display a variety of footwear: wellies, trainers, slippers, walking boots, high heels, sandals, flip-flops, clogs, flippers. Ask volunteers to hold them up or pass them around and invite people to share ideas about when you would wear each kind of footwear. What sort of activity are they useful for? What are they unsuitable for? Which ones would be best for a long journey?
• People often talk about Christian life being a journey with God. Just as when we go on a physical journey and we need the proper footwear, today we’re thinking about what it means to go with God, and the spiritual ‘shoes’ that can help us on the way.

First impressions

You could also use the image and following questions to help introduce the theme.

Click on the image to view a larger version or use the Jump menu to go to This week's images. For artist's details, see this issue's illustrators.

Questions

• Would you be willing to walk on this bridge (Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, China)?
• When have you stepped out in faith?
• How can you encourage others on their journey with God this week?

Exodus 14:19-31

You will need: simple props (blue fabric, staff/stick, white shawl, torch).

• Display the fourth piece in the Moses jigsaw series. This can be displayed in large format or given to individuals as a print-out (either in colour or in black and white to colour in). There are 10 jigsaw pieces to build up as the Exodus story progresses over the weeks.
• Introduce the reading by recapping last week, asking people questions or providing a summary.
• Then, dramatise the reading with some simple props for volunteers to act out the passage as it is read. A group representing the Israelites could start at the back of your building (Egypt) and move up to the front (the Red Sea). Two pairs hold up long lengths of blue fabric/sheets representing the Red Sea. Shake them up and down to represent waves. A figure in a white shawl with a bright torch leads the way from the back as God/the pillar of cloud, then moves between the Israelites and another group representing the Egyptian army. Moses with a staff leads a group of Israelites. The ‘waves’ part to let the group pass with the Egyptians chasing the Israelites. As the Egyptians enter the sea, the ‘waves’ move back together and cover them with the fabric. All can join in making swishy wave noises.

Matthew 18:21-35

You will need: a bag of 77 coins (these could be actual pennies, card or wooden craft discs, or chocolate coins), one single coin.

• Ask some volunteers to help you count the coins.
• Explain that the story today has many meanings. It is about someone who owed a little money (the single coin) and someone who owed a lot (the bag). It’s about slavery, which is when people are made to work for their ‘owners’, as though they are just possessions, and often treated very badly. It’s about how we treat each other when we follow God.
• Invite people to listen carefully and see what they think it is about. Use an accessible language version to read out the passage.

Active worship

Spiritual shoes  W E

Help for our walk with God

You will need: ancient shoe examples (see below), sandal template, 15-20cm ribbon for each person, pens.

• Explain that in Moses’ day people were either barefoot or wore sandals.
• Share examples of different ancient shoes and ask people to think about what spiritual shoes they would want with them in everyday life.
• Give everyone a sandal template and ribbon and invite them to decorate and write on them, then thread the ribbon through the sandal. They could write about an area in life where they need to step out bravely. On the sole, they can write a prayer of intent, asking God for support.

Examples of ancient shoes

• Leather sandals
• Egyptian shoes
• Roman shoes

Rescue scenarios E A

Developing trust in God

You will need: sheet with examples of rescue scenarios.

• Introduce the activity by suggesting that we can all feel trapped in difficult situations and feel we need rescuing sometimes. The Bible assures us of God’s help, but God doesn’t take over – we have choices to make and can decide whether or not we take action to accept God’s help.
• Discuss the scenarios in small groups. Volunteers could share back what helps them to step out with God in trust.

A simple worship activity E S A

Stepping out in faith

You will need: a large piece of blue cloth to represent a river, (optional) a music recording of waves crashing or a song about water.

• Lay the blue cloth in a long line in your space and invite people to stand on one side of it.
• As you play the music, ask people to think of a barrier they (or someone they know) face or a situation they feel trapped in where they would like God’s help. They could imagine the problem as a river they must cross.
• Then ask everyone to imagine God comes and pulls back the barrier as you remove the piece of cloth. Invite them to step through the space where the ‘river’ previously was, asking God to help them trust he can provide a way.

Red Sea card W E S

Encouragement to go with God

You will need: A4 card cut in half lengthways for each person, pens, collage materials, instructions (see below).

Invite people to create a ‘Parting the Red Sea’ card using the instructions.

As you make it, share examples of when you’ve had to ‘step out’ in faith, or where you’ve faced a barrier and God has opened a way for you. You could also think of any stories from the Bible or in history where God has done this.

Instructions for making card

Cut a piece of A4 card in half lengthwise to make two pieces. You’ll need one per person.

Lightly mark the middle of the card, then fold the left and right ends in to meet in the middle and crease the folds.

On the front, draw a picture of the Red Sea with the dunes behind, and the water covering the path.

Open the card and inside draw a picture of Moses with his staff, and the waves on each side with the path in the middle. You might like to add some shells and rocks to the path and some fish on the waves!

On the front, write ‘Stepping out….’ and inside ‘...to go with God’

Instead of pens, you could use collage materials e.g. blue tissue paper for the waves, sandpaper for the path, a pipe cleaner or cocktail stick for the staff.

Activity sheet

• Either using your ‘Parting the Red Sea’ card or by giving everyone a piece of blue paper or material to represent the sea, invite people to pray with a neighbour about a barrier they, or someone they know, face. Holding the card or blue paper/material, ask God to ‘hold back the waters’ to make a way in our lives and that we would have faith to go with God.

Go with God  A

Go on a prayer walk around your neighbourhood and notice where there are barriers people face. These might be clear physical barriers, such as raised pavements that restrict wheelchair use, or less overt barriers, such as access to GP appointments or children who struggle to attend school due to anxiety. Pray for God to open the way for those facing these barriers.

Thrive

Give out the
Thrive resource
to encourage
faith at home.