Resources for Children and Young People
Background
The Methodist Family
Did you realise that there are more than 80 million people linked to Methodist Churches around the world? Lots of them are children and young people like you. It is a bit like being part of a big family.
It all started with a man called John Wesley and his brother Charles.
He was born in 1703 in Epworth near Lincoln and he had lots of sisters and brothers. When he was five, the house that his family lived in caught fire. John was stuck inside and somebody rescued him. His mum felt very grateful to God for that and was sure that God had a special job for John.
Douglas: used with permission
When he went to University in Oxford he and Charles would meet up with a group of friends, they called themselves the ‘Holy Club’. They studied the Bible, prayed, helped the poor and visited people in prison. They did all of these things very carefully according to a set method. Other students teased them for being so methodical and called them ‘Methodists’. The nickname stuck and it is how the Methodist Church got its name.
Throughout his life John Wesley was very committed to God; he really wanted to live a holy life. On the 24th of May 1738 he went to church and he felt that his heart had been ‘strangely warmed’. He felt that he had got to know God in a new way. He realised that God loved him and nothing he could do or say would change that. In the Methodist Church we remember this event On Aldersgate Sunday (Aldersgate Street in London is the place where it happened).
John was very concerned that poor people should hear about Jesus and have the chance to get an education. He worked very hard to help everyone to understand that God loved them. The Methodist Church grew out of the work of John and his friends did.
Now there are Methodists in almost every country in the world. In some countries children are able to go to Methodist schools and when they are sick they get treated in Methodist hospitals. Some of the children live in countries where there is war. The World Methodist Council brings Methodists together to learn from each other, to think and talk about issues that affect them and affect our world. The World Methodist Council also has youth delegates who are elected to make sure that the voice of young people is represented. You can find out more by looking at the website:
Activities and Worship for Primary Age Children
On a globe or map of the world see if you can find some of the countries where there are Methodist Churches: Nigeria; Brazil; Denmark; Australia; USA.
Look at the pictures of churches below.
What do you see?
Is there anything the same about where you go to church? Is there anything different?
Imagine that you are writing to a Methodist child from somewhere else in the world. (This activity could be done for real if your church or District has links a different country).
On the postcard below you could draw a picture of your church or church family on one side. On the other side write what is the best thing about your church in the UK. You could also ask a question to help you to find out more about what life is like in their country.
Prayer
Loving God, thank you that I am part of a big Methodist family with members all over the world.
We pray for Methodist children and young people as we all learn more about how much you love us.
We think about anyone who might be feeling scared, or sad or hungry or thirsty today. Help them to get what they need.
Amen
Suggested songs
God Loves Me Whoopah, Wahey (Doug Horley: Thankyou Music)
We are marching in the light of God.
Activities and Worship Ideas for 11+
Matthew 6:1-4 (The Message)
6“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
2-4“When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
For Discussion: Why do you think Jesus said that?
What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
What is the nicest thing you have ever done for anyone else?
Activity:Watch a clip of the film Pay it Forward (YouTube: Pay it Forward Video Clip teachertubeMS)
For Discussion :Do you think Trevor’s idea would work?
What helps us to do good things for others? What stops us?
Think about some of the other countries where there are Methodist Churches (a map or globe may be useful for this) what kind of things might the young people there have to deal with?
Drama Based Activity: Hot-seat
Two volunteers are needed.The first person goes into role as John Wesley.
The group has a chance to ask him questions in role (imagination and improvisation are to be encouraged!). For example: how did it feel to be caught in the fire? What was it like when the other students teased you? What was it like to start a world- wide church?
The second person goes into role as Trevor from the film. (If not using the film, as Susanna, John’s mother)
Again the group can ask questions. For example: did you really think that your idea would work?
Both John Wesley and Trevor, the student in the clip, started a movement of change for good.
John Wesley said: ‘Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.’
In a time of quiet think about one action that you could do to bless the people in your local church and one action to bless the people in the World Church.
Is there anyone in your group or church who could help you to learn how to say the Lord’s Prayer in a different language? If not why not try the version in Spanish below:
Lord’s Prayer
Padre nuestroqueestás en los cielos
Santificado sea tuNombre
Vengatureino
Hágasetuvoluntad
En la tierracomo en el cielo
Danoshoy el pan de estedía
yperdonanuestrasdeudas
comonosotrosperdonamosnuestrosdeudores
y no nosdejescaer en al tentación
sinoquelíbranos del malo. Amen
Final Thought
If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. (The Dalai Lama)