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The children and youth prepared and presented April 14th’s worship service under the guidance of Anna Bembower.  Here were the thoughts and stories they shared.

Teaching with Stories

Youth Sunday 4-14-13

Jesus used stories when he spoke to the people.  In fact, he did not tell them anything without using stories.  So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “I will use stories to speak my message and to explain things that have been hidden since the creation of the world. -Matthew 13:34-35

Aerin Johnson: Once upon a time there were two girls who loved books since like…… ever and seven. To be exact these two girls were named Aerin and Lacreisha. I have always loved books and reading. The things I have read are fascinating. A boy who could do magic and defeat his fears. A timelord traveling through time and space helping people across the galaxy. It gave me faith that one day maybe I could go to Hogwarts or travel in the TARDIS.  In school, in English classes and history classes, stories are used to teach us throughout our day.

I have learned about God an Jesus through the stories my parents and grandparents, taught me about Jesus as I grew up. Not hard to hear about when your grandfather is a preacher. Even in English class, I learn about beliefs in Christ and in World Civilizations, both Lacreisha and I learned about Jesus in historical sense and learned more about his adventures from that perspective. In Sunday School, as children and youth, we learned lessons through stories like our favorites, Job and Samuel. I have also learned more about the way I should live through the story of Job, through another religious organization.

Not only do we learn about Jesus and God through the stories of the Bible, Jesus used stories to teach people of his day, too.  It says in Matthew, Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.  Stories, both oral and written have for many thousands of years been a tool for teaching.

Lacriesha James: The Bible is our gift from God, like opening a treasury of new books and stories for Christmas.  The Bible is a book of writings, stories and letters meant to teach and guide us.  Jesus used stories to teach us because understanding all of God’s ways and plans is hard and stories can help us understand as best as we can.

Through stories and parables, Jesus taught us that we should care for the little things in life rather than big things. Jesus used parables to teach us how to treat each other, how to be followers of God and how to be faithful people.  He taught us to not look down on the children, the sick or the lost, but to care for everyone in Matthew 18 in the parable of the lost sheep. Through snippets and stories the bible teaches us lessons about life and how Jesus went through life and death that can help guide and inspire us.  We learn through stories of fiction to have an active and creative imagination. We learn through the stories in our history books of the trials and triumphs of people before us.  We learn through the stories of the Bible how to love each other and love our God.

Learning through stories is something we have experienced since our very first bedtime stories, through our years learning to read, reading for school and reading for pleasure.  Stories were Jesus’ way to teach his followers and to teach the many people who have read them since his death.  Jesus’ stories have taught the children and youth of WGBC many important truths about God and faithful living.

Darren McRoy: The story of Noah and his Ark is a simple one that is frequently told even to the youngest kids.  It’s a story that has a big message.  Noah gets word from God that God is going to flood the Earth.  God says build an ark, protect your family and 2 of each time of animal on the Earth.  This story has always been important to me because I have always been interested in animals, but as I have grown I have learned more about the message of this story.  It is a story to show us that God cares for individuals and cares for his creation.  It shows us about the importance of worshipping God.  The story of Noah can remind us that God always has a plan for you even in a big storm.

Keillyn Johnson: The story of Ester starts with a king, Xerxes, who divorces his wife and holds a beauty contest to find a new wife; Ester wins.  However, Xerxes’ official, Haman, has a vendetta against the Jews, based on his interactions with Esters’ guardian, Mordecai, who the king liked because he stopped a murder attempt on the king,  Haman has a plan to kill every Jew, but Mordecai asks Queen Ester to plead with the king to stop him.  She eventually works up the courage to do so, the Jews are saved and Haman is killed.

This story intrigues me because it has an honorable female protagonist and it was one of the first stories I heard with a female hero.  The story of Esther reads like a novel, it has intriguing characters and a plot line like a novel might which makes it easy and enjoyable to read.

Alexia: The story of Moses as a baby is a good story about a family.  In the story Moses was born, but his mother put him in a basket in the river to try and protect him.  Moses was rescued by the daughter of the king and his mother and sister were allowed to help take care of him.  This story teaches us to trust God and his plan for us.  It also shows us that families can take care of each other.

Deshonda Burgess:  The story of Ruth is about a family who wants to stay together and take care of each other.  Ruth chooses to leave her home and stay with Naomi.  Ruth meets Boaz and he protects her and lets her pick up grain in his fields.  Ruth and Boaz later get married and have children.  The characters in this story are nice, faithful women and are a good role-model.  It is a happy story where all the people help each other.