Shrove Sunday Liturgy for Children

(Ideally, this should be used on Shrove Tuesday, but we want to do it when as many children as possible can be here.)

Needed for this service:

Alleluia Banner & stand to display as children enter
Black box to put banner in
Palms from last Palm Sunday
Matches & "Smoky Joe" to burn ashes in
Copies of Liturgy for participants
Candle(s) to be lit during Invocation (Burning palms to be lit from candle)

Leaders:

Presiding Minister or Leader (P)
Assisting Minister (A) Acolyte to light and extinguish candle
Song Leaders (piano)
Banner carriers to process Alleluia banner around room
Children to ask questions
Child(ren) to lead reading of Psalm 130 (read responsively by verse)
Child to read Psalm 51 (may be read responsively by verse)

Shrove Sunday Liturgy for Children

P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
P: When we prepare for winter we put away summer things and take out our mittens and boots.  Today we prepare ourselves for Lent by putting away the Alleluia and taking out the palms to burn to ashes.  Today, the shouts of Alleluia fade and are buried, the ashes are prepared and we begin our pilgrimage.

Hymn of Celebration: "Allelu, Allelu…Praise ye the Lord."
(banner is processed around room)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P: "Oh wonderful life!"  We thank you God for blessing us with eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, voices for singing Alleluia, hands for touching and hearts for loving.  We thank you for the earth that is our home, the sun that rises, the night for resting and food for eating.  Our hearts sing for joy as the blessings of your hand flow into our lives.  Amen.

REMOVAL OF ALLELUIA (place in box, do not close lid)
Child: Why do you put the Alleluia in the box?
A: We put the Alleluia away because during Lent we think about how unhappy our world is and how much we need Jesus' love and joy in our lives.
Child: What do we do without the Alleluia of Praise?
A: What do you do when you feel sad?  Do you hide for a while?  Do you find a special person to talk to?  Do you think about what it will be like when you're not sad anymore?  That's what we do during Lent without Alleluias.  We think about the sad things in our world, we talk to God and we hope for better times.
Child: Where will the Alleluia go?
A: You will keep it in your heart.
Child: Will we see the Alleluia again?
A: When Easter morning comes, the Alleluia will rise with the Son of God.  Shouts of Alleluia will ring from the ends of the earth to the gates of heaven.
Child: What do we say if there are no Alleluias?
A. Let us read Psalm 130 responsively by verse

Psalm 130

Prayer of Reflection: O Lord, your son Jesus rode into Jerusalem amid shouts of Alleluia!  His journey took him from a manger in Bethlehem, to a cross on Calvary, to eternal life with you.  Stay with us as we walk through our lives.  Sweep away the evil that stands in our way, protect us.  Keep our hearts and mind from wandering off the path you are leading us on.  When our journey is over, may we find ourselves standing in your loving arms.  Amen.

Alleluia Hymn:  "Alleluia Song of Sweetness" 

Close lid on Alleluia

Preparation of Ashes

On Ash Wednesday:
·	We are reminded that we owe our existence to God, but like Adam and Eve we prefer to make our own rules, be our own God.
·	We are reminded that God wants what is best for us, but like Jonah we prefer to do what we want, thinking we can run and hide from God.
·	We are reminded that God is our God and we are God's people, but like Abraham and Sarah we laugh at God's promises and prefer to trust ourselves.

Ashes are all that's left after a fire that destroys.  God wants us to love and trust only in God.  To sin, is to turn away from God's love, to not trust God.  Sin will reduce us to ashes, but because of God's forgiveness and everlasting faithfulness to his wayward children, ashes, which are also used to make soap, will wash away our sin.

On Ash Wednesday we are reminded of what our sinfulness costs us, but also of the loving God that raises his children up from the dust and ashes to abundant life.  Ash Wednesday is the departure date for a journey that leads us from exile from God to eternal life with God.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 51

P: Father, the light that is Jesus shines in our world.  Through him we stand in the glow of that light and share in your glory.  Make this fire holy, burn away the old and sinful way we live, clean away the ashes, bring us back to loving and trusting you.  Make our lives new, turn us toward the light of Easter, that one day we may live with Jesus who is alive and reigns forever and ever.

Light the Fire

P: Almighty God, show us the way to live this new life, help us to follow Jesus' example, give us the words and actions to share this joy with others.  We can only live this new life with your help.  We call upon you in the name of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.  Amen.

Benediciton:
P: Our loving God has shown us unselfish love in the sufferings of his only Son, Jesus.  Through your service of God and neighbor may you receive countless blessings.  May Almighty God bless you in your Lenten journey.
C: Amen.

A: Go in peace.  Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God

Submitted by Saron Lutheran Lutheran Church, Ashland, WI