3 Ways Into Sunday’s Stories for Children: A Time to Bloom

Second Sunday after Pentecost

“The Season after Pentecost is the period between the Day of Pentecost and the First Sunday of Advent. This season makes up half of the calendar year, and its liturgical color is green. It is a time to focus on the life and growth of the Church in the world, empowered by the gift of the presence of the Holy Spirit. [Twelfth-century] mystic Hildegard von Bingen captured the essence of this season when she wrote, ‘The Holy Spirit is the greening power of God. Our task is to blossom.’” —from the Mini Revolutions curriculum

Print, fold, read, and color the story booklet.

Watch this video of Sian Weatherill telling the Godly Play story of “The Great Family.”

1. Sing and Dance

Sing and dance with “Go Now in Peace.” Here’s an ASL tutorial for the song and a version sung in a round.

2. Play and Pray

Play X Marks the Spot Hide-and-Seek. With family or friends, make a map or scavenger hunt that leads to a hidden object. You can play this in your home or at a park, and you can hide one object or many clues that lead to a hidden object. You could extend the game across several days or longer!

Pray: Steadfast and loving God, thank you for your presence in our lives. Help us to remember you are always with us, no matter where we go. Help us go where you send us. Amen.

3. Create

Create a small altar or cairn to remind you and others that God is present wherever you may go. If you have some river rocks, you could draw symbols or write words that reflect where, when, and in whom you are aware of God’s presence. Glue them in a stack or other arrangement. You could do this with flattened balls of clay, small blocks, or Legos. You could place it in your room or someplace else in your home, or outside someplace during your summer travels for someone to find.