Throughout this series, you will need to prepare and use each week an adapted version of Rev. Leanne Hadley’s “Listening Stones.” Click here to learn more about “Listening Stones.”

Supplies needed for the entire series:

Stones (You can either use small stones and give each child one each week or one bigger stone for the entire group to use throughout the series.)
Jar large enough for placing one stone from each week’s lesson. This jar will hold one stone from each week of this series. Keep it in the worship area throughout the series as a reminder to the entire congregation about the lessons discussed each week.
Permanent Markers.
Mod Podge

Steps to Make Listening Stones:

1.) Purchase stones (pre-polished from a craft store in the floral department. These are used to put in vases, etc.).

2.) Using a permanent marker, draw the symbols on the rocks and let them dry well. Click here to view a template (PDF) for the symbols for each week.

Images:

Water droplet
Music note
Cross
“BE”
Lightbulb
Yes, checkbox
Cloud

3.) Place a small dab of “Mod Podge” on each stone and let it dry. (If you skip this step, the symbols will rub off the rocks. It is very important! We have tried finding a spray-on application but have not had any luck.)

4.) Place the stones in a large cloth bag after they have dried for several hours. Placing the stones in a cloth bag or nice box makes the stones seem holier than toys or playthings.

Each week during this series, introduce the stone with the week’s image. Offer a stone to each child to use as a prayer stone. If you have only one larger stone, have children either touch or reach toward the stone as you close in prayer. Collect one stone each week in the jar or box and keep it visible in the worship area for the duration of the series.

DOWNLOAD Steps to Make Listening Stones (PDF)

Children's Message

Psalm 40:1-4, NIV

On this day, use the NIV translation specifically for the phrasing “slimy pit.”

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
²He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
⁴Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,

Supplies

Stones with music symbols inscribed on them. Music to teach “My Hope is Built, United Methodist Hymnal, 368.

Message

Have you ever been afraid? What are some of the things you are afraid of? (Allow children to answer.) It may seem that we have many fears in life. When you are afraid, do you tell someone? Do you run to tell your mother or father? Maybe you tell your older brother or sister. When you are afraid, do you turn to God? (Allow children to answer your questions.)

I want to share with you the opening words to Psalm 40. David, who was a songwriter among many other things, shares this psalm with us. As I read Psalm 40, listen for words that may suggest that David may have been afraid.

¹I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
²He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
(Pause in reading the Psalm at this point).

What words did you hear from David that suggest he may have been afraid? (Allow children to respond.) I heard all those words too! I heard the words cry, fall into a slimy pit, into the mud and mire. Does anyone know what mire is? (Allow children to answer.) Mire would be deep mud or slush. What’s worse than falling into mud? Falling into deep mud or mire!

Let me continue…

he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.

⁴Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,

The second part of this psalm sounds completely different, doesn’t it? I didn’t hear words of fear, did you? No, this time I heard words such as rock, firm place to stand, a new song, praise, trust, and blessed.

What do you suppose changed for David? When David was afraid, to whom did he turn? (Allow children to answer.) That’s right, David put his trust and faith in God.

Today, we remember a man who always turned to God, even if he was afraid. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that one day this country would be a place where people with different skin colors treated one another with respect and worked together. King dreamed of a day when there would be justice for all people, and no one should be afraid. I wonder how many times during his life Martin Luther King Jr. must have felt the same as David—afraid, crying out to the Lord. Like David, Martin Luther King Jr. put his faith on solid rock—the solid rock of Jesus!

Today, I have a stone with an image of a music note drawn on it. I wonder what the image of a music note might mean. (Allow children to answer.) (If you have one stone for each child, hand them out now or draw children’s attention to the one stone in your hand.) I want you to touch the stone. Feel how hard the stone is. Trace your finger around the music note. While you are quietly doing that, I want to share with you a song from our hymnal. Remember, David used the phrase hymn of praise in his song. I would like to introduce you to the chorus of hymn 368 in our United Methodist Hymnal. (If possible, ask the music leader to play and sing the first verse and refrain from the song.)

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

I wonder what you were feeling as you heard the words of the song that describe Jesus as the solid rock as you were rubbing your finger on the stone. (Allow children to answer.)

When we are afraid, we must remember that we put our trust and hope in the solid rock of Christ Jesus.

For our prayer today, let’s sing the refrain from the song again.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

Amen.