As a child…my religious sensibility expressed itself as a desire to be good, in the sense of being nice, liked, approved. Today this early piety has shifted to a desire to actually be the good – that is, to participate in the generous, kind, compassionate, justice-making, unselfish longings of the universe.

~ Susan McCaslin, Arousing the Spirit

The focus passage for this week explores a promise from God of restored relationships. The prophet Jeremiah describes the nature of God’s new covenant as one that is written on the heart. Reconciliation also has a corporate nature and this week’s discussion can help expand the conversation beyond the individual to consider how communities can work toward reconciliation with other communities, respecting the variety of opinions expressed.

For younger children who are probably aware of their breathing and heart rate the sessions introduce the image of a heart, but as a metaphor. The response is not to dwell on the expression of the metaphor but to explore the process of learning something so thoroughly that it becomes know to us in the deepest part of ourselves in a way that it can never be forgotten or ignored -- like God’s message of love being written on our hearts.

When I am present, I am awake to wonder, discovery, and a sense of being part of the seamless Oneness.

~ Lois Huey-Heck, Going Beyond Words: 10 Practices for Spiritual Unfolding

• Access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage.

• Option: use the paraphrase “Written On Your Hearts” (p.89) based on Jeremiah 31:31-34 from the Lectionary Story Bible, Year B; also available as an mp3 and projectable art download
• Adult and Ages 15-18: “The Prophet Jeremiah,” digging deeper resource sheet offers insight into the great prophet, Jeremiah. Note: the sections of the book of Jeremiah are not in chronological order but grouped according to subject matter.
• Ages 15-18 disk: “In Your Hearts” story recording

Some of the many options for wondering about God’s deep love:

• Ages 3-5: listening to heartbeats, paper people shapes, heart prints, and/or creating with play dough
• Ages 6-8: participatory story, labyrinth meditation, heart bags, and/or heart prints
• Ages 9-11: finger labyrinth meditation or making drums
• Multiage: memory verse, art engagement, labyrinth meditation, and/or action poem
• Ages 12-14: heart rhythms, art engagement, and/or heart messages
• Ages 15-18: labyrinth meditation and/or planting bulbs or seeds
• Adult: reflection on relationship and/or labyrinth meditation

• Poster Camp Stump. This poster shows the stump of a eucalyptus tree with a design created with the flower caps that had fallen from the tree. Notice how the lines of the caps lead out from the centre of the stump. Trace the lines out with your finger. Place a heart-shaped paper in the middle of the stump and imagine the love from this heart shining out along those lines. God’s love deep in our hearts can radiate out in kind, loving words and actions just as the rays of the flower caps radiate outward from the centre of the stump.
• Listen to the songs “To You, O God” (#17), “Don’t Be Afraid” (#2), and “Comfort Me” (#14) on the Seasons Music CD, Volume 7 or available as an mp3 download.

April 1: Palm/Passion Sunday (Focus: Mark 11:1-11) and April 8: Easter Sunday (Focus: John 20:1-18)

The youngest children will benefit from having some ideas of the difficulties Jesus and the disciples faced during the days leading up to Jesus’ death in order to understand the wonder of the Easter story. Consider how you might help the youngest members of the group to hear the story at their level, while also providing space for older children, youth and adults to deepen their faith through this journey with Jesus.

LEADERSHIP: The resources for the next two weeks are designed for all ages to come together to explore events of Holy Week and the story of Easter. Consider having a group of leaders (preferably a team other than those who offer weekly leadership) to plan and lead the sessions for this week and next. Invite youth or adult participants to be the storytellers for the engagement with the focus passage. Choose a variety of Respond activity zones to meet the needs of the age range of the group.

For SeasonsFUSION (which inspires worship in a setting for all ages) see the SeasonsFUSION blog and sign up to receive the SeasonsFUSION tip of the week.