New Year
Hi Werb’s Kids and Werb’s Parents!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s 2021!
In some ways it feels like 2020 just passed us by with having to spend so much of it in doors and the huge changes the year brought. But today we’re looking back in order to look forward. 2020 may not have been the year we hoped but there are definitely things we learnt and can take with us into this new year.
I hope you were able to join us this morning online but if not the full service is now on YouTube if you want to catch up.
HERE is the link for the STWDerby YouTube channel where we upload all our videos if you ever miss any weeks you can always watch again here!
I really hope you had a great Christmas with time to rest.
Stay safe and stay connected!
Amy x
IT’s 2021!!!
I bet most of us are really glad that 2020 is over and we have a new start with this year.
But I don’t think we should call 2020 a write off or the year that didn’t matter. Or forget about it anytime soon.
It was a year when we were frustrated, sad and annoyed that we couldn’t do half the things we wanted to but I think we there is a lot we can take from it.
2020 helped us to see what was really important and what not to take for granted!
By not being able to do as much and being stopped from doing a lot of things we love, we found out what was really important and I think we need to take that into this year!
But what memories and funny stories do you have of 2020?
Remember when you got home-schooled?
Remember how we all had to stay and play indoors?
Did you have a birthday that felt quite different this year?
Do you feel like you’ve learnt anything?
When we think of a new year we think about resolutions. What can we do better this year?
We do however often forget the great things that happen especially when something bad comes along and that’s all we can think about. What great things happened in 2020? Have a long think as although the virus was the main thing we will remember about 2020 I’m sure you can think of something fun or good that happened this year.
We can also forget how good God is when we face hard times.
But when we look back we see how he’s helped us and how good he’s been to us!
We forget the things He has done, the ways He has answered our prayers, and sometimes we forget that He loves us.
There is a story in the Bible where God used stones and rocks to help God’s people remember what he’s done for them!
Hope you had fun this morning doing some actions to this story and helping to act it out!
If you missed it you can watch it again on YouTube or maybe you need a little recap. If so watch this little video of the story.
The Israelites, God’s people, need to cross the river Jordan and God makes a way for them! But God knows what his people are like (quite forgetful!) so he gets them to pick up some stones from the river to make a tower to remember this amazing thing he’s done for them.
It’s such a cool story! But I do find it incredible is how forgetful God’s people were.
They had experienced some INCREDIBLE things before this moment and yet when faced with something hard again they had forgotten and didn’t think God could help them again.
How forgetful are you? I forget things all the time and so sometimes need help to remember and think again about how good God is.
We are going to make some things today to help us remember how amazing God is which you can check out in a minute down in CRAFTS.
But New Years are often about making resolutions in order to make the year good and start the year well.
Some people say they will eat less chocolate or they will be more generous or that they will exercise more. But I thought this year we could all make the same resolution to try and remember how great God is each and every day and to live well for him.
Often when someone breaks a resolution they just give up but with this resolution you can make it again and again and again. You can just ask God for forgiveness and then try again.
Let’s pray now and let this resolution or promise be what you hold onto this year.
“Dear Father God.
We want to say thank you for how great you are.
We are sorry for when we forget how good you are to us and don’t trust in you.
Help us this year to live well for you. Keep in our minds how faithful you have been to us and the times we’ve seen answered prayers so that we may have faith that more miracles will occur this year.
In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.”
GO DEEPER
What did you learn this year ? What do you learn about God this year?
Get some lego and start building.
As you build think about how every year we learn more about God, Learning is like a foundation – like a Lego base – that we can build on in the coming year. So, if last year you have learned to pray regularly, then this year you might want to pray for your friends. If last year you began to be kind to people you don’t like, this year you may go further and invite them to your party.
What stories do you remember learning about this year? For every story you name add a brick to your building!
What would you like to learn on your journey with God this year?
It’s good to remember what we have learned about God, and to realise that this year we can make new steps in God.
CRAFT TIME!
Some things to do during the talk:
Here’s a BLANK one with just 2021 on it. Why not draw your own fireworks or something that you hope for in 2021.
Empty January Calendar to colour in!
Get creative!
Paint Memory Stones!
Find a nice pebble and paint on it something that will help you remember how great God is. Maybe you want to paint a heart or the word ‘GREAT’.St.Francis in Mackworth have been painting stones and leaving them around the estate check out their INSTA! Why don’t you paint a second and do something similar and leave it somewhere for someone to find to bring them hope and joy this new year.
Make a Photo Frame!
HERE is a great website with some directions for you to follow!
But basically you need to cut a frame shape out of cardboard and then using glue stick on some coloured paper or whatever decorations you have. Then you can aim to put a great photo from 2021 in the frame!
WORSHIP
As our resolution is all about remembering how good God is and living well for him the song I’ve chosen this week is all about living well for God. Listen to the song and look at the lyrics.
Think about what it means to ‘LIVE WELL’. You might want to make a list or something to help you think about what you can do this year to live life the best you can.
“Life is short; I wanna live it well
One life, one story to tell
Life is short; I wanna live it well
And you’re the one I’m living for
Awaken all my soul
Every breath that you take is a miracle
Life is short; I wanna live it well!
I wanna sing with all my heart a lifelong song
Even if some notes come out right
and some come out wrong
’Cause I can’t take none of that through the door
Yeah, I’m living for more than just a funeral
I wanna burn brighter than the dawn!”
Edited and adapted by Amy Farrar from several sources including energize.com
