CHILDREN – 5th Sunday of Lent B

OBJECTS: An outdoor thermometer, a seed. Picture of flowers growing at Death Valley

A desert in California, in the southwestern part of the United States, is the hottest, driest place in North America and perhaps in the world. (Death Valley) The hottest temperature recorded there was 134 degrees Fahrenheit – 56.7 degrees Celsius. (Use the thermometer to show the children what the temperature is at the time of the lesson and make the comparison for them.)

It is a barren place – dry and brown. It is difficult for plants to live or grow in this desert because it hardly ever rains and when the rain does come it is a small amount.

This past year, 2005, more rain came to the desert than had happened in over fifty years. Many times more than the usual rainfall fell upon the desert and when that happened seeds that had been resting (lain dormant) in the desert for all those years began to sprout and grow. Conditions were just right. There was enough water, sun, and fair temperatures to cause the seeds, which had developed thick coverings, to bloom. Soon there were huge meadows of wildflowers growing there – beautiful fields of yellow, pink, blue, and purple flowers. It was a once in a lifetime occurrence.

This idea of timing – being just the right time, is talked about in the Bible. Jesus told his disciples,“The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:23).

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SOURCE: Sermon Writer

OBJECT:  None

If you know of a well behaved dog and are so inclined, have the dog available for this lesson. A guide dog would be especially meaningful.Good luck!

Do any of you have a dog? Dogs make great pets because they want to make you happy and they are so loyal.

In addition to being a good friend, dogs like to be of service. You may have seen a guide dog helping a blind person get to their destination.

Dogs have the ability to smell things that we can’t so they are also used in search and rescue, helping to find persons who are lost.

People in wheelchairs use dogs to help them with their daily tasks. Dogs are trained to get things for their owners and also learn to retrieve items such as keys or a wallet that may have dropped to the floor.

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