A worship idea from
The Tie, Autumn 2001
A Maritimes CGIT Publication

This resource is created for use at a Leaders Workshop or a Workshop on Bible Studies. You could adapt it for use with a group as well.

Scripture:     Joshua 24:27     Job 41:24

                    Matthew 7:9     Acts 7: 56-58

                    Acts 14:19 I     Peter 2:6

Programme Objective:

To help everyone see, that with the proper devotion and intent, we can use anything – even a stone – as an aid to worship.

Programme Agenda:

Members are given stones, and divided into small groups to determine how to use their stones as aids to worship.

                    Small groups share their ideas, which are tabulated.

                    These ideas are used to build a program format.

                    Program leader’s concluding remarks.

                    Closing prayer.

    Programme Leader’s Opening Remarks:

Our programme today centres around stones. What is a stone? It’s a piece of mineral matter. It’s used in construction, in making gravestones, sidewalks, streets, and many things. We have them in our driveways and we use them for drainage in our flowerpots.

There have been other uses for stones: In scripture we read the Christ is called the cornerstone (I Peter 2:6). Stones were used to kill Stephen (Acts 7:56-58).

They threw stones at Paul (Acts 14:19). Jesus once asked if a man would give his son a stone when he was hungry (Matthew 7:9).

Our hearts can be as hard as stone (Job 41:24)

A stone was called witness (Joshua 24:27)

So we see that the lowly stone can be used for many things.

We say that a stone can be used as an aid to worship. Perhaps we could see it as representing the hardness of our hearts and we’d build a programe of worship around that theme. Or perhaps we’d see a stone as a stepping stone to a deeper prayer life, more meaningful Bible Study, and we’d build a programme on that.

Participation:

Ask each member to take a stone as someone moves through the group with baskets of stones. Divide the group into smaller groups and decide how they would use their stones as aids in building a programme of worship.

After twenty minutes call the members together and ask a spokesperson from each small group to share their group’s ideas.

Tabulate these and encourage discussion and develop more ideas.

Programme Leader’s Concluding Remarks:

Look what we’ve done! We’ve come up with some very good ideas on using stones as aids to worship.

I’m sure that at the beginning any of you wondered whether we had lost our minds or if we were really that hard up for programme ideas.

I’m also sure that now we all see that anything, even the lowly stone, can be used in our worship experiences. It’s what is in our hearts and minds that count.

We hope that in your future planning you will look around and discover the possibilities in any things. Keep your minds open – how could we use a piece of fruit or a wastebasket or cosmetics in planning a programme? You’ll be amazed at the new fields of thought opening up.

I invite you to take your stone home with you today and place it on your dresser or desk or kitchen windowsill. During the days to come let it silently remind you of God and his great love.

It will do that if you place it somewhere with that intent.

Suggested Closing Prayer:

Dear Lord, sometimes we are like stones; silent, solid lumps that are of no use unless someone uses us. More often someone carelessly kicks us around and we deserve it. You gave us minds to use. Help us to be creative with those minds and use our ideas to your glory. Amen.

Special Effects:

Nametags could be cut out of gray construction paper shaped as stones.

At the front of the room, near the programme leader, place on the floor or table a huge ‘rock’ made with gray tissue paper with real stones around the base.