Today, the SK1 class led the ELC chapel service. Representatives led the pledges, O Canada and The Lord’s Prayer independently and with clarity. The entire class then assembled in the front of the cafeteria and led the musical worship. Two energetic Jana Alayra songs, “Jump Into the Light” and “I Wanna Do Right” were sung with big bold actions.
After the praise, the rest of the ELC students sat down while the entire SK1 class recited John 14:6. This was followed by singing a musical version of the famous verse.
Before they were dismissed from the front, Mrs. Kaske welcomed today’s guest speaker, Pastor Jamie, and everyone repeated her opening prayer to request that God would prepare their hearts to listen carefully and understand the message.
As this was Pastor Jamie’s first time at Wesley, he introduced himself and shared that he had been a missionary on three continents, a volunteer fire fighter and even a volunteer in an international emergency search and rescue response team. He also has 13 grandchildren! However, he primarily considers himself to be a “professional story teller”. Pastor Jamie’s message focused on John 14:6. With great animation and enthusiasm, he asked the students to repeat three key words – Way, Truth and Life. At first, the students were shy. However, with encouragement and creatively demonstrating how a Haka from New Zealand would belt out a cry, the students were soon shouting “Truth” in a similar style.
Then, Pastor Jamie revealed a prop that he had brought with him – a 3-D poster of a hole. Three students from SK1 held up the poster as he began to tell a story. Once again, using his dramatic creativity, he engaged the students and acted out a story about a man who, on Day 1, woke up, had breakfast and left his home. However, he didn’t see the hole on the ground and fell in. He managed to climb out but it was a struggle. On Day 2, the man repeated the routine and fell again because he had forgotten about the hole. On Day 3, the man remembered the hole but thought he could use his strength to jump over the hole. He was not successful and fell in again.
To prepare for Day 4, Pastor Jamie had more SK1 students assist with the story. Several students put up bright orange cones around the hole and dressed in construction vests to warn people able the hole. Pastor Jamie resumed his role in the story and the man saw the students in bright vests and the cones around the hole. However, he thought he would be smart and go around it, but he slipped and still fell in the hole. Finally, on Day 5, the man made a decision and chose to take a different path and avoided the hole completely.
After the dramatic skit, Pastor Jamie explained that the hole represents the wrong things or bad choices (sin) in our lives. We cannot avoid falling in using our own strength, intelligence or desire to go around it. It is only through following Jesus, a completely different path – a new WAY – that we can find the truth and change.
He closed by asking the children to pray a responsive prayer with him. He asked Jesus to forgive us for falling in the hole and to help us choose to follow Him on a new path because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.