Thank You, God: Option 1

➜Song: ‘My hands were made for love’ © Sharon Moughtin

➜Tune: 'Hickory, dickory, dock' (traditional)

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Invite the children to sit in a circle for a moment of quiet.

It’s time to remember all the things we’ve done this week.

It’s time to say ‘thank you’ to God

for when we’ve been part of showing God’s love.

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Let’s wiggle our fingers!

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your hands this week?

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Wiggle fingers as you sing.

My hands were made for love!

My hands were made for love!

Thank you for the love they’ve shown.

My hands were made for love!

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Let’s wiggle our feet!

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your feet this week?

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Wiggle feet as you sing.

My feet were made for love!

My feet were made for love!

Thank you for the love they’ve shown.

My feet were made for love!

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Let’s put our hands gently on our neck.

Let’s sing ‘Ahhh!’

Ahhhhh!

Can you feel your throat vibrating and dancing?

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your voice this week?

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Hold neck and feel your voice ‘dancing’ as you sing.

My voice was made for love!

My voice was made for love!

Thank you for the love it’s shown.

My voice was made for love!

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Thank You, God: Option 2

➜Song: ‘For the love we've shown’ © Sharon Moughtin

➜Tune: 'All through the night' (traditional)

Most suitable for use with children over the age of four.

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Invite the children to sit in a circle for a moment of quiet.

It’s time to remember all the things we’ve done this week.

It’s time to say ‘thank you’ to God

for when we’ve been part of showing God’s love.

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Either: Let’s wiggle our fingers.

Or: Let’s hold up our hands.

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your hands this week?

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Either: Let’s wiggle our feet.

Or: Let’s show our feet.

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your feet this week?

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Let’s put our hands gently on our neck.

Let’s sing ‘Ahhh!’

Ahhhhh!

Can you feel your neck vibrating and dancing with your voice?

I wonder when you’ve shown love

with your voice this week?

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Let’s sing our ‘thank you’ song to God

for the times we’ve been part of sharing God’s love.

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For the love we’ve shown with our hands, 

Hold hands up or wiggle fingers

thank you, God!

For the love we’ve shown with our feet,

Point to feet or wiggle feet

thank you, God!

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When we love all those around us, Cross hands on chest

it’s the same as loving Jesus!

For the love we’ve shown with our voice,

Hands on neck or point to singing mouth

thank you, God!

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Thank You, God: Option 3

➜Song: ‘We thank you God for all that's good’ © Sharon Moughtin

➜Tune: 'Greensleeves' (traditional)

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This option has been created for use in contexts that include adults as well as children of different ages. Groups that only include children up to the age of 7 years old may prefer to use one of the other ‘Thank You, God’ options.

 

Invite the group to sit in a circle for a moment of quiet.

 

If your time together is held during a communion service, you might like to start with these words:

Our service today is called a ‘Eucharist’.

Eucharist means thank you!

 

It’s time to remember all the things that we want to say thank you to God for.

Optional:

Invite two children to give out a wooden or paper heart to everyone who would like one.

Name and Name are going to bring round some hearts.

If you like, you can take a heart and hold it in the air

to say thank you to God.

Lead the group in singing. If your group is not handing out hearts you might like to use the following actions.

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We thank you God Heart shape with fingers

for all that’s good thumbs up

that makes us feel alive today. Jazz hands

We thank you God Heart shape with fingers

for all that’s good thumbs up

that makes us want to sing!

Twirl finger up from lips to show singing

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If your group is giving out wooden or paper hearts, repeat as necessary. Once all the children and adults who wish to take a heart have done so:

Let’s close our eyes for a moment.

 

Let’s remember the times we felt most alive this week!

It might have been spending time with someone special

or doing something you love to do

or seeing something that made you think ‘Wow!’

 

What made you feel most alive this week?

What made you want to sing?

 

Either: if your group has given out hearts:

Let’s bring all our thankyous into our circle.

Name is going to bring this basket around.

If you like, you can put your heart in the basket

and give it to God as a thank you.

While all the children and adults who wish to place their hearts in the basket do so, lead the group in singing.

 

Or: if your group has not given out hearts:

Let’s remember those moments now and thank God for them.

Lead the group in singing:

 

Thank you for love and life! Heart shape with fingers

We praise your name forever! Jazz hands

Thank you for love and life! Heart shape with fingers

We praise your name always! Jazz hands

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Repeat the whole song or the second part as appropriate until all hearts that have been given out are gathered and given to the leader or placed on a focal table (see website: Setting Up).

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In whole church or All Age worship, this song can also be adapted to be used a prayer at the end of the service, including as a Post Communion prayer as follows.

 

We thank you God for this time today,

Open hands upwards or heart shape with fingers

for being here with us, Place hands downwards

for loving us Cross arms on chest

We thank you God for this time today.

Open hands upwards or heart shape with fingers

It makes us want to sing!

Twirl finger up from lips to show singing

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Thank you for love and life!

Open hands upwards or heart shape with fingers

We praise your name forever! Jazz hands

Thank you for love and life!

Open hands upwards or heart shape with fingers

We praise your name always! Jazz hands