Harvest All Age / Children's Talk / Gimmick

Naturally this is not original: I got it from a clergy colleague, so all thanks to him.

You will need some objects in a bag (one the colour of each of the colours of the rainbow). I used foods. Get people to pull them out, say what they are, hold them up for everyone to see, and try to guess the connection between them.

If no one guesses, get the people with the objects up the front. Put them in rainbow colour order.

The readings we had were:

Genesis 8:15-end - this obviously calls for a reminder of the story so far

2 Peter 3:3-15a, 17-end - this reading is a bit long and complicated but it does allow for a contemporary application and some discussion of what it means today to live in the light of God's judgement and mercy and the hope of the New Creation.

Talk about the meaning of the rainbow according to Genesis 8. God has hung up his war bow.

Every day and all God's good gifts to us are a sign of his mercy and his faithfulness to his promises. The rainbow reminds us of God's kindness but so does everything around us. Life and breathe and food and the world are all good and gracious gifts of God which we don't deserve.