Object: A wooden heart.
Lesson: Love; friendship; discipleship; revelation.
As the children settle down on the chancel steps, I welcome them, then open my palm to reveal a small wooden heart. "Can anyone tell me what this is?" I inquire.
"It's a heart!" several youngsters answer together.
"Yes, it's a heart. Does it make you think of anything in particular?" I ask.
"Valentine's Day!" David responds with a triumphant grin.
"Love ..." comes another, more tentative, almost wistful reply from Marcia.
"Anything else?" I ask, just to be sure everyone who wants to say something has an opportunity.
"They already took all the good ones!" pouts Robert.
"It makes me think of Jesus," says Jimmy.
This causes Robert to roll his eyes as if to say, "I wish I'd thought of that."
"Valentine's Day…