Sunday 21st February was our All Age service in Lent. The reading was from Luke 13.31-end
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’ 
What can people remember about the fox and the hen from our Bible reading today. Fox? – what did Jesus mean? Why call Herod a fox? Talk about this fox. Who is he? Does he look like Herod? Hen? Mrs Chicken What did Jesus say about the hen? What did he mean by this. Why do the hens need protecting from the fox? Talk about locking my chickens up at night to keep them safe. Heart – who’s heart? Meaning? – God want to keep us close to him and gives us his love and protection. Sometimes terrible things do happen to us – when we’re really scared we have to remember God is still there with us. God is used to scary places – how do we know this? We have to help God to do this. How to help people in danger. Bullying. Friends who might have grown ups doing bad things – who do you go to? Teacher, Vicar, Brown Owl, Granny Owl, Arkela, Alison. Sometimes we can make friends with people we didn’t really like before. Not if someone is hurting or frightening you, but if someone is about the same age as you and you didn’t like them before – sometimes it is possible to become friends. Just like Basil and Mrs Chicken.
