Call in the Clowns: Children's Object Lessons

Children love stories. (So do their parents.) The Sunday morning worship hour is a perfect time to take five minutes to gather the children and share a story with them. When the youngest in the congregation understand what is being shared, all who are older will as well.

These fifty object lessons are based on gospel texts. Many but not all are from the gospel of Luke, including familiar parables of Jesus such as the prodigal son and the good Samaritan. Each story makes use of a familiar household object, such as a paper bag, a candle, some construction paper, or a balloon, in order to make a simple teaching memorable to young learners.

Anyone who loves children and can tell a story can share the stories in this book. It may be the pastor, a Sunday church school teacher, a gifted (or simply dedicated) lay person, or a parent of younger children. The stories can also be used effectively in the church school classroom or in the Christian home.

Wesley T. Runk is a Lutheran pastor on the clergy roster of the ELCA. A graduate of Wittenberg University and Hamma School of Theology, both in Springfield, Ohio, he has served Lutheran congregations in Englewood and Lima, Ohio. He frequently tells children's stories when he leads the worship service.