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June 20-27, 2007

Not your everyday lemonade stand!

Warm-up Question:

What hopes did your parents have for you when you were born?

  

In 2000, a 4-year-old cancer patient named Alexandria (Alex) Scott decided that she would set up a lemonade stand to help her doctors raise money to find a cure for kids with cancer. Her brother Patrick helped her run her first lemonade stand in her front yard in the summer of 2000. Despite Alex’s deteriorating health, the lemonade stand continued for many years, run by Patrick as well as schools, churches, and communities.  

In 2004, Alex died from her cancer. In her lifetime she helped raise over 1 million dollars for cancer research. Her legacy goes on. Since the first lemonade stand in 2000, over 10 million dollars have been raised to help find cures for childhood cancer. All a group needs to do is to register their lemonade stand at www.alexslemonade.org where they can view examples from other stands. Money raised supports finding cures for pediatric cancers.

Alex’s dream was to help other children afflicted with cancer like she had. She knew that all children wanted their ‘tumor’s to go away just like she did. Consider holding a lemonade stand for childhood cancers in your congregation the same way that Alex did. Put your hopes and faith into action.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. What inspiration does Alex’s short life give to you for yours? How can you live your life more fully? 

  2. Following Christ’s giving example, how can you work to fight pediatric cancers in ways other than a lemonade stand? 

  3. What gifts and purpose did Alex have for her short life?

  4. What hopes do you think Alex’s parents had for her when she was born?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, June 24, 2007.
(Text links are to oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

Isaiah 65:1-9
Psalm 22:19-28
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection
“What then is this child going to become?” are the words spoken by those that surrounded the baby John the Baptist. His parents sang and rejoiced at his birth and circumcision. In the text before and after the gospel message we can read of their joy and praise to the Lord. The people wondered what God’s plans were for this child. They watched Elizabeth and Zechariah in awe over how they rejoiced. Never would they have imagined that this baby would grow up to be a recluse who dined on locusts and honey. They would not have imagined that this child would die by beheading. Never would they have foreseen that this child would have the chance to baptize the Lord Jesus in the Jordan River.

When we baptize children we watch in awe. Sometimes they cry, stay asleep, or wiggle a bit. We imagine a wonderful future for them, growing up in the church, making a difference in the world. What we don’t imagine is the effect of sin that is ever present in the world we live in. We don’t imagine that they might have to go through difficult times. However, we can still watch in awe, and praise the Lord for the joy children give us. God has gifts and plans for every person. God does not promise that there will be no bad times, but that he will provide a way through those bad times and not let us be tested beyond our strength.

Sometimes when life gets us down, we forget that we are gifted by God. We let the world’s message tell us who we are instead of who God made us to be. Let us splash ourselves with water and remind ourselves of the wonder and the joy that God has for us. 

Discussion Questions

  1. What are you going to become? How much thought do you think the adults present at your birth put into that question? 

  2. How have you strayed from those goals or changed them? What are some obstacles?

  3. When in your life do you forget that you are gifted by God? How do you respond when that happens?

Activity Suggestions

  • Look at the section on Holy Baptism in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pages 225-237). Have students interview people who were present at their baptism. If they have not yet been baptized use this as a time to educate them—without fear, threats, or guilt—on John the Baptist and what it means to be baptized. For additional helps on understanding Baptism, go to the ELCA Worship Web page on Holy Baptism and Related Rites. http://www.elca.org/worship/worship/sacraments/baptism.html
     

  • Visit your congregation’s baptismal font.
    Ask students to make the sign of the cross on each other’s foreheads reminding them that they are children of God. Ask students to name some ways that God has gifted them, and together imagine some ways that they could use those gifts to serve God and others. If you'd like to use an "Affirmation of Baptism" liturgy you can find one in Evangelical Lutheran Worship on pages 234-237.

  Closing Prayer
Blessed Savior, we know that you have gifted us through baptism in so many ways. We regret the times that we have failed to see the awe and wonder that you see in us. Help us to use our gifts to glorify you. Thank you for the promises that you have made to sustain us throughout our lives. In your wonderful name, we pray. Amen
 

Contributed by Angie Larson
Clive, IA
 

Permission to reproduce for local use. Copyright © 2007 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA Youth Ministries. 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2447. To offer your comments or responses to Faith Lens, e-mail:  rod.boriack@elca.org.

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