Faith of Phoenician women in a racial climate
“Even dogs eats the crumbs from the table”

Today's selected readings: – John 6: 59-69

• Has anyone ever called you names? Discuss
• Sometimes it is meant as a sign of affection, like a nickname. Eg: Keats for Keating, Fergie for Ferguson, Stud, if you a real good looking guy like me(!!!). It may even be a pet name that Mum and Dad gave you that is special.
• What about some of the names brothers and sisters call each other? (Discuss)
• This is just a phase you are going through. You may say you hate your brother/sister. But if they were under threat or being picked on, you would soon come to their aid.
• The lady in today's story was looked down by the Jewish people. They called everyone who was not a Jew a dog.
• That is like saying anyone who is different from us is a dog.
• Even though she know that was the way people thought of her, she felt that what Jesus had to offer was worth being called names or having people throw sticks and stones at her.
• She could see that Jesus was a real special person and she was prepared to put up with the name calling because she felt that having her child healed by Jesus was more important.
• She said to Jesus "Even the dogs eat the scraps from the table" - She was telling Jesus she was happy to have what was left over of his kindness and healing power.
• She was rewarded because of her faith and belief in Jesus. Her daughter was healed by Jesus.

• So if anyone should make fun of you because you are a friend of Jesus and that you come to Church to be with other friends of Jesus, just hole up your head real proud.
• It is a privilege to be a friend of Jesus and to know he is always there to help us. no matter what.

Kids Church Activity:
To stress the dangers of name calling and how cruel this can be. To use the “Feeling Story” or illustrations of how you would feel if ……. Etc. To make a A5 booklet style sheet with outlines of faces with an example of how you would feel if… - Sad, Angry, Crying & happy example. Children to make up the faces to relate to the situation and to choose from a page of voice balloons of what the person maybe saying. These are then cut out and added to the illustration page.

What you need to get ready:
A4 into A5 8 page booklet. Faces on each page with different examples printed. Pencils, glue, scissors, A4 page of voice balloons with answers in them for children to select & cut out.