The Big Idea
The Trinity is a really difficult concept – how can God be three but also one? We explore this by considering how we all take on many roles, but are still just one person.
Music
Songs at the start:
- King of me – Rend Kids
- King of Kings – Hillsong
- There is a redeemer (chorus) – Keith Green
Song in the middle:
- Father we love you – Donna Adkins
Song at the end:
- Holy, holy, hold (verse 4 only) – Reginald Heber
- How great is our God – Chris Tomlin
Other songs you could consider:
- Wonderful – Vineyard Worship
- Same God – Elevation Worship
- All through History – Nick and Becky Drake
- This I Believe (The Creed) – Hillsong
- The Doxology (Praise God from whom all blessings flow)
Activity
For our activity we had a powerpoint presentation (you could use photos on the screen) of different celebrities and well-known people. We asked the congregation to share some of the different roles these people play. e.g. David Beckham: footballer, husband, father, Unicef ambassador. We then discussed how they are the same person but play different roles in their life. We linked this to the Trinity: one God in three persons.
Readings
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Talk
A full talk is available for download. It requires a small amount of amendment to make it appropriate to the person delivering the talk – this is clearly indicated in yellow highlighting!
The talk explores how all of us have different roles we play (Mum, friend, colleague, etc.) and different people might experience us differently, but we are still the same person. The Trinity is a bit like this. God the Father created us and wants us to know him. God the Son (Jesus) came to take our punishment so we can know God despite our sin. And God the Holy Spirit is God in us, making us holy.
We were made by the Father. We live because of the Son. We work through the Holy Spirit.
And if that still doesn’t make sense, maybe it doesn’t really matter that much! Perhaps what really matters is that we seek to know God as God knows us.
Response
There are four responses for this service.
- The first is a worksheet to help people consider what does God do for you in each role (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)? The worksheet is available to download.
- In the prayer corner, invite people to pray prayers of thanks, sorry and please. We are made by the Father, thanks for things he has made. We live through the Son, so need to ask for forgiveness. We work through the Spirit, make our requests for assistance.
- Using threads, yarn or coloured string, make a plaited bracelet. The three threads of Father, Son and Holy Spirit entwine to represent God eternal.
- For a more sensory/practical activity, make a fruit salad – kiwi (Father), strawberry (Son), melon (Holy Spirit). The three fruits mix to make one tasty dessert!