Over the summer, our church congregation (PCBC English) have been “on tour” – trialling a few different service times and formats to see what combination would serve our church’s mission in the future.
Amidst the changes, it’s been nice to go back to a favourite book during the preaching time across all our congregations. I’ve really enjoyed preaching Jonah over the years at different churches, including at PCBC English when we first started in 2020. However, this was the first time planning a sermon series alongside a children’s program. And because we knew we would be having several families with young children joining our English services (a refreshing change!), we decided try out a few extras in our gathered worship – including two kids spots.
I’m still very much a newbie at producing kids talks and resources (it’s much harder than writing a PhD!). Thankfully, Sandy Galea has some helpful centering advice for churches – in particular, she reminds us that the aim of kids talks in a main service is actually to communicate God’s Word to kids and to teach parents how to do the same. In her words, the primary aim of the in-service children’s spot is to “give [parents] the language with which to discuss the big idea of that section of scripture with their children.”
On the first Sunday, I played this throwback video we first made in 2020 of our kids reacting to Jonah’s story (filmed in the style of the “Kids React” Youtube series). We somehow managed to recap and react to the whole of Jonah in 4 minutes! Check it out here:
I’m still surprised and grateful how perceptive our eldest three children were even in their younger years. Sometimes just asking a few kid-friendly questions is all it takes to make a fun video together!
On the second Sunday, we tried out a live skit, written in the style of a nature documentary, in order to introduce the big idea of Jonah 3-4: “God has been so kind to give Jonah a second chance, so shouldn’t he show His kindness to others? Shouldn’t we in Jesus?” Here’s the part of the church service livestream where Tingting, Moriah and Eden performed it in front of the congregation (I thought Moriah gave a pretty good David Attenborough-like narration!).
Here’s the script with accompanying pictures below (feel free to use and adapt if you’d like!) What do you think? How would you tell the story of Jonah in a way that helps points kids and parents to Jesus?
“Safari in Nineveh” – Kids Spot @ PCBC English, 11.1.2026
Parts: Jonah/Joni (silent acting part); Narrator (spoken part); Voice (spoken part).
Someone to change the pictures on the Powerpoint screen.
Tech: 2 wireless microphones & clicker (or slides operator).
[Scene: Jonah, a wilderness explorer, lies on stage, fast asleep. The powerpoint screen is overhead. The audience is observing a “nature documentary”.]
Narrator: Dawn breaks over the plains of Assyria.
Nineveh. The great city.
Home to all kinds of creatures.
V: [optional: make animal noises]
A shelter for man and beast.
Bird and plant.
Such as this Assyrian creeping vine.
This specimen is in full bloom.
While its big leaves offer shade…
to an unexpected traveller at rest.
[JONAH, WEARING A SAFARI HAT, IS ASLEEP ON THE GROUND.]
Jonah is a reluctant explorer
who has shouted angry things at God the previous day.
A close encounter with a fish has left him smelly.
An unexpected response from the people of Nineveh has rattled him.
But for now, he sleeps.
[JONAH IS STILL ASLEEP.]
But as the day dawns,
A worm emerges.
Chewing the vine,
it withers.
[JONAH WAKES UP FROM THE DISCOMFORT.]
V: [optional: make wind noises]
[JONAH ACTS ANGRY, SHAKES FIST TOWARDS THE SKY]
N: Prophets can’t roar like most big animals.
But they can get angry…
[JONAH HISSES AND GROWLS]
when their habitat is under threat.
But this time, something unusual happens.
[VOICE ON MIC, AS IF SPEAKING TO A FRIEND]
V: “Hey Jonah.” [JONAH: LOOKS UP] V: “How are you doing today?”
[JONAH SHAKES HIS HEAD FURIOUSLY, FOLDS ARMS.]
V: “Let me ask you again. Have you got a right to be angry?”
[JONAH: NODS, ARMS FOLDED, BUT STILL LISTENING.]
N: Like a loving dad, God shows kindness to Jonah. Kindness he doesn’t deserve.
But there are around 120,000 people in Nineveh.
Surrounded by animals too.
Will this prophet learn to share God’s kindness with every kind of person?
N: Prophets like Jonah have long been considered heroes.
But only now are we discovering…
they have complex messy lives.
[PICTURE: BLACK SCREEN]
[End – Jonah and voice parts stand and bow, Jonah exits stage]
[MC to summarise big idea]
“God has been so kind to us, shouldn’t we then show the same kindness to others? This is Jonah’s story, Jesus’s story, and may it be our story too.
Welcome again to PCBC English, I’m _____ and it’s so good to have you join us…”
