Roots Children & Youth Magazine issue 147: January-February 2027

Welcome to our January/February edition of Children and Youth – and the 25th year of Roots! Throughout this year we will be sharing how Roots continues to resource churches of all shapes and sizes. You can read the story of how Roots first began on p.3.

As part of our 25-year celebrations we are running a photo competition, with free subscription prizes to be won.

Our Discovering God series for this year goes ‘back to basics’, with all-age sessions designed to help you unpack the building blocks of faith with people who may not have a church background or know much about the Bible. Who is Jesus? is on pp.4-5, and future issues will feature Is this all there is?, How do I find purpose?’ and Who is the Holy Spirit? These materials – and The rhythm of life on pp.6–7, a lively all-age session on using different music genres in worship – are designed to be flexible so that they can be adapted to youth groups and other contexts.

Our weekly materials find us in the Gospels of Mark and John. For the season of Epiphany, we’ll explore Christ’s light in the darkness and think about how our lives are shaped by following Jesus. And for Lent, we’ll think about how we remain faithful in challenging situations. And there’s a new drama, The Wilderness Challenge, on the web. 

We pray that Roots will be a blessing to your ministry in 2027 and beyond.

Pam Elliott
Senior Editor: Children & Youth

Contents

• Scripture in context The ways of Jesus in Mark  
• The story of Roots Celebrating 25 years
• The rhythm of life   Spiritual formation and music for all ages
• Discovering God Who is Jesus?

3-9 January 2027 Glimpses of grace 
RCL Christmas 2 Year B: Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:(1-9),10-18
Epiphany resources on web

10-16 January 2027 Close encounters 
RCL Baptism of the Lord Year B: Genesis 1:1-5;  Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

17-23 January 2027 I called you
RCL Epiphany 2 Year B: 1 Samuel 3:1-10,(11-20);  Psalm 139:1-6,13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51
CWV: Revelation 5:1-10 

4-30 January 2027   Repurposed
RCL Epiphany 3 Year B: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12;  1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
CWV Epiphany 3 resources on web

31 January – 6 February 2027  With authority
RCL Epiphany 4 Year B: Deuteronomy 18:15-20;  Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28
CWV Revelation 12:1-5a; 2nd before Lent, Candlemas resources on web

7-13 February 2027 Down the mountain
RCL Transfiguration Sunday Year B: 2 Kings 2:1-12;  Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9

14-20 February 2027 The water and the wilderness
RCL Lent 1 Year B: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10;  1 Peter 3:18-22: Mark 1:9-15 

21-27 February 2027 Whose plan is it anyway?
RCL Lent 2 Year B: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31;  Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38

28 February – 6 March 2027 Turning tables 
RCL Lent 3 Year B: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19;  1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22