Overview

This Time for All Ages is based on a true story, reported in this article in the Iceland Review, and discussed in this Facebook post by S. Bear Bergman. The supplies you will need are:

• A surfboard
• A thermos of hot water
• (Optional) A slide showing a map of the world with marks showing the location of your congregation and of Reykjavik, Iceland

Script

I have some objects with me for today’s Time for All Ages. We might call them pieces of equipment. One is a thermos of hot water. One is a surfboard. Let’s have some guesses: what do you think our story might be about?

[Give the kids and the adults time to guess.]

Does it help if I tell you that today our service is focused on love, and what it means for our faith movement to place love at the center?

Most of the time, wild animals can take care of themselves in all seasons, including winter. But occasionally, maybe even rarely, there are times when winter weather conditions become dangerous, even to wild animals.

This is a true story. It’s a story that could have happened anywhere, and probably has, but with different people and different birds involved. But the story I am telling took place in December 2024 in Iceland, a small island country far north. Further north than anywhere in the United States except Alaska, and on the other side of Greenland. The capitol—and largest city—is Reykjavik. [If you have a slide showing this:] You can see on the map being projected where we are and where Iceland is.

In early December 2024, on a social media page in Reykjavik, there was a report that there was a young swan stuck, frozen to the ice. And it seemed to be dying.

As happens when someone posts news like that, different people—LOTS of people—commented. Some with worry. Some with questions. Some with opinions.

Is it possible to help? What can we do? What did the swan do to get itself stuck? Lots of worry. Lots of wondering.

Then someone named Kerstin Langerberger, who is described as a “naturalist” (now, I don’t know if that is their job or their hobby, and I guess it doesn’t really matter) responded to the social media post. Kerstin wrote,

“I am on my way. With the necessary equipment.”

What do you think the necessary equipment is to save a not-fully-grown swan who is frozen to ice?

Yes: a thermos full of hot water. Why? To melt the ice to which the swan was stuck.

Yes: a surfboard. Why? In case the ice failed. The rescuers didn’t want to fall into that cold, cold water.

Kerstin brought one more thing. Can you guess what it might be?

Kerstin brought a friend.

Kerstin and her friend, with the help of the thermos, and the backup surfboard, (and probably a bunch of people cheering them on) were able to thaw, then free the swan, which not too long after, flew away.

Now, when we have a hard thing to do, it’s a good thing to have the right supplies—the necessary equipment—to help us get it done.

It’s even more true when we want to help someone or some other being or the whole planet. We need to use the equipment we have, or gather the necessary equipment, or create it. And then, when the right time arises, we use it.

And sometimes, the most important time is right now and the most important thing is to help and the most important person (or being) is the one who needs help right here, right now.

The necessary equipment might not always be a thermos with hot water (though, I can think of many situations where such a thing comes in handy). The necessary equipment might not always be a surfboard (I think the times when we need a surfboard are probably fewer).

I’m going to say that in most situations, a friend or companion or helpful stranger is definitely something I consider necessary equipment.

It’s so important that we not go it alone. Doing things together turns out to be a kind of necessary equipment for life!