03/04/2020
From First United Methodist Church of Brenham Children's Ministries.
Here you go- FUN, DIFFERENT, and EASY activities to incorporate into your Holy Week Traditions. This email is long (all of my emails are long- former English teacher!), but it is hopefully organized to help you quickly and easily navigate your way through what to expect!
BEFORE Palm Sunday, April 5:
1. Print off and COLOR your Palm! (attached "Paper Palm Cross")
2. Decorate signs or create a construction paper banner for your car!
3. Have your decorations ready for the CAR PARADE through Kruse Village on Sunday.
SUNDAY- Palm Sunday, April 5:
**Meet at 11 am in the church parking lot for our PALM SUNDAY CAR PARADE! Follow the directions from Pastor Bobbie!
1. Print off the "Countdown to Easter" paper! This will give you the daily scripture devotional to read prior to our daily activities!
2. Double check that you have all of the necessary supplies for this week's activities (supplies listed under each day)
MONDAY- April 6: Mark 14: 3-9, Jesus anointed
Jesus is anointed with perfume, so we will make perfume! Promise it is easy and the kids just need to gather the "smell" they like!
Supplies Needed: 2 cups flowers from your yard or liquid baking scents the kids like, pot of water, cook stove, recipe attached
Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes plus steeping time of 30 minutes
Alternative: you can add a couple drops of essential oil to an alcohol base, ie vanilla extract
**You do need a container of some sort (ie glass jar) or you can put the liquid in a spray bottle for fabrics.
TUESDAY- April 7: John 13: 1-5, Jesus washes his disciples feet
Jesus served his disciples, just as he wants us to serve others. So, we will make serving coupons to be redeemed at a later date!
Supplies Needed: Print off the number of coupon forms that you need (1 sheet per person)- there are 4 coupons per sheet.
Estimated Time: 10 minutes, possibly longer based on the fantastic conversations you can have about great acts of service for a person!
WEDNESDAY- April 8: Mark 14: 16-25, The Last Supper
Today we read about the New Covenant between God and His people! We will make unleavened bread- again crazy simple and fast!
Supplies Needed: 1 c flour, 1/3 c veg oil, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/3 c water, oven, recipe attached
Estimated Time: 5-10 min prep, 8-10 min cooking
THURSDAY- April 9: Mark 14: 32-46, Garden of Gethsemane
In the Garden, Jesus teaches us to pray. What a fantastic time to start your kids on a prayer journal, or creating a prayer list! There is one for the younger children
and one geared towards the older kids! Journaling is a habit, so this activity will need to be revisited. A fantastic time to do this is just before bed each night. The kids can refer to their prayer journal to help them pray and also spend time adding to or praising God for answered prayers.
Supplies Needed: age appropriate prayer journal page for each family member
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Alternative: If you have extra spirals or composition notebooks laying around, you can utilize them as a prayer journal. Have the kids decorate their front page. Second option (there are TONS of options) would be to add people's names or prayer needs to popsicle sticks. Place these in the jar beside the kids' beds and pull a couple out each night to pray about, add more in as the need arises. Third option is the prayer boxes we created at the beginning of the school year- add in Christmas cards, birthday invitations, notes of events or peoples' names.
FRIDAY- April 19: Mark 15: 21-39, The Crucifixion
Jesus dies on the cross. He died for us. So, this activity is called the Jesus glass, and it illustrates how Jesus made us new when he died for us! There is a script attached if you worry about what to say (page 2-3), if not just print page 1 if you want the directions.
Supplies Needed: 4 clear drinking glasses, pitcher of water, dark liquid (balsamic vinegar, dr pepper, tea), towels, masking tape and pen to label "characters"
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Synopsis of Story: 3 of the glasses represent people who have done wrong to you, them, and each other. While, they start off with clear water (clean souls) as they sin they grow darker (add in the dark liquid). Their sins impact others (pour into other glasses), they sin more because it becomes easier (pour in more darkness), and soon they lose the ability to be clear, or clean. Enter JESUS! Jesus came and because he took our sins (pour the three glasses into the Jesus glass), our cups were able to be wiped clean (use the towel to dry out the cups). And, when Jesus died on the cross, he removed all of our sins (dump out His cup and wipe it). Because we believe in Jesus Christ, he has filled out hearts with the holy spirit and made us new again (refill the Jesus cup and fill the three cups with the clean water from the Jesus cup).
SATURDAY- April 20: Mark 15: 42-47, The Burial
Jesus was buried; the tomb was sealed. We will make Resurrection cookies- read the recipe completely first! If you have never made them, these are a MUST DO for Easter! They are easy to make, but they can be temperamental! You will seal the "tomb" (oven) and do. not. open. again! It is important!
SUPPLIES NEEDED: 1 c almonds (or pecans), 1 tsp vinegar, 3 egg whites, Pinch of salt, 1 c sugar, baking supplies (ie bowl, cookie sheet), tape, Bible and attached recipe
Estimated Time: 30-45 minutes, then overnight for the cookies
Talking Point: While the recipe takes you through the Easter story, take note of the ingredients used: beaten nuts, vinegar, egg whites, salt, sugar. They don't sound like they are going to make a yummy cookie do they? In fact, they sound bland and gross! I for one cannot stand vinegar! This is Jesus- he took beatings and harsh words for us; he took salt being rubbed into an open wound for us; and he died for us. But, he also rose to life and gave us the sweetest gift imaginable: life everlasting.
SUNDAY- April 21: EASTER!!! He is RISEN!!!!
Open up your oven and enjoy your cookies! I am attaching an "Easter Indoor Scavenger Hunt" if you would like to do, also.
HE IS RISEN!!!
