Easter Two
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Easter 2
Read the Gospel for the day over - John 20: 19-31 it can be found online at http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/AEaster/aEaster2.htm#john Pay attention to the words or phrases that jump out at you.
Read over the lesson so that you are familiar with what is intended to happen. Gather the materials that you will need for each section of the lesson. If you can, print up the picture for the week from the website. For deeper thinking or for ways to extend the lesson take a look at the following websites:
http://www.textweek.com/yeara/eastera2.htm
http://www.efree.mb.ca/lectionarypuzzles/in-awss.htm#e2
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/sundayschool.htm
http://msssbible.com/newtestament/resurrection.htm
http://www.shirleys-preschool-activities.com/easter-crafts-for-kids.html
Materials needed:
Small table or end of one table
White candle
Bible & Bookmark
White cloth (optional)
Yellow streamers (one per person) with Alleluia printed on them
Gather around the small table or at the end of one table. Give everyone an "Alleluia streamer" and show them the word printed on it. Ask them if they know what is special about this time of the year. (Some expected answers might be: spring, more sunshine and hopefully, Easter.) Explain that we will be celebrating for quite a long time (50 days all together) the wonderful thing that God did in Jesus, by bringing him back to life, for all of us. Have everyone practice saying "alleluia" and waving their streamers around.
Light the candle.
Explain that every time they say "Alleluia" in the prayer they are to wave their streamer around. Pray the following prayer together:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thank you God for Jesus. Alleluia!
Thank you God for new life. Alleluia!
Thank you God for all that you have done. Alleluia!
Amen.
Blow out the candle. Have the children put their streamers back on the table. Ask the children if they have ever been afraid. What made them feel better? Did someone come along who told them they would take care of them? Tell the children that the story today is about a time when Jesus' friends were very afraid and they get a surprise visit from someone who makes everything all right.
Materials needed:
A comfortable place to tell the story - on the floor with cushions or around a table
Small bottle of bubbles with wand
Everyone was feeling so scared. No one was sure what to do. Jesus had been put to death on the cross. Now Mary Magdalene was telling everyone that she had seen him in the garden in front of the tomb. All of Jesus' friends decided to gather together. When the last one was in the room they made sure the door was locked. Everyone was feeling so scared.
They were all talking about what had happened. No one knew what to do. All of sudden Jesus stood there in the midst of them. Jesus said to his friends, "Peace be with you. As God sent me now I am sending you."
Everyone was so happy. Jesus showed them his side and his hands. Then he said, again, "Peace be with you."
Then Jesus breathed on them. (Open the bubble container and blow bubbles on the children.) Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people for the wrong things they do then they shall be forgiven."
Then Jesus left them. Not all of Jesus' friends had been in that locked room. One of them, named Thomas, had been away that day. The rest of Jesus' friends told him, "We have seen Jesus. He gave us such an important gift. Everything is going to be all right now."
Thomas was angry. He told his friends, "Unless I touch Jesus' side and see his hands I will not believe that Jesus is alive."
The next Sunday everyone was back in the same room. Thomas was with them this time. The door was locked just like the last time. All at once Jesus stood in the middle of them. Jesus said, "Peace be with you."
Jesus looked at Thomas. He said, "Here put your fingers in my side. Touch my hands. Believe."
"I believe," said Thomas. "I believe in you and I believe that God is doing wonderful things for all of us."
Jesus looked at Thomas and he looked at all his other friends standing there. Jesus said, "You have believed because you have seen. Blessed are those who will believe even though they do not see me."
Then Jesus left them. The disciples knew that they had to share this with everyone they met.
Idea #1: Bubble Containers
These containers will help the children remember Jesus giving the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in the locked room and how they were commissioned to share the gift with others.
Materials needed: small plastic reusable containers, bubble mix (either commercially bought or check out this website for homemade recipes: http://bubbleblowers.com/homemade.html ), bubble wands, seasonal stickers
Instructions: Give the children each a plastic container and encourage them to decorate them with the stickers. After they have finished decorating their containers, help them to fill them up with the bubble mixture. Give each child a bubble wand. Practice saying with them "Peace be with you." Let them blow bubbles over each other saying "Peace be with you" as they do so. Encourage the children to bless their families with their bubbles throughout the next week.
Idea #2: Belief Binoculars
These binoculars will help the children to remember to look at things with the eyes of faith and not just the eyes of our world.
Materials needed: paper tubes, glue, yarn, strong tape, markers, and seasonal stickers
Instructions: Glue a pair of paper tubes together down one long side. Give each child a pair of prepared paper tubes. Have them decorate with the stickers and markers. Cut a piece of yarn long enough to hang the binoculars on. Using the tape fasten down the yarn on the outsides of the binoculars. Let the children use the binoculars and look for things with their eyes of faith.
Idea #3: Faith Mosaics
Mosaics are one of the oldest art forms that Christians used to express their faith in Jesus and his resurrection. The mosaics that the children make can be one way for them to express their faith in God's loving actions for us today.
Materials needed: card stock or other heavy paper, tissue paper, markers, white glue, glitter
Instructions: Check the following websites for some Christian symbols to share with the children: http://www.fisheaters.com/symbols.html or http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/symbols.htm. Explain to the children that they are going to make a mosaic to express their faith in Jesus. Show them some of the examples of different Christian symbols that show our faith in Jesus. Help them to choose a symbol and then get them to draw it on to their card stock. Show them how to tear the tissue paper into small pieces and glue them onto the card stock. The mosaic effect works even better if the different colours from the tissue paper overlap. When they are finished get everyone to explain why they chose the different symbol to talk about their faith.
Gather with the children around the worship table again. Place the bubble container on the table. Relight the candle. Say the prayer line by line and encourage the children to repeat it after you:
Thank you God for our time together.
Thank you God for Jesus.
Thank you God for loving us.
Amen.
