By Maria Reid, Children and Families Worker – St Stephen's Community Church
This Easter Sunday we decided to include an intergenerational part in our family service. Just like last year, we held the celebration in the afternoon at 4pm, giving families time to attend an early morning service and get back home to warm up afterwards.
There were two aspects to the children’s involvement. Right at the start, when people were coming in the door, some of the children were handing out special flat rocks. These had been, on a previous Sunday, marked by the children with a cross using masking tape. We trialled using paint to make spots and splatters on the rocks and talked about how the busyness, excitement and messiness of life was a bit like spots and blobs of paint. Once the paint had dried and the masking tape was removed, the strong shape of the cross emerged on the rock—clear and unaffected by the splatters. We agreed it was a good symbol for Jesus, our rock, and of His sacrifice on the cross to save us.
Boosted by our shared painting experience, the children were happy to be handing out the rocks they had prepared (all 70 of them) to visitors on Easter Sunday. They were also at hand with advice, should any of the adults feel unsure about how to proceed with the paint and brushes.
Here I need to take a step back to our table arrangement on the day. As mentioned, we were looking for an interactive aspect to the service where those present could talk to each other, including our kids, around a table. Not having round tables of our own, Kinyua was able to borrow 10 from All Saints—a fabulous gesture that supported our vision for the service.
With round tables installed and the ice breaker activity with the painted rocks worked out, we moved into the main part of our involvement with the adults: the Wondering Questions.
During Sunday School time, we often try to put ourselves in the shoes of those who were with Jesus—or even Jesus Himself. What would He have felt when people betrayed Him? What were the women thinking when the tomb was empty? Does Easter make my life easier or harder? We wondered…
We felt these and other Easter-related questions warranted some good discussions around the table. Having permission to ask, to question, to ponder, to be honest about doubts and confusion—how good is it to be able to ask these things out loud rather than drag them around and let them fester into unbelief? The kids agreed.
Ten Wondering Questions, ten big round tables with pots of paint and brushes at the ready, ten children to bring a question each to a different table, sit down, and contribute to the discussion and a prayer. Each table also had an allocated facilitator to steer and summarise the discussion.
So far so good. The time in the service approached for our questions—children picking up their question from the front, walking with purpose to a table, the odd bit of chaos and changing of tables, some shuffling. Then all were painting, acquainting, asking the questions, listening, talking: that first Easter Sunday…
Summaries and prayers followed.
Then Kinyua’s sermon: From Doubt to Trust—a pathway for our questions to develop into faith. Our school-age kids listened too. The under-5s were busy at their table, bringing Easter to life with crafts and little surprise gifts. Wonderful helpers engaged them.
Everyone was involved. A little chaotic but joyful, connecting over the Easter message of hope.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
By Maria Reid, Children and Families Worker – St Stephen's Community Church
This Easter Sunday we decided to include an intergenerational part in our family service. Just like last year, we held the celebration in the afternoon at 4pm, giving families time to attend an early morning service and get back home to warm up afterwards.
There were two aspects to the children’s involvement. Right at the start, when people were coming in the door, some of the children were handing out special flat rocks. These had been, on a previous Sunday, marked by the children with a cross using masking tape. We trialled using paint to make spots and splatters on the rocks and talked about how the busyness, excitement and messiness of life was a bit like spots and blobs of paint. Once the paint had dried and the masking tape was removed, the strong shape of the cross emerged on the rock—clear and unaffected by the splatters. We agreed it was a good symbol for Jesus, our rock, and of His sacrifice on the cross to save us.
Boosted by our shared painting experience, the children were happy to be handing out the rocks they had prepared (all 70 of them) to visitors on Easter Sunday. They were also at hand with advice, should any of the adults feel unsure about how to proceed with the paint and brushes.
Here I need to take a step back to our table arrangement on the day. As mentioned, we were looking for an interactive aspect to the service where those present could talk to each other, including our kids, around a table. Not having round tables of our own, Kinyua was able to borrow 10 from All Saints—a fabulous gesture that supported our vision for the service.
With round tables installed and the ice breaker activity with the painted rocks worked out, we moved into the main part of our involvement with the adults: the Wondering Questions.
During Sunday School time, we often try to put ourselves in the shoes of those who were with Jesus—or even Jesus Himself. What would He have felt when people betrayed Him? What were the women thinking when the tomb was empty? Does Easter make my life easier or harder? We wondered…
We felt these and other Easter-related questions warranted some good discussions around the table. Having permission to ask, to question, to ponder, to be honest about doubts and confusion—how good is it to be able to ask these things out loud rather than drag them around and let them fester into unbelief? The kids agreed.
Ten Wondering Questions, ten big round tables with pots of paint and brushes at the ready, ten children to bring a question each to a different table, sit down, and contribute to the discussion and a prayer. Each table also had an allocated facilitator to steer and summarise the discussion.
So far so good. The time in the service approached for our questions—children picking up their question from the front, walking with purpose to a table, the odd bit of chaos and changing of tables, some shuffling. Then all were painting, acquainting, asking the questions, listening, talking: that first Easter Sunday…
Summaries and prayers followed.
Then Kinyua’s sermon: From Doubt to Trust—a pathway for our questions to develop into faith. Our school-age kids listened too. The under-5s were busy at their table, bringing Easter to life with crafts and little surprise gifts. Wonderful helpers engaged them.
Everyone was involved. A little chaotic but joyful, connecting over the Easter message of hope.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
