Materials
Guitar that is intentionally “out of tune”

Activity
1. Choose a song that everyone is familiar with and begin singing it with a guitar that is badly “out of tune”. Participants are sure to stop you or say something about the “out of tune” guitar.

Materials
Set up a checker board or chess board with grains of wheat according to the following story.

Activity
Scatter about the room objects that represent various countries and geographic localities. Have youth try to find as many of the objects as possible and identify the countries they might represent.

Central Truth
God wants us to help when we see others in trouble

Materials
1. Large open area…
2. Identifiers for participants as follows:
white armband – sheep
Black armband – wolf
Large Doggie bone on a string – Sheep Dog

After William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions was well established in his pioneer missionary work in India, his supporters in England sent a printer to assist him. Soon the two men were turning out portions of the Bible for distribution. Carey had spent many years learning the language so that he could produce the scriptures in the local dialect. He had also prepared dictionaries and grammars for the use of his successors. One day while Carey was away, a fire broke out and completely destroyed the building, the presses, many Bibles, and the precious manuscripts, dictionaries, and grammars. When he returned and was told of the tragic loss, he showed no sign of despair or impatience. Instead, he knelt and thanked God that he still had the strength to do the work over again. He started immediately, not wasting a moment in self-pity. Before his death, he had duplicated and even improved on his earlier achievements.

materials
Egg (Hollowed out)

Carefully poke 2 holes in an egg, one at each end, and blow out the contents. After it has dried inside, take a lot of 1/4 inch wide slips of paper, write on them such phrases as ,”Jesus loves you,” “Jesus died for you,” ‘Jesus lives” and so on. Thread the slips of paper into the egg. You can get many inside.

Note: This one is not an original, but I cannot find the source. If you know the source I would be happy to give credit.

Materials
a pencil and bandage

The excitement and apprehension of the disciples on Easter day can be re-created among the children. One of the cardinal rules of most sanctuaries/churches is NO RUNNING. Imagine people running up to join the church or running up to take Communion! Begin the Easter story with Mary running to tell Simon Peter and the other disciple that the stone had been removed. Then Peter and the other disciple were running to the tomb, but the other disciple outran Peter.

The cross
Not just a symbol of Easter, the cross is probably the most common symbol of Christianity. It symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made to die for the sins of mankind. An empty cross—without the figure of Christ crucified—reminds Christians of Jesus’ victory over death and the new life and hope this victory brings to those who choose to follow him.

Materials
Nails, wood.

Activity
Ask kids what can be done with nails and wood. Ask them to give some examples of what you could build.

Debrief
Explain that nails and wood are very important to easter too.
- Does anyone know why?