Take Off the Grave Clothes

March 29, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Her name was Carol. She was the organist at her church. She was an outstanding musician, but she did something no organist should ever do. She overslept on Easter morning and missed the sunrise service. She was so embarrassed. Of course, the minister and the church forgave her. They teased her about it a little, but it was done lovingly and in good fun.

However, the next Easter, her phone rang at 5:O0 in the morning. Jolted awake by the loud ringing, she scrambled to answer it. It was the minister, and he said, “Carol, its Easter morning The Lord is risen! . . . And I suggest you do the same!”

The message is clear: We too can be resurrected. Christ shares his resurrection with us. He rises, and so can we. We too can have new life. We too can make a new start. We too can rise out of those tombs that try to imprison us!

Source: James W. Moore, Some Things Are Too Good Not To Be True, Dimensions, 1994, p. 74.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Icebreakers

Easter Forward and Backwards

March 28, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
List of actions, Chairs in a circle, one chair per person.

Game Play
1. Sit everyone in a chair and then give instructions for participants to follow. Instructions should be related to Easter.

2. If someone is in the chair you move to, just sit on his or her lap. You can stack people three or four high.

3. The first person to make it all the way around the circle wins. Have youth to take note of the chair they start in before you begin calling out situations.
Sample Phrases
“If you have on a cross, move forward 1 chair”
“If you ate an egg today move back 3 chairs”
“If you have been on an Easter Egg Hunt, move forward 2 chairs”
“If you have been to a sunrise service move forward 2 chairs.”
“If you have 30 silver coins in your pocket, move back 3 chairs.”
“If you have ridden a donkey move forward 1 chair.”
“if you have heard a live rooster crow move backward 3 chairs.”
“If you are wearing perfume move forward 1 chair.”
“If you are wearing purple move forward 1 chair.”
“If you have accepted Christ move forward 1 chair.”
“If you are wearing a pastel color move backward 1 chair.”
“If you eat the ears first from chocolate easter Bunnies move backward 1 chair.”
“If you have eaten a Hot Cross Bun move forward 1 chair.”
“If you are wearing new clothes move foreward 1 chair.”
“If you have read the Easter Story in your Bible today move forward 2 chairs.”
“If you gave someone here an Easter Card move forward 1 chair.”
“If you attended a Good Friday Service move forward 1 chair.”
“If you are wearing ribbons move backward 1 chair.”
“If you have eaten Jelly Beans today move forward 1 chair.”
“If you have thanked God today for his sacrifice on the Cross move forward 1 chair.”
ADD your own…

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Teaching Illustrations

What if

March 28, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

What if,
GOD couldn’t take the time to bless us today because
we couldn’t take the time to thank Him yesterday?

What if,
GOD decided to stop leading us tomorrow because
we didn’t follow Him today?

What if,
we never saw another flower bloom because
we grumbled when GOD sent the rain?

What if,
GOD didn’t walk with us today because
we failed to recognize it as His day?

What if,
GOD took away the Bible tomorrow because
we would not read it today?

What if,
GOD took away His message because
we failed to listen to the messenger?

What if,
GOD didn’t send His only begotten Son because
He wanted us to be prepared to pay the price for sin.

What if,
the door of the church was closed because
we did not open the door of our heart?

What if,
GOD stopped loving and caring for us because
we failed to love and care for others?

What if,
GOD would not hear us today because
we would not listen to Him yesterday?

What if,
GOD answered our prayers the way
we answer His call to service?

What if,
GOD met our needs the way
we give Him our lives???

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

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Teaching Illustrations

The Weaver

March 27, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I, the underside.
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

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Game Ideas

Easter Egg Nose Roll

March 27, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Dyed Easter eggs for each person

Game objective
Roll the Easter Egg to the finish line using only your nose.

Game Play
1. Youth must get down on their hands and knees and roll the egg across the floor using only their
noses.
2. The first one to the finish line without touching the egg with their hands is the grand champion nose roller.

Variation
Raw eggs do not roll as easily as Hard boiled eggs

Messy Fun
Some Easter Egg dyes have a tendency to rub off. You might have colored noses when you have finished!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Drama Ideas

Easter Charades

March 26, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Activity
Choose several events from the Easter story to be acted out by participants. Using these scenes, play a
game of charades.

Variation
Have participants re-enact the scenes in friezes–or stop-action scenes.

Variation
Have the participants set up the scenes in the order that they happened. Take pictures of each pose.

List of events and scripture references

Jesus and the twelve disciples come into Jerusalem from Bethany, to partake of the Passover meal. (Mark 14.12-16)
Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:43-52)
Jesus’ brought before Annas (John 18:12-14)
Jesus before the Jewish Leaders (Mark 14:53-65)
Jesus before Sanhedrin (Mark 15:1a)
Jesus before Pilate (Mark 15: 1b-5)
Jesus before Herod (Luke 23:6-12)
Pilate releases a prisoner (Mark 15:6-15)
Jesus survived painful beating, whipping, and mocking (Mark 15:16-20)
Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified (Mark 15:6-15)
Jesus was mocked by the soldiers as they dressed Him in a purple robe and a crown of thorns (John 19:1-3)
Jesus was crucified on Golgatha, which means the Place of the Skull (Mark 15:22)
The sky turned dark for three hours (Mark 15:33)
Jesus cried, “Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit!” and He died (Luke 23:46)
Pilate’s sealing and guarding the tomb (Mt.27:62-66)
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna and other women start for the tomb (Mt.28:1, Lk.23:55-24:1)
The earthquake, the stone rolled away by the angel, the open tomb, and the terror of the Roman guards (Mt.28:2-4)
The report of the guards to the chief priests (Mt.28:5-6)
The chief priests’ bribe to the Roman guards (Mt.28:12-13)
The Roman guards spread the lie that Christ’s body was stolen (Mt.28:15)
The women see the open tomb, and the message of the angels (Mt.28:2-7, Lk.24:2-8, M.16:3-8, Jn.20:1-2)
The recovery of the grave clothes by Peter and John (Jn.20:3-8)
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (Jn.20:11-18, Mk.16:9)
Jesus Appears to women returning from the tomb (Mt.28:8-10)
Jesus Appears toPeter later in the day (Lk.24:34, 1Cor.15:5)
Jesus Appears to the Two Emmaus disciples (Lk.24:13-33)
Jesus Appears to the 10 Apostles in Jerusalem, on Easter Sunday, with Thomas absent (Lk.24:36-43, Jn.20:19-24)
Jesus Appears to the 11 Apostles in Jerusalem, one week later, with Thomas present (Jn.20:26-29)
Jesus Appears to seven Apostles, by the Lake of Tiberias, in Galilee (Jn.21:1-23)
Jesus Appears to 500 brothers and sisters on a Galilean mountain (1Cor.15:6)
Jesus Appears to Jesus Appears to James (1Cor.15:7)
Jesus Appears to the Eleven in Galilee (Mt.28:16-20, Mk.16:14-20, Lk.24:33-53, Act.1:3-12)
The Ascension (Act.1:3-12)

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Children's Sermon

Easter Pretzels

March 26, 2006 kensapp 1 Comment

There are many traditions and stories surrounding the food we know today as a “pretzel” and it is difficult to separate the facts from the legends. The exact origin of the pretzel is unknown and, like the doughy treat, its history takes many twists and turns.

“Little Rewards” and “Little Arms”
One tradition says that as early as 610 AD, monks somewhere in Southern France or Northern Italy offered pretzels to children as a “little reward” for memorizing their Bible verses and saying their prayers. The monks appropriately called it a pretiola, Latin for “little reward”. At some point pretiola became brachiola, which is Italian for “little arms” because the pretzel looks like arms folded in prayer. Eventually if found it way to Germany and became known as a Bretzel or Pretzel.

Food during Lent
Since many pretzel recipes didn’t contain any of the ingredients that were avoided during the pre-Easter Lent season – eggs, milk, butter, lard – the pretzel became a popular Lenten food throughout the Middle Ages. Pretzels are still part of the Easter celebrations in many European countries.

Good Luck, Prosperity, Spiritual wholeness
In 1440 AD a page in the prayer book used by Catharine of Cleves depicted St. Bartholomew surrounded by pretzels. They had come to represent the good luck, prosperity and spiritual wholeness.

Everlasting Life and Rebirth
A decade later in 1450, Germans ate pretzels and hard-boiled eggs for dinner on Good Friday – the day of fasting. The large, puffy pretzel symbolized everlasting life, and the two hard-boiled eggs, nestled in each of the large round curves of the pretzel, represented Easter’s rebirth.

Hidden Treat
Soon, at Easter, the pretzel was hidden with two hard-boiled eggs for children to find. This is likely the origin of the Easter Egg Hunt we now associate with Easter, with the difference being now we hide the eggs instead of the pretzels. As pretzels and eggs were often hidden in the hay of a barn, baskets filled with hay were later introduced as part of the festivities.

Hard Pretzels
The hard pretzel seems to have been introduced later. While it may have simply been the result of a recipe for the season of Lent, another story says that a baker’s assistant fell asleep while preparing the pretzels and overcooked them. The Master Baker, in the process of throwing out the spoiled pretzels, decided to taste one of the spoiled brown treats. He discovered he liked the nutty flavor and crunchy taste and realized they would keep longer since the moisture had been completely baked out.

Pretzels as an Easter Symbol
Regardless of the true origins, a pretzel turned upside down does look like arms folded in prayer and the three holes could be used as a symbol of the trinity. Pretzels also resemble a heart and thus can be a reminder of the love God showed when Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world. As the pretzel is broken and eaten, we are reminded that Christ in the Passover meal said that his body would be broken. Some pretzel recipes consist only of water and flour, thus proclaiming Lent as a time of fasting and penitence. In many places of Europe, pretzels are served only from Ash Wednesday to Easter, thus keeping the ancient symbolism alive.

Children’s Sermon
Introduce the Children to an Easter basket filled with pretzels and eggs. When you get questioning looks and discussion about the presense of the pretzels, tell them about the history of the treat, the symbolism, and then give each one a pretzel to eat and as a reminder of so many Easter truths.

Variation
Instead of an Easter Egg Hunt, hide small snack size packets of pretzels. Alternatively, wrap the pretzels in plastic wrap and then hide them. Kids will be curious as to why pretzels have been hidden instead of eggs. Then introduce them to the Easter traditions and symbolism associated with the tasty treat.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Humor

Filled yet?

March 25, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

While assembling their new water bed, my sister Betty and her husband, Everett, realized they would need a hose. Everett dashed to the hardware store and bought one. They attached it to the bed, ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and left to wait for the bed to fill. About an hour later they checked on its progress. That’s when they discovered Everett had bought a sprinkler hose.

Source: Reader’s Digest, March, 1993, Page 123

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Game Ideas

Easter Twister

March 25, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Game Materials

1. Easter symbols: Choose from among the following symbols based on the size of your group.

Easter items related to the Biblical account:
Gray fleece or donkey (Matthew 21:2-5), Palm branch or a coat (Matthew 21:8-11), A vial of perfume (Matthew 26:7-13), A lock of hair (Matthew 26:7-13), 30 silver coins or 3 10-cent coins (Matthew 26:14-15), A strip of terry cloth fabric or towel (John 13:4-11), A communion wafer or bread (Matthew 26:17-29), A communion cup or grape (Matthew 26:17-29), , Praying hands (Mark 14:32-42), A watch (Mark 13:37), Rooster or a feather (Luke 22:61), Piece of rope (John 18:12), A leather whip (John 19:1), Small piece of soap (Matthew 27:20-24), A piece of scarlet cloth (Matthew 27:28), A crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29), A cross (John 19:16-22), nails (John 19:16-22), Dice (John 19:23-24), darkness or Black circle (Luke 23:44-45), sponge with vinegar (John 19:28-30), spear (John 19:32-37), A shattered or split rock (Matthew 27:51, 54), Purple cloth (Matthew 27:51), Clean linen cloth or gauze (Matthew 27:57-61), Spices (Luke 23:55-56), A stone and wax or paraffin (Matthew 27:65-66), an empty tomb (Matthew 28:5-8), Sign reading “King of the Jews”

Easter items NOT necessarily related to Biblical account:
Basket, Bells, Bonnet, Bunny Hop, Candies, Chicks, Chocolate, Chocolate Rabbit, church, Cottontail, Daffodil, Easter Card, Easter Egg, Egg Hunt, Egg Tree, Faberge, Hard Boiled egg, Hot Cross Buns, Jelly Beans, Lamb, Lilies, Marshmellows, New Clothes, Parade, Passover, Pastel Colors, Peeps, Pretzel, Rabbit, Ribbons, Spring, Straw, Sunday, Sunrise

2. The normal mat in the boxed game that forms the playing surface is decorated with six circles each of red, yellow, green and blue. Instead of the standard twister mat, cut Easter shapes from colored construction paper and use sticky-tack to adhere them to the floor. You can place them randomly or in rows of a single symbol for each row like the original twister game. Vary the number of symbols and rows to accomodate the size of your group.

3. There are two spinners. If you don’t have a spinner you can easily make one. Make a twister spinner that includes right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot. You can also paste these onto the side of a die and roll the die in place of a spinner. The second spinner must contain the same symbols as those placed on the floor. In place of a second spinner you can put the symbols on small cards and place them in a bag.

Game Objective
Touch the symbols on the floor with the correct body part as indicated by the spinner and the color and phrase of the symbol drawn from the bag. Do not let any other part of your body touch the ground.

Game Play
1. An appointed person spins the spinner and chooses the symbol (rolling the die or pulling the card with the symbol on it from the bag) and calls out instructions for the players to follow, such as: “left hand: Blue: Cross”, “right foot: yellow: Empty Tomb”.
2. The players follow the directions, moving their hands and feet to the relevant symbols and try not to fall over–a knee or an elbow on the ground and they’re out. Use the wrong body part or the wrong symbol and you are also eliminated from the game
3. The board can get quite crowded and the participants quite distorted hence the name “Twister.” How flexible are you?

Variation
Instead of playing on an individual basis, divide the group into teams. The team with the last remaining members in the game wins.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Humor

No Excuse Sunday

March 24, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.”
We will have steel helmets for those who think the church is going to fall down
Space heaters will be available for those that say the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
We will have hearing aids for those who say “The Pastor talks too softly,” and cotton for those who say HE preaches too loudly.
Score cards for those who wish to list hypocrites present.
Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like to go visiting on Sundays.
There will be TV dinners for those who can’t go to Church and cook dinner also.
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to see God in Nature.
Finally the Sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter Lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.

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