Interactive Easter 2014 at Rosefield Uniting Church started with an invitation to make and decorate palm leaves in the church foyer. This also serves as a kind of 'holding area' while people wait to enter the worship space. On this occasion we also gave each family an Easter basket for collecting things as they moved through the activities. The idea was that they would end up with a take-home Easter story of text and symbols. So at several activities there were laminated story cards and symbols to collect.
We run the plenary session every 10-15 minutes and bring people through in groups from the foyer. The aim here is to make people feel welcome, introduce them to the Easter story, and explain the activities. There was narration, we used a video clip from the "Holy Moly" Holy Week & Easter DVD from Sparkhouse, and the musicians sang "Love Has Come Again" with some images onscreen.
Download Plenary Gathering Script (54 kb PDF)
Activities
Here's the template for the laminated cards that were handed out during the activities.
Download Take Home Cards (1.7 mb PDF)
1. Clay - Friends of Jesus
An invitation to make a fish symbol from clay and write the Greek letters for ICTHUS on it. A story card about the symbol to take home to remind us that Jesus is our friend. We had an amazing array of sea creatures made...
2. Anointing
The story of the woman who poured oil on Jesus feet. An invitation to rub lotion on your hands. A story card and a vial of lotion to take home.
3. Food
In the kitchen people could make and decorate Arrowroot biscuits with icing and lollies to look like Easter eggs....
4. Last Supper
12 seats at the table. A Middle eastern meal with pita bread, fresh bread baked in the room, grape juice, wine, several dips, olives, dried fruits, fresh grapes and figs, several cheeses and crackers, dukkah and zataar, cashews and almonds, vino cotto, pomegranate syrup, lemon wedges. Blood red vines leaves adorned the table.
Intructions on the plates.
Welcome to this table
Say ‘welcome’ to someone else!
Help them feel welcome too
Go on, do it…
Jesus’ last meal with his friends
was at Passover
when the Jewish people
celebrated their freedom
from being slaves in Egypt.
They shared bread and wine
stories and laughs
memories and hopes
doubts and faith
Imagine being at dinner with Jesus
he welcomes you
like a brother or sister
like an aunt or uncle
he is your truest friend
How would you feel?
What might you talk about?
What might he say to you?
You are welcome at this table
Eat some food
Drink some juice or wine
The music, words and images
remind us that this meal took place
just before Jesus’ arrest and death
Imagine what it might have been like
Know that you are always welcome
at his table
always
A video loop of the Last Supper from the "Gospel of Matthew" DVD played. Instead of the movie soundtrack, I had a playlist of ambient music:
We allow people about 15 minutes in the room. Any child must be accompanied by an adult (ie. in pairs). After each sitting we reset the plates and replanish the food and drink.
5. Story Stations (click to enlarge)
We require each child to be accompanied by an adult as they move through these stations.
Jesus is Betrayed
Video loop from Holy Moly DVD on iPhone in box, Belkin audio hub, 2 headphones
Story card on Judas' betrayal and a coin to take home.
Jesus is Alone
Text from Mark 14:32-42 - see download from Interactive Easter 2012.
A story card and an olive leaf to take home.
Jesus is Denied
Text from Mark 14: 66-72.
An iPod with a video loop of a roost crowing every few minutes, a small portable speaker. A painting of a rooster.
A story card and a feather to take home.
Jesus is crucified
Video from Holy Moly DVD, laptop, speakers.
We wish this hadn’t happened
for God’s sake
but it did
We wish someone had spoken up
for God’s sake
but they didn’t
We wish someone had done something
for God’s sake
but they didn’t
We wish God had done something
God did…
for our sake
(Text adapted from Roddy Hamilton)
A story card and a nail to take home.
Jesus is Risen
Text from Mark 15:40-47 on Jesus' burial
(this should have been put in a different place. oh well...)
Holy Moly video, Belkin audio hub with headphones
A story card and a strip of grave cloth to take home.
A table of books of images of Easter. A reflection on Mark 12:28-31 on the two most important commandments.
When people wondered
what God would say,
Jesus spoke of love.
When people wondered
what God would do,
Jesus acted with love.
When people wondered
what they should do,
Jesus told them to love.
When we wonder
what God would say
what God would do
what we should do
we can look at Jesus
and listen to him
and know God’s love
is there always,
to be received
to be shared
for us and everyone.
A intivation to take an Easter egg.
A table of Easter symbols, crosses, cloth, a Last Supper carving.
6. Making Icons
Ceramic tiles, "canvas" paper, art materials, pictures of icons, ancient and modern.
An invitation to draw an icon on the paper and glue it to the tile to take home.
7. 3D Easter
A series of cards to colour and cut out as a take-home Easter story. Click here to go to the resource.
Scissors, colouring materials, tape.
8. Seeds
An invitation to choose some seeds to take home and plant.
9. Drama
The Subtle Bricks drama group presented a short drama bout the disciples going to get the donkey. This was precented several times to small groups.
As people left they each received a laminated card with an abbreviated version on John 21:1-14 and a blessing on the other side. Each family also received a wooden cross mady by our Men's Shed.
On the tennis courts we served fish fingers and bread and drinks.
Thanks to the fantastic team who helped it all happen.
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