Hope Journey Cross Factor with Brookdale Primary School

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Hope Journey Cross Factor with Brookdale Primary School

It was a joy to be able to share another Cross Factor with 29 Year 5 children and 2 staff at Brookdale Primary School on Wednesday 14th April (via Google Meet).

The morning included

  • the Easter Story using a jig saw puzzle, which puts Jesus at the heart of the cross.  We discussed the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, The garden of Gethsemane, how Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priests house, before being taken to Pilate who ‘washed his hands of the affair’, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, following which the children designed a storyboard about what we were really celebrating at Easter
  • A look at some crosses from around the world (Roman, Crucifix, Palm, Celtic, Salvadorian) and why we share Palm crosses on Palm Sunday.  The children designed their own cross depicting scenes of the Easter story
  • a Roman Soldier telling us his experience of being in Jerusalem during Holy Week and how he felt when being told to go and arrest Jesus – whom he believed to be a good man who had performed miracles and healed people.  He was saddened when they crucified Jesus and shocked and delighted to meet an angel at the tomb who said Jesus was alive.  The children imagined being that Centurion and wrote a letter to a friend Maximus to tell him what had happened
  • We thought about how some things can look dead – but are brought back to life – like a bulb before it grows into a beautiful flower and a chrysalis before it becomes a pretty butterfly.  Christians believe that Jesus rose again and is alive and with us today and every day.  We discussed what we may like to change in our own lives, in our community and in the world and the children wrote their thoughts on leaves which were glued onto a tree, demonstrating renewal of life

The children received 3 gifts from Greasby Methodist Church

Resurrection Rhyme (Bible Society)
  1. The Journey through Holy Week as a take home leaflet t(see above) so that the children could colour the images whilst they shared the story with families
  2. All about Easter – a Resurrection Rhyme, published by the Bible Society this year.
  3. A Palm Cross – with an explanation of the significance of these crosses for Christians
Significance of the Palm Cross

We are very blessed that our virtual Hope Journeys have taken place this year but looking forward to when we can welcome the children and staff back into church again

 Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator

Annual Report April 2020-March 2021

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Please find attached a copy of the Annual Report for April 2020 – March 2021 as promisedhttps://greasbymethodistchurch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Annual-Report-2020-21-Final-10.pdf

Please do take time to read the report and praise God for the many blessings we have received throughout what has been a challenging year and pray for wisdom and guidance as we develop our Mission Plan for Greasby Methodist Church 2021-23

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey Cross Factor with Greasby Junior School

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Hope Journey Cross Factor with Greasby Junior School

What a joy to be able to share Cross Factor with 64 Year 5 children and 4 staff at Greasby Junior School on Monday 22nd March via Google Meet

Cross Factor aimed to complement the Ecumenical Assemblies Team videoed assembly entitled ‘Easter in a Nutshell’, which highlighted the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We looked at the Easter Story using a jig saw puzzle, which puts Jesus at the heart of the cross.  We discussed the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, The garden of Gethsemane, how Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priests house, before being taken to Pilate who washed his hands of the affair, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, following which children designed a storyboard about what we are really celebrating at Easter.  This work is currently displayed in the foyer at church

We also looked at some crosses from around the world (Roman, Crucifix, Palm, Celtic, Salvadorian) and why we share Palm crosses on Palm Sunday.  Some children designed their own cross depicting scenes of the resurrection of Christ.  This wonderful work is also on display at church.

Significance of the Palm Cross

We were able to share 3 gifts from Greasby Methodist Church

  1. The Journey through Holy Week as a take home leaflet so that the children could colour the images whilst they shared the story with families
  2. All about Easter – a Resurrection Rhyme, published by the Bible Society this month.  This included a special Easter blessing from us all at Greasby Methodist Church
  3. A Palm Cross – with an explanation of the significance of these crosses for Christians
Resurrection Rhyme (Bible Society)

The next Cross Factor for Year 5 children at Brookdale Primary will take place on Wednesday 14th April. 

Whilst we remain grateful for the technology which has facilitated our Hope Journeys this year, we do look forward to when we are able to welcome the children into our church again for more interactive learning sessions.

 Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator

Hope Journey Epiphany – Journey with the Kings

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Hope Journey Epiphany – Journey with the Kings

What a joy to be able to share Epiphany – Journey with the Kings with Year 1 children at Brookdale Primary School and Greasby Infant School this week using Microsoft Teams

We continue to deliver an adapted programme so this time, we delivered Journey to School maps for the children to prepare prior to the event and we are grateful to both schools for facilitating this




Team works at a social distance – very different from our normal practice!

Following my welcome we

  • talked about all the things we come across on our journey to school, in order to create the context of journeying
  • Introduced my three ‘very special friends’ who had travelled a long, long way to share their story
  • Watched the puppet sketch of the three magi retelling their experiences of travelling and meeting the baby Jesus
  • We talked about the significance of gold, frankincense and myrrh as gifts to the future King
  • and about gifts which would be suitable to give to a baby and what we can give Jesus as our gift (being kind, looking after each other eg helping someone who falls over, sharing toys and sweets, donating to FoodBank, even helping parents by keeping our bedroom tidy!)
  • The children wrote or drew their gift on a star whilst we listened to and sang Our God is a Great Big God and Shine from the Inside out
  • And just as the kings changed their direction, we committed ourselves to being the kind of people God wants us to be
Display of work in foyer

Some of the children’s’ work is displayed in the foyer, please do call in and admire the wonderful artwork when you are passing

God Became like Me (Scripture Union)

During the plenary the children told us what they had committed to on the star.  We gave the children gifts too – a story book God Became Like Me (Scripture Union) and an Epiphany prayer card to share with the family at home. 

Our next Hope Journey is Cross Factor (Easter story) which will take place in March when we look forward to welcoming Year 5 children from Brookdale Primary School and Greasby Junior School

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator