Archive for category: Community News

 

 

HOPE JOURNEY SHARING PARABLES

It was a joy to visit Greasby Infant School on Thursday 16th June to deliver Sharing Parables to 60 children and 6 staff from F2 (4-5 year olds).  Following our welcome and introduction we re-told the story of The Good Samaritan.  We explained a parable is a story Jesus told to explain his teaching to us.  We talked about feelings and how the various characters felt at different times in the story and how the children would feel in in the same situation.  The children made paper plate faces – a smiling face on one side and a sad face on the other – and used the paper plate faces to retell the story to us

The puppets shared a modern-day version of the story.  Sadly Sam had no friends and no-one would play with him in the playground.  The other boys were too busy playing football and one of them even took Sam’s football and pushed him over.  He cried and was feeling very lonely.  That was until one of the Year 2 girls saw he was upset, called for a first aider, helped Sam inside and took care of him.  We talked about how we can be a ‘Good Samaritan’ in school and at home.  The children made peg puppets to take home to use to retell the story to their families

We presented a monologue – the story from the injured persons point of view.  The children made scoobies with different shaped beads

• Square = someone we rely on, and who supports us
• Round = somebody it is good to be around
• Heart = somebody who takes care of us
• Star = a superstar in our life

We all enjoyed learning about how God loves us and takes care of us.  We can trust Him to be our superstar and our very special friend forever. 

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator

 

HOPE JOURNEY CROSS FACTOR                          

It was a joy to welcome over 100 children and staff to our annual Hope Journey Cross Factor Thursday 31st March

Following the welcome and introduction, the children participated in 6 workshops

• 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 priest’s house, before being taken to Pilate who ‘washed his hands of the affair’, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
• What is Easter? – during which the children explored the significance of Palm Sunday (acting out the triumphant entry into Jerusalem), Maundy Thursday/The Last Supper and the significance of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, the symbolism of bread and wine at communion.  This provoked many questions about our Christian faith, who Jesus really was and why he had to die on the cross
• I was there! – a Roman Soldier told 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 thought Pontius Pilate would do the right thing and free Jesus – but he did not.  And he was shocked and delighted to meet an angel at the tomb who said Jesus was alive.  The children discussed how that Centurion felt during the events of that week
• Death to life – 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.  As Christians, we believe that Jesus rose again and is alive and with us today and every day in our lives.  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 are displayed on the communion table
• A look at some Crosses from around the world (Roman, Crucifix, Palm, Celtic, Salvadorian) and why we share Palm crosses on Palm Sunday and the children started to design their own cross

In addition the children enjoyed designing an Easter card whilst sharing in some refreshments

This year our gift bags contained a number of items including

1. The Journey through Holy Week as a take home leaflet (see above) so that the children could colour the images whilst they shared the story with families
2. The Greatest Miracle of All – Easter story from the Bible society
3. A Palm Cross
4. A small chocolate easter egg to remind us of the stone which had been rolled away because Jesus is Alive
5. An invitation to Easter Eggstravaganza and Easter services, and a Say One for Me prayer card

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator

LEGO CHURCH

Please come and join us at our monthly Service on second Sunday of every month, 2.30-4.00pm

We would love to see you again on Sunday 13th March from 2.30

Do come and join us for crafts, Bible stories, singing, prayers and building The Creation in Lego and Duplo! No charge and no need to book

Sue Elliott

Children, Families and Schools co-ordinator

HOPE JOURNEY EPIPHANY – JOURNEY WITH THE KINGS

 

Hope Journey Epiphany – Journey with the Kings

What a joy to be able to share Epiphany – Journey with the Kings with over 90 Year 1 children from Greasby Infant School (morning) and Brookdale Primary School (afternoon) on Thursday 13^th January

This year we were able to follow the usual programme.  Following our welcome and introduction

• The children completed a Journey to School map, drawing all the things they had noticed as they walked to church.  This created the context of journeying
• We introduced our three ‘very special friends’ who had travelled a long, long way to share their story and we 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 for a 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, even helping parents by keeping our bedroom tidy!)
• We sang Our God is a Great Big God – with gusto!
• The children then completed three workshop activities which included writing or drawing our gift(s) to Jesus on a star which was glued onto their journey map; playing the ‘Build a Magi’ game (bit like a beetle drive) whilst enjoying refreshments and a ‘Three Kings’ craft activity
• During the plenary we talked about how the magi changed their direction, before we committed ourselves to being the kind of people God wants us to be. 

We gave the children gifts too – an Epiphany Prayer card to share with the family at home, an invite to our church activities, the child friendly Say One for Me card, a Meet The Cast (Lifewords) story book which tells the Christmas story and a bag of Haribo Starmix, to remind us of the star the wise men followed to find Jesus and the gifts they took as we share our sweets with each other

We are now looking forward to our next Hope Journey – Cross Factor (Easter story) which will take place on Thursday 31^st March, for Year 5 children from Greasby Junior School and Brookdale Primary School.

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator

HOPE JOURNEY MEET THE CHARACTERS

 

We were delighted to welcome 92 Year 2 children to Meet The Characters on Thursday 9^th December, including both Greasby Infant School (morning session) and Brookdale Primary School (afternoon session)

Following our welcome and introduction, we shared the Christmas story, highlighting that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at Christmas

The children went to meet each of the characters in the story including

• The Angel Gabriel – God’s messenger to fulfil God’s plan.  The appearance and message ‘Do not be afraid….’ to Mary and then Joseph, also the shepherds and Magi. 

• Mary’s experience – from the message from the Angel Gabriel, the census, travelling to Bethlehem, arriving at the Inn where there was no space, the arrival of Jesus and the amazing visitors – the shepherds and three Magi – who recognised Jesus as the King of Kings
• The shepherd(s) – who were chosen to be the first to hear about the birth and hurried down to Bethlehem to see him

• The Magi – bringing their gifts and travelling back a different way to avoid Herod and why
• The Innkeeper and his donkey – who explained his job as an innkeeper, why Bethlehem was so busy due to the census, the arrival of Mary and Joseph followed by the birth of a baby.  The children engaged enthusiastically in waking the donkey up so that the donkey could tell them his story, carrying Mary to Bethlehem and all the commotion in the stable!

At the end of each workshop, the children asked lots of interesting questions including whether Mary and Joseph ever got married and asking the Angel Gabriel if s/he could fly!

The children also enjoyed a break for refreshments during which they created Fridge magnet(s) of the nativity scene

During the plenary the children shared who their favourite character was and why, before singing ‘Happy Birthday to Jesus’ and receiving a gift bag with take home gifts including the Passport/colouring sheet to explain to families the characters they had met; a candle prayer to share with the family on Christmas Day; an invite to our Christmas services; a Meet The Cast (Lifewords) story book which retells the Christmas story and a Gold biscuit representing gold, frankincense and myrrh which the wise men brought to Jesus.

Now we are looking forward to welcoming 93+ Year 1 children to our next Hope Journey is Epiphany –Journey with the Kings, which will take place on Thursday 13^th January

Sue Elliott

Hope Journey co-ordinator