Hope Journey Cross Factor with Brookdale Primary School

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