Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

At Cafe church last week we were talking about the different aspects of God's character and how different people are drawn to different pictures of who He is.  We looked at different images from the Bible... A Father (Hosea 11: 1-4) A Shepherd (Psalm 23) A Mother Hen (Matthew 23:37) A King and a Warrior (Psalm 24: 8-9) The Creator (Isaiah 40: 28) Love (1 John 4: 7-8) A Potter (Jeremiah 18:1-6) A Fortess, a Rock and A Shied (Psalm 18:1-3) ...and then talked about who God was to us.   This play dough mat was made to help children to explore their ideas in a hands-on way. To print the mat  click here. Laminate the mat before use if you want to use it multiple times!

The story of Jesus being presented in the temple is full of amazing imagery from Simeon and Anna about light and Jesus' power to set people free.  If you are covering the story this Sunday (and even if you aren't!) here are some ideas to help you... Activities Light of the world Sun catchers Light of the World Play dough Mat Oil and paper sun catchers  The Lord is my Light reflective colouring Prayer activities to bring out the theme of Jesus bringing light and rescue  Light to the world Use print outs of world maps or of the local area and use highlighter pens to mark areas on the map. Pray that Jesus will bring his light and hope to those areas. Candle Prayers Give each child their own candle. Ask them to think of a situation in the world or their life where there is worry or sadness or loss. Ask Jesus to bring his light to those situations Bubble wrap worry prayers Tell God what you are worried about and pop a bubble on the bubble wrap ...

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain. All the old ways are gone.  Revelation 21:4 Sometimes the life can be sad and worrying. It is important to acknowledge that children feel these emotions and I strongly feel that it is part of our ministry to help them to express to God what makes them feel sad.  I love Revelation 21 because it really paints a picture of a place where God is and where all that makes this world sad is washed away forever. This prayer activity is based on that hope. You will need: paper (watercolour paper is especially good), small spray bottles, water, paint, stiff cardboard (I used an Amazon box), scissors Before you start the activity put a small amount of paint in the spray bottles and water it down so that it will easily spray onto the paper. Ask children to think about People who are going through difficult times or situations that are hard, or of something that ma...

This is a very simple prayer activity, for all ages, which helps to connect with the story of the Wise Men following the star to find Jesus. It's especially useful if you are celebrating Epiphany this Sunday!  This activity is best done when you have told the story of the wise men and had the chance to discuss it. You will need: A fairly large star shape made of paper or card, finger paints (or any paint!), hand washing facilities If you are doing this as a group, sit around the star shape and make sure there is plenty of room to access the paints. Choose a prayer to pray.  When you have finished your prayer, put your finger in the paint and leave a finger print on the star as an 'amen' Pray for: People who are travelling a long way- that God will look after them and keep them safe People who are looking for something- that they find it People who like to learn and understand more about the world- that they will have opportunities  People who rule an...