Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

If you're looking at the story of the road to Emmaus, this is a really effective activity to help explore the theme of recognition and seeing clearly who Jesus is! You will need: A clear glass baking pan, a glass, paint, water, a story or Bible verse sheet (see below). Mix some paint and water so that you have a cloudy but not thick mixture. Do NOT mix this in the baking pan as the sediment sticks to the glass bottom and makes it hard to see the pictures!  Pour the paint mixture into the pan. Put the sheet you are using under the pan and push the bottom of a glass onto the bottom of the tray to reveal the pictures underneath! Either: Reveal pictures that tell parts of the story and see if children can recognise which part of the story the picture relates to. Or Reveal numbered parts of a bible verse from the story and put them all in the correct order. Talk about what a 'fire' burning inside you might mean! To print off both of the above options, click here.

 This Sunday, as we journey through the resurrection story, we get to the story of the disciples who meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  This play dough mat will help children to explore the story they've heard, while also creating something with their hands.  Click here to print off the sheet. As usual, cover with a plastic sleeve and you'll be able to use it again! Extra things to talk about as you create a path: I wonder... ...how the disciples felt when the stranger joined them? ...where have you seen Jesus breaking and sharing bread before? ...what it felt like to recognise Jesus? ...why Jesus vanished/

Next week we will be telling the final story in our series about meals Jesus shared in the Bible.  Here is how we will tell the story visually with coloured cards... Two of Jesus' followers were on the road, walking to a place called Emmaus.  They were very sad because Jesus had just died. A man, who they did not recognise, joined them on the road.  He asked them what they were talking about and why they were sad.  They explained to the man what had happened to Jesus.  They told the strange man that some of their women friends believed that Jesus had risen to new life but they didn't know what to believe as they had not seen him themselves. The man walked with them and obviously knew a lot about God and what the scriptures said (add a gold piece to the 'Jesus' figure). As they walked along, the man explained to them everything the scriptures said about who Jesus was. The men learned a lot about what God had planned! (add gold pieces to ...