Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

 This year we are following the lectionary more closely than usual, so I've been getting ready around the story from John 9, of Jesus healing the man who was born blind.   This picture is split into two to show the difference of the two states. Colouring the picture provides a great opportunity to chat to children about seeing and to wonder what Jesus helps them to see. Click here   to download and print the page and head over to our instagram page if you'd like to see the picutre creation video!

 Here's the reflective colouring sheet we used on Sunday to help explore the story of Jesus healing the Official's son. One of the themes we drew out was Jesus' compassion, something that the Bible links clearly to his healing miracles. Click here to download and print the sheet.

 Tomorrow our all age service will look at the story of Jesus healing the Official's son (John 4: 43-54). We generally have a craft going on on a table at one side of church that people can opt into whenever they want to in the service.  This craft has a scientific basis and is a really creative, visual way to illustrate the healing miracles such as Jairus' daughter, the Centurion's servant and others. The tissue paper figure rises from lying down to dancing, all with the help of static electricity. To print out the instruction sheet, click here .

Recently our all age service explored the story of the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 and I drew a reflective colouring sheet for the service- for adults and children to use as one of the optional on table resources. Here's the video of the process, captured by my drawing app. If you'd like to use the sheet, click here to download and print.

 We're launching into Lent with a resource for families to pray through Lent together! This printable resource consists of 40 paper strips, labelled with different things to pray about/for: please, sorry, thanks, friends, family, world and a few blanks for something else.  Print off the pages (click here) , cut out the strips and put them into a box or cup. Each day, take out one of the strips and pray for that thing- there's space to write or draw your prayer if you'd like to. When you've prayed, add the strip to a paper chain of your prayers. Over Lent, you'll hopefully use up all of the strips and be able to look back at all of the things you've prayed for.

Ash Wednesday can often get forgotten in church children's work, as it happens mid week rather than on a Sunday.  If you are observing the day, here is a useful resource for you. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and ashes are used to remind us that we are human and that this life is temporary. We also remember the wrong things we have done and take the opportunity to trun back to God. To print the sheet, click here. Make some ashes (i burned some paper in a metal biscuit tin).  Mix the ashes with some oil (not water as this can cause burns). Use a finger to paint the ashes onto the sheet, just as ash crosses are drawn on foreheads. Have a go at making ash crosses on foreheads and hands if this is something you are all comfortable with. The words 'Father forgive' are part of the prayer we pray oon Ash Wednesday, remembering the things we have done wrong. The heart is a symbol of God's forgiving love, which we also remember.