Skip to main content

Doubting Thomas: Recognising Jesus Games and Prayer Activity

This Sunday the lectionary covers the story of Thomas being invited to touch the wounds of the risen Jesus and recognise him.  A lot of the time when we cover this story with children we focus of the idea of faith and being able to believe even though we don't see.  It struck me that it's also about how we recognise Jesus and what implications that might have for us as disciples.

 Here are some ideas to help explore the theme!

 Games: 

  • 'Feely' bag.  Can you recognise the item even if you can't see it?  How did you know?
  • Blindfold a child and get them to fell the face of another child.  Can they guess who it is? How?
  • Get a collection of celebrity photos or photos of people in the church.  How many people do you recognise? How?
  • 20 questions- can you guess the mystery person?  What helped you to guess?
  • Make a diagram to identify eveyone in the group by looking at hair/ eye colour etc.
Think about:
  • Even after doubting, Thomas saw Jesus and recognised him, saying 'My Lord and my God' (John 20:28)
  • How would you recognise Jesus if you met him?  What things would he being doing/ saying?  How have you recognised Jesus at work in your life before?  E.g. answered prayers, other people's kindness
  • If we, as Christians, are trying to live as Jesus would, how will other people recognise Jesus in us and what we do?
Pray:
  • Encourage children to think of things that they could do during the coming week that would help others to recognise Jesus at work in them.  Make prayer labels (below).

You will need: Paper label shapes with holes punched at one end, ribbon, small mirror tiles, pens

Give each child a paper label and ribbon and talk about how we use labels to identify things- they might have used luggage labels, for example, to identify their cases on a journey.  How might other people identify Jesus at work in them?  One one side of the label, glue a mirror tile to remind children that they need to think about how their actions are reflecting Jesus.  On the other side, write or draw something they intend to do during the coming week that will help other people recognise Jesus.

Gather together and pray that God will help them to show Jesus to others this week.  Take the labels home and ask the children to tie them somewhere they will be able to see them as a reminder during the next few days.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Button Prayers

If you are looking for an active, kinaesthetic, way of praying in a small group or even with the whole congregation, then this might be for you! You will need: A collection of buttons of different shapes, sizes and colours- at least one button for each person praying. Give everyone a button. Feel the hardness of the button and think about people who are going through hard times.  Ask God to help them. Buttons are used to fasten clothes together.  Ask God to bring together people who have fallen out and moved apart from each other.  Pray that He will bring peace. Look at your button and see how many holes it has.  Think of that number of things you would like to say thank you to God for and say Thank you prayers. Look at the colour of the button and say thank you to God for something that is that colour  Find someone who has the same colour button as you.  You might want to make a small group of people with the...
1 comment
Read more

Trusting God: The Amazing Water Glass Trick!

I used this idea in an assembly yesterday, focussing on people we trust and what it means to trust God.   This would work really well if you are exploring miracle stories or stories about trust.  Suitable verses to use with it might be:  Joshua 1:9: Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the  Lord  your God will be with you wherever you go.” Psalm 56: 3  When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. John 14: 1  Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me  I have to admit that this trick is not an original idea.  I found the trick in this book:  Simple Science Object Talks by Heno Head Jnr  and would definitely recommend getting cold of a copy if you can! You will need: A glass of water (about half- 2/3 filled) and an index card. This is what you do: place the index card over the top of the glass, making sure that the whole of the rim is covered by it, and press...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Power of Prayer: Skittles Experiment!

This experiment with skittles is colourful, easy and makes a great statement about what we are asking God to do when we pray.  In essence, prayers are a way of joining with God and asking him to have an effect on the world and situations around us. We pray because we believe that our prayers, through God's power, will make a difference to the world.  In this activity, colour is released from the sweets into the surrounding water, creating a colourful picture, symbolic of how the prayers we raise to God are a way of us joining with Him to release the kingdom here on earth and have an impact. You will need: A bag of skittles, a plate, hot water (not hot enough to scald, but hot enough to make the colour run!) Arrange the skittles in the plate Pour some hot water onto the plate to cover its surface.  Pour it carefully so that the skittles stay in place.  Wait and the skittles will gradually release their colour Try an alternative... Cover the s...
Post a Comment
Read more