Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

 It's been really busy recently reopening the church and doing many risk assessments. Not everyone is able or confident to return just yet, though, so we are continuing with our weekly online family services. This week we are taking a look at the story of Jesus and the 10 lepers and exploring the theme of thankfulness. If you fancy joining in, here are some links to the resources we are using: The video of the service including sorry and thank you prayers, story, wondering questions and creative prayer activity. The service liturgy if you'd like to join in can be printed off by clicking here . Click here to print off the play dough mat: Click here for more ideas on saying thank you.

This play dough mat will work with any of the stories where Jesus performs a healing miracle- Jairus' daughter, the 10 lepers, Bartimaeus... As usual, print out, laminate for repeated use and start creating!   The focus is on Jesus' love shown through his healing power and will hopefully provide opportunities for children to think and pray about people who are ill.  It's also a great opportunity for leaders and children to share their own testimonies of God's healing! Click here to print out the play dough mat.

On Wednesday we have a thanksgiving service at school and my job is to tell the story.  We're going to look at the importance of remembering to say sorry by using the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers.  As usual, the story needs to be as visual and interesting as possible.  I thought about it for quite a while and came up with various scenarios including the use of rubber gloves, but this is what I decided on in the end... You need a chain of 10 'lepers' made from sticky backed contact paper with white sticky dots randomly stuck onto it (I happened to have red in the cupboard, but any colour will do!) Use them to tell the beginning of the story when the group of lepers see Jesus and call out to him to have pity on them.  Jesus sends them away to see the priests and as they go they are healed.  At this point, pull the sticky side away from the backing paper and dispose of it (leaving the paper behind as the 'healed' lepers. Put the 'healed leper...