Easter
AGE: Infants and Juniors |
THEME: Easter |
AIM: |
| To encourage thinking about the meaning of Easter, as an alternative to the often-told story of the events of Easter. |
RESOURCES: |
It will be helpful if you can use:
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DEVELOPMENT: |
| This Collective Worship could be used as one act or could be developed into two or three, depending on the time available. PART ONE 1.1 Start the worship in bright light. 1.2 Make a cheerful introduction referring to examples of things in life for which we can be grateful, and which make us happy. (Children can be prepared to lead this part of the session for themselves.) 1.3 Pause. Then invite the children to think about events which cause sadness and unhappiness. (Again, with some preparation, children can lead this part of the session.) As each example is mentioned, allow a few seconds for thought and, as you do so, lower the lighting using the dimmer switch, or switching off selected lights in the room. 1.4 Make the connection, in some way related to the children, that sadness is like a darkness in life. The bad things we do and say - and what other people do - can bring darkness into the lives of other people. This is not what God wants in the world of his creation. Recall the time when Jesus was put to death and the writers of the Bible said there was darkness across the land. The people who watched were very sad... 1.5 Read Luke 24.44-48 1.6 Give time for reflection about occasions when children have caused sadness in the lives of others. Some examples could be given here. Give time for the children to be sorry. 1.7 At this point 'Lord of the Dance' could be sung - but stop at verse 4. 1.8 Finish with the thought that God wants us to live a life which brings light, not darkness, into the world around us and invite the children to make some suggestions of what sort of actions bring light into the lives of other people. PART TWO 2.1 If you are using this as a second occasion for worship, repeat the pattern of Part One but start with darkness and move to light - asking the children to provide their own examples of what brings light into the world and raising the level of light as you do so. 2.2 John 9.1-5 could be read, followed by John 8.12. Make the point that doing the sort of thing Jesus would have done in life is a way of bringing light. 2.3 Again give time for reflection about what the children can do which brings light into their world. 2.4 This time, sing 'Lord of the Dance' but sing all five verses. PART THREE (This depends on using an inextinguishable birthday candle, or some equivalent) 3.1 Briefly revisit the idea of 'good' being associated with light and 'bad' with darkness. 3.2 Take the candle and show how it can't be blown out. Some good fun can be had here by inviting the children to join in the blowing. 3.3 Make links between:
3.5 Read Matthew 5.14-16 3.6 Sing one of the following:
3.7 Give time for reflection on how we can live more like the example Jesus set. |
REFLECTION: |
| See suggestions at paragraphs 1.6, 2.3 and 3.7 above. |
READINGS: |
| See suggestions at paragraphs 1.5, 2.2 and 3.5 |
MUSIC: |
| See suggestions at paragraphs 1.7 and 3.6 |
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: |
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