STEPPING STONES TO EASTER

Developed by Te Awamutu Rallies

Some of you may be aware of the ‘stations of the cross’. We wanted to do the real story of Easter at Rally-sharing the story in segments, but doing some activity with each segment. We wanted to divide the story into about 10 slots, and have 5-7 mins at each place. I know it means some groups will start with the last slot and then come to the first one and they won’t all be able to start at the beginning. But they will still get to understand the lesson once they have completed all the segments.

For a smaller Rally you may divide them into groups and each group does the same, but for our larger Rally we moved each group around the segments as we wouldn’t have had enough scissors etc for all to do the same thing at the same time.

Here are our ideas, but they can be changed and adapted to the way you see it.

1.Either find a narrative on the internet for the Easter story or do readings direct from the Bible. We had an activity of some kind for each segment as well as the reading that went with it. We also typed the readings into 10 segments, added some graphics and made them into a booklet for each member and gave out at the start of the programme.

* Matt 27:11-26. Jesus before Pilate – Activity – Crossword/maze/anagrams. See which team completes the most correctly & quickest. Have them relating to this part of story. Or have all members wash their hands in a bowl, dry on paper towel and discuss if you can ‘wash your hands’ of responsibility this easily.

* Matt 7: 27-31. Crown of thorns – Hobby - Make a cross from thin bamboo/wood. Tie together with string or nail together. Decorate if desired. Or make a wreath from pieces of willow. Tie together with flax.

* Luke 23: 26-32. Carrying cross/Simon of Cyrene - Game – 2 kids carry/drag a cross a specified distance and lift into a hole. If inside, make a large wood frame to drop it into.

* Luke 23: 33-36. Dividing Jesus clothes - Hobby –wooden dice – pre-cut wood cubes, sand and pokerwork or use marker pen to inscribe the numbers. Or play the ‘dice’ game with a block of chocolate, knife & fork. If you throw a 6 you can cut one piece and eat it.

* Luke 23: 38-48. Jesus dies- Activity – We made a LARGE (18cm) long wooden nail to show them. Discuss what happened. Share a short Gospel message… (Here is a nail the same size as some of the Roman nails of the time. Imagine that being hammered into your hands and feet. Jesus was willing to suffer all this because He loves us so much. Dying on the cross was so He could be punished for all the wrong things we do, instead of us having to be punished. Jesus sure does love us.)

In their booklet get members to copy the words that were written above Jesus head (The king of the Jews) in Japanese or Maori (Te kingi o te Hurai). (Or Hebrew/Arabic/Greek)

* Matt 27:57-61. Burial of Jesus – Hobby – Stone paper weight. Paint a suitable picture (sunrise) or words (he is risen) on it. You only have a few minutes so it needs to be simple. Or have the team wrap one member in paper towels like a ‘mummy’. Judge the best.

* Matt 27: 62-66. Guarding the tomb – Game – Play pictionary with play-dough. Divide group in half or have team competitions – first to make – angel, tree, sword, guard, tomb.

* Matt 28: 1-10. Resurrection – Activity – Have some dress-ups there, set members into position, have a leader read the narrative and the kids act it out. We had a large round piece of card painted like a stone to roll away. Could do this in a darkened room, use a short DVD.

Other ideas – ice & eat a hot cross bun & have a red drink as supper ( red drink reminds of Jesus blood); bookmark (make, decorate or colour); give points at some slots eg. how many of the crosswords did you get, how many times could your team carry/drag the cross and place it in the hole; give Easter eggs for prizes to winning teams, or best bookmark or team acting. Or all of them! Give them all an Easter egg as a gift as they leave, or make small chocolate crosses and give one each. To make – melt plain choc and stir in chopped nuts and sultanas. Lay a spoonful of choc in a small cross shape, on greaseproof paper. When dry lift carefully off. That could be one of the activities they all do.