Fun Easter Activities with Your Kids
Our Lord is Risen! Hallelujah! Easter was always my favorite holiday as a child. Take a minute and think back to how you celebrated Easter as a child. What did you look forward to? The Easter basket filled with candy? Maybe you looked forward to searching for colorful hidden eggs. Did you cherish the moments you spent dying eggs with your brothers and sisters? Holidays are special times for families to create traditions together that result in lasting memories. However, I wonder how often the traditions we create point our children back to the real reason for the celebration. The Easter eggs and pretty dresses and hunts in the back yard are meaningless if we don’t take time to share with our children the reason for our joy....the promise of Eternal Life!
This Lenten season, I would like to share with you a few family activities that could very easily become a new tradition in your home and help you share the story of Jesus with your children.
This week I'll share with you Resurrection Eggs
Resurrection Eggs: This 12 day devotional journey will walk your child through the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Each day, beginning on March 25th egg and read the passage as a family. To begin, you’ll need 12 plastic Easter Eggs and an empty egg carton. Your children may enjoy decorating their egg carton and personalizing it. Have each egg filled ahead of time, with the passage tucked inside the egg as well. Your child will open an egg each day to reveal the surprise and read the passage.
Egg 1: Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey while people praise Him.
Item to place in egg: A piece of a palm branch or leaf.
Passage: Matthew 21:1-11
Egg 2: Mary poured perfume on Jesus’ feet to worship Him.
Item to place in egg: cotton ball sprayed with perfume or cologne
Passage: John 12:2-8
Egg 3: Jesus shares the Last Supper with His disciples.
Item to place in egg: A piece of bread or a cracker
Passage: Matthew 26:17-30
Egg 4: Judas betrays Jesus.
Item to place in egg: 3 dimes
Passage: Matthew 26:14-16
Egg 5: Jesus is arrested and tried before Pilate.
Item to place in egg: a small piece of rope
Passage: Matthew 27:11-26
Egg 6: The soldiers put a crown of thorns on Jesus and mock Him.
Item to place in egg: a thorn or a piece of Chex cereal broken in half
Passage: Matthew 27:27-31
Egg 7: Jesus carries His cross.Item to place in egg: Glue two small toothpicks together to make a cross.
Passage: John 19:16-18
Egg 8: Jesus is crucified. Item to place in egg: a nail
Passage: Matthew 27:32-44
Egg 9: Jesus dies. Item to place in egg: a small piece of sponge soaked in vinegar
Passage: Matthew 27:45-56
Egg 10: Jesus is buried. Item to place in egg: a small rock
Passage: Matthew 27:57-61
Egg 11: The women go to prepare Jesus’ body. Item to place in egg: spices
Passage: Mark 16:1-3
Egg 12: The tomb is empty! All the women find is the linens Jesus had been wrapped in. Item to place in egg: a small piece of white cloth
Passage: John 20:1-18
Next week I'll share: Easter Story CookiesOur Lord is Risen! Hallelujah! Easter was always my favorite holiday as a child. Take a minute and think back to how you celebrated Easter as a child. What did you look forward to? The Easter basket filled with candy? Maybe you looked forward to searching for colorful hidden eggs. Did you cherish the moments you spent dying eggs with your...
Easter Story Cookies
• 1 c whole pecans
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 qt. or gal. size zipper bag
• wooden spoon
• tape
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place pecans in Ziploc bag and let kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Add teaspoon of vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
8. Fold in broken nuts.
9. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
10. Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
11. GO TO BED. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and John 16:22.
12. On Easter morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. Take a bite. Notice - the cookies are hollow. On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
Resurrection Rolls: These rolls are super sticky but a delicious way to remember the real reason we celebrate Easter!
Materials: A can of crescent rolls, a few tablespoons melted butter, 8 large marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar mixture, parchment paper
1. Pre-heat oven according to directions on crescent rolls. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. (This recipe can be very sticky and this step will make clean up much easier!)
2. Unroll the crescent roll triangles. These represent the tomb.
3. Give each child a marshmallow. These represent the body of Jesus.
4. Roll the marshmallows in butter and then cinnamon/sugar. These represent the oils and spices that were used to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
5. Wrap one marshmallow in each crescent roll triangle. Be sure to seal the seams tightly to prevent the gooey mixture inside from seeping out. (They will look more like balls when you are finished). This represents Jesus’ body being buried in the tomb.
6. Place the cresecent rolls on the parchment paper. Place in oven and cook according to directions.
7. After baking, allow to cool before eating.
8. When you open the rolls, they will be empty – just like Jesus’ tomb!
He is Risen! Hallelujah!
We’d love to hear your stories and see your pictures of how you are teaching your children the story of Easter and the joy of our Risen Lord! Share them on our blog, on our facebook page or email me at Our Lord is Risen! Hallelujah! Easter was always my favorite holiday as a child. Take a minute and think back to how you celebrated Easter as a child. What did you look forward to? The Easter basket filled with candy? Maybe you looked forward to searching for cee Open your oven on Easter morning and see the surprise! Ingredients: • Bible • 1 c...
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Be Generous
Why do we need to talk about being generous?
I looked the word up intending to prove that generosity is relative, and was surprised at the definition.
1. Readiness or liberality in giving.
2. Freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character.
3. A generous act: We thanked him for his many generosities.
4. Largeness or fullness; amplitude.
I hadn’t even considered the second definition. Generosity is certainly more than giving or sharing money, or even things, but when I think about it, usually that comes to mind first. I am in the Detroit airport right now, and asked the person sitting next to me what she thought of when asked about generosity. She told me quite a few things, including how she had been at a chain restaurant where the waitress was so good, that she doubled the bill as a tip, and then made a point to talk with the manager to share how great a job that person had done. Here are some of the points I gleaned from all that she told me.
- We shouldn’t have to talk about being generous, it just makes sense to treat people well.
- Generosity often comes when we see ourselves in another’s shoes.
- Generosity often speaks profoundly to the recipient, even to the extent of knowing who “your real friends are.”
- Generosity is about much more than money, and includes time, consideration, and kindness.
On my way off the plane, I helped two people with bags, and started looking for ways to be generous. Generosity is contagious!
So the assignment, if you choose to accept it, missionaries, is as follows:
Ask 2 people the question, “When you think of generosity, what comes to mind?” Be curious in the conversation and ask, “Where have you seen generosity?”
Be generous, and share the story with me at Why do we need to talk about being generous? I looked the word up intending to prove that generosity is relative, and was surprised at the definition. 1. Readiness or liberality in giving. 2. Freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character. 3. A generous act: We thanked him for his many generosities. 4. Largeness or fullness; amplitude. I...
Enthusiastically Engaged
What do the following have in common?
discovering a fresh insight… working to build a community garden in a food desert… running… partnering with community service groups that are making a difference… worshipping at church… caring for the homeless… holding babies in the hospital nursery… subscribing to a new reading plan on the You Version Bible app… dedicating a new business… singing in the worship team… visiting the veterans at the VA… reading the Bible… coloring prayer… writing your 7-year dream… walking in the early morning… joining the altar guild… going on a youth mission trip [for adults and students]… camping… building a house… learning how to create God Space in every conversation [faithBuilders]... biking… learning about preaching… writing a blog post... sharing a story… walking a dog… praying now
All of the above were actual invitations I have personally observed recently.
They were simply and effectively delivered through Facebook, in person, over the phone, with an email, by a hand-written note, or in a letter. Each invitation was extended naturally with eagerness because the inviter was fully and enthusiastically engaged. They loved what they were doing and saw the value in it.
There is something undeniable and unquenchable about a person who possesses a fiery passion for what they are doing. It’s contagious. Duty, obligation, burden, fear, hesitancy, all seem to melt away.
As followers of Jesus I often wonder why that joy and natural effort is so rare. I also wonder what might happen in the lives of our friends and neighbors who don’t follow Jesus if WE were to discover what we fully and enthusiastically loved as we followed Jesus. Do you think our friends and neighbors might be caught off guard and say, “I love it that they LOVE following Jesus”?
As you read this issue of the Good News ask yourself:
What do the following have in common? discovering a fresh insight… working to build a community garden in a food desert… running… partnering with community service groups that are making a difference… worshipping at church… caring for the homeless… holding babies in the hospital nursery… subscribing to a new reading plan on the You Version Bible...
Our New Eastside Location
I’ve been waiting for quite a while to be able to write this update. As many of you know, the Church in East Madison has been looking for a permanent home for quite a while. And now we have one!
258 Corporate Drive, Madison, Suite 262 is the location of the Church in East Madison.
It’s close to the intersection [NE] of Hwy 51 and Milwaukee Street, north of Woodman’s and just behind the main Madison Post Office, in the center of the Office Building.
It was a long process trying to find a place that would work and that we could afford, but God finally led us to this space, and it’s really exciting. We met there for worship the last three Sunday nights at 5PM. And we’re starting to get a feel for what we want to do with the space. Right now it’s just metal folding chairs, sound system and wires, a projector, along with some bean bags in the kids’ room. But we’re making progress.
Our next steps are:
“In East Madison” Launch Plan –Our public launch is scheduled for this December with an Incarnational theme during Advent.
“From Corporate Drive” Facility Use Plan –Aiming to best serve the community.
“Together” lifeGroup Plan – Seeking to multiply to at least 3 groups prior to launch.
“As the Church” Prayer Campaign – Intentionally bringing our Impact Lists and Invitations before God in prayer together.
Over the last few years, we have experienced corporate worship in a YMCA, in our own living rooms, in another church’s build-ing and at the occasional park. We’ve learned a lot, and look forward to continuing to reach East Madison from this new space. Please stop by and check out the Church’s new space sometime. Join us for worship on Sunday nights at 5PM, or call me or shoot me an e-mail and I would be happy to show it off.
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