The Story of a Man Sowing Seeds - 14 September 2013

This page takes you through the various activities we had at Messy Church on 14 September 2013. Have a look and try a few!

Match up

Match up the seeds with the leaves.  Then decide which tree picture you think they belong to.
Seeds need the right conditions to grow and bear fruit

Have you grown any seeds?  How did you care for them?



Clay coasters

Roll out the clay and cut a circle or a square.  Press some seeds in a pattern to decorate it.

The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.
Do you get birds in your garden?  Can you tell what kind they are?

Bird beaks

Make a bird’s beak.

The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.

What kind of birds do you think ate the seeds?






Bird wings

Cut the plastic bag to make two wings and add feathers to it.

The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.

What do you think it would be like to fly like a bird?

Bird cake

Mix all the ingredients to make some bird cake. Hang it outside when you get home and watch the birds enjoy it.

The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.

Do you put out seeds to feed birds?

Scarecrow

Take the scarecrows coat and stuff it with straw. Put canes through and add a head and hat on the top. 
The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.

A scarecrow is put out to scare the birds away.  Sometimes we want to get rid of scary things in our lives, can you think of any?


Grass heads

Put some seeds and then some soil in the stocking.

The seed that was planted in good soil grew well

Take it home and water the seed.  Wait for it to grow.








Plant care

Plant a daffodil bulb in a pot.  Follow the instructions to care for it. You can decorate the pot too.

The seeds that were planted in good soil grew well

What is your favourite flower?

Large collage

Make a picture of the four parts of the story – a plant growing on a path, a plant growing in rocks, a plant growing with weeds and a plant growing on good ground

Jesus told the story about the man sowing seed to show people that it was important to listen to him

Why do you think it is important to listen to Jesus?

Story cakes

Decorate the cake with the different kinds of ground that the seed was sown in

The story talks about different things that get in the way of listening to God

Can you tell the story by looking at the cake?






Toffee

Break off a bit of the toffee.

The seeds that fell on the path were eaten by birds.  They didn’t grow.

The toffee is very hard isn’t it, like a path.  How could a seed grow in something hard like that?






Shallow ground

Can you get a straw to stand up in the sand.  How much sand do you need?

There is only a little soil amongst the rocks.  The seed starts to grow but then the roots can’t grow any further.  When the sun shines the plant dies.

Do you like it when the sun is hot or do you prefer the shade?

Tangled wool

Try to untangle some of the wool.

The roots of the weeds and  plants were tangled up together

In the story this was like the way we get busy and don’t have time for important things we want to do.  What important things do you want to do?

Playdoh fruit

Make different fruit out of the playdohPlants grow well in the good soil.  

Nothing gets in the way and they have a lot of fruit.

What are some good things about knowing Jesus?



Plant a seed

Plant a seed in the good soil

In the story the seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message. They produce as much as a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was planted.

Say a prayer for someone you know

Prayer stones

Plant a seed amongst the stonesThere is only a little soil amongst the rocks.  The seed starts to grow but then the roots can’t grow any further.  When the sun shines the plant dies.

Things that are difficult can get in the way of us living in the way Jesus wants, like the rocks.

Say sorry to God for things that get in the way of living for him

Prayer Box

Think of something you would like people to pray for

Then write on the paper– someone’s name– Or a sentence describing what needs to be prayed for– Or write a prayer yourself Put it in the box

Between now and the next Messy Church, a few people from St Helen’s will pray for this