Jesus at a wedding

This page takes you through the various activities we had at Messy Church on 8th October 2016. Have a look and try a few!

Bride and groom

Make the clothes of the bride and groom by sticking on cloth.  Make them look very well dressed

Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding.  They were friends of the family.

How did the groom feel when he ran out of wine?  How did he feel when he found they had lots of good wine after all?

Wedding guests

Add some wedding guests to the painting

There were lots of guests at the wedding that Jesus went to.  So many that they ran out of wine.

Have you been invited to a wedding?  What did you wear?  What would you like to wear if you were invited to another wedding?

Decorate glasses

Stick tissue paper onto the glasses to decorate them.

Coat the glass with glue to make it shiny

Jesus was at a wedding where they ran out of wine to drink

Have you ever run out of something you needed?  What did you do about it?

Wedding wooden spoon

Wrap ribbon and lace around the spoon handle.

Then write or draw on the spoon bowl.  You could draw a glass of water on one side and a glass of wine on the other, colour one side blue and the other purple.  Or you could write Jesus turned water into wine.

Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding.  He went with his mother.

Have you ever been to a wedding?  What did you like about it?

Buttonhole

Take several sheets of tissue paper and fold them.  Then twist the end of a pipecleaner round the tissue paper to make the stem of a flower

Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding

Guests at a wedding may wear buttonholes

You can wear your buttonhole as you go to church to hear the wedding story being told

Wedding favours

Decorate a box.  Make it look special as it is for a wedding.  Put a chocolate in it.  You can take it away to give someone as a present.

Jesus gave a very special present at this wedding.  When they ran out of wine, he turned water into wine for them to drink.

Wedding favours are sometimes given to guests to thank them for coming to a wedding?  Who will you give yours to?

Wedding cakes

Ice a cupcake.  Then make a marshmallow into a flower by slicing it four times and spreading it out to make four petals.  Slice a piece off another marshmallow to make a centre.

The wedding Jesus went to was a very special occasion.  They had special food and drink.  But the best wine, was the wine Jesus got from the water.

I wonder what food they had at the wedding Jesus went to.  What do you think?

 Confetti painting

Spray different colours of paint onto the paper using brushes and toothbrushes.  Be careful just to spray it into the paper, not onto anyone else!

Jesus showed he wanted the couple to have a happy marriage by making sure their wedding feast went well

Throwing confetti at weddings is a custom that has been followed for hundreds of years.  It started in Italy and petals, grain or rice could be thrown.  It showed that they wanted the couple to have happy lives together.

Confetti

Punch different shaped holes in the paper and fill a bag.

Jesus showed he wanted the couple to have a happy marriage by making sure their wedding feast went well

Throwing confetti at weddings is a custom that has been followed for hundreds of years.  It started in Italy and petals, grain or rice could be thrown.  It showed that they wanted the couple to have happy lives together.

Clay jar

Mould the clay into a small water jar

The water jars at this wedding were big.  They each held  about 100 Litres of water.  There were 6 of them, so that was 600 litres of water.  This water was usually for washing not for drinking.

How much water do you drink a day?

Mocktail making

Make a drink from the different cordials on the table.

When the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine, he found it was the best wine they had had all day.

What does it taste like?  Which mix tastes the best?

Water play

Pour the water using the different jugs, jars and beakers you can find

The servants filled six stone water jars when Jesus told them to

Their jars held 100 litres.  How long do you think it took them to fill each jar?

Decorate dishcloth

How many jobs can you think of that need doing around the house?

Write them on a dishcloth, or draw a picture of them.  Take it home to remind you.

Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water, and they filled them to the brim.  Then they took some water to the master of the banquet.

What jobs do you like doing at home?

Prayer flowers

Take a flower or cut one out yourself.  Write on it something or someone that you want to pray for.

Fold over the petals and then place it gently on the water.  Watch the petals open as you pray.

The groom at the wedding told Jesus his problem and Jesus sorted it out

What do you want to tell Jesus about?

Adult colouring

Colour in one of these pictures or draw your own

Jesus’ mother was at the wedding.  Jesus and his disciples were also invited

Think about weddings that you have been to.  What special things can you remember?

Ten Lepers Healed

This page takes you through the various activities we had at Messy Church on 10th September 2016. Have a look and try a few!

Fake Leprosy Sores

Cut out some bubble circles from the bubble wrap.  Glue them to the end of a plaster and cut it off.  Then stick them to your skin.  Use yellow face paint to make them horribly pus coloured, and then put a little red lipstick or face paint round the edge to look like inflamed skin.

Leprosy was a horrible disease.  When you were a leper no-one wanted to talk to you or be near you in case they caught the leprosy from you.

What must it have been like to have leprosy?

Thankyou God Banner

Decorate the letters with sponge paints.  Then put them on the banner

One of the people who was healed went back to say thankyou to Jesus

What things do you have to be thankful for?

Invisible Thankyou Prayers

Write a thankyou prayer with the UV ink pens.  You can’t see what you’ve written until you shine a UV light on it

The people who were healed by Jesus could see him, but we can’t. 

We may think our prayers are invisible but God can see every one. 

Can you think of anything else that is invisible?

Soap carving

Carve into the bar of soap with a knife.  You could carve a cross, or a heart, or just use your imagination.

Jesus healed the people with leprosy.  He made them clean.

In what ways can Jesus shape us?

Bath bomb

Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.  Then add the liquid gradually to the powder.

Put the mixture into the fairy cake cases before it dries out and gently press down to firm it up. 

Jesus healed the people with leprosy.  He made them clean.

Do you like having a bath or a shower?

Thankyou Stone

Draw a design carefully on your stone, then paint between the lines.  Finally get it sprayed with varnish.  You can give the paper weight to someone special.

One of the people healed went back to thank Jesus

Think of some people you would like to thank

Sad and happy leper

Draw a sad face on one side and a happy face on the other.  Cut up little bits of material and stick them on as robes.  Use thin strips as bandages for the head, hands and feet.

Sprinkle a bit of coffee on and dampen it to look like dirt

The lepers were very poor and lived away from everyone

Can you think of things that make you sad?  And things that make you happy?

Thankyou cake

Ice a cake and decorate it

One of the people healed came back to thank Jesus

How can we help people who are ill?

Tile people healed

Draw a person on the tile with a black pen.  Then add spots with a red pen.  You can rub the red spots off with a cloth.

Jesus told the ten lepers to go to have their skin examined.  On the way they were made clean.

Have you ever been ill?  What was it like to get better?

Thankyou gift

Stick the sides of the box together with double sided tape

Decorate the box

Put some tissue paper in the box and add a sweet

Choose someone you would like to thank and give it to them

One of the lepers came back to thank Jesus

Who are you going to give your box to?

Wooden man goes to see Jesus

Decorate a wooden person and put material clothes on

Colour in the scene.  Glue some sand to the road.

Slot the person into the card so that he looks like they walk along the road to Jesus

Jesus was surprised that only one of the ten men came back to thank him

Would you have been very excited and run into the town to thank everyone?  Or would you have remembered to go back to thank Jesus?

Thankyou Wipe Boards

Attach a wipe board to some card with double sided tape . 

Stick the ‘thankyou’ phrase on to the card

Then decorate with stickers

One of the lepers came back to thank Jesus

Where can you put this wipe board to remind you to write thanks on it each day?

Big Village

Can you add something to this model of the story

                - a clay cave for the lepers to live in (they had to live away from everyone so that they couldn’t spread their disease)

                - a sandy path

                - village from boxes

                - nine healed people going into the village

                - one going back to thank Jesus (he threw himself to the ground at Jesus feet)

Which bit of this story is the most surprising for you?

Prayer Tree

Think of things you want to thank God for.  Write or draw them on the leaves and stick them to the tree.

One of the ten lepers came back to thank Jesus for healing him

How many different things can you think of?

Adult colouring

Colour in one of these pictures or draw your own Thanks.  You could give it to someone when you’ve finished

One of the ten lepers came back to thank Jesus for healing him

Are you good at saying thankyou, or do you forget?

Team Jesus

This page takes you through the various activities we had at Messy Church on 9th July 2016. Have a look and try a few!

Disciple Badge

Colour in a badge and write your name on it.  Then write on Disciple of Jesus.  Cut it out and heat it in an oven following the instructions.  Stick a pin to the back.

Disciple means follower of a teacher.  The people who followed Jesus were known as his disciples.

What would it be like to follow Jesus?

Clay Trophy

Make a trophy out of clay

Jesus said that following him was good news, it was being on the winning team

Have you ever won anything?  What did you win it for?

Friendship Bracelet

Tie the paracord to make a bracelet following the instructions you are given

The people who followed Jesus got to know him well.  They became his friends.

Who are your friends?  What makes a good friend?  What is it like to have God as your friend?

Messy eating

Choose a partner and one of you put on a blindfold.  The blindfolded person stands behind the other, putting their arms under their partner’s arms.  Then try to feed them and give them a drink following their instructions – without making a mess!

Jesus said to the disciples ‘Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people’

How does it feel to be blind and follow instructions?  How hard is it to give clear instructions?

Paint a plate

Put your name in the middle of the plate.  Round the edge put some of the things you like and perhaps what sort of person you are (loud or quiet; sporty or musical; how old you are etc)

Jesus disciples were all different, but together they made a team

Can you think of some people who are different from you, but you do some things together?  What can be good about different people working together?

Foam Visors

Stick ‘Team Jesus’ onto the visor, and then decorate it

Jesus has many followers called disciples.  They make up his team.

What does it mean to follow Jesus, to be in his team?

Felt Fish

Sew the pieces of felt together, fill them with stuffing and stick on an eye

Four of Jesus followers were fishermen.  They left their nets to follow him.

What kinds of fish can you think of?

Comb Wave Painting

Paint a wavy line with a comb to look like the sea.  Stick on some fish.

Jesus lived near the Sea of Galilee, and he was walking by it when he saw Simon and Andrew, James and John

Would you like to live near the sea?

CD Fish

Stick the card onto the CD to make a fish

Four of Jesus’ followers were fishermen.  They left their nets to follow him.

Do you think they were happy or sad to leave their fishing behind?

Team Jesus Quiz

Can you work out the answers to the quiz?  Put your answers in the box to get a prize

Jesus chose twelve of his followers to be with him all the time and to work with him

Would you like to be in Team Jesus?

Wellies

Make prints with the big wellies.  Then someone wearing small wellies can try to stand in their footprints

Jesus followers learnt a lot from him, they learnt to live like him

What can we learn from Jesus?

Junk Modelling Boats 

Can you make a boat out of this junk?

James and John were in a boat mending their nets when Jesus saw them

Have you ever been in a boat?  What sort of boat was it?  Did you travel far?

Fish wafer

Ice the wafer to look like the sea, then make a fish on it with strawberry laces

Fish were very important to followers of Jesus. They used a picture of a fish as a secret sign so that other people would know they followed Jesus.

What do you think would be a good sign to use to show that you follow Jesus?

Prayer Hands

Draw round your hand and cut it out.  Then decorate it however you like.  Punch a hole in it and hang it up on the prayer tree

Following Jesus is like taking his hand and trusting him

As you hang your hand on the prayer tree, talk to Jesus about whatever is on your mind

Adult colouring

Colour in one of these pictures or draw your own picture of the sea

Simon and Andrew, James and John, were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee before they followed Jesus

What sort of people do you think they were?

God gives the Holy Spirit

This page takes you through the various activities we had at Messy Church on 14th May 2016. Have a look and try a few!

Kites

Fold the paper into a kite shape and attach a support across it.  Punch a hole and attach the ribbon through it.  Your kite is ready to fly 

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

How would you describe the wind?

Windsock
Cut the cloth to make a windsock and attach string to it

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

What is it like when the wind blows very strongly?  Do you like to be out on a windy day?

Origami banger

Fold some paper with the instructions on the table

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

To make it bang:  Hold it above your head. Swing your arm down as fast as you can, snapping forward with your wrist at the same time. The inner flap of the banger should pop out into a "balloon" in front of the banger, making a noise.

Windmill

Cut the paper and fold it to make a windmill shape.  Put a split pin through it, through a bead and then through a straw.  Blow on it and it will spin.

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

What sound do you think a violent wind makes?

Balloon powered car

Put two sticks through the tray and put bottle tops for wheels on each end.  Put a straw in a balloon and sellotape round to seal it.  Then fix it to the top of the tray.  Blow up the balloon through the straw and let it go on the table to see it move.

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Whose car goes the fastest?

Ping pong obstacle course

Blow the ping pong ball around the course with a straw

Jesus’ disciples were all together in one place.  Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Can you see the air move?  The Holy Spirit is a bit like this?  You can’t see him, but when he works in people’s lives you can see the difference he makes.

Flicker people

Colour in the pictures.  Tape straw to the centre of the paper them fold the paper and stick together.  When you twist the straw the flame will look like it is flickering over the figure’s head.

The followers of Jesus saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person.

Fire was often a symbol of God’s presence in the Bible

What do you think Jesus followers thought when they saw the flames?

Paper flame

Take one of the pieces of paper and fold it.  Cut along the lines.  Make sure you stop where the line stops.  Then open out the paper.  Take the two corners closest to the centre, bend them towards each other and stick them together.

Take the next two and bend them the other way and stick them.  Keep going til you have done all the corners.

The followers of Jesus saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person

How do you think they felt when they saw the flames?

Flames across the world

Draw a cross shape at the bottom of your map of the world and put a big blob of paint in the middle of it. Then with a straw blow the paint across the map to look like flames.  Can you get the paint to every area of the world?  Sprinkle glitter on to make it sparkle

Jews were there from every country in the world

Since the day the Holy Spirit came the story of Jesus has spread all over the world.  How do you think this happened?

Decorate plate

Choose some of the names of God in different languages.  Write them on the plate and decorate the plate with flames

They began to speak different languages by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them.

Do you speak any languages other than English?  If you do say something to the person next to you in another language.

Playdoh birthday cake

Make a birthday cake out of playdoh

People think of this day when God gave the Holy Spirit as being the start of the church, so it is its birthday.  It is a very special day and it is celebrated tomorrow.

How could you celebrate tomorrow?

Filling

Pipe cream into a pastry horn

Jesus followers were all filled with the Holy Spirit

What is it like to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Gift

Wrap a chocolate and decorate the paper.  Add a gift tag

Peter said ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’

What do you do when you are given a gift?  The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to the world

Jelly fun

Make up some jelly.  Put your hands and feet into the jelly and enjoy the squidgy texture.  Then change it back to liquid.

The Holy Spirit changed the followers of Jesus

What ways do you think the Holy Spirit can change people?  What way would you like to be changed?

Flame prayers

The story of Jesus and God’s Holy Spirit have spread all around the world.

Have you visited any different countries?  Or do you know someone who lives in another country.

Write those countries on strips of paper and hang them on the prayer tree

Father we pray that the news of you will continue to spread in these countries.  We pray that they will know the help of the Holy Spirit in all the hard things they face.  Amen

Grape juice

Squeeze the juice out of the grapes with a crusher

People made fun of Jesus’ disciples.  They thought they had drunk too much wine and that that was why they were making so much noise.  But Peter told them they were being filled with something else, the Holy Spirit

How do you think people would know if you were being filled with the Holy Spirit?

Adult colouring

Colour in one of these pictures or draw your own picture of flames

People think of this day when God gave the Holy Spirit as being the start of the church, so it is its birthday.  It is a very special day and it will be celebrated tomorrow

How could you celebrate tomorrow?