Easter and beyond

Jane Butcher

Easter and beyond

Maybe, like me, you move towards Holy Week and Easter Sunday with a mixture of feelings. Holy Week itself may bring about reflection, a sense of sadness, confusion, guilt or any number of other feelings. Easter Sunday may bring feelings of celebration, gratitude and maybe for some also the enjoyment of being able to have the 'treats' that have been given up during Lent.

How can we discover, explore and share the journey of Holy Week, Easter and beyond? The following ideas are ways in which families or indeed any group or individual might be able to do this in their home or church. There is an activity for the Easter weekend and one to take us beyond Easter to Pentecost.

Our prayer for you and for ourselves is that these might help as we focus upon the great sacrifice given that we might know the joy of the risen Christ this Easter and beyond.

Empty tomb rolls-Easter Saturday or Easter Sunday

Take a small piece of bread dough - enough to make a normal size bread roll.

Wrap it around a marshmallow, making sure that the marshmallow is completely surrounded.

Bake in the oven at the same temperature and time as a normal bread roll.

When it is baked, take it out from the oven. To check whether it is cooked, tap on the bottom of the roll. If it sounds hollow, it should be cooked.

Break open the roll. The marshmallow will have dissolved during the baking (the secret is not to have too much bread dough as it needs to be completely cooked to work) and you will be left with a roll with a hollow inside - the empty tomb. Eat and enjoy!

Prayer and thanks Cross - Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday

Cut out the shape of a cross - either one per person or one for the whole group or family.

Draw a circle in the centre that should remain blank until Pentecost Sunday (this is on 31st May in 2009).

One day each week (maybe each Sunday or a chosen day when the family is together), take time to write on the cross one thing you are thankful for and one thing/situation/person you would like to pray for throughout the following week. Take time then to start by saying a brief prayer out loud or silently for those things you have written. Maybe you could write each one in a different colour.

On Pentecost Sunday decide as an individual, family or group on one thing you each would like to give thanks for that day - maybe situations you have been praying for that have improved or prayers that have been answered or for the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us. Write those things for which you will pray in the centre circle and take some time to pray for those things.

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