Lovely JubblyMartyn Payne |
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On Your Marks: The following special outreach event for families and children is set out in the same format as the outlines in the book Footsteps to the Feast. These days provide an opportunity to explore the Big Story of God’s purposes for the world and its people, linking to Christian Feast Days and Festival themes. Many children and families either come irregularly to church now or have been disconnected from the Christian story for some time and so, being invited to a special half-term event such as this is one way to introduce the story to them. The following idea contains material for icebreakers, team games, drama and music. At its heart there is space for Bible storytelling, reflection and simple worship. The festival in question here is Valentine’s Day, using it as an opening to pick up on the wonder of God’s love for each one of us. Get Set: Read through the material below and select carefully the ideas that will suit the dimensions of your venue and the adults and children who you hope to invite to this event. You will need a team of leaders, including someone to be up front and others to take groups or be responsible for the workshops. In addition, there should be stewards, a registration team and additional helpers for the groups. For information about running special events that include children see the safety guidelines in Footsteps to the Feast or go to Organizing a Children’s Event. Go! A children’s or all-age event celebrating St Valentine’s Day Here are the sections for this event:
Introduction to the themeNot much is known about St Valentine. He lived in the third century after Jesus and was probably a bishop in Italy. He died for his faith during a period of heavy persecution. It is possible that Valentine was a doctor as well as a priest and this tradition is preserved in images of the saint that show him healing a sick child. There is, however, nothing to connect him with the sending of valentines nor any of the other customs that go with this day. Instead the link seems to be that, according to medieval folklore, around the time of his feast day at the beginning of spring (in the northern hemisphere) birds begin to choose their mates. From this comes the idea of sending your ‘true love’ a card or present as evidence of your affection and intentions. It is, of course, a great excuse to test out some secret romances and also for the card companies to make lots of money and create a market between Christmas and Mothering Sunday! Plenty of bunches of flowers are sent at this time of year along with many boxes of chocolates. The focus on a celebration of love does, however, offer a moment to explore God’s amazing and unchanging love for us and for his creation. This is a love that cost God’s own life when Jesus accepted death on the cross as the way to give to us all a fresh start and restore an intimacy with God that had been planned from the beginning. The truth that there is a God and that this God loves each one of us to bits is fundamental to the gospel message. It is this love that can inspire and enable the love between people, which St Valentine’s Day traditionally celebrates, and so it is the best love story to tell as we pass on the gospel to our children on a day like this. The Bible tells us that ‘God’s love never fails’ (Psalm 136:1, CEV) and that God’s love is ‘more powerful than death and stronger than the grave’ (Song of Songs 8:6). This is the story at the heart of the following resource as we explore a love that is stronger than danger, darkness or death. It is the love that Christians experience within their hearts as it is poured in by the Holy Spirit in response to our faith in Jesus (see Romans 5:5). Bible FootstepsThe stories used can be found in Mark 4:35-41; Mark 5:1-20 and John 11:17-44. Why not use the retelling of two of these Bible stories as they appear in The Barnabas Children’s Bible—see ‘The storm on the lake’ (page 238) and ‘Life after death’ (page 252). First StepsAs the children arrive and are registered, put them into teams, depending on numbers and space available, each having a team base and team leader. Perhaps the teams could be colour-coded and the areas decorated accordingly with pictures of hearts, flowers, bows and chocolates that tie in with the traditions of Valentine’s Day presents.
Footsteps ChantHere is a special Valentine’s Day chant that you could use during the event as you move from one activity to another or if you want to call the whole group together at anytime. Initiate a simple clapping rhythm and then have the children echo each line of the poem after you, repeating it several times, varying pace and volume:
We’re on a special journey
First FootingThere are other symbols that could be used to talk about the love of God, which goes on forever and ever. The following group exercises pick up on some of these and have links to Brain Gym TM, which is used in many schools to help children think more creatively and clearly by integrating the left and right parts of the brain. Introduce some or all of the following exercises as an interactive workout to start your time together (as well as to use up surplus energy!) 1. Lift high the cross A cross shape is used as a sign for love in the form of a kiss after a person’s name on a letter. Of course, for Christians,a cross is also a sign of God’s love to us—God’s eternal kiss of love for each one of us. Explore the range of ways that a cross can be made and expressed with our bodies:
Repeat these movements fairly briskly.
2. God’s eternal love Another recommended crossover movement is to make use of the mathematical symbol for eternity which is an 8 on its side... sometimes called a ‘lazy 8’. You could accompany the making of this sign in the ways described below with the words ‘God’s love lasts for ever’. Extend your right hand and with your index finger trace the eternity symbol in a large circuit out in front of your body. Follow it with your eyes, but do not move your head.
3. Reflecting God’s love God longs that his character, which is love, be seen and reflected in our lives. As the Apostle John puts it in his letter: ‘We love because God loved us first’ (1 John 4:19, CEV). What follows are various ‘mirroring activities’ linked to this idea, using opposite parts of our bodies. God’s love similarly can integrate us to be the complete person God wants us to be. Extend each arm out in front of the body pointing forwards. Simultaneously trace with the index fingers a particular shape on either side of the centre line of your body as you stand erect and still:
Repeat these shapes but change the direction in which you draw them.
FootbridgeHere are some suggestions for simple games to play as a group on the theme of love. 1. ‘Do you love your neighbour?’ In the Bible, the test of whether we love others is summed up by asking question ‘do you love your neighbour?’ Sit in a circle to play this game: Have someone volunteer to be an interviewer, maybe with a pretend microphone. He or she is seeing whether people ‘on the street’ really do ‘love their neighbour’.
2. Living Letters In groups of four, ask the children and adults, with help from leaders, to make their bodies into letter shapes that spell the four letters of some different words. The first word is HATE and then slowly, by changing one letter (one person) at a time into a different letter, the word can be turned to LOVE.
3. Relay love Organize a relay game between teams in which they have to run from one point to collect from another a series of tokens and then bring them back in a particular way:
4. Love crossed Play a life-size game of 3-D noughts and crosses. Divide the whole group into two teams and supply each team with a set of either crosses or noughts. The game is played on a three-by-three grid in between the teams. Each square on the grid must be large enough to take up to three people. The first layer of the 3-D game involves sitting on the floor for any who are carrying a nought or a cross; for the second layer of the game those carrying the noughts and crosses should sit on a chair; and for the third layer others stand by the chair with their symbol. The idea is for one of the teams to get three in a row, horizontally, diagonally or vertically. You will need a referee! Best foot forwardThere are three possible stories suggested for exploring the power of God’s love over everything that spoils our lives. Each is taken from the Gospels and after each one Jesus’ friends and those looking on are amazed at God’s power. Depending on the age range of your audience and the time available, tell one or more of these stories in this section of the event. Here are the stories:
For each one of the stories there are already suggestions for dramatic ways of retelling them on our
Barnabas website:
Whether you tell one, two or three of the stories, bring it to a climax each time, building up to a simple punch line, namely:
FootrestAt this point in the programme, take a break for a drink and a biscuit. FootprintsNow comes an opportunity for groups to explore the stories and theme in up to three activities, depending on the time available. The suggestions for three workshops are drama (Footlights), music (Footnotes) and craft (Fancy Footwork). It may be better, depending on the numbers involved, to do each activity all together and in succession as opposed to working a carousel of activities so that there are not too many in each group. You might decide to leave out one of activities, possibly the music workshop, incorporating its suggestions into other parts of the programme. FootlightsIf you are having three groups, then each one could work on one particular story from the three that are suggested. This could then lead to an opportunity for a short presentation to a wider audience at the end of the event. For each story the pattern for the workshop, however, is the same and begins with some simple drama games to set the scene.
2. Use In and out—a dramatic activity as a way to explore the feelings in the stories, for example fear, tiredness, sadness, shock, anger, excitement, boredom, joy, peace. 3. Start the drama off by asking the group to create a freeze-frames of one moment from the story, for example:
FootnotesHere are some songs on the theme of God’s love that you could use for this event and practise during the workshop:
There is also a song to the tune of ‘Match of the Day’ written by Lucy Moore, which involves the group creating some of the words for the song. You need three large objects thought up by the group. These might range from dinosaurs to jumbo jets, and each needs an action to go with it. God’s Love You know it’s bigger than a…
(object 1)
It’s bigger than a…
(object 3)
If you run a separate music workshop, there may also be time to interpret the stories through sounds. Choose one percussion instrument to be the sound of God’s love. Use other instruments to create the atmosphere of danger, darkness and death from the stories. Then the instrument that signifies love should begin sounding to challenge and eventually silence all the other sounds. Fancy footwork1. Collect together a variety of coloured beads and some string to create friendship bracelets. Let each child decide on one larger coloured bead that will represent God’s love, which they should string into the middle of the bracelet. 2. Create a heart-shaped Valentine’s card and then divide the heart into three sections, using two lines. In each section the children could draw pictures from the stories they have heard. Add lettering around the heart, which reads ‘God’s love is greater than…’ Inside the heart there could also be some words from the Bible about love. One suggestion is:
3. Craft shops sell sets of small gold, red or plain heart-shaped boxes. Give one to each child to decorate in different ways with coloured pens, stickers or other craft pieces to make their own special box in which they could keep a small cross to remind them of God’s love for them. FootholdAs part of your special event make space for some quieter reflection and worship together. Gather the group in a large semicircle so everyone can see a story presentation. The following story is a visual presentation of some verses from Ephesians 1 about God’s amazing love for each one of us. It is a reflective story in the style of Godly Play written by Lucy Moore, which can be found on our website: Ephesians 1—being a child of God. Footsteps to the FeastUse the Footsteps Chant from this event to walk everyone into a circle for a finale to the programme. Once in that circle, everyone should join hands. Now, with help from leaders, reshape the circle into the following different shapes without letting go of hands:
Stepping out to the FeastEnd your special event with a feast of Valentine-linked food such as: heart-shaped biscuits/cake, love heart sweets, chocolates, sandwiches cut into circles, fruit cut up into the shapes of letters that spell love and so on.
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