As we continue on our journey through the “Stations of the Resurrection” our focus today was on Doubting Thomas (extremely fitting to me, personally as you will know if you have been reading about my prayer struggles around finding Team Members!!).
Following the opening Worship songs we trooped upstairs and all the small people dug happily into the prettily arranged snack, brought by Lucille and Zaheer after which we waved good-bye to the Toddlers and opened the Bible to read John 20:24-29.
We had a good discussion about it and then watched this super video I had found (I’m a real sucker for Muppet-type puppets!!).
For our activity I had designed a simple card game for each child to make as atake-home re-enforcement of the Theme. Each of the children worked busily drawing 7 different Easter Story symbols and I helped to speed things up by adding some snazzy Washi tape stripes on the back of each game card.
All too soon, Fred came to tell us the last song was being sung so we shared the Grace and hurriedly cleared up before heading back downstairs to link with the parents.
Over lunch I had opportunity to talk with Tanya who, on the fifth Sunday of May, is going to be leading our next special “Visitor’s Sunday”, with Liz, who has been designing some cool ideas for pairing the children with their church prayer partners and with the Wardens to let them know that (EEEK!) the mouse problem has returned to our upstairs group rooms.
Since it was quite early I chose to walk home which always gives me ample (50 minutes) opportunity to reflect on the Gathering and especially to pull from my time with the children, elements of Grace that help to put me on the road into the coming week. Talking with them about the need to believe in what we cannot see, watching their serious faces as they tried to get their heads around concepts, which are hard for even adults to accept, was touching. Childlike faith maybe considered “simple” but I don’t think our Lord really meant us to look at it as ordinary or plain, more as pure and uncluttered by the preconceptions and general baggage that can clutter “adult” faith.
For me, it is delightful to sit on the floor with markers and paper and Muppet videos and to soak up a fresh dose of Child-like Faith. I truly hope that I can equip those children for the journey as well as they (unwittingly) equip me!