Easter
St John’s Kids & Families – Easter
More information about our in-person and livestreamed Easter Services can be found here. St John’s Kids in-person program is in recess during the holidays. We hope our leaders enjoy a much-deserved break! At our in-person services over Easter, we will have some activities available, to keep young hands busy while engaging with the service. If you’re unable to join us in person, or prefer to connect online, you might like to use some of the same activities at home … Craft Eggs are…
St John’s Kids – Easter Day
Sunday 12 April – Easter Day Today’s service: Access our 10:00am live stream service here. He is Risen! The fact that Jesus died, rose again and is alive today is fundamental to our Christian faith. He is the living king and everyone who trusts in Jesus will one day live with him forever! Our kids’ song today celebrates this Good News so either grab an instrument or keep your hands free to join in with the actions! And, get out…
St John’s Kids – Good Friday
Friday 10 April – Good Friday Today’s service: Access our 10:00am live stream service here. Today we commemorate the saddest day of the Easter Week, the day Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. Sometimes we may want to shield our children from the sad side of Easter, but if we want our children to truly know the JOY of the resurrection, we must also let them experience some of the sadness. And, in this strange world of physical…
Passover Meal
Originally, we were planning to host a Passover picnic at the church. Adapting to the changing world around us, we now encourage you to participate within your own homes on Maundy Thursday (9 April). This outline has been prepared to be accessible to families with children. Feel free to adapt it to fit your own circumstances. Passover is one of the oldest and most important of Jewish religious festivals. It was during the Passover festival that Jesus washed his disciples’…
Lent: A Time to Prepare Our Hearts
Lent is the six–week period leading up to Easter. It starts on Ash Wednesday (26th February this year) which is always 46 days before Easter Sunday. This allows for 40 days of fasting and 6 Sundays. Since every Sunday is a celebration that Jesus is risen from the dead, Sundays are always feast days for Christians! Lent is one of the most important times of the year for many Christians around the world. It is seen as a time of reflection and preparation for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #7
Click these links If you missed any of the previous Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt posts: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6. Week #7 – Resurrection – Read Luke 24:1-12 together as a family or God’s Wonderful Surprise from the Jesus Storybook Bible Some may think that our story is done But they would be wrong … It has only begun! For after 3 days, Jesus rose from the dead To give us new life forever … Just…
Sharing the Easter Story with kids
This weekend, we remember the greatest sacrifice the world has ever known. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is amazing, life changing news. We want to share it with our kids, but it’s a story that includes pain, torture and death. If you struggle to know how much and the best way to share the Easter story with young kids, this article may give you some ideas. It specifically looks at ways of sharing with under 5s, but also…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #6
Click these links If you missed any of the previous Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt posts: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5. Week #6 – Crucifixion – Read Matthew 27:27-56 together as a family or The Sun Stops Shining from the Jesus Storybook Bible Betrayed by a friend, Jesus was arrested He was tried by a court and his death was requested On that saddest of days, our Saviour did die But within that dark moment, our salvation did…
Family Friendly Last Supper Sedar
Hi Families, You are invited to a family friendly remembrance of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday: 18 April, 5:00-6:30pm at St John’s, hosted by a Young Families Life Group. Families will need to bring a towel, if wanting to participate in the washing of each other’s feet, and a BYO picnic dinner. If you’re interested in bringing Passover foods, have a look at this PDF, which also includes other Easter activities that may interest you as you commemorate and…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #5
Click these links If you missed any of the previous Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt posts: #1, #2, #3, #4. Week #5 – Last Supper – Matthew 26:17-46 together as a family or The Servant King and A Dark Night in the Garden from the Jesus Storybook Bible But some of the people did not like God’s Son And started a plan to get rid of the One So, Jesus gathered his friends for a Passover meal And…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #4
Click these links If you missed any of the previous Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt posts: #1, #2, #3. Week #4 – Jesus’ Miracles Many people came to Jesus in need Some sick and some lame, some broken indeed Often Jesus would heal, touch or feed And news of him spread around Israel with speed There are many stories of Jesus’ miracles in the Bible. With your family pick your favorite story and read it together. For your…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #3
Please click these links If you missed either Week #1 or Week #2 of the Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt. Week #3 – Jesus’ Ministry – Read Luke 5:1-11 together as a family or Let’s Go! from the Jesus Storybook Bible Jesus began to teach all the people They’d come to hear him, no building or steeple He’d talk in the mountains and down by the sea And to those who would listen, he’d say “Come, follow me!”…
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt #2
If you missed the initial Lenten Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt post last week, click here to read. Week #2 – Jesus’ Baptism – Read Mark 1:1-11 together as a family or Heaven Breaks Through from the Jesus Storybook Bible As he grew, he gained respect from God and man And his calling to save us, he began to understand He declared he came to set the captives free And was baptised by John to begin that journey. …
Lent: Family Selfie Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent – a period leading up to Easter. Traditionally, it is a time of confession, reflection and contemplation as we consider all that Jesus accomplished through his death. Reflection and contemplation don’t necessarily come easily for children and youth and, as parents, sometimes we tend to shield our children from the sadness and heaviness of Lent and the crucifixion. But, if we want our children to truly know the JOY that is Easter, we must…