D.A.T. #14 | Shine Your Light

This morning we created some self portraits, which we backlit with battery operated candles. They remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World, and Jesus wants us to 'be like a light' and shine the love of God in the world.

Check out the art in progress in the video below. So good to be back in person with our Awesome Kids!

And on the same theme... here's a video pulled deep from the archives (thanks to Laura!).

Shine Your Light

Even the Hairs on Your Head are Counted

Did you know you are a miracle? It's true! You are an amazing, crazy miracle. You are created in the image of God... in an awesome and wonderful way.

God loves you so much... your hair, your eyes, your smile - are exactly as God designed them to be. An amazing and wonderfully designed miracle... YOU!

God knows you inside and out... even down to the number of hairs on your head.

Hair Art
Try making one of these artworks, using either paint, felt pens / colouring pencils or wool / yarn to create an awesome hairdo.

Draw your face on a large piece of paper.
Using a black pen, divide the rest of the paper into sections,
with lines coming out at all angles from the head.
Fill each section with a different combination of colours and shapes.

Sketch your face onto a large, white sheet of paper.
Cut lengths of wool in different colours.
Twist and curl them around the face, to represent hair. Go crazy!

Use different colours of card or craft paper to create a collage effect person.
Cut lengths of wool and tie them different ways to make a variety of hairstyles.
Glue them onto your collage people.

And now for a blast from the past...

Check out this video we made back in 2016, of some artwork to go with this theme. It would be interesting to re-do the artwork now and see if there are many changes!

Go to the post from 2016 to read more about the artwork we created.

We are all in God's Team!

Check out the fabulous artwork created by our Awesome Kids on Sunday!

Wonderful to have a collaborative artwork on the first week back together at church after a long time away from one another in Lockdown. Great teamwork everyone!

We are a Team!

Some of our very Awesome Kids took up the challenge to write some acrostic poems, using the letters of their name for the beginning of each line. Their poems are about the ways they can be helpers of Jesus, sharing love with others as members of God's team. 

I think Peatalisa had the most difficult task, as her name has NINE letters!

Fabulous job, girls!

Here, they completed another challenge, which was to spell the word TEAM using different objects. Very clever!

D.A.T. #13 | Part of a Team

Jesus calls us to be part of his team, to go out into the world and share God's awesome love. Each one of us is needed. Jesus can use all of us. We are not on our own... we are part of a church family, God's team... and we are loved, just as the entire world is loved, by God. Nothing can separate us from God's never-ending, awesome LOVE.

Watch this week's D.A.T. here:

Here's a cool wee video about being part of God's team:

If you feel like singing, here's a great song about being part of God's family:

CHALLENGES:

Quiz
Have a go at this week's quiz, based on the bible reading from Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Click HERE for this week's online QUIZ

Acrostic Poem
Write an acrostic poem, about the ways you can show God's love to others. Here's an example for someone by the name of Grace:

Give away a toy or book to someone in need
Remember to pray for people who are sad
Ask my parents if I can help make dinner
Carry a bag of groceries for an elderly person
Encourage someone younger than me

To-Do List
Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t go to some far-off place, but stay near here and tell the people about the good news of God’s love.
Heal people who are sick.
Care for people who are left out.
Tell them that God’s peace is already here.
You have received a lot, so give just as much to
others.”

Make a list of ways we can be helpers of Jesus. A good place to start might be... What are some of the things we could do to help people who are left out?

Word Art
Make the word TEAM using different materials. You could make it out of playdough, people, Lego, spoons, sticks, flowers... anything! Be creative. Take a photo and send it in to us!

Poster
Create a poster with the words... In a World where you can be anything... BE KIND.

Peace be With You

Here are some wonderful Peace posters, made by Angie, 'Emeline, Peatalisa and Tevunga.

Great job, girls!

Paper Plane Project | We Are Together

Finally! Here is our Paper Plane Project | We Are Together. Our young people share God's message of LOVE and PEACE with one another, from home to home, around Christchurch.

https://youtu.be/l7F40WpSBdA

"Be joyful... encourage each other... Live in harmony and peace, and the God of love and peace will be with us all." 

(from 2 Corinthians 13: 11)

Peace and Love be with you all.

D.A.T. #12 | We Are Together

Welcome to this week's D.A.T. (Digital Awesome Time)! 

This week our message comes from 2 Corinthians; Paul says to "Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with us all." 

God created each of us, as a unique and beautiful human being. We are all loved, and God calls us to love one another. 

I discovered this wonderful book by the author/illustrator Britta Teckentrup, called We Are Together, and I share it in this week's video. As the book says, "On our own we're special, and we can chase our dream... but when we join up, hand in hand, together we're a team."

With social distancing at the moment, it's a bit difficult to literally join hands, but we can "embrace all life's colours, each shade, every hue... and life will be brighter whenever you do." Let's celebrate our individuality, our diversity, and the fact that even with all our differences we are the same, we are part of the same human race, beautifully and wonderfully made by our awesome God.

We can "change the world, with the power of words" and by the power of love and friendship... in our togetherness, our actions and thoughts and prayers. Let's go out into each day, wherever we are, living in love as Jesus taught us. Love and peace to you all.

D.A.T. #12 | We Are Together

Check out this week's Digital Awesome Time video... 

Being With Jesus | Matthew 28:20

Jesus sent the disciples out into the world to share God's love with everyone, and he said to them, "Remember, I am with you always." Jesus is with us always! Jesus doesn't promise that things will be smooth sailing, easy peasy, and always go right. But Jesus is with us, we are together with Jesus, always. That's what God's love is about. 

When Jesus told his disciples, "I am with you always," he was showing us that just by being together, by standing with someone, by walking alongside someone, by being with someone, is showing God's love. 

Jesus is with us always. Each one of us. Nothing can separate us from that amazing never-ending love. 

Prayer

Loving God,

Thank You for being with us. Help us to be with you.

Thank you for this beautiful world, please help us to look after it, and to look after each other. Help us to be with others and share Your love with EVERYONE.

Amen

Song

Listen to this beautiful song, Share the Peace, written and sung by the lovely Siu:

CHALLENGES

Creation Collage

God included a wide variety of creatures, plants, and elements in the creation of the world. Use pictures from old newspapers, fliers and magazines and create a collage that includes pictures of as many different parts of creation as you can find. 

Peace Poster

Create a poster, expressing your vision of peace. If you are between the ages of 11 and 13, you may like to enter the International Lions Club Peace Poster Competition. 

Live in harmony and peace. And may the God of love and peace be with you.

2 Corinthians 13: 11

What is Lovely?

Thought I'd share this lovely book with you...

Like a box of chocolates, we come in all sorts of packaging... we are all different shapes, sizes, shades. We all like playing different games, watching different movies, reading different books. We don't all have the same favourite ice-cream flavour... in fact, some of us don't even like eating ice-cream! Or chocolate! Go figure! But, each of us has been beautifully and wonderfully made by our awesome God and we are all LOVED.

Hope you are all having a lovely week! Go out and share the love and peace of Jesus with everyone.

Blessings to you and your families.