Awesome Time Online

 Coming soon...

Watch this space for Awesome Time Online... brought to you by the Awesome Leaders from Christchurch North Methodist.

There will be stories, activities, crafts and plenty of challenges. There will be chances for our Awesome Kids to win prizes and opportunities to share your own stories, news, photos and videos.

Making Connections

 A few weeks ago, our Awesome Kids enjoyed games with Dave and Heather... as they explored what it means to be a friend. We were reminded that God is our friend - how wonderful to know that God, our friend, loves us and is always with us, no matter what.

https://youtu.be/K_JZvkw21LQ

Wilderness Sunday | Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

 

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

Kia ora! This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Maori Language Week. I had hoped to get out and about and record some of you singing a waiata for our Digital Awesome Time, however have not been able to manage that this week. Perhaps some of you might like to email or message me with your own recording?

You can check out a recording with lyrics to Tutira Mai Nga Iwi at this link. Give it a go!

How about learning and practicing your Maori alphabet and pronunciation? Check out this link for more.

This is a great website for learning some new words... there are 365 listed here - you could try a new one each day of the year! Click HERE for 365 Maori words.

Wilderness Sunday

It is Wilderness Sunday in our series of creation. In today's bible reading, Paul remembers the walk across the hot, sandy desert wilderness. He remembered going to places where people wanted to hear about God's love. The wilderness is a wild place, but it's a special place too. The animals and plants in the wilderness don't need people. Unfortunately, people can disturb the natural environment, the life cycle. This week we can remember that God is with us in every place in the world - in quiet places, busy places, wild places and beautiful places. God needs us to respect and show kindness to the awesome world God has created. 

We thank God for the wild places in the world. We remember that we are part of God's giant web of creation. May we remember that God's hope is in us and all around us.

Children Like You

We can work with God to bring signs of God's hope to a hurting world. All around the world, children like YOU are working in and with their communities to do amazing things.

On the news this week there was a great story about a young man who saw an elderly lady mowing her lawn. He stopped, took the lawnmower from her and insisted on finishing mowing her lawn for her. When he was done, he got in his car and drove off. He did not expect to be paid or rewarded for his act of kindness. I thought this was a pretty cool story to make national TV. I hope it has inspired many others to look for ways they can show kindness in their community.

Where do you see a need? What can you do to help?

A Story of Hope

Monica was part of a Lockdown Voices | Speak Out project, through the Write On / School for Young Writers. Students were asked to write a response to the pandemic and their experience of Lockdown. Monica's piece has been published and recorded as a podcast, aired on Plains FM 96.9FM radio this morning. You can read and listen to her story here:

Lockdown Voices | Monica | Standing at Dawn

D.A.T. 18 | LAND Sunday | Tongan Language Week

 

Mālō e lelei! Hello!

Tongan Language Week / Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga is held every year during September. This week we have some very special helpers to celebrate this, as well as Land Sunday.

This week we think about how important the land is... and celebrate God's beautiful creation. We are part of this and are connected with God's creation. We remember that with God's help, just like the land, we can heal and grow.

Check out the video below, and enjoy the beautiful Tongan singing from Peatalisa, Tevunga and Angie... and the tour of the vegetable garden and glasshouse. We also pay a visit to the O'Keefes and meet their hens.

https://youtu.be/tpanCRIKl_o

The second song the girls sing, is very special to the Vaea family. It was Samu's grandma's favourite hymn, which she used to sing to Angie when she was a baby. Samu's mum taught Angie and Peatalisa, and Samu is now teaching 'Emeline and Tevunga. The translation is something like this... "Lord hear my prayer, At this hour, Take my sins away, Prepare me for heaven."

CHALLENGES

1. This week you might like to take a photo or draw a picture of something awesome you have discovered in your garden. 

2. Help out in the garden. You might like to do some weeding, or help with planting or watering.

3. Learn some Tongan! Do some research and learn a Tongan word or phrase. We'd love you to share it with us.

4. Try this week's Awesome Time Quiz:

KAHOOT!

D.A.T. 17 | Forest Sunday

https://youtu.be/Ygf2ktq9uiU

This Sunday is both Forest Sunday and Spring Flower Sunday. We can find God's beauty, mystery, and majesty in the trees and flowers. We can see, hear and feel God's presence in the wind, the ferns, the flowers and in the forest. 

The environment has heaps to teach us. From the forest, we can learn about the web of connection that binds all creation together with our awesome Creator God. We can rejoice in the wonder of God's creation and know that we have a special place in it.

 

Activities

Try the TREE QUIZ KAHOOT! 

There are heaps of cool activities on the Kiwi Conservation Club website. You can check them out here: https://kcc.org.nz/activities/

Here are some of my favourite tree activites... see how many you can do!

BE WITH A TREE

1. Go on a tree hunt. Meet a type of tree you haven't met before. Take a photo with it, find out what kind of tree it is.

2. Find something living in a tree.

3. Find a tree that provides us with food.

4. Find a tree that has interesting bark. Use some paper and a crayon to make a rubbing of the bark's pattern.

5. Find a tree you think is beautiful. Draw or paint a picture of it.

6. Plant something - a tree, a flower, a vegetable... anything!

7. Find some spring flowers and draw or paint a picture of them.

8. Make up a poem, song or rap about TREES or SPRING.

9. Find some TREE JOKES (that are better than mine!)

    Why do trees hate riddles? Because it's too easy to get stumped.

    How do trees go on the internet? They log on.

    Why don't you ever see hippos hiding in trees? Because they're really good at it!

D.A.T. 16 | Ordinary People Called to do Extraordinary Things

God calls us to all be part of God's way of love, and share God's love with other people. What are some of the ways we can share God's love with others?

When we are living in God's way, we bring the light and warmth of God's love to the world.

https://youtu.be/PsWzVnra244

This week's story comes from the book of Exodus (Chapter 3: verses 1 to 15) and is about Moses. Remember him? He was the baby in our story last week. If you didn't catch it last week, there is a link further down this post to the video about him (and the heroines who saved his life - so that he could then go on to do awesome things for God!)

Like Moses, many people who feel quite ordinary have answered the call to do extraordinary things. Check out the Kahoot below, and see if you can match the names of the people to the incredible work they were called to do. (Thanks to Izak for putting this together!)

Click HERE to play the Call and Answer KAHOOT!

Click here to watch Baby Moses video

Here's another video about this week's story, where Moses has to listen for God's voice.

Clilck here to watch Moses and the Burning Bush

Let us pray that we will remember God's call to us, to share love and light in the world. Amen.

D.A.T. 15 | Not all Superheroes Wear Capes

This week our story is about two heroes you may not have heard about before... 

Imagine meeting the most powerful person in the country, and when you meet him he asks you to do something bad... really, really bad. What would you do? 

Meet Shiphrah and Puah. This happened to these two women, and they chose to be heroes. They risked everything and their choice saved the child who would one day save their nation.

https://youtu.be/XkewPkL7ovo

You can learn more about what happened next to baby Moses by watching the video below... and discover more superhero women showing courage to do the right thing.

Challenges

1. Imagine: 

Image you are a superhero with superhero powers... what would they be? What would you hope to do with your powers? Draw a picture of yourself in your superhero outfit.

2. Poster: 

Make a poster promoting the wearing of masks to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

3. Mask Design: 

Design (and even make) your own face mask.

4. Superhero Photo:

Dress yourself up as a superhero, take a photo in your best superhero pose and email it to us.

5. Courage Words:

Through the courage and love of women, Moses was kept safe. Create a Basket of Courage Words as reminders of God's loving care. Draw a basket shape on paper and add lines to make it look like a woven basket. Write inspiring words on strips of paper and tape them to the basket. Here are some ideas:

God's love never fails.

God is always with us.

Friends are signs of God's love.

God helps us act with courage.

I can be a brave helper.

God gives us courage to stand up for love.

God helps us make hard choices.

6. Thank a Superhero

Make a thankyou card to give to one of your heroes. Thank them for being so awesome.

Pray

Loving God,

Thank you for always being with us. Thank you for giving us courage to stand up for love, even when it is hard. Please help us to show brave love this week. Amen. 

 

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.

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.

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.

D.A.T. #11 | Pentecost

GIFTS

We each have unique gifts. None are more important or less important than someone else's, as they all come from the Spirit that Jesus promised. God wants us to use our gifts to build each other up. We are all different. 

Can you think of a gift the Spirit has given you? Maybe you have a voice to sing praise, or can play the ukulele or another musical instrument? Maybe you have a mind to read and understand the stories from the Bible, and our Awesome Time messages each week. Maybe you have a willingness to pray, perhaps you even lead prayers in church sometimes, or for our Digital Awesome Time videos. Maybe you use your gift of artistic ability, to create beautiful artwork to illustrate God's love, and our awesome world. Creativity could be your gift, or you might help with technology, running the sound desk or video at church, or helping make videos for D.A.T. You may have a spirit of friendship, and show God's love to others through your kindness and caring.

We are all different. We may not all eat the same foods, we may speak different languages, watch different movies. We all have different gifts and talents - we are all part of the same Body of Christ and each person is valued and needed. Let's celebrate our uniqueness and use our gifts to connect with one another, help others and share God's amazing LOVE.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
Listen to Monica read a devotion, based on our reading from Corinthians 12, from the book 'Indescribable', by Louie Giglio.

DRAWN TOGETHER

Here is a fantastic book, Drawn Together, about a boy and his grandfather who don't speak the same language, and have no way to communicate with each other. Watch the video to see how the boy and his grandfather use their gifts to finally 'speak' to each other for the first time.

BIBLE STORY | Acts 2 | Pentecost

Watch the video below, to hear the story from the bible about Pentecost.

PRAYER

Loving God,

Thank you for all the different kinds of people

who make up Your world.

We are like one giant fruit salad!

Thank You for all our different gifts and abilities.

Help us to include others, celebrate differences

and find ways we can share Your awesome love

wherever we go, with everyone.

Amen

SONG

Ngāti Fruit Salad

Check out this cool song from Siu and her sister!

CHALLENGES:

DRAW TOGETHER
Collaborate with someone to draw a picture. It might be with someone in your family, or with a friend, neighbour or relative elsewhere. You could draw half the picture, then drop it into their letterbox for them to draw the other half!

Illustration from: Drawn Together
by Minh Lê & Dan Santat

BUILD A KITE
There are lots of different kite designs and tutorials around... find one you like and have a go at making your own kite! Take the family to a nearby park and try it out. We'd love to see your photos and videos of the first flight!

YouTube Tutorial on Kite Making
How to Build a Kite

PENTECOST POEM
We can’t see the wind but we know it’s there, 
it rustles the leaves and blows through our hair. 
God’s Spirit is with us, we know this is true. 
and people can see it in the things that we do. 

You could try writing your own pentecost poem. Think about the ways we know God is with us. What are some of the things people do that show God's love?


Have a great week out there everyone, and remember to send us your VIDEO for the PAPER PLANE PROJECT!

PAPER PLANE PROJECT

D.A.T. #10 | Invisible String & Arrow Prayers

Isn't it awesome that we are always connected to God, by the power of love and prayer. Although we can't see God, we know God is here, loving us always... and we can feel that love. It's kind of like being connected with an invisible string.

When we talk to God, it's called prayer. This week, we are learning about prayer, all the different ways we can pray, and we are encouraged to pray for ourselves and for others.

Watch our D.A.T. for this week, in four parts, featuring the awesome Rev Anne, Marijke & Siu and family.

Part 1:

Part 2:
Here is Rev Anne, with some words of wisdom on prayer:

Part 3:
Listen to me read the lovely book, The Invisible String.

Part 4:
Sing along with Siu & family, to a special song about prayer - in English and Samoan:

CHALLENGES

Popsicle Prayer Pot
Use popsicle sticks (ice-block or ice-cream sticks) and an old jar or tin to make a popsicle prayer pot. On each stick, write someone or something you would like to pray for, or thank God for. Decorate a jar or tin, and keep your prayer sticks in it. Pull out one or two sticks at a time, and chat to God. It can be out loud, a quiet whisper, or silently in your head. God hears all our prayers.

Invisible String Hearts
Cut out the hearts below, or draw your own. Colour and decorate each heart - either using pencils or watercolour paints. Write the name of someone you love in each heart. Don't forget to include your own name!

Glue the hearts onto a large sheet of paper. Use a white crayon to draw a squiggly line, from heart to heart. Paint over the background with watercolour paint, watered down paint, or water coloured with a drop of food colouring. The white line (invisible string!) will show through.

Heart Maze
Either print out the maze below, or create your own heart maze for yourself or someone else in your family to do.

Paper Chain People
Make some paper chain (or accordian) people... colour them in to represent the friends and family you love.

I tried making these circular paper chain people... I didn't think they turned out too bad!

Here's the link to the instructable: 

https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-circle-of-paper-chain-people/

Five Fingered Prayer

You might like to make a handprint, or draw around your hand, to remind you of this fun way to pray.

1. Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. Family and friends.

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. 

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for our prime minister, leaders in government. They need God’s guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Did you know the ring finger is our weakest finger? This finger reminds us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need our prayers day and night. 

5. And finally, our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “the least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinky finger reminds us to pray for ourselves. By the time we have prayed for the other four groups, our own needs will be put into perspective!

Pray

Click HERE to go to our online prayer.

Yarn Wrapped Heart

Cut out a heart shape from a piece of cardboard (you could use an old cereal box).

Tape or glue one end of some wool or string onto the heart. Next, wrap the wool around the heart over and over, in random directions. When it's well covered, tie and tuck the end in. You could leave a long end before cutting it off, so you've got something to hang it with.

Twig & String Art Ornaments

Gather three twigs and tie them together to make a triangular shape. Wind different colour string or wool from side to side to fill in the middle. Hang them in a window or from your doorhandle, to remind you to talk to God.

Wind Chime

Use an old tin, or plastic cup, some string or wool and beads or buttons, to create this colourful wind chime. Hang it somewhere to remind you that we are all connected to one another, and to God, by the power of love.

D.A.T. #9 | When Life Gives You Lemons

Click HERE for this week's D.A.T.

A form of lemonade (lemon juice mixed with sugar or honey) has been around since the 12th Century. That's a long time ago! Bottles of lemonade were sold in markets in Cairo, Egypt. 

Lemons on their own don't taste very nice. I sure wouldn't like to drink a glass of lemon juice by itself! Most people, if they bit into a lemon, would think, 'yuck!', what a sour, tart taste! I wonder who came up with the idea of adding sugar, to create such a delicious, refreshing drink?

Lemonade is a great example of taking something that is rather unpleasant and turning it into something lovely.

There is a saying... 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.' 

In life, there are always going to be difficult, even dreadful times. Our bible readings today tell us that in these moments, God is with us. God loves us so much! God cries with us. God aches with us. But God loves us too much for us to deal with bad stuff alone.

Nothing can separate us from God's love. Instead of focusing on all the bad stuff in life, look at all the awesome goodness in the world! The good stuff that comes from a loving God who cares for us.

With God's help, we can look for ways to show God's love to others. Even when we're feeling a bit stink, if we can let God open our eyes and work through us to share God's love... In our hearts, we will be filled with a peace, knowing that we are doing the right thing, and that God is with us, helping us get through. 

The next time you are faced with something scary or hard, remember that God is with you. God loves you. Heaps! God is there, walking beside you, helping you all the way. Use that knowledge, that peace and love and strength to look to see how you can make things better. Look for ways to 'make lemonade' and continue to share God's love.

Check out this cool tune from our lovely Siu, who wrote this especially for this week's theme. Thanks, Siu!

CHALLENGES:

Could Be Worse
When times are tough, it's sometimes helpful to remind ourselves that things could be worse. There is usually always someone doing it tougher. In dark times it can help to find things to be grateful for, or to find a way of bringing light and hope into someone else's life.

Watch this retelling of one of my favourite story books, where a grandfather shows two children that even though they might be having a bad day, things could be worse. You could try writing your own 'Could be Worse!' story, or a Bad News-Good News Story.

Keep Calm and Talk to God
One of our bible readings today comes from the book of Acts, with a message from Paul, telling us that no matter what happens in life, God has sent His Holy Spirit, to be our comforter. God is always with us, loving us.

Here's a great story from the bible, about Paul. It's a real bad news-good news story! Through all the dreadful, scary things that happen, Paul keeps calm and remembers that God is with him. Watch the video below and see if you can do the quiz afterwards.

Click HERE to do the Quiz

Hide 'n' Seek
We know deep down in our hearts that God exists... but we have to seek out God. Everywhere we turn and look, we will see aspects of God in the world around us.

Play a game of Hide'n'Seek - with the whole family! Take a photo of someone in the best hiding place.


Gratitude Tree
Cut out some leaf shapes. Write something you are thankful for on each leaf. Attach the leaves to some branches and arrange them in a jar. Alternatively, you could draw a tree on a big sheet of paper and attach your leaves to that.

Thank You Note

Write a thank you note to someone, letting them know how much you appreciate them. It could be someone in your bubble, or you might like to post a note in the mail to a friend or relative.

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

Find things you are thankful for, snap a photo of them and send them in!

Tear-off Gratitude Slips

Make some tear-off gratitude slips for your bubble. Put it on the fridge or noticeboard, and family members can rip off a note of thanks and surprise one another with it.

Leaf Art

Use Autumn leaves to make a piece of art. This lion picture would be a great one to try!

Upcycle

Take something that you might have ready to throw out in the yellow bin, and upcycle it. You could turn a jar or tin into a pen holder.

Transform a Lemon

Bake or create something with a lemon theme... you could bake some lemon muffins, a lemon cake, lemon slice, lemon meringue pie... you could make lemonade! Or make an artwork celebrating the lemon! Your choice! You might like to give your lemon gift to a friend or neighbour.

The Lemonade Machine

Watch this amazing video... The Lemonade Machine. A chain reaction of epic proportions! You may even be tempted to make your own!