Good Friday

Here are a couple of videos about the Easter story you might like to watch today. 

In today's part of the Easter story, we remember how Jesus died for us. 

When Jesus died, Jesus's friends were so sad, they cried and cried. But God had a wonderful surprise. On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate that Jesus was alive again! His friends were very, very surprised, and happy! Check back here on Sunday to find out more about it, and we'll celebrate together. In the meantime, why not try one of the activities below?

Let us pray:

Loving God, we know that You care deeply for every person in Your world. We are so glad that You offer a promise of life to everyone. Help us to share in bringing this good news, and Your awesome love to people in practical ways. Amen.

MAKE AN EMPTY CROSS
The cross is a symbol that reminds us of the sadness of Jesus’ death. The empty cross is a reminder that Jesus was and is no longer dead.

You might like to make a palm cross, from flax (or if you don't have any flax, you could use cardboard). How to make a palm cross.

Or you could try a rose paper cross or fingerprint cross, like these ones below:

Hot Cross Buns
If you are lucky enough to have some hot cross buns at home, this is the perfect time to eat them! I love mine heated with butter melting through them... delicious! If you don't have any, you could try making some! If you don't have yeast (which you need for hot cross buns), you could make something else with that lovely spicy cinnamon flavour instead - how about French toast?

Why is such a sad day called Good Friday? 
It is primarily an English term. In Germany the day is known as Karfreitag or “Mourning Friday”. It is suggested that “good” is a corruption of “God” as in “God’s Friday”. Goodbye is said to have evolved from “God be with you”. Others speculate that “good” was used to denote “holy”. Others believe that calling such a dark day “good” reflects the hope of the resurrection that would not have been possible without Jesus’ death.

Bored?

Bored? Why not make your own assault course around your home? Compete against others in your 'bubble', or just try to beat your best time! Have fun!

An Awesome Dad's Chain Reaction Video

One of our Awesome Dad's decided to get in on the action. Here's Kerry's chain reaction video - Deep Fry Edition!

https://youtu.be/pKOVKHVDJyo

Jack's speedy marble race!

A very speedy marble race from Jack. Even replayed in slow motion it's fast!

Great job, Jack!

Happy Lockdown Birthday, Bella!

Bella's birthday today!

Looks like Bella's family have been busy cooking up some tasty treats to celebrate, despite being in lockdown I'm sure you'll have an awesome day, Bella!

Lots of love and blessings from us all xxx

Sophia created a chocolate story for Bella:

Dear Bella,

You are such a fabulicious sister, with your curly wurly hair and pinky cheeks. This is your lockdown birthday, so make it extra special. A Turkish holiday would have been eggcellent, but not right now. You are such a smarty that you probably know where Mars is. Tomoro you twirl on the crunchie ground. Don't flake out with surprise when you see us eclipse you in a race. This lockdown life is a picnic.

Love from Sophia, Mum and Dad.

Chain Reaction Videos

Here are some chain reaction videos to get you inspired to enter our challenge!

The first one is from the O'Keefe family:

This one is from Izak:

And this one, from Team Koster:

D.A.T. #3 | Palm Sunday Edition!

Hi there! Welcome to D.A.T. for Palm Sunday!

I've been super impressed by the number of you taking up the challenges during the week. Your creativity and enthusiasm is awesome! I'm sure we will all be putting on weight with all the amazing baking and cooking that's been happening!

Here is a short message from me for this week, and below you can find all the challenges. You can do one or two, or try the whole lot. You can enter multiple times. I am keeping a record of the winners, and prizes will be delivered when lockdown is over.

Keep smiling, washing your hands, and be kind to one another!

Blessings,
Mel

D.A.T. 3 | Palm Sunday

Let us pray:
Lord, I can't even count all the things I should praise You for - but I want to try! Please help me to remember to ring out your praises every day.
Amen

Palm Sunday cartoon

Watch this awesome video - the story of Palm Sunday, told with rocks!

Here are some crafts and challenges you might like to try this week. Have a go at one, or more, send me a photo or video to be in with a chance to win a prize!


1. PALM SUNDAY QUIZ
Click HERE to do this week's D.A.T. online QUIZ!

2. MAKE A PALM SUNDAY ROCK PICTURE or VIDEO
Be inspired by the video above... can you use rocks, pebbles, stones or anything else you have around your home to make a picture or video of a scene from the Palm Sunday story? You might like to create a picture of Jesus riding the donkey, or someone in the crowd. If you don't have any stones, see if you can improvise with other objects - Lego, or pegs, or draw a picture in a plate of sand. Use your imagination!

3. CREATE A CROWD
Re-create the crowd that was there, shouting "Hosanna!" as Jesus rode into town on a donkey. You could use members of your family, toys, teddy bears, Lego, pets, or draw a picture. You could make a chalk picture on your driveway or footpath. Take a photo or video of your 'Crowd' and send it to me!

4. MUSICAL CHALLENGE
You can interpret this any way you like! Either take a photo of you with a musical instrument, make a video of you or someone in your bubble playing a musical instrument... you could make your own musical instrument, sing a song, write a song... anything that celebrates the love of Jesus!

You might like to make a rock concert, using stones (or tin cans, or other objects around your house). Here is a link to a video of some percussionists making music on the ringing rocks in Pennsylvania.

We look forward to seeing and hearing your joyful sounds!

5. MAKE A PALM FROND
Using thin paper, fold it accordion style, then cut in half at a steep angle. Staple and fan out the pointy ends. An easier option is to draw around your hand (either on green paper or card, or colour it in). Put your palm frond onto a straw or iceblock stick.

6. MAKE A DONKEY

I love this donkey, created from wooden pegs! Try making your own donkey. If you don't have pegs, you could use iceblock sticks, Lego, or draw one. Send me a photo!

7. MAKE A PALM CROSS

Flax makes a great palm cross, but if you don't have any, try making one from cardboard or thick paper.

8. JOYFUL FACE
Be inspired by this selection of smiling faces... make your own smiling face in a creative way. I especially love the painted rocks, and the upside down face with googly eyes on the chin!

9. CHAIN REACTION
Our CHYPS Youth Group have been busy making chain reaction videos using marbles, dominoes, cards... and other objects around the house. Why not have a go at making your own awesome chain reaction video and share it with us? I'll post a couple of videos on the blog in the next day or so, to give you some inspiration. Have fun, and be joyful!


Email your entries to me, and I'll do my best to put your photos/videos up on the blog for everyone to enjoy. Have fun!

Sewing Box Mandala

Thanks to Carol, for sending in this photo of her friend's sewing box mandala. Pretty cool!

Challenge Winners - Week 2

Congratulations to everyone who entered our Awesome Time Challenges during the week. I was so impressed by your talents and creativity!

Here are the winners of the challenges...

'Animal World' by Anaya

'Harvest Platter' by Sophia

Sophia created a beautiful crayon artwork for Harvest Festival, even studying artist Eric Carle to learn how to do shading. Anaya used pencils to create her amazing picture, titled 'Animal World'.

Mele's girls were the clear winners in the quiz based on the book, Red, with 100% correct. That must have been a combination of great listening and awesome teamwork! Jack and Sophia tied for second place. Congratulations!

The Master Chef Challenge was sooooo difficult to judge! In the end, we were so impressed with Sophia's two-course meal she cooked for her family, complete with menus! Sophia even made the pizza dough from scratch. Dylan's cooking video was fabulous too, if you haven't seen it yet do check it out HERE! Esther's afghan cookies looked delicious - I only wish I could have tasted them! Well done to you all, and to everyone who has been cooking or baking up a storm in the kitchen.

The vege characters were awesome, all of them! In the end, Brian the Broccoli won first place, because he looked like he had oodles of character, and we loved the alliteration used in his name. Well done, 'Emeline!

Keep an eye on the blog for new challenges, coming very soon!

Esther's Kitchen

Esther has been very busy, baking my favourite biscuit (afghans!) for her family. They look so good... I can almost taste them! Great job, Esther!

Esther making afghans.

Pic 1: Cutting the butter
Pic 2: Rolling up the cookie dough
Pic 3: Cracking walnuts

Sadly, when Esther went to ice the biscuits, she found there was no icing sugar left in the cupboard! I'm sure they were still delicious!

More creativity!

Here is another vegetable character, this one from Sophia. And below, a mandala from one of our more 'experienced' Awesome Kids, Carol :o)  Some wonderful celebrations of Harvest Festival.

Sophia's vegetable person

Carol's mandala

Learn something new!

Bored? Why not learn something new?!

I have found it really interesting watching the sign language interpreters during Jacinda's addresses on T.V. (I have learnt two new signs in New Zealand Sign Language!)

Go to https://www.nzsl.nz/ and share your favourite 'sign' with us

https://www.nzsl.nz/signs/5446

https://www.nzsl.nz/signs/5995

supermarket

home

The perfect day for a blanket house...

Our youth group members are currently working on their next photo challenge... to build a blanket house or box house, and take a picture of it.

I'm inviting all our Awesome Kids to also take up this challenge... it's a great day for blanket-house building!

Cooking with Dylan

Dylan made some marvellous meringues for his family. He even created this step by step video for you, so you can make them too! Watch out for the special guest, Bruce, in the video!

https://youtu.be/FVIP4M7iCJQ

Sophia's Restaurant

Sophia treated her family to a beautiful home-cooked meal last night. She created a menu for each member of her family, made pizzas from scratch (including the bases!) and a delicious looking dessert to finish! Wow! 

Can I book a table at your restaurant Sophia, in say, four weeks or so?

Sophia's Menu

The chef, hard at work.

Hungry diners, waiting in anticipation!

Vegetable Characters!

 Congratulations to the creators of our first vege characters! These are so cool!

From left to right we have...

1. Hanging in the window we have Tevunga's creation (named Pumpkin)
2. Also made by Tevunga, this one is called Ellie (and is sister to Pumpkin)!
3. This broccoli person is made by Peatalisa
5. I love the hairdo on Peatalisa's creation, named Rosanna
4. 'Emeline's creation is called 'Brian the Broccoli'!

And below, we have our first entry in the crayon art challenge... Sophia has drawn a Harvest Festival Platter, with all her favourite fruits!

Very impressive girls, now... what are you all cooking for dinner tonight? 😀

Drawing by Sophia

D.A.T. #2 | Camp Service & Harvest Festival

Hi there Awesome Kids and Hot Chocolate Club! Welcome to this week's D.A.T. (Digital Awesome Time)!

Hope you are well and looking after one another.

This Sunday was supposed to be our Camp Service and Harvest Festival. So today we will celebrate both of those things, and there will be some challenges for you to do at home with your family - and the chance to be in to win prizes too!

FIRST, 

Check out the video message below.

D.A.T. #2

WATCH and listen to Mel read 'RED, A Crayon's Story', with a message from Rev Anne:

The crayon, ‘Red’ had pressure from every side to be something that he wasn’t. There were lots of tears, and lots of anxiety and lots of trying, but he couldn’t be what everybody wanted. And do you know, that each and every one of us is a bit like that.

God has made us in a special way and God says ‘you are beautifully and wonderfully made’ and you need to find out who the true and real you is inside, and to be that person, no matter what anybody else says, to remember that you are made and deeply loved by God, and to find out who God wants you to be and what God wants you to do.

WATCH and listen to prayers from some of our campers:

WATCH the OFFICIAL CAMP VIDEO here:

DO THE CHALLENGES:

1. CRAYON ART

Make a drawing or artwork using crayons. If you don't have crayons at home, pencils or felts are fine too.

2. HARVEST FESTIVAL VEGGIE CHARACTER

Make an animal or character out of vegetables. Take a photo and email it to me.

3. MASTER CHEF

Make a meal for your family. Take a photo, including the menu, and email it to me.

4. 'RED' QUIZ

How much of the story can you remember? (You might have to go back and watch the video again).

Click HERE to do the online quiz.

STAIRCASE FOR BOATS

From Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones

When a riverboat needs to go up a hill, it navigates through a lock (which is basically a staircase for boats). The boat enters a sealed chamber. Gradually, the water level is raised, lifting the boat up, until the water inside is at the same level as the river ahead. The gates open and the boat continues on.

But from the boat entering the lock - you can't see the river ahead. It looks like a dead end!

And the Bible says we can't see everything God is doing in our lives either. But what looks like a dead end, is really God lifting you up. Because there are no dead ends with God. Only new beginnings in disguise.

I think this is really fitting at the moment. Lots of things have closed, we are 'locked in', we can't do many of the fun activities we are used to. It's hard to see the way ahead. But in this time of dead ends and closed doors... how about we look for new beginnings? There are so many awesome things starting up and people showing amazing creativity and kindness right now. Let's celebrate that, and let God lift us up and move us to take up a new challenge, be creative, show kindness and love to others. 

Love and blessings,

Mel

...and the WINNERS are...

Announcing the winners of the Digital Awesome Time Challenges for last week:

Well done to everyone who entered! It was pretty tough to judge... remember there are some new competitions out there for this week, so do give those a go.

• There's the FISH Forky Challenge and Conundrum
• This week's D.A.T. challenges
• and for the older youth, CHYPS have a Photo Challenge (see the chapel_street_youth Instagram page)

CHYPS Photo Challenge | Letterbox Edition

CHYPS (Chapel Street Young People's YOUTH GROUP) have been having a Photo Challenge. The first challenge was to take a photo of something interesting on your letterbox.

We had some awesome entries... definitely some surprising objects appearing on top of letterboxes. I wonder what the neighbours thought?!

The winner of the inaugural CHYPS PHOTO CHALLENGE is...

B E L L A!

Bella created the perfect hideaway home for her Sylvanian Family toys in their letterbox!

More mandalas!

I love these mandalas, sent in by Carol, made by a friend of hers, Sophia. Thanks for sharing - they are beautiful!

Water Glass Music by Sophia

https://youtu.be/ZWItPxtnoqA

Awesome music from Sophia - even with vocals! A very original version of 'Here Comes the Sun' - great job, Sophia!

Anne's mandala

Thanks Anne, for sharing your stunning mandala. Did you make the cookies yourself, I wonder?

Anaya's mandala!

Check out this incredible mandala, created by Anaya, using rabbits, hatchimals and shoes!

Very creative!

FISH: Family Fun Night | Lockdown Edition No.1

Welcome to the online version of FISH! Grab your family members and get together for an 'at-home' family fun night!

Here are some games and challenges for you to try.

HIDE THE FORK

At camp, we searched for forks which had been hidden earlier by Dave and myself. You could try this at home. Take turns to hide a number of forks around the house, and give the rest of the family a time limit to try and find them. The person who finds the most gets to have a turn at hiding them next time.

MAKE A 'FORKY'

Using a plastic fork (if you have one, or otherwise see if you're allowed to borrow one from the kitchen drawer), turn the fork into the character Forky from Toy Story. If you don't have googly eyes or pipe cleaners, you could make eyes and arms from paper. Be creative!

Email your photo of Forky to me and I'll post it to the blog. There will be a prize for the best Forky!

Here's a clip from the movie, introducing Forky:

CONUNDRUM

Give your family a jumbled up word and see if they can figure out what it is. Here's one from me...

You can enter online by clicking on the jumbled letters below:

I F S N I G H

HAGOO!

Separate your group into two even teams and have them stand in two separate lines facing the opposite group. 

1) The players at the opposite ends of each line are opponents. They will step out of the lines, so they are facing each other and looking down the middle of the two rows (like an old cowboy shoot-off).

2) They will both say, “Hagoo” and start to walk down the row toward each other.

3) They must not break eye contact and the object is to get to the opposite end of the line without laughing or smiling.

4) When the players pass each other, they must continue to maintain eye contact.

If a person does break eye contact, laughs, or smiles, they then must join the end of the line of the opposing team.

The teams can do or say any silly things to make the opposing player crack up, but they must be careful not to make their own player lose concentration. The teams may NOT touch another player. This process will continue until everyone has had a turn. The team with the most players at the conclusion of the game, wins.

Hope you have fun with these activities... let me know how you get on! 

Waterglass Music Challenge

Our newest Awesome Kids members, the fabulous Yoshua, Marijke and Esther, took up the challenge to create some music using glasses of water. Here it is for you to enjoy!

Carol's mandala

Here is the first entry in the Adult's Division of the Mandala challenge!

Well done Carol, your rose mandala looks beautiful.

Here is my first ever attempt at a mandala - Holly our kitten was very
interested in it and walked over and through it a couple of times.
It is ok, but I think I could do better.
I will try again tomorrow, maybe if I don't use all the petals in a bath
today. - Carol

Amazing mandalas are rolling in!

Thanks to all of you who have been busy creating some amazing mandalas, and answering the quiz questions. Here are a couple of pretty cool creations by Sophia and Dylan:

An edible mandala, by Dylan

A beautiful nature-inspired mandala, by Sophia

Keep them coming! We look forward to sharing some water-glass-music videos with you too!

Digital Awesome Time! D.A.T. | Lockdown Edition #1

Hi there Awesome Kids!

Welcome to the first edition of D.A.T. = Digital Awesome Time!   

Today's D.A.T. is about seeing. But not just seeing with our eyes - but seeing with our hearts. We can think about seeing with our hearts in our thoughts and actions towards God and one another. If we only ever focus on ourselves, and our own wants and needs, it's hard to have a 'vision' or to see the needs of others. We might be able to look with our eyes, but it would be like we're 'blinded' to what God is doing, or to the things other people need.

Jesus sometimes said that people didn't see things clearly, even if they could see with their physical eyes. That's how some people missed out on Him and the awesome things He did. So let's keep our eyes open, spiritually and physically. Look around to know what others need. Keep our minds on God and what God wants us to do in our lives.

Here are some challenges for you. You might like to do just one, or you can do all of them. There will be a prize draw on Friday, so get your family involved and give it a go!

1. BIBLE STORY

Today's story from the bible comes from John chapter 9, verses 1-41. 

Challenge #1: Read it with your family, and/or watch our video here:

https://youtu.be/V2-WhI31r_o

Let us know what you think!

2. UBUNTU QUIZ

Here's a really cool video to watch, with questions afterwards. 

https://forms.gle/MfRe9jp97nydeYMv5

Challenge #2: Watch the video &
answer the questions at this link: CLICK HERE

The story from the bible reminded Carol of the concept of "ubuntu" - I am because we are. It is about our humanity and how we have common bonds with people within a group, which are more important than any individual person, argument or division within in. It means that people can disagree and debate, but because our relationships with each other are strong, we can work through things together. It's about putting others first, before yourself as a person. Sometimes this can be very hard to do and sometimes it's useful to have something contemplative to do when you are working things out. Creating a mandala can help. See challenge number three!

3. MANDALA CHALLENGE

Mandalas were created in Asia by the Buddhists as early as the 4th century. Now they are created throughout the world. Carol's friend made an amazing mandala with flowers. Now you can too. 

Create a mandala, to symbolise our love for one another and humanity.

You could draw or paint a mandala Click here for instructions on how to draw a mandala.

Or you could make a mandala out of flowers...

or with something else from around the house - Lego perhaps, or stones, shells or cutlery!

Challenge #3: Take a photo of your mandala and email it to me. I will post it on the blog. There will be prizes for the most creative!

4. MUSICAL CHALLENGE

Watch the video from last Sunday, where Yoshua and Izak made music with glasses filled with water. 

Challenge #4: Create your own water-glass music, get your parent/caregiver to video it and send it to me! (Either email, or via Google Drive, Dropbox or Onedrive. I'll then put it on YouTube and link it to the blog. Or you can upload it to YouTube yourself and send me the link to share.)

Link to video: Living Water video

5. THE INVISIBLE BOY

This is quite a cool picture story, which is all about seeing. Nobody seems to notice Brian, the invisible boy. No-one thinks to include him in their game, group, or invite him to their party. Until... a new kid comes to class.

Challenge #5: Watch the story above and answer this question:

Are there kids in your class, or at school, who you see as being treated as though they are invisible, like Brian was? What could you do to make them feel more valued and appreciated?

You could do just one of the challenges above, or all of them. Get the whole family involved - have fun and share the love and kindness!

Email your answers / photos / videos to me directly, or if you don't have my email address, click on the below link and I'll contact you.

Click HERE to contact Chapel Street Kids

Love and blessings,

Mel

Living Water

On Sunday, our Awesome Kids learnt about the metaphor comparing Jesus to living water. 

We talked about having a 'thirst for God' and Jesus quenching that thirst. 

We made some purple footprints for Lent, with the words "...on a journey with God" or "...following in God's way" or "...following Jesus". We stuck them on the wall of the gallery. Follow them down the hallway and into the church!

Water music was a really fun way to celebrate Jesus as our Living Water. Yoshua and Izak created some awesome tunes using glasses filled with water and tapping them with teaspoons.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a watery dessert... JELLY! Hopefully we will all remember to go out into the world and share the living water, the love of Jesus, with everyone we meet.

Thanks to MaTCH for the video :o)

Hoop skills and dangerous crossings

Last Saturday, CHYPS our youth group (Chapel Street Young People's) tried a variety of team challenges. One of the most difficult was to get our team across a floor of "acid" - it sure helped having a rugby player on our side!

Thanks to MaTCH for the video.