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.
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!)
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.
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.
For our first night back at CHYPS | CHapel Street Young People's YOUTH GROUP, our intrepid leader, Angie led us on a walk in the dark around the block. We paired up with someone we don't usually talk with, or someone we haven't seen in ages and had to discuss... (1) something interesting we noticed along the way, (2) something we did in the holidays and (3) something we are thankful for.
On our return to the church hall, we shared some of the things we'd talked about on our walk, and then launched into some ball games.
We finished with our 5 minute 'God-Time' where we made paper darts to throw, symbolising 'arrow prayers' (a short one or two word prayer).
Our supper included scrummy hot pizza, chocolate fudge slice, chips and ice-creams with chocolate fish.
We're looking forward to doing it all again next month!
Have you every had one of those nights when you're lying in bed and you can't get to sleep, because the Whatifs are going around in your head?
What if the bus is late?
What if my teeth don't grow in straight?
What if I flunk that test?
What if green hair grows on my chest?
We created a movie, inspired by the poem titled 'Whatif', by Shel Silverstein. You can check it out below.
We added an extra verse though...
But then I remembered the words from Paul*
who said there is totally nothing at all
anywhere, anytime in all of creation
that would ever be able to cause separation
between us and the love of God, which is ours
through Jesus our Lord and His awesome powers.
So when I 'What-if' and I'm worried and scared
I remember God's with me and send off a prayer
and wherever, whenever, however I'll know
whatever the whatifs, I'm never alone!
We also read the book, Some Things Are Scary, by Florence Parry Heide - and created some illustrations inspired by some of the 'scary' things in her story.
*In the book of Romans, in the Bible, a man called Paul made a list of all the things he worried could get between him and God's loving care. Our list was a little different... we talked about being late to school, going to the wrong class, getting the wrong day for Mufti Day, being bullied, not getting picked for a team, nightmares and not being able to get to sleep. In the end though, like Paul in the bible, we came to the same conclusion - that no matter what scary things we worried about, NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE of GOD. We are never alone... God is always with us, helping us get through.
It was wonderful to be back at FISH on Saturday night, after such a long absence. Our Family Fun Night was held at the Chapel Street Centre, as usual, starting at 5pm with take-away tea, followed by games and challenges for all ages.
We played GIANT pictionary, using the whiteboard and went on a wild chicken chase, looking for someone hiding with Ralph the Chicken. In the photos above, you can see our teams getting creative, in a paper sculpture contest.
We also celebrated Tevunga's 4th birthday with cake and candles.
Join us next month, Saturday 29 August, when we'll be back again, with a different range of games and activities.
On Sunday, our Awesome Kids painted stones to remind us that God is always with us. We have to wait for the paint to dry before we can take the next step, which is to give a stone to people in the congregation to take home. They are then invited to leave the stone in a place where they strongly feel God's presence.
This morning, Richard told us a story which Jesus told to a crowd of people, many years ago, while he was sitting in a boat! Richard even brought a boat along to church, which he sat in to tell us the very same story... the Parable of the Sower.
The farmer sowed... that's sow with an 'o', not sew with an 'e'! Sew with an 'e' is to sew with needle and thread. Sow with an 'o' means to plant seeds.
Anyway, the farmer sowed his seeds - some fell on hard ground, some on rocky ground, some on thorny ground and some on soft ground. Which seeds do you think grew the best? You can listen to the story in one of the videos below.
Jesus explained the parable like this:
Those who hear Jesus's stories but don't even try to understand them, are like the seeds that fell along the path. They easily get distracted and lose interest and do the wrong things. The seeds that fell on the rocky ground, stand for those who listen to Jesus's teachings for a short time, but when it gets a bit difficult to do the right thing, they give up easily and do their own thing. The seeds that fell among the thorn bushes stand for those who hear the message, but are more interested in having expensive toys and the latest gadgets than helping others, and what is right.
The seeds that landed on the good soil stand for those who hear and understand Jesus's message, and grow up to be strong people who love others and love God. They want to do what's right and help others to do the same.
We 'planted' M&Ms in some chocolate pudding (to represent sowing seeds of faith) - there were even a few gummy worms in there!
We created some beautiful flower artwork, gluing seeds onto the centre of our flowers.
Watch an animated story of the Parable of the Sower:
We are all so excited about the upcoming arrival of Mele & Samuela's precious child. It was great to all be together at the Chapel Street Centre on Sunday and have something so wonderful to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who made the baby shower so special!
On Sunday, we made yarn hearts, which we turned into a mobile to hang in our church foyer. They are a reminder to share God's amazing LOVE with ALL we meet.
We heard the story, Time to Go, Hippo, written by Bob Hartman and illustrated by Kate Simpson. Just how do you deal with a big, bumpy, powerful grey monster with stomping feet, chomping teeth and a fearsome and SMELLY roar?
Well, the farmers tried charging at it with their wheat-thrashers, rat-smashers and potato-mashers; the soldiers attacked it with their catapults and battering rams... but that didn't work. The hippo just watched them, went on calmly chewing his way through their vegetable patch and ROARED his great, smelly roar at them.
The old man, Barnabas knew. You'll have to find the story and read it for yourself to hear HOW he did it. But... it wasn't by charging or attacking or trying to scare the animal away. Barnabas watched and listened. He talked to the hippo. He said sorry for the way the people had treated him. He explained that we are all God's creatures, and that it is important to get along. Finally, he gave the hippo an onion (he had learned by watching the hippo that hippos love onions). "Something I would never have learned by chasing them away," he said. The old man befriended the hippo.
We talked about how hard it can be sometimes, to make that decision to befriend someone - if it is someone we wouldn't normally hang around with. Maybe it's the new kid at school, perhaps it's someone nobody else plays with, it could be someone who's a bit different or seems a little scary. But, God is with us as we make those hard choices, and God really wants us to show His amazing LOVE and KINDNESS to others, ESPECIALLY when it's hard.
It's pretty difficult to get to know someone if we're always chasing them away, or ignoring them. If we could be like the character of old Barnabas in the story, and make time to really listen and learn about the other person, let them know we see them, we hear them... and we care. And who knows...we could make a new friend! (Although, perhaps leave the raw onions at home!)
Last week, Heather read the wonderful story, Enemy Pie by Derek Munson. If you missed it, you can read it online at the link below.
Sometimes, it's hard to be friendly to people we really don't like, or who are mean to us. But, Jesus wants us to show God's love and kindness to EVERYONE. This story, 'Enemy Pie', is a great illustration of what can happen when we do. Even when it's really hard.
After the story, Heather made small apple 'friendship' pies. We decorated the pie baskets with positive words and handed them out at morning tea time.
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!).
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Angie made this handprint, to remind her how to pray using the five fingered prayer.
Beautiful colours, Angie!
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!
Remember our 'Pass the Peace | Teddy Bear' VIDEO made in Lockdown?
Well, we thought it was time we tried another challenge... so here is our next video project -
the PAPER PLANE PROJECT!
This is inspired by our Digital Awesome Time activity this morning, where we made paper planes, or darts - symbolising 'arrow prayers' - a quick one or two word prayer shot out to God, (like, "Thanks God!" or "Help!")
So... your mission, should you choose to accept it is to:
1. Make a paper plane
2. Set up your camera or phone to video yourself
3. Get an assistant (off camera) to throw the paper plane to you (coming in from YOUR RIGHT)
4. Catch (or pick up) the plane, SMILE at the camera
5. Throw the dart off to YOUR LEFT
6. Send me the video clip - either email, Google Drive, dropbox, OneDrive, Instagram to the CHYPS insta, or Messenger
7. Done!
TIPS:
* Make sure to shoot the video in LANDSCAPE mode.
* It's super hard to catch a paper plane... so we recommend getting the person throwing it to do it gently from a close distance, so it lands on your lap, or on the table in front of you, or on the book you're reading, or something like that. Be creative!
NOTE: This challenge is a kids/youth only one... sorry grown-ups, you miss out this time (but you can always help with the production behind the scenes!)
The video will be shared on our blog, YouTube, CHYPS Instagram and church Facebook page.
If you have any questions, please give me a call / email.
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 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!
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!
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.
