Respond to the Word
Activities based on John 20.19-21, including A simple worship activity for all ages
Believe without seeing
It is not always necessary to see something to believe in it. Sometimes we can see the effect of something rather than the thing itself.
Divide into groups to identify four ‘things’ people believe in without being able to see them. Is the ‘thing’ tangible in any way or is it an idea? Can we see its effects? Is it important who tells us about it? We can observe things blown by the wind; some bacteria make us ill, and though we can’t see them, we believe the scientists who tell us about them – because they have seen them; we trust doctors who have conducted tests. What and how we believe depends on many different factors. Belief and faith in the resurrection is complex.
Peace be with you
Hide 14 paper doves, each with one letter of the phrase ‘Peace be with you’ on it. Search for them and construct the phrase, using clues if necessary. The disciples were lost, hiding behind the locked door; Jesus found them and offered peace.
What do we see?
What we see is affected by circumstances. Find some optical illusions to display by googling ‘one picture two images’. Project some of these images and invite people to share what they can see. Discuss the way that perspective affects perception.
A simple worship activity for all ages
Display a large cross, decorated for Easter (it could be the one created in last week’s activity, Jesus rose for me!, see p.37) and place beside it a basket full of fabric strips of different colours. Jesus invited Thomas to come and touch. Invite people to select a strip of fabric in a colour that represents how they are feeling, and to touch the cross before placing the strip on the floor, letting it radiate out from the base of the cross.