Children s Passover/Last Supper Experience. Teacher Guide

Transcription

1 Children s Passover/Last Supper Experience Teacher Guide

2 Jesus Last Passover (Video Script) Video Open/Exodus story Sampling Food/Introduction of Jesus and Friends Transition from Passover to Lord s Supper/Communion Transition from story to experience For KidMin Pros and Additional Volunteers: Our time together is very scripted this weekend. We will be following our script closely. Here s how the morning will play out: 4:45-5:00/9:15-9:30/11:00-11:15 a.m. Our Team will be seated and several tables throughout the 1 st -3 rd grade room. We will have some games that you can do together which will help prep them for the experience. As children come to your table welcome them by saying Shalom! and invite them to say it back to you and other guests. As you fill your table with guests, encourage your table to welcome new guests together without your prompting. 5:00-5:05/9:30-9:35/11:15-11:20.Video begins. This is our teaching video that reminds children about the origins of the Passover. It is meant to be reflective. 5:05-5:25/9:35-9:55/11:20 (ish)-11:40. Children will be served foods that are part of the Passover dinner. Each table will receive a seder plate. On the plate will be the following foods and what they symbolize: Egg: new life that came with the freedom from slavery Bitter herbs: to remind us of the pain of slavery in Egypt. They bring tears to your eye and reminds us about the cries of the people to God to free them from slavery. Greens: Karpas is a green vegetable, usually parsley (though any spring green will do). While karpas may symbolize the freshness of spring, Haroses: the mortar that was used to assemble the brinks the Israelites used to build Pharoh s kingdom Shank bone: remembering the perfect lamb which was slain and its blood placed over the doorposts of each house. Lettuce: is a second bitter herb, most often romaine lettuce, but people also use the leafy greens of a horseradish or carrot plant. The symbolism is the same as that of the bitter herbs. Matzoh: the unleavened bread prepared for a quick get away when Pharoh freed the slaves. Salt Water: to remind us of the waters that God parted at the Red Sea so the Israelites could escape.

3 Some of the symbols aren t eaten, such as the roasted lamb shankbone and the roasted egg. However, when it comes time to eat the karpas, the charoset, and the other symbols, different families have different traditions. Some eat the symbols from the seder plate; others give each person their own mini-seder plate to eat from; at larger events, these items may be served family style, with large bowls being passed around so that people can serve themselves. We will have a plates for each where they can sample bowls containing the Passover objects including roasted lamb. The lamb will be shredded. Encourage children to take a small sample. While you re with your table sampling foods invite conversation using the following questions: 1. What do you think the hardest part of being a slave would be? 2. I wonder what the Egyptians thought when all the plagues continued to happen? What plague would concern you the most? 3. If you were part of the Israelites leaving Egypt would you miss it? 4. What would you think if you were in front of the Red Sea and realized the Egyptians were coming to recapture you? 5. How would you respond when Moses put his staff out and the Red Sea divided? 6. I wonder what Jesus thought about celebrating Passover with his friends? Servers will come and clear the tables at 11:40 a.m. or when your table has finished their sampling. 5:25-5:35/9:55-10:05/11:40-11:50 The Story Continues. We now move to the time of Jesus and watch as Jesus and his friends celebrate their Last Passover together. Servers will bring to your table cups of grape juice and matzoh. You will also receive a bowl of water and a towel to use during the foot washing scene. The children will need to wait to sample both until its time in the script. As Jesus is washing the feet of the children on stage, go around your table and wash a hand of each child reminding them that they are God s child and wildly loved by a very big God. Dry their hand with a towel. Some children are sensitive to new sensations so if it is easier for them, invite them to wash and dry their own hands. 5:35-5:55/10:05-10:25/11:50-12:10 The story moves on to the part of the Passover Supper where Jesus changes the focus of the meal forever. As Jesus takes the bread take it into your hands and do the same motions, passing the two pieces to children on your right and left. Ask them to break a piece off and pass the matzoh to the person next to them. Ask them to wait and eat together. Repeat with the grape juice inviting children to now slowly drink their grape juice together when Jesus does it on stage. Stack any remaining matzoh and the juice cups in the middle of the table. Servers will immediately come after this part of the presentation and clear the table. When the drama is over, as you wait for parents to come and pick up their children this is your time to reinforce what the children just learned about Communion: 1. Have you ever seen your parents take communion at Dayspring? 2. What does the bread and the juice help us remember?

4 3. I wonder what Jesus thought/felt when he was sharing this Last Passover with his friends? 4. Share with the children that from now on when the church does communion they too will be able to participate in our classroom or the Auditorium. Let them know that on Good Friday they will be able to take communion with their families. 6:00/10:30/12:15 Children will be dismissed today by as they are seated at the tables. Parents will receive a special sheet summarizing what happened in class and encouraging them to join us for our Good Friday Experience where their children can join them in Communion. 6:15/10:30 Table Leaders will clean off table crumbs, run a vacuum around tables and reset tables for next Gatherings. 12:15-12:25 (11:15 Gathering ONLY) Table leaders will clean their tables of crumbs, fold their table clothes and leave them on the top of the tables. And return chairs to the designated tables VIDEO OPEN: Using a slow, soft voice. Pause a Beat between sentences Video Script The desert is a strange and wild place. (Beat) At night it is very cold, but in the day it is burning hot. There is almost no water at all (Beat) The desert is always changing. The wind comes, and as it blows it shapes and molds. So the desert is never the same. (Beat) Story Teller emphasize the word ONCE (Double Beat) Once the children were very hungry. Their parents heard them, but there was no food. They knew they had to find food, so the people of God crossed the desert to the land of Egypt. They stayed. But one day a new King, called a Pharaoh, wanted the people of God for slaves. Pharaoh caught them in a trap. He would not let them go. The people of God had to do what Pharaoh said. They couldn t do anything on their own. The people cried to God for help, and God heard them. God spoke to Moses and said Go to Pharaoh and say, Let God s people go! But Pharaoh said, No.

5 Many terrible things happened in the land of Egypt. But still Pharaoh said, No. Finally, the firstborn of all the Egyptian families and animals died. But not the people of God. They were safe. Death passed over them. Moses went to Pharaoh again. And Pharaoh said, Yes. The people of God were ready. They had to hurry before Pharaoh changed his mind. So they took unleavened bread because there wasn t time for it to rise. They journeyed towards the great sea. Then they heard the war chariots. Pharaoh s army was coming! They were pressed against the water, trapped again. Moses cried to God and God showed Moses the way the way through the water

6 to freedom. When all the people of God passed through, the water closed and they were safe. They were free. The people of God were so happy they were free, they just had to thank the one true God. And every year, the people of God celebrate this great story and remember how God brought freedom to the people of God. Fade into picture of Upper Room. Stage is set up with additional pieces of decoration. Children s Seder plate is presented to tables. Short time for tribe leaders to explain foods, sample Jesus knew about this story. He and his family celebrated it every year. His friends knew this story. But this year Jesus friends did not want to go. They were afraid. Jesus and 12 enter the Celebration room by back door. 12 children pantomime asking Jesus not to go.

7 Child: Don t go. People in Jerusalem want to kill you. We must go. Jesus and 12 move through the classroom to the stage where a table is prepared. When evening came, Jesus and his friends went to the upper room to celebrate the feast of Passover. Jesus and apostles are on stage also eating and talking, laughing etc. They loved being with Jesus. Jesus and his friends had traveled on dusty roads to Jerusalem for the Passover. Their feet were tired. And dirty. Usually servants wash the feet of those who enter a house. Tonight, no servant had done so before they sat at the table. When everyone had sat down, Jesus did something unusual (Beat) Jesus moves away from the dinner area, takes towel, removes cloak and wraps towel around waist He took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He lifted up the bowl of water left for the servant to wash feet and carried it over to his friends. And he began to wash their feet. Jesus washes the feet of several of the children, speaking to them as he does His friends couldn t figure out why Jesus had acted like a Servant, when they knew he was someone who was a great Teacher. They asked: Child 1: Jesus, you are not a slave, why are you doing the job of a servant? If I washed your feet like a Servant would, and you know that I am your Lord and Teacher, I want you to follow this example too. Child 2: But you are Jesus, we re just us! You are to be like me and also help others. Jesus loved his friends. His friends loved Jesus. They had spent several years together, and had seen Jesus do many wonderful things. They understood that Jesus was a great Teacher. That he

8 was there to teach them about God. And Jesus had one more important lesson to teach them. And it would happen tonight at this special dinner. You ve no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. It s the last one I ll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God. The Passover Dinner began. Jesus prayed prayers that all Jewish children, mothers and fathers, grand mothers and grandfathers knew. Then Jesus said the words of the feast in a way they had never heard before. JESUS goes through these actions slowly, the Tribes will also go through the motions at their tables. Jesus took the bread, and blessed it (Beat) And broke it (Beat) And gave it to them saying: Take. Eat. This is my body, broken for you. Jesus passes matzoh to either side of the table. Children break off a piece and eat. Children at each table do same with their Crew Leader. Then Jesus took the cup...and said Drink this, all of you. This is my blood which is shed for you. Remember me. Remember how much I love you when you eat the bread and drink the juice. Children take a sip from the cup in front of them. Children at each table do same with their Crew Leader Later that night Jesus and his friends left the room. (Jesus and friends leave front stage. Lights go out in classroom.)

9 And then it happened. People who didn t like Jesus took him. They wouldn t let him go. Later they nailed him to a cross to kill him Jesus died. It was very sad. Narrator pauses to the count of 5 But three days later God did an amazing thing. God made Jesus alive again. Cue video loop of dawn Many years later we remember the lessons that Jesus taught us that night. We remember how a meal and story about God rescuing God s people from Egypt became a story of how God rescues us and lets us become forever friends with Jesus. So Jesus returns to front of room standing in front of children saying: every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you remember Jesus, and that God made him alive again. And how much you are loved by God.