Stations
Stations are places of waiting, usually for buses or trains. Waiting gives us time and space to think about things. This is a chance to take a journey, visit a station and have time and space to think about Jesus. Imagine that you are on a train journey. Wherever you see this symbol, imagine your train has stopped at the station and you have time to stop, wait, think and use all your senses. You may need a grown up to help you.
If you don t want to stop at a station you can continue your journey to the next one but if you visit all 7 stations you will collect a rainbow. To set off on your journey you first of all need a picture of Jesus. This is a bit like your ticket. Choose one of the pictures that you particularly like, keep it with you throughout the journey. This journey is about Jesus and you. At each station, take away a coloured heart and you ll end up with rainbow to remind you of your journey today.
1 Upper Room
2 Gethsemene
3 Temple Courtyard
4 Pilate s Palace
5 The Road
6 Skull Hill
7 The Tomb
Upper Room The Last Supper Matthew 26:26-30 Bread Wine Fellowship Jesus said I am the bread of life. At the last supper he broke bread and said Take and eat, this is my body. I wonder what he meant by these things? In 1 Corinthians 11:26 Paul writes For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord s death until he comes. Look at the bread. Take and hold a piece, notice the texture. Smell it. Is it good? Break the bread. What happens? Eat some bread. What does it taste like?
Gethsemene The Garden of Gethsemene Matthew 26:36-48 Prayer Sleep Kiss Read the story of Gethsemene. I wonder what you think about when you hear or read this story? Jesus was very sad and anguished about what was going to happen to him. He wanted God to take away the pain, but he wanted to be obedient to God more. This meant he was prepared to take the painful road, instead of the easy way out. Jesus was upset by his friends falling asleep when he needed their support. I wonder when your friends have upset you, what has happened and how you dealt with it. Have a think about it now. When you re ready, write or draw on a little post-it note a word or picture about sad or painful times with friends. Stick it on the board knowing that Jesus has shared your feelings.
Temple Courtyard The Denial Matthew 26:69-75 Fire Fear Feathers Read the bit of the story listed above. Can you imagine what Peter was thinking and feeling? Colour and decorate a cockerel with feathers to remind you of this part of the story.
Pilates Palace The Trial John 19:12-16 Purple Robes Crown of Thorns Not my fault Read the story above in John s gospel. Look at the picture of Jesus wearing the crown of thorns. I wonder what Jesus was thinking and feeling? Notice the part of the story where Pilate washed his hands. I wonder why he did that? Pretend you are Pilate and wash your hands in the bowl. Try to imagine what Pilate was thinking and feeling as you do. I wonder what happened to Pilate after this story finished? Psalm 51:7 says Remove my sin, and I will be clean; Wash me and I will be whiter than snow I wonder if this verse relates to the experience of Pilate?
The Road The Way of the Cross Luke 23:26-31 Jesus Falls Simon Helps Women Cry Carefully have a go at picking up the basket (Bend knees and back straight!). Think what it s like carrying a heavy load, how your muscles ache and your arms feel longer! Have you ever really listened to the words of the songs we sing in church? There is one song that has the line, My heavy load He chose to bear. What do you think this could mean? Read the story in Luke about Jesus carrying the cross. What do you think? Write a thought or prayer onto a strip of paper and using the directions fold it into the cross shape. You may need a grown up to help you.
The Road The Way of the Cross Luke 23:26-31 Jesus Falls Simon Helps Women Cry Listen to the song on the CD player. Can you here words that tell the Easter Story? Here are the words if it helps to read them. Above All by Lenny Leblanc & Paul Baloche Above all powers above all kings Above all nature and all created things Above all wisdom and all the ways of man You were here before the world began Above all kingdoms above all thrones Above all wonders the world has ever known Above all wealth and treasures of the earth There s no way to measure what You re worth Crucified laid behind the stone You lived to die, rejected and alone Like a rose, trampled on the ground You took the fall, and thought of me Above all
Skull Hill The Events of the Cross Matthew 26:27-44 & John 19:25-27 Soldiers Criminals Mother When we do and say things that make people sad, God gets sad to. Jesus had to die on the cross to take away the bad things we ve done so that we can all be friends with God, without any bad things in the way. Read the bits of the story listed above about what happened while Jesus was on the cross. Think about things that you ve said or done that you know inside you makes God sad. Then draw a picture, a word or put your handprint in the sand to say sorry to God. There is a prayer on the card with words that might help you. When you ve done that remember that Jesus said Father, Forgive them and God does when we say sorry and mean it. When you feel ready, wipe away the images in the sand, knowing you re forgiven and Jesus death was for you to be close to God.
Skull Hill The Events of the Cross Matthew 26:27-44 & John 19:25-27 Soldiers Criminals Mother On that Good Friday, Lord, They tried everything. They tried to quench your love with insults, To drown your love in jeering, to kill your love by nailing it to a cross. But your love was not beaten. you forgave them the jeering, you forgave them the piercing, and in your forgiveness your love conquered all and rose into a new and everlasting life. Amen
The Tomb The Death & The Tomb John 19:28-42 It is Finished Myrrh The Burial Read or listen to the story about Jesus dying and being buried (the Bible verses are given above). I wonder what notice about the story. Do you have a question? When you re ready, take a piece of playdough and make in into a model that helps you think about Jesus dying. When you ve finished take the model into the tomb.
The Tomb The Death & The Tomb John 19:28-42 It is Finished Myrrh The Burial What s that smell? Can you smell a smell? Can you describe the smell? The smell is Myrrh oil. Do you remember when Jesus was born that one of the gifts he was given was myrrh a strange gift for a baby, since myrrh was used to put on dead bodies to hide the bad smell of decay.
In the darkest moments of our lives, O God, Remind us that you are light, That you are hope, That you are love. Amen