Celebrate Holy Week at Home

As we prepare for a Holy Week that is like nothing we have ever experienced before we want to provide you with resources as you celebrate Holy Week at home. We will be posting services, but that will not be the same as if we were in person. Use these activities and resources to supplement and make your Holy Week experience deeper. Look for Jesus in your week and for what He might be teaching and showing you in your life. Share what you learn with your family or call a friend and reflect on Holy Week together. 

Many in our church family have already been using the When From Death I'm Free resource this Lent. Many in our church family are already use Bible Journaling as a way to connect and learn from their Maker. We were created to create. We were created to explore. We were created to engage. This resource will help you do all of those things. In a time when church looks different than usual the publisher has made this Shelter in Place Holy Week Resource available for you to download, print, and use. 

Resurrection Eggs help to tell the Easter story through tiny objects representing a different part of the Easter story starting at Palm Sunday. One object is placed inside a plastic Easter Egg and then opened to reveal that part of the story. This activity allows children to manipulate items as they learn and retell this important story.
These eggs can be opened one day at a time like an advent calendar or all at once to tell the whole story.
· Try making your own set of Resurrection Eggs this Easter. You can search directions on Youtube or Pintrest.
Here are some links that I found.
· Ressurection Eggs -this one has directions and some printable verses to help tell the story.
· Youtube video of Resssurection Eggs– print pictures for items you can’t find.

On Palm Sunday we wave Palms in celebration of Jesus entry into Jerusalem. The people cried Hosanna, which means 'Lord, save us', and laid palm branches on the ground as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
· Make your own paper palms! Here is a link to ‘fancy’ paper palm or here is a pdf to print, cut out, and color your own palm leaf.
· Have your children ride their bikes while you walk and wave the palms. Remember to keep a safe social distance from your neighbors as you walk.
· Make crosses out of the palm branches.
There were paper instructions left with the palms under the canopy. You can find instructions here and these instructions have a Youtube video visual learners.

For more Palm Sunday ideas and more information about Palm Sunday check out the blog written by Karla called The Triumphal Entry.

Maundy Thursday is when Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples.
Read the account of the Passover with your family and notice the connection between Passover and Jesus our Passover lamb.
· Have a Seder or Passover meal on Thursday or make unleavened bread to have that night.
· Wash each other’s feet remembering how Jesus washed the disciples feet. Read the account from John 13. 

Jesus is the light of the world and on Good Friday that light is snuffed, at least to our eyes, while He is in the grave.
· Find 7 candles and extinguish them one at a time while you read the 7 last words of Christ in the account of His crucifixion. Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23,  John 19

Resurrection cookies allow you to use all 5 senses; crushing the nuts (or chocolate chips if you don’t want to use nuts) represents Jesus being beaten, you can smell the vinegar that Jesus was offered, and seal the tomb (oven) as you wait for the resurrection. I love doing this activity on Saturday night and opening up the tomb to reveal a sweet treat on Easter morning!
· Here is a link with full ingredient list and directions.
· Resurrection Rolls work much the same way as the cookies except you don’t have to wait over night for the treat and the roll is the tomb that becomes empty when they are done! Find the full ingredient list and directions for Resurrection Rolls here.

The Hymnal Project is a place for you to find hymns from our hymnal recorded for you to listen to and sing along. They have hymns categorized by the season of the church year or you can search for your favorite hymn and see if they have it. This resource and the Next Step Community with many other helpful resources can be found on our app or on our Resources for Discipleship page.