Easter (and Annie!) is Coming!

As I was wandering through CVS this weekend the message was clear, "Easter is coming". Between Cadbury eggs, white chocolate bunnies, Reeses Eggs, Jelly Beans (my personal favorite!), and egg dying kits the message was clear, Easter is indeed coming. Valentines day has barely passed, but retail is getting ready for their profits. If the retail stores have figured out they have to prepare for the temporal parts of the holiday, shouldn't we already be preparing for Easter?

As churches this gives us the opportunity to share with our children the good news of Christ's birth. It also gives us the opportunity to promote North American Missions with the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

As you prepare for Easter, think about the opportunities. What will your church be doing?

First, egg hunts are not a bad thing, but PLEASE don't let your egg hunt be your only Easter focus. Even the youngest kids in your ministry can hear that Jesus rose from the dead!

I can hear you now, thanks Jenn, you just took away my Easter Sunday (or Saturday) idea. On the contrary! I am an advocate for egg hunts, they are fun. Consider using your egg hunt as a time to also present the gospel. Ressurection Eggs are a great way to share the gospel with Egg Hunt attenders. You can decide, do you want to hide the ressurection eggs with the others or keep them to the side...either way, kids love discovering what is inside the egg.

If you want you can buy the eggs ready made, but if you want to save a little money, you can make them yourselves. Just take 12 plastic Easter eggs and put them in a carton. Some people match colors with the eggs, that is okay, but I am just going to tell you what goes in the egg. The verses beside the item are the verses you can use to tell the story.

1. Bread: Matthew 26:26 Jesus gave the disciples bread at the last supper.
2. Coins: Matthew 26:14-15 Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
3. Purple cloth: Mark 15:17 The soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus.
4. Thorns (be careful with these, you may want to consider a plastic version): Matthew 27:29 The soldiers put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head.
5. Small piece of rope or thick string: Mark 15:15 Barabbas was freed and Jesus was whipped and handed over to be crucified.
6. Cross: John 19:17-18a Jesus was crucified.
7. Nails: Jesus was nailed to the cross
8. Sign: Luke 23:38 A sign was put over Jesus' head saying "This is the King of the Jews.
9. Sponge: Matthew 27:48 A soldier tried to give Jesus a drink on a sponge, but Jesus didn't drink it.
10. Spear: John: 19:34 A soldier stuck his spear in Jesus' side to make sure He was dead.
11. Rock: Matthew 27:59-60 A huge rock was rolled in front of the grave so that nobody could get in.
12. Empty: Matthew 28:6 When Jesus' friends got to the grave, the grave was empty. Jesus had risen!

I realize these items may not be the same as others you have seen before. Some people incorporate cotton to show that Jesus was wrapped up when he was buried.

This is just one idea for Easter, the important thing is presenting the story as a TRUE story!


Now, what can Annie Armstrong possibly have to do with children's ministry?

Annie Armstrong is a missions offering taken up every year to support missions throughout North America (specifically the U.S. and Canada.) It is important for children to learn about missions and missionaries at a very young age. Consider letting your kids know about the Week of Prayer Missionaries (you can find them at www.namb.net) and giving them the opportunity to give to the offering.

The Week of prayer missionaries this year are from Laredo, TX, Nebraska, Georgia, Indiana, Montreal, Canada, Southern California, New Mexico, and Maryland. They work with a variety of people from cowboys, internationals, those who can't read, college students, and a variety of other jobs.

What an opportunity to teach your kids what is happening in missions right here in North America!

I hope that you will consider making this Easter a time for not only fun in your ministry, but also take the opportunity to make this Easter the time of a life changing decision in your children's lives!