Here’s the plan for children, youth and families for Worship Play, Gathering Time, and Sunday School for Sunday, March 20, 2016, Palm and Passion Sunday.
Peace and blessings, Alice
(If you have any questions about children and family ministries at NYAPC, please email Associate Pastor Alice Tewell @ alice.tewell@nyapc.org.)
Worship Play:
We will be celebrating Palm and Passion Sunday. We will begin together and read the story of the Great Parade (Palm Sunday) from the Lion Storyteller Bible. All together, we will act-out the story. 
We will use the asparagus growing from the worm-compost to wave in the air.
We will then split into 2 groups, one with those who are 6 and under and one 7 and up.
- The older group will read the entire story of the passover, the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the story of Good Friday from the Jesus Storybook Bible.
- The younger children will read The Colt and the King by Marni McGee and the Loud Book by Deborah Underwood. The Colt and the King is a beautiful story for Palm Sunday and the Loud Book is about making a great big sound in praise of God! The younger children will primarily focus on the story of Palm Sunday.
Gathering Time:
I have been wondering how to honor Holy Week at home. And then, I came across this fabulous idea to create a Holy Week box. This idea is by Camille LeBron Powell, a retired church educator, and has been adapted in various ways on the internet. 
During Gathering Time, we will take this Holy Week Walk to build our Holy Week Boxes.The full instructions for the Holy Week boxes (instructions will be handed out too) are here. (Instructions are heavily adapted from http://www.buildfaith.org/2016/03/14/holy-week-in-a-box/)
Step 1: Find 1-2 other people to do this activity with.
Step 2: Get a box, and put the palm frond in the box.
Today is Palm Sunday. The people cut down palms and cheered as Jesus entered Jerusalem. They yelled Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
- In your group, yell, “Hosanna! Hosanna!”
Step 3: Put the two chocolate coins in the box.
These coins represent Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday
- Put the first coin in the box. When Jesus came to Jerusalem, he went into the Temple. There were people cheating others out of their money. Jesus was very angry so he turned the table over in the temple. Jesus said that people shouldn’t be cheating people in God’s house. In your group, imagine what an angry Jesus looked like. Does Jesus being angry surprise you?
- Put a second coin on the box. The religious leaders asked Jesus if it was right to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor. I
wonder how we can give to God?
Step 4: Add the 3rd Coin to the Box.
This coin represents Holy Wednesday.
Jesus watched people in the Temple giving money to God. Some made a big show of giving lots of money. But one person didn’t.
- In your group ask, how can we give to God’s kingdom?
Step 5: Draw a picture of a cup and a plate on the piece of paper. Then, put it in your box. Place Jesus (the small wooden figure) by the table. Then, put it all in the box.
This cup and plate represent Mau
ndy Thursday.
On Maundy Thursday we remember the last Passover meal Jesus had with his friends. Use the top of the box as a table.
- In your group ask, in church, how do we remember this meal?
Step 6: Make a cross out of pipe cleaner and put it in the box.
This cross represents Good Friday.
The religious leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus. They told lies about him. Jesus was arrested. It was a very sad day, because the authorities put Jesus to death on a cross.
- In your group ask, how do we see Jesus loving us through the cross?
Step 7: Take a small piece of cloth and put in the box.
This cloth represents the linen cloth Jesus’ body was wrapped in on Good Friday. When Jesus had died, his friends took his body down from the cross and wrapped it in linen cloth. They placed Jesus’ body in a tomb cut out of rock.
- In your group ask, I wonder how his friends felt?
Step 8: There is nothing to add here except your breath. Close the box.
This day represents the stillness of Holy Saturday.
On the Saturday, everything was so still you could almost hear the earth breathe. There was nothing that could be done. Holy Saturday is a waiting day.
- In your group, take 3 long and deep breaths. Then, pray, “Lord, hear our prayers.”
Step 9: Take your box home, and do the Holy Week Box activity throughout the week. Make sure to do the activity on Easter Sunday. The resurrection is the best part!
Sunday School:
- PreK: Palm Sunday Story
- K-4: Easter! From Matthew 24:1-12
- Middle School: Jesus Christ, the Last Supper
- High School: Go directly to Peter Marshall Hall to hear Dr. Douglas Ottati “Jesus Christ in a Violent and Disrupted World”
NYAPC Seeking God 