Download by clicking HERE

This is a super easy and simple activity for children young and old to give as a gift to those who help them to grow be it physically or spiritually or both!
They can be used for Mothers day or as gifts for any day. All you need are some clean jam jars with labels removed – or any jar / pot you choose.
Print the labels and Bible verses. Children can write their names on the labels and draw pictures if they choose. Glue the label to the front of the pot.
Cut out the bible verses, children can then roll or fold them and place into the jar.

You might choose to add small amounts of table confetti into the pot – such as little hearts or if your pots are large you could put some wrapped sweets for the recipient at
the bottom and the verses on top. Children can decorate the pots / jars with stickers etc. You might also choose to tie some ribbon around the pot for an extra special touch.

We used the hearts at home to create a valentine wall hanging by sticking them to an extra large paper plate. You could cut a circle of cardboard to form a hollow ring and make a wreath by sticking the hearts around. You could use them as part of a prayer space, or in any other way you want – we’d love to see how creatively you use them so please do email us your photos: cfm@ireland.anglican.org.

Click on the image to download the pdf.

This is a lovely active prayer which helps to bring focus, peace and calm.

You will need:

• A strong cardboard cut out of a sheep (size depending on what you are using them for afterwards)
• Wool or Yarn (put a call out for leftover wool in your church family to reduce costs here.

How to Pray:

The facilitator will read out simple wondering prayers.  Invite people to sit quietly and comfortably, breathing slowly and thinking about what they are hearing.

When the facilitator says ‘Jesus, you wrap me in your love’, invite people to wrap the wool around their sheep several times.

Prayer:

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

The Bible tells me you surround me,

You indwell me,

You go before me,

You walk beside me.

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

I wonder what the Shepherds were thinking before the angels appeared.  Maybe they felt lonely, isolated and far away from their family and friends.  Maybe they were enjoying the quiet night and they liked tending to their work.  Maybe they were worrying about something.

The promise of Hope, the arrival of Hope, can interrupt our thoughts.  What thoughts do you have that need to be interrupted by the Hope of Jesus?

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

Before the angels appeared, it was dark.  It would have been very dark on those hills.  The light of Christ comes to us in a whisper, a tiny flicker of a light or it comes in a ROAR, a host of angels filling the sky with light and song.  However it comes, it disrupts the darkness and brings comfort.  How can the light of Christ bring comfort to you now?

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

At first, the message of the Good News brought fear – to Mary, to Joseph, to the Shepherds.  But then the fear was replaced by strength and joy as they were invited into God’s plan.

The Shepherds were on the margins and suddenly they were hurrying into the centre of God’s story – hurrying to meet Jesus.

Is fear ruling your decisions and actions?  How can you let go of fear and take hold of the strength and joy that comes with being guided by the Good News?

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

I invite you now to wrap until your wool or yarn is used up.  Notice if the wrapping gets difficult and the wool slips off.  Maybe your thoughts are pulled to fixing it.  Maybe you feel frustrated to be interrupted from your flow.  That’s ok!

Invite God into the interruptions.

Invite God into the frustrations.

Invite God into the blips and bumps of your everyday.

Jesus, you wrap me in your love.

Take Heart Prayer Reminders

Draw a heart on a stone.  Pray for courage and strength for the journey ahead:

1. for those closest to you – family, friends and neighbours
2. for those who point the way – our teachers
3. for those who are in leadership – our government and community leaders
4. for our weakest members – babies, the elderly, those who are ill or grieving
5. for yourself

Carry the stone in your pocket this week.  Every time you grasp it, remind yourself of this truth:

God is Here.  Take Heart.  Do not be afraid.

If families are connecting with the service from home, invite them to hide some of their stones with hearts in dark places in their house and then invite the children to search for the stones in a treasure hunt.  When they find them, they are reminded that God is with them, even in dark places, and to take heart.