A gift to celebrate Easter

for you from

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Uniting Churches

Hi Family Happy Easter greeting to you and your family! This is a different kind of holiday time, being at home, not shopping or going to the movies. Maybe it has been a time for your family to get away and now you have to find new ways to holiday. I know some families have put their tent up in the back yard and are ‘camping at home’! However you are ‘doing Easter’ may you know God’s peace and love for all. We just wanted to let you know we are thinking of you, especially in this time of being at home in isolation. While Messy Church is not on please know we continued to pray for and give thanks for Messy Church families. So we hope you enjoy this booklet. Have fun with the jokes, craft activities, puzzles and enjoy making the yummy Hot Cross Buns. Maybe you and your family could read the Easter story in the Bible in Matthew 26 & 27 or read the story from a children Bible or a paraphrase version such as The Message (use ‘Bible Gateway’ for different translations) or you can Google ‘Mark 16 Resurrection’. We hope you family stays safe and well God bless Ministry Team

THE JELLY BEAN GOSPEL

PURPLE – reminds us of the robe the Soldiers made Jesus wear. John 19:5 RED – reminds us of the blood Jesus shed. Mark 14:24 BLACK – reminds us of the dark tomb Jesus was in for 3 days. Matthew 27:58-60 WHITE – reminds us of all the tears that were shed when Jesus died. John 20:13

– reminds us of the sunrise on Easter Morning when Jesus rose to life. Matthew 28:1 BROWN – reminds us of the stone that was rolled away and that the angels sat on. Matthew 28:2-4 GREEN – reminds us of the garden where Mary first saw Jesus. John 20:14-17 YELLOW – Reminds us of eternal life where we can live forever if we ask Jesus to be our savior. John 3:16

Easter Story Scavenger Hunt Let’s get searching….. and while we do we can learn the Easter Story. All these things are part of the

real Easter story that we can read about in the Bible. You might like to find the story in Mark chapters

14-16

Something white – Represents the Purity of God

Something Black – Represents our sin

Bread – Jesus broke bread and shared it with his disciples

Coins – Judas betrayed Jesus in exchange for money

Thorns – Represents crown of thorns on Jesus’ head

Perfume – Poured out on Jesus feet

Two pieces of wood/sticks – You can make a cross with these sticks

Nails – What secured Jesus to the cross

Something sour – What Jesus was given to drink while on the cross

Something red – Represents Jesus’ blood

Something torn – The veil in the temple split in two

Spices – Used to prepare Jesus’ body for burial

A rock – Represents the tomb

3 of something – Represents the 3 days in the tomb

Something empty – Jesus is risen!

White cloth – All that remained in the tomb

Something new – Jesus gives us new life.

You can play this scavenger hunt as a

game.

On ‘go’ time how long it takes you

to get an item.

Play against your family members

– who can collect it all first?

Ask someone to read out the list

and have a prize for the first

person back with the item.

Easter Biscuit Ingredients. Milk Arrowroot biscuit or similar Green icing (icing water food colouring) Easter egg (medium size) Freckle chocolate loll Jelly baby Decorations (cabochons etc.) How: Ice biscuit

Unwrap Easter egg and bite off one end Place Easter egg on biscuit (tomb) Place jelly baby inside egg Place freckle over tomb entry Decorate * Check for food allergies, and use alternate materials

You can play this scavenger hunt as a

game.

On ‘go’ time how long it takes you

to get an item.

Play against your family members –

who can collect it all first?

Ask someone to read out the list

and have a prize for the first person

back with the item.

HOT CROSS BUNS .

INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon dry yeast ½ cup castor sugar 1 ½ cup lukewarm mild 4 ¼ cups plain flour, sifted 2 teaspoons mixed spice 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 50g butter/margarine, melted 1 egg 1 ½ cups sultanas ½ cup plain flour, extra 1/3 cup water GLAZE 1 tablespoon water 2 tablespoons gelatin powder ½ cup caster sugar ¼ cup water, extra METHOD

Place the yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar and the milk in a large bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.

The mixture will start to foam, indicating that the yeast is active.

Add the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, butter, egg, sultanas, and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture and mix until a sticky dough forms

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes or until elastic.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, camp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size

Dive the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls.

Arrange the dough balls in lightly greased 22cm square cake tin lined with baking paper.

Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen.

Preheat oven to 200° C.

Place the extra flour and the water in a bowl and stir to combine. Place in a piping bag or plastic bag with one corner snipped off, and pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and springy to touch.

While the hot cross buns are baking, make the glaze,

Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin. Set aside for 1-2 minutes or until the gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.

Place the sugar and extra water in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

Use a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals on the side of the pan.

Add the gelatin mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the gelatin is dissolved.

Brush the warm glaze while the buns are still hot

Serve warm with butter. Makes 12 YUM!!

Easter Centre-piece

Enjoy making this table centre- piece to remind your family of the real meaning of Easter

Materials

Pot plant saucer

Sand/grass topping soil

Small container for tomb (e.g. small

75g tin)

Rock for tomb stone

Sphagnum moss available at plant

nursery or other cover

6 sticks for crosses

String

Decorations e.g. pebbles, dried flowers, leaves

Sign shape & match stick

Tools

spray bottle for damping down the sand

Glue

Pens

How:

Choose an appropriate place to make this craft

o Pile sand on the saucer

o Place tomb and pile more sand around

o Press down (use spray bottle if necessary)

o Decorate with moss and decorations

o Tie the cross sections together

o Place crosses in position

o Write on the sign & glue match stick to the sign

o Put the sign in or near the tomb

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This resource is compiled from various sources by Katheryn Wightman (Roma Uniting Church), Ruth Vicary

Mundubbera Uniting Church and Beth Nicholls Project Officer Mission South Moreton Presbytery