Dear FPC Families,
He is Risen! Hallelujah! Happy Easter, friends!
Last Thursday evening, we recorded the Easter service just under the wire before the “shelter in place” order began. Afterwards, I was chatting with Pastor Alex about how odd it will be not to worship in Church on Easter Sunday. It’s hard to not feel like something is missing – but friends, we have everything we need to celebrate Jesus right at home! I encourage you to watch this week’s children’s lesson together as a family and talk about how Jesus lives and walks with us every day – an especially important message right now when it feels like so much of our regular lives and routines have all gone out the window. No matter what, Jesus lives and remains with us. We are never forgotten and we are never alone. What a beautiful and reassuring message for our children to hear.
Facebook friends have been sharing pictures of crosses placed on their front yards with lights shining to represent their celebration of Easter and hope for brighter days ahead. This week’s Deep Blue resources for families includes a challenge to chalk your driveway with phrases like “He is Risen” or “Jesus Lives.” What a perfect time to spread this message of hope and love in our communities – when we feel so distant from each other. If your family participates in this way, please share on Facebook and “check in” with Fayette Presbyterian Church, or you can email me a picture and I’ll share it on our page.
I hope that your family will find some time in the next few days to participate in this week’s “LivingRoom Lesson.” If you have thoughts or questions to share, please post those in the comments section below!
Deep Blue Kids Episode 7:
Step 1: Read the Scripture
Before watching the video linked below, please read this scripture passage aloud with your family.
Luke 24:1-12 (NRSV)
The Resurrection of Jesus
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.
The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
Step 2: Watch the video Deep Blue Kids Episode 7: Easter
Click for Video
Step 3: Discussion and Prayer
- How did the women feel when they saw the empty tomb?
- How did the disciples respond when the women told them Jesus’ body was not in the tomb?
- In the video Abuela describes how lilies remind us of our risen Jesus. What else reminds you of Jesus?
—————————-
Pray together:
Dear God: We thank You for this glorious celebration of the resurrection Jesus [Kids say, “He is risen!”]. We are not surprised that the tomb was empty. He has risen just as He said He would. In His name we pray. Amen.
Step 4: Craft and Activity Time
This week, our friends from Deep Blue talked about why lilies represent the resurrection of Jesus. Our at-home craft this week is making paper lilies out of handprints. Click the link for directions!
Click for CRAFT Instructions
Note: if you don’t have pipe cleaners, you can use strips of yellow paper to represent the center of the bloom. You can also use pencils or drinking straws to be the stems for the flower, and ribbon or yarn to tie the bow.
If you’d like an additional craft for this week, or an alternate to the hand print lilies, check this out!
**Ongoing Outreach Activity Challenge**
As you probably know, many people who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities are not allowed to have any visitors at this time. This week, I challenge our FPC families to send cards/letters to members of our FPC congregation in local care facilities! The following members would love to hear from you and you can find their addresses in the PFC directory – if you need an electronic copy emailed to you, please write me at kanthony@fayettepcusa.org and I’ll be happy to send you one!
Please write to:
Ellen Rodriguez
Bill Moses
Linda McNeill
Jack Mahaffey
Yvonne Olson
Berkeley Stonebraker
Wishing you Blessings and Joy at Easter – and always.
With Love and Peace,
Miss Karen