Loosening the Bonds

Note: Throughout the evolving COVID-19 situation, we have been reminded (some required) to practice social distancing with “stay-at-home” mandates throughout this country. While it’s important to protect the physical health of ourselves and others, it’s also vital that we embrace our emotional wellbeing and maintain social connections during this difficult time. With the understanding that physical distancing will remove corporate worship as we once knew it, these children’s messages can easily be demonstrated in creative ways through virtual connection and physical engagement only with those around us. We must embrace the core value of our faith and religious traditions to reach out and serve one another as we journey through life. And as we do, we should not abandon our “social” connectedness that we find when we worship.

Take these children’s messages and be creative with the examples provided. Share stories of family parties (find a balloon, paper, and cotton ball in your house) and participate in activities (find a trust partner to stand up) within your own home, while honoring physical distance from others but remaining engaged. Demonstrate understanding of these messages by being creative and using a FaceTime call to show someone else your balloon/paper activity. Make a sheep by drawing a sheep and gluing cotton balls on a piece of paper. Place it in your front windowsill and encourage church members to drive by other families’ homes to look for the cotton balls as a reminder that we all are like sheep. There are creative people out there who are staying personally connected and engaging with others from a safe physical distance. Become those people and come together in these days of isolation.

1 Peter 1:21, New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

²¹ Because of what Christ has done, you believe in God. It was God who raised him from the dead. And it was God who gave him glory. So your faith and hope are in God.

Children’s Message

Tell me what happened on Easter Sunday. (You will get responses of Jesus rose from the dead, or Jesus was alive). Did Jesus do this miracle all by himself, or did he have help?

He had help, of course, from God. God raised him from the dead. Jesus couldn’t have done it by himself.

Have you ever needed someone else’s help? Needing someone’s help involves trust.

To illustrate this point, find two volunteers, perhaps youth. Have them sit back to back with their arms interlocked and instruct them to stand up. They can do this only if they work together and trust each other. To complete this task, the volunteers must rely on each other.

Many people tell of Jesus rising from the grave on Easter Sunday. Peter reminds us that we need to remember that Jesus didn’t do this alone. God raised Jesus; because of this, we need to put our full faith and trust in God.

Prayer

God of Resurrection. We can’t live life without the help of others. Just like Jesus, we need your help. Remind us daily that you are always with us. We put our FULL faith and hope in you, O God. Amen.