Now that I have finished
the Sundays of Lent and Easter Day, I have stopped to see how featuring a cross
every week played out. I said it might morph some. Was I every
right about that! The main thing that quickly became clear was that which
cross you would use on any given Sunday depended on where you were going with
which text. So, most weeks ended up with several suggested crosses and several crosses were suggested multiple times.
For what it might be
worth to you as you plan the rest of Lent, here is a summary of what finally got posted. I would love to know if
anyone tries this, how it works out, and which crosses you used on which
Sundays.
Lent 1: Identify all the crosses in
the sanctuary
Give cross trinkets to carry or post
Lent2: The cross on communion
ware
(it is a communion Sunday)
Cross stickers to remind us to take up
our cross and follow Jesus
Cross jewelry and tattoos – to explore the
difference in just wearing
them and
letting them shape us
Lent 3: Plain wood cross
Nail cross
Picture of crucifixion
– to discuss what happened
Lent 4: Crucifix
Central American people cross
Paper cross on which to write
names of all who Jesus loves
Lent 5: Central American people cross
Crucifix
Biggest cross at the front of your
sanctuary
Palm-Passion Sunday
Palm crosses
Nail cross
Good Friday
Nail cross
Easter: Empty cross for the resurrection
We've begun this series. Last week it was a metal cross on which I painted a rainbow. I ended up sick and couldn't be there to do the children's sermon but my husband did it, and he promised a new cross every week! Tomorrow (Lent 2) I will show the children a tiny dangly cross ring that I got in about 5th grade and wore until at least college-- I'll make the point that wearing a cross jewelry or cross clothing or tattoos isn't done to brag or show off, it's done to remind us of who WE are and that when we have to decide how to act, we do so remembering what Jesus would want us to do.
ReplyDeleteSounds great! I wonder how many of us have cheap jewelry that we got from our churches or people in our churches and which we wore through our teens to keep us touch with God. I still have a little ring that I wore until it literally cracked in half. Yes, I have the pieces. God works in mysterious ways!
ReplyDeleteLast week I did the cross jewelry--and wore every cross I own--I had quite the neck full of bling. I told the story behind some of them, taking each off as I went and closed with the idea that wearing these did not make me Christian--and wearing more of them did not make me more Christian. Only following Jesus in both action and word made me a Christian. The kids then passed out cross stickers to everyone to help them remember that they are each followers of Christ. It worked well. I will keep up with this series for Children's Time. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI am having fun picturing you with wearing all your cross necklaces. What an attention getter!
ReplyDeleteWe have featured a cross each week in worship, but also invited our congregation to bring in crosses from their home for a display in front of the communion table throughout Lent. More people respond each week and i've heard people say "I want to go look at the crosses." We've used a rainbow cross, a cross of nails and a Jerusalem cross so far. Next week is a carved wood cross made to fit in the palm of your hand. Check out my blog post about it on March 6 here: http://www.firstofwarren.com/blog.html
ReplyDeleteI guess Comments won't publish links. Rats! Do follow Emma's link to her article crosses and the picture of the crosses worshipers are bringing to display at their church. Another thing done for the children than enriches life for all of us!
ReplyDelete