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Making money boxes

decorated money boxes

Ping pong challenge

My turn now....

Oyster biscuit with pearl


Coins in the desert

Andrew relates the parables

Puppets help us with the story

Messy Church - 26 February 2017

Report and photos - Jim Paterson

Sheila and Andrew host 'guess the value' competition during celebration time

The February families braved inclement weather, of wind and rain, to head for the church hall on Sunday 26th. The February theme was 'Hidden Treasure', God's kingdom. We used the Parable of the Hidden Treasure:  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field, and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The range of crafts reflected the theme,  from hidden pearls, treasure chests, oysters in various forms, at least one that we could eat,  precious jewels, and thank you coins.

Money box - We all have a money box to save our coins so making and decorating one was fun. Margaret Webster showed us how to make ours. We talked about what you like to spend money on. Do we save our money, or give it away?

Oyster biscuit - This was the one we could eat when complete. Elaine Jacobs showed us how to take two biscuits and place a 'pearl' made of icing in the middle. We talked about whether we had ever found anything precious. How it felt to find it, and what we did with it.

Now it was time to get really messy

Pearls among seaweed - Neil Cape had filled a paddling pool with water, and I can vouch it was freezing cold water as well. The pool was full of seaweed and kelp. hidden within was the treasure, in the shape of marbles representing pearls, of various sizes. We had a minute each to move our hands around in the water searching for our 'pearls' Joan Cape did bring a kettle of warm water to take the chill of the pool water, but it was still pretty cold. We talked about how precious we thought knowing Jesus is.


Back to less messy activities,

Ping Pong pearl challenge - Using jumbo straws this one had us move the ping pong balls from one container to the other in the fastest time using only one straw and no hands!  We thought about how the man in the parable must have felt when he found the pearl.

Precious jewels - was one for the girls. Beryl Thompson helped to create a necklace or bracelet, for the girls, either for themselves or for someone else, while thinking about what the treasure in the field represents.

Thank you coins (prayer activity) - David Hogg hosted the hunt for coins in the desert, actually a basin full of sand, We used our fingers to search through the dry sand hoping to find the hidden coins, each with a label: “person”, “place”, or “object”. If we found a person, we thanked God for someone you know. If we found a place, we thanked God for somewhere that is special to us. If we found an object, thanked God for something that is special.

The celebration time in the church saw the return of the puppets, thanks to Sheila Anderson and the senior girls in the Messy Church.

Value is important when searching and finding hidden treasure, and we started a challenge by splitting the children into two teams, then showing items on screen that they had to put a price to. From a tin of beans to oysters, a string of pearls, both cultured and natural, had us scratching our heads.

Sheila Anderson and Andrew Don, with help from the puppets, told us the parables of the 'hidden treasure', with one of the boys searching for it,  and 'great value', with one of the girls playing the old woman finding a huge and precious pearl.  We finally came together in prayer to thank God for the great gifts and treasure he gives us. Then it was back to the hall for a warm meal of past and 'pearl' meatballs with oyster shells filled with ice cream and a marshmallow 'pearl' in the middle.

March Messy Church will be held on Sunday 26th
4 to 6pm in the church hall.

 
Ideal for families with children. A fun way to learn about God and Jesus through stories, song and crafts.


For  more information on Messy Church contact
Joan Cape 674276
Penicuik: St. Mungo's Parish Church (Church of Scotland). Scottish Charity No SC005838