29 May 2021

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Bible readings for today

​The Sunday after Ascension

• Acts 1:1-11
• Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
• Ephesians 1:15-23
• Luke 24:44-53

RCL

• Acts 16:16-34
• Psalms 97:1-12
• Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21
• John 17:20-26

Collect

Eternal God, 
Between Ascension and the Spirit; 
Between your going and your coming; 
we await your purpose: 
grant us expectant hearts; 
give us the vision of your kingdom; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord; 
who lives and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. ​

Jesus' Ascension (Luke 24:44-53)

Today's story looks at the words Jesus shared with his disciples, before he returned to heaven. 

Questions

• What do you think ascension means? (basically it’s the day that Jesus ‘ascended’ or ‘went up’ to heaven.)
• How would you have felt if you had been one of the disciples in the story?
• What do you think Jesus being taken up to heaven would look like?

Blowing Bubbles

Blow bubbles and they have to pop them/catch them, try blowing from low down and blowing them up in the air. If it seems appropriate, you can mention that today we are thinking about Ascension day when Jesus went back up to heaven to be with God and we are blowing the bubbles up to the sky like Jesus going up to God.

Balloons Up!

You will need:

• A parachute
• Balloons

This is a parachute game, as you all stand round the parachute, holding on to the edge.  Lift up to fill up with air then add balloons and make them float up and hit the ceiling, make an air-mountain, try not to lose any of the balloons off the edge. Play other parachute game variations, if you have a favourite! 

Prayer Spirals

This fun idea is from the Flamecreative website, based on this experiment on Carrots are Orange website

Activities

• Jelly/Cream Sky Dessert (The Crafty Crow)
• Straw Rockets (Tip Junkie)
• Cut and Colour Printable (El Rincon da las Melli)
• Ascension Bubbles (Flame Creative Kids)
• Printable Paper Craft (Crafting the Word of God)
• Bright Ideas for Families (Thy Kingdom Come)
  

Media

Paul and Silas in Prison (Acts 16:16-34)

Activities

• Paul's Jail Cell (Susan's Homeschool Blog)
• Shackles (Bible Class Creations)
• Pop-up Jail (Bible Songs and More)
• Chain Craft (Crafting the Word of God)
• Paul and Silas in a Delicious Prison (The Summit)
• Printable puzzle (Crafting the Word of God)
• Paper craft activity (Gelovenisleuk)

Quick Questions

These questions are from Ministry to Children website and could be a great follow up activity

• What city did Paul and his friends go to first in Macedonia? (Philippi)
• Why did Philippi not have a synagogue? (Not enough Jews lived there)
• Who did Paul and his friends find at the river? (Women)
• Who opened Lydia’s heart to listen to the words Paul was teaching? (The Lord)
• Who is God leading you to share the Good News/Gospel of Christ with?
• Who was following Paul when he was sharing the Good News in Philippi? (A slave girl that could predict the future)
• Why did the slave girl’s masters get angry? (They couldn’t make money from the slave girl anymore)
• How was Paul and Silas treated by the crowd? (They were beaten)
• What did Paul and Silas do in prison? (They prayed and praised God)
• How did God’s power change the jailer’s heart?  (He believed in Jesus)

The Adventures of Paul: Prison Break

Paul and Silas: Acts 15 & 16

Paul and Silas in Acts 16: 16-36