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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Easter Egg hunts
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
On an average Sunday, we are doing well to have ten children in church.
We have an Easter Egg hunt in the church / churchyard every Good Friday which is very popular. We had about 120 children last year, plus about 50 accompanying adults.
The format is to have the Easter Egg hunt, a simple craft activity (e.g. decorating a bookmark), the children sitting to hear the Easter story, and juice/ biscuits for the children with tea/coffee for the accompanying adults. Each child is given a creme egg and a leaflet about the Easter story. The whole thing lasts about an hour.
I'm feeling curmugeonly this year, and questioning the value of this, when it doesn't result in any increase in church attendance. On the other hand, without this, most of the children would have no church contact / religious input at all over Easter.
I suspect that for most of the kids, it's mostly about the creme eggs. But then I'm cynical.
What do other Shipmates churches do? Is it important to get the children in somehow? Is it a case of "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use chocolate eggs if necessary?"
I'm posting here because I'm trying to keep my curmugeonly and cynical thoughts away from my RL church.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Robin
Shipmate
# 71
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Posted
We run a "Children's Fun Afternoon" on Holy Saturday. It sounds not entirely dissimilar to what you describe - there are certainly craft activities, and I wouldn't be surprised if the organisers ran a child-friendly Stations of the Cross at the end. And there's probably juice at some point. However, no Easter eggs are involved (and we get far fewer children).
I'll check the details this week-end and report back.
Robin
Posts: 263 | From: Aberdeen | Registered: May 2001
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
Giving kids a positive encounter of the church, church people and perhaps Jesus.....priceless for a day's effort-yes I know the planning, organising etc is much more than a day's work but still is it only increased church attendance that you're aiming for. You never know what seeds you'll sow in the hearts and minds of those children who attend your church. If nothing else, surely their experience of hospitality might make them less likely to fall for the "all religion is total evil and intolerant" view that seems to be gaining ground in some quarters.
One of the local churches in my area does a fabulous Christmas fair-all free- camel rides, donkey rides, coffee, ice-creams, hot dogs, sing-a-long carols and I doubt that it has a huge impact on church attendance but I know a number of agnostic/atheist families in the area are hugely touched by the fact that a church is prepared to extend this generosity to all comers.
So, in short, if you have the ability to do these sort of Easter or Christmas events, I'd say go for it. ![[Votive]](graemlins/votive.gif)
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
I don't think you're being cynical.
I hope you have a eucharist as a main celebration of Easter for the committed.
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Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Posts: 3201 | From: An historic market town nestling in the folds of Surrey's rolling North Downs, | Registered: Sep 2011
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anne
Shipmate
# 73
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
it doesn't result in any increase in church attendance
Yes it does. It results in about 170 extra people attending Church, by your own account. For those people, that hour when you share the Good News of the Easter story, in accessible ways, really matters.
Practically, you might want to add some prayer time, maybe a song, make sure that everyone goes home with a leaflet about what other services, family events and so on you've got going on in the next few months and who to contact if they want to arrange a baptism or wedding, encourage as many of your regular congregation as possible to attend and to take the chance to build relationships with these families.
On Tuesday at Messy Church over 30 under tens, with their families, heard the story of Holy Week, ate, baked, made, decorated and created, reenacted the story and then sat down for a time of quiet (yes really) reflection and prayer on the story of the last supper. Being amongst these little children, quiet, focused, thinking about ways that they could show God's love to one another in the way that Jesus showed his love to his disciples by serving them, was a real privilege.
Most of them are not going to be at any other services over Easter. This was their Easter worship. They were a congregation, a gathered body learning and worshipping together. So I put them in the service register - and gave thanks for them.
I often hear the 'why don't they come to Church?' question from people who mean 'why don't they go to Church when I go to Church?'.
If you have a chance to share the Good News with 170 people - with added chocolate - give thanks for the chance and give them your best.
I hope it goes really well
anne
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‘I would have given the Church my head, my hand, my heart. She would not have them. She did not know what to do with them. She told me to go back and do crochet' Florence Nightingale
Posts: 338 | From: Devon | Registered: May 2001
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Pomona
Shipmate
# 17175
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Posted
People encountering joy and laughter in a church, even through an egg hunt, is great evangelism. Why shouldn't people, especially kids, just be able to have fun? Is fun somehow incompatible with Christianity? I know many churches who unfortunately seem to think that way....
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Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent? [Ecclesiastes 7:13]
Posts: 5319 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2012
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
You're planting seeds. You may get to nurture those seeds if the children come back next year, or come to other events at the church - Christmas events, activity groups over the summer holiday, etc. You may not reap the harvest in the future, but there may be people currently in your church who had similar fun and relaxed encounters with other churches as children, and you have harvested what others have planted.
Keep planting seeds, take every opportunity to nurture those seeds and praise God for any harvest - whoever reaps it, however long it takes for the seeds planted to grow.
Now, is there time in the next week to organise such an event at our church? Other than the normal egg hunt following the service on Easter Sunday, which is always a well attended service - just not usually by anyone other than those already part of our church family.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
Version here is on Good Friday morning and is known as the Hot Cross Bun service as that's what's given out to everyone with coffee at the end.
It's a retelling of the Easter story in a series of narrated acts interwoven with hymns / songs - the children who come along dress up as Roman soldiers, disciples - some of the children are disciples asleep in the garden of Gethsemane, others are Roman soldiers arresting Jesus, another Judas kissing Jesus, one of the children gets to be Pilate washing his hands, Jesus is dressed in crown of thorns and purple cloak, processed around the church then taken to the cross and the lots are cast (large foam dice), dies and is "carried" to the garden (it's there for Easter anyway) and brought back resurrected. Adults get to read what's happening (need to use mikes and need to be reasonably competent to do that bit well.) No rehearsal, all ushered through during the service.
Things sung include Lord of the Dance - can't remember the rest, should remember, I've helped enough, and put the service sheet together - fairly lightweight stuff.
Organisation is really around the props and costumes, and ensuring everyone is there.
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Adam.
Like as the
# 4991
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
Each child is given a creme egg and a leaflet about the Easter story. The whole thing lasts about an hour.
I'm feeling curmugeonly this year, and questioning the value of this, when it doesn't result in any increase in church attendance.
Do you invite them to Church? While we should certainly spend more time talking about Jesus than about Church, inviting them to become part of the regular worshiping assembly would seem to be a logical next step after proclaiming the saving mystery of the resurrection.
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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog
Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003
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Mamacita
Lakefront liberal
# 3659
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Posted
Our Easter Egg Hunt follows the 9:30 service. They go together -- the family goes to church and then everybody's outside for the egg hunt.
Here's an interesting article about tying the egg hunt to outreach/service. I don't have time to pull this together this year, but am considering it for next year.
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Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.
Posts: 20761 | From: where the purple line ends | Registered: Dec 2002
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
1. Children's Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, followed by squash and hot cross buns.
2. The children (with supervision/help) make the Easter Garden on Easter Eve.
3. All confirmation candidates come to the Vigil service.
4. All children at the services on Easter Day are given a small egg. (Choristers get something from the organist not a million miles away from a Li**t bunny...)
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
Thank you! I'm looking at it in a much more positive light now.
We also have a very well attended Christingle service at Christmas, so many of these children and their families have two points of contact in the year.
Originally posted by Hart:
quote:
Do you invite them to Church? While we should certainly spend more time talking about Jesus than about Church, inviting them to become part of the regular worshiping assembly would seem to be a logical next step after proclaiming the saving mystery of the resurrection.
Good point! I can't remember if we do, as such. Every house in the parish gets a quarterly 16 page newsletter, which covers all local activities and events - the church has a page and a half of this with full details of all services. We have a noticeboard outside the church too, plus details of our website. As a result, I tend to assume that anyone who wants to come already has all the information, but perhaps we should be a bit more explicit at events such as the Egg Hunt and Christingle.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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SvitlanaV2
Shipmate
# 16967
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Posted
It sounds as if they want religion to be fun. That's understandable. Easter and Christmas are fun. But going to church every week and being expected to do things and believe things isn't necessarily fun. Regular church life is an acquired taste, and most people are astute enough to realise that enjoying an Easter egg hunt isn't representative of what church is normally like.
Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012
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Og, King of Bashan
Ship's giant Amorite
# 9562
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Posted
There is a newer, family-oriented housing development about a mile east of my neighborhood, where the old airport used to be. They are hosting an egg hunt on the Saturday before Easter in the community park. Get your kids dressed up in fun spring outfits, let them run around and push other kids out of the way to get those eggs, take some pictures, and best of all, no boring church service necessary! I don't know for sure, but I would bet that the hunt is at least partially sponsored by the restaurants and shops near the park, who will no doubt sell a few more lunches than normal that Saturday.
So that's what we're up against. I'd say an egg hunt that gets people some exposure to a (hopefully) friendly and warm church environment is a good thing.
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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy
Posts: 3259 | From: Denver, Colorado, USA | Registered: May 2005
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
Sorry if I sounded grumpy in my earlier post.
Of course religion should be fun. The Easter Vigil is fun with all that playing with basic elements like fire, light, water, incense and song.
And additional egg hunts or whatever as some have described here could be lovely. I had the impression from the opening post that this event was the main event of Easter Sunday. Which made me very sad.
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Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Posts: 3201 | From: An historic market town nestling in the folds of Surrey's rolling North Downs, | Registered: Sep 2011
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
No, no, no Venbede you are dealing with Presbyterians, such frivolity is not allowed on a Sunday. Even more so if they semi-follow the liturgical calendar and have communion on Easter Sunday. Therefore you will note, it happens on Good Friday!
Once you have worked that one out you will have some clue to the weirdness of the Reformed psyche.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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ExclamationMark
Shipmate
# 14715
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
People encountering joy and laughter in a church, even through an egg hunt, is great evangelism. Why shouldn't people, especially kids, just be able to have fun? Is fun somehow incompatible with Christianity? I know many churches who unfortunately seem to think that way....
I agree totally. For the last two years we've put on a community festival where everything (food, games, crafts, hair braiding, hand massage etc) is all free. It's great for people and it's the kingdom at work and play. For many of the people attending it's the only holiday they'll get.
Posts: 3845 | From: A new Jerusalem | Registered: Apr 2009
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Such events can serve at least two purposes.
Yes, they can be means of attracting people to the faith and to attend a particular church. Though like anything else we do with that intention we need to recognise that we will on almost all occasions fail totally - and, indeed, if we are to keen on doing that our efforts may be counter productive.
But, they can be services to the community. A time to allow kids to have fun, to give parents an easy answer to the perpetual "how do we keep them entertained?", quite possibly one of the few times when people who live next to each other will actually meet and talk. Success at that is much easier to judge - and 100+ children turning up is a great success, or so it seems to me.
Of course, these two reasons for holding events are not exclusive, nor are they exhaustive of motivations (fund raising is a common additional motivation). But, ISTM, that if no one has produced information about the church to give out - details of Easter services (not just times, but an indication of what people coming might expect) for example - then probably people are thinking more about running these events as a service to the local community rather than another reason.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
No, no, no Venbede you are dealing with Presbyterians, such frivolity is not allowed on a Sunday. Even more so if they semi-follow the liturgical calendar and have communion on Easter Sunday. Therefore you will note, it happens on Good Friday!
Once you have worked that one out you will have some clue to the weirdness of the Reformed psyche.
Jengie
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
This is the leaflet we'll be giving out to the older children along with their free creme egg. All good Presbyterian stuff.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
On a much more serious note, the Church as whole seems to have forgotten in its hurry to sow the seed that for a field to be ready to till someone first has to go around preparing the ground, removing the weeds stones and garbage thrown there.
To some extent this is work apologists rather than evangelists do. However it is often more effectively done by doing something such as that above with no expectation of getting anything from anyone.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Rowen
Shipmate
# 1194
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Posted
I was a hospital chaplain for about 20 years. I looked after Maternity for much of that time.
Terrible, tragic things would happen, to both babe and mum...
Most folk I met wanted to see a chaplain. Not because they went to church. They didn't. Not just because the baby died. Any chaplain can organise a funetal, with meaning and compassion.
It was usually because at some stage in their lives, they had encountered the Church in some rather fun, noisy activity, full of laughter, mess and joy. Easter eggs hunts for example. They remembered kind people, reaching out in supportive friendship. Even if they only went once. Then their baby died, fifteen years later, or whatever. And they asked for the chaplain. And I would go. I would be and do what was necessary, and I would usually refer them on, after, to local clergy. And maybe even some of them, the clergy, would do a good job.
BUT, I met many folk, equally tragic circumstances, who really didn't want a chaplain, apart from the mechanics of the funeral. Why? Well, turns out, somewhere in their lives they had met the most unfriendly Church, or clergy, or lay people (friends and family), and tne memories of that experience lingered on. Forever. And coloured their perception of God.
So, by all means, curtail the local church's involvement in tne neighbourhood, as it reaches out to the unchurched.
Or not. For tne sake of years to come, people and God.
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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...
Posts: 4897 | From: Somewhere cold in Victoria, Australia | Registered: Aug 2001
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The Silent Acolyte
Shipmate
# 1158
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Posted
quote:
We have an Easter Egg hunt in the church / churchyard every Good Friday....
Must. Not. Allow. Head. To. Implode.
Robertson Davies gives us the Anglican Good Friday Bean Dinner.
My reliable informants swear to the one-time existence of an Episcopalian parish's Festive Palm Sunday Brunch, mercifully since suppressed.
And now some Presbyterians supply us with an Easter Egg Hunt to take place on the Great and Terrible Day of the Voluntary Passion of Our Lord and God and Savior.
Fertility Symbols!! A phreakin' party!! On Great and Holy Friday!!
One can almost hear the hop-hop-hop as the Easter Rabbit approaches to join in the Fun.
Posts: 7462 | From: The New World | Registered: Aug 2001
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bib
Shipmate
# 13074
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Posted
Kids get so much chocolate from Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle etc etc that I can't see why the church should find it necessary to provide yet more of the stuff. Can't you find ways to attract kids to church without bribing them with chocolate? I'm glad my church doesn't indulge in this but the children attending still have a good time.
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"My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring"
Posts: 1307 | From: Australia | Registered: Oct 2007
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by bib:
Can't you find ways to attract kids to church without bribing them with chocolate?
Apparently not. We are lucky to have ten children in church on a Sunday. Whereas last year we had about 120 for the Easter Egg hunt, and at least that number for the Christingle service, which also involves sweets.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Yes, but it is easier in a larger parish.
At a previous place we were blessed with a parish field and this was given over to informal games on a Sunday afternoon, and families were encouraged to use for picnics, etc. Field was of irregular shape so it was possible to have an organised activity alongside informal use.
First Sunday of the month May to September there was always Family Rounders, with refreshments: not only great fun but attracted several families who came into church that way.
Youth groups can bring people in but only if they are run so that the 'God thing' is kept low key - a difficult balancing act but possible.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
No, no, no Venbede you are dealing with Presbyterians, such frivolity is not allowed on a Sunday. Even more so if they semi-follow the liturgical calendar and have communion on Easter Sunday. Therefore you will note, it happens on Good Friday!
Once you have worked that one out you will have some clue to the weirdness of the Reformed psyche.
Jengie
Our church (Baptist & URC) has traditionally had Communion at the close of Easter Sunday worship (also on Maundy Thursday). I really do not like it. Why? Because, to me, it puts the story in the wrong order and takes us back from the resurrection to the cross.
Now of course the two things are inextricably intertwined ... but it seems to make a nonsense of the progression through Holy Week and Easter. So now we have Communion at Easter Breakfast - before our main service. That seems to work better, but some folk are Not Happy.
The Easter Egg hunt takes place between Breakfast and Sunday worship!
[ 12. April 2014, 08:58: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
Youth groups can bring people in but only if they are run so that the 'God thing' is kept low key - a difficult balancing act but possible.
We have a Youth Group for those of secondary age, and it is successful (about 12 regulars, plus a few extras sometimes). The "God Thing" isn't kept particularly low key. However, the Youth Group only attend church intermittently - though they will be helping out with the Egg Hunt.
We contemplated "Messy Church" briefly, but the demand appeared to be for a regular church-run event which parents could drop kids off at, rather than attend with them, and we would have struggled to get enough church volunteers to manage without parental support.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Our church (Baptist & URC) has traditionally had Communion at the close of Easter Sunday worship (also on Maundy Thursday). I really do not like it. Why? Because, to me, it puts the story in the wrong order and takes us back from the resurrection to the cross.
Communion need not be only about proclaiming 'the Lord's death til he come'.
A more catholic view sees it as celebrating the whole of the incarnate life, especially the resurrection.
After all, it was on the first Easter evening that Christ was recognised, at Emmaus, in 'the breaking of bread.'
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My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/
My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
Leo
The problem is not what communion commemorates it is the serious with which it is taken. The participating at communion is a mark of a persons status within the congregation as a member. The fear that they may "take unworthily" is a very real fear.
I am not at all sure how to make people more secure in their welcome at the table, but I do know that it has a deep cultural element. Communion historically has been held as something which preparation is required for that makes the Roman Catholic demand of confession seem lightweight.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Og, King of Bashan
Ship's giant Amorite
# 9562
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Posted
This morning on the dog walk I discovered that the neighborhood Methodist church is offering two Palm Sunday services tomorrow followed by an "Easter egg event" at 12:30 rain or shine (or, in tomorrow's case, likely a few inches of snow.)
My suspicion is that either (a) the congregation's parents requested it so that they don't have to work their dinner plans or brunch reservations around the Easter egg hunt, (b) they hope that neighborhood parents will bring their kids, have a lovely time, and then think about coming back for Easter the next week, or (c) it just gets too crowded on Easter so that the Easter egg hunt just creates more chaos.
Or there is idea (d), which is my own. The "Easter egg event" is just a decorating party. If your kid actually wants to bring an egg home, you better come back next week. (Jesus encouraged evangelism through blackmail, right? I think that's in there... ![[Biased]](wink.gif) )
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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy
Posts: 3259 | From: Denver, Colorado, USA | Registered: May 2005
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Pomona
Shipmate
# 17175
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Rowen:
I was a hospital chaplain for about 20 years. I looked after Maternity for much of that time.
Terrible, tragic things would happen, to both babe and mum...
Most folk I met wanted to see a chaplain. Not because they went to church. They didn't. Not just because the baby died. Any chaplain can organise a funetal, with meaning and compassion.
It was usually because at some stage in their lives, they had encountered the Church in some rather fun, noisy activity, full of laughter, mess and joy. Easter eggs hunts for example. They remembered kind people, reaching out in supportive friendship. Even if they only went once. Then their baby died, fifteen years later, or whatever. And they asked for the chaplain. And I would go. I would be and do what was necessary, and I would usually refer them on, after, to local clergy. And maybe even some of them, the clergy, would do a good job.
BUT, I met many folk, equally tragic circumstances, who really didn't want a chaplain, apart from the mechanics of the funeral. Why? Well, turns out, somewhere in their lives they had met the most unfriendly Church, or clergy, or lay people (friends and family), and tne memories of that experience lingered on. Forever. And coloured their perception of God.
So, by all means, curtail the local church's involvement in tne neighbourhood, as it reaches out to the unchurched.
Or not. For tne sake of years to come, people and God.
Not wanting to take away from the experience you have at your job at all, but even I as a lay person have encountered people whose past encounters with churches have left a huge mark on them. Unfortunately, more often than not it's a negative encounter which puts them off church/Christianity/religion for life - though perhaps clergy get to see the positive encounters more? But certainly I agree with you that even just the atmosphere of how a local church interacts with the community is so important and so often wasted.
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Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent? [Ecclesiastes 7:13]
Posts: 5319 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2012
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Rowen
Shipmate
# 1194
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Posted
Btw, tne other thing that turned people away from the church, was how they perceived the church/clergy had treated them/their loved ones at weddings, baptisms and funerals. I doubt the perceptions were indicative of reality, at least not all the time.... But perceptions and memories remained....
[ 12. April 2014, 21:33: Message edited by: Rowen ]
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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...
Posts: 4897 | From: Somewhere cold in Victoria, Australia | Registered: Aug 2001
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Robin
Shipmate
# 71
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Posted
I've now been briefed on the details of the Children's Fun Afternoon (which happens on Easter Eve). First of all, I'm told by someone that has experienced both that it's a bit like Messy Church. Several different crafts are available, including making tissue flowers and decorated crosses, and possibly an angel, for the Easter Garden. After that, there's a snack (including juice), and at some point everyone sings a song. The event concludes with a children's Stations of the Cross.
At the same time, the usual Easter preparations are taking place (flower-arranging, polishing brass, etc), and there are lots of adults around, which all gives the impression of a varied and active community.
However, no Easter eggs till after Mass on Sunday morning.
Robin
Posts: 263 | From: Aberdeen | Registered: May 2001
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Some years ago when I lived north of Lo**on a neighbouring parish had a wonderfully efficient secretary.
All papers in apple-pie order; all returns filled-in on time; no typos in notices or orders of service; no double-bookings.
But she was known as God's rottweiler...
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
....we have one of those - in our case, she's our Sacristan...... ![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
Re Easter Egg Hunts - we usually have one on the Saturday of Easter Week, after the 930am Mass. It's a Coffee Morning for the grown-ups (with a few stalls - books, bric-a-brac), and some nice grub (bacon sarnies, cake etc.), and an Egg Hunt around the Church gardens (Doh!!! Mind the flowers!!!!) for the smaller people.
We treat such events as opportunities for meeting and greeting people from around the parish, rather than as fund-raisers, as the amount of work involved bears no relation to the small amounts of money flowing into our coffers! The eggs are Traidcraft, with a little leaflet eggsplaining, in simple terms, the true meaning of Easter, so there is an element of evangelism as well.
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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Belle Ringer
Shipmate
# 13379
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
...Communion at the close of Easter Sunday worship ... I really do not like it. Why? Because, to me, it puts the story in the wrong order and takes us back from the resurrection to the cross.
Thank you for saying this. I kinda dislike Easter service because celebration is disrupted by focus on suffering and death.
As to egg hunts, the problem is it's a competition for limited assets, an egg he gets is an egg she doesn't get, the kids have to rush to try to spy and grab the goodies before another kid does, which is inconsistent with Christian values. I'm all for having fun but can we find fun consistent with the values we want to convey?
Posts: 5830 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2008
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
The hunt we have after our Easter Sunday service (we're not Presbyterian so it's OK to have fun, even when Communion is celebrated) has always involved the older kids finding the eggs with ease and pointing them out to the younger kids who run straight past, ensuring all the younger kids get an egg (which are large ones, not the cream eggs). Someone always has a bag with a few extra eggs so if we get more children than expected the older ones who've being helping out still get an egg.
But, that works with a half dozen or so children present for Easter Sunday service. It would probably be a different dynamic with 100 children.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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ExclamationMark
Shipmate
# 14715
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
...Communion at the close of Easter Sunday worship ... I really do not like it. Why? Because, to me, it puts the story in the wrong order and takes us back from the resurrection to the cross.
Thank you for saying this. I kinda dislike Easter service because celebration is disrupted by focus on suffering and death.
As to egg hunts, the problem is it's a competition for limited assets, an egg he gets is an egg she doesn't get, the kids have to rush to try to spy and grab the goodies before another kid does, which is inconsistent with Christian values. I'm all for having fun but can we find fun consistent with the values we want to convey?
Easy - you have a 5 egg limit (say) pe child and make sure the total number of eggs is divided by 5.
The alternative is a practical expression of sharing. All hunt, some find then all pool to split.
Posts: 3845 | From: A new Jerusalem | Registered: Apr 2009
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
The way to avoid some kids stealing all the eggs is to get them to search for golf tees. A number of golf tees can be swapped for a cream egg, which are given in exchange by supervising adults. A green (blue?) golf tee (the only one planted) is rewarded with a prize Easter egg - one of the fancy schmancy ones. Looking for a green golf tee in grass tends to slow the uber-competitive kids down a lot. Also allows a church to set up an Easter egg hunt in a much smaller space and/or so that it can be set up before a service on a high street, and the eggs still be there when the congregation finishes the service, as there are no eggs for passers-by to help themselves to prematurely.
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
The kids search for plastic eggs. The plastic eggs are then swapped for a creme egg; just one creme egg per child. The hunting bit is just for fun. We ask the congregation for donations of creme eggs, then buy enough to ensure we have 150 available. Left-overs go to the Sunday School on Easter Sunday.
Given the numbers, anything more than a single creme egg per child would be stretching it. We supply tea/coffee/ juice/ biscuits / hot cross buns at the event as well.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
Just have a pile of extra eggs to hand out to anyone and everyone at the end. So hard work is rewarded with more chocolate, but grace is unbounded.
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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Mamacita
Lakefront liberal
# 3659
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by ExclamationMark:
Easy - you have a 5 egg limit (say) pe child and make sure the total number of eggs is divided by 5.
This is exactly what we do. Also, we give the littlest children a few minutes' head start to make sure they get some eggs before the thundering hordes of school-aged kids descend upon the lawn.
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Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.
Posts: 20761 | From: where the purple line ends | Registered: Dec 2002
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
Thank you for your thoughts. We were worried that numbers might exceed 120 children plus 50 adults this year (not sure how many we are allowed in our church hall in terms of Health and Safety but 200 would be pushing it) and so we kept the advertising low key. This resulted in a drop of numbers, which, to be honest, was no bad thing. Last year the general hubbub meant that the Easter story was hard to hear; this year we split the kids into two groups, and had one group hearing the story in the church itself, rather than the hall, while the other group did their craft in the hall. I was in the church with one group during the story and you could have heard a pin drop.
Several members of the congregation dropped off boxes of creme eggs on the morning itself, after we had made sure we had 150 eggs, so we had a large surplus - we have donated 10 boxes of six to the Food Bank.
Mamacita's link is going to be discussed for next year's event.
Again, many thanks for your thoughts.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
Just as well we didn't have an Easter Egg Hunt after Mass today! It's pelting down with rain, and blowing half a gale from the east......and a fair number of our folk are down with the Local Lurgy.......
![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
Happy Easter, anyway!
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
Standing room only at our place this morning; every available chair pressed into service, including piano stools, servers' bench from the sanctuary, etc.
Every child given a small egg as they left the church. Choristers got Lindt bunny and carrot.
Organist got Paschal single malt
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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