What Will We Tell the Children?

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It was a Good Friday service I will never forget. 

I was perhaps eight or nine years old and since children in my church rarely joined the adults in the sanctuary for any part of worship, going to worship on Good Friday was a very big deal for me. I wanted to see everything that went on in this place so I shuffled my stacking chair out into the aisle as much as my Mom would allow and then I craned my neck the remaining few inches around the man in front of me to watch all that was going on. 

Our minister stood high up on the stage at the front of the auditorium describing in vivid detail the specifics of crucifixion to all of the worshippers in attendance. In his hand he held a rusty railroad spike, pumping it in the air to give emphasis to his words. As he finished declaring that we, like the scribes and the Pharisees, were responsible for Jesus’ death he cast the iron spike with great gusto down the cement centre aisle of our sacred space where it ultimately landed under my chair with a resounding clatter and then heavy silence. For a minute or so I sat frozen in my seat, and then with a cry I ran out of the sanctuary and into the hallway where I collapsed in tears. I felt responsible. If I had not been so bad, Jesus would never have had to die. It was all my fault and until that moment I hadn’t even known I had done such a horrid thing.

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On the Anniversary of the Pandemic

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1 NRSV)

On March 12 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the Coronavirus to be a pandemic.

On March 16, 2020 the province of Ontario recommended the closure of all recreation programs, libraries, private schools, daycares, and churches and other faith settings.

This week we commemorate the one year anniversary of the Coronavirus pandemic, an event that has changed lives worldwide. It simply repeats the obvious to try and recount how different the world is today from a year ago and how uncertain the future remains, even with a vaccine. This truly is a once in a century event.

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How to Create An Interactive Google Slide

Have you experienced an interactive presentation slide recently, that when you clicked on an item on the slide it popped open a new window with a videoed song or bible story to enjoy? Or, perhaps it opened a file with a recipe or craft project for you to make? If so, you were interacting with a Google Slide.

If you ever wondered, “how did they do this?” then this article is for you.

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The Holy Week Slides Are Ready To Go!

I am excited to announce that our Interactive Holy Week Slides are now complete and ready for your church receive for uploading later this month. These simple slides contain within them 26 engaging Holy Week activities designed for all ages to experience the key stories of this very important week.

Our Holy Week slides make use of a Google Classroom platform to invite users to click open new windows to devotions, storytelling, music, crafts, and meditations. With a simple ‘click’ we are included in the cries of ‘Hosanna’ on Palm Sunday, find ourselves seated at the table of the Last Supper with the disciples, and brought into the garden of Jesus’ arrest, his trial and ultimate crucifixion. And finally, we reach that wonderful day of ‘Alleluias’ and our great celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.

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