Craft: Meeting Together

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Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-37 give a clear picture of what life was like for the early Church. The following craft ideas will help children explore themes of sharing, generosity, passing on the message and meeting together in community.

COMMUNITY CIRCLE

You will need: paper cut into circles (side plate size); a pen or a pencil; scissors

This craft is a great way to emphasise the concept of coming together as a group joined by a common purpose. Each of the people shapes look fairly equal, so it’s a good visual to help speak about the fact that everyone was an equally important part of the community, whatever their background.

Fold the circle in half three times (so it is technically split into eighths). Draw on the pattern as shown in the photo and cut around the shapes. Open it out and you will find a circle of eight people!

Decorate it as you wish, maybe using each person to represent someone from your church.

COMMUNITY BISCUITS

You will need: 100g butter; 50g sugar; 150g plain flour; 50g  cornflour; people-shaped cutters; heart-shaped cutters; a rolling pin; a baking tray; baking paper; a mixing bowl; a wooden spoon; access to an oven; coloured icing and other decorations (optional)

The followers of Jesus met to pray, worship and eat together. Here is a simple recipe that children can make and share. You can use people and heart-shaped cutters to represent what is going on in the readings, but any shapes will do!

Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4. Beat the sugar and butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Add both types of flour and mix to form a dough (this might take some time, but it will eventually come together). Roll out the dough until it is about the thickness of   a £1 coin. Cut out the people and heart shapes, then place them on the baking tray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until starting to turn golden at the edges. Cool the biscuits and decorate if you would like to. Share them out and enjoy!

Make sure you take into account food hygiene, allergy and safety issues as you make these biscuits.

‘PASS IT ON’ PAINTING

You will need: paper; scissors; paint; paintbrushes

This is a fun, and hopefully not too messy, activity that helps carry  the idea of awe and wonder the followers of Jesus had. It also helps children think about how the message was ‘passed on’ to those around them so that more were added to their number.

Fold the paper in half, cut out a symmetrical heart shape (if desired) and open the paper out. Paint on one side of the paper using quite thick strokes. Fold the painted section over the top of the unpainted section and gently press down. Open out to see that the painted design has transferred onto the blank half.

GENEROSITY JAR

You will need: clean jars; PVA glue; glitter; newspaper or scrap paper; washi tape (available in craft shops or online); stickers; paintbrushes

This is a way of helping children engage in financial generosity and sharing what they have, just as members of the early Church did. You could encourage them to think of a Christian charity to give their coins to when they have been collected.

Paint PVA glue onto the jars. Sprinkle some glitter onto a piece of paper and roll the glued part of the jar in the glitter so that it sticks to the glue. You might need to sprinkle more on by hand to fill any gaps. Decorate the rest of the jar with washi tape and stickers. Ask the children to fill the jars with low-value coins and then, after an agreed period, collect the money together as a group and donate it to charity.