When we can’t get to church, here’s a suggestion for a short, fun time with God around your table at home. You can adapt it to use on your own by leaving out the Kim’s Game and just having a piece of bread as a focus point during the reading.
Breaking Bread
1. Say: We’re going to be a little part of (name your church) church at home today.
2. Light a candle and pray:
With the light of this candle, we remember the light of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God, you are here with us now and also with our friends and family in their homes today. Especially we remember that you are also with…. (invite everyone to remember people from church, school, extended family, neighbourhood) Thank you, Jesus, Light for the world. Amen3. Say:Today we’re thinking about breaking bread, which is something people who follow Jesus have done for over two thousand years, in churches, but also in homes, like we’re doing today.
4. Play Kim’s Game: Send everyone off round the house and garden if you have one, to find one of the objects below or to draw a picture of them if they can’t find one. Put them on a tray. Give everyone a minute to memorise the objects on the tray. Take it in turns to secretly remove one thing from the tray and see if everyone can spot what was removed. Then, after the game, talk about what each object represents today:
Soft toy – the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem
Leaf – the palm leaves people waved to welcome Jesus
Flannel – the towel Jesus used when he washed and dried his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper
Coins – the money paid to Judas to betray Jesus
Bread – Jesus’ body, broken for us
Cup (or bottle of wine) Jesus’ blood poured out for us
Egg – new life, the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb
5. Read Mark 14:17-26 from the version in this link or from your own Bible.
Break the piece of bread from your game above and share it out.
Invite each person to mention something from the passage they like, they are puzzled by or that strikes them in some other way.
6. Play Johnny Cash Breaking Bread on YouTube
7. Give someone this prayer to pray out loud:
Loving Jesus, you were perfect and whole, but you let yourself be broken for us. You bring all things together by your death and resurrection. We pray for the broken-hearted, especially (leave space for names) We pray for people suffering from broken friendships, especially…. We pray for people hurting from broken promises, especially… We pray for the broken parts of our society, especially… Thank you that you are before all things and in you all things hold together. Amen8. Watch out for bread in the prayer Jesus taught his followers: Pray the Lord’s Prayer with or without actions
9. Play Fischy Music As we go now on YouTube
10. Say the Messy Grace if you usually do that at Messy Church
11. Go and eat lots of buttered toast together, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, make bread from scratch.
