Messy Church at home – The Last Supper

Michelle Brown and Reuben Addis have shared this last supper Messy Church at home session from their Portobello and Joppa Messy Church in Edinburgh. 

Michelle writes:

I miss the building, but I’m so thankful we still have the church! Today we had online Messy Church via Zoom. Stewart shared about the last supper and Reuben led us in prayer. Then each family taking part spent the next hour and a half in their own homes doing Messy Church activities. We re-gathered at dinner time to sing grace together and then ate our dinners together. We finished with the Messy Grace. It was certainly messy with me still trying to get my head round the technology, but it was also church and connection and fun. Thanks to those who took part.

The Last Supper

Matthew 26:17–30

1. Blow bubbles – blow bubbles and think about the soapy water Jesus used to wash the disciples’ feet. Use bubbles in your home or make your own bubble mixture. (Measure 6 cups of water into one container, then pour 1 cup of dish soap into the water and slowly stir it until the soap is mixed in. Try not to let foam or bubbles form while you stir. Measure 1 tablespoon of glycerin or 1/4 cup of corn syrup and add it to the container. Stir the solution until it is mixed together.)
2. Set the table – Jesus and the disciples shared their last supper together. It was the Passover meal, a very special dinner. I wonder how you can set your dinner table for tonight’s meal and help make it a special meal for your family?
3. Draw or paint the last supper – Create your own version of this classic painting of today’s Bible Story using crayons, pencils or felt tip pens.
4. Play dough last supper – If you have play dough, you may want to print out the play dough mat; create a cup and plate to add to the mat or if you can’t print this mat out, then create a 3D cup and plate out of play dough. If you don’t have play dough at home, you can make play dough with this recipe.
5. Bake bread – Jesus shared the bread and told the disciples that when they share the bread like this, he would be there. Bake some bread to share at your dinner tonight. When you break the bread and share it together, know that Jesus is with you as you remember him. Here is a quick soda bread recipe.
6. Sing a hymn together – When Jesus and the disciples finished their meal, they sang a hymn together. I wonder what your favourite hymn or Messy Church song is. Can you sing it together as a family?
7. Judas coins – Trace a coin 30 times on a piece of paper. For each coin, think of a time you were disappointed or when someone let you down. Judas betrayed Jesus when he told the high priests that he would give Jesus to them in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus knew this would happen and yet he still loved Judas and he forgave him. Can you also forgive others? Think of those 30 disappointments and let go of the frustration and disappointment and forgive.
8. Jerusalem gates – Jesus and the disciples left the city gates after the last supper and returned to the Mount of Olives for the night. Play a game of Jerusalem Gates in your back garden. This is a tag game, like Stuck in the Mud. When you get tagged, stand still with your legs apart, like a gate. Someone else has to crawl through your legs to get you moving again. (This is perhaps a game for families with at least four people…)
9. Blindfold trust walk – Jesus trusted God in what was to come next. He prayed and trusted in God. I wonder if you can put trust in your family.  Take turns being blindfolded. Have the person who can see direct the person who is blindfolded around your home or perhaps set up an obstacle course in your back garden to guide people through.
10. Teardrop prayers – Even though Jesus knew what was to come, he still prayed – ‘My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.’ Draw a tear drop on paper and write inside of the tear any prayers of sadness or worry that you have now.  God hears all of our prayers so share with him what is on your heart now.
11. Foil crosses – After Judas betrayed Jesus, it was a confusing night before Good Friday arrived. It was a day of pain that ended with Jesus on the cross. We know that Easter follows three days later, so this is not the end of the story. He will rise again on Easter. For now, though, as we think about the last supper and what comes next, take some aluminium foil from your kitchen and fold it to make a cross. Keep this in your home until Easter morning to remember what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross. On Easter morning, scrunch up the cross and know he has risen indeed.
12. Watch the clouds – We are still in Lent, we are still preparing and waiting for Easter morning.  Take some time to sit in silence outside. Look at the clouds and watch the shapes form and pass over you.  Breathe in and out and listen for what God is saying to you in this time of waiting.