Gathering activities

For children

Let’s grow

Let the group imagine they are seeds. They need to find a space. When everyone is quiet ask them to drop suddenly to the ground. The seeds have dropped off the plant. There, they curl up tight and keep very still. What has happened? Are the seeds dead when they stay in the ground all winter? Now the spring has come and the sun is shining. Gradually the seeds begin to grow towards the sun, up and up. When they are full grown, they sway in the breeze, and eventually produce more grain. No new plant would have come if the seed hadn’t fallen.

Different seeds

Pass round the packets of vegetable seeds from the display. Cut open an apple and look at the seeds. Look at potatoes. Talk about all the different kinds of fruit and the way they all have seeds. What do you have to do to make the seeds grow? All of them have to go into the dark earth. For a long time they do nothing, until the spring comes. In today’s story, Jesus talks about a seed going in the earth.

What’s important?

Ask the children to think of one object that is important to them. If they had to give up everything and just keep one belonging, what would it be and why?

To encourage people to think about this, the leaders can each bring something of their own to show the group and explain why it is important to them.

I don’t want to

Ask the children about the things they hate doing. Having a bath? Going to bed? Washing up? Tidying their rooms? Doing their homework? Write up a big list. Then say that today’s story is about Jesus saying, ‘I don’t want to … but I will.’

Follow my leader

Have a quick and energetic game of ‘follow my leader’, making sure you do some fun things and some things that are harder — maybe like crawling under tables. Return to this game later.

For young people

Popcorn

If possible, make some popcorn together — or look at popcorn seeds and the finished article. This provides an explosive demonstration of the potential found within a seed and shows one way a little seed can change. Don’t forget to eat the popcorn.

This is tough

Imagine that you are trying to start a new religion. What would you offer people to persuade them to become your followers? Excitement, world-changing drama, status, power, and material rewards? Before reading today’s passage, brainstorm some of the things Jesus offered his followers — both the hard and the wonderful things.