Provide a variety of common objects, e.g. a tin of food, a book, a magazine, a pen, a small toy, a toilet roll, a cushion, a bread roll, some air freshener, a coin. Challenge the young people to take it in turns to balance as many of the objects as possible on their body at once. Award a prize to the winner.

Read aloud John 12.1-8, then encourage the group to use toy figures and water as perfume to act out the story.

Questions to discuss

• What emotions were felt by the key characters at different points in the story?
• Do you think Mary should have given the money to the poor instead?
• What extravagant acts of worship might be a modern-day equivalent of Jesus’ anointing?

Before the session starts, spray a leader in lots of perfume/cologne. Really overdo it, but don’t mention it. At this point in the session, ask the young people if they have noticed anything unusual in the room today. Talk about the fragrance and refer to verse 3 in the reading: ‘the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume’. How do we show our adoration of Jesus? Does our adoration change the atmosphere around us?

Beforehand, ask the church treasurer for a simple copy of the church’s annual budget. Print out copies for everyone and explain financial terms as necessary. Do the young people agree with how the church spends its money? How would they change it? Make sure you pass on their suggestions!