Active worship
Activities based on Matthew 18.15-20
A simple worship activity for all ages
Give everyone two pipe cleaners (use a variety of colours to show diversity). Invite people to make a pipe-cleaner person using the two pipe cleaners, one to make the arms and the other for the body.
Make the arms wrap loosely around the body (a ‘self hug’). Read A prayer of confession (or another suitable prayer that mentions how doing wrong cuts us off from God and one another). After words of forgiveness, invite people to unwrap the arms of their pipe-cleaner person, and to bring the figure to the front to join with all the others in making a big circle that symbolises a diverse but united community. Sing ‘Bind us together, Lord’.
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Gathered groups: prepare kit for individuals/household groups 72 hrs in advance; only join together figures made by the same household group, otherwise hold them up, and listen to the hymn.
Community tree
Make a bare tree
Bind together some small branches or twigs to make a tree (or you could use a manufactured one), and prepare a quantity of paper leaves. You will also need string, sticky tape, scissors and pens. Invite people to take one or more leaves and to write on each leaf one quality that helps to build a healthy community. Use the string and tape to hang the leaves on the tree.
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Gathered groups: prepare kit for individuals/household groups 72 hrs in advance.
More than one perspective
Make two jigsaws
Distribute pieces of at least two simple children’s jigsaws that have similar-sized pieces. Invite people to ‘make the jigsaw’ – without telling them that there is more than one picture to be made. This should cause a lot of discussion. Encourage a discussion about diversity – that not everyone’s picture of the world will be the same, but we need to listen to one another.
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Gathered groups: the leader or another volunteer could demonstrate this.
Spread the prayers
Research and write a prayer
Collect leaflets, or do an internet search for information, about local support groups. Display them on a table, together with sticky notes and pens. Invite people to choose a group that they would like to pray for. Encourage people to write a brief prayer for those who attend their chosen group, and to stick the prayer on a prayer wall or board.
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Spiritual styles (as defined by David Csinos)
W Word E Emotion S Symbol A Action
Read our Spiritual Styles articles