Prepare your children's session
Prepare your under 5s session
Prepare your young people's session
Prepare your children's session
Read Bible notes on Isaiah 42:1-9
This passage points us to Jesus, our Hope. Isaiah 42:6-7 is similar to Isaiah 61 and both are referred to by Jesus as pointing to himself, the Messiah.
What do you do when you feel hopeless? Do you despair or do you turn to God? Spend a short time reflecting and being honest with yourself about how you respond to troubled times.
Children often have big hopes and dreams. Helping them to be realistic without squashing them can be a challenge. Having a Having a pet unicorn is unrealistic, but being an astronaut is not impossible for any child. (In 2025 a disabled man was approved for astronaut training.) While children’s worries may seem small to us, they are genuine, and we can help children learn how to deal with their concerns. If worries are large you may need to help them obtain professional support – speak to your safeguarding officer as necessary.
Epiphany Challenge: Week 2
For full details of the six-week challenge, look out for this symbol in the resources: .
This week as we think about ‘Hope refreshed’, children are invited to donate a pre-loved soft toy or pair of gloves, or to write a prayer.
Prepare for Week 3: Invite children to bring something in a container (e.g. a tin of beans) to donate to your selected cause.
Don't forget:
Activity and colouring sheets
Thrive: A resource to encourage family faith at home.
Plus: Songs, Prayers, Images
and links to templates and other online resources.
Prepare your under 5s session
Read: Prepare and reflect - see above and use the Colouring sheet
Play ideas
Sheet of paper with ‘HOPE’ in block letters, play dough in different colours to fill the letters with.
Prepare your young people's session
Read Bible notes on Isaiah 42:1-9
When this portion of Isaiah was written, the people of Israel were exiles in Babylon. The servant has been interpreted as Jesus, Isaiah’s son, or Israel, but the message (whoever the servant may be), is one of hope for the future, when God will refresh promises made to the people years before.
Do you look at the world and feel hopeful about the future? How do you understand the promises of the Bible in relation to troubling local or global events?
Young people are often told they should feel anxious about the world they will inherit, particularly as governments seem slow to respond to crises like climate change. Ask them about where they find hope and encourage them to think in terms of God’s plan for the future.
Epiphany Challenge: Week 2
For full details of the six-week challenge, look out for this symbol in the resources: .
This week: As we think about ‘Hope refreshed’, the young people are invited to donate an item that can be tied or loosened, or to write a prayer for your chosen charity.
Prepare for Week 3: Invite the young people to bring something in a container (e.g a tin of beans) to donate to your selected cause.
Don't forget:
Check-in: a weekly biblical reflection on youth and contemporary culture.
Thrive: A resource to encourage family faith at home.
Plus: Images and links to templates, music tracks and other online resources.