This is it -- the most challenging and celebratory week of the church year. We follow Jesus into the final days of his life on earth. We bear witness to the depth of grief and the joy of new life. Where does this story find you this year?

Holy Week Nature Walk
Take advantage of the warmer weather! Go outside and go for a walk. Use all your senses to find the items listed on this handout. Once you get home, look up the verses that go with each thing you found! 

Make Your Own Palm
Get a piece of green construction paper (or a white paper you can color green!). Fold it in half. Starting at the folded edge, cut out a half football shape. When you open it up, it will look like a palm! Cut fringes into the edge. Then you can act out the story! Wave your palm during Palm Sunday Worship.

• Before they eat, Jesus washes the disciples' dirty feet! Imagine Jesus doing this for you. How would you respond? 
• Why do you think Jesus wants us to love and serve one another?
• Jesus says that he is in the bread and the wine we eat and drink in communion, and that our sins are forgiven. What do you think about that? How does forgiveness feel?

​Foot-washing
Act out this part of the story by washing your family members' feet. Kind of weird, right? Back then, this was the servant's job! Even though Jesus was their teacher, he was making himself a servant by washing his disciples' feet! As you practice foot washing, think of other ways you can serve members of your family today. Jesus says that the greatest among us are the servants! 

On Good Friday, we remember with heavy hearts the trials Jesus endured at the end of his life. You can read this story in Luke 23:32-47 or in SPARK on page 476. Depending on the age of your children, you may choose to omit parts of the story. Use this document to help you navigate this difficult conversation.

• What is something tough or sad going on in your life right now? Jesus understands. Jesus also had to face tough and sad things in his life.  Pray together to ask God for help with what you're facing. 
• Has anyone ever been mean to you? Talk about how you felt. What did you do next?

• As Holy Week comes to an end, reflect on Jesus' journey and what you learned. What is the most important thing you learned this Holy Week?

Share the Good News
JESUS IS RISEN! God wins over death! Share the good news with someone you know, whether your family, friends, or church community, by making an Easter card for them.  Share about God's love, your favorite part of the story, or a bit about your favorite family tradition. Then mail or deliver your card! 

Easter Activities
A craft, a coloring sheet, mazes, a crossword puzzle, and a word find-- all fun things to remind you that JESUS IS RISEN! Click here to download and print. 

Musical Chairs
​Place chairs in a circle, with one fewer than the number of people playing. Turn on music (potentially the song above), and walk around the chairs. When the music stops, everyone has to find a place to sit! Whoever doesn't get a spot is out. Remove a chair and continue until there is a winner!

• What was it like to be out? What was it like to be the winner?
• What does it mean to leave someone out?
• Have you ever been the one excluded?
• How does Jesus want us to treat each other? Who was Jesus especially good at including?​

Today’s story is not an easy one! Jesus reminds us that its important to help people. He tells a story about a rich man who refused to help a poor man, named Lazarus. Both men die, and the rich man finds himself far from God. He then asks Lazarus to help him! Jesus shows that no one is better than anyone else; we all need help sometimes.

Sometimes we are in a position to help someone else. Sometimes we are the ones who need help. Just as we would appreciate it if someone reached out to help us, we need to reach out to help others. This is how community works! We are all members of God’s family and we all take care of each other. 

Read today’s story in Luke 16:19-32 or in your SPARK Bible on p. 386. Talk about it using these prompts:

• I wonder how Lazarus felt when no one helped him
• I wonder why the rich man didn’t want to help
• I wonder if I ever feel better than someone else
• I wonder if other people ever feel better than me
• I wonder what Jesus wants me to learn from this story

Living the Story
With your family, act out the story. Take turns being the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus. How does acting it out change how you understand the story? Let this story affect your actions in the future: today, try to ask three people “How can I help?”

Blessing Bags
​​It is important that we be mindful of other people, especially those whom we easily forget! Think about people who don’t have a place to live. You might see them on street corners asking for help, or they may seek help at a local shelter. We can help them by donating items to shelters, or handing them out directly. To assemble your own “blessing bags” to keep in your cars, buy small personal hygiene items, non-perishable snacks, gift cards, etc. that can fit in a gallon zip-lock bag (see here for more info). Keep it in your car for an opportunity to hand it out! You can also check in at a local shelter to figure out what donations would be helpful. Click here to visit the website for Hope4Youth in Anoka! 

Morning Stretch Prayer
(See images below for help!)

Good morning, God!
(Start with hands over your heart in prayer, then reach up to the sky)
Help me to serve you today.
(Fold forward and touch your toes)
Whether I feel as strong as a mountain
(walk hands forward to downward dog)
Or as small as a seed
(sit back into child’s pose)
Help me to keep my eyes on You.
(Laying flat on your belly, push your arms up and your head back: cobra pose)
You make me strong.
(back up to downward dog, then to standing)
Help me to love others
(right arm overhead, bend to the left)
As I love myself
(left arm overhead, bend to the right)
Because you so love the whole world
(arms spread open wide).
Amen. (Hands return to prayer over your heart).

The Bible says that Jesus is like a shepherd and we are like his sheep (e.g. John 10, Psalm 23). He takes care of us, feeds us, and protects us from threats. When one of us is lost, he will search and search until we are found, safe and sound. 

Read the Parable of the Lost Sheep, found in Luke 15:1-10, or in your SPARK Storybook Bible on page 374. 

• I wonder if it would be hard for a shepherd to keep track of 100 sheep! Would you want that job? How do you think God can take care of every person and animal in the world?
• What sort of trouble do you think the lost sheep got into? 
• What do you think the 99 sheep did while the shepherd was out searching for the one lost sheep?

Let's pray together:
Dear God, sometimes we feel lost and afraid (name examples, other needs). Come find us and keep us safe. Thank you for being a good shepherd to us. Amen. 

Sheep Coloring (Preschool and up)
Everyone's Sunday School experience must include a sheep craft! Download and print this sheep coloring page. You can make it's fluffy wool by gluing on cotton balls. Remember that Jesus is a good shepherd, and you are his sheep. Jesus loves you!

Heavy, Lost Feelings (Older kids and adults)
Download and print this worksheet. Each corner describes a heavy feelings a lost sheep might feel-- feelings you might have experienced in your life, in the past or present: scared, lonely, helpless (weak, needing others for care), in need (hungry, thirsty, etc.). Think about a time you have felt this way. Write or color about that feeling in each corner. Then, cut out and paste the picture of "the good shepherd" in the middle of these heavy feelings. Know that in everything you feel or experience, Jesus is with you. Jesus helps us feel safe and at peace even when things are hard.

Finding the Lost (Service Project)
Think of people in your community who may be "lost" right now-- someone who is lonely or struggling. Brainstorm a way you can reach out to them and "find them" with love. Whether sending a card, baking something, or making a phone call, we can share Jesus' love with all who are lost.