Mothering Sunday is going to be … different … this year. No distributing bunches of daffodils to all the women in church. No visiting our aged mum and grandmums. No kids bouncing happily around giving out hand-made sticky things. And for a lot more folks than usual, Mothering Sunday will have unhappy associations because of the losses and worries of Coronavirus.
So here are a couple of practical resources, perfect for Zoom services, that can help us though what may be a tricky Mothering Sunday:
- The first is Crocus Prayers: a way of remembering people before God when some of those memories may be hard. [Click here for the link.] Instead of the whole church making a large bouquet in oasis, families or individuals can make mini-bouquets with a stapler.
- The second is Eagle’s Wings: a simple craft to remind us that God looks after us as a mother. See below for this resource.
And here are some resources for Holy Week:
- Here’s a free chapter [click to download] from my latest book Broken Bits & Weirdness, which has loads of intergenerational resources focussed on Peter’s denial – Bible study, mindfulness colouring, prayer, craft, wondering, cooking, outside activities, labyrinth etc.
- There are other resource packs in the book for Good Friday (The Second Thief) and Easter Day (Thomas), plus lots of others, and you can use them at any time, not just over Lent and Easter.
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Reviewers say: Great insight into the nine characters. Gets you thinking deeper but with ease. The author guides you to explore in several different ways. I think the book works on your own, dipping in and out as you please, as a group study and also as a family. I have already tried a couple of recipes that I will repeat. I also want to explore the labyrinth in a way of meditation on God’s word along with the spaces for writing. I would highly recommend the book. (Danni, Amazon reviews)
- Here’s a link to the whole book from Amazon, (paperback and e-book), or you can get it directly from me, signed if you like, for £7+P&P, just drop a note to fay@fayrowland [dot] co [dot] uk
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Eagle’s Wings
Although we address God as Our Father, he uses a lot of feminine imagery of himself throughout the Bible. Jesus himself describes his love for the people of Jerusalem as that of a mother hen longing to gather her chicks, and I love the Old Testament picture of God as of a mother Eagle with us as her chicks hiding ‘under the shadow of her wings’.
This simple craft, suitable for all ages (NOT just children!) gathers a selection of such verses and makes a paper eagle (or dove), spreading its wings over its chicks.
You will need:
- Coloured paper (A4)
- Pencil
- scissors
- coloured pens
What to do:
- Choose a colour of paper that expresses your mood or represents God. I have chosen a dark orange because it’s like the Red Kites that fly over my house.
- Fold your paper in half and place your hand on the fold, from just below where your thumb splits off. Draw around your spread fingers and cut out the shape.
- Use the coloured pens to write Bible verses across these wings. For example Psalm 17:8, Isaiah 66:13, Matthew 23:37, Deuteronomy 33:27, Ruth 2:12, Psalm 57:1, Deuteronomy 32:11, Isaiah 40:31, or any others that seem appropriate.
- Use closed scissors to curl the feathers downwards, and gently roll the wings so that you get a ‘flying bird’ shape.
- Draw a head and beak shape on the fold of left-over paper, and cut it out. Add the eyes and glue the head to one end of the folded wings.
- There is your complete bird. You can hold it between two fingers and make it soar and fly, or place it over a picture of someone you love to represent God’s care and protection.
The Reflectionary 