Passion Sunday Ideas
Passion Sunday, or Palm Sunday, commemorates Jesus Christ's entry into the city of Jerusalem five days prior to his crucifixion. Passion Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Lent, falling between March 15 and April 18 each year, and marks the beginning of Holy Week. Most churches associate the day with the blessing and procession of palms. In the Middle Ages, a palm procession would begin at one church, and travel to all neighboring churches to have the palms blessed, until finally returning to the original church to sing the liturgy. There are many ways to celebrate Passion/Palm Sunday that allow individuals to rejoice in their faith.
Other People Are Reading
-
Crafts
-
Using palms to create crafts is a great way to get the entire family involved in celebrating the day. By weaving palms together, families can create palm crosses, figurines, crowns and wreaths. Encourage children to draw their own picture of Christ entering Jerusalem that they can hang on their wall, or give to grandparents on Easter. Using colored construction paper, children can cut out and decorate their own donkey in honor of the one Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
The Palm Story
-
In order to truly appreciate the significance of the holiday, children and adults need to understand what makes Passion Sunday so important. By reciting the story of Passion Sunday, families can gain a better understanding of the events that led up to Christ's crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. In the Bible, Matthew 21:1-14, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44 and John 12:12-19 combine to tell the complete story of Christ's ride into Jerusalem.
-
Reenactment
-
Reenacting Christ's entrance into Jerusalem can be a fun and engaging activity for the whole family. Children can help create sets and backgrounds out of construction paper and palm leaves. Using a large piece of cardboard, or several smaller ones taped together, families can create a donkey cutout for their Jesus to pretend to ride. Blankets and bed linens can double as the robes worn during the period. This activity is a wonderful way to teach kids scripture, as the children who play Jesus and his apostles will need to memorize their lines from the Holy Book.
Church
-
No Passion Sunday would be complete without attending church service. Attending church allows Christians the opportunity to celebrate this holy day with members of their congregation through song, prayer and sermon. Talk with your church leaders about organizing after-service events such as a barbecue, pot luck picnic or arts and crafts time for children, or invite a guest to conduct a lecture about the holiday. Church activities help congregations grow closer together---and what better way is there to celebrate Christ's teaching than to bond with fellow Christians?
-
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
