Pentecost being about the Holy Spirit, we focussed the activities on wind and flame. (Not real flames, you understand, but there is a lot you can do with paint, and the colours of flame!)
Here, the activity is focussing on wind, and we made windmills. You remember, the kind you used to stick in a sandcastle at the beach?
It was reasonably simple, and surprisingly popular!
Pentecost wasn't the only celebration taking place in Bardwell - the windmill was rejoicing in getting its fourth sail, and we decided that this meant that mini windmills must be made. Empty toilet roll cardboard tubes being against the health and safety regulations (don't say it...) we rolled up cardboard, cut out sails, made doorways, and decorated beautifully! Very much a last minute activity, we had no real idea how this would work out, but it seemed to go well, with a certain Church Warden (don't worry Jo, I won't name you) taking a distinctly large amount of care over the placing of flowers and so on, only to put the double sided sticky tape in the wrong place when joining it together! Never mind - we sorted it!
By far the largest project of the afternoon was the altar frontal that we made. Frances brought a cloth on which she had already placed a design, and we painted and painted, came up with this. Not bad, eh! We were doing well with paintbrushes, but hands seemed better, and once you've done hands, you need footprints....
And to get footprints, you need someone willing to put their feet in paint and stand on the paper. There was absolutely no shortage of volunteers! We promise we washed feet afterwards! The frontal will be up in Church in Bardwell for a good while - call in and see it if you're passing!
Here are the smallest feet of the day. We didn't paint these....
After all our craft stuff, we played pass the parcel - Pentecost being the Church's Birthday, we needed party stuff - and then we had the story of Pentecost, and a prayer.
Birthdays need cake, and so we had a Birthday cake, with a candle for each disciple - flames on their heads.......
Not much was left.....
So there you go - one Messy afternoon, and great fun for all.
What's that? Jelly? Oh yes....
Well........
We had flame coloured jelly - red, orange, and yellow - and jelly sweets hidden in it. We had to put our hands in to find a sweet! It was gloriously cold and refreshing, and fantastic fun!
And messy. But then, it was Messy Church!
