Getting Acquainted:
“...A Time To Every Purpose...” Ecclesiastes 3:1
Ecclesiastes 3:1 begins "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" The next seven verses list several "times" in each person's life. For this game, let each person draw a "time" from the hat and tell a story about that time in his/her life. The story may be real, or just pretend, and the other guests must guess whether the story is truth or fiction. Time To Every Purpose
“Behold The Lamb”... John 1:29
When we think of spring we think of baby animals on a farm. We also think of March as the month that "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb". To follow the theme of springtime and animals, here is a game that can be played by all ages. In Behold The Lamb the players take turns drawing pictures of the animals and the teams try to be first to guess what animal is drawn.
Door Prize:
“...Cleanse The House...” II Chronicles 29:15
Actually this verse is speaking of cleansing the house of the Lord, but I really could not find a verse about "Spring Cleaning". After the long cold winter when the house has been shut up for so long, it is great to open the windows for the fresh, warm, spring air. Your door prizes could include sample packs of cleaning wipes or dusting cloths or a brightly colored feather duster. (Do not have any cleansers that might be hazardous to children.)
Refreshments:
“...Bring Forth Fruit...” John 15:16
Springtime brings longer and warmer days and some places begin to have fresh fruits and vegetables available. You can center your refreshments around these "first fruits". Your guests may want to bring vegetable trays or pieces of fruit which could all be cut up for a fruit salad. A decorative bowl of fruit could be used as a center-piece and also as part of the refreshments. You may be able to find paper plates and bowls decorated with fruit designs, and I have even seen napkins with "The Fruit of the Spirit" on them.
Devotions:
“...The Fruit Of The Spirit...” Galatians 5:22
Out Reach:
“This Is The Day...” Psalm 118:24
Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." A fun way to reach out to others would be to buy a bag of miniature "Almond Joy" bars and "Snickers" and tape the verse around each candy bar. This could be a special way to spread "joy and laughter". This Is The Day One year I taped the verses to Nestle "Crunch" bars and filled a basket for a classroom for the students experiencing "crunch-time" as they prepared for exams.
Projects:
“...The Earth Bringeth Forth...” Isaiah 61:11
If you work with small children you may enjoy doing the following project with them. My children had fun with this in elementary school. Let each child draw a face on a styrofoam cup and fill their cup with potting soil or good dirt almost to the top. Then let them sow grass seed and sprinkle with water. Place the cups in a sunny window and as the grass grows, it becomes the hair for their cup faces.
“...Love, Joy, Peace...” Galatians 5:22
At our Fall Festival we had a "Fruit of the Spirit - Tic, Tac, Toe" game. We had a large piece of styrofoam with 9 circles cut out. We painted a "tic, tac, toe" board and several kinds of fruit to decorate it. Above the holes we painted the name of the fruits of the Spirit. Instead of "X"s and "O"s we used apples and oranges. The children had to answer a question correctly to put their fruit in the chosen hole. You could print the games we have, make them using construction paper, or you could be more elaborate and use poster board, ice cream sticks, and plastic fruit. If you have all the supplies on hand, the guests could make the boards and take them home. Questions are also provided if your guests feel up to the challenge. Love, Joy, Peace
