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This forum is part of Rotation.org's Palm Sunday to Easter Morning forum of resources. In addition to the public lessons and ideas posted below, be sure to see our Writing Team's extra special lessons: Last Supper ~ Lord's Supper Lesson Set.

The image pictured right is from Rotation.org's Annie Vallotton Bible Illustrations Collection.

Cooking, Kitchen Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Teaching the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder.

Post your Sunday School cooking, kitchen lessons, ideas, activities, and resources for the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder here.

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Included: Last Supper, Upper room, Judas, Bowl, Feet, This is my body, broken, cup, Do this in remembrance of me, Lord's Supper, Passover, Seder, Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-17, 21-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Exodus 11:4-8, 12:3-13, 37-39, etc.

Bible lessons for the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder -with Cooking, Food, Bible Foods, Recipes, Baking, Preparation, etc.

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer
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My books, "Bible Time With Kids" (Abingdon, 1997), "Worship Time With Kids" (Abingdon, 1998) and "Bible Banquets With Kids" (Abingdon, 2003) are filled with ideas for Holy Communion activities with kids.

The Last Supper

Cooking/Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

As the story of the Last Supper is spoken, students will be given various foods to taste and eat -- to help them focus and remember.


Supply List:

  • Baggies
  • Pretzels
  • a dish of Salt water and a dish of honey
  • Dates
  • Unleavened Cracker (Matzoh crackers can be found in the grocery store)
  • Grapes
  • Liquorice string


Lesson Plan


Opening

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Tell them what they will be doing and what you hope they will learn today.

Eating Our Way Through the Story

As you tell and discuss the story, you'll present various foods for students to taste and eat.

The first Sunday of Holy week was a joyful one! Jerusalem was crowded because many people had come from all over to celebrate Passover. This springtime celebration reminded the Jewish people that God helped their ancestors escape from slavery in Egypt. Everybody came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover because the Jewish Temple was in Jerusalem.

Let's start the story with this pretzel that looks like a walking stick to remind us of how the Jews escaped out of Egypt and about how the Jews travelled to the temple for Passover each year.Guess who also came to Jerusalem? (Hopefully kids will say JESUS!)

Take a bite of pretzel to remember that Jesus is the Bread of Heaven -- the one sent by God to save us.

He knew that this Passover would be very different that all the others.
People packed the streets. Suddenly someone cried, “Look at that man riding the little Donkey! Who is that? (Ask kids, again answer is JESUS!)

Yes it’s the one who heals the sick and rises the dead!”  The one who turns tears into joy!

Taste the salt on your pretzel to remember Jesus comes to wipe our tears.
Dip your pretzel in honey to remember that Jesus comes to bring us true happiness -- knowing and following him.

The people were so happy to see Jesus coming they took off their coats and laid them on the road for him to ride over. “Hosanna, hosanna”, they shouted.

Others tore palm branches from the trees and waved them joyfully. People remembered that God had promised to send a Messiah to help them. They knew that the messiah would be a descendant of King David. The shouts grew louder: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest Heaven!”

Those palm branches they were waving may have been date palms so lets try some dates.

Take a bite of date. Is it sweet or sour?  What does it say about the arrival of our king?

Palm Sunday was a great day but even then people were planning bad things to do to Jesus.
Tension grew with each passing day. Thursday near sundown, Jesus and his friends entered a borrowed house. Here they ate the Passover meal together. Jesus served as head of the family, offering blessing over special foods.

Their food included unleavened bread. This bread reminded the Jews that their ancestors had escaped Egypt so quickly that there was no time to make normal bread.

Lets try a piece of unleavened cracker (Carrs Table water crackers or bread, pita etc.)

Take a bit of unleavened cracker. Does it seem "finished" to you?  How does it remind us of the FIRST Passover when the people left Egypt hastily?

What is the unleavened bread missing? It's missing "air."  Interestingly, the word for "spirit" as in "Holy Spirit" is the word for "wind" in Hebrew. ("Ruach")  We are "flat and dry" too if we are missing God's Holy Spirit in our lives.

During the Last Supper, Jesus raised several "cups of blessing" to honor and praise God. What kind of things do you think Jesus said about God?

What is wine made out of ?  Grapes!

Let's eat the Grapes.  Do they taste harsh or good? What does their taste tell you about God?

During this last supper Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him. Everyone at the table was upset. Each said “Surely not I “ Who do you think it was? (JUDAS!) Yes even Judas who had already promised to lead Jesus’ enemies to him said, “Surely not I Rabbi.”

Jesus was very sad about this betrayal and knew that he was going to be handed over to his enemies. What do you when you are in trouble and no one can help you? (Take all comments , hopefully prayer will be mentioned!)

Jesus went to a Garden to pray for strength to be able to do what God wanted him to do. Jesus did not want to make that journey to the cross, but he was willing to do what God needed him to do.

If we look at the shape of this pretzel we see arms folded in prayer. Jesus prayed long and hard that night. Eat that too.

Suddenly a large crowd came out of the darkness. There was Judas leading them. The crowd rushed forward and arrested Jesus.

Early on Friday morning, Jesus was taken and judged before the Jewish leaders , priests and Roman authorities. They sentenced him to be crucified. On the cross, above his head, they wrote the charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

When Jesus died on the cross, they buried his body in a tomb and sealed it with a large stone. But is that the end of the story?  Did Jesus STAY dead? No, God raised Jesus from the dead as a sign that God's will cannot be beaten, that God is in charge, and everything Jesus said was true  -- that we ARE loved by God and God wants us to be with him both on earth and in heaven.

Take some licorice. Eat some but tie a length of it around your finger to REMEMBER the story and words of Jesus.  Place some in your baggie to share with someone else.)

Closing

Share more food, including some bread and juice as you reflect on the story.  Quiz them about what each food item represented/told them about Jesus and the story.

Close with prayer. Invite students to make a "take home" pack of foods they shared.


A lesson written by Engel and enhanced by the Rotation.org Content Team

Last edited by Neil MacQueen

Crushing grapes ideas

Original Question by member Cindy

We are preparing a rotation on Jesus' words "I am the Vine, you are the branches." For a cooking workshop, we would like to have the students crush grapes to make a special communion "wine". Any ideas on the easiest way to go about doing this? Thanks!

Responses:

Jaymie Derden wrote:

I've done this before just using a potato masher and a big bowl. Once the grapes are all smashed, you can strain out the pulp and the remaining juice is your "wine."

I've seen pictures of kids actually smushing grapes with their feet -- done as part of Marketplace 29 A.D. VBS. It looks like they filled a plastic wading pool (or metal washtub) with grapes and let the kids in a few at a time to smush away. (shoes off of course!) This might be a little hard in winter with girls wearing tights to Sunday school, but closer to summer, might work.

Catherine wrote:

How about putting a few grapes in sandwich baggies. The kids can mash it with their hands and pour out the "wine" into a small communion glass to drink.

Linda wrote

I just can't help thinking of "Lucy" in that big vat holding her skirt up and squashing grapes with her feet! That is one of the funniest routines I've ever seen!!! I think the kids would love to smash grapes with their feet, I'm just not sure I'd drink the juice! I can see the kids now going to the pool with purple feet. Talk about an opportunity to witness! We could do what I did to take a shower after foot surgery, put their feet into a breadbag and secure with a not-too-tight rubber band, that I might drink! This is fun, so much different from my Sunday School experience and I loved Sunday School then!!!

Last edited by Neil MacQueen

The Last Supper
Kitchen Workshop
"Soul Cafe"


Summary of Lesson Activities:

Making communion bread and juice for use in the classroom, home, or worship.

Scripture Reference:

Exodus 12:37-39 and storybook.


Leader Preparation:

  • Read through the recipe.
  • Gather the materials.

Materials List:

  • Bibles
  • Birthday candle
  • Candy cane
  • Cascarone
  • Sparkler or firecracker
  • Candy heart box
  • Package or can of black-eyed peas
  • Can of cranberry sauce
  • Grapes and juice making supplies
  • Bread making supplies (see recipe suggestions below)
  • Baking sheets
  • Ziploc bags
  • Juice jars
  • Last Supper Crossword Puzzle (see Resources below)
  • "God’s Story" by Karyn Henley (or any children's storybible that tells the Last Supper)

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

  • Heat the oven


Lesson Plan

Opening:
Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Ask the children to tell you what special celebration they can think of as you hold up each item (birthday candle, candy cane, cascarone, sparkler or firecracker , candy heart box, package or can of black-eyed peas, can of cranberry sauce).

Say: “Sometimes eating one particular thing at a meal year after year makes it more special.” Refer to a few of the items and share a special memory of that celebration. (For example; “When I see a birthday candle, I remember my daughter’s first birthday) “Having a special meal to remind us of something is a very old custom. The Bible story we are going to learn about today tells how Jesus had a special meal with His disciples and used it as a symbol for His disciples, and us, to remember Him.

Tell the Story:

The Story
Read the story of the Last Supper from the Children’s Bible God’s Story by Karyn Henley on page 608. Be sure to tell the children that this is just another way to tell the story that is found in every one of the gospels in their Bible. “Does anyone know which books are called the gospels?” (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

“The story calls the meal that Jesus wanted to eat with the disciples the Passover. Who can tell me what the Passover meal was?” (Allow children to give answers and fill in the blanks, explaining that Passover was a special celebration that the Jews held every year to remember the time that God freed them from slavery in Egypt.)

“Did you know that Jesus and all the disciples were Jewish so it was natural for them to participate in this holiday celebration every year—just like Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter every year. But Jesus did a special thing with this meal. Who can tell me what it was?” (He told them that every time they eat the bread and drink the wine they should remember Him.) “That’s why today we call it the Lord’s Supper. Jesus is our Lord and we are to remember Him at this special celebration.”

“What do you think Jesus wants us to remember about Him?” (accept all answers)

“Sometimes we only remember about Jesus when we are in church doing church things. Jesus wants us to remember Him all the time—that He died on the cross so that your sins could be forgiven and you could be a new creation. So even though Jesus tells us to remember Him when we eat the bread and drink the juice, we should remember Him all the time. It wasn’t just a little thing He did for us. HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US! He died on the cross for (repeat the sentence and name each child).”

“How does that make you feel?” (accept all answers and then share with the kids how it makes you feel)

“Jesus died on the cross for everyone, but not everyone chooses to put their trust in Him and exchange their life for His. If have never done that or you are not sure if you have, your shepherd would love to talk with you about how you can do that. While we are doing our activity today, just tell them you would like to talk to them for a minute about something and they can spend time with you explaining how you can do that.”

WORMY EDITOR'S NOTE:
Your church may permit a classroom celebration of Communion using the bread and juice the children have made. Ask your pastor.

You may also use the bread and juice in the church's celebration of communion as it can be frozen.

Whichever way you choose, please let the children TASTE their handiwork, practice taking communion, if not fully taking it, and take some HOME. These are not magical elements.



Make Unleavened Bread and Juice Together

Lead the children to make unleavened bread using one of the recipes included.

Tell the children that we will not be making bread like they eat in their sandwiches but we will be making bread that is flat, or unleavened. “That means that it doesn’t have any ingredients in it that make it rise, like yeast or baking powder. There is a special reason for that. Remember we said that the Passover was a special meal to remember the time when God freed the Jews from slavery. Listen while I read about that time.”

Read Exodus 12:37-39. “The Jewish slaves in Egypt did not have time to let the bread rise before they had to leave, so when the Passover is celebrated, we also eat unleavened bread to remember the speed with which they had to move once God gave them instructions.”

While it is baking, you will make grape juice. Decide which "grape juicing method” you want to use (either stomping the grapes in a small tub with their feet covered in ziploc bags or crushing grapes in individual ziploc bags). Transfer the juice into a jar to be used later. When the bread cools, place it in ziploc bags to be used later. If time allows, children may complete the Last Supper Crossword Puzzle.

Be sure to pray with the kids, thanking God for the special times that He gives us and especially for the special celebrations that help us remember Jesus.

Closing:

Have the children assist with the cleanup and close with a prayer.

Resources:
(Editor's addition)
Online FREE "Last Supper" Crossword Puzzles & Other Activities
https://sundayschoolzone.com/a...er-crossword-puzzle/  (Crossword)
https://biblepathwayadventures.com/activities/last-supper-2/    (Crossword)
https://biblepathwayadventures...ivities/last-supper/  (Wordsearch)
https://sundayschoolzone.com/activity/the-last-supper-coloring-page-2/ (Coloring Page)


Unleavened Bread Recipes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp oil
1/4 c water
Sift flour and salt and mix butter into flour until it forms "peas". Mix oil and water and add to flour; mix this until it leaves the sides of the bowl. Put a small amount of flour on a bread board and knead dough lightly. Add a small of amount of flour and press flat with your hand. Roll out as thin as possible. Pick it up, turn it over and roll out thin again. Perforate with a fork and bake on a cookie sheet 8 minutes at 400 degrees.

Or:

5/8 c. white flour
3/4 c. wheat flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 C and 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C and 1 Tbsp. hot water
Combine dry ingredients, then add oil, honey and water.
Roll out dough to about an 8" x 12" piece on a cookie sheet.
Use knife to score dough into square pieces about 1" x 1". Do not cut completely through the dough.
Bake at 350 deg. until there are no more dark (wet) areas visible and edges are slightly brown. (Usually 5-10 minutes)
Let sit and cool enough to handle and remove from pan.

Or:

2 1/3 cup wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tablespoon margarine
2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon sugar
Grease cookie sheets. Melt the margarine, mix the wet ingredients well and mix the dry ingredients well. Mix together and knead well with extra flour. Flatten onto the cookie sheets and brush with olive oil. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees.

A lesson written by Jamye Cappadonna from Grace Point Church
San Antonio, Texas

Last edited by Neil MacQueen

We will be discussing the Passover meal that Jesus shared with His disciples -- The OT & NT connection of the Passover lamb, sacrifice and the Seder meal. We will have the kids make their own small loaf of unleavened bread & discuss the Last Supper, & possibly share in Communion If we feel they have grasped the important significance of it.

This will be the focus of our "Traditional" workshop... On its way to becoming our Cooking/Science workshop so all projects can be done safely in the kitchen. This Traditional workshop focuses on the Biblical History & Traditions. By doing this we are able to show the connection, the Scarlett thread,  from the OT & NT that Jesus referred to so often, and allow children to get a better picture of life in Bible times and how it all relates to us now in the present

As far as many of the biblical customs are concerned. The Passover meal being a prime example. The youngest groups focus will be much less involved, but they will be making the bread.

Now, I just have to find a gluten free recipe for the couple of kids who have dietary restrictions.


Editor Adds: here are a couple Gluten Free Flatbread Recipes found online

  1. tasty.co - 4-ingredients recipe https://tasty.co/recipe/4-ingr...free-dough-flatbread
  2. sweetsimplevegan.com - 5-ingredients recipe https://sweetsimplevegan.com/2...uten-free-flatbread/
Last edited by Luanne Payne

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