WORMY NOTE:
During our renovation of this forum, reviewers debated whether or not to include this "Linus Blanket Project" in this particular's Bible story's forum. It doesn't obviously fit a story about a paralyzed man let down through the roof. However, some reviewers liked the connection to "healing" and others the idea that blankets can be made out of stretchers and used to bring people to Jesus. The Linus project link was current as of 2020. It is not an overtly Christian mission project, but rather, one to sick kids.
According to their website, their mission is to "Provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer blanketeers.”
Certainly this is a worthwhile service project, but does it fit with the MEANING of the BIBLE STORY? Probably not, but the idea is too good to delete.
It was suggested that instead of joining the formal Linus project, students make "healing prayer quilts" for use by members of the congregation, or to give to kids in need of prayers for special circumstances. The idea being that the blanket could have prayers written on it from your students. We all liked this idea a lot! AND... this would seem to be more in keeping with the STORY we are trying to teach, ...a story about Jesus healing to show who HE is to the world.
UPDATE:
This topic is expanding!
- Blanket Ideas for re-enacting the Man Down Through the Roof!
- Lego "stretchers" for re-creating the scene in a construction-drama project!
Here is the original post from member Linnea describing how they created Fleece Blankets that will be sent to ProjectLinus.org...
We are using this project at "Kidquake" 4 weekend camps held by Grace Presbtery in Texas.
Advanced Preparation:
- Take one large piece of fleece fabric. Cut a 5 inch square out of each corner. Cut 5 inch strips into the fleece on all four sides of the blanket to "fringe".
Activity:
Spread prepared blanket out and have children gather around it. Tell the kids that in the story of the Paralyzed man the friends carry him on a mat. It may have been something like a blanket.
Tell the kids that we are making blankets to donate to __________. (Have information to tell about where your blanket(s) will go. We are sending them to Project Linus that gives blankets to kids going through difficult times. Check out www.projectlinus.org
It's a great project and there may be a chapter who collects the blankets near you.)
Tell them that we are going to fill the blanket with prayers for the person who will receive it. We are going to be like the friends who carried the man and send our prayers to the person to help "carry" him or her through a difficult time.
Demonstrate how to tie a loose knot in one piece of the fringe. The knot should be at the top of the fringe up against the blanket, not at the tip of the fringe. Tell the kids to think of something that they would hope for the person who receives the blanket. Then go around the blanket and one at a time tie a knot in the fringe in front of you and say a pray about your hope for the child who will receive the blanket. Go around the circle one by one for as many times as the kids can do it...there will be a lot of fringe to tie. Just before the kids get restless, allow them to all begin tying and just say prayers to themselves as they tie. When every piece of fringe is tied, carefully fold up the blanket and join hands for a prayer.
Added by Wormy:
Here's one of MANY YouTube "how-to" videos showing how to make a "no-sew" fleece blanket.
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
