For weeks, the PUMC congregation donated bags of candy. On the day of Maundy Thursday, the Elderberries (our Senior Adult group) gathered together to fill 2600 plastic eggs with candy. Then the day of our annual Easter Egg Hunt arrived on Saturday morning, and over 200 children were in our church!
What’s an Easter Egg Hunt at PUMC?
Entertainment before the Easter Egg Hunt (4/19/14)
If you’re a kid, it’s a bit of everything! First you get a chance to decorate your own “Hunting Bag.” But if you’re not the artistic type who loves to dabble in glitter and glue, you could leave the undecorated bag with your mom or dad and turn your attention elsewhere.
And there was a lot to see, thanks to our wandering magician and his balloons. After everyone had their “Hunting Bags” in hand, the magician took the stage to demonstrate that the “hand is sometimes quicker than the eye…”
And then… the moment everyone was waiting for- like the crack of a starting pistol at a race, everyone (sorry mom & dad-
Easter Egg Hunt (4/19/20)
kids got to go first)- was allowed to dash out into the church grounds to find the eggs. Hunters were limited to 10 eggs, so everyone had a chance. After the kids had gathered their quota, the adults were allowed to go out and look for the harder to find eggs.
And last but not least- Food!
After the hunt (or should we say “mad scramble?”), lunch was served. You could have your fill of hot dogs, chips, and whatever other goodies that people had donated.
So…
So if you were a kid, you had a lot of fun… and you came home with some treasures that you could munch on for a while. But what about things that are more valuable than candy? What about the things that last a lifetime? What could a kid (and adults) learn from this experience?
Here’s a top Five list…
Lesson #5:
Lesson #5
This isn’t “our church”… this is God’s church, and everyone is welcome. And just because you’re on church property doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! In fact, as you read the Bible, you keep seeing how our God has a sense of humor (take a look at how he works with Gideon in Judges 6-7). One way to love God is to enjoy the good things that He gives us and to marvel at His creation…. and maybe even laugh along with Him.
Lesson #4:
Lesson #4
The egg represents new life. In John 10:10, Jesus said that “I have come that they may have life and live it to the full.” True lasting joy in life is to have a relationship with our Creator. That’s what Jesus offers to us.
Lesson #3:
Lesson #3
Those eggs didn’t appear all by themselves as soon as the kids dashed out of the doors. The treasures to be sought were already there. God brings us into situations for a purpose; there are no coincidences. And yet, when we get there, we find that God has already prepared for our arrival.
Lesson #2:
Lesson #2
Take a look at Luke chapter 15. The shepherd, the widow, the father… they all went out of their way to find that which was lost. They put value on the lost sheep, or lost coin, or lost son.
Lesson #1:
Lesson #1
During this Easter season, we’re reminded that God loves us so much that He would send His son to die for us. Even though we keep rejecting God and trying to go our own way, God still wants us to turn to Him. Even if we’re a little plastic egg among 2600 other little plastic eggs. Even if we’re lost out in a parking lot somewhere, God loves us enough to die for us.
