You will need: a print-out of the scenario template; large sheets of paper and pens.

• Divide the group into two.
• Read out the scenario (from the template).
• Ask one group to think up reasons why the person in the scenario should give up his boots, and the other to think about why he shouldn’t. Each youngster decides on one short phrase to sum up their opinion. The groups create two lines facing each other, making an alleyway between them. Pick someone to walk through the alleyway slowly. As they pass by, each person in that line should say their short phrase. They should begin speaking when the walker passes them, even if it means the phrases overlap.
• Ask the person walking down the alleyway how that felt. What phrases did they hear? Let others have a go at walking through, and try different volumes, whispering and shouting.
• Afterwards, write down the phrases on the sheets of paper so everyone can see them. Discuss whether, after all that, they would give away their boots or not.
• Try the same process for the older son in the passage – should he go in and join the party or not?
• Now compare all those responses to the father, to God’s response to the son, and to us.

Listen and discuss

Glory torch (C+YP 5 mins)

An ongoing activity, looking for the glimpses of glory

You will need: torch or torches.

• Look back at the Glory torch activity from 10 February (or introduce it this week).
• Consider the passage from this week. Where are the moments of glory?

Play

It’s not fair! (C+YP 10 MINS)

A fun way to see things from a different perspective

• Ask the group to practise saying, ’It’s not fair!‘ in as dramatic a way as possible. Make it fun. Have a competition to see who can be the most dramatic.
• Think about the times in everyday life when the youngsters say ‘It’s not fair!’– discuss the situations.
• Explain that they are all going to say a sentence starting with ‘It’s not fair’, but they are all going to imagine that they are their parent (or appropriate equivalent), and finish the sentence with something their mums might say, such as ‘It’s not fair that I always have to clear up your messy room’.
• Enjoy hearing all their phrases and, afterwards, make the point that parents and carers have a lot to say ’It’s not fair‘ about, and yet they love us anyway, even when that’s hard; a bit like the father in the story.

Make

A boot plant pot (C 20 mins)

Making a Mother’s Day gift

You will need: one boot per child (obtained from charity shops or ask families to donate old wellies); paints; ribbons and decorations; glue; a potted plant per child; small cards with the words ’Thank you for being with me every step of the way‘; some card, pens, and a hole punch; newspapers.

• Give each child a boot, and encourage them to decorate it (use ribbons instead of laces).
• Everyone decides who this is for (mums, if appropriate for Mother’s Day), then signs a card and ties it to the boot with ribbon.
• Put the pot plant into the top of the boot. If the gap is too big, use scrunched up newspaper to ll it up.

Pray

Shoe prayers (C+YP 10 mins)

A fun way to give thanks for those who care, and to pray for each other

• Ask everyone to take off one of their shoes and put it with all the others in a large pile at the far end of the room.
• Give a countdown and ask everyone to bring back a shoe other than their own.
• Invite everyone to pray for the person whose shoe they’ve ended up with, explaining the phrase, ’to put yourself in someone else’s shoes‘, and how this can help in your group’s prayers in thinking about what might be on the heart and mind of the person for whom you’re praying, and bringing them to God.
• Talk about how God will know exactly which shoe belongs to whom, what we’re all going through and he will love us more than we’ll ever deserve.
• As the group put their own shoes back on, lead a prayer of thanks to God.