Here’s a collection of useful resources for Pentecost.
We’ve included ideas for worship or other intergenerational programs as well as ideas for households to use at home.
The ideas can be mixed and matched and aren’t exclusive for the category they’ve been placed under. Many of the craft ideas in the households section could be used in messy church, as activities in church or in children’s/all age programs. You may wish to make up your own Pentecost Bag or Box for households from the different ideas listed or come up with your own. You could take ideas from the Worship section for an intergenerational event or vice versa.
We’d love to hear how you use these resources and share your ideas with others. If you would like to share what you are planning for Pentecost from these resources or other ideas please email intergen@mrpres.org.au
Pentecost ideas for households
Pentecost in a Bag/Box
- Make a Pentecost Story book put it with a bag of Pentecost items such as small felt board, Pentecost tab pull, ribbon streamers, paper windmills, bubbles, tea lights & a birthday badge.
- Pentecost in a Box - Celebrating Pentecost wherever you are
Pentecost crafts (some include prayer ideas as well)
- Make a dove from a paper plate
- Descending Dove Suncatcher Pentecost Craft
- Pentecost Spinner - flames appear on a person's head as you spin the spinner
- Pentecost Flames: Painting with forks
- Pentecost Suncatcher
- Tongues of Fire Hat
- Pentecost Fire Sticks
- Pentecost Crafts - flames, flame collage, string & alfoil pictures
- Holy Spirit Crayon Melting Craft & Prayer activity
- Holy Spirit Floaters
- Pentecost Playdough Mat - (with discussion & prayer ideas)
- Pentecost Wiggle Woggle - Make this chatter box with a Pentecost twist
Pentecost Cooking
- Make a red velvet cake
- Make a Strawberry Cake and some more ideas
- Pentecost Sundae for Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost Science
- Pentecost Science: Light & Colour - turn white light red & a milky rainbow
- Pentecost Science: Wind - gas-up a balloon
- Pentecost Gyrocopters
Intergenerational Pentecost Ideas
Worship decorations
- Make ribbon mobiles with red, yellow and orange flames
Children's Address/ All age Talk ideas
- Pentecost Pass the Parcel All Age Talk
- Pentecost Talk & Prayer: The Holy Spirit Helps us - use a dove pan to turn flames into a cake
- The Helper has come! - Year B short talk
Messy Church/Intergenerational Event
- Pentecost Messy Church Crafts
- Pentecost Birthday Event- Celebrate the birthday of the Christian church by recognising individual birthdays, your congregations birthday and the birthday of the Christian Church
- A Handful of Pentecost Ideas - including Pentecost workshop & party; a reading with all saying their favourite verse at the same time, percussion instruments & candles being lit; and different Pentecost symbols on a large cross
- Celebrating Pentecost
- Ideas to Celebrate Pentecost in your Congregation - sing, feast, bring wind toys, wear read & serve red foods, read with different languages, make paper candles,wind socks or a swooping dove.
- Interactive Prayer Stations on Pentecost & Immigrants/Refugees - The suggested prayer stations are not overtly Pentecost in theme. However, it is during Pentecost that the Spirit made it possible for all to speak and understand one another’s native languages. At the beginning of the early church, diversity was honored and a part of the church’s identity.
Books
- The Day When God Made Church - A Child's First Book about Pentecost
- 40 Days with the Holy Spirit - 40 day devotional for adults with space to reflect & journal - also available as an eBook
- We are One - short picture book. Each page features a short phrase that recalls Joel’s prophecy and the realities of Pentecost illustrated beautifully.
- Breathe: A Child's Guide to Ascension, Pentecost, and the Growing Time - Breathe is a journey through Ascension, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time
Reading/Telling the Story
- Dramatic Reading - using 2 voices
- Giant Godly Play version of The Mystery of Pentecost Story from The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 4
- Pentecost - Puppet Script