Harvest Festival
Parishioners are encouraged to come dressed in their everyday work clothes and bring something that represents what they do at their workplace. Also to bring produce that can be distributed to the local needy families.

Reading: Matthew 9: 35 – 10: 4

• Do you have a special gift?What are you really good at? (Discuss)
• Do you ever share your gift? (Discuss)
• Today is a special day called Harvest Festival.
• Normally in country parishes it was to give thanks to God for the harvest they had of wheat, barley and other types of grain.
• But in the city we don't grow wheat, so I wonder what else we could have? (Discuss) - Suggest a veggie garden.
• But there is also another type of harvest for city slickers.
• Like the farmer makes money for his/her family on the land, city slickers make money for their families in their everyday jobs
• But Christians, like many in this congregation also believe it is important to share their gifts with others
• Eg: If they are a carpenter, or painter, engineer etc they can offer their help maintaining the parish property.
• They may be a nurse or doctor who can offer simple advice to people
• They may be an accountant who can suggest ways people could budget better or maybe tax advice.
• The list is endless. What matters is that Christian people believe they should share their God given gifts with others.
• That means the kids of this parish as well
• At least you can start at home and be a helper for Jesus by assisting your parents.
• What might be some of the tasks you could do for Mum and Dad? (Discuss)
• A Jesus helper is a Jesus worker.

Kids Church Activity:
Activity: To make a dust pan & broom. The idea being to encourage the children to recognise a gift they have (In this case it could be helping Mum or Dad) that comes from God that they can use for the benefit of others. Caring and sharing are gifts from God and the Harvest Festival theme today is about sharing the gifts God has given us.

What you need to get ready:
Require: Flat rectangular box (lolly box or shoe box top), Two paper towel cardboard tubes, Scissors, Ruler, Felt pen, tape, sheet of newspaper

pdf file (Approx 500k) 8 page work book for children on today's readings.

Directions
1.Cut out and remove one long side edge and a large side of the box to
make a dustpan as shown in the illustration.
2. To make a handle for the dust pan, cut vertical slits approximately 6mm
apart and 1.2cm in length along one end of a cardboard tube.
3. Cut a hole in the cardboard box and insert the fringed end of the tube as
shown in the illustration. Fold back and tape the fringed ends to the inside
of the box. Cut the cardboard tube to the length desired for a handle.
4. To make a broom, cut vertical slits along one edge of a sheet of
newspaper. The slits should be approximately 15cm in length and 1.2cm
apart.
5. Roll the newspaper and slide another cardboard tube over the rolled,
unfringed end of the newspaper. The cardboard tube will become a handle
for the broom. Tape the handle to the newspaper so it won't slip off while
being used.
Christian Values/Optional Ideas:
Use this project to clean a bedroom or other area of the house. Talk about
what it means to be "Jesus' Happy Helper."