Lenten Nail Pocket Reminders

Pocket reminders given to congregation on the first Sunday of Lent. 

2" Hard Cut Masonry Nails. 
(Watch when you choose them.  There are 2 different types of heads to these nails.  Choose the flat heads). A 1 lb. box contains approximately 75 nails. Word of warning:  These nails have an oily coating on them that you won't notice until you've handled several of them (and your hands end up very blackened!).  Wash the nails in very hot, soapy water first (several times needed) and hand-dry them with paper towels before handing them to your congregation!

Some thoughts on the offering of this Lenten pocket reminder to members of the congregation:
1.)  If it is your custom to serve/receive Communion by intinction, coming forward to receive the elements, and Communion will be offered the first Sunday of Lent, you might want to have a third person at each Communion station.  One to serve the bread, one to offer the chalice and one to place this "remembrance" of Jesus' love (the nail) into the hands of each person.  The third person uses his/her thumb to make the sign of the cross into the palm of the recipient's hand, saying "Remember Jesus' love for you."  And then he/she places the nail into the person's hand to take with them as a constant reminder of this love during the Lenten season. 

2.)  If Communion isn't served on the first Sunday of Lent, or if your service is such that you don't come forward to receive Communion, then you might consider having people stationed at all of the exits of the sanctuary so that the congregation can receive the Lenten nail pocket reminders as they leave the worship service.  This would be a wonderful way of asking the Confirmands to be participants ... asking them to be the ones to offer the nails and the words of Jesus' love to those who have come to worship that day.

3.)  A third option might be to give an invitation to kneel at the altar in prayer as part of the worship service (and at the beginning of the Lenten journey).  The invitation could be extended at some point during or at the closing of the worship service at which time the nail and the words of remembrance be offered then. 

Words of remembrance as the nail is offered:  "Remember Jesus' love for you."
(And always look into a person's eyes when these words are offered.  The giving of these precious words is THAT important!)

In the Shadow of the Cross - Good Friday

The sanctuary is set up with banners of the 7 last "words" of Christ.  This is a guided, individual opportunity for silent reflection and prayer on Good Friday.  A person can come and go as they wished.

A prayer and reflection guide is made available at each entrance into the sanctuary.

IF YOU WISH TO HAVE A COPY OF THE PRAYER/REFLECTION GUIDE E-MAILED TO YOU, PLEASE SEND THE REQUEST TO abmurdo1117@gmail.com

Picture below is the worship visual/design for Good Friday meditations and prayers on the last words of Christ  (In the Shadow of the Cross)

Banners made of upholstery weight black fabric
(banners are 18” wide x 36” long with tabs/loops 12” long/used Velcro to loop the fabric around crossbar)

Words printed on card stock in approx. 150-200 font Times New Roman
 (Edges of card stock torn to look ragged.  Card stock fixed to fabric with glue stick.  Could also tack them on with white thread

Banner stands made of PVC pipe placed in a large square of wood with hole that fits pipe.
No need to paint the PVC pipe.   Black fabric was draped on the wooden base to conceal it.

Thirty pieces of silver - instructions on "ageing" coins




I had just spent a fortune buying 30 replica coins for this worship visual, when my co-leader on the worship team suggested that it might be good if we could come up with a way to have coins spilling out of a pouch. Being a kindergarten teacher, she knows how to do everything! When she finished, I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the replica coins and the coins she had aged.

* The pouch is a placemat from Pier One, folded in 1/2 on the "wrong side". Sew two of the edges. Turn back to the "right side". The tie for the pouch is jute twine, braided.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COINS
(for both ageing them and positioning them to spill out of pouch)

*Nickels are just the right size to replicate the original coins
*Cut a strip of plastic wrap and double it.
*Spread rubber cement on the plastic wrap and on one side of the nickels. Allow both to dry.
*Position nickels on the plastic wrap (glue-side of nickel to glue-side of plastic wrap). Leave about 3 inches of plastic wrap on one end so that you might pin it to the inside of the pouch. The nickels will stick to the plastic wrap almost like a self-seal envelope sticks together.
*Paint each nickel with a black acrylic paint, thinned with water. Allow to dry.
*With cuticle scissors, cut out the open spaces between nickels (cut out all visible signs of the plastic wrap).
*Tuck the 3" portion of plastic wrap inside of the pouch so that all that can be seen are coins "spilling" out of the pouch.