SIMPLIFIED PASSOVER SEDER DINNER FOR CHILDREN & PARENTS

The items suggested for the Seder dinner: 1. Boiled egg (you can allow the kids to decorated to remind them of the story) 2. Haroset (chopped apples and honey) 3. Lamb meat wrapped in pita bread with romaine lettuce. Use another roasted meat if you prefer. 4. Parsley providing individual Salt Water to dip into 5. Chicken broth served with a piece of pita bread or crackers 6. Basin of water and towel for hand washing. 7. Spring Flowers on table, white tablecloths (plastic) 8. Plain choir robes for teachers helping serve and doing readings, prayers, and Scripture Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.

9. Program for each child and parent present at the Seder

INTRODUCTION TO THE PASSOVER SEDER DINNER Passover Seder Dinner is a way the Jews and some Christian churches today celebrate the Easter season and bring meaning along with the chocolate bunnies, eggs, and candy. Passover is the oldest and most important of all the Jewish religious celebrations. It celebrates God's deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and his creation of the Israelite people after 400 years of slavery. The story celebrated is found in Exodus Chapters 12 through 14. Passover is a symbolic dinner where we celebrate our freedom in Jesus Christ. Passover celebrates new life, a new life in Christ and new beginnings.

MEANING OF THE HAND WASHING This was an old bible ritual where washing which is done at any meal where bread or matzah is eaten prior to the blessing over the bread. Just as the priest in the past washed his hands in preparation to approaching the altar, so will we do this today before we begin our Seder meal. (Washing of hands at this time)

MEANING OF THE MATZAH/SOUP This soup and bread we are about to eat represents when the Israelites left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time to allow their bread to rise. God had called Moses to deliver them from slavery under the Egyptians, but Pharaoh did not want to let them go. So God sent plagues to change Pharaohs mind. The last plague was so terrible that Pharaoh decided to let them go. Listen to what the Scripture says about the night when the Jews were about to begin a new journey in their life. The Scripture reading from Exodus 12:31-39 will give us insight into this event that night. Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.

SCRIPTURE READING (Exodus 12:31-35) NIV

31

During the night Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron to get up and leave his land and go, worship the LORD as requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, and go. 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. For otherwise, they said, we will all die! 34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. BLESSING PRAYER IN UNISON We will say a blessing over the soup and bread at this time. Thank you God for your many blessings. Thank you for keeping us each day to this moment. You have watched over us us physically and spiritually and we praise You. Thank you for bringing us together for this special time of celebrating the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. As we eat of this Matzah (bread and soup) let us remember how you delivered your people the Jews from slavery. Thank you for your deliverance from our sin, In Jesus Name, Amen.

EATING OF THE MATZAH TOGETHER

PARSLEY AND SALT WATER SERVED

MEANING OF THE PARSLEY AND SALT WATER The Israelites the Jews worked many long days and years for the Egyptians. They had a difficult life of slavery. The salt represents their tears. They wept salty tears during this time of slavery when the taskmaster made life so difficult for them. God wants to wipe away our tears forever one day when we go to be with him in heaven. Now we wipe away our tears, for we have glorious, endless new life in Christ. We have been rebirthed into His hope. The Parsley greens represent spring and new life.

EATING OF THE PASLEY DIPPED IN SALT WATER Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.

BOILED EGG SERVED (Leave in the shell)

MEANING OF THE ROASTED EGG Notice how hard the egg is when it is boiled. If you shake it you will not hear anything inside. IT is form and solid after being boiled. The egg represents how strong the Jews were when they were being treated harshly by the Egyptians. God will make us strong too as we go difficult things that we do not like if we continue to pray and ask Jesus to help us and make us kind during those times towards other. We read about this harsh treatment towards them in (Exodus 5:6-18)

SCRIPTURE READING (Exodus 5:6-18) NIV

6

That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: 7 You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before. 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies. 10 Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, This is what Pharaoh says: I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all. 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept saying, Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw. 14 And Pharaohs slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, Why havent you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before? 15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, Make bricks! Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people. 17 Pharaoh said, Lazy, thats what you arelazy! That is why you keep saying, Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your work. EATING THE ROASTED EGG TOGETHER SEDER PLATE SERVED (Bitter Herbs Romaine lettuce & lamb wrapped in pita bread) Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.

Today (tonight) we remember Jesus. Who gave his life for ours on the cross. For on that long ago night, that night of Passover for the children of Israel, God said that they were to eat bitter herbs, (Ex. 12:8) and so with the romaine lettuce we remember the cruel slavery of the Israelites (Jews) to Pharaoh. We eat the bitter herb wrapped with the matzah (pita bread) and lamb to remember how Jesus Christ who took the place of the Passover Lamb and has purchased our freedom by dyring on the cross for our sins. The lamb represents the sacrificial Passover lamb as we read from Exodus 12:8-11. SCRIPTURE READING (Exodus 12:8-11) That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning. Eat with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORDs Passover. EATING OF THE SEDER PLATE MENU

The dish of chopped apples and honey symbolizes the mud mixed with straw used by the slaves in making the Egyptian buildings. However, its sweetness the honey represents that the bitterness of slavery was now changed with the hope for a future. This final dish served brings happiness and deserves praise to our God. We will close in a praise song for God.

EATING OF THE APPLE DISH SONG OF PRAISE Your Choice

Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.

Research http://dinnercelebration.blogspot.com/2010/03/christian-celebration-of-passover.html http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/04/messianic-passover-seder-why-christians/ http://www.crivoice.org/seder.html http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+11&version=NIV

Rev. Jeanne McIntosh April 2012. Complied using various resources as listed below. Use as you wish and God bless.