Welcome! If you scanned the QR code from our Holy Week banner, we’re so glad you’re here.
Keep scrolling to explore ways your family can walk through Holy Week together.
If you’d like to download and print the banner, you can do that below.
Print double sided, flip along long edge
Holy Week is not just a sequence of events—it’s a movement. Each day reveals something essential about who Jesus is, what He came to do, and how people respond to Him. The Gospel writers slow down during this week because everything is coming into focus. Let’s walk through it together.
The Triumphant Entry
(Matthew 21:1-11 Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19, Zechariah 9:9)
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is not spontaneous, it is deliberately arranged. He sends disciples ahead to retrieve a colt, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy and publicly presenting Himself as King.
But this is a different kind of King. In that culture, riding a donkey symbolized peace, not conquest. Jesus is making a statement: His kingdom will not come through force, but through humility. The crowds respond with praise, calling Him “King.” Yet their understanding is incomplete. They celebrate what they think He will do, not fully recognizing what He has come to do.
This is where Luke gives us a crucial insight:
As Jesus approaches the city, He weeps over Jerusalem. According to the commentary, this is not a quiet sadness, it is a deep, public grief over a tragic reality: they did not recognize “the time of their visitation.”
In other words, God had come near to them—and they missed it.
What this teaches:
It is possible to be close to Jesus, to even celebrate Him—and still not truly recognize Him. Palm Sunday is not just about welcoming Jesus.
It is about correctly seeing Him.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Make an Origami Cross:
Make a Path” Activity:
Lay down coats, towels, or paper on the floor and walk across them together. Talk about how people prepared the way for Jesus.
Coloring Activity:
Create a Resurrection Garden
If you would like to kick off the start of Holy Week by making a Resurrection Garden, here is a supply list and tutorial. Reflect on this througout the week.
Supplies:
– Shallow container: A terra cotta saucer, pie tin, or low bowl.
– Small pot: A small terracotta pot (or plastic cup) to act as the tomb.
– Potting soil.
– Small rocks/pebbles (for a path) and one large flat rock (for the entrance).
– Sticks/twigs and twine (for making crosses).
– Grass seed (wheatgrass or rye works fast) or moss.
– Optional: Small plants or succulent cuttings for decoration.
Instructions:
– Prepare the Tomb: Lay the small terracotta pot on its side in the center of the container. Build up soil around it to form a small hill or cave, leaving the opening visible.
– Add Grass or Moss: Sprinkle grass seed over the soil and lightly cover it, or use damp moss for an instant green look.
– Create the Path: Add small pebbles in front of the tomb to make a path, and place the larger rock at the entrance.
– Make the Crosses: Use small twigs to create three crosses, securing them with twine or glue. Make the center cross a little taller.
– Place the Crosses: Press the crosses into the top of the hill.
– Water and Grow: Gently mist the soil and keep it moist each day. Place it somewhere sunny.
– Easter Morning: Move the stone away from the tomb to celebrate that He is risen.
Join us for our Palm Sunday Service. Details can be found on our Church Center App
Cleansing the Temple
(Matthew 21:12–22; Mark 11:12–19, Luke 19:45-48)
When Jesus enters the temple, He is not reacting impulsively, He is acting prophetically. The temple represented God’s presence, but it had become a place where access to God was complicated by systems of profit and exclusion. By overturning the tables, Jesus is not just correcting behavior, He is declaring that something is fundamentally wrong.
The fig tree reinforces this message. It appears healthy, full of leaves, but produces no fruit. In Scripture, fruit represents genuine spiritual life. The tree becomes a symbol of outward religion without inward reality.
What this teaches:
God is not interested in appearances or activity alone. He is looking for lives that actually reflect Him.
This day exposes a key truth:
It is possible to look spiritually alive and yet be spiritually empty.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
“What Doesn’t Belong?” Game
Put a mix of items on a table (some that belong, some that don’t).
Have kids pick out what doesn’t belong and explain why.
Connect it: Jesus saw things in the temple that didn’t belong.
Coloring Activity:
Inside vs Outside Object Lesson
Use something that looks nice outside but is messy inside (like a bag or box).
Open it and talk about how God cares about what’s inside.
Teaching Parables
(Matthew 21:23–23:39; Mark 11:27–12:44; Luke 20:1–21:4)
Tuesday is filled with questions, but underneath them is one central issue: Will people recognize Jesus’ authority? When leaders ask, “By what authority…?” they are not seeking truth, they are resisting it.
Jesus responds with parables that reveal something deeper:
People often say the right things while resisting God in practice.
He contrasts:
– Those who claim obedience vs those who actually obey
– Religious leaders vs repentant outsiders
– Public displays vs hidden devotion
The widow’s offering becomes the clearest example. While others give out of excess, she gives all she has. This moment shows that God evaluates differently than people do, He sees the heart, not the image.
What this teaches:
Truth is not just about what we know or say—it is revealed in how we live.
Tuesday exposes the difference between:
– Appearance and authenticity
– Knowledge and obedience
– Religion and relationship
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
“Ask a Question” Night:
Let kids ask any question about God, Jesus, or faith, no pressure, just conversation. It’s a great way to engage together as a family.
Coloring Activity:
Make a Dessert:
Make a Fig Dessert and talk about how Jesus cursed the fig tree. Here are a few options:
Anointed with Oil
(Matthew 26:6–16; John 12:1–8)
The anointing of Jesus is intentionally extravagant. From a practical perspective, it looks wasteful. But Jesus defends it, calling it an act of preparation for His burial. This act recognizes something others are missing: Jesus is moving toward the cross.
At the same time, Judas agrees to betray Him—for money. These two actions sit side by side for a reason. One person gives something of great value because she sees Jesus’ worth. Another gives Jesus away because he values something else more.
What this teaches:
Our response to Jesus is ultimately revealed by what we value.
Wednesday is not just about betrayal—it is about contrast:
What is Jesus worth to us?
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Write It Down & Offer It:
Each person writes one thing they want to give to Jesus this week (time, attitude, forgiveness, kindness). Place them in a bowl or in the center of the table as a way to reflect through the rest of the week.
Coloring Activity:
Cook Together:
While preparing your candlelight dinner, let each person take part by making one dish. It might take a little longer—but that’s the beauty of it. Slowing down, working together, and sharing the experience makes the meal even more meaningful.
Passover Meal
(John 13; Luke 22; Matthew 26)
At the Last Supper, Jesus connects Himself to the Passover, the event where God delivered Israel from slavery. But He shifts the meaning. The bread and cup now point to Him. He is not just remembering deliverance, He is becoming the means of deliverance.
Then He washes His disciples’ feet. According to the broader teaching emphasis, this is not symbolic humility, it is a redefinition of greatness.
In the world, greatness is shown through power.
In Jesus’ kingdom, it is shown through service.
In Gethsemane, we see the cost of this clearly. Jesus is fully aware of what lies ahead, yet He submits: “Not my will, but yours.”
What this teaches:
True authority in God’s kingdom is not about control—it is about surrender and service.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Create a Table Centerpiece:
Use this time to create a centerpiece in preparation for your Easter dinner. Gather palm leaves from Palm Sunday, have kids cut out leaves from construction paper, or use items you already have at home to make something meaningful and unique.
Passover Meal:
If you are able, we invite you to attend our Passover Meal at The Table, where we will walk you through the Seder.
If you are unable to attend, join together to make Matzo Ball Soup.
Passover is a sacred table of remembrance, prophecy, and service—a story shared through a meal. Join us for this meaningful experience. A meal will be provided at no cost. Please register here so we can prepare a place for you, seats are limited.
The Crucifixion
(Matthew 27; John 18–19; Isaiah 53)
The crucifixion is not presented as an accident or tragedy, it is intentional and necessary. From a human perspective, it looks like rejection and failure. But Jesus’ words, “It is finished”, indicate completion. Jesus was not a victim of circumstances. He was fulfilling a purpose.
Isaiah 53 helps interpret this:
His suffering is not meaningless—it is substitutionary. He bears what others cannot.
What this teaches:
The cross reveals two realities at once:
– The depth of human brokenness
– The depth of God’s love
It is where justice is upheld and mercy is extended.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Watch a Movie:
Sit down together to watch The Passion of the Christ as it gives a visual representation of the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life. It is graphic, but impactful. Better suited for older kids, use your discretion.
Coloring Activity:
Lay it at the Cross:
Create a simple cross in your home (even just using paper), and invite each person to write down something they want to lay at the cross, remembering that Jesus has already paid it all.
Join us for our Journey to the Cross on Friday morning, which will be followed by our Good Friday Service from 12:00-12:45pm. Check our Church Center App for all the details.
Silent Saturday
(Matthew 27:57–66, Mark 15:42–47, Luke 23:50–56, John 19:38–42)
Saturday is the day where nothing appears to happen. From the disciples’ perspective, everything has fallen apart. The promises seem unfulfilled.
Yet this silence is not absence—it is the space between what has happened and what is about to be revealed.
What this teaches:
God’s work is not always visible.
There are moments where the story feels unresolved—but that does not mean it is over.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Slow Down Day:
As a family, intentionally slow down on this day. Reduce screen time, sit in the silence, and reflect on what it may have felt like to wait as Jesus lay in the tomb.
Coloring Activity:
Resurrection Sunday
(Matthew 28:1–10, Mark 16:1–8, Luke 24:1–12, John 20:1–18)
Jesus rises from the dead, confirming His authority and completing what was accomplished on the cross. The empty tomb is not only a miracle, but a declaration that sin and death do not have the final word. His resurrection validates everything He taught and reveals that His sacrifice was sufficient to bring forgiveness and restore relationship with God.
Through His victory over death, a new reality begins—one where hope is no longer uncertain, and new life is truly possible. Easter reveals that what seemed like the end was actually the beginning, and that through Jesus, restoration, renewal, and life are offered to all.
What this teaches:
The resurrection is the foundation of Christian hope. It declares that restoration is possible, and that life can come out of what seems final.
LOOKING FOR MORE FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Cook Together:
Resurrection Rolls are a simple Easter treat that illustrate the empty tomb. As they bake, the marshmallow melts away, leaving the roll empty—just like the tomb when Jesus rose again.
Resurrection Rolls Recipe
Play a Game:
If you are blessed to have beautiful weather, here are a few games you can play outside (or even change them up for indoor play):
– Race to the tomb (Recreate Peter and John running to the tomb, let kids race and see who is the first to the tomb).
– Stone Roll Obstacle Course (roll a ball “stone” through an obstacle course).
– Resurrection Relay – Carry “cross” (pool noodle/stick), Wrap teammate in cloth (loosely!), Roll the stone, Sprint to finish shouting “He is Risen!”
