The activity is similar to the technical challenge on The Great British Bake Off, but with a twist. You will need to purchase/acquire some ingredients in advance, as well as printing off the recipe sheets for each team. Both teams will be making a banana split, but one will have incomplete instructions.

You will need:

• 2 dessert bowls
• 2 knives
• 2 Ice cream scoops
• 4 dessert spoons
• 2 bananas
• Vanilla ice cream
• Squirty cream
• Chocolate sauce
• Sprinkles
• Two printed recipe cards

Set these items up on a table at the front, making sure the ice cream stays in the freezer until the right time, and that neither team sees the other’s recipe.

Request two pairs of volunteers, making sure you have at least one adult on each team. Give each pair a recipe sheet and the necessary ingredients. Set a timer and ask them to follow the instructions they have been given to make their desserts.

The team with the complete instructions should (hopefully!) make a good banana split. The second should end up with a mess that doesn’t resemble what it’s supposed to. You may want to prep you adult on this team to make sure the result is “wrong” (e.g. cut up the banana into slices without removing the skin first).

Once the timer runs out, take a look at the results and show them to the congregation – would they eat them? Ask the teams how they found the challenge. Would it have been easier with a better set of instructions?

Luke 11:1-4

In this reading, Jesus was praying when his disciples asked him how to pray and he responded by teaching them what we now know as the Lord’s Prayer.

We used the NIV translation of this passage. You could put some images alongside it or use Widgit symbols if you wish.

In the talk, we look at how the Lord’s Prayer is like a recipe. Each line or phrase gives us direction for the prayers we might want to add. We look at the purpose of the prayer, what it tells us about God and the relationship he wants with us, and how we can use it to build a deeper relationship with him.

A full talk script is available to download.

The whole service is built around the idea of how we pray. We kept this section simple, using our A TSP model of prayer. We didn’t use the Lord’s Prayer at this point, as the response uses the sections of it to help people pray it in new ways.

For our response, we follow on with the idea of using the Lord’s prayer to support our prayers and relationship with God. The four stations are based on different parts of the Lord’s prayer. You could encourage people to visit these stations in order or choose any that speak to them.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” Have a large piece of paper, whiteboard or flip chart. Write words that describe attributes of God and praise Him for who He is. (e.g. Almighty, Creator, King of Kings etc.) Children could draw something to represent who God is.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.” In the prayer corner or quiet space, light a candle as you pray for others or for yourself.

“Forgive us our sins,” Drape lengths of white wool on the cross as you set up for the service. Provide lengths of red wool around. Invite people to hang a piece of red wool on a large wooden cross as you ask God to be forgiven, take away a piece of white wool as a symbol of forgiveness.

“For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.” Decorate a crown to symbolise God as King.