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paulmagic Loyal user Malaysia, now In New Zealand 290 Posts |
It's easter once again and I'm lookking for ideas for a short Easter presentation for Sunday School (pretty wide age range - 5 to 12).
Want to tell the Easter story (which will be so familiar to many as this is my church kids)in a fresh but simple way. Want to do it in 10 -15 minutes and at this stage, am thinking of using a chick pan (not just burying "Jesus" etc but adding in a lot of our individual sins (written on paper)and then ghave everythig disappear or perhaps an envelope apprearing with "He is risen!", your sins are forgiven or something along those lines. One problem I am wrestling with is that many gospel effects can often (to me - so this is a personal struggle and I have no intention of wanting to start a thread on attacking the whole idea of gospel magic etc!)end up being a magic effect with a "forced" gospel application added on. In other words, I do not want to do magic for the sale of magic and try to creatively tag on a gospel message (I am aware of the fact that one should have a message first and think of a way to illustrate with magic not the other way around). My basic thinking thus far is to give a short children's sermon using the chick pan as a focus point of the story / sermon. BTW, Last year I did the paper packets where Jesus is buried in 3 papers and then disappears - had a good reaction and the story was well undersood. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks
Many Blessings!!
Paul |
revlovejoy Special user Pennsylvania 765 Posts |
I've used a simple mirror box empty tomb routine. What I'd like to develop is a prop that looks like a stone, and which can not only vanish a doll, but then when reopened, produce a pile of empty graveclothes. Any ideas? PM me.
Another thing I've done (too late for this year) is to vanish the alleluia the first Sunday of Lent. We Lutherans don't sing it during Lent. Then when I bring it back on Easter, it's no longer a homemade crayon paper, it's changed to a rainbow silk with gold lettering. Do something with a dead flower and transform it to a live one. Focus on the real death, dead in the grave, not just "sleeping" - and God raises up, and gives real, new life. I can sympathize with your struggle for finding material that isn't just slapped together with a Gospel message. So many people trying to sell you something and who know nothing about Christianity, will try and find some bumbling connection based on noah's ark or some poorly remembered story from the Bible. I just posted in another forum about a lame misogynistic routine someone showed me that said it could be a Gospel magician routine about the difference between men and women. Now, on the other hand, I always used to ignore magic that I couldn't find a Gospel illustration for. I'd develop patter for an effect I knew about, then add it to my show. Now, I'm going through a new creative process where I am just re-discovereing areas of magic that I didn't do much with, and as I become comfortable performing it, find the patter. I think both methods can lead to a strong effect with a strong message. But sometimes the longer it takes to make a connection, the weaker the actual lesson is. Other things just pop. As soon as I saw Altered States (signed card torn and half the back changes color) I immediately thought of "simul ustus et peccator" from Luther (simultaneously sinner and saint) and the routine was written in about 5 minutes. On the other hand, it took me forever to figure out hippety hop rabbits for Gospel, but once I finally did, it was became a strong Doubting Thomas routine. (Not sure everyone would agree with my take on DT, but the effect demonstrates it well, I think.) I've strayed far from your question. Basically, Easter is the climax of Christianity, the raison d'etre, the whole thing. Gospel Magic is a medium that flows so naturally with things changed, restored, the impossible brought back. Easter is that thing. |
paulmagic Loyal user Malaysia, now In New Zealand 290 Posts |
RevloveJoy
Thanks for your advice and ideas. Real death to real life idea sounds great. Lot's of scope for a great message. As for your "straying off the topic", it was actually very helpful in helping me think through the theme of Easter in relation to magic. Great stuff and I appreciate how you are sharing not just as a magician but like me a pastor trying to think theologically. I am a pastor first, magician second ... Not that I am putting anyone down but not many can understand how our some of us (or is it just me?)who are pastors with some theological training just need to "wrestle" with such issues or we can't find peace hahaha - one of the struggles that come with our vocations. Yes. Someone understands! will check out your other posts ... Jim (illusions4life) Thanks for the offer to help. Have PMed you.
Many Blessings!!
Paul |
Rickfcm Veteran user lower Michigan 382 Posts |
Here's a routine that you can adapt for Easter.
GOD SENT HIS SON John 3:16 & John 15:26 Reference: Jesus came to earth to die for us and went back to be with the Father. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter. Needed: Trick called Strat-O-Sphere Set-up: Set up and use according to instructions. The picture on the box used to disappear the ball is a jester. I originally drew a picture of an empty tomb on a piece of paper and rubber cemented on it and it worked well. It was easy to pull off when done, but I have since painted a picture of a tomb on it. Setup: The strat-o-sohere represents heave where the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reside. This green ball represents God the Father, because with a traffic light, green means “GO”. The Father said to Jesus, “Go into the world and give my children a way to come back and fellowship with me.” It was the Father that said, “Go” to the Holy Spirit and comfort us. Red reminds me of Jesus for the blood he shed for our sins and us. Yellow reminds me of the sun, it radiates light and heat throughout the world just as when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we radiate and witness to the world. LESSON - The Father, Holy Spirit and Jesus, reside in Heaven (put balls in tube same order) and after the fall of man, the Father sent the Son, Jesus, (Pull red ball out and put tube back on with extra red ball in it back together.) to earth to die for our sins and us. (Put red ball into tomb, talk about empty tomb and Jesus going back to heaven and show tomb empty.) Jesus went back to heaven,(show all balls back. Pull out yellow ball.) to prepare a place for us, but he sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us and teach us about God in heaven and the plan of salvation brought to us by Jesus. Rick |
revlovejoy Special user Pennsylvania 765 Posts |
It's interesting to see how we use the same props with different storylines.
Rick, I also use Strat-o-sphere, but with a different take. In your description, I didn't pick up whether you used the transformation aspect, where the red ball is brought to the bottom. That's the essence of the trick as I present it, to talk about the incarnation. We live in a world that structures society and sets God off in heaven. Christ is God's real presence among the lowest of society, down in the dirt where we don't want God to go intellectually, but where Jesus went all the time. I run the usual 3 ball switch in the tube a couple times, with varying patter of how we try to stack the world: rich, poor, sinner, righteous, always with God on top, then God visits the folk at bottom. For the finish, we lock God away in heaven to keep God out of the mess, but he shows up back in the bottom of the tube. Not necessarily an Easter presentation, but I find the incarnation central to understanding Christ, so I apply it anywhere. |
Rickfcm Veteran user lower Michigan 382 Posts |
I use the fact the red ball returns to the tube to represent Jesus leaving earth and returning to heaven. By teaching in Sunday school, I think I am allowed to use patter more extensively, but not overbearingly, to teach and explain an event.
Rick |
RevJohn Inner circle Oregon City Oregon, Oregon 2473 Posts |
I am using scotch and soda, (or Vodka and OJ, the version with the Gold dollar coins). The two coins represent the two marys that went to the tomb on Easter Morning (Gospel of Matthew resurrection). But when they got to the tomb, Jesus was gone.
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revlovejoy Special user Pennsylvania 765 Posts |
There's a fantastic accessory for scotch and soda called breakout that works for empty tomb.
It's essentially a large brass bang ring and bottom. The centavo or english penny goes inside, the half on top, you shake it and turn it over, take off the bottom (now lid) - and push through with a thumb, and end up with a clean vanish, holding all the parts of the tomb. Patter I worked with: Jesus is the foreign coin because God's grace was alien to humanity - seemed foreign. The money that covers him is the greed that is part of sin with which we bury Christ. Shake the tomb until it stops clinking. A nice finish is to plant the good coin ahead of time in a jacket pocket of someone unsuspecting. Talk about the appearance of Christ in unexpected places. Have everyone wearing a jacket check their pockets. That part of course can be done with or without the breakout addition. I bought breakout ages ago, and I don't see it on major sites as a listed prop. I am mistaken. Breakout can be found at least http://www.magiclegends.com/moneymag.html for 18.95 |
paulmagic Loyal user Malaysia, now In New Zealand 290 Posts |
Thanks guys ... I must find out more about the strat o sphere effect as I don't have it. But your posts are still appreciated as there will be other occasions where all these ideas can be used.
Many Blessings!!
Paul |
BradBrown Regular user Florence, KY, USA 183 Posts |
I don't do Strat-o-Sphere anymore. When I did, there was an extra subtlety that added to the impact of the vanish, and it would work especially well with this Easter Gospel application.
Before placing the red ball in the box, wrap it in a silk. In this context, it would represent wrapping Jesus body in a shroud. When you open the box, there is nothing but the empty silk. Just open the box and blow the silk out. The empty shroud remains, but Jesus body is gone. (Of course, it is a duplicate silk, but I’m sure you figured that out already.) |
revlovejoy Special user Pennsylvania 765 Posts |
Brad, that is a fantastic addition. I have been using a ****** box vanish, which doesn't allow for that type of addition. It's actually something I've been pondering, trying to develop an effect that can vanish and produce at the same time, or in essence, do a partial vanish. The only idea I have come up with involves a real person and a tip trunk. Though with the body being inanimate, I suppose a real person isn't needed.
I may adapt that to use this Sunday. I used to only use Stratosphere for incarnation, but that silk addition is nice. I just got some white silks with soft soap I could use. |
Parson Smith Inner circle 1937 Posts |
Happy Easter, all.
Here kitty, kitty,kitty.
+++a posse ad esse+++ |
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