INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the roller coaster we call Holy Week. We begin with a parade and then attend a dinner party that is followed by a trial and condemnation, an execution, and a burial. Then, there is an unimaginable surprise. Whew. Hold on to your hats. Even though we have been here before, we make this journey because he made this journey for us. We watch and we listen, and we follow at a distance because that is the best we can do. We shout and we sing; we weep, and we rejoice, because to make this journey is to embrace being alive with all the passion and the promise life offers. We make this journey because, once again, we need to learn how to begin again. Join us for the end and the beginning.

We hope this Holy Week and Easter Season will be new and different for your family. This year, we have provided a Holy Week House Party family resource to help families celebrate an Easter egg hunt or observe Holy Week activities in their homes and communities. The following children’s messages are designed to enable families to continue conversations around the events that led to Easter morning. We applaud families that take the opportunity to share the stories of Holy Week and Easter together and are excited that we can support our church family.

Download Holy Week House Party 2026 (PDF)

The Holy Week House Party activities may be used in various ways. They could be done throughout Holy Week or in their entirety on Easter Sunday. It is recommended that families use the Holy Week House Party resource in combination with Discipleship Ministries’ worship resources, “Journey’s End/A New Start,” for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday worship. This resource also contains a downloadable rearview mirror hanger (in English and Spanish) to create family conversations around the events of Holy Week while spending time together in the car or van.

Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday—April 2, 2026—Eat and Run

John 13:1-17, New International Reader's Version

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now loved them to the very end.

² They were having their evening meal. The devil had already tempted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. He had urged Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God. ⁴ So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter. “Lord,” Peter said to him, “are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You don’t realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you can’t share life with me.”

⁹ “Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “People who have had a bath need to wash only their feet. The rest of their body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are.” ¹¹ Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not everyone was clean.

¹²When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You are right. That is what I am. ¹⁴ I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ What I’m about to tell you is true. A slave is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him. ¹⁷ Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them.

Object: Vehicle rearview mirror hanger with a song printed on it. (Families may already have downloaded a hanger from Holy Week House Party, which is great! Reinforce this by having more hangers to hand out at the conclusion of this message.)

Message:

(Hold up the car mirror hanger so everyone can see it.)

Have you ever eaten a special meal with your family or friends? Maybe you laughed, talked, and shared stories around the table. Well, a long time ago, Jesus had a very special meal with his friends. It was the night before something very sad was going to happen, and he wanted to spend time with the people he loved.

But during that meal, something happened that surprised everyone. Jesus got up from the table… and washed his friends’ feet!

Have you ever played outside barefoot? Did your feet get dirty and dusty? (Pause for children to answer.) That’s what Jesus’ friends’ feet were like because they wore sandals and walked everywhere. Usually, a servant would wash the feet of the guests. But Jesus didn’t wait for a servant. He wanted to serve them himself.

Why do you think Jesus did that? (Pause for responses.) Yes, he wanted to show his friends what it means to take care of one another. He wanted them, just as he wants us, to put others first instead of always being first ourselves.

Can you imagine what it would feel like to have someone wash your feet? (Pause.) And how would it feel to wash someone else’s feet, even if it’s a little messy? That’s called being humble. To be humble means we think about other people and their needs before our own.

I wonder… can you think of one way you could serve someone this week? Maybe helping a brother or sister, giving a hug, sharing a toy, or saying a kind word. Can you name other ways to serve someone? (Pause for answers.) Those are wonderful ideas! That’s exactly what Jesus wants us to do. Jesus wants us to take care of one another and show God’s love to everyone.

Today, I have a little reminder for each of you. (Hand out the car mirror hanger.) You can hang this in your car so every time you see it, you remember to serve others and show love, just as Jesus did.

Do you know the song “Jesus Loves Me”? We’re going to sing a little together to help us remember Jesus’ love and how we can follow his example. I’ll sing the first line, and you join in with “Yes, Jesus loves me,” okay?

(Sing together while pretending to gently wash someone’s feet or moving your hands like flowing water:)
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones that do believe
Life eternal they’ll receive.
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so.

Every time you see your car hanger this week, you can remember this song and what Jesus did. You can also sing it when you wash your hands, imagining the water running over your hands like Jesus washing his friends’ feet. And you can look for ways to help others—maybe in your family—at school, or with your friends.

Let’s pray together. Fold your hands, close your eyes, or kneel if you want.

Prayer: God of joy, thank you for Jesus showing us how to serve others and be humble. Help us remember to put others first and be kind and helpful every day. Thank you for loving us and showing us how to love. Amen.