Water into Wine

by The Revd Catherine Williams

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To demonstrate how God makes ordinary things extraordinary.

Preparation and materials

• You will need two large glass jugs, one filled with water, the other containing a very small amount of red food colouring, and a wine glass.

Assembly

1. Ask the children to put up their hands if they've ever been to a wedding. Get them to tell you what happened at the reception - what food did they have, were there drinks available, etc.
   
   
2. Retell in your own words the story of Jesus at the wedding in Cana, Galilee (John 2.1-11). Stress that at this wedding there would have been lots of guests, probably the whole village. For the wine to run out would have been terrible, very embarrassing for the people holding the party.
   
   
3. When you get to the part in the story where Jesus asks the servants to fill the stone jars with water, show everyone the glass jug filled with water. Then say that Jesus told the steward to pour the water and taste it. As you say this, pour the water into the other jug, with the red colouring in the bottom. You will appear to be changing water into wine right in front of the children. (We suggest you practise this at home, making it as dramatic as possible!)
   
   
4. Pour yourself a glass of ‘wine' and taste it, declaring it to be very good, the best wine you have ever tasted. You have only managed to make one jug's worth of wine, but Jesus changed 180 gallons of water into wine.
   
   The Bible tells us that Jesus did many miracles, and so people at the time began to realize that he was a very special person indeed. It seemed to them that God must be at work.
   
   Point out that this was a trick - you can't really  turn water into wine, and even if you could, you wouldn't be doing it in school!
   
   
5. Say that Christians believe that when God is at work, everyday things like water can become very special. God can make ordinary things extraordinary. Though we are all ordinary people, God thinks we are wonderful and loves us very much. Christians believe that if we make time for God in our lives he will help us to change for the better, just as in the story where ordinary water was changed into the best wine.

Time for reflection

Reflection :
Water was turned into wine
By Jesus, a most special man.
I want to change over time
To be the very best I can.


Prayer :
Thank you, God, that you can make ordinary things very special.
Help us to look after your wonderful creation,
And to treat each other with respect.
Amen.

Song/music

‘All things bright and beautiful' ( Come and Praise , 3)