Alice in Wonderland tea
10:10 Welcome - Today we will be enjoying a tea party , Alice in Wonderland style. You have already fallen down the rabbit’s hole and have found yourself at the Mad hatter’s tea party, You probably can almost hear them singing their tea party songs. You will meet several other characters in Alice’s wonderland and they will teach you about your own wonderful walk with God. So, We hope you will enjoy the day and you will take home a special memory of your day in Wonderland.
Before we begin,
We need items for the birthday baskets, both for adults and children
We are starting the Secret Sisters with a twist, we are not going to reveal our identities, it will be anonymous. If you can’t commit to giving a card, note, or small gift at least every 3 weeks, then please do not participate.
Prayer
10:15- 10:45 Game: Who is the Queen of Hearts? Old Maid game - Deal all the cards, players remove any pairs, players to the left may select a card , if the card makes a pair they discard it, the next person on the left continues, as players lay all cards down they are out of the game. The last player with the queen of hearts is the queen of hearts. She will receive a prize crown and heart scepter.
The Queen of Hearts shows no love in Alice in Wonderland, she often says “off with her head” but God has given us the ability to love one another with a perfect love. Our queen of hearts bears love!
1 Peter 1:22-25 (King James Version)
22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently
So today our queen will show love to others and we will show love to her!
The Cards in Alice’s world made a mistake of having white roses for the Queen of Hearts, so they painted them. We will be “Painting the Roses Red” not blue not green, not aquamarine- This crafted pin will remind us of God’s love for us, because we are nothing without Gods love.
Song of Solomon 2
1I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. 2As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
10:45- 11:15 Craft- Painting the Roses Red Pin- White premade fimo roses, paint red with green leaves. Need paint, brushes. These can be drying while we do other things. When finished create a pin and put a ribbon on them to wear that Sunday at church.
Alice worked really hard to find her way. Through hard work much can be accomplished, that is why I would like to now Thank all that took the time to dress up for this day. It always takes a little more effort to make things really special, and I appreciate all you have done. I would like to show my thanks to Colette, Siri, and Cheran for all the extra help and time they invested in making this a special retreat by giving them a gift.
11:15-11:30 Costume Prizes
Now we will sit down to feed! Pray for food
11:30 – 12:00 High Tea- Sandwiches, cookies, scones, tea, lemonade etc.
The Chesire Cat has a large grin and is often into mischief. Much of what the world offers comes disguised behind a mask of pleasure, remember God is truth and in him is no shadow of turning
James 1 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures
Lets pin a grin on the Chesire Cat – need scarf or something to cover eyes.
12:00- 12:20 Game- Pin the grin on the Chesire Cat
Now that our cat has a grin let us fill our hearts within,
There is no better way to grow, this the Bible tells me so
So into God’s word, Let the Holy Spirit be Heard
12:20- 12:40 Devotional Open with Prayer
Alice was a little girl, who like you and me, was on a journey. She began her journey with the White Rabbit, who ran huffing and puffing, complaining about the time. Many people are like the white rabbit, They rush and rush through life, because we all know that life is brief.
Psalm 103:14-16 (New American Standard Bible)
14For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. 15As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.
After falling through the Rabbit hole, Alice struggles to determine whether she has become another girl. When the Caterpillar asks her who she is, she is unable to answer, as she feels that she has changed several times since that morning. Alice grows and shrinks several times, which she finds "very confusing". The Cheshire cat is questioning her sanity. As she has entered Wonderland, she must be mad, he states.
When God changes us it can be confusing those around us. We no longer want to do the things of the world; we want to follow the things of God. Our worldly friends remain with the world, and we change. We might even wonder why our friends find our change is so strange and why they no longer want to be with us. We are very different because we are new creatures
2Cor. 5 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
Friends that we once had are no longer interested in being with us because we are different.
Eph. 4 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
While in Wonderland, Alice encounters a way of living and reasoning that is quite different from her own; she is a stranger in a strange land. We too are in a land that often feels strange. If you are called of God, chosen before the foundations of the world then we are traveling this land as strangers. In Hebrews, the great faith book, is a list of many godly people that through faith realized that they we strangers on earth, they served God for a lifetime, feeling as a stranger, but trusting that one day they would be with God. No longer strangers, but then children.
Hebrews11:13-16
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
In Alice’s journey she experiences different trials that seem to be very unjust, and characters that are outlandish. During the journey through Wonderland, Alice learns to understand the adult world somewhat more. In fact, she is growing up. This is also represented by her physical changes during the story. More and more she starts to understand the creatures that live in Wonderland. From the Cheshire Cat she learns that 'everyone is mad here'. She learns to cope with the crazy Wonderland rules, and during the story she gets better in managing her situations. She tells the Queen of Hearts that her order is 'nonsense' and prevents her own beheading. In the end Alice has adapted and lost most of her vivid imagination that comes with childhood. She realizes what the creatures in Wonderland really are 'nothing but a pack of cards'. At this point, she has matured too much to stay in Wonderland, the world of the children, and wakes up into the 'real' world, the world of adults.
We too experience trials and outlandish characters in our journey. As we travel and begin to understand the things of God more and more. And as we follow God we find we are growing up. Like Alice there are times of growing and shrinking, but more and more we begin to understand that this world and the things it has to offer are “nothing but a pack of cards” There is power only in God, and our real world is in the presence of God.
Romans 5: 3-5 we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
In the next book, “Through the Looking Glass, “ we see that Alice has grown up, and that she is more confident with herself when associating with the Wonderland characters. She now teaches some of the Wonderland characters a lesson and even mothers them, like she does with the clumsy White Knight. In fact, Alice is trying to reach a higher social position.
Like Alice, as we grow in Christ, we realize that we must now minister and teach those around us. We proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to those that are lost. We minister, like a mother, to the needs and training of growing Christians. We devote our life to service, not to reach a higher social position, but because God has already given us the best position in Christ
Because of God’s mercy and grace to us, we must do as it says in Romans 12:
Be Living Sacrifices to God
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
As we walk through this time when we are in “Wonderland” Let’s not forget that we are only here for a moment. Remember, life IS brief. Serve God and do the reasonable service of giving Him your whole life. If you haven’t done that, you need to see me to find out how you can. If you have given God your life, are you serving, are you being Christ like? Or are you letting “Wonderland” entrap you?
Let’s Pray
The Mad Hatter, for no apparent reason often moved from cup to cup at the table. We are now going to play. It is similar to musical chairs, but we don’t move, only the dormouse/ hedgehog will be moving from cup to cup. As you are eliminated you will have the opportunity to get your picture taken as one of the wonderland characters, see Cheran to get your Photos done. ( Wonderland characters were painted on large cardboard cut outs. Ladies stuck their heads through and we took their photo)
12:20- 12:40 Game - Clean cup, clean cup, move down , move down- need door mouse ( like musical chairs, but we don’t remove a chair, we remove a cup. Ladies are out by their relationship to the door mouse.
1. Lady to the right of the dormouse
2. Lady across from the dormouse
3. Lady 3 to the left of the dormouse
4. Lady with the dormouse in front of her
5. Lady 3 to the right of the dormouse
6. 2 ladies, one on each side of the dormouse
7. Lady to the left of the dormouse
8. Lady 4 to the right
9. Lady across from
10. All ladies except the lady sitting with the dormouse (this one is a maybe) Last few that remain get the flower teapot arrangements.
As the ladies get out of this game they move over to an area where they will have their pictures taken in the photo characters. These can be printed and given out on Sunday as reminders of all the fun they had.
At the Mad Hatter’s tea party they celebrated their Un-birthdays! We too should be celebrating daily our gifts that God has blessed us with.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
I hope you all know the songs because it is time to sing
12:40- 1:10 It’s time for A Very Merry Un-birthday!! Sing song and give gifts-
A very merry unbirthday To me?
To you
A very merry unbirthday
For me?
For you
Now blow the candle out, my dear
And make your wish come true
A very merry unbirthday to you
To you
A very merry unbirthday
For me?
For you
Now blow the candle out, my dear
And make your wish come true
A very merry unbirthday to you
Inside the tea bag: small playing cards, flower suckers, lamp-work teapot beads that will be used next to make a bracelet, poem
As Alice finished her time in wonderland, she took with her memories of a very special day. We want you to take with you good memories as well. So inside your tea bag present you will find a small flowered box that contains beads to create an Alice in wonderland bracelet and hearts in a bag to create a heart bracelet. SHOW EXAMPLES
When you finish these we encourage you to have another Mad Hatter afternoon cup of tea and fellowship with one another. We are going to say our closing prayer now, and at 1:40 change wonderland back into our church building, and dismiss for the afternoon. I pray that God spoke to you today, that you renewed your spirit in fellowship, and that you serve God with gladness.
- Tea Party Bracelets- Ladies will make their own bracelets using teapot lamp beads.
Queen of Heart croquet- Getting the hedgehog to roll the furthest.
End of the day- Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea and fellowship
1:40- clean up
Tables were decorated with these themes
Alice when she is very small (large tea cups, tea pots)
Alice when she is very tall (small tea cups, tea pots)
Alice when she isn't Alice at all (misc tea cups, tea pots)
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