Water Activities: Cleansing Waters

This activity is for all ages and illustrates our partnership with God to heal and cleanse the world.

Materials

2 clear glass or acrylic pitchers, about 2 quart size
1 ounce (30 milliliters) of betadine or iodine in a little cup
10 milliliters bleach, just enough to lie invisibly on the bottom of one pitcher
Water, about 1.5 quarts
Stirring stick or long-handled spoon
Spray starch (optional)

Pour enough water into the empty pitcher to make it about 3/4 full. Talk about the sin of environmental degradation, or the brokenness of human relations, as you pour the betadine or iodine into the water. If you want to make it really dark, add a little spray starch to the water before you start.

Use the stirring stick to swirl the mixture, while you talk about the redemptive power of God’s love. The work we do is a partnership with God to heal and cleanse the world. What we cannot do entirely by ourselves, God’s grace gives us the power to do.

When ready, hold up the second pitcher that has bleach on the bottom and pour the inky water into it. This works great if you can pour dramatically, from as much height as possible. When the stained water hits the invisible bleach on the bottom it will instantly turn crystal clear. Your viewers will see a dark stream miraculously fill a pitcher with clear water.

After the astounding applause, explain that this trick works because of a partnership. It only takes a little bit of bleach to clean a lot of stained water. This “leaven in the loaf” is the partnership we offer with our Global Partners.

Rev. Kent Gilbert, United Church of Christ, One Great Hour of Sharing 2006