Cultivating Our Tree

As PBC have been exploring the Fruit of the Spirit, we’ve been on the same journey in Matai. In our first week together, the kids were greeted by a very bare sight: the trunk of a tree, standing alone without branches, leaves, or fruit. Each week since, as we learn about a different fruit of the Spirit, we’ve added something new to our tree. Slowly, it has started to take shape. The image you can see now shows the beginning of a flourishing tree. Not yet complete, but growing.

When we talked about the fruits of the spirit, we explored it in layers. Joy was our branch: something strong and lasting, deeper than happiness, and rooted in God rather than circumstances. The leaves helped us think about where joy is nurtured in our lives, in our whānau, friends, and the activities we enjoy. Finally, the fruit itself represented how joy is expressed outwardly: serving others, spending time together, laughing, and sharing life.

Through these conversations and creative moments, our children are developing a deeper understanding of what the fruits of the Spirit really mean. They’re learning that these fruits don’t just appear overnight, but are grown as we partner with God and with one another. Community plays a huge role in this! Seeing the fruits modelled in the lives of others, hearing them spoken about, and being invited into those conversations helps root these lessons more deeply.

The children are also being given opportunities to practise what they are learning, to name the fruits they see, and to express what God is growing in them. As a church whānau, we all have a part to play in that! Could the person who encourages their faith and helps nurture that growth be you? Using the questions offered during our ‘What’s Up for Kids?’ section might be a great place to start 

Sophie Hutchinson