1. Postcards/bookmarks
Create something that people can take away from your gathering, like a postcard or a bookmark, that reminds them of a Scripture verse, the theme of your gathering or what you wanted everyone to discover about God.
Some great postcards and blessings can be found on Jonny Baker’s blog.
2. Edible blessings
You will need: a packet of rice paper (multi-coloured rice paper is ideal – you can get it from good sweet shops); non-toxic felt tip pens (t is very important that you use pens which have ink that is safe to eat – to be on the safe side, you could use thin brushes or unused fountain pens and food colouring).
Method
It may be a good idea to ask those who are going to take part to wash their hands (if necessary, at the beginning of your time together).
Explain that you are going to write blessings for each other, ones that you can actually eat after you have received them. If you think people will need help or inspiration, give some example blessings for everyone to copy or use as a basis for their own. Hand out the rice paper and the pens, and invite everyone to write a blessing on a piece of rice paper. After everyone who wished to take part has written a blessing, swap the papers and read each other’s blessings. At the end of the meeting, invite everyone to eat their blessings.
Some biblical blessings
‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace’ (Numbers 6.24-26).
‘Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord’ (2 Peter 1.2).
‘May the God of peace … equip you with everything good for doing his will’ (Hebrews 13.20-21).
‘The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you’ (2 Timothy 4.22).
For more ideas like this, see Sue Wallace, Multi-Sensory Church, Scripture Union, 2002, p27.