The Trinity illustrated using a Mobius strip

A simple way to explain the Trinity is to use three loops of paper. The best type of paper to use is white news print or wallpaper lining paper. This is very cheap to purchase and will last you for many performances.

Cut three strips of paper four feet long by two inches wide. Take the first strip and glue the ends together to form a continuous loop. You could use clear adhesive tape to join the ends together if you wished.

Example routine 1
Hold the three loops in one hand concealing the twists in your hand. The loops can be counted from hand to hand to show that there are three.

Explain that they are all the same i.e. paper loops but each loop shows a slightly different aspect or characteristic.

Take a pair of scissors and cut along the centre of the plain loop. This creates two separate loops and represents God The Father. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Hold up the two loops as you say this.

Take the loop with the full twist and cut it along the centre. This creates two loops linked together and represents God The Son, Jesus Christ who makes it possible for us to be reunited with God.

Take the last loop, the mobius strip, the loop with the half twist and cut this along the centre. This creates one large loop and represents God The Holy Spirit who is God's power in the world today surrounding us with his love. Place the large loop over your head to demonstrate it surrounding you.

As you can see from this simple example They are all just loops of the same paper but they each show us a different property of the same thing.

Example routine 2
Another idea is to use one very wide loop to begin with made from a piece of paper measuring approx 6 inches wide by four feet long. Cut two slits two inches apart at one end to give three strips. Join the firsts two strips with no twists, join the second two putting in half a twist and the last two by putting in a full twist as shown in the diagram below.

Large loop with three sections ready to cut into three separate loops

The single large loop may now be picked up and three separate loops can be cut from it. The plain loop, the mobius strip loop and the loop with a full twist. From this point the routine can be continued as in example one.

Example routine 3
This just uses one loop. The loop is made by putting one and a half twists 540 degrees into the loop before joining the ends together.

trefoil picture

When this loop is cut down the centre it forms a trefoill pattern or design which looks like three circles joined or linked together if you hold it correctly between your hands.