Sunday, September 25, 2011

Faithful Families Resources September 25 2011



Weekly Inspiration
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I’d finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
- Diane Loomans, from ‘If I had my child to raise over again.”

Family Closeness
Game:
Paper Strips
Give everyone in your family a sheet of newspaper and tell them to  tear it into as long a strip as possible. For a greater challenge turn off the lights

Sharing:
  • Have you ever worn something in public that embarrassed your parents?
  • What was it?
  • Where was it?
  • What did your parents do or say?
  • What happened?

Story:
With your family read: Matthew 21.33-42
 Questions for Discussion:
  • Which character is like God in this parable? Which character is like Jesus? Which character is like people?
  • Did the tenants have any right to the vineyard?
  • Why did they attack the slaves and the son?
  • What is Jesus trying to teach us with this parable?
Journey through the Bible
Journey through the Bible will provide five readings each week you can use in order to get a good overview of the full sweep of the story of God and His people. There are a variety of ways you might use these readings. As a parent you might read them to get a better understanding of how the divine drama unfolds. You could read them to your children and discuss them. Some are longer than others and might need to be broken up.

Genesis 32.1-21          Jacob returns home
Genesis 32.22-32        Jacob wrestles with God
Genesis 33.1-11          Jacob and Esau reconcile
Genesis 37.1-11          Joseph’s dreams
Genesis 37.12-36        Joseph sold by his brothers

Prayer and Celebration
Passing of the Cross
Use a small wooden cross or even a metal one on a chain. In a circle the cross is taken up. Who ever holds the cross is the person who prays.  This prayer begins with one person who either says a prayer out loud or silently says or imagines a prayer. The cross is passed when the person who holds it is finished.  Each person takes their turn. 
Prompts may be given by the someone as the cross is passed.
 Eg. See…a friend in need, a hurt that needs healing…etc.
Pray one sentence…prompt:  thank you God for

Bonus Family Activity
Fast Progressive Dinner
As a fun different meal idea take your family on a fast food progressive dinner. Start at one fast food place for entrĂ©e…maybe fries, move to another for main course and then on to another for dessert. To make it even more unusual don't decide where you will go..put the names of all the fast food places you know into a hat and draw them out as you go along.


(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Faithful Families Resources September 11 2011



Weekly Inspiration

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Mark 10:13-16 ESV

Family Closeness
Game:
Concentration
Gather about twenty objects and put them on a tray.  When you are ready to play uncover the tray and give everyone about two minutes to memorise what is on it. Then take it away. Give everyone a pen and pencil and give them a few minutes to write down what they remember on the tray. Children might need helping in writing the names of object. (Youth Ministry Encyclopedia. Lyman Coleman)

Sharing:
  • What character from a book or television are you most like? How are you like them?
  • If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?
  • Who is someone who has made a difference in your life?


Story:
With your family read: Matthew 20.1-16
 Questions for Discussion:
  • Why were the people who worked all day upset?
  • Do you think what the landowner did was fair? Why or why not?
  • If in this parable the landowner represents God, what do we learn about God?
  • God’s grace means everyone is loved, forgiven and accepted no matter what they have done? What do you think about this?
  • What do you think about the statement: God gives us what we need, not what we deserve?


Journey through the Bible
Journey through the Bible will provide five readings each week you can use in order to get a good overview of the full sweep of the story of God and His people. There are a variety of ways you might use these readings. As a parent you might read them to get a better understanding of how the divine drama unfolds. You could read them to your children and discuss them. Some are longer than others and might need to be broken up.
Genesis 25.19-28         Esau and Jacob born
Genesis 25.29-34         Esau squanders his birth right.
Genesis 27.1-27           Isaac blesses Jacob
Genesis 27.30-40         Esau’s lost blessing
Genesis 27.41-45         Jacob escape Esau’s anger

Prayer and Celebration
Prayer Placemats
Use your computer to create some prayer placemats for your dinner table. These could simply have three or four different prayers printed on them for your family to pray together at the dinner table. Your children could then colour them in or decorate them. To finish them off laminate them so they will last longer. If your children are as handy at desktop publishing as many are get them to design the placemats.

Bonus Family Activity
Crowd Squeezer
Step 1: Spread a sheet or blanket on the grass and challenge everyone to pile on top so that no part of any person's body touches the ground beyond the blanket.
 Step 2: If the group succeeds, fold the blanket in half and try again.
Step 3: Continue in this way to see how small an area you can all squeeze.


(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Faithful Families Resources September 4 2011



Weekly Inspiration

Parents shouldn't give up doing what is best for their children even when their children are ungrateful. 
                                                                                                            Martin Luther

Family Closeness
Game:
Stopwatch Games
With a stopwatch and a bit of imagination, your family can clock hours of crazy contests.
  • How long does it take to blow a perfect bubble after you put a new piece of gum in your mouth?
  • How long can you chew your food for before it disappears?
  • How many times can you click in a minute?
  • How long does it take to run around the house?
  • How many baskets can you shoot in 2 minutes?

 Sharing:
  • If you were told tomorrow that you were going to jail forever how would it change the way you act or live?
  • If you were told tomorrow that you were adopted how would it change the way you act or the way you live?
  • If you were told today that you are a special child of God how would it change the way you act or live? 

Story:
With your family read: Matthew 18.21-35
 Questions for Discussion:
  • Is forgiving someone seventy times a lot?
  • Do you think Jesus really meant we should keep count?
  • Who do you think the king might be in this story?
  • Who do you think the first slave might be?
  • Knowing God forgives us, why do we often find it hard to forgive? 
Journey through the Bible
Journey through the Bible will provide five readings each week you can use in order to get a good overview of the full sweep of the story of God and His people. There are a variety of ways you might use these readings. As a parent you might read them to get a better understanding of how the divine drama unfolds. You could read them to your children and discuss them. Some are longer than others and might need to be broken up.

Genesis 9.8-17                        God’s covenant with Noah
Genesis11.1-9                          Tower of Bable
Genesis 12.1-9                        Call of Abram
Genesis 15.1-8                        God’s covenant with Abram
Genesis 21.1-7                        The birth of Isaac

Prayer and Celebration
Gratitude Board
On the fridge or at your table keep a small white board called a gratitude board, and on it things are recorded and dated whenever someone is passing by that they want to say thank you for or that they are glad about. These can be used once a week or one a more regular basis as the focus for family prayers.

Bonus Family Activity
Follow the Leader
Depending on the age of your children play a game of follow the
leader. The leader goes around the house doing a variety of things. Eg. Crawl across the carpet, jump through the dining room, climb over a bed, clap hands in the bathroom etc. Everybody has to do what the leader does.


(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning