Sunday, June 30, 2013

Faithful Families Resources June 30 2013


Weekly Inspiration
Children Are Like Kites

You spend years trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you are both breathless. They crash ... they hit the roof ... you patch, comfort and assure them that someday they will fly.
Finally, they are airborne.
They need more string, and you keep letting it out.
They tug, and with each twist of the twine, there is sadness that goes with joy.
The kite becomes more distant, and you know it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar as meant to soar ... free and alone.
Only then do you know that you have done your job.

http://www.inspirationalstories.com/5/553.html

Family Closeness
Game:
Drop It
This game is played in pairs with two family members facing each other. One holds an object in each hand outstretched at shoulder level and the suddenly drops one of the objects. The other person has to catch it before it touches the ground.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
These questions are to stimulate a sense of openness, sharing and discovery about your family. The key is to listen!!
  • What is the best thing and the worst thing that happened to you this week. 
  • What is something that you might say thank you to God for this week? 

Ones for the adults particularly to share: 
  • Where have you been aware of God’s presence in your life this week. 
  • What “God moments” happened to you this week?

 Story
With your family read:  Luke 10:1-11
(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at http://www.sermons4kids.com/harvest_time.htm

 Questions for Discussion:
  • Why do you think Jesus sent people out in pairs?
  • What is the harvest Jesus is talking about?
  • What are the two different responses Jesus told the disciples they might expect?
  • What message did Jesus want them to tell both groups no matter how they were treated?
  • How do you think you would feel going out to tell people about Jesus? 


Prayer and Celebration
Make and Memorise

This week learn a prayer off by heart, together. Write or find a prayer that you can use with your family every night at mealtimes and family sharing times. Make it an activity that you do together. The prayer does not have to be complicated, but simple enough for everyone to remember. It might include some lines of thanks or praise or asking. Supplied here are a few prayers that you could start from or use. If your family does not know the Lord’s Prayer it would be a fantastic time to learn it together. (On the right hand side of this blog is a weekly verse of scripture which you might also like to get your family to memorise together.)

Dear God,
Thank you for your love and care.
Thank you for the food we share.
Help us show your love today.
In all we do and think and say.
In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.         

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For friends in a world where many walk alone;
We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.
(Source: Huron Hunger Fund, Anglican Church of Canada)

Service
One of the most basic ways to get your family involved in serving in the world is to sponsor a child. There are a range of organisations that provide the means for sponsoring children including:


This provides a great opportunity to children to think about how other children in the world live. This can provide a focal point for be thankful for all they have and for helping through giving and prayer. Children if they are given pocket money should be encouraged to give a portion of it back to parents as their contribution to sponsoring the child.

Family Activity
The Bag that’s me. Create a paper bag collage out of newspaper or magazine cuttings. Paste on the outside of the paper bag any cuttings that symbolise how you appear on the outside. Put inside the paper bag any symbols that reveal who you are on the inside. Spend ten minutes tearing out things from a magazine – words, photographs, slogans – anything the reminds you of yourself. Then take about five minutes pasting your cuttings on the outside or inside of your paper bag. Share with your family what is on the outside and inside of your bag. Children can just use pictures of things that they like. (Youth Ministry Encyclopaedia. JBCE)


(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

No comments:

Post a Comment