Sunday, January 27, 2013

Faithful Families Resources January 27 2013



Weekly Inspiration
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
~1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NIV84)

Family Closeness
Game
Question web
You will need a ball of wool for this game. Make sure there is nothing on your table that could be knocked over. Whoever starts must hold onto the end of the wool and throw the ball to someone around the table. They then ask a question for that person to answer. Some suggestions are listed below. Once the question is answered they hold onto the string and throw to someone else around the table and asks them a question. See how many time you can go around your table before your web is tricky to hold.

  • If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the
  • future or in history would you visit?
  • If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
  •  If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save?
  • If you could talk to any one person now living, who would it be and why?
  • If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling,
  • tasting) which would it be and why?
  • If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
  • Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like?
  • Name a gift you will never forget?
  • Name one thing you really like about yourself.
  • What's your favourite thing to do in the summer?

Idea and questions by  Grahame Knox www.insight.typepad.co.uk

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
  • What makes you angry?
  • What do you do when you are angry?
  • How do you stop yourself from doing the wrong thing when you are angry?


Story:
With your family read:  Luke 4.21-30
 Questions for Discussion:
  • How did the people respond to Jesus at first?
  • How did they feel after he had finished speaking?
  • What made them angry?


Prayer and Celebration
Balloon Prayer
There are two ways you might use this idea to pray. Both involve writing words in permanent marker on a balloon. The first way involves your family writing one or two words naming the things or people they wish to pray for at different places over the balloon. When you have finished doing this toss the balloon around the dinner table. The words that your hands touch or a near to when you catch the balloon are the things that person must pray about. The second way uses the same method but instead of things to pray for write down different types of prayer like: praise, thanksgiving, asking, confession, waiting. Whatever your hands land on that is the type of prayer your family must do – this probably works best if everyone takes turns at each individual type of prayer.
  
Service
As a family or in your church think about how you might bless the lives of those who live around you. Reflect on those people in your local area, who may be your neighbours or go to church with you, who serve in the community. Examples might be teachers or police officers, charity or emergency workers. Think of ways that you might let them know they are valued. This could include small things like making a thank you card together as a family or making a biscuit or cake for them to take to work to share. How often do we stop to thank those who look after us every day, who take risks for us or do jobs that really aren’t that pleasant? Acting in this way builds habits of thankfulness and empathy in ourselves and our children.

Family Time
Geocaching can be a great family activity that will take you to places you have never seen while solving puzzles at the same time. It is almost like a giant game of hide and seek. If you have never heard of it before check out: Geocaching.com
  


(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, January 20, 2013

Faithful Families Resources January 20 2013




Weekly Inspiration
The same Jesus who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future.
~Adrian Rogers

Family Closeness
Game:
Read my lips
Family members have to say something, at least a sentence, without moving their lips. The rest of the family has to guess what they are saying. Pick up a random book at the reading age of your family and read a sentence from it.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
  • What  about you does only your family know?
  • Are there things about you only your friends know?
  • What does it mean to know someone?

Story
With your family read:  Luke 4.14-21
 Questions for Discussion:
  • Why do you think it means to “be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit”?
  • What did the people in Galilee think of Jesus?
  • What things did Jesus say God had sent him to do?
  • How does your family do these things as part of God’s mission?

Prayer and Celebration
Pat-C-Ana
There are many ways and patterns of prayer.  Praying with Pat-C-ana is just one [pronounced Patsyanna].  It was originally written by Rev Richard Browning for use by children at church and school. The prayer below can be used as a way of remembering and teaching which finger represents which type of prayers.

From the thumb to little finger
we pray with PAT-C-ANA:
Praise and adoration -
Thank you, thank you.
Confession saying sorry:
    its forgiveness that we need.
Asking 'n asking: for others then for me.
From the thumb to little finger
we pray to God the Father.
        
 The prayers below help to unpack the type of prayer to use with each finger or can be used
 
Praying with PAT-C-ANA
Thumb: Praise and adoration
Awesome Lord and Father, the earth is yours and all that is in it. You are our God and we are your people;
Index finger: Thanksgiving
Thank you for life and love, for a home to live and a family to love.
Middle finger:  Confession
Forgive us when we hurt others, and when we offend you.
Help us to love like you love us.
ring finger:  Asking for others
We pray for…
my family and friends and those that I love.

little finger: Asking for me

And lastly for me, I place myself into your loving care.
Amen.
  
Service
This week encourage your family members to serve each other. Get them to think of one nice and helpful thing they could do for the parents or siblings. Here are some ideas:

Make someone’s bed for them
Do someone else’s chore
Pick up someone else’s mess
Clean up the dog or cat waste.

Family Time
Bible Story Theme Night

Think of a bible story - like Noah’s Ark or the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
Think of how you might have a family fun night focused on the theme of the story. This might include: Themed food, games, music, decorations, the telling of the story with costumes. Let your imagination run wild.

(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