At the end of this week we enter the season of Advent, a time that
is focussed on waiting with anticipation. We wait with anticipation for the
return of Christ, we relive in our own lives the expectation of the birth of
Christ and his birth in our own heart every day. We wait with anticipation for
the kingdom of God to be fulfilled on earth. Over the next four weeks the
material will be shaped around four themes that are relevant to this time:
promise, waiting, journey and gift.
In addition to the weekly resources have a look at
the special Advent page (over at top right) for some ideas
and resources on how to celebrate the season well in your home.
Weekly
Inspiration
Let
God's promises shine on your problems.
~Corrie
Ten Boom
Family
Closeness
Game:
Pay
Off
This simplified version of pay off can be played
with any number of family members. Everyone needs a red token or piece of paper
and a black token or piece of paper. Family members will get points depending
on what token they and others show. At the start you decide on how many rounds
you will play. It should probably be at least five. Family members decide which
token they will show but not let other family members know. On the count of
three everyone will place their token on the table at the same time. Points are
awarded in the following way:
- If everyone puts down red – everyone loses two points.
- If some family members put down red and some put down black – those who put down black get 2 points, those who put down red lose 2 points.
- If everyone puts down black – everyone gets 2 points.
Only have discussions after every three rounds about
what you put down or to make promises about what you will put down next go.
This could be a good source of family discussion about promises and keeping
them.
Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
- What are the biggest promises people make in their life?
- Why are some promises hard to keep?
- How do you feel if someone doesn’t keep their promise?
- What do you think God has promised us?
Story
With
your family read Luke 21.25-31
(for
a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at http://www.sermons4kids.com/waiting_and_watching.htm
Questions
for Discussion:
- What do you think this reading is about?
- What might it mean for the kingdom of God to come near?
- What signs do you see that seasons are changing?
Prayer
and Celebration
This week take
a look at the special Advent page to get some great ideas for celebrating this
season. Most of the ideas will require some preparation.
Service
The AdventConspiracy website provides a great way to think about Advent with the charge
to : Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. It encourages us to
think about how we might reshape the time that leads to Christmas in a life
giving and countercultural way.
http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
Family
Time
Begin thinking about how you might do something
really special together as a family for Christmas. How might you really spend
quality time together, how might you truly give of yourselves to one another.
Throughout this blog there are hundreds of ideas for spending time with your
family. Find something special and enjoy the time.
(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