Faithful Families Resources February 24 2013

Weekly Inspiration

Children can withstand a lot of pressure and trial from the outside if the home inside is held steady by parents whose character is steady.

 ~ Stuart Briscoe

Family Closeness

Game:

Five House

One family member makes a list of five things to be found in your house. For example: something fluffy, something you can balance on your head, something that makes a sound, something hard, something blue, something used for cleaning. The rest of the family must then go and find five things that match the list. The first person back whose collection matches the list according to the list maker wins.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

• What is something you like about your family?
• What is something all families need?
• What is something you would like to do as a family?

Story

With your family read:  Luke 13.6-9

 Questions for Discussion:

• What do you think this parable is about?
• What could the tree that produces no fruit be?
• What does it mean to have a second chance?
• Do you think the tree will produce fruit?
• What would help the tree produce fruit?

 Prayer and Celebration

We are now in the Season of Lent, the forty days preceding Easter Day. This is traditionally a time of repentance (saying sorry and turning from sin). The resources for prayer and celebration for the next six weeks will focus on ways your family might “celebrate” well this season. Lent is a good time to focus on God’s care and provision and on our dependence on him, but also on saying sorry.

Why do we have “seasons” of the church year? In a wonderful way they help us to tell more fully the story of faith, the story of Jesus. During Advent we are alerted to the coming of Christ, not only as a baby 2000 years ago, but also of his return. In Epiphany we become aware of the presence of God in our world and the mission of Christ to proclaim the redeeming kingdom of God. This season, Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter focuses on repentance, turning from sin, turning from self worship, remembering that God is our creator. Lent also focuses on the covenant or promises God has made with his people through the ages and now.

Lenten Thanksgiving Bowl

This week place a bowl in the middle of your table. Place some blank strips of paper and a pen next to it. Each night spend some time writing things you would like to say thank you to God for. Place them in the bowl. Smaller children might like to draw pictures.

Prayers to use in Lent

Dear God,

thank you that your love

is deeper than the ocean

and bigger than the sky.

No matter what we do,

you still love us

and welcome us home.

Amen.

Dear God

Help us when we hurt.

Help us to know what to do.

Help us forgive.

Amen. 

Service

 Anglican Board of Mission – Australia

One mission organisation in Australia that does fantastic work is ABM-A. Their vision is: ABM wants to see people everywhere experience the wholeness of life God offers in Jesus Christ, and to this end support our Partners as they participate in God's mission.

Their website is worth checking out and in particular under their resources menu is a section called “watch” that has videos of some of the work they do. Some of these videos would be appropriate to show family members around the table.

http://www.abmission.org/

ABM-A has a Lenten Appeal every year.  This year they are supporting mission work with indigenous Australians as well as in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

Family Time

The Cross Shaped Window

You may be familiar with the segment on Play School where children are invited to travel through the square, circle, arched or diamond window. On the other side are some children doing something interesting. Using cardboard and some coloured cellophane make a cross shaped window. Tell your children that when we look through the cross shaped window we might see the kind of world God would like us to live in.  Invite your children to draw some pictures to put behind the window. What might God’s kind of world look like? What would people be doing? How might they be treating one another? Find some pictures in magazines that show what the kingdom of God might be like. (Maybe pictures of people caring for one another, seeking peace, helping one another).

(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

Faithful Families Resources February 17 2013

Weekly Inspiration

Children desperately need to know - and to hear in ways they understand and remember - that they're loved and valued by mom and dad        

~  Paul Smally

Family Closeness

Game:

Red Light, Green Light

This is the table version of Red Light, Green Light. Place an object in the middle of the table where everyone can reach it. If you have a big table you might need to place something just within arm’s reach of each family member.  One family member stands up and says “green light”. All other family members must start slowly walking two fingers towards from the edge of the table to the object. One finger must be touching the table at all times. When the standing family members turns and says “red light” everyone must stop moving their hands. If anyone is seen moving they must go back to the edge of the table with their fingers. The goal is to touch the object before you are caught.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

What is something you would find hard to go without for a month?

What is something you wish you could give up for a month?

What are three things that are unnecessary in your life?

Story

With your family read:  Luke 13.31-35

 Questions for Discussion:

What do you think of Jesus response to the order to move on?

How does this reading feel to you? Is it easy to understand or difficult?

What does it means to “come in the name of the Lord”

  

Prayer and Celebration

We are now in the Season of Lent, the forty days preceding Easter Day. This is traditionally a time of repentance (saying sorry and turning from sin). The resources for prayer and celebration for the next six weeks will focus on ways your family might “celebrate” well this season. Lent is a good time to focus on God’s care and provision and on our dependence on him, but also on saying sorry.

Why do we have “seasons” of the church year? In a wonderful way they help us to tell more fully the story of faith, the story of Jesus. During Advent we are alerted to the coming of Christ, not only as a baby 2000 years ago, but also of his return. In Epiphany we become aware of the presence of God in our world and the mission of Christ to proclaim the redeeming kingdom of God. This season, Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter focuses on repentance, turning from sin, turning from self worship, remembering that God is our creator. Lent also focuses on the covenant or promises God has made with his people through the ages and now.

Often in Lent people give up something they enjoy like chocolate or coffee or ice-cream or TV, this is a form of fasting to help us remember our ultimate dependence on God. Sometimes people take something up like the reading of scripture more intently or more regular visits to church.

As we journey with Jesus to Easter, let his teachings be in our heads and our thinking, our feet and our walking, our hands and our serving, our hearts and our loving:

Blessed are the poor in spirit

response: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn:

response: For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek:

            response: For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger

and thirst for what is right:

            response: For they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful:

            response: For mercy shall be shown to them.

Blessed are the pure in heart:

            response: For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers:

            response: For they shall be called the children of God.

Service

Have a look at the video on the LifeVestInside.com website. Show it to your children and ask them what it means to them? Discuss ways you might show kindness to the people around you each day during Lent.

Family Time

Rainbow Wall

This Lent begins with the story of the flood. The rainbow is an enduring symbol of God’s promise. Why not make the rainbow your symol for Lent, remembering the promise of God. Create a rainbow on a wall at home adding a new colour each week.

Week 1:Purple remember God forgiveness

Week 2:Blue remember God healing love

Week 3: Green remember Gods creation

Week 4:Yellow remember Gods promises

Week 5:Orange remember Gods presence in time of temptation.

Week 6:Red remember God son Jesus, died on cross rose again

(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

Faithful Families Resources February 10 2013

Weekly Inspiration

Some people are born into wonderful families. Others have to find or create them. Being a member of a family is a priceless membership that we pay nothing for but love.        

 ~ Jim Stovall

Family Closeness

Game:

Toilet Paper Facts

Pass a toilet roll around your family and invite them to break off as many pieces as they like. Once everyone has done this, each person counts the number of squares that they have and then must tell the rest of the family that number of things about themselves. For example, if someone has three squares, they share three things about themselves. It might be something they like or something about school or work. They should be things that the rest of the family may not know.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

• What is something you like about yourself?
• What is something you are good at?
• What is something you wish you could do? 

Story

With your family read:  Luke 4.1-13

 Questions for Discussion:

• What do you think it would be like not eating for forty days?
• How do you think Jesus would have felt at the end?
• What did the Devil tempt Jesus with?
• How did Jesus respond to the Devil’s temptations? 

Prayer and Celebration

Wednesday 13^th February is Ash Wednesday, the day marking the beginning of Lent, the forty days preceding Easter Day. This is traditionally a time of repentance (saying sorry and turning from sin). The resources for prayer and celebration for the next six weeks will focus on ways your family might “celebrate” well this season. Lent is a good time to focus on God’s care and provision and on our dependence on him, but also on saying sorry.

Why do we have “seasons” of the church year? In a wonderful way they help us to tell more fully the story of faith, the story of Jesus. During Advent we are alerted to the coming of Christ, not only as a baby 2000 years ago, but also of his return. In Epiphany we become aware of the presence of God in our world and the mission of Christ to proclaim the redeeming kingdom of God. This season, Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter focuses on repentance, turning from sin, turning from self worship, remembering that God is our creator. Lent also focuses on the covenant or promises God has made with his people through the ages and now.

Often in Lent people give up something they enjoy like chocolate or coffee or ice-cream or TV, this is a form of fasting to help us remember our ultimate dependence on God. Sometimes people take something up like the reading of scripture more intently or more regular visits to church.

Lent is a season of remembering to say sorry to God for missing the mark. While Lent is a time of repentance and penitence it does not have to be a morbid time as we also look forward to the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter. Why not use some symbols to help your family get a feel for the Season of Lent. Some of the following things could be used during your family prayer time or mealtime ritual to mark the season.

Smell:  Rosemary.

Taste:  Salt.

Colour: Purple.

Feel: Hessian

Sound: “I’m sorry”

This is a possible prayer to use during this season at the meal table or other times.

God calls us to say sorry for wrong doing.

God calls us to remember that he made us.

God calls us to remember his promises.

God calls us to live a new way,

not by might,

not by power,

but by faith… 

Service

This Lent why not give something up and donate the money you save to charity.

Family Time

 Promise Banner

Each week of Lent create a panel each with a different picture for a wall hanging. This could be done simply on pieces of A4 paper with coloured images or more spectacularly using 50cm square calico, connect each panel together with string so they hang. Each panel will reflect a different story from the Lenten season.

Week 1: Genesis 9.18-17: Picture: Rainbow

Week 2. Genesis 17.1-7,15-16 Picture: Footprints

Week 3. Exodus 20.1-17 Picture: Stone Tablets

Week 4. Numbers 21.4-9 Picture:Snake on a Stick

Week 5. Jeremiah 31.31-34 Picture: Heart

Week 6. Mark 11:7-10. Picture: Palms.

(Seasons of the Spirit 2002)

(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

Faithful Families Resources February 3 2013

Weekly Inspiration

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.

~Martin Luther

Family Closeness

Game:

Pass the Orange

This simple game can’t be played sitting down. Everyone will need to stand up in a line. The first person takes an orange (any other reasonably sized piece of fruit could be used) and holds it between their chin and chest. This piece of fruit then needs to be passed down the line of family members from neck to neck. No hands are allowed.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

• What activity brings you the greatest joy?
• What activity gives you a sense of purpose and excitement?

Story

With your family read:  Luke 5.1-11

 Questions for Discussion:

• Why didn’t Simon want to put the nets down as Jesus instructed?
• What was Simon’s response to Jesus when the nets filled with fish?
• What do you think we learn about Jesus from this passage?
• What do you think it means to catch people?

Prayer and Celebration

Drawn Prayers

Give each family member a piece of paper and some pens or pencils for drawing. Either in silence or with some quiet music on, invite your family to draw on the paper, the people and things they want to pray for. This could include drawing the outcome that you might desire for particular situations. As your family draws encourage them to do so in silence so they may listen to what God has to say to them. At the end of the allocated time encourage everyone to share what they have drawn and what they are praying for.

Service

Family volunteering allows parents, children and other family members to spend time together while contributing to the community and causes they care about. It’s a great way for families to enjoy quality time with each other and introduce family members to the benefits of volunteering. Family volunteering can be a practical way to express values to children and young people.

Volunteering provides parents and other family members the opportunity to be a positive role model by demonstrating how to be involved with the community, and how to make a difference and enjoy it. People who volunteer when they are young are more likely to continue to volunteer throughout their adult life.

Volunteering in your family group can also improve communication among family members, strengthen family bonds and be a lot of fun.

(excerpt from Family Volunteering: Information for Families)

http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/communityservices/volunteering/documents/fact-sheet-family-web.pdf

Family Time

In Steve Biddulph’s just released book Raising Girls he cites the work of Peter Benson who “discovered that children and young teenagers almost always have something inside them – an interest, enthusiasm, talent or concern – which if it is supported gives them incredible joy, motivation and direction.” He calls this thing their spark. This week ask your children the question in the sharing section above and explore with them what their spark might be. How might you as a parent support your child in engaging in that activity? Benson claims that there are three things a child needs for their spark to burn brightly. Firstly an adult in the family must support them, secondly someone in wider community must encourage and help them and third their needs to be the opportunity to encourage and engage the spark.

  

(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