In every
conceivable manner, the family is the link to our past, bridge to our future.
~ Alex Haley
Family
Closeness
Game:
Stand
Next To…
This is a game that will have you family moving about. Either one person
does the call or everyone takes turns. Someone calls out: “Stand next to
something that....” and finishes the sentence with whatever they can come up
with: “is green”, “has the letter A”, “belongs to mum”, “smells good”, “is
edible”. Your imagination is the limit.
Sharing:
- What is something that makes you laugh?
- If you could own only three things what would they be?
- What is boredom? Why does it happen?
Story
With
your family read: Matthew 23.1-12
(for a way of explaining/talking about this
reading with children look at
Questions for Discussion:
- Have you ever heard the phrase “walk the talk?”
- What do you think it means?
- What did Jesus say the Pharisees did wrong?
- How might Christians show off?
Prayer
and Celebration
A Prayer of Humility for children adapted from the
Litany of Humility:
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
Help me to look for what is good in others and
forget what is bad in them.
Help me to put others first and not worry if I'm not
picked or am ignored.
Help me not to seek approval and not worry about
being the center of attention.
Help me not to be afraid to be afraid of not being
liked or worry about being hurt or not believed.
Help me to look beyond myself, even if it's not my
turn, and to help others.
Deliver me, Jesus, from all of these and make me as
holy as I should be.
Amen
~Author Unkown
Bonus
Family Activity
Read a Book Together
Pick
a book. It doesn’t need to be long one and read it out loud together. Some of
Dr Suess’s longer ones might be suitable – for instance The Five Hundred Hats
of Bartholomew Cubbins or Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.)
Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning