Faithful Families Resources October 19 2014

In bringing up children, spend on them half as much money and twice as much time. ~ Author Unknown

Family Closeness

Game:

Zip Zap

This is a  basic game consisting of two words- "Zip" and "Zap". Someone will begin the "flow" by turning to the person next to them and saying "Zip". The flow will continue in the same direction with everyone saying "Zip" until someone decides to reverse the flow by saying "Zap." At that time, the person who just got "zapped" will look at the "zap"-er and say "Zip!" Flow then reverses from it's original with everyone saying Zip again. Example: The "Zip" starts clockwise around the circle until 1 person looks the other way and says "Zap." Then the "Zip" flows counterclockwise until someone else says "Zap." 

Zip continues the flow, Zap reverses it. 

If someone says the wrong word, mumbles, stalls, or looks the wrong way for the word they said, they're out. Continue playing until down to 2 players. 

(The Source for Youth Ministry)

Sharing:

• What is or was your favourite nursery rhyme as a child?
• What is or was your favourite outdoor game to play as a child?

Story

With your family read: Matthew 22.34-40

Questions for Discussion:

• What does it mean to love God with all your heart, mind and soul?
• What might this look like? Sound like? Feel like?
• What does it mean to love your neighbour as yourself?

Prayer and Celebration

Squeezy Prayers

One way to pray is to use "squeezy prayers" Everyone holds hands in a circle. An adult will begin the prayer. When they have finished they  squeeze the persons hand next to them to show it is there turn. They  may pray out loud, or silently, or may squeeze on to the next person.  When the squeeze has reached the starting person they may say another

closing prayer or just: Amen.

Here are suggestions for ways of using the squeezy prayer:

Using a squeezy prayer ask God for something that is needed in the world…like peace,or understanding or for help in a particular problem in the world.

Using a squeezy prayer say thank you for a good friend or friends. Say them by name and even say something you like about them.

Using a squeezy prayer say thank you for something that you are good at. A gift God has given you.

  

Bonus Family Activity

Story Night

Dedicate a night to telling stories. Ask each member to bring and tell a story. This could be something that happened to them, a story they have made up or the retelling of a story that they have read. Stories are not allowed to be read.

(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