Faithful Families Resources March 1 2015

In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.

~Eva Burrows

Family Closeness

Game:

Cup and Ball

Scrunch up a piece of aluminium foil into a nice ball. Tie one end of a forty centimetre piece of string around the foil ball. Tie the other end to a cup with a handle. Any cup can be used but plastic ones are best. Hold the cup by the hand and swing the ball up so that it goes into the air. Try to catch the ball inside the cup.

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

• Are you more like a hundred metre sprinter or a marathon runner?
• What hobby or sport would you like to try?
• What makes you angry?

Story

With your family read: John 2.13-20

Questions for Discussion:

• What did Jesus do in the temple?
• Is this something you would expect Jesus to do?
• Why do you think he was so upset?
• What proof did Jesus say he would give that he had the authority to do all he did?
• Is it ok to be angry at some things?

Prayer and Celebration

Ways to say “I forgive”

At the top of a piece of paper write the words “I forgive you.” Ask “what did God do to show He forgives us?” Then encourage your family to list as many ways as they can which show forgiveness to others. The list may include words and actions. Suggestions of words might be, “That’s ok.” “Its all right.” Suggestions of actions might be hugs, smiles, and handshakes.

Burning Prayers

Your family might like to individually write down things they would like to say sorry for. These prayers might then be placed in a bowl and burnt as a symbol of God’s forgiveness.

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 and Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning