Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Faithful Families Resources March 22 2015


In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
~Alex Haley

Family Closeness
Game:
Coin Wiggle
Family members lay flat on the floor on their back. A coin is balanced on the tip of their nose. The player must twitch their nose and move their lips but nothing else. Wiggling of the head or body is not permitted. The goal is to make the coin fall.

Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
  • Are you more a hare or a tortoise?
  • What food would you be happy never to eat again?
  • Have you ever lost something? What was it?

Story
With your family read: Mark 11.1-11
Questions for Discussion:
  • What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?
  • How did the people respond to Jesus? What did they shout?
  • What did people throw on the road in front of Jesus?
  • What kind of people get welcomed likes this today?

 About the Bible Bit
Palm Sunday begins the last week of Jesus life. He is welcomed enthusiastically into Jerusalem like a king. However, it will be the same crowds shouting crucify him by the end of the week. How quickly people turn against him.

Prayer and Celebration
Try to connect what you do in worship on a Sunday with what you do to worship at home during the week. Here are some examples:

Regular attendance in worship might be linked with a regular pattern of prayer and worship at home. Praying with our children is a key way that we may be faithful with our family. (we regularly offer ways to pray with children in this email)

Break bread at home. Even if your children do not receive communion, break bread with them at home reminding them of the story of the last supper. Assure them that at home, when we break bread together it is different to church, but that we may break bread to remember Jesus. This may be linked with a meal time pattern of prayer.

 “What prayer do we take to church today?”  As a family, be conscious of the prayers and hopes you take to place before God in worship. Ask this question before you go to church.

Bonus Family Activity
Many churches celebrate the coming Sunday (the Sunday before Easter) as Palm Sunday. On this day we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey and people placing branches on the ground before him. This week why not make your own palm crosses at home as a way of helping your children remember the story.

Below is a YouTube video that will show you how to do it. There are many other websites online that will show you how to make them.




“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21.9

(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

No comments:

Post a Comment