Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit.
~ Rick Warren
We are now in the season of Advent, a time that is focussed on waiting with anticipation. We wait with anticipation for the return of Christ, we relive in our own lives the expectation of the birth of Christ and his birth in our own heart everyday. We wait with anticipation for the kingdom of God to be fulfilled on earth. Over the these four weeks the material will be shaped around four themes that are relevant to this time: promise, waiting, journey and gift.
In addition to the weekly resources have a look at the special Advent page for some ideas and resources on how to celebrate the season well in your home.
Family Closeness
Game:
Pass the Parcel
This old game still get played at parties but could be a fun game to play at home around the table. It would also be a great way to unveil a gift for your family. Put something nice in the middle for the whole family – like a family move pass or a note saying you are all going to your favourite restaurant. Wrap it up. Now put multiple layers of wrapping on with small prizes in between such as chocolate bars or sweets. Blind fold a family member. Their job is to say when to stop passing the parcel. Pass the parcel and when it is stopped someone gets to take off a layer. You might even like to play music or sing a song while the parcel is passed around.
Sharing:
Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.
- What is the best gift you have ever received?
- What is the best gift you have ever given?
- What is the most precious gift in the world?
Story
With your family read Matthew 1.18-25
(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at
Questions for Discussion:
- What was Joseph going to do when he found out Mary was pregnant?
- What changed his mind?
- What did the angel tell Joseph to name the baby?
Prayer and Celebration
A prayer for candle lighting during Advent:
O God,
as light comes from this candle,
may the blessing of Jesus Christ come to us,
warming our hearts and
brightening our way.
May Christ our Savior bring life
into the darkness of this world,
and to us, as we wait for his coming.
Family Time
Song Stories
A great way to explore the story of Christmas would be to listen to some Christmas Carols or hymns with your family. One option would be to listen and sing together and just enjoy the music and your family. Alternatively, listen very carefully to the words and to the feel of the song. Discuss what this particular carol is saying about the birth of Jesus. Are there any words or phrases that children don’t understand? Discuss what these might mean.
(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
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