Faithful Families Resources July 17 2011

Weekly Inspiration

Australian research reveals that over 70% of Anglican & Protestant believers became Christians before age 20  (39% before age 10 and 34% between 10-19) 

NCLS Occasional Paper 5 - Social Influences on Faith Development

Family Closeness

Game:

Metal Detector

One person leaves the room. While they are away someone else chooses an object to hide and hides it somewhere in the room. When the person returns they must find the hidden thing without knowing what it is. The person who hid the object makes a "beep-beep" sound like a metal detector, slower when the person moves away from the object and faster as she moves closer. (Ideas Number 13-12. Group Specialities)

Sharing:

Self Description

Choose one word that starts with each letter of your name that describes you. For example if your name is Joe you might choose jolly, optimistic and exhausted. Parents might need to help younger ones with possible words.

Story:

With your family read Mathew 13.31-33

Questions for Discussion:

• Why do you think Jesus told stories like these to explain what the kingdom of God is like?
• People can plant seeds, but can we make them grow? Why not? Can we encourage them to grow?
• What might it mean for the kingdom of God to be planted like a seed in us?
• What happens to dough when yeast is mixed through it? How might the Kingdom of God be like yeast in us? 

Prayer and Celebration

Passing of the Cross

At the dinner table a holding cross is passed from member to member. Whoever holds the cross is the person who prays.  This prayer begins with one person who either says a prayer out loud or silently says or imagines a prayer. The cross is passed when the person who holds it is finished.  Each person takes their turn.  Prompts may be given by parents as the cross is passed.

Eg. See…a friend in need, a hurt that needs healing…etc.

Pray one sentence…prompt:  thank you God for

Service

Service Projects 

• Collect toys for young children who are either hospitalised in foster care or in a crisis nursury
• Ask families to make may baskets and fill the baskets with candy and small toys
• Invite families to sort through their childrn's outgrown shoes and clothes
• Have families with young children draw pictures and make greeting cards for people in your congregations who are sick 

Bonus Family Activity

Family Ties

If your children’s grandparents or uncles or aunties live some way away (or even if they don’t) get them to record a story about their childhood on a tape recorder or to write it down, and post it to you. Your family can then listen to the story during family sharing time. Your children might like to record one of their own stories to post back to their grandparents.

I pray that the Kingdom of God is growing in your family. Have a great week growing, sharing, serving and celebrating with your family. 

Stephen Harrison 

(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Faithful Families Resources July 10 2011

Weekly Inspiration

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalm 78.4

Family Closeness

Game:

Mirror. One person must be the leader and the other the mirror. The mirror must copy exactly all the hand and face movements of the leader.

Sharing:

Begin a habit of asking around your family what is one thing you learned today. (A story is told of one family who were using this pattern whose children would look through the encyclopaedia before meal time to have something to bring, another family had to bring a new word to the dinner table and so would flip through the dictionary. (The Big Book of Family Fun. Gwen Ellis)

Story

With your family read Mathew 13.24-30

Questions for Discussion:

• Why do you think people do bad things to one another?
• Do you think that sometimes good people might appear bad and bad people might appear to be good? Can you think of an example?
• Why didn’t the farmer want the weeds pulled out? 

In this parable the weed being spoken about is probably bearded darnel that in its early stages looks exactly like wheat. It is almost impossible to tell them apart. When their heads form however it is easy to distinguish them but by this time the roots of the two are so intertwined that they cannot be torn out without destroying the wheat. At harvest they must be separated because the darnel tastes bitter and is poisonous, but it is a laborious and costly process.

This parable is a reflection on the presence of evil in the world. In essence in teaches us two things. Firstly that people are not to be the judge of others lest they root out and damage those who are good. Secondly that there will be a time of judgment at the end carried out by God.

Prayer and Celebration

Psalm Prayers

The Psalms are one of the best examples of praise and adoration. Choose a psalm that expresses this and pray it together with your family. Some good P & A psalms are: 8, 19, 23, 29, 33,47,48, 66, 84, 96 – 100, 104, 108, 111, 134, 135, 145 – 150. 

Service 

Service Project for Families with Teenagers and Young Adults

• Coach a sports team for young children.
• Speak out about social issues in your community.
• Use more indepth skills to create items for people in need. 

Bonus Family Activity

Story Time

Ask a child to find a favourite book or story. Read the book together, then ask, “In this book, what could (main character) have thanked God for? When might he or she have needed God’s help? If (character) had talked to God, what might he or she have said?

For younger children. Look at a picture book with your younger child. Talk with your child about the pictures using questions such as , “What do you see on this page that you are thankful to God for? What could the girl on this page tell God about?”

Remember it is not hard to be faithful with your family, it just takes intention and commitment. May the joy and love and peace of Christ fill your home. Stephen Harrison 


 (This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Faithful Families Resources July 3 2011

Weekly Inspiration

They do not love that do not show their love. William Shakespeare

Family Closeness

Game:

Unlimited Object

Take an ordinary every day object, like a spoon or a hat or a pot. Take turns at imagining what else that object could be and acting it out with your family. For example a spoon might become a hat on your head, or a bicycle that you ride around the living room or a pen that you write with. You are only limited by the unlimitedness of your imagination.

Sharing:

My Perfect Room

If you could create a perfect room for yourself, what kind of room would it be? (Bedroom, Dining Room, Bathroom, Study, Play room) What would it look like inside? What things would you have inside it? Describe what you would like to do in this room? Encourage your family to use their imagination to describe it in as much detail as possible.(Icebreakers and Heartwarmers. Steve Sheely)

Story

With your family read Mathew 13.1-9

Questions for Discussion:

• What were the four places the sower scattered seed?
• What happened to the seed that landed on each of the four places?
• Why do you think the sower seems to be so careless where he spreads the seed?
• Who do you think the sower might be? 

Continue reading: Matthew 13.8-23

Jesus says the seed is the message about God’s kingdom. It grows in peoples lives and bears good fruit. The fruit is the good things that come about from responding to God’s message. 

• What kind of fruit (good things) might grow in people’s lives when they follow God and live His way?

Prayer and Celebration

Imagination Prayers

There are manys ways that engage the imagination of your family while praying for the needs of the world. Use this simple pattern below to begin. You might like to create new sentence starters to help your family pray for different things. Silence is a gift of God that is often pushed out in the busy and clutter of the modern world. Encourage your family to stop, be still and listen.

• I wonder who God might want me to be a friend to or to care for?
• Silence
• I wonder what God might want me to do this week?
• Silence
• I wonder whether there is any limit to God’s love?
• Silence
• I wonder what kind of person God wants me to grow to be?
• Silence
• Thank you God for seeing the prayers we offer in our hearts and minds. 

Service

Service Project for Families with Primary School Aged Children 

• Offer a dog wash in your church parking lot on a summer weekend afternoon
• Have families offer home care services for members going on vacation or on a business trip.
• Invite families to volunteer during a preschool Sunday school class. 

Bonus Family Activity

Family History

Share some of your family history or interesting stories. Where did your family come from? Who were or are its members? What did they do? Do you know where your family name came from? How far back do you have information? If you have photos you could look at these as well.

Being a faithful family is not rocket science, it is about being consistent in the little things that will help to nurture and grow the faith of your children. When we plant a seed in the ground, we can't make it grow. But we can be faithful in doing the things that will help it, like watering and feeding. We can't make our children's faith grow, but we can do things that help it, like engaging in scripture reading, prayer, service and by being a close and loving family. Faith is a gift of God but God calls us to be faithful as parents.


May God bless you and your family this week as you seek to be faithful.
Stephen Harrison 


(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Faithful Families on Break

Faithful Families is on holidays until the fourth of July. Why not check back over previous posts and try again some of activities. Sorry for this temporary absence. Many prayers for you and your family.

Stephen H

Faithful Families Resources June 12 2011

Weekly Inspiration

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness. Mother Teresa

Family Closeness

Game:

Face Pass

Sit so you can all see each other. Make a strange or funny face and turn to a member of your family. The person you turned to carefully copies your face, then slowly changes his or her expression to make a new face which s/he passes on to someone else.

Sharing:

• Have you ever been given a job you didn’t want to do? Why didn’t you want to do it? Did you do it?
• Have you ever been afraid of something you were asked to do? What was it? Did you do it?
• Share the best and worst thing that happened to you this week.

Story

With your family read Mathew 28.16-20

Questions for Discussion:

• What did the disciples do when they saw Jesus on the mountain?
• Did all of them have faith?
• What did Jesus tell the disciples to go and do?
• Why do you think Jesus told them he would be with them till the end of the age?

Prayer and Celebration

Thank you God for giving us food.

One way of praying is through song. You may be familiar with the song that goes:

Thank you God for giving us food.

Thank you God for giving us food.

Thank you God for giving us food

Right where we are.

(If you type the first line in to youtube you can hear people singing it)

Sing around your table and let members of your family substitute the word food for anything they would like to say thank you for.

Bonus Family Activity

Opera, Drama

With your family make up an opera or a drama revolving around your family and the things that happen in it. What are some of the daily events that occur? What are some of the funny or interesting habits of your family members.

Well, we hope you found these resources useful. Have a fantastic week as you grow in loving and sharing with your family. May the joy and love and peace of Christ fill your home. Stephen Harrison (This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Faithful Families Resources June 5 2011

Weekly Inspiration

50 days after Easter, at Pentecost, the Christian Church is born. A wonderful gift is given from God, for it is the day when the disciples are given the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament wind and fire were seen as signs to show that God was present. If you read the story in the book of Acts it talks about the Holy Spirit coming as ‘wind’ and ‘fire’. At Pentecost the gift of the Spirit filled the disciples with the energy and power to speak so that people from many nations could understand them. It was an event that changed the world. Before the Holy Spirit came to rest on the disciples, they were confused and fearful. They longed for the good old days when all they had to do was follow Jesus' lead. We too are invited to receive this wonderful gift which empowers us to use the gifts we are given from God and to grow in the fruits of the Spirit that make us more Christlike.

Pentecost is a special time, and special times need special attention. Here are some resources to help you be faithful with your family this Pentecost.

Story

With your family read Acts 2.1-21: Pentecost

Questions for Discussion:

How did the Holy Spirit come upon the disciples? What happened?

How do you think you would have felt if you had been there?

What strange and special thing happened to the disciples because of the Holy Spirit?

What was the purpose of the disciples ability to speak many languages?

Prayer and Celebration

This is a day to celebrate and thank the Holy Spirit for all our unique and wonderful gifts.

We each have the character of God growing in us, the fruits of the Spirit, that enable us to minister in every part of our lives. 

Read some of the characteristics of God that grow in us and spend time reflecting on how the Holy Spirit might be growing these in you?

Kindness, gentleness, compassion, patience, hospitality, humour, generosity, mercy, justice, faithfulness, self-control, loyalty, love, trustworthiness, truth telling, straight talking honesty,


Which of these Godly characteristics do you see growing in your own life? Which one of these characteristics do you most need? Which one would help you the most in the way you serve God and others?


Pray today that God’s Holy Spirit might fill you that the fruit of the Spirit might grow in you. Ask God how you might serve in the world, ask God to help you to grow in the power of the Spirit.

Family Closeness

One way to develop family closeness is to have an intentional family night. A pattern may be used such as this:

Game

Sharing

Story with Discussion/Questions

Activity

Prayer

Using the resources provided above and below would enable you to have a family night once a week.

Game:

The Glad Game

Played with a touch of a Monty Python, comparisons are made to current situations and those that could be far worse. It can be a lot of fun, and whilst it can at first appear flippant and playful, it can deliberately move people and a family into more genuine  attitudes of gratefulness. It can be played not just in one family session, but at any time at all, especially say the moment some one is caught complaining!

• `I'd like a new pair of runners, but I am glad I have feet.' [What's that phrase: I complained that I didn't have new shoes, until I met someone who didn't have any feet.']
• `I wish we had a swimming pool, but I'm glad our neighbours let us use theirs.'
• `I don't like broccoli, but I'm glad I Mum cooks dinner and not me.'
• `I wish I could have a remote control car, but I am glad I have a bike that I can ride all by myself.'
• `I don't want to go to bed now, but I am glad I have a bed to go to and a home to live in.'. . . . 

Sharing: 

• What is the most exciting gift you have ever been given?
• What made it so great?
• What is the most exciting gift you have ever given? Why was it so great?
• What is something that you are good at? How do you use it to serve others?
• What godly characteristics do you find in yourself and in your family: Kindness, gentleness, compassion, patience, hospitality, humour, generosity, mercy, justice, faithfulness, self-control, loyalty, love, trustworthiness, truth telling, straight talking honesty, . . . .  . .
• Have you ever felt God’s presence in a special way? What happened? How did you feel?
• Who is someone you know who seems to be filled with Spirit? What are they like?

Bonus Family Activity

•  Using any available materials, make large red or orange Pentecost symbols (paper tongues of fire, kites or windsocks, decorated balloons or pinwheels) to be displayed outdoors. On each symbol write three gifts of the Spirit you have been given to serve God. 
• Make a collage of warm colours to remind your family of the story of Pentecost.
• Make up a dance using coloured streamers to portray the wind, fire and excitement of the disciples when they received the Holy Spirit.
• Make up a list of words to describe 'fire' and 'wind', and then use them to write a poem.

Well, we hope you found these resources useful. Have a fantastic week as you grow in loving and sharing with your family. May the joy and love and peace of Christ fill your home. Stephen Harrison (This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning

Faithful Families Resources May 29 2011

Weekly Inspiration

This week, prior to Pentecost, we remember and celebrate the ascension of Jesus. This is a really great time to reflect on what it means to have Jesus authority on earth delegated to us. As disciples we are the hands and feet of Jesus in the kingdom. If we are serious about being faithful with our family, then role modelling this will be a priority. Your children will discover who they are and whose they are by looking at the everyday things you do. Christianity is a faith which is mediated through everyday things, such as bread, wine, water, light and through the everyday activities of serving, growing, sharing and celebrating.

 I wonder what your children might learn about being a disciples from watching you? How do you take seriously the call of Jesus to be a witness; to proclaim repentance and forgiveness, to go and make disciples?

Here are some resources, that you might be faithful with your family. We cannot make our children have faith, we can only be faithful with them.

Story

With your family read Acts 1.6-11: Jesus Ascends

Questions for Discussion:

• What did Jesus says the disciples would receive when the Holy Spirit came?
• What job where the disciples given by Jesus?
• Why do you think the disciples stood looking for so long after Jesus ascended?
• How do you think the disciples felt about Jesus leaving them? 

The King’s Banquet

There was once king who invited his subjects to a royal banquet. The king told each guest to bring a flask of wine, explaining that all the flasks would be poured into one large wine vat, from which the banquets beverages would be drawn. One of the king’s subjects thought, “What will my small flask of wine mean? Instead of bringing wine, I will bring a flask of water. When my flask of water is added to all the wine, it will blend right in, and no one will know the difference.?” On the night of the banquet, all the king’s subjects assembled around the food-laden tables. The king welcomed his guests, and then summoned his servants to serve the wine from the one large vat. The glasses were all filled – with water. For every one of the king’s subjects had brought water, not wine, reasoning that one little flask of water would blend right in with all the wine, and no one would know the difference.

At the ascension, the message Jesus gave us was: “its over to you guys now.” Jesus has placed into our hands the responsibility of working in the kingdom of God. We are now expected to be active participants in growing and building the kingdom. Of course the promised helper, the Holy Spirit is with us with gifts and power for the job. We however have been handed the authority to do the work of Jesus on earth.

Prayer and Celebration

A really great way to pray with your family this week might be to use some balloons. Get enough balloons for a week or a couple of days. Write or draw your prayers on pieces of paper and place them in balloons, blow the balloons up and tie them somewhere in your house. Each day might have different themes: I thank God for things he has done for me. I thank God for things he has made. I ask God for help for others. I ask God for help for myself. I say sorry to God.

Family Closeness

One way to develop family closeness is to have an intentional family night. A pattern may be used such as this:

Game

Sharing

Story with Discussion/Questions

Activity

Prayer

Using the resources provided above and below would enable you to have a family night once a week.

Game:

Using the alphabet letters, choose words that start with that letter, like the list given below, and act it out. Allow them to make up more as you go to add to the choices.

A = alligator (alligator crawl), around, airplane scale

B = bounce, bend, bear walk

C = cat arch, catch, crawl, crab walk

D = lame dog, dance, duck walk, dribble

E = elephant walk, egg roll

F = freeze, fall, frown, frog jump

G = giggle, gallop, giant steps

H = hop, hiccup, headstand

I = inchworm

J = jump, juggle

K = kick

L = log roll, leap

M = march, mop, mule kick

N = nod, neck rolls

O = Octopus (2 players stand back-to-back and walk sideways, waving their arms and legs), on, off, over

P = point, paint, pose

Q = quiver, quiet

R = run, rake, roll

S = skip, sit, sweep, smile, seal crawl, stretch

T = tiptoe, throw, tripod, tuck, type

U = upside down, under

V = vault (leap frog), vacuum

W = walk, wiggle, wink

X = flex, wax, mix

Y = yawn, yell

Z = zigzag, zip, zzzzzzzzzz

(GameCentralStation.com)

Sharing: 

• Have you ever been asked to do something and then had the person who asked you to do the job hang around and watch you the whole time. Have you ever had someone ask you to do a job and then before you could do it they went ahead and did it anyway. How did you feel?
• Would you rather never play or never win?
• Would you rather be able to fly or breathe under water?
• What things do you volunteer to do that helps others?
• What might you volunteer to do this week to help others?

Bonus Family Activity

Paper Doll Activities

For each family member draw an outline of a person on a separate large piece of paper. (If you have large enough paper, lie down on it and trace around your body.)Each person adds drawings, words and/or magazine pictures to tell about him or herself. As family members work, comment, "As a child of God, you are special! The drawings, words, pictures on your outline show some of the ways God has made you special."

Well, we hope you found these resources useful. Have a fantastic week as you grow in loving and sharing with your family. May the joy and love and peace of Christ fill your home. 

Stephen Harrison (This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning