Faith Connections 6:: Pass it On

Scripture Reading

Read Luke 8:1-15. Get clay or action figures and act out the story as you read it. 

Conversation Starters

•   How can we pass God's word on to other people?

•   Does it have to be with words, actions, or both?

•   What are things that our family can do to pass on the message of God's word to others?

Activities

Getting Started: 

Pass It On Bags
Today the children in Sunday school are making Pass It On Bags. These are bags for children to put toys or clothes that they want to give to someone else. If your child made a bag, spend some time as a family talking about things you can give away to bless others with. Fill the bags up with those things. If your child was not in Sunday school spend some time making a Pass It On Bag. Get an old pillowcase or sew a piece of fabric into a bag. Let the children decorate it with puffy paints, fabric markers, and pieces of fabric. When the bag is done, fill it with things to give away. At NCPC we support Helping Hands Thrift Store, a Christian thrift store that donates funds to local and oversees mission projects. That is just one idea of a place to bring your donations. 
Helping Hands :: //helpinghandsthriftstore.org/about

On the go:
Volunteer on the Road
I know of a family that is spending a year traveling the country and working at various service organizations around the nation. One of their goals is to help their three boys learn what it means to serve and care for others by doing it. While a year long trip won't work for most people, it is definitely something families can do short-term. Do you have a vacation home or cabin you often visit? Or a special campsite your visit every year? If so, look for a service agency in the area that will allow your family to do some volunteer work on the road. If you can't find one, do some volunteering on your own by picking up garbage in a local park. 

Digging deeper:

Regular Volunteer

There are so many local organizations and ways that families can support others through volunteering. It is an important way not only for us to give of our time and talents, but for children to grow up knowing the importance of serving others as Christ has called us to and the blessing that comes with that. This week for Summer of Service we spent 3 days at Mary's Place, a drop in shelter for women and their children. We had a delightful week getting to know some of the kids and women. This would be a great place for individual families to do regular service at. Another opportunity comes through the Elementary Partnership Team. There are several opportunities for families to care for other families in the area in need of support and love. A third opportunity is Dinner at the Creek. Families can come serve people in need of a hot meal and a kind smile by serving the food, hosting a table, and welcoming the visitors. It is the last Thursday every month at NCPC.  

Faith Connections 5::Good Soil

Scripture Reading

Follow along in your Bibles as you watch this video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9IOhGPrRvY

Conversation Starters

•   What kind of soil is good soil for plants?

•   Why is it important for the plants to have good soil?

•   What are things we need in our life to help us be planted in good soil, or hear God's word and take it into our hearts? How do we grow to trust God more?

Activities

Getting Started: 

Good Soil

Use the printables on this webpage to make a Parable of the Sower game to play as a family. http://www.biblestoryprintables.com/Pages/FileFolderGames/ParableofSower.html

On the go:
And then...
This is a great game for sitting around a campfire or for a good connection time on road trips. One person in the car starts a story, and after giving a piece of the story says, "And then..." then someone in the family continues the story. Keep going until the story is finished. Make up a story about the seeds or the sower in the Parable of the Sower. Or make up a story about a person who hears God's word and takes into their hearts and grows, and a person who hears God's word but gets bogged down by the worries of the day, and does not take it to heart.

Digging deeper:

In Memory

Start a compost bin in your back yard. It is a good family project and a way to care for the earth!  Here are some ideas for making a homemade compost bin. http://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/4-diy-compost-bins-you-can-build-one-day-video.html

Faith Connections 4:: Strong Roots

Scripture Reading

As a family tell the Parable of the Sower together. Invite each member to pick a part of the story and share that part. Then read Matthew 13:5. 

Conversation Starters

•   Why did the seeds in the rocks not grow very well? (They didn't have strong roots).

•   Why do you think plants need strong roots to grow?

•   What do people need to help them grow well?

Activities

Getting Started: 

Our Roots

We all have people and experiences in our lives that have shaped and grounded us in our faith. Spend sometime talking as a family about those things or people who have been your "roots of faith." String a clothes line somewhere in the house. Have each person draw a picture of themselves on a piece of paper. Hang everyone's picture from the clothes line. Have each person draw a picture of two or three experiences or people who have been roots of faith for them. Tape those things under that person's self portrait. Encourage your family members to add to your root system as you think about other people or things that have helped shape you.

On the go:
Eating Roots
We eat a lot of roots that have nutrients. Potatoes, carrots, jicama, ginger...Find a fun recipe for an on the go snack made from different roots. Talk about how roots in our lives are like nutrients for our faith lives. 

Digging deeper:

In Memory

Many of us have family members who were instrumental in our faith lives who have passed away or are still living. As a family think of a special person who means a lot to you. Plant something special in honor of that person.

Faith Connections 3::Seeds of Truth

Scripture Reading

Read Matthew 13:1-9

Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJvzmBn5NcA

Conversation Starters

What did you like about the video? What did you not like about the video?

How is the video different than the Bible passage? How is the video similar?

Does the video change your thinking about the parable?

The video shows a person going through something parallel to the parable. What part of the video do you feel is most like you?

Activities

Getting Started: 

Seed Pods

Last week in Sunday school we made seed pods. Make your own wild flower seed pods. Find a place to scatter the seed pods in a local park or forest, or in your yard. If you don't have a place to scatter them, give them to family, friends or neighbors as a gift for them to plant. 

The Parable of the Sower is about hearing God's word and making it meaningful in our every day lives. Like spreading the seed pods, we can also spread God's word with others in many ways. Talk about ways that you can share God's work. 

Seed Pods Directions:

Materials:

Air dry red clay

Wild flowers

Dirt

Mix about 3 parts clay to 1 part dirt in a large pail. Add several scoops of wildflowers. Add some water. Mix it all together. Roll into many 1 inch balls. Set in the sun to dry. When they are dry, set them in the dirt where you want them to grow. 

On the go:

Seeds

We encounter seeds in a lot of places. We eat pumpkin or sunflower seeds. During the summer months when we eat peaches, cherries, apricots we take out the seeds. We see seed pods dropping from trees or seeds floating from flowers. Go out and find some seeds in nature. Talk about the differences and similarities in the seeds. Talk about the different ways that we learn about God...through reading the Bible, through listening to people teach in church, through talking with others, through prayer. What are ways that your family learns about who God is? 

Digging deeper:

Family Video

Make a family movie of the Parable of the Sower! Work together to write a script, practice and video tape your production. If you have the tools work as a family to edit the video. If you do this project, please share it! I would love to see what you come up with. 

Faith Connection 2::Well Planted

Scripture Reading

Read Mark 4:1-9

We will spend the entire summer reading the Parable of the Sower in different ways. We will begin with the passage in Mark. Read it from a favorite family Bible.

Conversation Starters

•   Why did Jesus tell this story?

•   What is your favorite part of the story?

•   Is there any part of the story we could take out and still have all the story we need? 

•   What does this story mean to you? What are the seeds, plants, rocks, birds, dirt..?

*There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Enjoy seeing how your children hear and understand the story.

Activities

Getting Started: 

Living it Out

Try out planting in different types of soil, just like the sower did. Go to the store and pick out some seeds, maybe wildflowers, green beans, or something else that you know will be able to grow. As a family try planting the seeds in different areas. Plant some on a path, in a pot of rocks, in rocks with dirt, next to other plants, and in really good soil. Invite family members to choose different places to plant the seeds. Make hypothesis of what will happen with each of the different seeds. Watch them grow. Spend some time during the week visiting the seeds to see if anything happens. As you watch the different plants grow, talk to your children about different ways each person in your family grows close to God. 

On the go:

Growth Hunt

When you are visiting a new place, whether you go on a hike, a walk in a city park, or stroll along the ocean look for signs of growth. Watch for plants that are growing well. Watch for plants that are struggling to grow. Take pictures of them. Talk about what helps the plants and what hurts the plants. Then talk about what helps and hurts people from growing. 

Digging deeper:

Growing in God Contract

As a family talk about how you can encourage one another to grow in "good soil." What are different ways your family can help one another grow in a fruitful relationship with God? It could be praying before bed every night, doing a family devotion once a week, singing specials songs in the car, etc. As a family write a contract about what your family will do to encourage growth in one another. Have everyone sign it.

Faith Connections 1::Foundations of Prayer

Scripture Reading

Read 1 Peter 4:11 from a favorite family Bible

Read aloud this version from The Message:

http://www.biblestudytools.com/msg/1-peter/passage.aspx?q=1-peter+4:7-11

Conversation Starters

•   How do you normally feel when you serve or give to someone? Cheerful? Grumpy? Selfish? Selfless?

•   Do you feel differently afterward?

•   Does God care more about what you do or the attitude you have when you do it?

•   How can prayer help us when we serve or give to others?

•   How do you pray to God? 

•   Why does the Bible tell us to pray?

Activities

Getting Started: 

Prayer Cards

Cut bookmark size pieces of paper from card stock. Work together to write family prayers on each of the blank cards. Put them in a glass jar, decorated recycled can (make sure there are no sharp edges) or plastic container. Place it in a central location in your house. During key times, like before dinner or bed, invite a family member to pick a prayer from the jar to pray with the family. 

On the go:

Prayer Rocks

Whether you are camping in the woods, visiting the beach, or on a family road trip have each member of your family find a rock on the trip to be their prayer rock. You can leave the rock as is or paint it when you get home. The prayer rock goes on your pillow during the day, as a reminder to pray before bed. During the night you can put in on the night stand, in a shoe, or on the bathroom sick as a reminder to pray when you wake up. 

Digging deeper:

Family Prayer Journal

Get a photo book, a binder or a notebook. Decorate the cover to create a family prayer journal. Throughout the summer write, draw or take pictures of things your family prayed about. Keep record of how you saw God work through those prayer. Before school begins in the fall take out your prayer journal and celebrate how you saw God work in and through you this summer!

More Resources

Order the book that is filled with different ideas of how your family can pray together:

“Creative Family Prayer Times: 52 Fun Ways to Pray Together” by Mike Nappa and Amy Nappa

Come back July 1st!!!

Visit on July 1st for the first week of Faith Connections!