Lent is a great time to encourage families to return or come to church. There are so many activities and opportunities to encourage growth, community, and formation. Here are some that I am putting into prctice this Lent.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper & Mardi Gras Party-On March 1, we offer pancakes and more. People are invited anytime during event for pancakes, games (pancake toss, pancake catch, etc.), crafts(we are decoring masks this year, and have lots of fun together. Everyone loves to be a part of it. We play a song and have a parade where the children march around the room and the audience throws candy and beads at them.
Raffle-Our staff donates their time for some fun surprises. $1 buys a chance to win Lunch with the Rector, Surprise Serenade (from Top Gun) from our Music Director, Happy Meal Party with our Children’s Minister, “Step-Brother” shirt with picture of our Youth Minister and more. Money goes to area homeless shelter.
Ash Wednesday Family Chapel-All children of any age and their parents who wish to attend are invited to the Chapel on March 2. Deacon Lauren will explain about ashes and the meaning of this day and Lent. Father Nick will bless the ashes and ashes will be placed on each person. We will join the Nave Service for communion after. Parents are welcome to attend to learn more about the meaning of this special day and to have the language to speak to their child about the Lent Season.
Lent Take Home Bags-Each family attending Sunday School on March 6, will receive a Lent Take Home Bag. Each week, the family gathers and takes out an object. There is a reading from Scripture and discussion questions that go with each object. This is a wonderful way to keep Lent and focus on the meaning of this Season.
Parent Groups– Starting March 6, parents can pick from two groups: a Book Club or a Parent Get-together (several choices) to support grow and learn together.
PJ Sunday-All children are invited to wear pajamas to church on Sunday, March 13. During Sunday School, children will receive a snack. It is the time change and it can be hard to get children up and dressed with losing an hour sleep. Now you just need to wake them up and bring them to church!
This year we find ourselves isolated and still living in a world with a pandemic. Many people are feeling anxious, stressed, lost, and sad. It is a normal reaction to what is happening around us. Reaching and connecting with families is more important than ever. We need hope, connection, and faith.
As those who work with children, we may be feeling a little overwhelmed ourselves. For those people, I have found a program that is easy to do and requires little work on the Children’s Minister. A paid program that comes highly recommended by others working with children in my diocese is the Lent Program from Illustrated Ministries. The program is Reflections from the Heart. Each week includes scripture, reflection, questions, activity, prayer and a coloring page. The cost is based on the size of the church ($39.99-$69.99). Their website is Illustratedministry.com.
For those looking for a more hands on approach, I have written a format for Living in Community.
We all need others. God gave us community. As a child, we needed other to care for us. As we grow older, we need others to teach us, to help us learn who we are, and to give us friendship. We need God all the time. The relationship with God gives meaning to all the other relationships in our lives.
Decorate bags with pictures of community. Put these six objects in the bag: Rock (with a cross or heart painted on or get Rockimpact with Engraved Cross), Heart, battery operated candle, bandage, small sheep, chalice charm (Pepperloney brand). Put each small object in its own plastic bag.
Include these short questions with each object. (See bottom for link to objects used).
A small booklet with all the Bible verses is recommended. Instructions to pick one time a week that family is gathered. One person pulls an object out of the bag. The Bible verse is read. The object is passed around with each person holding the object answers the questions. End the session in prayer.
Rock: Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus knew that connection with God is important even when he seemed to be alone. Do you pray when you are alone? What do you do to connect with God? Have you felt God’s presence? How did God give Jesus strength to resist temptation? How can you get strength form God?
Heart: Jesus chooses his Apostles (pick one or two). How do you think Jesus choose his friends? What do you think made a person a good Apostle? Who are your good friends? Jesus’ friends were good listeners. Are you a good listener? What qualities do you want in a friend? How can you be a good friend?
Candle: Jesus Transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1-13). Jesus took his friends with him and they saw him with Moses and Elijah, prophets that lived long ago. We are all connected to those who came before us. Ask your parents about your family tree. If your grandparents are alive, call them and ask them to share a story from their childhood about their family and their friends. What do you have around your house that was handed down from your family? What things would you want to hand down to your future children and grandchildren?
Bandage: Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Being a good neighbor is important. How was the Samaritan a good neighbor? What does being a good neighbor mean? What is something you can do to be a good neighbor to someone who lives on your street? What can you do to be a good neighbor to someone at your school? Is there a project your church is doing that your family can get involved in and be a good neighbor to those in need?
Sheep: The Lost Sheep & The Good Shepherd (Luke 15:1-7 & John 10:1-18). How did the shepherd take care of the sheep? What do these parables say about our relationship with God? Do you like thinking of God as your shepherd? Jesus looks for the lost sheep. Who are people who are lost? What are ways someone can be lost? How can you help them?
Chalice charm: The Last Supper (John 13) Jesus gave us a rule (new commandment), that we love and care for each other as he would. How does Jesus want us to care for others? What ways can we be nice, even when it is hard? How can we be nice when we are angry at someone? How can we find ways to care for people we do not know well?
Educating and helping families to find ways to honor the
week before Easter, known as Holy Week, is one of the many blessings church
leaders can give. It is the basis of our
Christianity. It is the greatest example
of love in action.
The week is full of drama, yet so much beauty. It is a chance for families to dive deep into
their faith. It gives a way to talk
about a God, who loves with a completeness.
Christmas means very little without the walk to Easter.
There are five ways that I have found very successful for
families. Some start at church, but move
into the home. They include: A Walk
Through Holy Week, Holy Week Countdown Calendar, Holy Week Passports, Maundy
Thursday Re-enactment, and Devotionals for Holy Week.
Online
The most important thing is to keep Holy Week. Giving just one activity to do a day keeps it fresh on a family’s mind. Even sending out a prayer a day this week with a small thing to do helps families.
A Walk Through Holy Week
I host an event either on Palm Sunday or sometime the
week before called “A Walk through Holy Week.”
Starting with Palm Sunday, we spend about 20-30 minutes on each
day. We read the Scripture, discuss what
happens in the liturgy at the service, and make a symbol for that service (or
build a Lego). Ideas for “symbol”
include making something for a countdown calendar (either paper or felt),
creating a picture book with a description on the day for the congregation, or
making a Lego to put on display.
Palm Sunday-Jesus Enters Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark
11:1-11; Luke 19: 28-40; John 12: 12-19
Read or tell the story, wonder what happened and why,
talk through the Palm Sunday liturgy, read the Collect for the Sunday of the
Passion: Palm Sunday, and then make a palm leaf cross (or Lego of Jesus’
triumphant entry.
Monday in Holy Week- Jesus Cleans House: Matthew
21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-17. Read or tell the story,
wonder what happened and why, talk through basic of Eucharist (part 1), read
the collect for the day, and then add a “gold” coin to the calendar (or Lego of
Jesus throwing out the money changers.)
Tuesday in Holy Week-Jesus Predicts His Death: Mark
8:31-38; Luke 18: 31-33; John 12: 20-30.
Read or tell the story, wonder what happened and why, talk through basic
of Eucharist (part 2), read the collect for the day, and then add a heart with
the Alpha-Omega Sign (or Jesus with his followers and them not understanding.)
Wednesday in Holy Week-Anointing of Jesus’ Feet: Matthew
26: 6-13; Mark 14: 3-9; Luke 7: 36-50; John 12: 1-11. Read or tell the story, wonder what happened
and why, talk through basic Eucharist (part 3), read the collect of the day,
and then add a foot print or cut out of a foot (or Lego of Jesus getting feet washed.)
Maundy Thursday-Dinner in Upper Room and a New
Commandment: Matthew 26: 14-39; Mark 14:
22-25; Luke 22: 1-27; John 13: 1-38.
Read or tell the story, wonder what happened and why, talk about the
Maundy Thursday Service (foot washing, stripping of altar) and remind them of
our communion. Read the Collect for
Maundy Thursday. Add a chalice and wafer
or symbol of the bread and wine (or Lego of the Last Supper.)
Good Friday-The Crucifixion: Matthew 27: 32-66; Mark 15:
21-47; Luke 23: 26-56; John 19: 16-42.
Read or tell the story, wonder what happened and why, (using the
Stations of the Cross works very well), talk about the Good Friday Service,
read the Collect for Good Friday, and add a cross (or build a Lego of the
crucifixion.)
Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil-The Burial of Jesus…We Wait:
Matthew 27: 57-66; John 19: 38-42. Read
or tell the story, wonder what happened and what everyone was feeling, talk
about the Easter Vigil Service, read the Collect for Holy Saturday, and add a
“tomb” or rock (or Lego of the tomb and waiting.)
Easter-The Resurrection: He is Risen! Matthew 28:1-10;
Mark 16: 1-12; Luke 24: 1-12; John 20: 1-10.
Read or tell the story, wonder what happened and why, talk about the
Easter Service, read the collect for Easter, and add an Easter lily with “He is
Risen!” (or make a Lego of the Empty tomb.)
This can be very time consuming and so may be divided by
days and done over the whole of Lent or only pick certain days to talk
about. It is worth the time commitment
as it gives a deep understanding and expectation to Holy Week. Families take their countdown calendar of
Holy Week home and when Holy Week comes, they put up a symbol each day and are
reminded of the scripture. More
importantly, it opens a conversation about the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus.
Holy Week Countdown Calendar
Holy Week
Countdown Calendar is very similar to the Walk Through Holy Week, but is home
based. It is a “home kit” for Holy Week.
It can be done in several forms. The
first form is a paper calendar with information about each day including
scripture verse, prayer, and devotion.
Another form is a booklet, with each day being a
page. The page would include Scripture,
devotion, collect of the day, discussion questions, and an activity the family
could choose to do.
A Child’s Countdown Calendar would be made of links of
paper leading to a picture of an Easter Morning. Each link would include a brief story and a
prayer.
A Symbol Calendar is made of felt or wide ribbon. The symbols mentioned in “Walk Through Holy
Week” are put on and off using Velcro. A
booklet with the scripture, devotion, collect of the day, and discussion
questions is included with it.
Holy Week Passports
Holy Week Passports quickly became a favorite of children
and adults! We had families who attended
a Holy Week Service just to get their sticker.
I created the passports in house. I wrote what each day meant, anything special
happening in the Service and gave a place for a sticker. For the cover, I used light purple thick
paper. We printed in house. I designed the stickers using Avery Circular
Stickers and the template from their website.
Let’s travel with Jesus and his friends for Holy Week.
Travelers need to carry a passport when they travel to exciting places—and this
booklet is your passport for Holy Week.
On or before Palm Sunday, find a special place to keep
your passport. It could be on the table beside your bed, or even in your car.
Every day in Holy Week, read the Bible passage, either with a printed Bible or
on www.biblegateway.com. Then explore the question on each page and
pray the Lord’s Prayer. Afterwards, award yourself with the passport sticker
for that day! If you would like to share
a picture of your passport as it fills up, please post it to our Facebook page.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Each day is a separate page. Children love it if you add a picture page
like a real passport.
Maundy Thursday
Children love to be involved in the movement of this
service. The focus is bringing the story
of the Passover and for Jesus, the last meal with his friends to life. Using a low table, the evening includes
candles, different types of bread, different types of grapes, sample of the
meal, washing feet supplies, and pillows to sit on.
We gather outside the room and I send two children ahead
to check to see if the room is ready.
The low table is covered with a beige table cover and surrounded with
pillows. Candles (I use battery
operated) fill the room and are the only light.
We all enter the room and sit around the table. I tell them the story of how the Passover
came to be. Then I move on to the story
of Jesus and the importance of this feast day to him. I describe what it could have been like. I tell them Jesus’ words about the bread and
wine. We talk about our communion. We then pass different types of bread around,
tasting a little from each, choosing the favorites and taste differences. We then talk about how wine is made and pass
around the different grapes. Then we
hear about the New Commandment. We talk
about What Jesus was saying and how different it would be for his followers to
hear it. We discuss what it means for
us. We then move from the table and each
is asked if they would like to have their feet washed and/or wash someone’s
feet. Once all, who wish to participate,
are done. We sit in a circle and discuss
what it felt to wash another ‘s feet and to get our feet washed.
We then talk about the betrayal and the friends
present. The children generally have
lots of questions. / We sit in silence to feel a little of what the evening
held for Jesus.
We move into the garden.
We sit in a circle and I tell them about Jesus going to the garden to
pray. We talk of how his friends fell
asleep. We wonder what everyone
felt. We pray. We talk about Jesus and his time in the
garden. We talk about things we are
afraid of.
Next, we talk about what is going to happen during the
service. I mention communion and to
listen to the words remembering this night.
I invite them to sit in the front pews with me after they have had
communion with their family to watch the stripping of the altar. I answer their questions about that.
We talk about sadness.
We talk about hopelessness. We
talk about darkness. I remind them that
Easter is coming and this is not the end, but we have to sit in this moment
before we can move into Easter.
The children are very engaged when we return to the
sanctuary for the remainder of the service.
When the children join me to watch the stripping of the altar, they are
in awe and point out many things. I
allow them to tell me what they are seeing and ask questions. I have a “splash zone” around the first few
pews so that those who sit there know it may be a little noisy.
Children of all ages learn from this service. I, also, learn from the children as they
respond, question, and discuss the events of the evening.
We leave the church in silence, knowing we still have
Good Friday, but Easter is coming; God will not leave us alone in the dark.
Holy Week Devotionals
I have worked with children, with youth, and with adults
to create a week-long devotional for Holy Week.
The devotionals are available starting on Palm Sunday. The whole congregation loves getting them and
following along. I have even illustrated
them with pictures based on what the person or class has written.
The children loved doing this as a Wednesday evening
project. We used all of Lent to create
the booklet. Each class, we would talk about scripture, what we think we should
get out of it. How we can do better or
differently. How can we love Jesus? Is there anything we want to say to our
church family? Then we write a prayer to go with it.
Devotionals written by those in our church family mean
something more to us than one we purchase.
They take a little planning, but what often comes from it is beautiful.
Lent Challenges are a way to learn new practices and focus on
“doing something” instead of “giving up something.” Based on the Ash Wednesday Prayer from the
Book of Common Prayer to have a “Holy Lent”, these challenges are designed to
discover and try new things. Each time a
task is completed, the child gets a sticker or other type reward on a bulletin
board. The child, also, gets a matching
sticker to wear. Once a challenge is
completed, the child demonstrates or shows me.
I encourage families to do the challenge together and explore
them together. Once all the challenges
are completed, the child gets an invitation to a pizza party with me after
Easter.
This can be done as a family-at-home challenge or done as a
group class project on a week-night with other children.
Lent week One: Prayer
An
explanation of what it is and why do it (if done at home, then an informational
sheet.)
Obvious
ways
Meals
Start
& Close of Day
Book
of Common Prayer
When
worried about something
Other Ways to Pray
Praying
while coloring
Praying
using a labyrinth or object
Praying
in a visual way
Writing a prayer-child writes
prayer to be used throughout week.
Choose a prayer practice
Do it
Lent week Two: Community Service
An
explanation of Baptismal Covenant and importance of helping others (if done at
home, then
Informational
sheet.)
Obvious
ways
Helping
those closest to you
Helping
the earth
Moving
Outward
County,
State
Country
World
Our project: choosing a project-
Who
helps
What
we will do
Do project
Lent week three: Study and Learning
What is it (studying scripture)
Why do it?
To
know, get help, understand
To
be able to interpret for ourselves
To
gain and grow in wisdom & faith
To
connect to God, Christianity, each other
For
strength, comfort, etc.
Obvious ways
History
of Bible Reading-OT, NT
Families
read together
Different
translations
Media
presentations
Other Ways to Read and study
Devotionals
With
others, Lectio or other out-loud methods.
Beginning
to end
Picking
a certain Book or Chapter of the Holy Bible.
Choose one. Make a picture book for children showing what
you have read or write a meditation on what you did for the week.
Lent week Four: Almsgiving
What
is it and Why do it? (If sending home, send home informational sheet).
Obvious ways to raise money to
give for a child
Earning
money
Chores,
Allowance
Selling
items a baked goods
Giving
up a food or other item and putting that money towards almsgiving.
Organizations-many
different ways to give to charity
The
Church
Episcopal
Relief and Development
Pick
a project and writing a plan paying for & set goal. Then do it.
Lent Challenges are a way to learn new practices and focus on
“doing something” instead of “giving up something.” Based on the Ash Wednesday Prayer from the
Book of Common Prayer to have a “Holy Lent”, these challenges are designed to
discover and try new things. Each time a
task is completed, the child gets a sticker or other type reward on a bulletin
board. The child, also, gets a matching
sticker to wear. Once a challenge is
completed, the child demonstrates or shows me.
I encourage families to do the challenge together and explore
them together. Once all the challenges
are completed, the child gets an invitation to a pizza party with me after
Easter.
This can be done as a family-at-home challenge or done as a
group class project on a week-night with other children.
Lent week One: Prayer
An
explanation of what it is and why do it (if done at home, then an informational
sheet.)
Obvious
ways
Meals
Start
& Close of Day
Book
of Common Prayer
When
worried about something
Other Ways to Pray
Praying
while coloring
Praying
using a labyrinth or object
Praying
in a visual way
Writing a prayer-child writes
prayer to be used throughout week.
Choose a prayer practice
Do it
Lent week Two: Community Service
An
explanation of Baptismal Covenant and importance of helping others (if done at
home, then
Informational
sheet.)
Obvious
ways
Helping
those closest to you
Helping
the earth
Moving
Outward
County,
State
Country
World
Our project: choosing a project-
Who
helps
What
we will do
Do project
Lent week three: Study and Learning
What is it (studying scripture)
Why do it?
To
know, get help, understand
To
be able to interpret for ourselves
To
gain and grow in wisdom & faith
To
connect to God, Christianity, each other
For
strength, comfort, etc.
Obvious ways
History
of Bible Reading-OT, NT
Families
read together
Different
translations
Media
presentations
Other Ways to Read and study
Devotionals
With
others, Lectio or other out-loud methods.
Beginning
to end
Picking
a certain Book or Chapter of the Holy Bible.
Choose one. Make a picture book for children showing what
you have read or write a meditation on what you did for the week.
Lent week Four: Almsgiving
What
is it and Why do it? (If sending home, send home informational sheet).
Obvious ways to raise money to
give for a child
Earning
money
Chores,
Allowance
Selling
items a baked goods
Giving
up a food or other item and putting that money towards almsgiving.
Organizations-many
different ways to give to charity
The
Church
Episcopal
Relief and Development
Pick
a project and writing a plan paying for & set goal. Then do it.
Lent is a time to focus on our relationships with God and each other. One bridge to the Sunday Morning “box” and to one’s home is with a Jesus Doll. It helps families become rooted in Jesus in an easy way. After adding a home kit, it has been a wonderful tool to tie our parish and faith to a family’s home life. Children have loved their turn with the doll and kit. Parents love having a format to discuss Jesus and faith. One mother told me that her family had never discussed Jesus so much!
The family gets the Jesus Doll and Home kit on Sunday morning and return it the following Sunday. I send an email during the week to let the coming family know their turn with the doll and kit will start the coming Sunday. I, also, send an email to the family who has the doll, asking them to send pictures and reminding them to bring it with them on Sunday. We have a large parish, so generally I stick to our Kindergarten Class, but all children love the opportunity to take “Jesus” into their home.
The photographs returned are full of smiles as the child(ren) take Jesus on their different adventures. Jesus has visited preschool classes, parks, parties, and zoos while with the children. Jesus, also, joins the family at dinner and bedtime. The books (made from a photo service), are cherished. I title it “Jesus Came to our Homes” and the year. I put the photos in story content.
Parents receive a letter in the kit:
This is your week with St. Paul’s Jesus Doll and bag. Enclosed in the bag, you will find a folder with an activity sheet for each child in your family as soon as Jesus comes home and then an activity sheet when Jesus is ready to come back to church. Please, return the sheets with the doll and book in the bag. They will be used to make a display and a book.
The bag, also, contains the book If Jesus Came to My House. Please read this with your child and use it throughout your time with the Jesus doll as a time to talk about Jesus in our homes and in our lives.
Please email a photo of your child(ren) with the Jesus Doll and one photo of Jesus doing an activity with your family. These with the words will be put into a Shutterfly book that will travel with the doll in the future. Copies will be available for purchase if you would like your own.
Included in this folder is a Parent Insights Page. Please write anything you would like to share about this experience for your family.
Please, return the doll and the bag with all the contents the next time you come to the church. The doll and bag with new sheets will be passed on to the next family.
Any discussion questions you have with your children that you would like to pass on, please let Lauren know and those will be compiled to travel with the doll.
Enjoy your visit with Jesus at your home and I hope you find ways to include Jesus in all your activities even beyond the doll’s visit.
Additionally, each kit contains
Two Activity Sheets for each child: one sheet asks the child to write or draw what they would like to do with Jesus during the coming week and the other is their favorite times with Jesus (write or draw) for child to return and then are displayed.
The Jesus Doll and Home Kit was such a success, that I purchased a second Jesus Doll and book. This one goes to our school for classes to use. Jesus, also, attends our parish events. I get various pictures of Jesus with parishioners or “doing” some of our regular activities.
Click on any of the highlighted items to see what I used. Any items purchased through this link helps to fund this site.
This church season begins
with Ash Wednesday and ends with the Easter Triduum (Maundy Thursday through
Easter Day) and lasts forty days, plus the Sundays. Lent is an important
time in the church and for our families.
It was has been a time for preparation for Easter, which included
baptism of converts to the faith and reconciliation of those who either left
the church or of sinners who had been publicly excommunicated from the
church. It is a time to get ready to enter into the mystery of
Easter. Lent, historically, is a time of
fasting, penitence, almsgiving (charity work), prayer and study for those being
baptized, reconciled, or those wishing to grow closer to God. Currently,
we are asked to use Lent as a time for personal and collective
transformations. We look truthfully at ourselves and make changes.
We see two major scripture
stories that use the forty days as a time of great change. The children of Israel, were led out of
bondage into freedom, but ended up spending time in the wilderness to prepare
for their promised land. Jesus went into
the wilderness for forty days to prepare for his ministry. As these stories represent, we can use Lent
to break our bonds, make new choices and begin a new direction for hearts and
lives.
When most people think of
Lent, they think of giving up a food item for six weeks. I like to give families a new practice and a
time to focus on their relationship with God and each other. Giving them the tools for spiritual practices
and discussions during this time is important.
Some of the offerings I give families are Lent Home Kits, Lent
Challenges, Jesus Doll and Home Kit, Ways to Pray and Give, and
Devotionals.
Holy Week will be covered in Another blog.
Lent Home Kits- Lent-in-a-Bag is one of the most
popular of our take home activities. The
bags are handed out on the first Sunday of Lent (one per family). The bag contains six objects and devotions. I place the object in a snack size back and
staple the devotion to the bag. I, also,
put a booklet with all the Bible reading for each devotion. I find that busy families will not take the
time to go and get a Bible, so this guarantees that scripture will be read. Each week, after dinner or before bedtime,
the family gathers together. One object
with devotion is bulled from the Lent-in-a-Bag.
Someone reads the devotion and accompanying scripture. There is a discussion and prayer said. It does not take long, but families are so
excited, especially the children, it is hard to get them to wait a week
in-between.
Buying items in bulk helps keep the cost down to a little
over $1 a bag.
Each year, I choose a different theme. In 2019, I did “Journey into the Wilderness”
with each scripture and devotion being about someone who from scripture who had
to go to the wilderness or a dark time before they did their work.
For 2020, the theme was “Praying with Jesus”. Each scripture and devotion is about one of
the times Jesus used prayer before a major act or immediately after: Before his
ministry started, the wilderness (the object was a rock), before choosing the
12 apostles (the object was a star), before the Transfiguration (the object was
a battery-operated tea candle), and before he was arrested (the object was a
cross). After he fed the 5000 (the
object was a fish). He taught how to
pray (the object is a scroll with the Lord’s Prayer).
Examples of devotions:
Before choosing
his 12 apostles, Jesus went to pray. He
continued in prayer all night. Read Luke
6:12-16. Why do you think he prayed before
choosing the 12? Why pray all
night? When do you pray? What if before major choices, we prayed, do
you think it would make a difference? We
think of stars as important and even call some people a star. What if we made Jesus our star this Lent. What would that look like? As you pass around the star, name one thing
about Jesus that you admire. Say a
prayer asking Jesus to be your star.
Before Jesus’ transfiguration, Jesus took a few of his
disciples and went up on the mountain to pray.
Read Luke 9: 28-36. Jesus became
filled with light and glowed, as well as, spoke to two prophets from a long
time ago. When we are in darkness, we
use light to help us see. What else do
we use light for? When are times that
you were afraid and a light made you feel better? Turn on the candle. We depend on light. What if we relied on Jesus, like we relied on
light? As you pass the candle, say a
prayer and each name one place in your life that you will include Jesus as the
center (the light.)
After Jesus feeds a large crowd, Jesus sends his
friends on and goes to pray. He had
tried to spend time in prayer before the feeding, but had compassion on the
crowd. Read Matthew 14: 13-23. Just as Jesus fed the crowd food, prayer
feeds our souls. It helps us connect
with God. What are some things that feed
you (helps you feel excited and full of energy?) When you are tired, what feeds you (helps you
to feel better?) What is a way you can
connect to God? Think of a short
sentence that you could use to pray continuously to God (i.e. God be with
me.) Fish need care. Our souls need care. Pass around the fish and say your short
sentence as a prayer. When the last one
has said their prayer, say the Lord’s Prayer together.
Surprisingly, Jesus does not tell his disciples about
prayer; he just does it. One, finally,
asks Jesus to teach them how to pray.
Read Luke 11: 10-8. This is what
we call the Lord’s Prayer. It is the
only prayer Jesus taught us. He starts
by acknowledging God’s will is the most important then asks for the things we
need to survive and moves into asking forgiveness for our sins (trespasses),
but on the condition that we forgive others.
Then we ask for guidance when we are faced with a difficult choice or
situation. When do you pray the Lord’s
Prayer? What is your favorite part? Are there other prayers you could pray that ask
for the same thing? Unroll the
scroll. Where is someplace you could
place the scroll this week to remind all who see it to pray the Lord’s Prayer
or a similar prayer? Say the Lord’s
Prayer together and put the scroll in a place to remind each family member to
say the prayer when they see it.
Before Easter, there was Good Friday, the
crucifixion. Before the crucifixion,
there was the arrest of Jesus. Before
the arrest of Jesus, Jesus goes to pray.
He knows what is to come and requires the strength and connection that
comes with prayer. He, also, asks his
friends to come and pray with him, but they keep falling asleep. Read Mark 14: 32-41. I wonder how things seem, things we are very
afraid to face or do, if we went to prayer for strength and connection? When do you like to pray alone? When do you like praying in a group? When do you like praying in a community? What do you like about each? What do you not like about each? As you pass around the cross, name one
emotion Jesus was probably feeling. When
everyone has had a turn, say a prayer asking God to be with you when you feel
those feelings. Sit in quiet with your
eyes closed, letting God’s presence be with you.
Before starting his ministry, Jesus went into the
wilderness for 40 days. To prepare for
his ministry, Jesus prayed. Read Matthew
4:6-11.
While in the wilderness, Jesus was invited to transform stone into bread. Jesus knew he was not called to do this by God. Perhaps prayer helped him to know what he was called to do. Might there be a stony place in you that needs changing? Some attitude or habit that, with a little attention, might even become a gift for you and others? When you are angry or sad, it may feel like your heart has become a rock. How does that feel? How can you help someone who has a “rock” in their heart? When we are hungry or hurting it can be hard to do the right thing. How can we remember to choose to do the right thing? Pass around the rock. Using a permanent marker, write a word that everyone can pray to help you when you feel like you are in a rocky place.
Developing a way for families to worship, discuss, and bring Lent into their homes without the traditional fasting (or in addition to giving up a food item) is one of the ways we strengthen the bridge between the church and home.
Lent in a Bag is handed out to all families with children on the first Sunday of Lent. Each year, I have a different theme with story items. This is to keep things interesting. For this year, the theme is Journey into the Wilderness. I am focusing on all the Bible stories about people who went into the desert and then came out to do their ministry.
Each week the family sits around the table and pulls one object out of the bag. Attached to each object is a Bible story, a short write up with discussion questions. After listening to the story, eachfamily member passes around the object and answers the questions. The session ends in prayer.
This is very popular and many of our families are excited to share Lent in a Bag with others outside of our church family!
Here are the stories and the items I used for this year:
Jesus- after his baptism, he goes into the wilderness (Matthew 4, Mark 1 or Luke 4) The object is a small bag of sand.
Jesus- in wildnerness tempted rocks to bread (Matthew 4: 1-10). The object is a rock.
Moses leaves Egypt to shepherd int he wilderness (Exodus 2: 11-25). The object is minature sheep.
Moses and the Israelites wander in the dessert (Exodus 32). The object is gold.
John the Baptist (Mark 1: 1-13). The object is a clam shell.
Ezekiel-having a heart for God (Ezekiel 36:24 – 37:14). The object is a heart.
Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 18-25 summarized). The object is a baby.
With the theme of into the wilderness as a precusor to ministry, I am hoping it encourages each person to think about their ministry. In the future, if they are driven “into the wilderness” in their lives, then to know an exciting ministry can be ahead in their lives too.
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