Basics – Page 5 – Family Faith Companion

Give your family a gift. Will you make a new habit?

Posted on November 5, 2015November 9, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

This coming Sunday, Rev. Nancy starts off a new sermon series on Stewardship. The scripture passage will be Matthew 25:14-28, which happens to be our story for our next Rotation!

Here’s a suggestion for giving your family a gift…

a couple with coffee Attend the 9:30 service and then, leave with the kids after the children’s time.

The kids head to class and you grab some coffee.

(No, that’s not the gift.)

It’s a little known factoid that coffee is ready in time for the choir members to imbibe. (You may need to look in the kitchen. Please be sure to make a donation for your coffee during Connections time.)

Find a quiet place to sit for 40 minutes. Though space on Sunday mornings is at a premium, wander about, you’ll find a spot. Catch up on your reading. (Please keep your chatting to a hush in a space like the Social Hall where a class is being held.) Then at 11:15… (here comes the gift)…

Attend worship as a family.

Use these discussion questions to debrief the service:

What was your favorite part of worship? Did you have a least favorite part?
In the Bible story, how much did the master give to each of his servants? (Answer)
What did the story mean by a “talent?” (Ans: In Bible times a talent was a measure of the weight of a precious metal.)
What did each servant do with what the master gave him?
How did the master feel about each servants choice?
Today we use the word “talent” to mean our abilities. Go around the table and identify an ability – a talent – of the person on your left.
How do you suppose God feels when we use our skills to help others?
How do you suppose God feels if we “hide” our talents?
What skill or talent would you like to develop? What do you feel you need to do to start?
God gave us our talents. God gave us everything we have! What prayer can we say to thank God for all of our wonderful gifts.

Perhaps you’ll start a new habit every Sunday during this sermon series.

Photo credits:
An edited photo of coffee for two by Nathan Walker, who has released this photo to the Public Domain. Offered at unsplash.com.

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Why did Ruth make a startling (crazy?) choice?

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Have you ever admired something in someone, causing you to wonder: What makes them tick?

I’m not talking about wonderment in a swooning sort of way — more wanting to know what it is that motivates a person. What is their driving force?

The Bible doesn’t give us many clues but Naomi must have exhibited behaviors that Ruth applauded, eliciting a, “Hey, I want to be like her” response in Ruth.

This coming Sunday kids will be in worship as we celebrate All Saints Day, a time when we commemorate the lives of those who have shown us a picture of faith. Though this is a day set-aside to remember faith-warriors who have died in the last year, we can stretch our definition of a saint to someone who is living; someone who wears their faith on their sleeve.

Naomi must have worn her faith on her sleeve.

Ruth acted on her admiration for her mother-in-law Naomi. She made a startling choice:

Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Ruth 1:16b,c

Time Out. Talk about… speech bubble
Ask these questions at the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.)

What could have made Ruth decide to follow Naomi’s God?
Who to you seems like they are close to God?
Have you ever thought about asking them how they got connected to God?
Identify people you know who seem to be “God followers.” Make a plan to ask them about their faith.
What is it about YOUR faith that might make other’s think: “how can I be like them?”

How are you wearing your faith on your sleeve?

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Photo credits:
A thoughtful child by Ryse Lawrence, in the Public Domain, offered at Pixabay.com.

How to make bold, Ruth-like promises to people we care about

Posted on October 22, 2015November 5, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Naomi had packed up her belongings, and with her two daughter-in-laws, was heading to Bethlehem. What a trio – three widows without any children! (People hearing this story in Bible times knew about the perilous predicament of a widow without a son to care for her.) These three likely hadn’t gotten very far before Naomi urged them to make a different choice.

Go home. Go back to your families. What possible reason would you have for returning with me? (Ruth 1:11)

One of the daughter-in-laws does just that. She returns to her home in Moab… to her mother… to what was well-known… to her gods (Moab was a land of multiple pagan gods)… to a place where she wasn’t likely to be shunned (Israelites looked down on Moabites). She was looking out for number one – herself. Nothing to be faulted for that!

Meanwhile, Ruth makes a bold, surprising promise:

Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Ruth 1:16

Two kids make a pinky promise (by linking their pinky fingers)

Such an extravagant commitment!

This is a story about love, loyalty, devotion. And it’s about making hard choices.

What “Ruth-like” promises have you made for the people in your life?

While this strategy can apply to everyone in the family, I’m specifically talking to the parents here. How about making one (or all) of these promises:

I’ll attend worship with my family every week – even though the kids might squirm, sigh loudly, and make a fuss. (Because worshiping with your kids is good parenting in action.)
I’ll make sure that I am cultivating my own faith and I’ll talk about my faith journey with my family.
I’ll ask my child every night, “How can I be praying for you?”
I will daily invest in blessing my child.

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a Ruth wheat braiding project If your kids attend FUMC as Cool Disciples, they are mentally absorbing the basics. Each week they hear the story details. As they craft wheat creations or knead barley biscuits, they are learning definitions for widow, famine, and gleaning; they are hearing Ruth’s bold statement of trust.

But, with only (at best) 45 minutes in class, we can’t dig deep enough. We try, but we don’t have the time.

We need parents and caregivers to continue the learning.

We need you to make some Ruth-like promises, to ensure your child’s spiritually is nurtured.

Here’s my Ruth-like, stretching-myself promise to you (because I care about your kids): I’ll keep bugging you to grow your kids faith!

Photo credits:
Pinky promise by Cheryl Holt, in the Public Domain, offered at Pixabay.com.
Other photo from my archives.

How to read a long story – a little at a time

Posted on October 15, 2015October 16, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Pose this question at the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) True or false: Dumpster-diving was practiced during Bible times.

Want to find out? Read our scripture together as a family. Since it’s a long story, use the following plan to read and talk about our story in stages, over the course of several days. Read a passage and then discuss the question(s) or do the activities. (Scroll down for suggestions on reviewing this story with preschoolers.)

Read in Ruth	Readers notes	Talk about or do…
Chp 1, verses 1-2 written as 1:1-2	Elimelek (or spelled, Elimeleck) is pronounced: ee-LIM-eh-lek. Mahlon => MAH-luhn. Ephrathite => EF-ruh-tight.	What is a famine? Where have we heard of Bethlehem before? Find Bethlehem and Moab on a map (look here). How long do you suppose it took to travel there?
1:1-5	Orpah => OR-puh. The Moabites and the Israelites were enemies! In fact the Israelites had strict laws forbidding these foreigners from participating in the Israelite community (Deuteronomy 23:3).	What is an “unusual” place you’d like to visit? Why does Moab seem like a strange choice as a place for an Israelite to go? Naomi has bad news! What do you suppose life was like for women back in Bible times?
1:6-18	In a patriarchal society, where women did not have access to jobs, widows were completely dependent upon men – either a grown son, or another husband (if they were able to remarry).	Choices, choices! Which choice would you make: Go with Naomi or go back to “safety?” What could have made Ruth decide to follow Naomi’s God? Why do you suppose Ruth was so devoted to Naomi? Where do you suppose this loyalty come from? Who is someone to whom you are loyal?
1:16-18	Verse 16b, c is our key Bible verse for this Rotation. The “b, c” means the second and third portions of verse 16.	Why does this seem like such an extreme promise for Ruth to make? What promises have you made lately? Any this radical?
1:19-21	Mara is pronounced: MAY-ruh. The meaning of names was important in Bible times. Naomi meant “pleasant;” Mara meant “bitter.”	How is Naomi feeling? She is hurting! She is moaning about her situation! She is doing what is called “lamenting!” Read together the classic Psalm of lament: Psalm 13:1-2. When have you lamented? Do you suppose that a little bit of lamenting is okay every now and then?
1:22-2:13	Elimelek => ee-LIM-eh-lek. Boaz => BO-az. For the laws which set up gleaning, read: Leviticus 19:10; 23:22	What does “gleaning” mean? (It was like welfare for the poor.) What sorts of programs do we have today to help people get food? Make a plan to attend FiSH Fri Service Night.
2:14-23	Israelite law required all farmers to leave dropped grain (or other crops) in the fields for the disadvantaged to glean, however it was the landowner who determined the generosity of the gleanings!	In verse 20, what word is used to describe Boaz’s relationship to Naomi’s family? A close relative? Nearest kin? Guardian-redeemer? Who do you have in your family who takes care of you? Is Naomi still lamenting? What has caused her attitude to change? Count all the ways Boaz showed kindness to Ruth.
3:1-18	According to Israelite laws, the nearest blood relative (a “kinsman redeemer”) was to marry a widow to continue the family line. Naomi is setting up a plan to implement this process.	Which verses tell you that Boaz is an honorable man? How are things looking for Ruth and Naomi? Why do these demonstrations of loyalty seem counter to the Israelite-Moabite prejudice?
4:1-10	Is this a coincidence that Ruth finds her way to Boaz’s fields, or is it God’s grand plan to bless the life of Ruth and Naomi through Boaz? (Methodists say that God works inside of people, to transform them, and others around them.)	What did you think of the handing over of the sandal? In what way do you seal promises? Remember Ruth’s lavish pledge to Naomi? (1:16b, c) What do you suppose Ruth thinks of her promise now that Boaz is going to take care of her? Do you suppose that Ruth gave thanks to God? From this story, what does God teach us about caring for others?
4:13-22	You may wish to take care in how you read verse 13.	What is the significance of the family tree? (King David was their descendant!) David had a great great great… (many greats)… grandson whom we talk about a lot, and who was born in Bethlehem just like Obed; who was it? (Jesus!) What would have happened with Jesus if Ruth hadn’t gone with Naomi?

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Reading and talking about the story for younger children:

Here are several versions of the story:

The Little One’s Bible

This Bible storybook has appropriate questions on each page.

The Beginner’s Bible

Show a map and point out Judah. Identify Moab as the place where Ruth and Naomi were.
At the end of this story, add in the part about Obed being the grandfather of King David and about David being the ancestor of Jesus. Draw your family tree.

A video by Jelly Telly (What’s in the Bible?): Ruth

What’s in the Bible: popsicle stick puppets – Ruth (If reading this in an email, you can watch this video on YouTube.)

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Photo credits:
Gleaning, a painting by Arthur Hughes is in the Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Revealing the hidden truth: Who is your neighbor?

Posted on September 24, 2015September 24, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Who likes to play games? How about playing a game around the family dinner table? After all, dinner table games can lead everyone into dialogue. And what could be better than a family talking!

What game shall we play? How about a storytelling game! Chose someone to start the story. They can start to tell a tale about anything! After a couple of sentences, they choose someone else, who then continues the story where it left off. Of course it’s more fun if you move along quickly!

When your story finishes up. Ask your family these pointing-to-another-story questions:

A parable is a type of story. Who is known for telling lots of parables? [Jesus!]
Can you name some of Jesus’ parables? [There are over 50! Dig through a Bible to find some.]
What is it about a parable that makes it unique? [Parables are stories with a hidden meaning that are meant to teach us something.]
What do you suppose is the hidden meaning in the Parable of the Good Samaritan? (Need to review the story?)
The hidden meaning in this story was that our “neighbor” can be the person we least-expect! What is this parable teaching us today? [It asks us to look at how we view others. Isn’t everyone our neighbor?]
Pastor Doug has been talking about “Disruptive Christianity.” What do you suppose we could do that would help out a “neighbor?” How would doing that be “disruptive?”

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Photo credits:
Child at the table by Jenna P, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

What is a Good Samaritan?

Posted on September 8, 2015September 5, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

How would you define a “Good Samaritan?” Is it someone who stops to help someone who needs roadside assistance?

Not surprisingly, that is the modern-day meaning of a Good Samaritan, but that is not what Jesus was teaching us to do!

This coming Sunday the downtown Cool Disciples will start a new Rotation on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I’m hoping that we’ll see the hidden meaning in this parable!

Here are some recommended steps you can take over the course of the next few days. Do these things at the family dinner table. Or wherever your family is gathered together.

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Your assignment: (Think of this as… Traveling down the path to deepening your family’s faith. And a way to get more out of Sunday’s Cool.)

Read our story in Luke 10:25-37.
The next time you gather, read the story in a different Bible version. (How about The Message?)
When you gather again, try telling the story from memory. Check a Bible to see how you did.
A fun thing to do after multiple tellings of the story is to tell the story incorrectly! “Once a man was traveling from Ann Arbor to Lansing.” Allow everyone to add a line to the story. See if anyone catches the purposeful mistakes.
Watch this animated video of the story.

Watch it a second time and tell the story as the video runs. (If reading this in an email, you can watch this video on YouTube.)

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Think of how much deeper the classroom discussion could be if everyone arrives with a general knowledge of the story!

See you in class! (Hope you’ve put church on your calendar.)

Photo credits:
Flat tire by OakleyOriginals, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

Does your crammed calendar announce commitment to church?

Posted on September 3, 2015October 1, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

I have always considered that September trumps January in the “starting-anew” arena. September means a multitude of fresh possibilities!

Here’s something that may be new to you: Adding “church” to your family calendar.

Here is how my Sundays look:
(It may be how your Saturday looks if you attend at Green Wood)

Is church on your calendar Have you considered the life-giving reasons why “church” should be on your calendar?

(a) Because research shows that active involvement in a faith community is a important factor in children becoming happy, healthy adults. (Want even more statistics? Here are 52 reasons to go to church — one for every week!)

(b) Because church provides folks with a built-in extended family of positive role models.

Get started with purposeful participation: delegate a block of time on your calendar for church!

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On another chronological note, we’ll be restarting the Workshop Rotation Model soon, after a break featuring our summer movie series.

Our first story of the new year will be The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Read about our story in Luke 10:25-37. (To see a growing list of opportunities to foster faith learning at home for this month’s story, click here.)

On Sundays, at the downtown location, here is the schedule….

Date	Activities for 1st through 6th graders
9/6	Worship with your family. Read ahead of time, the scripture Nancy Lynn will be using: Luke 10:38-42 and James 2:14-17. Last week’s sermon was part one. Listen if you missed it.
9/13	Everyone participates in a Video Workshop in the Social Hall. What a great way for all to be introduced to our story!

For the rest of the month, the 6th graders will do things a bit differently… (including special projects around our current Rotation). On 9/27 they will videotape a puppet show of the story that will be shown to the preschool and K’s on 10/4.

Date	Activities for 1st through 5th graders
	Cooking	Cooking	Art	Art
	Social Hall A	Social Hall B	Room 211	Room 212
9/20	3rd grade	4th grade	1st grade	2nd grade	5th grade will also do Art in Room 215
9/27	1st grade	2nd grade	4th grade	5th grade	3rd grade will have a special Bible presentation class in the Wesley Lounge.
10/4	Worship with your family. It is World Communion Sunday. Read ahead of time, the scripture: Acts 11:1-9. I’m wondering what this will teach us about what it means to live out “Disruptive Christianity.”

And on Saturdays evenings, at the Green Wood location, here is the schedule…

Date	Activity
9/5	Wrap up the summer movie series and find answers to the question: How can we show respect to God through our actions? See here for your family discussion guide.
9/12	The Good Samaritan Video Workshop.
9/19	Worship with your family. Read the scripture ahead of time: Matthew 20:20-28.
9/26	Worship with your family. Read the scripture ahead of time: John 8:2-11. (How do you explain adultery? For young children: A broken promise made between a husband and a wife. For older kids: Adults who did not stay faithful to their husband or their wife.)
10/3	The Good Samaritan Art Workshop.

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of the animated Veggie Tales video Are You My Neighbor? They will also participate in a “Golden Rule” activity.
In the Art Workshop students will decorate cards for the visitation team to distribute to our home-bound neighbors.
In the Cooking Workshop students will create homemade granola bars to distribute to a “neighbor.” Includes coming up with a broad definition of “neighbor.”

On Saturday nights and on Sunday mornings at FUMC our Cool Disciples experience Rotation Model Christian education, as they learn about Bible stories and concepts through kid-friendly multimedia workshops. If you are in the area please join us for the fun learning at First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI.

Can a simple, uplifting, tucked-in note be a huge gift?

Posted on September 1, 2015August 30, 2018 by Carol Hulbert

Once again, they will go off to school. Carrying a backpack filled with practical supplies: pencils, paper, and pocket folders. Walking upstairs

Did you include a note for your child to find?

Perhaps when she opened her lunch? Or concealed in his pencil case?
Or tucked into the sleeve of a carried-along jacket?

One of several backpack or lunch box blessings Did you know that your note can speak powerful words? The very thoughts of God: a blessing.

Writing a note is a special chance to bless your child.

Get a set of free Lunch box / Backpack Blessing Notes here. (Two samples are shown.)

Another backpack blessing card Blessing your child empowers them — indicating who they are and who they are meant to be.

Tuck encouraging words into your child’s day.

Get your Lunch box / Backpack Blessing Notes here. Want to write them out by hand? Feel free to copy!

Photo credits:
Going up the steps by Jake Hills, who has released this photo to the Public Domain. Offered at unsplash.com.
Backpack blessings created with various Public Domain clipart from wpclipart.com.