Calendar

Christmas Blessings!

Posted on December 24, 2013August 29, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

{A Christmas blessing for you.}

This Christmas, may you catch a glimpse of this truth…

Love came among us on Christmas.

Yes, to us all!
The heart-sick,
the weary,
the lost,
the down-troddened.

To give us hope.
To show us how much God cares.

May you bring this gift to others.
May you be an image-bearer of Christ,
an agent of change,
a light for the world!

May you have a blessed Christmas!

–Love, Carol

Nativity scene with Christmas tree background

Photo credits:
Nativity by Jeff Weese, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License. Altered images here and here, by Carol Hulbert, at Flickr.

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Who was doing the seeking?

Posted on December 12, 2013January 5, 2020 by Carol Hulbert

In our current Advent Rotation, we are learning about the wise men, who upon discovering an unusual new star, traversed from afar, looking for the new king. (In those days an unfamiliar star = a royal event; all great kings had a star associated with their birth.)

Arriving in Jerusalem these magi created quite a commotion with their inquiry…

A photo of the Milky Way Galaxy with the words from Matthew 2:2

These wise men were on a determined hunt for this new king. We don’t know how far they had traveled, or what sort of difficulties they came up against; they persevered.

But who was seeking whom?

Who got these magi started on their quest?
Who put the star up in the sky?
Who re-hung the star after their stop in Jerusalem? (Matthew 2:9)
Who guided them to find Jesus?

This seeking seems to be going both ways! Seeking Jesus is a beneficial practice, but what about considering that Christ also seeks us?

How would it benefit us to notice signs of God leading us to Jesus?

A friend offers assistance at the right moment.

A child asks a pointed question.

A word heard, sparks thoughts.

If we’re not looking, will we notice?

Talk with your family about God seeking us. Here are some questions to guide your discussion. Perhaps ask a few questions during a car ride. For an easy to print out version, click here.

Read: Matthew 2:1-2.
Ask: What questions do you suppose the wise men asked before they started their journey? (How far will we have to travel? Will the star continue to guide us?)
Why do you suppose the magi left everything to go looking for Jesus?
I wonder how the star had that much pull in their lives?
Can you imagine God in his wonderous power, hanging a bright star as a sign to the wise men?
What was God hoping these wise men would do?
What has been your “star” leading you to Jesus?

Read: Matthew 2:1-8
Ask: When Herod heard about the magi asking about “one born king of the Jews,” he called together the chief priests and religious teachers. What did he ask them?
What was their response?
How do you suppose Herod really felt about this “new king?”
How come these religious leaders didn’t act interested in Jesus?

Read: Matthew 2:1-12
Ask: When the wise men saw Jesus, what did they do?
Do we worship Jesus like the magi did?
What is different?
We could say that the wise men were “wise” because they went looking for Jesus. How would we describe a not-so-wise person? (Too busy to look? Not willing to try hard enough?)
How could you help someone become “wise?”
Contemplate how the magi packed for their trip. How does a wise person “pack” for Christmas? (Plenty of patience?)

God loves you. He seeks your love in return!

Photo credits:
Our Milky Way Galaxy original photo by C. Malin of ESO, made available for use under a Creative Commons 3.0 License. Altered image to add Bible passage, by Carol Hulbert at Flickr.
A slightly altered (coloration, size) clipart star, from the Public Domain via wpclipart.com.

Happy New Year!

Posted on December 1, 2013February 26, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

No. My calendar pages are not out of order. And I realize that today is not January 1st.

But today is the start of a new year according to the liturgical calendar, which is the calendar that guides the seasons of the church year. Advent is the beginning of a new church year and Advent starts today! Thus, it is okay to go around shouting, “Happy New Year!”

Just what is the liturgical calendar?

Unlike the calendars we all carry with us, the purpose of the liturgical calendar is not to mark the passage of time. Instead, it is a calendar that repeats every year: Advent, Christmastide, the day of Epiphany, the season after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, etc, etc. Through this continuous cycling of seasons, we hear the stories of Jesus and the start of the church. It all begins today, with the season of Advent in which we prepare our hearts for Jesus to come into our world as a small baby.

Returning to the same stories?

With an annual revisiting of these stories do we find them a little bit different each time? Perhaps because we ourselves have changed?

As Joan Chittister says in her book, The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life…

We are older, wiser, more experienced. We are also more needy, less sure of ourselves, more greedy for life, and less sure of what it really is.

Paying attention to the changing church seasons can make us aware of how we fit into these stories.

Other clues to a changing season?

The liturgical calendar is often displayed as a circle and certain colors mark each season. Look for changes in the colors used in worship – the cloths (called paraments) that cloak the altar or hang from the pulpit, or are worn by the clergy. (They may be purple or blue.) Look also for changed wording in the bulletin.

Happy New Year!

May you live your liturgical year with eyes open to your place in God’s story!

Photo credits… White Rocket Burst by christmasstockimages.com, is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0).
View the pie chart I created here.

A reminder to sit in the Thanksgiving chair

Posted on November 27, 2013February 6, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

Watch this short video. It’s powerful. It’s a reminder to always give thanks, for everything. And to teach our children to do likewise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Video produced by Shift Worship.

Purposeful Gratitude

Posted on November 21, 2013March 10, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

In reading the story of Abraham and Sarah, have you noticed that Abraham has a habit?

He stacks stones.

A very balanced pile of rocks

No, Abraham wasn’t piling rocks in an artful manner such as the photo above. He built altars. He deliberately heaped soil and rock, forming a reminder. A physical stalwart to remind him of an encounter with God. He would use these altars in his worship to God and to remind himself of God’s promises of blessing.

In the season of Thanksgiving, how about we be as deliberate, and make our gratitude be purposeful. The key is to make this your new normal. Here are some ways to do this with your family:

Why not pile some rocks. Go out for a walk to collect stones. Once back at home, in a family gathering (perhaps at the dinner table), read about Abram’s altar building in Genesis 12:6-8 or Genesis 13:3-4 or Genesis 13:18. Make a pile of your rocks naming each one as a thanksgiving to God.
Take the next step and write thanksgivings on your rocks with a permanent marker, or use a glue and water mix (Modge Podge) to apply cut out pictures to your rocks.
Allow your rock pile to be re-built on a daily basis!

A "shrine" of things that invoke the memory of God's goodness

The Life Application Bible tells us that Abram built altars to “remember that God was at the center of his life.” Build a different sort of “altar.” Fill a space in your home with reminders of thankfuls. Allow touching and rearranging and additions and subtractions. (Photo on right is at the Nelson home around Easter time.)

With older children discuss ways people often build “monuments” to themselves or to their stuff. Why do you suppose we do this? How can we break into a new focus of being grateful?

A blessing box - a place to store your blessings!

Fill up your family blessing box!
If your child didn’t get to make one in our Art Workshop for the story of Abraham & Sarah, you can view the lesson here and download the instructions here. Decorate any old box!

What are other ways your family makes gratitude purposeful?

Photo credits:
Balancing rocks by Viewminder, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License. “Shrine” photo from the Nelson family. Used by permission. Blessing box photo from my archives.

Abraham & Sarah: November Schedule

Posted on October 31, 2013November 6, 2013 by Carol Hulbert

Welcome! Join us as we offer ways to enrich your family’s faith journey. Extend once a week “church school learning” into your everyday!
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To see a growing list of opportunities to foster faith learning at home for our current Rotation story :: click here.

In November we are continuing the story of Abraham and Sarah. Read our story in Genesis 12:1-9, 13:14b-18, 15:1-7, 15:18a, 17:1-9, 17:15-17, 18:1-15, 21:1-3. Note that this is a long story and portions of Genesis are being skipped on purpose!

a speech bubble
Bonus Question for the Kiddos: Why is Abram star-gazing?

On Sunday’s at the Downtown location…

Date	Our workshops…
11/3	Enjoy worship and Communion with your family
	Video	Art	Games	Puppets	Cooking
	Pine Room	Room 212	Room 211	Room 215	Social Hall
11/10	3rd grade	5th & 6th grade	1st grade	4th grade	2nd grade
11/17	4th grade	1st grade	2nd grade	5th & 6th grade	3rd grade
11/24	5th & 6th grade	2nd grade	3rd grade	1st grade	4th grade

For Saturdays at the Green Wood location, here is the schedule…

Date	Workshop or Activity
11/2	Attend a special worship service with kids in leadership roles.
11/9	Cooking Workshop
11/16	Art Workshop
11/23	Video Workshop
11/30	Worship with your family and enjoy the holiday weekend!

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Art Workshop students will discuss blessings in their lives and how they can bless others. They will create and learn how to make use of a blessing box.
In the Cooking Workshop students will make sugar cookies to give to others who are blessings in their lives.
In the Games Workshop students will participate in a Trivial Pursuit type of game to learn story details.
In the Puppets Workshop students will use handle-bag puppets to enact the story.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of an animated video on our story, Covenant Discovery, from the Great Bible Discovery series. Explore how we trust God’s promise.

If you are in the area please join us for the fun learning at First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI. On Saturday nights and on Sunday mornings, children ages 3 to 6th grade experience Workshop Rotation Model Christian education, as they learn about Bible stories and concepts through kid-friendly, fun, multimedia workshops.

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Abram is awed by the number of stars in the sky by Stjepan Mokatelo, via Christian Clip Art.

All Saints Day? Tell me more.

Posted on October 30, 2013November 4, 2016 by Carol Hulbert

This weekend families join together in worship for a special service where we celebrate “All Saints Day.” (Which occurred on November 1st.)

What do you picture when you hear the word “saint?”

Someone who models perfection?
Who does/did no wrong?
Who is exceptionally holy and wears a halo??

I like the definition of All Saints Day, given by Gertrud Mueller Nelson in her book To Dance With God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration…

All Saints Day is the celebration of those who have contributed successfully to the creation of the kingdom.

To be a saint doesn’t imply we have to be perfect!
It just means we wear our faith on our sleeve!

an old bell on a chapel In the worship service this weekend there will be a time where we remember saints who have died in the past year. As their names are read a bell is tolled.

This special time of the service is to remember — to thank God — for these saints who have shown others the Christian walk and faith.

They wore their faith on their sleeves!

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble

Prepare your children for this portion of the service by talking about remembering. (Don’t worry if you don’t have a chance to prepare ahead of time. Talking about it after the service works too!)

Ask your kids what they remember about your last vacation, or a special birthday, or a visit with a friend or a relative. Invoke memories of good times! Why is it good to remember these occasions?
How is the celebration of Communion a time to remember?
Share with your kids, remembering whose example helped you on your faith journey. Didn’t grow up with these sorts of mentors? Talk about who is currently helping you build your faith. (We are allowed to stretch the definition of a saint to include those who are living!)
Use this as an overture to talking about who are the current mentors in your child’s spiritual journey. Whom would they like to have as their advisers? (Research shows that kids are helped to succeed in life when they have multiple non-family adults in their “camp.”)

Are you wearing your faith on your sleeve?

Photo credits:
A church bell in a chapel on the Island of Corfu, Greece, from my archives.

Abraham & Sarah: October Schedule

Posted on October 3, 2013October 13, 2013 by Carol Hulbert

Welcome! This is the spot to find ideas and encouragement to grow faith in your family. Easily read future posts (usually one a week) by subscribing over on the right. Enter your e-mail address to have posts sent directly to your inbox. Or click on the orange RSS icon to subscribe in a reader. Thanks for visiting.

To see a growing list of opportunities to foster faith learning at home
for this month’s story :: click here.

On Saturday nights and on Sunday mornings at FUMC, our kids, whom we call Cool Disciples, experience Rotation Model Christian education, as they learn about Bible stories and concepts through kid-friendly multimedia workshops. Scroll down to view our October schedule of workshops. This month we’ll be starting a Rotation on the Old Testament story of Abraham and Sarah.

The Old Testament? Why study the Old Testament?

After all, isn’t it the Old (i.e., Out-dated, Leaden, Dusty) Testament?

While the Old Testament can seem distant from our ways of thinking, there are important reasons why we include it in our studies:

It’s the Bible Jesus learned. (In fact, he likely could recite all of it by heart.)
Jesus and the apostles constantly refer to it in their teaching.

And the story of Abraham and Sarah is of particular interest…

It’s the story of God’s interactions with people; calling them to be in a relationship with him.
We see Abraham and Sarah on a journey. They took the first step and walked into the unknown, solely by faith. There is an element of mystery in walking faithfully. Abraham and Sarah can be a model for what it means to take a leap of faith.

Read about our story in Genesis 12:1-9, 13:14b-18, 15:1-7, 15:18a, 17:1-9, 17:15-17, 18:1-15, 21:1-3. Note that this is a long story and portions of Genesis are being skipped on purpose!

For Saturdays at the Green Wood location, here is the schedule…

Date	Workshop	Activity
10/5	Drama Workshop	One more week on the story of Jesus in the Temple as a young boy. Enact this story using masks in the form of a Greek drama.
10/12	Puppet Workshop	Starting on the story of Abraham and Sarah by using “handle bag” puppets to enact the story.
10/19	No Workshop this week	Worship with your family
10/26	A Special Workshop	Make preparations to help lead worship on November 2nd and make a Halloween snack.

On Sundays at the downtown location…

Date	What’s happening…
10/6	Enjoy worship and World Communion Sunday. (Leave the service with your child after the children’s moment for Rev. Nancy Lynn’s Family Communion Class, and rejoin the service in time for Communion. Recommended for age K and up.)
	Our workshops…
	Art	Cooking	Video	Games	Puppets
	Room 212	Social Hall	Pine Room	Room 211	Room 215
10/13	3rd grade**	5th & 6th grade	1st grade	4th grade	2nd grade
10/20	4th grade	1st grade	2nd grade	5th & 6th grade	3rd grade
10/27	Attend a special worship service with kids in leadership roles.

** 3rd graders will be receiving Bibles in worship during the children’s moment. Then they’ll have a special class!

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Art Workshop students will discuss blessings in their lives and how they can bless others. They will create and learn how to make use of a blessing box.
In the Cooking Workshop students will make sugar cookies to give to others who are blessings in their lives.
In the Games Workshop students will participate in a Trivial Pursuit type of game to learn story details.
In the Puppets Workshop students will use handle-bag puppets to enact the story.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of an animated video on our story, Covenant Discovery, from the Great Bible Discovery series. Explore how we trust God’s promise.

We’ll be continuing our study of Abraham and Sarah next month!
If you are in the area please join us for the fun learning at First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Floppy disk by “Great Beyond,” who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.