New Testament – Page 11 – Family Faith Companion

I want directions!

Posted on April 20, 2012June 7, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

a weather vane points NW

Some days don’t you just want definitive directions?

Why is it so hard to understand the words and workings of Jesus?

And just how are we to explain the mysterious nature of God to our literal-thinking, want-a-definitive-answer, continually questioning kids? This sort of frustration happened in Jesus’ time as well.

Nicodemus came to Jesus with questions. He had high expectations but he left his visit even more puzzled. Jesus had told him: One needs to be born from above (often translated as “born again”) in order to see, or experience, the kingdom of God (from John 3:3). How can an adult be born a second time? Nicodemus didn’t get it. Do you?

So what are we to say when our kids ask a tough question?

Use this phrase: “Sometimes we have to live in the mystery.”

Go ahead; practice saying it:

“Sometimes we have to live in the mystery.”

Ambiguity is a fundamental part of our faith journey. If we knew with absolute certainty all of the answers, we wouldn’t bother to experience anything new! It is important to cherish the questions and the wondering.

Jesus rarely gave a straight answer when questioned. It is said that he only directly answered three of the 183 questions asked of him! So when your kids ask you a tough question, explain as best as you can and when you don’t know anymore say, “Sometimes questions about God and Jesus don’t have clear answers. Sometimes we have to live in the mystery.”

Then, of course, your kids will want to know what you mean by “live in the mystery.” Explain this concept by using a technique that Jesus often employed: storytelling. Try telling a story that has a bit of frustration in it; something where the ending leaves you with more questions. Something like this:

You are visiting a far-away country where the language is different from your own. Conversation with the locals is downright impossible. Thankfully you find a place to stay by looking for that international symbol for lodging – a picture of a bed. Because you are somewhat adventurous in your eating habits, you order food in a restaurant by pointing at what someone else is having. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. There are daily frustrations. You try to buy cheese at the local market, but nothing looks like the cheese you want! You don’t know how to describe cheddar. You leave the store empty-handed. Later, back in your home country you think of your time in that foreign place and you wonder what you were to have learned from your adventure. You don’t know. Sometimes we have to live in the mystery.

I’m struggling to live in the mystery. How about you?

Photo credits:
Weather vane by 23am.com, who licensed this photo on Flickr under Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Nic at night

Posted on April 12, 2012April 12, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

This month our Rotation includes the well-known verse from the Bible, John 3:16. Definitely point it out the next time you see it lofted high at a game.

Did you know that this famous verse was spoken by Jesus in the context of a mysterious nighttime meeting? A man named Nicodemus, who had a lot to lose if his visit were noticed, came to see Jesus in the cover of shadows. It was an investigative sort of a trip, as Nicodemus had questions. Not only was it dark outside, but Nicodemus himself appeared to be “in the dark.”

To add to the intrigue, tell your kids this story is called “Nic at night.”

Who was this Nicodemus? Our story is found in John 3:1-17. We learn that Nicodemus was:

a Pharisee (recall that the Pharisees argued with Jesus and ultimately saw to his arrest)
a teacher of Israel
a part of the Sanhedrin – the Jewish ruling council during the time of Jesus.

These descriptions tell us that Nicodemus was a prominent, respected, religious leader; a real Bible-scholar.

So, what was the reason for Nic’s nighttime trip to see Jesus?

Nicodemus could easily have been labeled an opponent of Jesus, yet it seems that Nicodemus was perhaps a covert follower. We only learn later (in John 7:45-52) that when the Sanhedrin had suggested early on, the arrest of Jesus, Nicodemus asked for just-treatment, and that after Jesus’ death, Nic helped with his burial (John 19:38-42). Since Nicodemus is knowledgeable about Scripture and specifically what the prophets of the Old Testament foretold, maybe Nicodemus has an inkling about who Jesus might be.

Could he be the Messiah?

At a minimum, Nicodemus seems to be looking for something more in his life; something that is missing; something he saw, or heard about, in Jesus. It sounds like a situation that would bring anyone to want to know more about Jesus. And herein lies one of the beauties of this story…

It’s okay to ask questions.

Whew! That’s a relief to know! I sure have questions. It is okay to ask tough questions, and it is okay if there aren’t always straight answers. (We’ll see that Nicodemus likely left his visit with Jesus even more confused.) Pondering and questioning are good!

What questions do you have for Jesus?

Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
A frequent sign held up at games by WELS.net, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

Using a salad bowl to spark family stories

Posted on March 30, 2012April 2, 2014 by Carol Hulbert

“Do this to remember me.”
Love, Jesus

Remember the time… Jesus told us to remember?

You have it memorized. It was during that dinner that Jesus had with his disciples. You know. The last one. The one where Jesus invented Communion. Now every time we share the bread and the cup we remember what Jesus did for us.

What do you suppose would happen if we stopped telling stories to our children? Pretty soon, they’d forget! When the very first Passover occurred, God instructed Moses to tell the people to not forget this event. Every year on the anniversary of the first Passover, they were to tell their children the story of God’s intervention and their freedom from slavery in Egypt. (Read about this command in Exodus 12:24-27).

Are we finding enough occasions to tell our stories? How about around the family dinner table? Here’s an easy way to make sure that telling our stories happens.

Let’s make a salad!

Not that kind of salad. But our “recipe” does call for a salad bowl!

Before dinner take some slips of paper and write on them storytelling prompts. Things like…

A summer story
A school story
I was embarrassed when…
A celebration or holiday
An adventure
A food story
A family joke
My first memory
I was afraid when…
i knew God was involved when…
I trusted God when…
A question I’d like to ask God
Add your own ideas!

Mix up all the pieces of paper in the salad bowl and place the bowl on the table during dinner. At the appropriate time, have each family member take a turn drawing a slip from the bowl and telling a story.

Jesus was celebrating a remembering-Passover-supper when he gave us new instructions to remember a different sort of event: Jesus’ death for us. May we never forget to tell the whole story!

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Chalice and bread by James Emery and Zoe made bunny salad by Michael Newton, both licensed on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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Cool Disciples Schedule: April 2012

Posted on March 29, 2012April 12, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

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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.

In April, we are studying Nicodemus. “Nic at night” might be a way to subtitle this one, for Nicodemus visited Jesus in the dark of night. Or was it that Nicodemus himself was “in the dark”? Nicodemus had questions for Jesus.

Read about our story in John 3:1-17.

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

Date	Workshop	Activity
4/7	A special workshop	Children will sing during the worship service and then will head downstairs for a special lesson on Easter.
4/14	Science Workshop	Do experiments to discover the difference between changing on the inside vs. changing on the outside.
4/21	Art Workshop	Create an individual banner to help remember “the Gospel in miniature” – John 3:16.
4/28	Games Workshop	Play a life-sized board game to review story details.

For Sundays at the downtown location, here is the schedule of workshops…

Date
4/1	No workshops. Enjoy Palm Sunday worship & Communion as a family.
4/8	No workshops. Enjoy Easter worship as a family.

	Games	Newsroom	Science	Art 2	Puppets/Creative Writing	Art 1
	Room 211	Room 215	Social Hall	Pine Room	Room 204	Room 212
4/15	2nd grade	5th grade	3rd grade	6th grade	4th grade	1st grade
4/22	1st grade	4th grade	2nd grade	5th grade	6th grade	3rd grade
4/29	3rd grade	6th grade	1st grade	4th grade	5th grade	2nd grade

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Art Workshop students will create individual banners to remember “the Gospel in miniature” – John 3:16. Two Art workshops will run concurrently.
In the Pupptets/Creative Writing Workshop students will explore the mystery behind Nicodemus’ visit. They will discuss questions they might like to ask God and create question books.
In the Games Workshop students will play a life-sized board game to learn story details.
In the Newsroom Workshop students will create and videotape commercials that sell the desirable qualities of a “New Life.” Watch for videos!
In the Science Workshop students will do experiments to discover the difference between changing on the inside vs. changing on the outside.

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).
A painting by Crijn Hendricksz, Christ talking with Nicodemus at night, is in the Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons).

The Last Supper, with apologies to Leonardo

Posted on March 13, 2012April 8, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

Here it is! The pictures created in our Photography Workshop for our Rotation on The Last Supper. (Just the 4th, 5th and 6th graders visited this workshop.)

The 6th Graders (and their Shepherd) create a tableaux of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

Students start off this workshop talking about what dinner time is typically like in their home, and what is done differently at special times, such as birthdays. Then they review the story about Jesus’ special last meal that he shared with his disciples on the night before he was killed. Something happened at this last supper that makes us still talk about it more than 2000 years later! Jesus gave his followers a way to remember him. Today, we still practice this same ritual!

The 4th graders re-enact Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper

There weren’t very many there that day, but the 4th Grade (plus their Shepherd) create their version of Leonardo’s painting.

What’s the process involved in creating this picture? Students are randomly assigned to portray the participants that were at the first Last Supper. They study art prints (with magnifying glasses!) of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper. Then it’s into costumes and recreating da Vinci’s painting using a technique called “frozen picture” or tableaux.

The workshop leader at work with her camera

The Shepherd gets everyone into postion and the Workshop leader snaps a few photos of the 6th graders.

After the photos are shot, the students look at the pictures on a TV screen and choose the best shot. For further learning, the student who portrayed each disciple reads a blurb about that disciple.

students view the resulting pictures on the TV.
Which picture turned out the best?

The 5th graders create a tableaux of The Last Supper

And here are the 5th Graders on the week when they visited the Photography workshop.

From notes made by da Vinci we can identify each of the disciples in his painting. From left to right it would have been: 1– Bartholomew, 2–James the Younger, 3–Andrew, 4–Judas, 5–Peter, 6–John, Jesus, 7–Thomas, 8 – James, 9– Phillip, 10–Matthew, 11-Thaddeus, 12–Simon.

For comparison, here’s a look at da Vinci’s The Last Supper…

How did they do?

Photo credits…
Photos of kids portraying The Last Supper by Alice Nuttall. Used with permission.
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is in the Public domain, the picture shown is via Wikimedia Commons.

Studying the Last Supper

Posted on March 2, 2012February 11, 2018 by Carol Hulbert

At FUMC our Cool Disciples experience Rotation Model Christian education, as they learn about Bible stories and concepts through kid-friendly multimedia workshops.

In this season of Lent we are studying the story of the Last Supper. Since Easter happens annually, we get to spend time on a different aspect of the Easter story every year. In other years we’ve covered the Garden of Gethsemane, the Empty Tomb/Resurrection Appearances, Easter through Peter’s eyes, and the overall sequence of the events of Easter week.

The Last Supper is the last meal that Jesus and his disciples share prior to Jesus’ death. Read about the story of the Last Supper in Luke 22:7-20.

A frozen picture of da Vinci's Last Supper

From the Photography workshop from the last time we did this Rotation. These kids have now graduated from high school! They were in 6th grade in 2005.

Here is how we studied this story:

In the Art Workshop we discussed the celebratory meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. Kids decorated a glass plate; a plate to use at your next special meal.
In the Cooking Workshop students will help make and experience a “mini” Seder meal, the meal that Jesus’ and his disciples were sharing at the Last Supper.
In the Photography Workshop students will use a technique called “Frozen Picture” to experience the Last Supper (as painted by Leonardo da Vinci).
In the Video 1 Workshop (for 1st – 3rd graders) students will watch a video with puppets called How Can I Celebrate Passover? A Young Christian’s Introduction to the Seder.
In the Video 2 Workshop (for 4th – 6th graders) students will watch the live-action video The Last Supper.

This Rotation comes around again in 2018. I wonder what workshops we’ll use this year?

It’s still looking like Christmas

Posted on January 5, 2012January 6, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

The Christmas decorations are being stored away for another year, but the story of Christmas is still being talked about! And rightly so; we can talk about Christmas every day! (After all, the whole story is about Jesus.) So for this reason, it shouldn’t seem strange that this coming weekend, the Cool Disciples will be reviewing the story of Jesus’ birth.

Continue to reinforce the learning happening at church, by talking about this story at home; how about around the dinner table?

Ready for some family discussion about our story?

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble
Jesus described himself as “the light of the world” (John 8:12). Name some ways that your family used light to celebrate this season?

In the Art workshop for this Rotation, kids were creating stained glass candle holders. I would have liked to have seen them all lit up with the light shining through the various colors!


1st graders use colored pieces of felt representing various story elements to tell the story; creating stained glass!	3rd graders use stick-on lead lines and glass paint to create.

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble
“The Light of the World” was just one name Jesus had. He had many other names with different meanings; the name we normally use, Jesus, means “God saves.” Jesus was also called “Immanuel.” What does Immanuel mean?


2nd grade enacts visitors to the newborn King.	1st grade enjoys their first visit to the Drama workshop!

Immanuel means “God is with us.” God sent Jesus to be with us! God meant for his son Jesus to live as a person like us, to show us how to live, and ultimately, to die for us so that our sins could be forgiven.

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble
How have you experienced God with you?
Do you suppose our interactions with God will be a dramatic experience like a visit from an angel, or could it be in a quieter way?
What are some ways that God connects with us?


4th graders use the game wheel to determine how many points a correct answer was worth.	2nd graders are eager to hear the next question. They’ll ring a bell if they know the answer!

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble
The questions asked in the Games Workshops highlighted the difference between what the Bible tells us, and what people think the story says (in a fun way). Here are a few to try out. (Check a Bible if you’d like; the kids were allowed to do so!)

How did Joseph and Mary get to Bethlehem?

Which animals does the Bible say were housed in the stable where Jesus was born?

How many wise men came to see Jesus?


6th graders assemble a bag of snacks to use to retell the story.	Playing with their food! Exactly what I hoped they’d do!

Did you find the answers to the previous questions? In all cases, the answer is: the Bible doesn’t say! Were you surprised?

Finally, I just had to share this picture.
Care to join us in our workshops? You may get drafted to play a role! (But not unless you want to do so.)

Drama Workshop - 1st grade - everyone poses for a picture!

1st graders in the Drama Workshop with their Shepherd and Workshop Leader. Fun!

Photo credits:
Photos by Carol Hulbert and Beth Pascoe. Used by permission.

Cool Disciples Schedule: December 2011

Posted on December 1, 2011January 24, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

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December’s Rotation is about, you guessed it, Christmas! Since Christmas comes every year this allows us the chance to, each year, focus on a different aspect of the story. We’ve done Christmas Rotations from the point of view of Shepherds, of Wise Men, and even from Isaiah’s eyes. This December we’ll take a look at the overall birth story of Jesus. All of the different parts of the story: Who received a message from an angel? Why travel to Bethlehem? Where was Jesus born?… Our target is to ensure that kids know the sequence and timing of story events surrounding Jesus’ birth. Our story is found by interweaving the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

A crèche scene

For Saturdays at the Green Wood location, here is the schedule for December (and a little bit of January 2012)… And for Sundays at the downtown location, here is the schedule…

Schedules have been removed. They were sort of out-of-date 🙂
Check out some pictures of workshops here.

Here is what we did in each workshop:

In the Drama Workshop students will enact the story. What a great way to learn the story details by participating in the story!
In the Games Workshop students will play a quiz game to see how much they really know about the story. We’ll run two Games Workshops so that everyone gets to participate in the fun.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of the animated video The King is Born from Nest Entertainment while enjoying some popecorn. (Can’t have a movie without popcorn!)
In the Cooking Workshop students will create a nativity snack bag with items to represent story elements. Don’t eat this snack until you’ve had a chance to use it to retell the story to someone!
In the Art Workshop students will help tell the story using various colors of felt, creating a “stain glass window.” Then they will create stained glass votive holders using colors to represent the characters in the story of Jesus’ birth.

If you are in the area please join us for the fun learning at First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI.

Photo credits:
Photos are from my archives.