David & Goliath – Family Faith Companion

How to bring up certain topics

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Does your family play games together? Why not use a game as a way to open up conversation about faith topics. How about at the family dinner table? (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) You can do this!

Play the “Face Game.” That’s where someone calls out an emotion — such as mad, or sad, or over-the-top-glad — and everyone has to make the face that was named.

Three different facial emotions are depicted

With each emotion named, ask this follow-up question: What could happen that would cause you to make that face?

When the “scared” emotion gets named, and everyone has shared something that causes fear, ask these additional questions:

Why do you suppose that your Sunday’s Cool classes this month have compared Goliath to a problem that you’ve faced?
How would it look like if you used faith in God to face your fear?
David’s experience protecting his sheep helped him to know that he could face Goliath. What would help you to have a stronger faith in God?

Games are a great way to open up to faith conversation with your family. Give it a try.

Photo credits:
Faces are in the Public Domain, offered via Pixabay.com.

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Advice from David: Stop and contemplate

Posted on March 5, 2015March 10, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

In our Rotation this month, we’ve been asking how a person develops faith in God. So far we’ve covered some ways to grow our faith. Let’s expand on the one that suggests we spend time alone with God. How does one practice doing that?

What if you followed David’s lead?

Not the part about hitting Goliath in the head with a rock, but what comes before the actual battle: What David likely did as he picked out stones.

Stop. Think. Take time to ponder as you carefully choose your rocks.

A child contemplates rocks

The Bible doesn’t give us many details about the picking of these stones but I can imagine there was some thought that went into it. Let’s call it “Meditative Time.” Can we practice that? Yes!

You might first think of meditation as something that Buddhist’s do. It may be surprising to learn that meditation is found in all religious traditions. In Christianity it is the heart of the contemplative teaching of Jesus on prayer.

Here are the simple steps to begin meditation:

Sit with your back straight and lightly close your eyes.
Focus on your breathing.
Silently begin to recite a single word – a prayer word or “mantra.” Try the Aramaic [1] word that means “Come Lord” – Maranatha. Break it into four syllables:
Breath In: Ma
Breath Out: Ra
Breath In: Na
Breath Out: Tha
Let go of all thoughts (even good thoughts), images and words. When your mind drifts, bring yourself gently back and continue repeating your word.

(For a graphic with these steps refer to this website.)

Give David’s plan a try: stop and contemplate.

[1] Aramaic is the language that Jesus spoke.
[2] Suggestion from the website of The School of Meditation, of The World Community for Christian Meditation.

Photo credits:
Contemplating rocks by Hagerty Ryan, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Image is in the Public Domain, provided by Public Domain Images.

Choosing the good road

Posted on February 24, 2015July 8, 2016 by Carol Hulbert

This Lent at FUMC, as a congregation we are walking once more to the cross and to Jesus’ resurrection. Along the way we are looking at “road options” that Jesus and his disciples chose along their journey. How might these same decisions be open to us? Which road will we take? Will we recognize the best choice – the good road? Let us journey together this Lent as we “Walk The Good Road.” See you in church!

Last weekend Rev. Doug Paterson’s sermon on the “Good Road” series spoke to the quandary that the “The Good Road is Not Always Smooth.” I don’t think he mentioned David and Goliath, but he could have.

When the road is not always smooth, perhaps we are facing a giant.

Cartoon painting of 'The Scream'

Perhaps that giant, creating yawning potholes in our path, is…

A conflict with a person — family or friends or teachers or co-workers or bullies…
A situational problem — I can’t figure out math, my grandfather is dying, my dreams don’t seem to be happening…
Peer pressure — I’ve got to be the best soccer player. I’ve got to be in the in-crowd. I’m worried about having a bad-hair-day. I’ve got to have a bigger house/car/phone. I’ve got to be thinner/sexier/smarter…
Or maybe the giant you’re facing is you! You want to change but you don’t understand why you do the things you do and how to be transformed.

This last one is my current giant! My giant says to me “Carol, who are you to be speaking about faith?” “Who are you to make decisions about Sunday’s Cool?” “Who are you to be a leader in a Christian educators organization with thousands of members?”

It would be easier for me to back away from my giants, letting them win. Sometimes the road we must choose is harder than we would like.

The Good Road is ever before us. Will we recognize it when we see it?

Can I trust God’s definition of me as Imperfect, God-seeking, Confident, Child-of-God, One-who-has-work-to-do?

Thankfully God is always with me (regardless of the road I choose). But I also know that I am called to move in the direction of faith. But how? Here are some ideas:

Intentional Practices for growing faith:

Remembering: Where and when has God been with me in the past?
Provide a platform for lingering together, for the asking of questions, and for finding hope. Encourage the expression of ideas and inquisition. (Ask: What do you think about ___?) Honor with attention and thoughtfulness.
Spending time alone with God. Perhaps practicing a bit like this.
What scripture can I learn so that strengthening words roll off my tongue? (How about this Rotation’s Key Bible verse?)

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

What visual reminders will I place in my path? A cross here, scripture written on an index card there? Set up a spot in your home that is designated as a “quiet spot.” Fill this space with objects that invoke memories. Allow touching and rearranging and additions and subtractions. (Photo on right is such a spot set up at the Nelson home around Easter time.)
As well as the usuals: communicating with God through prayer; learning God’s advice by reading the Bible; strengthening my relationship with God through worship; serving others. (Read more here.)

Which of these practices will you implement in your family this week?

Photo credits:
Cartoon “Scream” by Prawny. Used with permission from Morguefile.com.
“Shrine” photo from Chris Nelson. Used by permission.

How was it possible?

Posted on February 19, 2015March 10, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

David vs. Goliath? How was it possible that little David won the battle?

It was a little guy vs. a BIG Giant! Sort of like the tug-of-war we set up last week.

a tug-of-war between a little kid and a big man

We wanted kids to realize how unlikely it was that David could have won against Goliath. One little guy was a piece of cake for “our Goliath,” just as it should have been for the real Goliath.

Two kids even tried to beat him. Nope. Couldn’t do it. I realize that David didn’t face Goliath in a game of tug-of-war but… how did David pull this off?

Goliath vs. two kids

Meanwhile, tnree tried. Goliath didn’t even break a sweat.

Three kids try against our Goliath

So ask these questions in your family get together: How did David do it?

All of the other Israelites, including King Saul, were terrified of Goliath. No one else had enough courage to fight him. Why do you suppose David volunteered to fight Goliath? (Read David’s reasoning in 1 Samuel 17:37).
David trusted that God would be with him, I wonder how he came to believe that?
Why did David go into battle without any “protective” armor of the heavy-duty metal sort? (Read David’s answer in 1 Samuel 17:39).
Just because it didn’t feel right!!? David must have had some sort of super-weapon. His slingshot must have been the extra-whiz-bang-model! (Read about it in 1 Samuel 17:40). What! It wasn’t! What did David take with him into battle besides the 5 smooth stones and a slingshot? (Get a hint: 1 Samuel 17:45-47).
He had faith! He knew he could defeat Goliath by trusting in God and relying on God’s power! Let’s look at the way David thought of God: Read Psalm 23. (To David, God was a shepherd that took care of all of his needs.)
What lesson do you take away from this story about David’s faith and trust in God?

A cross decorated with palm branches It’s Lent! Here are some resources for the season:

Short spiritual practices to try during Lent.

More Lenten activities for your family.

A way to tell the Easter story using plastic Easter eggs.

Photo credits:
Photos are from my archives.

David & Goliath: It’s not about bullies or stones

Posted on February 10, 2015September 29, 2019 by Carol Hulbert

Our kids recently learned about David in the story of David’s anointing as Israel’s next-in-line king. Now we turn to a more familiar story of David, and his encounter with the giant Goliath. Read about our story in 1 Samuel 17:1-49.

A scene showing David slinging a rock at Goliath

Some keys points to take from this story (with help from Rev. Neil MacQueen):

This is not a story about bullies. The “giants” for our kids might be problems with other kids, but that’s where the literal parallel ends. This is a story about using faith in God to take-down our troubles.
The rocks in this story are not secret weapons. David’s slingshot is an improbable weapon; small stones are highly unlikely to dent a giant’s armor. We need to trust God to help us face giants.
David is a role model. He was raised in the faith, and when the time came, his heart was found true and that gave him both the opportunity to serve God, and the courage to do so! How can we raise kids so that they are prepared to serve God, and to courageously do seemingly impossible things?

It all comes down to this:

How does a person develop faith in God?

Journey with us and learn!

On Sundays, at the downtown location, here is our schedule of workshops:

Date	Our workshops for 1st through 6th graders…
2/15	Everyone will gather together in the Social Hall to watch the animated video, The Beginners Bible Series: The Story of David and Goliath. What a great way to start a Rotation!

Date	Our workshops for 1st through 5th graders…
	Drama	Bible Skills & Games	Cooking	A variety!
	Room 215	Room 211	Social Hall	See below
2/22	4th grade	1st grade	3rd grade	2nd & 5th – Games in Room 212
3/1	Enjoy worship and Communion with your family. The sermon is on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. Read it before hand! It should sound familiar.
3/8	2nd & 5th grade	3rd grade	1st grade	4th grade – Cooking in the Social Hall
3/15	3rd grade	4th grade	2nd & 5th grade	1st grade – Storytelling in Room 212

And here’s what the 6th graders will be doing… (They’ll mostly be in the Pine Room.)

2/22	3/1	3/8	3/15
Cooking Workshop	Worship with your family.	Games Workshop	Attend the 7th/8th grade Explorer’s Class

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

Date	Workshop or Activity
2/14	A service project
2/21	Games Workshop
2/28	Drama Workship
3/7	Video Workshop
3/14	Cooking Workshop

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Drama Workshop students will experience, through performing a skit, how faith in God gave David victory and can give us victory over the giant problems in our lives.
In the Cooking Workshop students will make (and eat!) a giant cookie while learning the story details.
In the Games Workshop students will learn story details by playing a game that involves throwing a “sock rocket” at a giant Goliath.

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.

Photo credit:
David and Goliath copyright MMBOX PRODUCTION, from http://www.christiancliparts.net; used under license.