Family Faith Companion

The Perfect Audience

Posted on December 13, 2012November 27, 2013 by Carol Hulbert

Our Rotation this month is about Jesus’ birth with a focus on the shepherds and angels portion of the story. The Message version of the Bible describes these shepherds as “camping in the neighborhood.”

Hmmm… Camping… How about a family camping expedition in the living room? Pitch a “tent” (drape a blanket over some chairs), stuff the backpacks with snacks or maybe even hold a picnic! (Try something simple, like sandwiches.) Use this opportunity to talk about shepherds, ask some questions, and add some spiritual growth memories!

a speech bubble Is it easy to stay clean when you are camping?

If you’ve ever been camping, you know how hard it is to be neat. You can image how hard it was for shepherds in the time of Jesus. They also probably smelled like sheep. And they had another stigma: in those days, shepherds were looked down upon. They were considered as lowly as a tax collector.

Yet these were the people who first heard the good news of Jesus’ birth!

And heard the news in grand style!
Tell the story of the shepherds and angels (from Luke 2:8-18) around your pretend campfire. (What is camping without a campfire!)

a speech bubble Why are shepherds the perfect audience for angels announcing the birth of the Christ child?
Why do you suppose God didn’t chose “important” people to tell first?
Who would you expect God to tell?

There is a momentous message in God’s choice of society’s outcasts as the first visitors he invited to see his baby son!

a speech bubble Have you ever felt not good enough to hear from God?

God’s gift of his son Jesus is for everyone, even you and me.

God sent his son Jesus as a way to bring people back into a relationship with God. Those who are young, old, broken, a mistake-making-mess, tired, forgotten, feeling unworthy… His message of love comes once again, perhaps as quietly as a sleeping baby or as unexpectedly as God’s glory blazing around!

Enjoy this video telling of our story from The Jesus Storybook Bible.

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
A young Bedouin shepherd boy by Ed Brambley from Cambridge, UK, who licensed this photo via Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons License, via Wikimedia Commons.
Campfire also licensed under Creative Commons, by Mike Davis.

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Activities for Advent

Posted on December 5, 2012November 26, 2020 by Carol Hulbert

kids acting bizarre in front of the Christmas tree
To most adults Advent means:

Ready or not, here comes Christmas.

But to a child, Advent should be called:

Hurry up and wait!

What child doesn’t have difficulty waiting for Christmas! (Perhaps strange behavior will result?)

It probably won’t do any good to tell your vigilant kids about how people, two thousand plus years ago (when Jesus was born) had been waiting a long, long time. They had waited for the coming of Christ for hundreds of years! Can’t our kids wait a few more weeks?

Make use of your Advent waiting time.

Here are ideas and resources for ~~waiting~~ Advent:

Encourage various ways of telling the Christmas story; how about using a crèche? (Also known as a “manager scene.”) Is yours off-limits to the kids? Get everyone involved in making a version that children can play with. And tell the story over and over! Use air-drying clay or even toilet paper tubes dressed in fabric. Move Mary and Joseph around the room. Anyone for a trip to Bethlehem? Create a shepherds scene in another part of the house. Where should the wise men go?

Got a LEGO®-maniac in your house? Make the figures for a nativity scene from LEGO® bricks. Camels, Sheep, a Holy Family, and more! Visit this site for building instructions.

Another way to “tell” the story: act it out. Get creative with props and costumes: a flash light becomes the star that guided wise men, a bath robe makes an on-the-spot shepherd.

Get into the RACK act! RACK is “Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.” How fun! Do one a day or a bunch all at once. Can you sense the surprise pleasure in finding a quarter stuck to a vending machine or a candy cane on the ATM?

To print out cards to stick wherever you “RACK” someone go here. Or to print out cards that you can write your own message on, go here.
Want your kids to be more grateful? It needs to be taught! Consider these ideas for ways to teach gratitude. (I like this idea: Pin up a long piece of paper and record gifts you already have!) Or, continue filling up your family blessing box!

Do you have lots of Christmas (or winter) story books? Have the kids wrap them and tag them with the date. As part of your bedtime routine, read the storybook-of-the-day. You can make this idea “Advent-y” by adding a Bible verse with each book. Talk about the verse and what it means to you. (Print out a set of possible verses here.)

Christmas will be here before you know it!

Photo credits…
Bizarre children by SMN, who had originally licensed this photo under a Creative Commons License.
Holy Family from LEGO® bricks, by Leo Dorst. Reproduced by permission. (Yes! I asked!)
RACK card from Tracie. Used with permission.

Cool Disciples Schedule – December 2012

Posted on November 29, 2012November 27, 2013 by Carol Hulbert

Happy Advent! This is the perfect season to bring faith conversations to your family and this blog will help.
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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 December schedule of workshops.

Since this is December, we are learning about Jesus’ birth! Because Christmas happens once a year, each Advent we focus on a different aspect of the Christmas story. In the past we have covered Jesus’ birth through the eyes of the prophet Isaiah, the story of the magi, the birth from his mother’s perspective, and the overall details and sequence of the Christmas story. This December we target the key role of angels and shepherds. Read about our story in Luke 2:1-20.

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

Date	What’s happening
12/1	Children will be singing and assisting with the service, so please arrive early (between 4:30-4:45) for rehearsal and instructions. There will be a short time spend downstairs watching part of the video Why Do We Call It Christmas? Don’t forget to stay after service for a chili supper, making ornaments, & decorating cookies!
Date	Workshop	Activity
12/8	Storytelling Workshop	Hear the Christmas story via a “visitor” from Bible times – a shepherd!
12/15	Cooking Workshop	Bake candy cane cookies to give away.
12/22	Art Workshop	Choose from a variety of media to create a scene of shepherds and/or angels.
12/29	Worship with your family

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

Date	What’s happening
12/2	Enjoy worship and Communion with your family
	Games 1	Games 2	Storytelling	Cooking	Video	Art
	Room 211	Room 215	Room 204	Social Hall	Pine Room	Room 212
12/9	3rd grade	5th & 6th grade	2nd grade	4th grade	{closed}	1st grade
12/16	1st grade	4th grade	3rd grade	{closed}	5th & 6th grade	2nd grade
11/23	2nd grade	{closed}	1st grade	5th & 6th grade	4th grade	3rd grade
12/30	Enjoy worship and Communion with your family

What’s happening in each workshop at the Downtown location?

In the Art Workshop students will create a shepherds & angels picture using mixed media.
In the Cooking Workshop students will become messengers of the good news by making candy-cane cookies to give away.
In the Games Workshop students will test their knowledge of the details of the Christmas story in a quiz game.
In the Storytelling Workshop students will hear from a shepherd, who describe his experience on the night of Jesus’ birth.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of that all-time favorite video A Charlie Brown’s Christmas.

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).
Shepherds photo from my archives, sewn by the Paraments committee at church.

From now on you will be called…

Posted on November 28, 2012May 14, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Here’s a fresh take on an answering machine message:

Hello. This is not an answering machine, This is a question machine. And there are really only two questions that matter: who are you and what do you want?

Jacob got to answer those questions during his wrestling match with God.

Picture the scene: Jacob is feeling doomed. Twenty years ago he left his home and his family to escape the anger of his brother Esau. Now God has told him to return home, but Jacob is nervous: Does Esau still want to kill him? Jacob has learned that his brother Esau is coming to meet him with an army of 400 men! That doesn’t sound very peaceful.

Jacob has tried every trick in the book including prayer and an attempt to appease his brother with gifts. (Cattle, and camels, and goats, oh my!) Now he finds himself engaged in a full-throttle wrestling match with God! What next?!

Who are you?

Jacob got his name from the way he was born. As the second-born twin he entered the world holding on to the heel of his brother, so they named him “Heel-catcher.” In those days “Heel-catcher” had other not-so-nice meanings: “trickster,” “swindler,” or “scoundrel.” Hmm, Jacob lived up to his name, I’d say?

Now that God has asked him his name, Jacob has to admit it…

a name tag: hello my name is scoundrel

But God has a new name for “The Grabber!”

Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it’s Israel (God-Wrestler); you’ve wrestled with God and you’ve come through.
Genesis 36:28 MSG

In giving Jacob a new name it is like God is saying: You may not think that you are “good enough,” but I love you anyway. I’m giving you a second chance. Here is how I mean for you to be.

Hmmm, this means that I could be…

How would you answer the question: What is your name?
What name would you like to live?

Discuss these questions with your family.

Photo credits:
A slightly altered “Hello, my name is…” originally by kirrilyrobert, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

Thank God! The world is a place where one can encounter God. (If we notice.)

Posted on November 21, 2012May 14, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

In this season of Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for?

My gratitude list includes the usual sorts of thankfuls, such as:

Greg’s pizza-oven-roasted potatoes.
Hearing about Lara’s “Best.Day.Ever.”
A text from Scott: safe arrival.
Lunch with a friend.

…To name just a few.

My list also includes hard things that seem difficult to be thankful for.

Tears at saying goodbye.
Facing change.
Mistakes, and more mistakes.

…Hard eucharisteo.

And then there are entries on my list of things that I should be thankful for every day… but I just forget.

That God has chosen me for my weaknesses. (My weakness amplifes my need for God.)
That God is always present with me! (Whether I sense him or not, he is a constant companion!)

…So easy to forget!

Perhaps we are all like Jacob who experiences God in his life and says,

Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.
Genesis 28:16

Our Cool Disciples story about Jacob and Esau is such a large story that we’ve broken it into two parts (part one and part two). With such a big story it is easy to loose sight of the main point. We could become embroiled in the details — who are all of the characters, and what happens, and in what order — which is important to know, but is not the most critical. Here is the point which we hope stands out:

God makes his presence known in our lives.

The world is a place where one can encounter God, reaching out to us.
If we take notice.

+++++++

As we head into the crazy-busy days ahead, can we make time to notice God? God seeks an encounter with us; God endeavors to get your attention!

For this I can say:

Thanks God!

Happy Thanksgiving
— Carol

Photo credits:
Photo of the Thanksgiving altar at church is from my archives.

The word is love.

Posted on November 15, 2012September 30, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

Every fall our church has a tradition: the third graders all get their own Bible. The presentation happens in the worship service, during the “Children’s Moment” so that all of the other kids get to see what’s happening.

3rd graders & their parents, in the worship service, in a moment of prayer

3rd graders are excited to receive Bibles

Look at how excited they are!

The new Bibles are wrapped in bright gift paper Bible bookmark made from layers of wrapping – because they are a gift from the church. But that is only the top layer of paper! The first of five layers! After the presentation in church, the children gather together with their parents for a special class about their new Bible. They are told that each layer of paper has a special meaning and to unwrap one layer at a time. In the past some students have saved a piece of each layer and created a bookmark.

So some students unwrap carefully…

And some unwrap with abandon…


I wonder what layer is next?	At last! Finally! The Bible!

In part of this special class, students learn that the Bible is like a library — it has 66 books! That’s a lot of stories. They also learn that the entire message of the Bible can be summarized in one word:

LOVE

God loves you and cares about you. The Bible is God’s love letter to each of you! Take our current Rotation on Jacob and Esau… what is it about?

Even when we screw up, God still loves us anyway!

Time for a class photo…

Class of 2022!

May God’s words of love transform you!

Photo credits:
All images from my archives.

Follow along at home (part 2 of Jacob and Esau)

Posted on November 8, 2012November 7, 2013 by Carol Hulbert

This month our Rotation story is part two of Jacob and Esau. (Last month we covered part one.) A Bible story big enough to be covered over two months calls for your help! It’s too much to cover all of this story in class.

Please read this story a bit each day, using the following family reading plan. As an added bonus there are questions for discussion along with the reading.

Gather together around the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) If you’d like to print out the part two reading plan/discussion guide, click here. (For part one’s reading plan click here.)

* A review from last month

Read in Genesis	Discussion questions
25:19-23*	How does this message from God become significant later in the story? (Hint: This is a review question! Who ends up with the birthright and the family blessing?)
25:24-34*	How would you describe Jacob? Esau? Their parents, Rebekah and Isaac? Do any of their traits describe you? (Are you an outdoorsy-type, a grabber, an opportunist?)
27:1-17*	Have you ever played a trick on someone? What was the outcome? Draw pictures of what you think Jacob looked like in his “disguise.”
27:18-29*	How would you rate Jacob’s trust in God? Why do you suppose God would want such a person to be responsible for his Covenant? (see Genesis 22:17-18)
27:30-38*	Describe how Esau must have felt? Aren’t you glad that in our day, everyone can be blessed! Practice saying a blessing for each family member. Try: “The Lord bless you and keep you.”
27:41-45, 28:1-5*	Tell about a time when you held a grudge against (or were angry with) someone. Did it ever get resolved?
28:10-16	What promises did God make with Jacob? Has God made any promises to you? (Check out 2 Corinthians 12:9 or Romans 8:28.)
28:10-16	As you re-read this passage think about what you use a stairway for. How can a stairway be seen as a way we can “get to” God? As a way God gets to us?
29:1-14	Do you know the story of how your mom and dad first met? Talk about the last gathering of your relatives. Was there lots of hugs and kissing? Telling stories?
29:15-30	Note: For families with young children, it is suggested that you tell this story to your family rather than read it out of the Bible. (Read it for yourself ahead of time.) First, ask your child(ren) what they know about Jacob’s marriages. Tell the story and then ask: How does the trickster get tricked? How do you suppose Leah and Rachel felt?
31:1-3	Jacob was working for Laban for 20 years. Can you imagine working at the same job for 20 years? What do you suppose God has planned for Jacob?
32:3-8	When have you prepared for something, expecting that the worst could happen? Does Jacob remember that God is with him? The next time this happens, how will knowing that God is with you make it different?
32:22-30	Why do you suppose God wrestled with Jacob? Do you suppose that sometimes the only way to learn something is to struggle with it? What is something that you’ve struggled with lately?
32:22-30	Names had great meaning in Bible times. Why do you suppose God asks Jacob what his name is? What new name does God give Jacob? What new name do you suppose God would give you? Bible-reader? Child who prays daily? One who helps others? Share your desired new name from God by adding a comment below!
33:1-4	Did this meeting turn-out how you expected? Is it easier to offer forgiveness or to be forgiven?

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Jacob & Esau is an image from Sunday Software’s the Awesome Bible Stories CD. Used by permission. (This software is a neat way of expanding Bible learning at home. Discover more titles here.)

Cool Disciples Schedule: November 2012

Posted on October 31, 2012July 26, 2015 by Carol Hulbert

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On Saturday nights and on Sunday mornings at FUMC our Cool Disciples experience Rotation Model Christian education. (Click on any of those bold words to find out more about our programs.) In November, we are studying part two of the Old Testament saga of Jacob and Esau. Last month, in part one of this story, we learned about mistakes made by Jacob and Esau, including the stolen blessing…

This month we’ll learn that God doesn’t give up on Jacob! What an amazing God who forgives such a scoundrel! God promises Jacob to be with him always. (Just as Jesus promised us.)

Read about what happens in part two of our story in Genesis 28:10-16, 29:15-30, 31:1-3, 32:3-7a, 22-30 , and 33:1-4.

For Saturdays at the Green Wood location, here is the schedule for the coming month:

Date	Workshop	Activity
11/3	Art Workshop	Create mosaics to tell the story of Jacob and Esau.
11/10	Puppet Workshop	Use puppets to tell the story.
11/17	A visit from Pastor Doug!	We’ll play some get-to-know-you games and hear what he thinks about Jacob and Esau.
11/24	Video Workshop	Watch portions of the video The Lion King. Explore how God’s plan of loving grace continues even when we make poor choices.

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

Date
11/4	Enjoy worship and Communion with your family
	Cooking	Art	Drama	Puppets	Video	Games
	Social Hall	Room 212	Room 215	Room 211	Pine Room	Room 204
11/11	2nd grade	5th & 6th grade	3rd grade	{closed}	4th grade	1st grade
11/18	1st grade	{closed}	2nd grade	4th grade	5th & 6th grade	3rd grade
11/25	3rd grade	4th grade	1st grade	5th & 6th grade	{closed}	2nd grade

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Art Workshop students will work cooperatively to create duct-tape mosaics illustrating the story of Jacob and Esau. The mosaics will focus on the story sequence.
In the Cooking Workshop students will focus on Jacob’s dream and examine how God is at work in their lives. Make (and eat!) breadstick pretzel ladders.
In the Drama Workshop students will enact the story while it is paraphrased. Then they’ll watch themselves on a video.
In the Games Workshop students will play a Cranium-like game using a game die & a “ladder,” to review events of the story.
In the Puppet Workshop students will use puppetry to retell/interpret the story the story.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of the video The Lion King, enjoy popcorn (can’t have a movie without popcorn!) and explore how God’s plan of loving grace continues despite the poor choices we make.

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

Photo credits:
Jacob tricks his father © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers. Used by permission per a license from the Visual Bible Alive Resource Center.