Family Faith Companion

Things are looking up!

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

Ready for some fun? Things are looking up! The hot weather is headed for some much needed coolness (unlike feeling like 100+ degrees). Activity was in high gear today at FUMC because…

Vacation Bible Camp starts tomorrow!

Vacation Bible Camp. Aka “VBC.”
It makes me smile big time!
(Do you see the smiley face in the clouds? 🙂 I couldn’t resist including this since this year’s theme is sky!)

Why will your child be smiling after a day of VBC? Let’s count some ways!

Music, skits, and silly stuff at the start of each day in the sanctuary at Up & Away Sing & Play.
Friends (old and new) in your child’s “flight crew.” (They’ll first meet in the sanctuary and then “fly” together to four different VBC stations.)
Frolicing fun at All-Star Games. Need I say more?
Chadder is back in action at Sky High Movie & Missions. But wait a minute. Chadder looks a little different! See if you can spot what’s new.
Scrumptious snacks served during Skydive Diner. (How do they always see to it that our munchies tie to the day’s Bible verse?)
Engaging drama at Wild Blue Bible Adventures. This always sparks deep discussion in our flight crews.
Something new (for elementary-aged kids): Imagination Station, where kids will “discover the Bible Point in crazy ways!” (Preschool kids will visit Craft & Play.)
Bible Buddies! A new one every day! And check out how each Buddy has the day’s Bible verse on it. Total coolness.

Bible Buddies for VBC

Hope to see you at VBC!
~~ Carol (on behalf of the VBC team)

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Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
A Michigan sky creates a smiley face by Erin Leigh McConnell who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.
Chadder & VBC Bible Buddies used by permission of Group Publishing.
Other photos from my archives.

Vacation Bible Camp starts next week!

Posted on July 5, 2012July 7, 2016 by Carol Hulbert

Next week Vacation Bible Camp starts! Are your kids excited?

The theme this year will be based on the Sky, as in as high as the sky, “Everything is possible with God” (Mark 10:27c). We want kids to discover that by trusting God, everything is possible! (Oh, boy. This could be some learning that I need as well!)

We’ll spend Monday through Friday mornings digging into God’s Word in fun, unforgettable ways. As usual there will be great music. Take a chance to learn the theme song ahead of time! It’s not too late to sign up, do so here.

Got that stuck in your head yet?

I hope we see you there!
~~ Carol (on behalf of the VBC team)

Join our readers! Receive new posts to this blog by email by entering your address in the box on the upper right side of this page. (And then clicking the button). There will be one post every day next week of VBC, but usually there is one post a week. No sharing of your email!

a blue line

Photo credits:
VBC Logo used by permission of Group Publishing.

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Helping kids get more out of worship

Posted on June 28, 2012June 28, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

This weekend the children will join us in worship. Help them prepare for this time, not by packing up a few books or an iPhone to keep them happy/distract them, but by spending a few minutes talking about the Bible passage they’ll hear. Reading those verses would be a good way to go about this task. But make it more fun by using this idea at the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) It’s a knock-off of the card game “Spoons.”

Gather enough spoons for everyone. (Unlike the real game of Spoons, everyone should have a chance to grab a spoon.) To avoid arguments, make sure everyone is equidistant from the pile!

Get out a Bible. (If you’ve got readers, one for everyone to follow along is an even better idea!) Set the stage by saying that this weekend is family worship and you’d like to read the Bible passage that will heard. But you won’t just be reading the story; you’d like to involve everyone. Point out the spoons and tell everyone to grab a spoon when they know the answer to a question. (Note: To print out these questions, click here.)

The first question is:

In what Testament in the Bible do we find stories about Jesus?

(I’ll bet someone blurt out the answer without grabbing a spoon!) Allow the first spoon-grabber with the correct answer (the New Testament) the privilege of finding the gospel of Mark in the Bible. Or make it another question as to how to quickly find the New Testament. (Kids in 3rd grade and up should know the answer.)

Announce the next spoon-grab:

Whenever you hear the number “twelve” in the story.

Start reading Mark 5:21-43. “Twelve” is mentioned in verse 25. Ask the first spoon grabber to tell you where this story takes place.
Answer: Verse 21, on a beach. (Ask someone else if the first one to grab doesn’t know the answer.)

Continue in this pattern — announcing the next spoon grabbing opportunity — before picking up where you left off reading. Here are a few more chances at the mad dash. (You may wish to reduce the number of questions asked for younger children)…

What the woman who had suffered for 12 years, did to receive healing from Jesus.
Answer: verse 27, touched Jesus’ robe.
Additional question to ask the “winner” (or just to ask everyone): What does this tell you about this woman? (Accept all reasonable answers. One possibility: she had great faith.)
What Jesus does in response to the woman’s healing.
Answer: verse 30, asked “who touched my robe?”
Additional question: Given the crowded situation (read verses 31-32), making it hard to figure out who had touched him, why do you suppose Jesus wanted to know? (Accept all reasonable answers. A couple of possibilities: Jesus cares about people; Jesus wanted to teach others about having faith.)
What the messengers said.
Answer: verse 35, the news that the daughter of Jairus was dead.
Additional question: Jesus had been on his way to heal this girl (may need to re-read verses 22-24), do you suppose the interruption with the woman who was bleeding, caused Jesus to miss the opportunity to save this girl? (Accept all replies.) How do you suppose that made Jairus feel?
What Jesus told Jairus when he heard the news.
Answer: verse 36, “Don’t be afraid. Have faith.”
Additional question: When have you been afraid?
What happened at Jairus’ house.
Answer: verse 42, Jesus raised the girl from the dead!
Additional question: Jesus had heard the news that the girl had died. Why do you suppose he went to Jairus’ house anyway? (Accept all responses.)
What lessons can this story teach us? (A possibility: We can trust God no matter what happens).
I wonder what lesson Pastor Doug will focus on this weekend?

Report back on how this went with your family. Do share!

Photo credits:
Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
A rousing game of spoons by woodleywonderworks, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

All of Life is Worship

Posted on June 21, 2012June 21, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

What does this Bible verse tell us?

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Psalm 100:4 (NLT)

Is that Bible verse talking about the doors to a church?

It’s talking about what we do when we go to church to worship;
that is the spot to show our thanks. Right?

How about asking these questions at the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) That verse above is from Psalm 100, which is our Rotation this month at FUMC. So it is only fitting to have dinner conversation that includes the topics of worship and Psalm 100.

As we dig into Psalm 100, our primary focus is to explore what this psalm tells us about why, and how we worship God. When we reflect on “worship” we immediately think of what we do once a week on Saturday or on Sunday – opening up those gates (okay, the doors) and entering church. We’ve looked at why we worship God; now let’s focus on how.

Grab a Bible. Before you read, ask everyone to listen for instructions in Psalm 100 that tell us how to worship. (You may ask everyone to turn their spoon over when they hear an answer.)

What did you hear? How should we worship? Psalm 100 is dishing out commands!

Shout for joy!
Worship with gladness.
Sing with joy.
Give thanks to him.
Praise his name.

So, here’s another question: Should such noisy worship be restricted to just during a weekly “worship service”?

What if we consider those “gates” referred to above as doors to each new day of life?

If expressing our love and our devotion to God — with joyous praise — can take place at any time and in any place, then the teachings of Psalm 100 can be applied, not just once a week, but to daily life!

Have you worshipped today?

Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Church doors by Rodney Campbell, who licensed this photo under: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

Questioning worship?

Posted on June 14, 2012June 14, 2012 by Carol Hulbert

Have your kids ever asked why your family goes to church?

Because it’s a habit?
To refuel our soul?
To see your friends?
We were made to worship something; it might as well be God?
For some quiet time for the adults? (Because the kids spend part of the time in Sunday’s Cool.)

All of those are valid answers.

Start a family discussion around the family dinner table. (Or wherever your family is gathered together.) Say: “I am curious to hear your answers… Why do we go to church?”

Accept any replies and then ask another question: We go to church for many reasons, but why do we worship?

Again, be open to all the answers you get. Then steer the questioning towards what is worship? I like this definition:

(Worship) is a mysterious way of coming into God’s presence with people of my community. Carolyn C. Brown

Mysterious?

Yes. Then there is this mystery:

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;  
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:5

I love it! We go to church to worship God because God is good, all the time!

Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Questioning girl by trazomfreak, who licensed this photo on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

Never too young

Posted on May 31, 2012May 2, 2017 by Carol Hulbert

This weekend, youth in the Confirmation class will be joining as full members of our church. This special portion of the worship service will take place on Sunday, at the downtown location of FUMC. Kids in 1st through 6th grade will be observing this event, as this Sunday is a worship-with-your-family Sunday (including Communion). It is important that kids participate in such a momentous occasion – to see what they have to look forward to: claiming the name of “Christian” for themselves.

Prepare your kids ahead of time, and/or discuss the event afterwards. Here’s a question to talk about with your family:

Does completing Confirmation mean graduating from Sunday school?

A group photo of a past Confirmation class

Are we done now?

Absolutely not!

The Confirmation process is a major milestone in these young people’s journey of faith but it is by no means the end. Hopefully it has sparked more questions, such as…

Life doesn’t seem to be about me, me, me. What does it mean to be a “child of God?”
I’ve confessed Jesus Christ as my Savior. I put my whole trust in his grace… but why is there suffering in the world?
I’ve promised to serve him as Lord, but why am I here? Where do I fit in?

Do you have the answers?

The faith journey continues on!

Photo credits:
Confirmation photo by Patrick Gilly, used with permission.

A birthday party! With red cake!

Posted on May 26, 2012August 22, 2022 by Carol Hulbert

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend. It is also time for a birthday party—with red cake!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Who’s birthday is it? And why red cake?

It is the birthday of the church! The church is another year older. (But who is counting after close to 2,000 years.) We also call this day “Pentecost” because the event that marked the start of the Christian church coincided with the Jewish festival of Pentecost.

What was this church-starting event, and why red cake?

The “event” was the coming of God’s promised helper or advocate, the Holy Spirit. Fifty days had passed since Jesus had been resurrected after the first Easter. Jesus’ followers were gathered together in Jerusalem, in the “Upper Room”—allegedly the same spot where the Last Supper had occurred. Jesus had told them, prior to his ascension to heaven, to wait in the city for the Holy Spirit. (Read about it in Acts 1:4).

Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. Acts 2:2-4

Fiery tongues? That sounds scary! Is that why the red cake?

Yep, the color red is associated with Pentecost as it illustrates the “fiery” nature of this event. As frightening as it sounds, it likely was not scary for the original participants. Strange and mysterious? Yes!

The writer of Acts says that the Spirit looked like tongues of fire and sounded like wind. I’ll bet it was hard to describe! Regardless of how it looked or sounded, the early followers of Jesus were lit “on-fire” as they felt empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news about Jesus.

So what does this mean for us today, besides some red cake?

Celebrations serve as reminders. God offers us the Holy Spirit. We may not sport flames but we can rest assurcd in the knowledge that God is with us, helping us to become disciples of Jesus and to do his work in the world.

Enjoy some red cake while you discuss Pentecost with your family!

Photo credits…
Red Velvet Cupcakes by vmiramontes, licensed on flickr under CC BY 2.0.

Something in Common: Youth Worship and The Runaway Bunny

Posted on May 16, 2012April 9, 2016 by Carol Hulbert

This weekend we’ll get to watch our Youth lead us in worship. Youth Worship is a spring tradition! It’s alway lively! How can it not be, when worship is led by gobs of 7th-12th graders!

Youth Worship always has a theme to it. This year’s subject is Grace.

Help your kids to get more out of this worship by talking about the concept of grace ahead of time. (And debriefing about it afterwards.) What is grace?

Grace is someone saying: “I love you anyway.”

Ask your child(ren) if they could say “I love you anyway” in response to some of these situations:

When someone doesn’t want to play with me.
When someone uses something of mine without asking, and then breaks it.
When people laugh at me when I make a mistake.
When someone gets me in trouble for something I didn’t do.

It is hard isn’t it!

This is what God’s grace is; God saying, “Even though you messed up, I love you anyway. It is a gift from me to you. There is nothing you can do to pay me back.”

Want another way to teach about grace? Use a popular storybook.

This story starts off…

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.
So he said to his mother, “I am running away.”
“If you run away,” said his mother, “I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.”

This bunny invents all kinds of scenarios where he runs away from his mother. But, no matter what, his mother assures him that she will run right after him.