Family Faith Companion

PandaMania – Monday

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

The Bible Buddy for Monday: Fez the Pheasant

Today at Vacation Bible Camp (VBC) it was steamy hot in panda territory but there were some cool things happening! Here’s what your kids did:

We all started off in Party Time Sing & Play, learning our song of the week: Wild About Us! and several other catchy tunes.

A VBC Crew
Crews (groups of kids) spent time getting to know each other. They also met Fez, our Bible Buddy for the day (that’s him above) and Panda Patty, the girl who wants to be a panda! Imagine that?

Here’s a shot of Panda Patty. She’ll be around all week. I wonder what she’ll be up to tomorrow?

We also heard about the day’s Bible story, about how God created our great, big, beautiful world! That story is in Genesis 1. (You can click on any of these highlighted words to be taken to a link, in this case one where you can read our Bible story.)

What happened next? The preschoolers went off to their special rooms and did the following:

Games – The kids especially enjoyed catching floating feathers in their hands and bouncing balls in the parachute and hiding out underneath it.
Bible Adventures -The kids used their senses to explore the incredible things that God created including using glow in the dark stars and making animal noises.
Bible Buddies – The kids met the puppet, Sklyer, who loves pandas! They wrote/drew about things that God made (AKA: God Sightings) and discussed things that God made that are loved. They also got to meet the Bible buddy, Fez!
Crafts – The kids created a miniature plastic/magnetic version of themselves as they thought about how they are God’s wonderful creation.

Meanwhile elementary kids visited the following stations:

Bamboo Blast Games – Kids played “What animal am I?” – they had animal labels stuck to their foreheads and had to ask others questions to discover which animal they were! Things I heard at this station: Am I a mammal? Am I green? Do I run fast? Do I have fur? So does a gorilla have a tail or not???
Ask your child what other games they played!
Bible Adventure – In this station kids get to hear our Bible story in a special way. Today they helped tell the story of creation! (I think they were all stars!)
Chadder’s Theatre – Chadder is a puppet who stars in a video. Today Chadder went to Pop’s Panda Paradise to try to help answer the question: Why are all the pandas disappering? Chadder helped capture someone (or something?) but we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see who/what it is!
Also at Chadder’s Theatre, kids have time to write or draw “God Sightings.” Some collected were: animals, this church, my brother, and the sunrise this morning. Kids got a special wristband to help them remember to look for God. “God Sightings” will be noted all week.
Crazy Crafts – Kids got to decorate a clip to collect all of their Bible buddies. They made miniature versions of themselves! God made each one of them with special love.

Our “older” elementary kids in our Grad Group are working every day this week on a mission project. Today they decorated thank you cards to be used at Alpha House. They also created school supply kits that will be distributed via the Bryant Community Center. Our grads also helped lead us in singing. The grad group helps lead singing

Mid-way through our time this morning we all gathered at Treetop Treats. Our snack was called “Maker Mix.” See if your kids can tell you what each element in the snack represented.
The snack ingredients

At the end of our morning everyone gathered together for Rowdy Wrap Up.

A VBC scene: singing and dancing

There was more singing (with motions!) Ask your kids about what else hapened – Something about a rocket lauching device and pandas??

Important stuff for parents/guardians:

When picking up your child please wait for a runner to bring your child to your car.
If your child will be picked up by someone else, you must tell us in writing ahead of time.
Each year we choose a mission to support during our VBC week. This year we are collecting backpacks and school supplies for children in our community that can’t afford these essential items. Send in supplies so that no kid gets left out this fall!

Finally… Everyday we’ve got a special Bible verse. Today’s was from Psalm 139:14…

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

And, we were always on the listen for a special Bible point for the day…

God Made You!

See you tomorrow!
The VBC Team

Need help with the role of spiritual leader for your family? Join our readers! Receive new posts to this blog by email by entering your address at the box on the upper right side of this page. (And then clicking the button). There will be one post every day this week of VBC but most weeks there are two posts during a week.

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PandaMania logos from here.
Rest of photos courtesy of various volunteers at VBC!

PandaMania starts tomorrow!

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

Are you ready for Vacation Bible Camp?

It’s this week, July 11-15. I’ll be reporting every day. If you’d like to receive an email of my posts, sign up on the right hand column (if you are at the Family Faith Companion site).

The Panda Bears are waiting!

A stuffed Panda bear
After church this morning, the crew got to work. Setting up sets…
Setting up the backdrops for the "set"

And installing lots of bamboo…
A child with "bamboo"

There was even a panda peeking out of a Panera bag!
A panda bear in a Panera bag

More than 80 volunteers (both youth and adults) are looking forward to hosting almost 130 kids!

I hope to see you there!

Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Other photos from my archives.

Cool Disciples Schedule: July 2011

Posted on July 8, 2011July 7, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

During the heat of summer our Cool Disciples continue to explore Bible stories on Sunday mornings! Our teaching tool is the fun (yet transformational) Workshop Rotation Model Sunday’s ~~School~~ Cool. Summer is a bit different in that we combine grade groups. This summer we’ve also got more changes – a different choice for older students. Read more about that choice here.

For three weeks of July, we are learning about a time when some children had an exclusive audience with Jesus! Read the story in Mark 10:13-16. This story entails Jesus allowing children to come to him for a blessing.

What is a blessing? Most of us when we hear the word “blessing” think of a table grace we say before we eat, as in “saying our blessings.” That is one use of the word blessing. A blessing also means a special prayer given to someone, which makes them feel good. We could say that it is a special prayer for the good of a person!

What is the blessing that Jesus desires for you?
How does it make you feel to know how much Jesus loves children and wants to bless them?

Here is the way we’ll be exploring this story for the next three weeks…

Date	Workshop	Activity
7/10	Art Workshop	Decorate a mirror picture frame as a reminder that God loves you.
7/17	Cooking Workshop	Being blessed also includes the empowerment of being a blessing to others. Make something to share at Lemonade on the Lawn.
7/24	Games Workshop	Set up and go through an obstacle course with a different-sort of name: the “Don’t Let Anything Keep You From Jesus” obstacle course.

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).
Stain glass by Janine and Jim Eden who licensed this photo under: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

A Blessing: Deeply Rooted

Posted on July 6, 2011July 5, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

Blessings are words that assure us that God goes with us.

When storms shake, our roots run deep. Here are some traveling words for your kids. From scripture: Ephesians 3:17. Say your child’s name and…

May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.

I’ve been giving my son a blessing every day as he heads out to work. It is great to see his reaction: a smile! Are you using the language of faith with your kids? To get started click here. Try out some other blessings here.

Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
Tree roots by Dodo-Bird who licensed this photo on Flickr under: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

Let one thing lead to another?

Posted on July 1, 2011July 8, 2016 by Carol Hulbert

Do you have plans for the 4th of July – perhaps a picnic or watching a parade or some fireworks?

Doing these sorts of things is almost required! They are rituals!

Rituals and traditions are repeated activities that help family members develop a sense of belonging.

How about some traditions that help your kids realize they belong to God’s family? Try some of these:

How about attending Communion worship? (If you’re in the area, join us at FUMC. Communion is held on the first Sunday of every month). Being a part of God’s family involves worshipping God together.
Plan a time to gather together (frequently!) and read the Bible. Might I suggest looking here for our current study for kids? Being part of God’s family involves “knowing” God. We can know God by reading the Bible.
Choose a service project (perhaps once a month!) View a list of potential projects here. Being part of God’s family involves loving and serving God and others.
Once a week practice a time of Sabbath. (It doesn’t have to be on Sunday). Here’s a way to get started: Surrender one heavily used device and let it rest. (The TV? A cell phone? A computer?) Being part of God’s family involves listening for God.
Practice a time of thankful prayers. (For ideas see here.) Being part of God’s family involves talking to God.
Committ to learning a verse of scripture. How about John 3:16-17. Being part of God’s family involves living with God’s word in our hearts.

What rituals do you practice in your family?

Photo credits:
Fireworks by bayasaa who licensed this photo under: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

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A Blessing – Holy Potential

Posted on June 29, 2011June 26, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

Giving your child a blessing at the same time everyday – as they head out the door, for example – tunes them in to listening to your words. Wouldn’t it be great if they could go into their day looking for the wonder of God’s presence?

Here’s a blessing to use. Say your child’s name and…

May you be aware of the Holy potential of your day.

Ask them to report back at the dinner table!

For more blessings to try out click here.
Curious about the function of blessings? Click here .

Photo credits: For info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email) click here.
Boy engrossed in life by Woodleywonderworks who licensed this photo on Flickr under: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

Practicing Gratitude

Posted on June 27, 2011April 19, 2019 by Carol Hulbert

When someone gives you a gift, what is the standard, considered-good-manners, expected response?

(Everyone say it all together…)

Thank You!

Unfortunately, kids aren’t born knowing how to be thankful.

Now, I know. You are well-aware of your parental requirement to teach your children manners. (Please, thank you, you’re welcome, and the rest).

How about training them to have a grateful heart?

A thankful heart shown in chalk

Need an ingress to this topic? Our June Rotation offers an appropriate Bible story. We’ve been studying the “Widow’s Offering” from Mark 12:41-44.

We’ve already learned that gifts given to God are called offerings. Our offerings can be time, talents, or money.

We’ve also learned that the woman in our story could have given everything she owned (two, small coins!) out of trust that God would provide for her needs.

What about the possibility that the poor widow gave because she was grateful?

For the widow in our story, it probably wasn’t her first time giving an offering. She was likely in the habit.

Perhaps we need to practice being thankful.

Here are some ways…

Set up a place for praises. In a noticeable location, place a stack of papers and a pen near a basket or a bowl. (Or post a list on the refridge; or give everyone their own journal.) Encourage everyone to draw or write about things that make them grateful. Once a week ponder your collection.
Write notes to your family (the lunch box, posted on the car dash, on the mirror, saying, “Right now, what are you thankful to God for?” Expect a report at the dinner table.
While driving around town allow a certain happenstance (every dog seen or every blue car) to spark the announcement of a grateful.
Use this mealtime grace: Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything. Follow it up with everyone naming a gratitude.
Write short thank-you notes to people who might appreciate a little thanks. Folks at church – such as the person who sang a solo, the person who rocked babies in the nursery, or the pastor; in your neighborhood – the person who lets you pick flowers, or always bags your groceries. The possibilities are endless!

What are your ideas for practicing gratitude?

Photo credit:
Chalk thank you by Judy Merrill-Smith, licensed under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Giving abundantly because we trust in abundance

Posted on June 24, 2011June 24, 2011 by Carol Hulbert

Kids participating with the Cool Disciples have been learning this month, about giving. They’ve learned how our offerings can be more than a monetary gift; they’ve had two chances to work at it during Sunday’s Cool! One week they helped make decorations that will be used for Vacation Bible Camp in July. Last week they made cookies to share with Alpha House. Each week they’ve listened to the story of a poor widow giving all that she had (in Mark 12:41-44). What was Jesus trying to say about this widow’s extravagant gift?

This woman was giving all that she had out of trust that God would supply all of her needs.

God is good; all the time. This is something we know inherently. But do we live as though we believe it?

Two coins

How about talking about it with your family! Gather a Bible and a fist full of coins (the more the merrier). First read the story together in Mark 12:41-44. Then gather everyone around the computer and scroll down only far enough to expose a speech bubble and its question.

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble Why do you suppose Jesus was watching people give their offerings?

No right or wrong answer to this one. Did you know the subject Jesus taught the most about was money? It’s almost as if Jesus were sitting there, waiting for a teachable moment!
Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble The teachable moment arrives when a widow gives her offering. What is a widow?

A widow is a woman whose husband has died. Most women in Jesus’ day didn’t work. Widows had to be taken care of by their family. It is likely that this woman didn’t have anyone to support her as, Jesus seemed to know that she was poor.

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble Jesus had watched rich people drop lots of coins into the offering box. (Since all money was coins it would have made a lot of noise going in!) Yet Jesus said that the poor widow had put in more than all the others! How can her gift be larger than what the richer people gave?

Here’s where your coins come into play. It’s probably not a significant pile of cash, but let’s just say: you are rich! Look at all the money you have! You’ve got plenty!

Pick up two coins. Since you are rich do you suppose you would notice if you had two coins less? (Probably not.)

Hold just the two coins and put the other coins away. Now you are poor! You have only two coins! What happens if you give away these two coins?

This is what Jesus meant; the rich people gave a lot because they could afford to do so; they had plenty left over. But the widow gave even though she was poor. She put in everything she had. She gave all she had to live on!

Time Out. Talk about… A speech bubble If the widow gave everything, where did she expect her next meal to come from?

The women had the chance to give a gift. She gave all she had, trusting that God would take care of her!

Jesus is not saying we have to give everything we have. He is saying that the amount of the gift isn’t really important but the attitude in which a gift is given is important. Jesus wants us to trust God to provide for our needs! Let me tell you: It’s not easy trusting God like that! But you know what? It makes me giddy when I do and he provides! (Ask me about it.)

When we begin to share abundantly, then we make room in our lives for God to bless us abundantly.

What can help you to live as though you believe in God’s abundance?

— Carol

Photo credits: Click here for info on banner photo (not visible in readers or email).
Other photo: from my archives.