Every Monday we will upload a new meditation for you and your family.
These can be read in the car, at the dinner table or anywhere you have 10-30 minutes to spend together.
They'll end with an action you can do as a family to spread God's love in our community.
These can be read in the car, at the dinner table or anywhere you have 10-30 minutes to spend together.
They'll end with an action you can do as a family to spread God's love in our community.
Meditation for the week of Sunday, April 24
Ask your kids about some of the rules they deal with every day. Classroom rules, family rules, sports rules, etc.
Set the scene by telling your kids that wherever Jesus went, people gathered. Some wanted healing. Some came to hear his stories. Others were curious about this amazing man who said old things in a new way and seemed to speak with a quiet certainty that indicated he knew what he was talking about. Others were suspicious of Jesus. They wanted to see whether Jesus really upheld the laws of the religion of that day or whether he was breaking them.
Read Matthew 22:34-40
Ask:
Why do you think this is called "The Great Commandment"?
What do you think it means to love God? How can we do this?
What do you think it means to love your neighbor?
Who are our neighbors? (other than the people who live next door... who else?)
What are the ways that we show love to our neighbors?
What are ways we use to avoid loving our neighbors?
What do you think it means to love others as ourselves?
If we don't love ourselves, can we love others?
Set the scene by telling your kids that wherever Jesus went, people gathered. Some wanted healing. Some came to hear his stories. Others were curious about this amazing man who said old things in a new way and seemed to speak with a quiet certainty that indicated he knew what he was talking about. Others were suspicious of Jesus. They wanted to see whether Jesus really upheld the laws of the religion of that day or whether he was breaking them.
Read Matthew 22:34-40
Ask:
Why do you think this is called "The Great Commandment"?
What do you think it means to love God? How can we do this?
What do you think it means to love your neighbor?
Who are our neighbors? (other than the people who live next door... who else?)
What are the ways that we show love to our neighbors?
What are ways we use to avoid loving our neighbors?
What do you think it means to love others as ourselves?
If we don't love ourselves, can we love others?
Meditation for the week of Sunday, April 17
Ask your child(ren) can remember a time when they were very little, and they got lost. Perhaps lost in a grocery store, maybe lost in a mall, or wandered away at a camp site, for example.
If they do not remember anything, you could share a story of your own (either as the lost one or as the parent of a lost one).
Then ask the children to try to imagine what it might feel like to be lost because you had chosen to run away and now you are sorry you did. Tell the children that today's story has to do with people who were lost and were looking for a way to come back.
Read John 10:1-15
Go back to the beginning of the reading and remind your kids that Jesus was talking in public and that the Pharisees saw him talking with trouble makers and sinners.
Ask:
If Jesus were speaking at your school today, who are people that cause trouble at school who might be there to hear Jesus?
(Bullies? Tattletales, etc.)
Who would be the stuck-up people that would ask: what are THESE people doing here?
Most people in our country do not make their living taking care of sheep.
Ask:
So, if Jesus were telling this story at your school, what do you think he would tell about instead of sheep?
Can you help Jesus by telling his story for your school?
What might be lost?
(Children who do not have a home to live in. Children who do not speak our language?)
Encourage the children to paraphrase the story, setting it at their school, today.
How can you and your children work this week to make the lost feel found?
What can you do as a family to make a safe space for their friends?
If they do not remember anything, you could share a story of your own (either as the lost one or as the parent of a lost one).
Then ask the children to try to imagine what it might feel like to be lost because you had chosen to run away and now you are sorry you did. Tell the children that today's story has to do with people who were lost and were looking for a way to come back.
Read John 10:1-15
Go back to the beginning of the reading and remind your kids that Jesus was talking in public and that the Pharisees saw him talking with trouble makers and sinners.
Ask:
If Jesus were speaking at your school today, who are people that cause trouble at school who might be there to hear Jesus?
(Bullies? Tattletales, etc.)
Who would be the stuck-up people that would ask: what are THESE people doing here?
Most people in our country do not make their living taking care of sheep.
Ask:
So, if Jesus were telling this story at your school, what do you think he would tell about instead of sheep?
Can you help Jesus by telling his story for your school?
What might be lost?
(Children who do not have a home to live in. Children who do not speak our language?)
Encourage the children to paraphrase the story, setting it at their school, today.
How can you and your children work this week to make the lost feel found?
What can you do as a family to make a safe space for their friends?
Meditation for the week of Sunday, April 10
Talk to your kids about choices. Say something like:
Every day we make choices about things we are going to do. Sometimes we choose to do really good, fun things: Like ride our bike, or play nicely with our brothers or sisters. We do what our parents tell us to do. We say “please” and “thank you.” We get up and go to bed when we are told to do so.
But, we don’t ALWAYS do everything that is right... Do we? Sometimes... sometimes (not often, maybe) we do things that are wrong.
Not a mistake, like “Oops, I spilled my milk.” Or “Uh, oh, I forgot to feed the dog.” But something really, really wrong that we decide to do on purpose... even when we KNOW that we aren’t supposed to.
In the Bible there is a story of a man named Peter.
Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples. He followed Jesus every day. He cared about Jesus very much. He thought he was Jesus’ best follower. He even once told Jesus, “I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus told Peter that on that very night he would deny even knowing Jesus three different times. And that he would do all of this before the rooster crowed the next morning.
That night Jesus was arrested. Afterwards someone asked Peter if he knew Jesus. Peter told the person “No.” He was asked again and again. All three times Peter said that he didn’t know Jesus. All of a sudden the rooster crowed and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him. Peter cried.
Ask: Why do you think Peter cried when he heard the rooster crow?
(He was sad that he had denied his friend, Jesus. And he knew that he had lied.)
But, happily, the story doesn’t end there! Jesus died and was buried. But on the third day He rose from the dead! After that He visited with His disciples. Today’s story is about the first time he sees Peter.
Read John 21:1-19
Say: Jesus asked Peter “Do you love me?” And Peter said “Yes, I love you.” Jesus asked him that three times. Each time Peter told Jesus that he loved Him. But, Peter was ashamed that Jesus asked him three times.
Think back. How many times did Peter tell the person that he didn’t know Jesus? (Three) And how many times did Jesus ask Peter if he loved Him? (Three)
We know that if Jesus loves Peter even though he did something that wrong, Jesus will always love us and ask us to do good things.
What is something good we can do this week? Are there "sheep" we can feed and care for this week?
Every day we make choices about things we are going to do. Sometimes we choose to do really good, fun things: Like ride our bike, or play nicely with our brothers or sisters. We do what our parents tell us to do. We say “please” and “thank you.” We get up and go to bed when we are told to do so.
But, we don’t ALWAYS do everything that is right... Do we? Sometimes... sometimes (not often, maybe) we do things that are wrong.
Not a mistake, like “Oops, I spilled my milk.” Or “Uh, oh, I forgot to feed the dog.” But something really, really wrong that we decide to do on purpose... even when we KNOW that we aren’t supposed to.
In the Bible there is a story of a man named Peter.
Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples. He followed Jesus every day. He cared about Jesus very much. He thought he was Jesus’ best follower. He even once told Jesus, “I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus told Peter that on that very night he would deny even knowing Jesus three different times. And that he would do all of this before the rooster crowed the next morning.
That night Jesus was arrested. Afterwards someone asked Peter if he knew Jesus. Peter told the person “No.” He was asked again and again. All three times Peter said that he didn’t know Jesus. All of a sudden the rooster crowed and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him. Peter cried.
Ask: Why do you think Peter cried when he heard the rooster crow?
(He was sad that he had denied his friend, Jesus. And he knew that he had lied.)
But, happily, the story doesn’t end there! Jesus died and was buried. But on the third day He rose from the dead! After that He visited with His disciples. Today’s story is about the first time he sees Peter.
Read John 21:1-19
Say: Jesus asked Peter “Do you love me?” And Peter said “Yes, I love you.” Jesus asked him that three times. Each time Peter told Jesus that he loved Him. But, Peter was ashamed that Jesus asked him three times.
Think back. How many times did Peter tell the person that he didn’t know Jesus? (Three) And how many times did Jesus ask Peter if he loved Him? (Three)
We know that if Jesus loves Peter even though he did something that wrong, Jesus will always love us and ask us to do good things.
What is something good we can do this week? Are there "sheep" we can feed and care for this week?
Meditation for the week of Sunday, April 3
Before you read the Bible passage ask your kids what they know about doubt? What does it mean?
You can explain that doubt was what they feel when they don’t believe what is being told to them.
Ask your kids what they know about faith. What does it mean?
You can explain that faith is what they feel when they do believe what is being told to them even though they don’t have any proof.
Read a story about Doubt and Faith. John 20:19-31
Some questions for you:
Jesus met the disciples while they were still in mourning for his loss. What was the purpose of Jesus’ returning to them?
What did Jesus hope to accomplish?
Why were the disciples in need of peace that day?
The blessing that Jesus offered the disciples—“Peace be with you”—is something we hear every Sunday during worship. When someone says “Peace be with you,” what does it mean to you?
When you say “Peace be with you”, how much do you mean what you say?
If you knew for sure that a person offering these words to you really meant them, how would you feel?
Who can you think of who could use a heartfelt greeting and wish for peace?
When do you struggle to find peace in your own life? How might prayer help at those times?
This week think and pray about the people in your life that need peace. How can you share peace with them? Maybe make sure they get an extra big hug? Can you write them a note or share your ice cream?
You can explain that doubt was what they feel when they don’t believe what is being told to them.
Ask your kids what they know about faith. What does it mean?
You can explain that faith is what they feel when they do believe what is being told to them even though they don’t have any proof.
Read a story about Doubt and Faith. John 20:19-31
Some questions for you:
Jesus met the disciples while they were still in mourning for his loss. What was the purpose of Jesus’ returning to them?
What did Jesus hope to accomplish?
Why were the disciples in need of peace that day?
The blessing that Jesus offered the disciples—“Peace be with you”—is something we hear every Sunday during worship. When someone says “Peace be with you,” what does it mean to you?
When you say “Peace be with you”, how much do you mean what you say?
If you knew for sure that a person offering these words to you really meant them, how would you feel?
Who can you think of who could use a heartfelt greeting and wish for peace?
When do you struggle to find peace in your own life? How might prayer help at those times?
This week think and pray about the people in your life that need peace. How can you share peace with them? Maybe make sure they get an extra big hug? Can you write them a note or share your ice cream?
Meditation for the week of Sunday, March 6
Before you read the bible passage, ask your kids what they think about prayer.
How do they pray? Why do they pray? What does it mean to them when they pray?
Complete this sentence: Prayer is _________________
Reading: Luke 11:1-4
Discussion Questions:
Why do we pray together in worship?
Why do we say the Lord's Prayer each week?
Why do we call it the Lord's Prayer?
Are there other ways to pray?
Do you pray? When? How?
How can God hear all of our prayers at once?
How come God doesn't answer my prayers?
What if two people pray for opposite outcomes?
This week, take time to pray for all the people around you.
Specifically, think of one someone you need to pray for this week.
If you'd like an easy task, pray for someone in your family or one of your friends you like a lot.
If you'd like a slightly difficult challenge, pray for someone you don’t like for whatever reason, maybe even an enemy. And instead of praying “Lord, smite them” Pray “Lord, give them what they need and I hope they’re happy.”
How do they pray? Why do they pray? What does it mean to them when they pray?
Complete this sentence: Prayer is _________________
Reading: Luke 11:1-4
Discussion Questions:
Why do we pray together in worship?
Why do we say the Lord's Prayer each week?
Why do we call it the Lord's Prayer?
Are there other ways to pray?
Do you pray? When? How?
How can God hear all of our prayers at once?
How come God doesn't answer my prayers?
What if two people pray for opposite outcomes?
This week, take time to pray for all the people around you.
Specifically, think of one someone you need to pray for this week.
If you'd like an easy task, pray for someone in your family or one of your friends you like a lot.
If you'd like a slightly difficult challenge, pray for someone you don’t like for whatever reason, maybe even an enemy. And instead of praying “Lord, smite them” Pray “Lord, give them what they need and I hope they’re happy.”