Faith To Go Podcast: Our Identity in God
Hosted each week by the Faith Formation team at St. Paul's Cathedral in San Diego, David Tremaine, Maya Little-Sana and Jackie Pippin, the Faith To Go Podcast highlight themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your conversations throughout the week.
Activity Time: Family Trees
Supplies: Construction paper, marker/colored pencils
Younger children – draw a picture of your family doing an activity you like to do together.
Older children – Help children to draw parts of your family tree.
Talk about how we are all a part of the family of God. Our families can be big and complex, or they can be small and simple but regardless, there are opportunities for our families to exemplify the love of Jesus and his work in the world.
Story Time: Gospel Reading and Reflection
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) What did Jesus’ people say about him?
2) Where did the scribes come from?
3) If a kingdom is divided against itself, can it stand?
4) What did Jesus say about the Holy Spirit?
5) Who is a part of Jesus family?
Dinner Time: Taking Sabbath
Below is a prayer with which to start your meal and then discussion questions to explore this week’s topic with your family while you eat.
Prayer- The days are getting longer.
Keep your Spirit in my heart and mind
during this growing season.
Be with me as I finish the school year,
participate in summer activities,
enjoy the gift of summer turning into fall.
Help me recognize your works in all that I do
at work,
at rest,
and at play,
So that I can give thanks for all you provide,
even without my even asking.
Amen.
-Call On Me: A Prayer Book for Young People
Questions:
1. What is a family?
2. Are there other ways to define a family?
3. Who is a part of Jesus’ family?
4. What can Jesus family do to support his work and ministry?
5. What can we do to show that we are part of Jesus’ family?
Bedtime: Reflections for Children at the End of the Day
During your bedtime routine, invite your children into a time of reflection about their day, maybe by saying, "Did you know that God really wants to know what happened in your day today, and that God is always listening whenever you need to tell God something?" Then continue with these questions:
1) What are some things that happened today that you want to tell God about?
2) What is one happy thing that happened today? What is one sad thing that happened today?
3) Did you see God or feel God with you when those things were happening? Where did you see or feel God when those things happened today?
4) Read to your children this week’s scripture selection, then ask the questions that follows.
Mark 20:35
Jesus and his disciples were so busy with all the crowds that they didn’t even have time to eat. People were saying he was out of his mind, and when his family heard that, they went to see if they could grab Jesus and talk some sense into him. The authorities from the temple thought maybe Jesus had a demon in him. But Jesus said to them, “How could a demon cast out another demon?” They thought his spirit might be unclean.
“Don’t talk to me about the Holy Spirit,” Jesus said. “I’m telling you, you can be forgiven for anything, but don’t mess with the Holy Spirit. Because that’s who forgives you.”
Then his mother and his brothers sent for him. The crowd around Jesus said, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “My mother and my brothers? I’m telling you, the people who are around me now, these are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
-God’s Word, My Voice: A Lectionary for Children
Did the story remind you of anything that happened in your day today?
5) What are some things that you want to tell God that you are grateful for today?
Share some of your conversations in the comments below: