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Week of June 17, 2018: The Kingdom of God Like a Mustard Seed (Ages 0-4)



Faith To Go Podcast: Faith Like a Mustard Seed

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: Tiny Leaves of Faith

Supplies – Construction paper (preferably green, brown and other), scissors, glue, markers

Have three pieces of paper: one of the background, one for the trunk, and one for the leaves. Have children cut out a trunk, glue it to the background. Help children write on the background “I can grow by…” Next, have them cut out a 3-6 leaves. On the leaves, help them write ways that they can grow and nurture their faith. Glue the leaves onto the trunk of the tree.

There are both ways that we can personally feed our faith, like praying, and reading the Bible, and ways that our community can help feed our faith, like answering our questions, going to church, volunteering together. It’s important to look out for opportunities that help us maintain our faith and things that’s help us expand our view.

 

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) I wonder what the kingdom of heaven is like.

2) I wonder how small a mustard seed is.

3) I wonder what the mustard seed represents.

4) I wonder what this story teaches us about our expectations for things.

5) I wonder what that means for us even if our faith is very small.

 

Dinner Time: Kingdom of God

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. I wonder how you are like a seed.

  2. I wonder what will help you grow.

  3. I wonder what will help your faith in God grow.

  4. I wonder what the Kingdom of God is.

  5. I wonder if the Kingdom of God can be seen around us.​

 

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 4:26-34

Jesus said, “Here’s what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as if someone scatters seed all over, and watches and waits, and then sees the seeds grow. But he doesn’t know how it happens, but he’s sure glad it has. When the crop is ripe, he goes and harvests it.”

“The kingdom is like a tiny seed, which you can hardly see because it’s so small. And if it finds the right conditions it’ll grow into the biggest of shrubs, and all the birds will want to make nests in its huge branches.”

Jesus went on and on, telling stories like this to them. When he was with his disciples, he would explain what those stories meant.

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:

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