Hosted by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine and Charlette Preslar, and joined the each week by a special guest, the Faith To Go Podcast highlights themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the week.
Activity Time: Eureka! I’ve Found it!
Supplies: magnifying glass
Go out into the yard as a family and take turns being the explorer. The person who is the explorer takes the magnifying glass and heads out into the yard to find something they couldn’t see or hadn’t noticed before. When they find it, they yell back to the family, “Eureka! I’ve found it!” and everyone rushes over to the discovery site and takes turns looking at the discovery.
Ask questions of the explorer like, “What made you look in this spot? What is special about your discovery? Why are you excited about what you have found?” Make sure that everyone gets a chance to be the explorer. When you finish, talk about all of the discoveries you made. Ask the family if they have ever thought about being an explorer for God?
Can you think of things that they have seen in the world that help them to know God is there? Then encourage everyone to excitedly point out those things to each other all week long using the same phrase, “Eureka! I’ve found it!”
Story Time: Walking Water Science Experiment
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1. Did you think that the water could walk from one cup to the other? 2. Why or why not? 3. What was your favorite part of the video? 4. What does it mean to be a scientist? 5. What is something you would like to learn more about
Dinner Time: Seeing Jesus
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 (Children’s Creed) -
I believe in God above.
I believe in Jesus’ love.
I believe the Spirit too, comes to tell me what to do.
I believe that I can be kind and good, dear Lord like thee.
Amen
Questions:
1. How do you think the disciples felt when they saw Jesus?
2. How do you think Thomas felt when he heard the saw Jesus but he didn’t?
3. Can you think of something you missed out on seeing or doing?
4. How did it make you feel?
5. How do you think you would feel if you saw Jesus?
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.
John 20: 19-31 (God’s Word, My Voice)
It was Easter Sunday night, and the disciples were all together in a house with locked doors. They were scared the authorities were going to come get them because they knew Jesus. All of a sudden, Jesus was right in the middle of them and said, “Peace, brothers!” He could tell they couldn’t believe it was him, so he showed them the holes in his hands and his side. They were so very happy to see him alive. Again he said, “Peace be with you. Just like my Father sent me to you, I’m sending you out as well.” He breathed on them and said, “Here… receive the Holy Spirit. Now you have the power to forgive.”
Thomas hadn’t been with them that night. The other disciples told him, “We saw Jesus. He was right here with us.” Thomas said, “I won’t believe that until I see him for myself and can put my fingers on his wounds.”
A week later the disciples were together again in the same house. Thomas was with them this time. Even thought the doors were shut, Jesus was able to be in the middle of them again, and again he said, “Peace be with you all.” Jesus said, “Thomas, I know it’s hard to believe I’m here. Go ahead and put your finger here on my hands. And touch my side. That will help you believe.”
Thomas fell to his knees. He didn’t need to touch Jesus in order to say, “My Lord and my God! It is you, Jesus!”
Jesus said, “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who will never see me in person but believe in me anyway.”
I can’t tell you all the awesome things Jesus did. I’ve written what i have written so you can believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and so that you can have the life he offers.
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: