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: Baby’s Comin’ Oh Yeah
Supplies: your singing voice, a positive attitude, etc.
Singing with your family. This article from Building Faith provides a song that is easily sung around the table, as you get ready for bed, or any other time that you want during your day. The melody is simple and catchy. You can add words throughout the season of Advent:
Story Time: Whirl Kids Celebrate Advent
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family. (Please watch this video from 0:00 to 2:10. That is the substance for the conversation.)
Discussion Questions:
1. What things do the kids in the video do during Advent?
2. What things do we do? Which are your favorites?
3. Why did the kids try to hurry up all of the activities?
4. Is it hard to wait for things?
5. How do you think it would feel if we rushed through everything?
Dinner Time: Preparation Time
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 -
Gracious God, Father of the Prince of Peace, help us to follow where your light shines. Hope is the destination of our faith, and peace gives us the courage to start the journey. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
(The Redemption of Scrooge, Matt Rawle)
Questions:
1. To get ready for Christmas we put up lots of decorations, what are your favorites?
2. Just like we get our house ready, we need to get our hearts ready too. What are some things we can do?
3. Mary and Joseph had to wait a long time for Jesus to be born. How do you think they felt while they were waiting?
4. What kinds of things can you do to help you be patience when you are waiting for something big?
5. Do you think that things we do to help our heart be ready for Jesus also help us be patient? How so?
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.
Matthew 24:36-44 (God’s Word, My Voice)
Nobody knows when the last day will come. Not the angels in heaven, or Jesus himself -- only the Father knows. It will come all of a sudden. People go about their everyday lives, like at the time of the Flood, and then all of a sudden they’re floating in the water. The end will be sudden, just like that. Two men will be standing together, and one is taken, and the other is not. Surprise! So pay attention, because you don’t know when that day will be. Just know you need to be ready for anything, because Jesus will return when you least expect it.
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: