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.
Story Time: The Christmas Story
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
I wonder what part of this story was most surprising?
I wonder who in this story had the biggest surprise?
I wonder if you have ever been surprised?
I wonder who we could tell this story too?
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 2: 1-12 (God’s Word, My Voice)
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem to ask, “What’s this about a child born king of the Jews? We saw a star in the sky that led us here, and we’ve come to honor him.”
King Herod, who was very insecure and a little crazy, said, “King? What king?” Herod was scared that another king was out there. So he called the priests and smart people together and asked them where this king of the Jews was supposed to be born according to the books.
They looked and found out that he was supposed to be born in Bethlehem. So he told the wise men to go to Behtlehem and made up a story about how he wanted to go and honor this newborn king as well. He actually wanted to destroy him.
The wise men set out for Bethlehem. The star in the sky stopped over the spot where Jesus lived. The wise men were thrilled! When they went inside, they found Jesus and Mary and they got down on their knees to worship him. They opened their packages full of treasures and gave him gifts of incense and gold. They had a dream that told them not to go back to Herod, so instead of going back through Jerusalem, they found another road and went home.
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: