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Week of July 12, 2020: Cultivating the Kingdom (Ages 5-10)


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: Planting Seeds

Supplies: egg carton or toilet paper rolls, dirt, seed (Follow this link for a list of easy to grow seeds: Easy to grow seeds)


If you are using toilet paper rolls, cut four 1.5 inch slits at one end of the tube. Fold the flaps toward the center of the tube. Use a piece of masking tape to hold the bottom in place. Working outside, or on an easy to clean surface, fill egg carton or toilet paper rolls ⅔ full with dirt.


Use your finger to poke a hole in the dirt about two inches deep. Drop a seed into the hole and cover with dirt. Lightly water.


Place in a sunny spot and water and watch them grow!


 

Story Time: Growing Plants

Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.



Discussion Questions:

1. What do plants need to grow?

2. Who is responsible for helping them grow?

3. Why do you think Jesus told this story?

4. What do you need to grow?

5. Who helps you to grow?


 

Dinner Time: How We Grow

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 -

Oh, the Lord’s been good to me and so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need: the sun, the rain and the apple seed. Oh, the Lord’s been good to me. Amen.


Questions:

1. What are some things that God has given you? (talents, blessings…)

2. How do you use those gifts?

3. We talked earlier this week about things that help you grow. Can you grow in other ways? (besides taller and older)

4. What helps you grow in those ways?

5. What helps you grow closer to God?




 

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 13:1-9, 18-23 (God’s Word, My Voice)


Jesus was sitting beside the sea. So many people crowded around him that he finally got into a boat and pushed off into the water, just so he could have some space to himself.


From the boat, he told people stories.


A farmer went into his field to scatter seed. Some seeds fell on the hard path and the birds came and ate it right up. Other seeds fell on the rocky soil. The seeds started to grow byt since their roots weren’t very deep, when the sun came up, they got scorched and withered up.


Other seeds fell in the thorns, which choked them.


But some seeds fell on really good soil and produced lots of grain.


Here’s what that story means:


If you hear but don’t understand God’s Word to you, you are like seeds on the pathway. Nothing starts to grow inside you.


If you joyfully hear God’s Word but your joy lasts only a little while, and when trouble comes you forget all about it,you’re like the seeds that fell on soil full of rocks.


If you hear the word, but all your worries choke what God says, you’re like the seeds that fell in the thorns.


But, if you hear and understand God’s Word, if you make it real in your life by what you do, you are like the seeds that fell on good ground, and produced good strong plants.


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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