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: I Trust You
Supplies: blind fold
Go to the back of your house. One person is blindfolded. The other person is the guide. Navigate all the way to the front door using verbal directions, but not touching the person. Give the other person a turn.
Repeat the exercise deciding on another destination, but this time guide the person by the hand without saying anything.
Questions for the end: Was it easier to trust what the person was telling you to do, or when they guided you by the hand? How did it feel to be the person guiding? How did it feel to be the person that was led? When is a time that you feel God guiding you? How does it feel?
Story Time: The Parable of the Talents
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1. I wonder what is something you think you are good at doing?
2. Do you like doing it?
3. Why do you think you are good at it?
4. What does it mean to ‘waste your talent’?
5. How would it make you feel if you didn’t have your talent anymore? Why?
Dinner Time: Trusting One Another
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 -
Dear God, We are blessed with a family that loves us and a home where we are safe. Help us to remember that so many of our gifts are blessings from you. Remind us that you want us to use our gifts and talents to help other people. Amen.
Questions:
1. I wonder what you think it means to be trustworthy?
2. Can you think of some things that I trust you to do?
3. What are some things that you trust me to do?
4. How does it feel if I don’t do something you trusted me to do?
5. What are some things God trusts us with?
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 25:14-30 (God’s Word, My Voice)
Jesus said: Here’s another story about the kingdom for you:
A man was heading out of town, and he wanted his servants to take care of his money while he was gone. To one servant he gave $5000, to another $2000, and to the last one $1000. After the man had left, the first servant invested his money and doubled what he’d been given. So did the servant who had been given $2000. But the last guy dug a hole in his yard and buried is $1000 in the dirt. After a long time, the man came back and wanted to see how they’d done with what they’d been given. The first servant said proudly, “Look. You gave me $5000 and I’ve made another $5000 for you.”
“Excellent!” said the man. “I will promote you because you’ve been so good with my money.” The same thing happened with the servant who had turned $2000 into $4000. Then the last man, who had hid his $1000 in the ground said, “I was too scared to do anything with your money so I hid it in my yard. But it was safe. So here’s your $1000.” The man said, “Are you kidding? Why didn’t you at least give my money to someone who would know what to do with it? Let me have that so I can give it to someone else. The only way to make more, is to do more with what you have. If you do nothing, you will have nothing. Take this worthless servant out of my sight.”
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: