Hosted each week by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine, Maya Little-Sana and Charlette Preslar, the Faith To Go Podcast highlight themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the week.
Activity Time: Sardines
Supplies: a good hiding place
Sardines is an active game that is played like hide and go seek — only in reverse! One person hides, and everyone else searches for the hidden person. Whenever a person finds the hidden person, they quietly join them in their hiding spot. Soon, the hidden group starts to look like a bunch of sardines! Make sure everyone in the family has an opportunity to be the person that hides; everyone else counts to twenty before seeking.
Questions for the end of the game:
How did it feel to be the person who hid with so many people looking for you?
How did it feel to be found?
Did it feel different because instead of being “IT” the person who found you would hide with you?
Story Time: The Lost Sheep
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) I wonder how the sheep got lost.
2) I wonder how the sheep knew that it was lost.
3) I wonder how the sheep felt when it realized it was lost.
4) I wonder why the shepherd left the other sheep to search for the one that was lost.
5) I wonder if you’ve ever felt like the sheep.
Dinner Time: Feeling Lost
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,
Thank you for loving me like a shepherd loves his sheep.
Help me to remember that when I feel lost or alone,
you are looking for me.
Help me to remember that I have to look and listen for you too, God.
In Jesus Name we pray
Amen
Questions 0-4 years old
1) I wonder if you've ever felt alone or lost.
2) I wonder what it feels like to be lost or alone.
3) I wonder what makes us feel that way.
4) I wonder if God helps us when we fell lost or alone.
5) I wonder what God does to help us.
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.
Luke 15:1-10
The tax collectors and sinners were coming close to Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and other leaders were grumbling, saying, “Look at him; eating and talking with all those sinners.” So he told them this story
There was a man who had one hundred sheep, and he loved each of them. One of them got lost, so he left the ninety-nine in the wilderness to search for the lost one. He looked and looked, calling his name. Finally he found it, and put it on his shoulders and was relieved and happy. When he got home, he had a party with his friends and neighbors and said, “Be happy for me. I finally found that one sheep of mine that was lost.” That’s how it is in heaven, when one sinner turns from his ways and joins the ninety-nine who had never strayed.
If you had ten silver coins and lost one, wouldn’t you keep your lamp lit all night, and sweep the entire house, looking under everything for that last coin? the you would tell everyone you know how awful you felt when that coin was lost, and how happy you are now that it’s found. The angels in heaven party all night over one sinner who changes his ways and turns to God.
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: