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: Priority List
Supplies: Paper and Pencil
Give each member of the family a piece of paper and tell them to fold it in half. On one side, write numbers 1-10. Have everyone list ten things that are important to them in any order. Now write the numbers 1-10 on the other side of the page. Look at your list, think about the order it should be in and put it in that order. When everyone is done, compare your lists! Did someone think of something that you didn’t? Is there something you wish you had put on your list but forgot? Is there something (God) that should go at the top above everything you have listed? Would that change how you thought about those other things?
Story Time: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
1) This video is about ways we can care for the Earth. Why do you think that would be
important to God?
2) What are other things that God would want us to do? (be kind to one another, pack
snack bags for the homeless…)
3) Are there things that you think God would want us not to do?
4) How do we remember to listen for God each day?
Dinner Time: What is Discipleship?
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, Help me to be a good disciple by following Jesus. Sometimes that can be hard, and I have to really listen to hear what you want from me. Help me to be kind. Help me to be patient. Help me to follow You always. Amen.
Questions 5-10 years old
1) What do you think it means to be a disciple?
2) What are some of the things Jesus has taught us that help us to be disciples?
3) Can you think of a time that you did something that you knew Jesus would want you to
do at school? At home? At a friend’s house?
4) What are some things we could do as a family to follow Jesus more?
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 14:25-33
(read by assigned person)
Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me must recognize that they are part of a much larger family of God that includes everybody in order to be my disciple. They must also help others when they are hurting and tell someone when they are hurting. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.
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: