Summer Sunday School

Week 2: Sunday, July 5, 2020

This week’s continued theme is PRAYER. 

Last week we talked about how prayer is how we talk to God. It can also be how we hear and feel God. When we are in those quiet spaces we can feel God’s presence. In nature, while reading or taking a neighborhood walk, playing legos or crafting, we can often hear or feel God. I often hear God speaking to me through hymns! Just as scripture or a sermon may be just what you need to hear, sometimes it is the hymn that has a message for us. A message of comfort or celebration, whatever it is that we need to hear.

This week’s devotion is Psalm 19 vs 1-6. Below is a link to an online version of the bible in a version (the International Children’s Bible) that is written at a 3rd grade reading level and is in nice natural language for our children and youth to understand better. If your family has a favorite version please feel free to use that!

https://www.bible.com/bible/1359/PSA.19.ICB

  • versions of the bible in your home or use the above website to look at a few different translations. See what words are different.

  • This Psalm is a “song of David.” Do some research; What does that mean?

  • What songs do you enjoy singing in church or as a family? Are their hymns your parents enjoy or relate to?

  • What does music in general mean to your family? Does anyone play an instrument? Sing? Do any of them think of their music as a prayer?

  • Discuss where you most feel or hear God (for me its at the beach!  I am so at peace there, I am open to hearing God!)

Attached are two prayer activities. One is a finger labyrinth [click here]. Instead of walking the labyrinth as we do on the floor at church, we use our finger to follow the path in and out, remembering to stay focused and present as you are going in and out of the path.  If you want to take the labyrinth to a next level design your own!  Use hiking trails, streets in your neighborhood, some paper and rocks in a neighborhood park. See what you come up with!  The second activity is a breathing exercise [click here]. These work well for many things, including calm down strategies and also in prayer. See how they work for you. When we control our breathing we slow our mind too!

Last week I challenged you to start a family prayer journal. If you have not done so yet, I encourage you to do so. It can be a stack of paper clipped together, a fancy journal or a leftover spiral notebook. Keep a list of who you are praying for, individually or as a family.  It can be lists of names, doodles, notes from nature walks, bible study notes, lists of prayers you use as a family (grace for example.)

We’d love to see the completed coloring pages.  [click here]

 photos of your prayer walks and hear any of the responses to the above questions. Feel free to share it with me or Julie in the church office.

Peace and Prayers,

Kerry Stewart

Week 1: Sunday, June 28, 2020

This week’s theme is PRAYER. 

Prayer is how we talk to God. It is our direct connection to him and where I can find the most peace.

This week’s devotion is Psalm 8. Below is a link to an online version of the bible in a version (the International Children’s Bible) that is written at a 3rd grade reading level and is in nice natural language for our children and youth to understand better. If your family has a favorite version please feel free to use that!

https://www.bible.com/bible/1359/PSA.8.ICB

  • The book of Psalms is a book of just that, prayers, for every occasion you can think of!  Please read through the psalm. Find a few different versions of the bible in your home or use the above website to look at a few different translations. See what words are different.

  • Which verse does each person relate to or like the most?

  • How do you each pray? When? How? (for example I pray best when my part or all of my body is moving like taking a walk, walking a labyrinth or knitting)

  • How can you pray more as a family? (before meals, as part of bedtime routines, in the car, when you hear an emergency vehicle)

  • Who should you be praying for?

Attached are two prayer activities. One is a way to use our fingers to think of specific people and pray for them. [click here]  The second is a prayer walk/nature scavenger hunt [click here]. I know many of us are taking all kinds of walks these days!  Use the objects listed to pray as you walk!.

The last challenge for this week is to start a family prayer journal. It can be a stack of paper clipped together, a fancy journal or a leftover spiral notebook. Keep a list of who you are praying for, individually or as a family.  It can be lists of names, doodles, notes from nature walks, bible study notes, lists of prayers you use as a family (grace for example.)

We’d love to see the completed coloring pages [click here], photos of your prayer walks and hear any of the responses to the above questions. Feel free to share it with me or Julie in the church office.

Peace and Prayers,

Kerry Stewart