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Back to School Blessing |
During the Children's Moment in All Services 8:30, 9:00 and 11:00 am, we will be blessing Students and Teachers into a new year. Bring your backpacks or bags if you wish.
We will be handing out Bag Tags, Stickers, and Milestones (for those who don't already have one at home)
We will be handing out Bag Tags, Stickers, and Milestones (for those who don't already have one at home)
Three Easy Faith Practices to Ease The Transition from Home to School
Returning to school is a huge time of transition for parents and children individually and families as a family unit. Tradition, ritual, and spiritual practice can help get you back on track. Here are three very simple faith practices you might try as you get your year off to a great start. All of these are from the book Faithful Families, Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith
Returning to school is a huge time of transition for parents and children individually and families as a family unit. Tradition, ritual, and spiritual practice can help get you back on track. Here are three very simple faith practices you might try as you get your year off to a great start. All of these are from the book Faithful Families, Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith
- End the night with a butterfly hug. Cross your hands and interlock your thumbs, like a butterfly. Put the tips of your fingers on your collarbone and tap them back and forth, one at a time. Tap, tap, tap.
- Step into the new year with footprints. Make footprints in the sand or with paint to think about how you’ll walk with the spirit this year. Save the prints from year to year and watch how you grow!
- End the night with a nightly examen. The examen is simply looking over and reviewing the day that has passed. Some people do this by asking about “highs and lows” and others talk about a “rose and thorn” or “joy and concern.” I like asking the question: “When did you feel close to God today” and “When did you feel far away?’
JESUS said to them
Take heart;
it is I (I AM);
do not be afraid.
Matthew 14:24
Take heart;
it is I (I AM);
do not be afraid.
Matthew 14:24
Scripture for this Sunday August 13
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 - Psalm 105 1-6, 16-22,45b - Romans 10:5-15 - Matt 14:22-33
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 - Psalm 105 1-6, 16-22,45b - Romans 10:5-15 - Matt 14:22-33
Jospeh and His Brothers (Genesis 37:1-36) Bible Reading
Every family has stories they like to tell over and over again. This story and the next two are ones that God's people have passed down for many years. They tell the story of Joseph and his brothers.
Jacob and his family lived in Canaan. It was the land God promised Abraham and Issac. In Canaan, Jacob's twelve sons looked after the family's sheep and goats. Of all his sons, Jacob loved Joseph the most. Jacob gave Joseph a fancy long-sleeved robe that could be worn only if you weren't working in the fields. The other brothers were jealous when they saw Joseph wearing this rove from their father.
One night, Joseph dreamed he and his brothers were working in a wheat field. The next day he told his brothers, "We were tying the wheat together. My wheat stood up tall. Your wheat bowed down to my wheat."
Do you think you will be king over us?" they asked.
Another night Joseph dreamed that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him. He told his family about his dream. His father said, "Do you really think your mother and I are going to bow down to you??"
One day Joseph's brothers were wit the sheep far from home. Jacob sent Joseph to see how they were doing.
When his brothers saw him coming in his fancy robe, they remembered Joseph's dreams. They didn't want Joseph, his dreams, or his special robe around anymore. They said to each other, "Let's get rid of him."
But Reuben, the oldest, said, "But we are not going to kill him!"
The brothers grabbed Joseph, tore off his special robe, and threw him into an empty well. They weren't sure what to do with him. Then they saw a group of traders on camels coming to them. That gave Judah an idea.
"Let's sell Joseph to the traders," Judah said. "They will take him far away from us!"
All the brothers thought it was a great idea. The traders paid for Joseph and took him to Egypt. With Joseph gone, the brothers thought they would be worried. They took Joseph's special robe and rubbed it in the dirt. They took the robe to their father. He cried, "It is Joseph's robe. A wild animal has attacked him."
Jacob cried and cried. No matter what his sons did, Jacob was sad. He was sadder than they had ever seen him. He said he would never be happy again.
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell and Carol A. Wehrheim
Jacob and his family lived in Canaan. It was the land God promised Abraham and Issac. In Canaan, Jacob's twelve sons looked after the family's sheep and goats. Of all his sons, Jacob loved Joseph the most. Jacob gave Joseph a fancy long-sleeved robe that could be worn only if you weren't working in the fields. The other brothers were jealous when they saw Joseph wearing this rove from their father.
One night, Joseph dreamed he and his brothers were working in a wheat field. The next day he told his brothers, "We were tying the wheat together. My wheat stood up tall. Your wheat bowed down to my wheat."
Do you think you will be king over us?" they asked.
Another night Joseph dreamed that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him. He told his family about his dream. His father said, "Do you really think your mother and I are going to bow down to you??"
One day Joseph's brothers were wit the sheep far from home. Jacob sent Joseph to see how they were doing.
When his brothers saw him coming in his fancy robe, they remembered Joseph's dreams. They didn't want Joseph, his dreams, or his special robe around anymore. They said to each other, "Let's get rid of him."
But Reuben, the oldest, said, "But we are not going to kill him!"
The brothers grabbed Joseph, tore off his special robe, and threw him into an empty well. They weren't sure what to do with him. Then they saw a group of traders on camels coming to them. That gave Judah an idea.
"Let's sell Joseph to the traders," Judah said. "They will take him far away from us!"
All the brothers thought it was a great idea. The traders paid for Joseph and took him to Egypt. With Joseph gone, the brothers thought they would be worried. They took Joseph's special robe and rubbed it in the dirt. They took the robe to their father. He cried, "It is Joseph's robe. A wild animal has attacked him."
Jacob cried and cried. No matter what his sons did, Jacob was sad. He was sadder than they had ever seen him. He said he would never be happy again.
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Story Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell and Carol A. Wehrheim
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Peter Walks on Water by Saddleback Kids
This video is 2:20 minutes long
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Joseph and His Coat (Genesis 37) by Saddleback Kids
This video is 3:17 minutes long
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Walking on Water (Holy Moly) by Natvitiy Lutheran Church
This video is 6:02 minutes long
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Jesus Walks on Water (Godly Play) by Peace Lutheran Church
This video is 6:21 minutes long
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Art, Book, Blog, and Poetry
Art
Vanderbilt Divinity Library
1-2 minutes to click through
click through for images and scripture this week
Art Therapy ideas by Shelley Klammer
Book
Sam & Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
This video is 4:14 minutes long
Younger Kids (ages 4-8)
This book is based on the Matthew passage
Candlewick Press
This book is based on the Matthew passage
Candlewick Press
Blog
Building Faith Back to School Article
"What You Focus On..." by MaryAnn McKibben Dana (author, speaker, and coach)
Poetry
A New Conversation by Kristin Geiser
2 minutes to read
Two minutes to read
Edwina Gateley, Let Your God Love You
Be silent.
Be still.
Alone.
Empty
Before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves you
With an enormous love,
And only wants
To look upon you
With that love.
Quiet.
Still.
Be.
Let your God--
Love you.
Be still.
Alone.
Empty
Before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves you
With an enormous love,
And only wants
To look upon you
With that love.
Quiet.
Still.
Be.
Let your God--
Love you.
Something to...
Listen to
We Come This far by Faith by Donnie McClurkin
This video is 4:37 minutes long
Be Not Afraid My People by Virtual Choir and Ensemble
This video is 3:14 minutes long
Wonder and Discuss
~ Common childhood experiences that parallel this story of faith include:
- Riding a bicycle for the first time without training wheels
- Realizing that you are halfway across the pool the first time you try to swim all the way across the pool in the deep end
- Realizing what you are doing in the middle of standing up to a bully, even if he/she is responding well
- Realizing what you are doing halfway through your recital piece (people often lose their concentration and mess up when this happens)
- Realizing what you are doing the first time you stay home on your own
- Riding a bicycle for the first time without training wheels
- Realizing that you are halfway across the pool the first time you try to swim all the way across the pool in the deep end
- Realizing what you are doing in the middle of standing up to a bully, even if he/she is responding well
- Realizing what you are doing halfway through your recital piece (people often lose their concentration and mess up when this happens)
- Realizing what you are doing the first time you stay home on your own
Screen-Free Something to Do
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Pray
Continue the Conversation
