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Welcome! Check out our ideas! Pull it out! & pass it around
THE DINING TABLE As I write, Autumn is definitely in the air and there are thoughts of hunkering down for winter. But, in reality, it feels like we’ve all been hunkering down for the past two years. In and out of lockdown, working remotely, online learning, Zoom meetings, PCR testing and now, RATs—all so very familiar now but not so two years ago. Something else that might be feeling a bit more familiar is the dining table. If yours is anything like mine, at various times it’s been a place for homework, sewing, jigsaw puzzles, card games, home office, arts ‘n crafts . . . and, somehow, we manage to find space, and the inclination, to eat meals there too. The dining table is a hub for family life. It is a gathering space that can be a focal point for faith formation in the home—something which is particularly important given the adverse effect of the pandemic on faith formation for children that has been shown by recent research.* Ministry among adults has widely been prioritised over ministry to children, and relational connections which are so important for families are one of the most challenging aspects for churches in this present climate. This leaves much to parents who often feel ill-equipped to nurture their children’s faith. This edition of the WAY2GO magazine will look at simple ways you, as a family, can gather round the dining table with each other, the Bible and God.
___ Liz Eichler Children and Families Team Leader, SUNZ
* Sarah Holmes, Lawson Murray, Sue Price, Mimi Larson, Valerie de Abreu and Phil Whitehead. Do we need a new plan for children’s ministry? A report based on research in Brazil, Canada, UK and US in later-pandemic stages. October 2021. https://scriptureunion.ca/wp-content/uploads/Multi-national-Childrens-Ministry-Report-2021.pdf
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Gathered Light a candle before your meal Eat a meal together
Ask someone: ‘Why do we light the candle?’ They answer: ‘Because Jesus is the light of the world. No darkness can put it out.’
Try having everyone in the family answer simple questions like: What was the best thing about your day? What was the hardest thing about your day? Did you see God in anything you did today? Did you talk to God about anything today?
Explain Things It can be really easy to assume that our children know why we do things. But have you ever explained to them why you go to church? Or why we sing songs together? Why do we make time to talk to people and be kind to them? As you reflect on your day together, bring God into the ‘why’ of what you have done. This will help your children to join in and give them motivation too.
Point to God in the everyday
Creation is a great way to start a conversation about God. If you say it’s a beautiful day, point out a magnificent tree, or comment on how much it’s been raining, try adding a short statement like: ‘Isn’t God so amazing to have created all that?’ or you could use the opportunity to pray and thank God for His creation. Simple sentences like this make God a natural part of conversation and everyday life. Some of these ideas came from the Kitchen Table Project, www.kitchentable.org.uk
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JustReadIt You might find that your dinner times can also include a time for reading the Bible together. Here’s a simple structure we use on our SUPAkidz Camps which focuses on the Bible as a living and exciting story to read. This can help all of us to read the Bible for reading’s sake, in the same way we might enjoy a good story at bedtime. Try this: • Choose a book from the Bible—the gospels are a good place to start. • Set aside 10 minutes at least (whatever works for your family). • Say that you’re going to read from the Bible and listen to it as a story. Just listen. If you have any questions, hold onto them. • Start reading from Chapter 1, verse 1. At the end of your time, stop reading and put a bookmark in the Bible and close it.
• Finish your time with a short prayer, thanking God for the way He can speak to us through the Bible. • Resist the temptation to question or study the passage. Simply let the story be. Trust that God speaks directly through the words of scripture, without explanation. • Take turns reading the passage, and make sure to use a version of the Bible that is appropriate to your family ages and stages. • Enjoy!
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ARE YOU OUR NEXT WELLINGTON CHILDREN & FAMILIES CONSULTANT?
We are looking to fill a vacancy we have in our Children and Families team based in Wellington. This is a full-time position with immediate start. If you have experience in Children and Families ministry and want to take the next step in your ministry journey, we’d love to hear from you. For a job description and more information, please contact Liz Eichler at liz.e@sunz.org.nz.
Resources DIARY OF A DISCIPLE - PETER & PAUL'S STORY EYEWITNESS: WHO IS JESUS? Dr Luke has a story to tell—a story Weddings and picnics, about a man called Peter and a children and beggars, man called Paul. It’s a totally epic kindness and grace. tale, a stunning super-saga, a pageWho is this person? turning, jaw-dropping dazzler of a A 35-page book of yarn – and it’s all here, in one book, quirky & inspiring just waiting for you to get stuck in. stories from the Bible. A contemporary retelling of the $ By Gordon Jaquiery $ book of Acts, written in a quirky, contemporary, accessible style.
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Both available via our shop website sunz.org.nz/shop
Looking for more resources and inspiration? Check out our website and blog
sunzbreakthrough.org.nz | childrenandfamiliesnz.blogspot.com
Scripture Union wants to work with your church to create opportunities for children and young people to discover and follow Jesus, grow as leaders, and influence the world. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.
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SCRIPTURE UNION IN NEW ZEALAND
PO Box 760, Wellington 6140 way2go@sunz.org.nz 0508 423 836 sunz.org.nz