Faith at Home

Pentecost: May 23, 2021

Acts 2: 1-42

Jesus asked the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until a helper came to them. On the Jewish festival of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples. It appeared as the sound of a wind and looked like tongues of fire above the disciples. The Holy Spirit filled the disciples so that they could tell the Good News about Jesus’ death and resurrection to all the pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem. 3000 people were baptized that day, which is why we call this day the birthday of the church.
Things to note about Pentecost. The liturgical color for Pentecost is red. Pentecost comes from the Greek meaning 50 and was the Greek word for the Jewish Feast of Weeks which comes 50 days after Passover. The Jews would bring their harvest offering, the first fruits to the Temple.

Watch this reading of a wonderful  explanation of Pentecost for all ages.

Each child received a bag with some fun things to use to celebrate Pentecost. We invite you to have some fun and celebrate the Church’s birthday!

 

Ascension:

Acts 1:4-14
Watch for a delivery to your home early next week with suggestions on ways to celebrate Jesus’ Ascension (May 16)  and the Birthday of the Church  on Pentecost (May 23).

The story of Jesus’ ascension is told by Matthew and includes what the church calls the Great Commission. Gospel writer Luke also tells of Jesus’ ascension in his second volume, Acts of the Apostles. 
In each story, Jesus commands the disciples to DO something. The version in Acts tells the disciples that they will be Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.  They are to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus finishes his command he is taken up into heaven. The disciples stand there dump-founded until 2 men in white robes appear to tell them It’s time to move on!
Children can be followers of Jesus’ command in the simple ways they include friends in their Sunday morning rituals and in the way they share their faith simply and openly. Helping your child find ways to spread the news of Jesus to their world is a wonderful challenge and honor.

5th grade May 2021

May 16:

Watch this video about the Letter to the Romans.

Look at Infographic #18 Letters let you Learn. Check out when the letters were written including the letter to the Romans and II Timothy.

May 9:

We will review Paul’s story and look at the development of the early church.

Check out this video about Saul/Paul then read how Paul describes his meeting with Jesus. Paul is in the Temple and about to be arrested so he asks to tell his story: Read Acts 22:3-16.

 

May 2:

Watch Pastor’s Josh’s video about the Sacraments:

Be prepared to talk about the reasons we observe two sacraments in our church.

4th grade May 2021

May 16:

Watch  this video about Pharisees and Sadducees, sects of Jewish leaders that developed during the 400 years before Jesus was born.

Then using your Infographic #15, read about the many different religious groups that rose within Judaism during the 400 year period between the Old and New Testament events. You will find these at the bottom of the page. You will talk more about this during your zoom time.

May 9:

Watch a video about the Book of Proverbs. 

Look at infographic # 13:  Wisdom Works and read some of the boxes to learn more about wisdom literature in the Bible.

May 2:

Watch a video about the book of Psalms

Read Psalm 91 and pick an encouraging phrase from it to write on a notecard to mail to a friend who needs encouragement. Note that Verses 14-16 are God speaking to the author. Index cards for this activity were in your retreat bag.

Faith At home: Easter Surprises

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed. Here are 5 stories of Jesus’s appearances after His resurrection to share with your family. The pdf below gives you a flow for your time together:  Share the story using your own Bible reading or listening to one of the audio stories provided from Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible; discuss the story using wondering questions provided; choose 1 or more family activities to do together to help family members connect the story to their life.

Easter Surprises – Faith at home

Woman at the Tomb-Luke 24:1-12

Story version| Commentary on Luke 24

Memory and Surprise-Luke 24:13-35

story version| Commentary on Luke 24

Mary Finds her friend-John 20:11-18

Listen to the Story Here 
In the Garden | Optical illusions for Kids
Commentary on passage

Thomas Wants to see-John 20:19-31

Listen to the story 

Music video | story by kids | commentary on passage

Jesus Gives Peter a Job-John 21:15-19

4th grade-April

April 25:

Major prophets spoke to the people before the Exile to warn them to change their ways. They also spoke to during the exile to offer hope.
Minor Prophets (called minor because of their short writings) spoke to the people as they returned to Israel.
Before Sunday:

Watch the videos below to hear the story of Nehemiah

Enact: Look at Infographic #11. Check out the right side of the page and read the boxes under Major or Minor. Why are some prophets called major and some minor?

Nehemiah part 1

Nehemiah part 2

April 18:

Where we left off: The people of God are in Exile in Babylon. God still sends prophets to share God’s message with them while in Exile. The Major Prophets speak to the people.
Before Sunday:

Watch this video about Jeremiah.  

Listen for why Jeremiah is called by God to announce the destruction of Judah. Then check out Infographic # 11-How to Spot a Prophet. Look for the names of the 4 Major Prophets. Pick one to read about using the Scriptures suggested on the infographic under each prophets’ name.

April 11:

Before Easter we looked at the Destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple and the exile of the people to foreign lands.  Now we turn to stories of what happened to some specific people during the Exile.

Before Sunday:  Watch a video about Daniel

Look at the top of the left side of infographic #10: Ditching God’s Directions. How many years were the Hebrew people in captivity? In how many books of the Bible can we read about the Babylonian exile?  

5th grade in April

April 25:

We have been looking at Jesus’ words and stories. This week we turn to what Jesus said about prayer and specifically at the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray as a blueprint for their prayer life.
On the back of Infographic # 14-  Jesus and Prayer, write down the Lord’s prayer leaving space between each line. Bring this infographic to your zoom.

Here are two sung versions of the Lord’s Prayer. Which speaks to you as you pray?

Lord’s Prayer sung version 1

Lord’s Prayer sung version 2

April 18:

Before Sunday watch this video

Then read this story in Luke 10:25-37. Do you notice any differences in the way the movie creators tell the story and the way the scripture is written? What did Jesus mean when he told the lawyer to “Go and do likewise?” verse 37.

April 11:

As we continue to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we turn to look at the sayings of Jesus and what they tell us about how we are to live as followers of the risen Christ.

To prepare for Sunday’s Zoom: Read John 4:1-14 then watch this video about the Water of life. 

Write questions you have about the video in Jesus’ robe of infographic #12, Sayings of Jesus.  Think about these questions:

  • In what ways does your life bring goodness to other’s lives?
  • In what ways have you experienced the living water Jesus is talking about?

Our 5th graders are gathering to play and worship together on April 18, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Please let us know your child is coming through this RSVP link.

A bag of items is being delivered to 5th graders this week by their small group leaders. Some of the items will be used on Sunday’s Zoom.

March-5th grade

For April 4

We will not be zooming this week but check out this interactive space to explore  Jesus’ death and Resurrection.

March 7-

This week we look at some events in Jesus’ life that happened before his arrest and death. We call these cherished stories because they tell us a lot about Jesus and how he saw his ministry on earth.

Watch the video about Jesus’ trial and Peter’s denial

Use your NRSV Student Bible and scan the headings of Mark chapters 11-16.  Write down on Infographic #10, all the events of Jesus’ last week as told in Mark chapters 11-16.

If we didn’t know these stories, what would we not understand about Jesus? (Think about the Last Supper, Jesus cleansing the temple and Jesus entering Jerusalem.)

March- 4th grade

For April 4:

We will not Zoom this week. To learn about the Babylonian Exile, check out this interactive space. 

March 5:

Last week, we saw Saul and David anointed as Kings of Israel and saw how David found favor with God. The lineage of the Messiah, the anointed one, would come through David. 
This week we hear about what happened as Solomon, David’s son, takes the reins of the nation and the succession of kings that followed him.

Watch this video about I and II Kings

Listen for the criteria God used to decide if the king was good or bad.

Find the lineup of Rulers at the back of your NRSV Student Bible and read about King Jeroboam and King Rehoboam.

Stories Jesus told-Parables

March 7: The Generous Landowner-Matthew 20:1-16

Listen to the story from Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible    Password in the Thursday e-letter

Commentary

You are also invited to check out the Lent resources provided to families Here

February 28: The Pearl Matthew-13:45-46

Listen to the story from Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible    Password in the Thursday e-letter

Commentary

February 21: Something Big from something small-Matt. 13:31-33

Listen to the story from Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible    Password in the Thursday e-letter

Faith at Home Resources
Commentary  | Recipe for kid friendly slimeMarvelous Mustard Seed

February 14: The Good Neighbor-Luke 1025-37

Listen to the story from Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible

Password is in Thursday e-letter

Faith At Home resources

 Commentary  | Color your world with kindness |Who is my Neighbor?

February 7: The Sower Luke 8:4-15

Listen to the story from Growing in God’s Love: a Story Bible

Faith at Home Resources
Commentary  | Bread of the world | Animated story

Grades 4-5 February

February 7

4th grade-Watch this video then use Map # 3 of your NRSV Student Bible to look at the geography of the Exodus and where the people traveled. Be prepared to talk about the topography of the area near Mt. Sinai. (to give perspective, Nashville is at 597 feet above sea level.)

5th grade-Watch these two videos and be prepared to share an answer to this question from the video: What do you think Jesus meant when he talked about his kingdom as upside down?

Luke part 1

Luke part 2

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