Family Activity - Clown of God

This week's scripture (Luke 24:13-34) explores the transformation that happened in the lives of two disciples along the path to Emmaus when they encountered Christ. The story of "The Clown of God" also explores the transformation of the main character over time culminating in his encounter with Christ on Christmas.

Begin the activity by reading "The Clown of God" as a family. There are numeous copies of this book available at Mid-Continent Libraries as well as online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. Lakeland also has several copies available for sale for $8.

After you have completed the story, look over the attached "Path of Life" worksheet that charts Giovanni's life. Discuss how God had been walking with Giovanni all along his path, even before he knew who God really was. A sample dialogue may go as follows:

- "When Giovanni was a little boy and had to beg for his food, how do you think God walked with him and blessed him?" [He provided him with the talent of juggling, and brought people into his life to help him to have food]

- "What did the brothers teach Giovanni when they met? How did God work through the brother to speak to Giovanni?"

-"How was Giovanni changed as he grew older and was no longer able to juggle? Where did he turn when he had no where else to go?"

Once you have talked through Giovanni's life, bring out a blank "Path of Life" worksheet for everyone and begin to discuss the events in everyone's life to this point. Start to examine where God has been walking alongside each person, even when they may not have recognized Him. Talk about the changes that have taken place along the path, and how God has been a part of all of it. Begin to explore where everyone's path may yet be leading, and how God is always walking beside us as we CHANGE.

Please bring your completed "Path of Life" worksheet to Katie Schultz on Sunday, or scan and email your completed sheets to asone.lakeland@gmail.com to share on our As One wall at Lakeland.

*** Click on the worksheets below to enlarge and save for printing.***

Family Activity - The Boat and a Storm

Depending on the age of your family members, the origami boat activity can take several angles and go to different depths. The end goal is to discuss trusting God, as Peter had to trust Jesus in this week's scripture (Matthew 14:22-32).

To begin with, create an origami boat for each participant. For older children and adult family members, this can be part of the fun. If you have younger ones, you may want to have these ready to go before you bring them in on the activity. 

There are several online resources for creating simple origami boats:

Origami-fun offers step-by-step diagrams

Kobo Design also has a good diagram

FoldSomething shares a great video on youtube as well

Once the boats are created, encourage everyone to personalize their boat. They can add stickers, color them, whatever makes them personal. For older children and adults, this is a good time to read the scripture aloud and discuss Peter's trust. Perhaps each person could write a few things they need to trust God with on the inside of their boat, to represent Peter's hesitation to step out.

For younger children, allow a few extra minutes (and perhaps a few standby extra boats) as they explore how the boats float by placing them in a tub of water.

As a group, read the story from this week's scripture and discuss how scary it would be for the disciplines to be in a boat during the storm, and how much Peter had to trust Jesus.

Once the story has been shared, make a storm in the tub of water. Rain can be created by a watering can, wind from a hair drier or agitating the water by stirring from the sides. For young ones (or older participants as well) add dramatic fun by hollering out as the disciples might have for help.

After the storm subsides, and the cleaning begins, it can be helpful to have the children draw a picture of the story, to ensure they understood the message and perhaps to hang in a visible place to remind everyone about TRUST.

Please consider sharing the drawings created, or photos of your family making a storm for their origami boats. You can send the images to asone.lakeland@gmail.com or bring them to Katie Schultz at Lakeland any upcoming Sunday morning.

[**Please be cautious when using a hair drier to create the wind for the storm. Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Safety first!*]

Family Activity - Prized Possessions

In order to initiate a conversation about what it looks like to GIVE, it can be helpful to look at others who have given. This activity has been designed to encourage conversation about sacrificial giving in both this week's scripture and a more modern classic, O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.

To begin, read "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry (found online at THIS LINK) or you may wish to use the abridged version which you can download at the end of this post.

Begin a discussion as a family about what the husband and wife gave, and why. Be sure to emphasize the fact that they both gave their most prized possession.

Now share the scripture of the week from the prayer guide as a family. (Mark 14:3-9). Discuss as a family what the woman gave to Jesus. She gave her most prized possession.

Make a copy of the "PRIZED POSSESSIONS" worksheet for each participant (you will find at the bottom of the post). Discuss what everyone considers his or her most prized possession. 

Have everyone create a collage of their PRIZED POSSESSIONS either by cutting out pictures from a magazine, taking digital pictures of the prized possessions, drawing them, etc. The older the participants, the more creative the possibilities. (Please save your completed worksheets to share on the As One board at Lakeland. Bring them to Katie Schultz on Sunday for the display.)

As everyone works on their sheet, talk about how difficult it would be to give away your most prized possession. Recall the stories you read and what it must have meant to give up these items.

***********************************************

Click on the images below to enlarge and print for use in this activity.

Several Family Activities have been developed to coincide with the weekly guide. These will be introduced throughout each week to provide opportunities to “see” the theme come to life through stories, art, and active play. Photos of your time as a family, as well as art created individually or as a group can be submitted to the As One team for publishing on this blog to share with our community.