2017 Summer Back Home Activities
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5
We invite families to do the following activities together. Each activity is meant to give you a glimpse of what happened each day at Luther Crest this summer.
We invite families to do the following activities together. Each activity is meant to give you a glimpse of what happened each day at Luther Crest this summer.
Day One: Abraham --- Everlasting Promise
Who are we to love? In today's story, we hear about how the people of God are expected to follow the command to love God and to love others.
Take turns reading Genesis 17:1-8 and Mark 12:28-31 aloud. What makes it difficult to love other people sometimes? What gets in the way of loving God? When is it difficult to love ourselves? Have each family member draw a heart of a piece of paper and write their name in the middle of the heart. Leave these hearts in a special place. Over the next few days, take the time to write something that you love about the people in your family on their hearts.
Day Two: Israel --- Everlasting Care
What does God give us? In this passage, the people of Israel are complaining about not having enough water. They are unhappy and are taking out those feelings of unhappiness on Moses.
Read Exodus 17:1-7 and John 6:35-40. What do these passage say about what God gives us? Does it ever feel like it isn't enough? Go on a hunt to find things that God has provided for your family. Start with the letter A and find or think of something that begins with that letter. Continue through the alphabet, all the way to Z. As you did this, did you find anything that someone else might need more than you do? Collect these things and donate them to an organization that distributes items to people in need.
Day Three: Ruth --- Everlasting Community
What does God give us to help care for us? In these passages, we hear about how God cares for us through others and how we can help our neighbor.
Read Ruth 1:1-18 and Luke 10:29-37. What is surprising about the story of Naomi and Ruth? Do you think you would have done what Ruth did in that situation? What about the people in the story of the good Samaritan? How do you think you would have acted? What were they afraid of? Take a large piece of paper and make a family tree. It doesn't have to be fancy. You can simply write names and draw lines between them, or use pictures. How many generations back can you go? As you work on this family tree together, talk about what you know about these people in your family. How did they care for you or others? What can we learn from them about loving our neighbor?
Day Four: Jonah --- Everlasting Grace
Who does God forgive?
Read Jonah 4:1-11 and Matthew 18:21-35. What do you think of when you hear these stories? Why did Jonah think the people of Ninevah shouldn't be forgiven? Why didn't the slave show mercy to others? Why is is difficult to forgive? Are some things more difficult to forgive than others? Are some people more difficult to forgive than others? Go on a walk and look for rocks. Have each person choose a rock and bring it home. If you are interested, take some time and paint your rocks together. think of someone who you should forgive. This is not something that has to be shared. Encourage others to share this only if they are comfortable. Carry this rock in your pocket for a day as a reminder of God's forgiveness. At the end of the day, share a prayer, thanking god for forgiving us and asking for help to forgive others.
Day Five: Jeremiah --- Everlasting Call
How can we tell others about God through our love?
Read Jeremiah 1:4-10 and John 15:12-17. What surprised you about these passages? What do you think Jeremiah is afraid of? How can we love others? Together as a family, think of a way that you can show God's love to someone else. This could consist of making a meal for a family who has someone in the hospital, babysitting to help out a parent or parents who could use a break, or doing yard work for a neighbor. Helping others is one way that we can show God's love to others.
Who are we to love? In today's story, we hear about how the people of God are expected to follow the command to love God and to love others.
Take turns reading Genesis 17:1-8 and Mark 12:28-31 aloud. What makes it difficult to love other people sometimes? What gets in the way of loving God? When is it difficult to love ourselves? Have each family member draw a heart of a piece of paper and write their name in the middle of the heart. Leave these hearts in a special place. Over the next few days, take the time to write something that you love about the people in your family on their hearts.
Day Two: Israel --- Everlasting Care
What does God give us? In this passage, the people of Israel are complaining about not having enough water. They are unhappy and are taking out those feelings of unhappiness on Moses.
Read Exodus 17:1-7 and John 6:35-40. What do these passage say about what God gives us? Does it ever feel like it isn't enough? Go on a hunt to find things that God has provided for your family. Start with the letter A and find or think of something that begins with that letter. Continue through the alphabet, all the way to Z. As you did this, did you find anything that someone else might need more than you do? Collect these things and donate them to an organization that distributes items to people in need.
Day Three: Ruth --- Everlasting Community
What does God give us to help care for us? In these passages, we hear about how God cares for us through others and how we can help our neighbor.
Read Ruth 1:1-18 and Luke 10:29-37. What is surprising about the story of Naomi and Ruth? Do you think you would have done what Ruth did in that situation? What about the people in the story of the good Samaritan? How do you think you would have acted? What were they afraid of? Take a large piece of paper and make a family tree. It doesn't have to be fancy. You can simply write names and draw lines between them, or use pictures. How many generations back can you go? As you work on this family tree together, talk about what you know about these people in your family. How did they care for you or others? What can we learn from them about loving our neighbor?
Day Four: Jonah --- Everlasting Grace
Who does God forgive?
Read Jonah 4:1-11 and Matthew 18:21-35. What do you think of when you hear these stories? Why did Jonah think the people of Ninevah shouldn't be forgiven? Why didn't the slave show mercy to others? Why is is difficult to forgive? Are some things more difficult to forgive than others? Are some people more difficult to forgive than others? Go on a walk and look for rocks. Have each person choose a rock and bring it home. If you are interested, take some time and paint your rocks together. think of someone who you should forgive. This is not something that has to be shared. Encourage others to share this only if they are comfortable. Carry this rock in your pocket for a day as a reminder of God's forgiveness. At the end of the day, share a prayer, thanking god for forgiving us and asking for help to forgive others.
Day Five: Jeremiah --- Everlasting Call
How can we tell others about God through our love?
Read Jeremiah 1:4-10 and John 15:12-17. What surprised you about these passages? What do you think Jeremiah is afraid of? How can we love others? Together as a family, think of a way that you can show God's love to someone else. This could consist of making a meal for a family who has someone in the hospital, babysitting to help out a parent or parents who could use a break, or doing yard work for a neighbor. Helping others is one way that we can show God's love to others.