Big Idea: Our Grandparents can share their stories, wisdom and encouragement to help us remember God's goodness.

Parent Prep: This week we start our special series on family. This week is a special week as we kick off the series by celebrating national Grandparent's Day. We celebrated the legacy of faith handed on by the older generations of our church and families. Our aim this week is to help build relationships with the older members of our families and faith community, to give opportunities for the wiser, older members of our families to share their wisdom, stories and encouragement with our young people.

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-5 together in a children's Bible, or read this easy-to-read version here.

Talk

Moses and God's people were camping on the plains of Moab. They were about to cross the Jordan River and live in the land God had promised to give them. Moses gathers all the people to give them the very special instructions for how to live as God's family. He tells the people so that 'your children and their children after them may fear the Lord …and enjoy long life in the land." Moses is talking to everybody in the whole family here, but he is especially talking to parents and grandparents. He did this because he knew that when the parents and grandparents spoke, and told their stories, the people would listen.

In fact, the rest of chapter 6 is all about how the parents and grandparents should tell the stories of God's goodness, and what He had done for them, so that none of the children ever, ever forget who rescued them and who loves them the most. That's their job: to tell stories of God's goodness so that we never, ever forget.

Listen 

This is our job, too. When Jesus is about to go back to heaven after He rises from the dead, he gives similar instructions to his followers. He says, "So as you go, make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time." Jesus gives us instructions to tell others the story of God's goodness, and what He has done for us, so that other people will never, ever forget who loves us the most. 

Ask children, Can you tell me a story, or about something that reminds you that God is good? Can you tell me the story of what God has done for you?

Do

If your kids have a story, write it down together. As a parent or grown-up in your family, tell children a story of your own, and include it in your collection of stories. Then, call or write a letter to an older person in our church family, or to your grandparents (if they follow Jesus) and ask them to write you a story, too. We encouraged the kids at our service this week to write a letter to an older person and ask them to write a story about a time when they were a child. If you haven't yet, we encourage your kids to choose an older person of our church family and ask them to tell you a story. Put this story with your collections and call it "Our Family's 'Book of Remembrance.'" Pull out your stories as often as you like to read to each other to remind each other of God's faithfulness to the many generations.

An example of a letter/card to give an older person:

"Dear __(name of older person)_____

Please tell me a story of when you were __(age of child)___.

Thank you for sharing your story with me, 

From, __(name of child)___. 

Big Idea: Our mission in life is to help others know who Jesus is by humbly walking with Him, fighting for justice, and showing kindness even when it is tough.

Parent Prep: This week is a special week where we take a break in our usual preaching series to focus on global missions. Talking about the global need for the gospel is a helpful way for our kids to see where they fit in God's big plan of salvation. It helps them lift their eyes beyond their small patch of the world. It helps put in perspective all that they have been blessed with, and what they can offer to help others. It helps inspire them to think big about their own lives, and imagine all the incredible ways God can use their faithfulness. It is far more exciting than what is often implicitly taught week-in, week-out to our kids who grow up in church about following Jesus. Much more than just being about 'being a good kid', knowing God has a mission for them brings their Christian faith to life and gives it purpose.
 

Read Micah 6:8 together. Then, watch this video as a family. 

Listen 

What do you think your 'mission' in life is? What do you think the most important part of following Jesus is? What do you think makes us 'good' to God?

Talk

Micah 6 is God saying to His people that He has done great things for them. Then He asks them to respond to His goodness. This is our mission in life: to respond to God's love and goodness.

And how do we do that? Is it by getting all the rules right? By being extra good kids? No. Micah tells us that our mission is:

• To walk humbly, with God as our loving King. Like holding hands and going on a walk with mum or dad and spending time with them. That's how our God wants to walk with us through life.
• To fight for fairness for others. Where we see injustice-  where there are poor, or hungry, or sad people, it is our mission to help them.
• To love mercy. Mercy is 'loving-kindness'. It's showing kindness to all people. That's really hard. Especially showing it to those who don't deserve it. But Jesus says this is how people will know who He is. When His people love like He did. And Jesus loved and died for us "when we were still sinners" – rejecting Him. We need Jesus help to keep loving people who are mean to us and reject us.

Do

Our mission is to walk hand in hand with Jesus, fighting for others and showing loving-kindness to others. It's a tough mission, but we have the help of the Holy Spirit who gives us courage and strength. Together, write down places you see 'injustice' in the world, and challenge your kids to think of ways they could fight it. Maybe it's writing a letter to a sponsor child to encourage them that they are not forgotten. Maybe it's how lonley your grandparents have been in this season. You could Facetime them to remind them they are not alone. Maybe it's the way other kids treat someone at school. How can you show loving-kindess and justice to them? This is our mission, and we are sent by Jesus to fight hard to show His love. Pray together that God would help you be brave this week and take a hold of this mission as a family.

Big Idea: We can be content in all things, because we have Jesus.

Parent Prep: If you can, hit the drive-thru this week. When I was a little kid, whenever we would get takeaway chips, the hunt would be on for whoever could find the longest potato chip. If you were the winner, you'd hold it up and announce 'BIGGEST CHIP!' and then save it until the end to eat – just in case someone else found a chip a similar size and you needed to compare measurements. It was always so devastating when yours wasn't the biggest. We grew serious chip-envy. This week we talked about having contentment in all things. So, when you hit the drive-thru, encourage your kids to find the biggest potato chip. When they do, get them to call it out, and then, as a family, remind each other: Jesus is better, even better than being the one who finds the biggest potato chip. He is better no matter what. Jesus gives us the strength to know peace even when we want what other people have in this life.
 

Read Philippians 4:10-20 together in a children's Bible, or this easy-to-read version here.

Listen 

Ask children – Have you wanted something that someone else had? What was it? Why did you want it? Is it hard or easy to be 'content' with what you have? Why is it easy/hard?

Look up the word 'content' in the dictionary, or google it together. It means 'in a state of peaceful happiness.' Is this how you feel when you look at what you have in life? Why or why not?

Talk

Paul says that he has learned to be 'content' – or 'in a state of peaceful happiness' no matter what happens to him. Whether he be in need, or has plenty, whether well- fed, or hungry. He says the reason he has strength to 'be in a state of peaceful happiness' no matter what because he knows Jesus. He says that knowing Jesus is better than even having the most riches, and better than anything we could ever want in this life.

Do

Last week, we talked about how to 'reach out' for the peace of Jesus when we are worried, sad, angry or afraid. This week we learn that when Jesus does give us this peace, we can know happiness in every situation, no matter what happens or what we do or don't have. 

Together as a family, write down all the things your kids want. They can be big or small things. Big dreams or little wishes. Then, next to every line you've written, write the words 'JESUS IS BETTER' next to them. Then read them aloud, together. It is powerful to declare to ourselves and our family, that no matter what we want in this life, to know Jesus is to know peaceful happiness in all things, and that is better. Jesus gives us the strength to hold onto peace and face all things.

Big Idea: Jesus wants to give us His joy and peace all the time!

Parent Prep: It's a difficult command to follow: "Rejoice in the Lord always!" It seems impossible to be joyful all of the time, and to say it to a child who is afraid or sad or upset is almost laughable. How can we possibly read this verse and obey it – does Paul really mean to be happy, all the time, no matter what? The key to Paul's instructions is the 3 little words in the middle. "In the Lord." We may not be able to rejoice in our circumstances, or even pretend to feel happy when we are afraid, or sad or upset, but we can reach out for our God. We can know that He promises to give us His peace in all things. Reminding children of God's strength, of His love, of His closeness – and that He is ready to share all of these things with us, whenever we ask-  may not change the situation, or the way our kids feel about it, but it does remind them that they are safe, secure, loved and cared for no matter what. And the Holy Spirit does bring a peace that we will never be able to understand. 

Read Philippians 4:4-9 together in a children's Bible, or this easy-to-read version here.

Listen 

Sometimes we face problems in our life. And sometimes we know what to do. 

• What do we do when we are cold? Let children answer how they would get warm. 
• What do we do when we are hungry? Let children answer how they would get food. 

What about when we are scared or afraid? What about if we are worried about something? What are some of the things you worry about, or are afraid of? Let children talk about their fears and anxieties without finding solutions to these problems.

Talk

Paul is writing to his friends who are facing fear and worry.

He says, "Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again, Rejoice!" Paul says in all things, even the scary and worrying things, to rejoice. That means to be happy. Do you find it hard to be happy when you're scared? Of course we do! It's very hard to be happy all the time, especially when we are feeling sad, or angry, or afraid or upset. 

But Paul doesn't say to be happy about all the sad and scary things that happen to us. He says "Be happy in the Lord, always." Read those 3 little words in the middle together. "IN THE LORD." We don't have to be happy about the sad and scary things that happen to us, but we can always know that King Jesus is with us, and this makes us feel calm and happy. 

Paul says this because he knows Jesus never changes, and He promises to be with us, and care for us always, no matter what. So, when we feel sad, angry, upset or scared, instead of staying that way, we can ask Jesus to show us how close He is to us, and reach out for Him. He comes close to us, and gives us His peace. And Paul says this peace covers all our scared and sad feelings and makes us happy inside, because we are not worried anymore. We don't understand it, but it's how the Holy Spirit works.

Do

This week, as a family, write or draw out these words on a piece of paper: 

When I'm cold, I reach out for a jacket.

When I'm hungry, I reach out for food.

When I'm ________, I reach out for my friend Jesus.

He gives me His peace, and I can be happy in Him.

John 14:27 Jesus says, “I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid."

 Then, this week, help your kids identify when they are feeling sad, scared, angry or upset. Ask them to name how they are feeling. Then, with a pencil, write that feeling on the blank space on your poster. Then, read out the poster together. Each time you say 'REACH OUT', reach out your hands and pretend to grab something. When you read the 'reach out for Jesus', reach high above your head and then bring your hands to your heart. Read the promise of John 14:27 together, take a deep breath and say 'Amen' together.  Practice this as often as you like, to help your kids develop the habit of taking their fears and anxieties to Jesus.