Week of July 8, 2018: Finding God (Ages 11-18)
- Faith To Go
- Aug 25, 2018
- 5 min read
Faith To Go Podcast:Finding God in the Familiar
Hosted each week by the Faith Formation team at St. Paul's Cathedral in San Diego, David Tremaine, Maya Little-Sana and Jackie Pippin, the Faith To Go Podcast highlight themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your conversations throughout the week.
Reads: They Will know We are Christians By Our Love
Questions:
What are some of the things that strike you about the two different events that the author explains?
How are the protestors of the Episcopal Church like those that questioned Jesus? How are we called to love them?
What was the most powerful thing that the group brought to the Hutto Women’s Detention Facility?
How does that relate to what Jesus tells us we need in Mark 6:1-13?
What are ways that you can use your presence to show your love and your Christian nature?
Views and Qs: General Convention Reflection
Watch this video together and then use the discussion questions below to reflect as a family.
Discussion Questions:
Do you know anything about General Convention?
In what ways might this be a healthy way for the church to make changes?
In what ways could this be too disconnected from our daily parish communities?
Are there any topics that Fr. Andrew Green brings up that you would like to learn more about?
How does this relate to what Mark says what we need to go out and do God’s work?
Feast and Faith: Visiting Home
Prayer- The days are getting longer.
Keep your Spirit in my heart and mind
during this growing season.
Be with me as I finish the school year,
participate in summer activities,
enjoy the gift of summer turning into fall.
Help me recognize your works in all that I do
at work,
at rest,
and at play,
So that I can give thanks for all you provide,
even without my even asking.
Amen.
Discussion – In this Gospel passage today, Jesus returns to his hometown. These people had seen him in his youth. Playing around the town, helping with his parents’ chores, and growing up into an adult. But Jesus wasn’t your average young adult.
Questions
When you are older, and away from your hometown, do you think you will come back for your high school reunion? Why or why not?
Why might it be hard to come home after college or getting a full-time job?
What kinds of questions does Jesus’ hometown have for him?
How can doubt hinder your ability to do God’s work? How can doubt blind you to goodness and Godliness in others?
How does Jesus’ hometown miss out on the opportunity to join his community and ministry?
Final nugget – Doubt is normal and healthy. To work through doubt can help strengthen and deepen your faith. But at times, it can also lead you to miss opportunities.
Stay and Pray: A Devotion for Families at the Close of the Day
Each week we feature a way for your family to reflect and pray together. For families with older children this is an at home liturgy for your family to participate in together. It is a daily devotion for families adapted from The Book of Common Prayer.
Before you begin, take a few moments to decide who will read the scripture reading and who will read the collect and closing. Read the Psalm and Lord's Prayer in unison.
After a moment of silence, begin with the Psalm.
Psalm 123
(Read in unison)
1 To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 As the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than its fill
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
Mark 6:1-13
(read by assigned person)
6 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Prayers for Ourselves and For Others (take this time to each offer one person/event that you would like to hold in prayer as well as one thing you are thankful for)
Dear God, tonight I ask your prayers for.......
and I give you thanks for ..........
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
(read in unison)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
The Collect
(read by assigned person)
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Share some of your conversations in the comments below:
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