Introduction · Every week helps you to explore a story from the Bible with some thing to read, something to think about, and something to do. There are three boxes per day which

Introduction

Welcome to our family calendar – part of our ‘Journey through the Bible’ adventure happening in churches, homes and schools across the Diocese.Every week helps you to explore a story from the Bible with something to read, something to think about, and something to do.There are three boxes per day which you could use to note activities or things to remember for the morning, afternoon and evening; or for different members of the family. You could even use them as a reward sticker chart!Don’t worry if you don’t have a Bible at home, you can look up the passages on Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com). We recommend using the Contemporary English Version as this is easier to read. Each book in the Bible is divided into chapters, and then verses to help you find your way to the right bit. So for instance…

John 3:16-18

The book of John (all Bibles have an index at the front to help you find page numbers for the beginning of the book).Bible story books are also a great way to read the story. We recommend the Lion Storyteller Bible or the LinkitUp Bible both by Bob Hartman. Young people might like to use the Youth Edition Good News Bible from YFC (www.yfc.co.uk/gnb/)During key periods in the church year, like Advent and Lent, there are extra pages and a reminder to see what your local church are doing that you might want to get involved with or visit the family resources page on the Diocesan Website – www.dioceseofyork/familyresources

Chapter 3 (these are the big numbers on the page)

Verses 16 to the end of 18 (these are the small numbers hidden in the text)

2

All the images in this calendar were purchased from Shutterstock and the Adobe Image Library with additional photographs taken by Mark Comer

M O N D AY 7th SEPTEMBER

T U E S D AY 8th SEPTEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 9th SEPTEMBER

T H U R S D AY 10th SEPTEMBER

F R I D AY 11th SEPTEMBER

S AT U R D AY 12th SEPTEMBER

S U N D AY 13th SEPTEMBER

WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like

Week Commencing · 7????????

The ??????

DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH








WONDER TOGETHER...

…about what it was like before time began and what it will be like after time ends.

DO:

Take a look at the picture on the next page. Colour the books in the Bible library different colours to show what kind of book they are. As we journey through the Bible you might be able to spot where some of the stories fit in to God’s big story.

READ:

The Bible is like a library of books that tells God’s story from before time began until after time ends. Some of the books are history books with details of kings and wars, and some are poetry books full of images that help us understand God. Some of it is really hard to read and understand because it is set in a different culture from ours. Some of it is sad, and some of it is exciting. Whatever the style of writing, the message through the whole Bible is that God loves His creation, and wants to be friends with us. The Old Testament, which is full of stories of God’s people messing up and being rescued by God’s grace, points to the New Testament, which tells us about God’s big rescue plan – Jesus. Let’s get ready to journey through this amazing adventure together.

Week Commencing · 7th September 2020

The Bible –

God’s big agenda

DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 3








WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????

DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTHSOURCE: Holy Bible (Authorised Version). Lutterworth Press, London (1946) DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 4

1. Law – Instructions from God to keep his people safe and well

2. History 3. Poetry4. Prophecy – message from God

5. Wisdom – wise sayings6. Gospel – the good news of Jesus7. Early Church8. Letters – from Paul and other writers

to the Early church








WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????









READ:

Genesis 1Every story has to have a beginning and the Bible starts with an account of how our earth was formed. Genesis, literally means beginning and in its early chapters this book presents a poetic progression of creation that begins with light. It moves on to describe the origin of sky, land and sea and how they are populated with plants, sea creatures and animals. In a final act humans are given responsibility for this world; a planet that is repeatedly described as good. God chose to plant a garden called Eden for his people, Eve and Adam; a place for them to tend and enjoy. It was a perfect place to live but sadly they broke the rules that God had laid down. Not only was creation spoilt, but the family relationship between the creator and His people was permanently damaged.

Week Commencing ·14th September 2020

Creation and Covenant

- Creation

EXTRA RESOURCES: It’s All Good (Beautiful World) – Bob Hartman’s Rhyming Bible Songs – Lyric Video – https://youtu.be/ZeqnkUd2sh4 DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 5

HOLY CROSS

DAY

WONDER TOGETHER...

…about how God is still the creative energy behind all that we see.

DO:

How many animals can you name for every letter of the alphabet?As you read the story draw a picture adding what God created on each day.








WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????


M O N D AY 21st SEPTEMBER

T U E S D AY 22nd SEPTEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 23rd SEPTEMBER





WONDER TOGETHER...

…about how tall a tower would have to be to reach God.

DO:

Use something like toy bricks (not lego) or plastic cups to make a tower as high as you can. As you place each layer name a person or a situation you would like God to help. When it comes tumbling down, thank God that He has heard your prayers.

READ:

Genesis 11In the United Kingdom there are many regional accents or we may speak a different language; this can make communication between people difficult. This story recalls a time when everybody spoke the same language. People came together and started to build cities, places where traders and merchants bought and sold. These city dwellers became increasingly proud of their achievements and boasted that they could achieve whatever they wanted, including a tower that would surpass God.While there is nothing wrong with mutual support and cooperation God could see that these people were at risk of becoming arrogant and planning mischief and wrong doing. He therefore chose to confuse the languages that people spoke, making it much more difficult to plot together. Gradually different groups of people spread out each with their own distinct language, and so new nations were formed.

Week Commencing · 21st September 2020


– Tower of Babel









WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????





T H U R S D AY 1st OCTOBER

F R I D AY 2nd OCTOBER

S AT U R D AY 3rd OCTOBER

S U N D AY 4th OCTOBER


WONDER TOGETHER...

…what Abraham would think if he knew that one of his descendants is Jesus.

DO:

God promised Abraham his descendants would outnumber the stars. Go outside when it is dark and see how many stars you can count. See what constellations you can spot. As you look at each star say ‘thank you’ to God for keeping his promises.

READ:

Genesis 17:1-8, 18:1-15, 21:1-7Abraham is the founding father of the Hebrew nation, the Israelites, and his story starts with a journey that God asked him to undertake. A journey which began in the city of Ur. Abraham and his family first travelled around seven hundred miles north-west to Haran and then moved on another seven hundred miles or so southwards to Canaan where they eventually settled in the hill country. Although God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, they both became impatient and tried to organise events for themselves. This did not turn out well; but eventually, when they were both extremely old, their son Isaac was born. The promise that Abraham would have more ancestors than there are stars, contained the seed of another great promise, that through him the whole earth would be blessed.



– Abraham and Family

WONDER TOGETHER...

…what Abraham would think if he knew that one of his descendants is Jesus.

DO:

God promised Abraham his descendants would outnumber the stars. Go outside when it is dark and see how many stars you can count. See what constellations you can spot. As you look at each star say ‘thank you’ to God for keeping His promises.

READ:

Genesis 17:1-8, 18:1-15, 21:1-7Abraham is the founding father of the Hebrew nation, the Israelites, and his story starts with a journey that God asked him to undertake. A journey which began in the city of Ur. Abraham and his family first travelled around seven hundred miles north-west to Haran and then moved on another seven hundred miles or so southwards to Canaan where they eventually settled in the hill country. Although God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, they both became impatient and tried to organise events for themselves. This did not turn out well; but eventually, when they were both extremely old, their son Isaac was born. The promise that Abraham would have more ancestors than there are stars, contained the seed of another great promise, that through him the whole earth would be blessed.



– Abraham and Family

1 Make something tasty like biscuits for your neighbours, teachers or classmates

2 Read for someone who can’t see or read very well

3 Make a thank you note for someone who helps you during your week

4 Sit next to or call or text someone who is usually left on their own

5 When you go out take a spare snack to share with someone who might need it

6 Tidy up and put away without being asked

7 Smile and say hello to the people in your street

8 Raise some money for a charity9 Write a letter to your MP about

something you think God wants to see changed

10 Use kind words even when you might be feeling hurt

11 Pick up litter in your street or local park (make sure you do it safely and wash your hands afterwards!)

12 Sort out things you don’t need and give them away to people that do need them

12 ways to be light

in the world








WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????


M O N D AY 5th OCTOBER

T U E S D AY 6th OCTOBER

W E D N E S D AY 7th OCTOBER

T H U R S D AY 8th OCTOBER

F R I D AY 9th OCTOBER

S AT U R D AY 10th OCTOBER


READ:

Genesis 27:1-34, 28:10-15Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac, married Rebekah and had twin boys, called Esau and Jacob. Though they were twins they were very different, Esau was the outdoor type who enjoyed hunting, but Jacob was happier staying close to home. As the eldest son Esau, was to receive the family inheritance, but he cared little for it, preferring to swap the future promise for a tasty bean stew. When father Isaac was very old and his eyesight failing Jacob and his mum conspired to trick him into blessing him instead of Esau. The deceit worked and Esau was extremely angry to have been cheated by his brother. Jacob had to flee. As he rested on his journey he had a dream in which God promised that He would be with him wherever he went. Even though Jacob had messed up God was working out His big plan.

Week Commencing · 5th October 2020


– Jacob and Esau


WONDER TOGETHER...WONDER TOGETHER...

…about how we might prevent misunder-standings and dishonesty to create bad feelings in families.

DO:

Take it in turns to wear a blindfold and see if you can guess which other member of the family is taking the set of keys or noisy toy from just in front of you. What can you do to pretend to be another member of your family?









The ??????









READ:

Genesis 32:3, 22-32Jacob fled his family home and went to live with an uncle. There he married and settled to breeding goats. Eventually he decided that the time had come to return to the family, even though he knew Esau had threatened to kill him. He sent his large family and valuable herds ahead of him with gifts for his brother. As he rested the night before he was to meet Esau, he realised that he was not alone. All through the night Jacob wrestled with this unknown visitor. Neither could gain any advantage until Jacob’s hip was dislocated, but even so he clung on to his opponent, demanding that he receive God’s blessing. It was an altogether strange experience, but Jacob knew that he had met God face to face. He now had a new name, Israel, a name that reflected his struggle with God.



– Jacob wrestles with God



…about the things that we find hard and unfair, where we think there should be God’s blessing and it feels like there isn’t.

DO:

Hold an arm wrestling competition. Some of you might need to work in a team to beat the strongest member of your household! Agree to take some action in the situations and places you have talked about, where you can be God’s blessing (see page 12).








WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????




W E D N E S D AY 21st OCTOBER

T H U R S D AY 22nd OCTOBER

F R I D AY 23rd OCTOBER



WONDER TOGETHER...

…about how hard it might have been for Joseph to carry on trusting God just when things seemed to be going well, something bad happened again.

DO:

Draw seven fat cows and seven thin cows. List seven things that you are thankful for and write them on the fat cows. Thank God for them. List seven things that you are concerned about and write them on the thin cows. Ask God to help.

READ:

Genesis 39-42Worthy of a soap opera, Joseph’s story sees him sold as a slave in Egypt because of sibling rivalry. Honest labour and integrity led to him becoming the top man in the household, but false accusation caused his fall from grace and prison.It was all about dreams, his brothers hated him because of his dreams, and in prison he accurately explained dreams of fellow prisoners from Pharoah’s court. So when Pharaoh had some nasty dreams Joseph was called upon to explain them. The dream warned of years of famine, but with God’s help, Joseph was able to offer a solution – store any excess food in the seven years of plenty, then share it out in the seven years when the harvests would fail. He was put in charge of the whole country. Joseph’s brothers eventually came seeking food and after a touching reunion the entire family chose to move to Egypt.


Creation and Covenant – Joseph:

slavery, dreams and freedom









WONDER TOGETHER...

…abe ends.

DO:

Take a

READ:

The Bible is like


The ??????







S AT U R D AY 31st OCTOBER

S U N D AY 1st NOVEMBER

WONDER TOGETHER...

…about the people who bring joy, peace and love into your life, the life of your community, this country and the world.

DO:

Use page 8 to help you think about how you can be light, bringing joy, peace and love to those around you.

READ:

Revelation 7:9-12We are the near the end of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, but before we start the second book Exodus, we are zipping to the last, the book of Revelation. This was a dream John had with images about what it might be like at the end of the world. It is a book which is hard for us to understand as it is full of pictures that need interpreting, but the promise is that one day we will be with God in heaven, and it will be amazing.On 1st November Christians give thanks for all the saints – people who have died but who were a light in the world, bringing joy, peace and love, just as Jesus told us to.


All Saints’ Day

EXTRA RESOURCES: Advent is on it’s way, ask your local church for your Jesse Tree stickers. DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 12

ALL SAINTS’

DAY

Advent is coming

This Advent as we journey through the Bible, we are going to focus on the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. This journey has been celebrated for many centuries in Latin American countries with the traditional festival of ‘Las Posadas’ which is Spanish for ‘the inns’.The Festival reminds us of the challenges of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem where they were unable to find anywhere comfortable to stay so that Mary could have her baby. Take a look at the Posada game on page 23 to help you think about this.

In Latin American countries, children dress up as Mary and Joseph or carry statues of them as they process through the neighbourhood. The procession visits three houses singing traditional songs asking for somewhere to stay. Mary and Joseph are refused entry at the first two houses, before being admitted at the third where there is often a celebration feast.As a diocese we are encouraging churches and schools to adapt the traditions of Posada and create journeys for households to join in with. This might be the opportunity for families to host a knitted Mary and Joseph, or a chance to spot a picture of Mary and Joseph as they ‘visit’ shops in the High Street, or even a real life procession. Why not find out if there is anything going on in your neighbourhood?

M O N D AY 2nd NOVEMBER

T U E S D AY 3rd NOVEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 4th NOVEMBER

T H U R S D AY 5th NOVEMBER

F R I D AY 6th NOVEMBER

S AT U R D AY 7th NOVEMBER

S U N D AY 8th NOVEMBER

READ:

Exodus 2:1-10Many years after Joseph’s death the family of twelve assorted brothers had grown to the size of a nation. The rulers of Egypt saw them as a threat that required keeping under control, the Israelites were forced to work for the state while every means was used to limit their population growth. It was not long before Pharoah commanded that all Hebrew baby boys were to be thrown into the Nile River to drown. One inventive mother, realising that it was no longer possible to keep her three month old son safely at home, made a basket and set it floating amongst the reeds, with her daughter watching over the infant. Her hope was that some kindly person would take pity on the child. A princess from the royal house spotted the basket and chose to take the baby and bring him up as a prince, even employing his own mother as nursemaid.

Week Commencing · 2nd November 2020

Exodus and Promised Land

– Moses: born and hidden

IMAGE: York Mystery Plays 2018 / Moses And Pharaoh / Performed By St Luke’s Church, York DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 14


…about what the girl was thinking and feeling as she watched over her baby brother in a basket on the Nile.

DO:

Try floating different things in some water. What works and what doesn’t? Do you know why? Look up what the mother used to make sure a basket made of reeds wouldn’t sink (verse 3).

M O N D AY 9th NOVEMBER

T U E S D AY 10th NOVEMBER






READ:

Exodus 3:1-16Moses grew up as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess, but it was not an easy fit as he identified as an Israelite. Once he went so far as to intervene when a Hebrew slave was being beaten. Becoming aware that his secret was known he had little choice but to flee. He met and married a Midianite woman and settled to goat and sheep keeping, his past life forgotten. A bush on fire caught Moses’ attention, when he turned aside to investigate he heard the voice of God. Then God spoke to him, identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He set him a task – return to Egypt, persuade the king to let the Israelites go, and establish their own independent nation in the land God had promised them. Moses was not very eager, but accepted the challenge and returned to Egypt.

Week Commencing · 9th November 2020


– Moses: burning bush

IMAGE: York Mystery Plays 2018 / Moses And Pharaoh / Performed By St Luke’s Church, York DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 15


…about how God could make a bush burn but not burn up.

DO:

Moses was set a big challenge to make life better for others. Write down some big challenges in your own life and in the world. Put these things in a fireproof pot and carefully set them alight. As you watch them burn thank God that he keeps him promises and ask him to do something about the challenges.






S AT U R D AY 21st NOVEMBER

S U N D AY 22nd NOVEMBER

READ:

Exodus 12:1-13, 31-36When Moses was instructed by God to return to Egypt he began negotiations with Pharaoh to release the enslaved people of Israel. The discussions didn’t go well and God was forced to intervene with a series of disasters that affected only Egyptians, but not the Hebrews. The culmination of this campaign was to be the death of all of Egypt’s first born, an awful judgement on a stubborn king and his people. In preparation each Israelite family was to prepare a feast, a symbol of their forthcoming freedom. This was the origin of the Jewish Passover Festival, full of symbolism and storytelling. That terrible night there was grief in every Egyptian household, and a chastened Pharaoh allowed the Israelites their freedom. Released from their slavery the people were led out of Egypt to a new future and the new land that God had promised them, a land that promised food and security.



– Moses: Passover meal

EXTRA RESOURCES: Why not hold a simple Passover meal (see next page). DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 16


…about why God was so specific about the instructions for the meal.

DO:

Make sure everyone has some flat bread or an equivalent. Put your coats and shoes on. Talk about things that we might be frightened about, and how God is always with us no matter how we feel. Eat the bread standing up as you pray about what you have discussed.

SIMPLE PASSOVER M

EAL

WINE/JUICE – God made four promises to his people,

written in Exodus 6:6-8, these are remembered in the

Passover tradition by drinking wine four times.

Drink four times and each time thank God that he keeps

his promises.

The Passover meal still celebrated by Jews all over the world, is full of rich symbols to remind us of who God is and what he has done. Try doing this simplified version as a family or for more information, ideas and a downloadable service booklet visit www.Godventure.co.uk

LIGHT – light a candle and thank God for the creation of light and that Jesus came as the Light of the World.

BITTER HERBS AND SALT WATER – These remind us of the hardships the people of Israel faced as slaves in Egypt before God heard their cry and rescued them.

As you taste them, pray for all those that are still

suffering in slavery.

BREAD – Traditionally the Passover bread is unleavened because the Israelites did not have time to wait for it to rise before leaving. As you eat the bread, remember Jesus saying it represented his broken body.

M O N D AY 23rd NOVEMBER







READ:

Exodus 12-19 · Read ‘A Long Journey’ in the Lion Storyteller BibleAfter four hundred and thirty years (12:40) over a million Israelites (12:37) left Egypt and started on their journey to the promised land. God was with them, leading them in a pillar of cloud during the day and fire at night. But their adventure was not yet over; Pharaoh had changed his mind as he had so many times before and pursued them with his elite chariot company (14:5-9). Trapped between a hostile army and the sea the Israelites despaired, but God had a plan. Moses held his walking stick over the water, and God moved it aside, offering a dry route through the water (14:21-22). Once the Hebrew nation were safely through, the waters returned, trapping the hapless Egyptian army. After twelve weeks travel Moses halted the entire company at the foot of Mount Sinai. Here God gave him the Ten Commandments, rules for daily living.

Week Commencing · 23rd November 2020


– Moses: Egypt to Sinai

EXTRA RESOURCES: Animated video from Saddleback kids - https://youtu.be/rzcYLCYItuc DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 18

1ST SUNDAY IN

ADVENT


…about what it must be like to walk through the Red Sea.

DO:

God showed the people of Israel that he was with them on their journey with a pillar of smoke during the day and fire at night. What symbols can you make to put around your house to remind you that God is always with you?

Advent Wreath

To help you celebrate Advent you could make an advent wreath, the tradition being that you light one candle on each of the four Sundays of Advent, and a fifth one on Christmas day.

Stick greenery into a circular oasis, or make a circle with wire or card and decorate with green paper leaves. You could even make a really little one with birthday cake candlesThe circle and green represent God’s never ending love.

Press four candles firmly into the oasis or stick them into jar lids with plasticine or blu-tak. Make sure they can’t fall over.Often three of the candles are purple to represent the advent time of prayer and sacrifice. The middle candle is normally white, but don’t worry if you have to use different colours.

Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas. The word ‘Advent’ means ‘coming’ in Latin, and so Christians use the time to celebrate Jesus coming into the world as a baby, and prepare for Jesus coming back at the end of time to take us all

to heaven. No one is really sure when Advent was first celebrated but it dates back to the first century when monks were ordered to fast during December leading up to Christmas. Paper Advent calendars were first popular in Germany in the early 1900s.

Your school or local church might be doing a Posada during Advent. Find out how you can get involved.

The first candle represents prophecy and HOPE. We have HOPE because God keeps his promises (Romans 15:12-13)

The second candle represents FAITH. It is sometimes called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7)

The third candle is often pink, it is sometimes called the shepherds candle. Pink represents JOY. The angels sang a song of JOY (Luke 2:7-15)

The fourth candle or Angel Candle represents LOVE. The angels share the good news that God sent Jesus because he LOVEs us (John 3:16)

The fifth candle placed in the middle represents Jesus. One of Jesus’ names is The Prince of PEACE (Isaiah 9:6)


T U E S D AY 1st DECEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 2nd DECEMBER

T H U R S D AY 3rd DECEMBER

F R I D AY 4th DECEMBER

S AT U R D AY 5th DECEMBER

S U N D AY 6th DECEMBER

WONDER TOGETHER...

…about what heaven might be like. What do you think Jesus meant by saying that His Father’s house has many rooms?

DO:

If you are fortunate enough to have an advent calendar then use coloured pens or stickers to mark each door/opening. As you open each door talk to God about things related to the colour: Yellow – Hope, Green – peace, Red – love, Pink – joy, Blue – Faith.

READ:

John 14:1-14As we start to look forward to Christmas, it might feel strange to be thinking about Jesus coming back at the end of time. We might want time to go quickly so that Christmas day arrives soon, but do we really want time to end? It might even feel like a frightening prospect. The Bible tells us that Jesus said “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together” (John 14:1-3). So as we look forward to celebrating Jesus’s birth with friends and family, we can also look forward to the future, knowing that Jesus has got it covered!


Advent - Looking

to the future


2ND SUNDAY IN

ADVENT

M O N D AY 7th DECEMBER

T U E S D AY 8th DECEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 9th DECEMBER

T H U R S D AY 10th DECEMBER




WONDER TOGETHER...

…about why Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah were chosen to be the parents of such special babies.

DO:

In Luke 1:46-56 the Bible records a song of praise that Mary sang when she arrived at Elizabeth’s. It is often called the Magnificat. Listen to different versions of the song, taking time to think about the words and their meaning.

READ:

Luke 1:39-56Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah had not been able to have children, but in their old age, an angel visited Zechariah while he was serving in the temple and told him that God had heard their prayer and they were going to have a son. A special son who would be God’s messenger – telling people to get ready for Jesus. Mary journeyed from Nazareth to a small town in the Judean hills to visit her cousin. When she arrived, the baby in Elizabeth’s tummy leapt for joy. Elizabeth was overjoyed as the Holy Spirit told her how Mary’s baby was even more special – God’s big rescue plan. Mary stayed with them for three months before travelling back to Nazareth. When Elizabeth had her baby, Zechariah did what the angel had told him and he was named John.

Week Commencing · 7th December 2020

Advent - Mary’s

journey to Elizabeth


3RD SUNDAY IN

ADVENT








READ:

Luke 2:1-7Israel was under Roman occupation. The Roman Emperor, Augsutus, wanted to make sure that everybody had been counted and registered – probably to make sure that they paid their taxes. This was arranged by everyone returning to the place where their tribe originally came from. Joseph was from the line of David, and so he had to travel to Bethlehem. By this time Mary was heavily pregnant, but they took the journey which would have taken 4-7 days from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The Bible doesn’t mention a donkey, but as there were many people travelling too, some kind person might have given a tired Mary a ride for a bit. When they arrived in the city, there was no room for them to stay in any of the inns, and so they ended up in an animal shelter. Not the place you would expect for the birth of the Saviour of the World!


Advent - the journey

to Bethlehem


4TH SUNDAY IN

ADVENT


…about what it must have been like in the animal shelter.

DO:

See page 13 for more information about the Advent Posada tradition and have a go at the Posada game on the next page. Give thanks to God that Mary and Joseph were kept safe on their difficult journey.

Christmas Posada

1 23

45

6

7

8

910111213

14

15

16 1718

1920 21

22

23

24

25

26

272829

30

313233

34

Instructions – It would have taken Mary and Joseph between 4 and 7 days to make the journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth. It won’t have been easy, but there were lots of people travelling too, so they would have help from family and friends. See if you

can make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem like them by rolling a dice and moving forwards and backwards according to your score and the instructions on the road.

Report of robbers

A song lifts the travellers spirits

Mary is tired from all the walking

MISS A TURN

GO FORWARD ONE

GO BACK ONEGO BACK

TWO

Animal noises keep the camp awake at night

GO FORWARD ONE

Find fresh figs growing by the roadside

GO BACK TWO


MISS A TURNRoman soldiers coming through

GO BACK THREE


GO BACK THREE

GO BACK TWOGO BACK ONE

GO FORWARD ONE

No room at this inn

No room at this inn

No room at this inn

M O N D AY 21st DECEMBER

T U E S D AY 22nd DECEMBER

W E D N E S D AY 23rd DECEMBER





WONDER TOGETHER...

…about why God chose to tell the shepherds about Jesus’ birth before anyone else.

DO:

Agree together how you can help each other out with the preparations needed to celebrate Jesus’ birth. In all the busyness, plan to spend a few minutes a day gathered around a candle quietly thanking God for Jesus, Christmas and each other.

READ:

Luke 2:8-20Can you imagine waking up to a sky full of angels singing their hearts out? That’s what some of the shepherds did over 2000 years ago on the hills outside Bethlehem. Some of them would have been awake to keep an eye on the sheep, but others would have been wrapped up in their blanket by the fire preparing to take over in the morning. God had sent a messenger to these poor, working folk to let them know, before anyone else, that his rescue plan had swung into action. Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. They must have looked shocked and frightened, because the angel told them not to be afraid, and told them exactly how to find the new born saviour. Once they had met Jesus the shepherds were nearly as noisy as the angels, telling everyone about the amazing things they had seen and heard.

Week Commencing · 21st December 2020

Christmas

EXTRA RESOURCES: Reflective song - Noel by Chris Tomlin https://youtu.be/5Vwu-t7QRaE DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 24

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHRISTMAS DAY

BOXING DAY




T H U R S D AY 31st DECEMBER

F R I D AY 1st JANUARY 2021

S AT U R D AY 2nd JANUARY

S U N D AY 3rd JANUARY

WONDER TOGETHER...

What gift you would take if you were one of the travellers from the East.

DO:

Tradition says that the gifts are symbols of who Jesus is: Gold for a king, Frankincense for a God; and Myrrh for suffering and sacrifice. Make or find something to represent this, place your gifts on the ground, kneel down and worship Jesus – our King, our God and our Saviour.

READ:

Matthew 2:1-12Not much is known about the visitors from the East who came after Jesus was born. Tradition says that there were ‘three wise men’ but actually we only know that there were three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh. Some say they were Jews left in Babylon after the exile. Some say they came from three different lands to represent the entire world. Wherever they came from, and whoever they were, we do know that they followed a star to the city of Bethlehem which God had promised would be the birthplace of ‘a new ruler, who will be the shepherd of my people’. The Bible uses the words child and house, not infant and animal shelter, so we can assume that their journey was long and that some time had passed since Jesus had been born. As soon as they saw Jesus, they kneeled down and worshipped him.


Epiphany


Epiphany puzzles

Which bit of the

picture?

Can you find these four pictures in the big picture?

When _ _ S _ _ (3 down) was born, a _ _ _ _ (5 down) appeared in the sky. Some _ _ S _ (7 across) men who studied the skies decided that the new star meant God had provided his long promised Saviour. They took a long _ _ _ R _ _ _ (3 across) from the _ A _ _ (6 across) with gifts: Gold for a _ _ N _ (4 across), _ _ _ _ K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (1 down) for God, and _ _ R _ _ (2 across) for a sacrifice.

3

7

2

4

1

6

5

1

2

3

4

1

T

O

K

D

2

A

E

S

P

3

H

R

L

W

4

N

Y

I

M

1,1

1,2

4,3

1,3

H

I

1,3

1,4

2,1

3,4

D

2,2

4,1

2,3

4,4

N

P

2,4 3,1 1,4 2,2 3,3 1,1

3,2 1,3 3,4 4,2 4,2 2,2 4,1

Can you crack the code and find out what the secret message says?

M O N D AY 4th JANUARY

T U E S D AY 5th JANUARY

W E D N E S D AY 6th JANUARY

T H U R S D AY 7th JANUARY

F R I D AY 8th JANUARY

S AT U R D AY 9th JANUARY

S U N D AY 10th JANUARY

WONDER TOGETHER...

…what it must have felt like watching the people of Israel walk round your city, not knowing what God was going to do.

DO:

Play a game where you blindfold one member of the family and someone has to silently walk round them six times. If they don’t guess who it is on the seventh time the walker can do another round making as much noise as possible.

READ:

Joshua 6:1-20The Israelites travelled around for many years before crossing the Jordan River and entering the promised land. Joshua was now their leader and relied on God in much the same way as Moses had. The first obstacle was the city of Jericho, a typically fortified settlement ruled over by a petty king. Rather than a frontal attack God instructed Joshua to march around the city walls once a day in silence. After six days they were told to process around seven times, then, on command, to shout. Hardly a terribly practical way of getting into a walled city, except for the fact that as the people shouted the walls crumbled. God at work again. Slowly the entire land was divided up and the various families, now tribes in their own right, took possession of the country. The land of Canaan where Abraham had settled all those centuries earlier was now theirs.

Week Commencing · 4th January 2021

Judges and Kings –

Joshua

EXTRA RESOURCES: Animated video from Saddleback kids - https://youtu.be/BAkwWE2UGLo DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 27

EPIPHANY CELEBRATION

OF JESUS’ BAPTISM








READ:

As the Israelites settled into their Promised Land they quickly forgot all that God had done for them. Soon they were being terrorised by marauding tribes who would carry off their harvest, forcing them to hide their food supply. God chose to intervene and selected Gideon as his champion. Gideon was from a small family in an insignificant tribe and no great leader. He did manage to call an army together, but God felt it was too big so suggested that those with better things to do than fight need not stay. A further test whittled the army down to a mere three hundred men. Armed with a pottery jar containing a lamp and a trumpet this mini army surrounded the enemy camp. On the command the jars were shattered, the lamps sprung into light and the trumpets blared. The startled and nervous enemy fought amongst themselves. Gideon and his three hundred were victorious.



Gideon

EXTRA RESOURCES: Animated video from Saddleback kids - https://youtu.be/c3CDZjpkDKU DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 28


…about what Gideon might have been thinking and feeling as God made his army smaller and smaller.

DO:

Talk about things that are better in smaller quantities (e.g. salt, chillies). Talk about situations where you might feel overwhelmed, and unable to make a difference. Ask God to give you courage and show how you can make a difference.




T H U R S D AY 21st JANUARY

F R I D AY 22nd JANUARY

S AT U R D AY 23rd JANUARY


READ:

The Israelite nation was always at the mercy of their stronger neighbours, this time it was the warlike Philistines. God chose Samson to be a hero for him. He was set apart even before his birth to be special, he lived by particular rules, but at times chose to ignore them. These were violent times and Samson reacted, his anger was always against the aggressors, the people who were trying to control the Israelites. He was amazingly strong, but was not always wise in his choice of companions. Foolishly he allowed the secret of his strength to be known. It lay not just in his hair, but the obedience to God that it represented. After his head was shaved he was easily overcome and mocked by the victorious Philistines. Blind and shackled, he was put on display in one of their pagan temples. Despite this he used his returning power to destroy the building.



Samson

EXTRA RESOURCES: Song – Rebel Heart by Lauren Daigle - https://youtu.be/sufQX7NSX2k DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 29


How even though he knew God had a purpose for him Samson could be so bad at making wise choices.

DO:

Make hair from wool, paper or Playdo through a garlic press and stick it onto a hardboiled egg or ball. As you ‘cut it off’ think about things you should have or have not done, and ask God to help you make wise choices.







S U N D AY 31st JANUARY

READ:

1 Samuel 1:9-11, 20; 3; 8:1-22Hannah was so grateful to God that she gave up her son, Samuel, to serve at the Shiloh tabernacle. While he was still a child, God spoke directly to Samuel, giving him a message for the High Priest Eli. This was the beginning of his God given job as a prophet for Israel, a messenger from God. His chief role was to bring the nation back to the worship of the one God. Under his influence the people destroyed their pagan shrines and statues and returned to following God’s rules for daily life. They won a great victory over the Philistines but then clamoured for their own king. Despite being warned of the disadvantages of a monarchy the people insisted and Samuel duly anointed Saul as their first king. At first things went well for the king, but it did not last and before long doing things God’s way was forgotten.



Samuel



…about how we show that we worship God and follow his guidelines for living.

DO:

Eli taught Samuel to say to God ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’. Say these words and spend some time in quiet listening to God. If you need some tips on how to do this visit https://parentingforfaith.org/chat-and-catch

‘At about this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called a child over and had the child stand near him. Then he said: I promise you this. If you don’t change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. But if you are humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.’ Matthew 18:1-5

Children and young people are an important part of the life of the church as well as its hope for the future. In the Diocese of York we take Jesus’s words about welcoming children very seriously and this is why we are delighted to be holding our Children of Light Festival this year.Around the Diocese there will be a variety of events and activities starting on March 20th with a commissioning of all the children and young people by the Archbishop of York.

For more information talk to your local church or visit the Diocesan website www.dioceseofyork.org

M O N D AY 1st FEBRUARY

T U E S D AY 2nd FEBRUARY

W E D N E S D AY 3rd FEBRUARY

T H U R S D AY 4th FEBRUARY

F R I D AY 5th FEBRUARY

S AT U R D AY 6th FEBRUARY

S U N D AY 7th FEBRUARY

WONDER TOGETHER...

…what ‘king qualities’ God saw in David that he did not see in his brothers. Psalms 8, 9 and 23 might help.

DO:

God told Samuel he looks at what people think, say and do, not their appearance. Make cardboard crowns and decorate them with word or pictures to show the kind of things God wants us to think, say and do.

READ:

1 Samuel 16Despite his good start Saul was not a Godly king and even while he still reigned Samuel was sent to search for his replacement. The prophet travelled to the hill settlement of Bethlehem to visit Jesse and offer a sacrifice, but God had sent him there to identify the next king. Jesse’s sons were all introduced, fine men, just the sort to be a warrior king, but God made it clear to Samuel that none of them were his choice. Eventually the youngest of the family was brought in from his sheep minding to be presented to the prophet and Samuel knew that he had found the one. There in the domestic setting David was secretly anointed king, heir to Saul’s throne. It was many years later, and after a lot of heartbreak that David did become king, meanwhile it was back to the sheep.

Week Commencing · 1st February 2021


David: Anointed king

EXTRA RESOURCES: Candlemas resources for children from Roots https://www.rootsontheweb.com/i-am-looking-for/public-copies/candlemas-2018 DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 32

CANDLEMAS

M O N D AY 8th FEBRUARY

T U E S D AY 9th FEBRUARY

W E D N E S D AY 10th FEBRUARY





READ:

1 Kings 3:4-15It was David’s great ambition to build God’s Temple in Jerusalem, but that task fell to his son, Solomon, who inherited a successful and peaceful kingdom. He formed alliances with many kingdoms and created a walled capital city. Like his father he respected and honoured God. While observing a religious festival the voice of God spoke directly to him in a dream. Solomon was offered whatever gift he desired. He chose wisdom, the ability to tell wrong from right so that he could be a good ruler. God granted that wish and was so pleased with such a simple request that Solomon was also given the things that he did not ask for, riches and honour. Up to that time worship had taken place in a special tented enclosure but eventually a magnificent Temple to God was opened for worship.

Week Commencing · 8th February 2021


Solomon’s wisdom



…about what you would ask for if God said you could have whatever you desired. Talk to God about these desires.

DO:

Play a ‘good news, bad news’ game. The first person says ‘the good news is…’ and gives a scenario where someone makes a wise choice. The next ‘bad news’ person has to convert this to an unwise choice. The next turns that into a wise choice with ‘the good news is…’

M O N D AY 15th FEBRUARY

T U E S D AY 16th FEBRUARY





S U N D AY 21st FEBRUARY

READ:

Luke 4:1-2The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness at the start of his ministry. Jesus fasted (went without food) during this time, and so the tradition was to give up particular foods for forty days including meat, fish, milk and egg products. These days people often give up things they enjoy like chocolate or caffeine or sugar, or TV. This is to help them reflect on Jesus’ suffering and his instruction to his friends to ‘pick up your cross and follow me’.In the past people needed to use up all their milk and eggs before Lent started and so the tradition of Shrove Tuesday being pancake day began. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from ‘shriving’ a very old ritual involving people confessing their mistakes and receiving forgiveness and pardon before Lent begins. This is now celebrated in the traditions of Ash Wednesday.

Week Commencing · 15th February 2021

Lent

EXTRA RESOURCES: See the extra resources for Lent on www.yorkdiocese/familyresources DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 34

SHROVE

TUESDAY

ASH WEDNESDAY


…about what it must have felt like for Jesus to go for forty days without food.

DO:

Make plans for celebrating the start of Lent – maybe with pancakes. Instead of giving something up some people choose to do something extra during Lent. Agree what you are going to do as a family to make these weeks before Easter special.

Pancakes and the

Children’s Society

The Children’s Society was founded in 1881 by a Sunday school teacher and has worked ever since to fight child abuse and neglect and change laws and opinions that affect the most vulnerable young people in this country.People raise funds for this important work in all sorts of interesting ways – one of which is to have a pancake party. Go to the fundraising page on www.childrensociety.org.uk to find out more about how you can do something fun and tasty that can really make a difference.

Have a go at making a pancakePut 110g plain flour in a large bowl. Add 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of oil, and a pinch of salt.Slowly stir in 300ml of milk.When the mixture is smooth, heat a little oil in a frying pan.Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the batter, carefully swirling the pan so that the mixture covers the whole of the bottom.When the top of your pancake is completely dry turn it over to cook the other side (you could even try flipping it!)

Eat with lemon and sugar, or banana and chocolate, or strawberries and cream, or cheese and bacon or… whatever your favourite is!

M O N D AY 22nd FEBRUARY

T U E S D AY 23rd FEBRUARY






READ:

Matthew 4:1-11After his baptism by John the Baptist, where God announced to everybody that Jesus was his beloved son who he was very pleased with, Jesus went into the desert for forty days and nights. He did not have anything to eat during this time, and was tempted to use his power as the Son of God to perform tricks to help himself. Even though he had the power, and it certainly was not unreasonable to feed himself, Jesus resisted the temptation knowing that his power would be better used later to help others. Three times he was tempted and three times he relied on words from the Jewish Scriptures (now the old testament part of our Bible) to help him do the right thing and not give in to an abuse of his power.

Week Commencing · 22nd February 2021

Lent – Temptations



…about what your response might have been to the temptations that Jesus faced.

DO:

Play a game where you have to hold a sweet in your mouth until it disappears without chewing it, or eating a do-nut without licking the sugar from around your lips. Talk about what helps us to resist temptation, and what Bible verses can help us just like they helped Jesus.

M O N D AY 1st MARCH

T U E S D AY 2nd MARCH

W E D N E S D AY 3rd MARCH

T H U R S D AY 4th MARCH

F R I D AY 5th MARCH

S AT U R D AY 6th MARCH

S U N D AY 7th MARCH

WONDER TOGETHER...

…about Jesus’s words ‘I am the bread of life’.

DO:

Make some bread or playdough together. As you put each of the ingredients in think about what they can represent about God and why. As you knead the dough ask God to help you rely on him more and trust that he will provide.

READ:

John 6:32-40When he had been in the desert for some time and was starving hungry, Jesus was tempted to turn the stones into bread, but he resisted by remembering that although eating and looking after ourselves is important, a good relationship with God is what gives us the best life. He referred to a verse in Deuteronomy (8:3) where Moses reminds the people of Israel that God fed them in the desert with real bread like manna, and with His presence and His teaching which was just as important.Later in his ministry Jesus described himself as the bread of life. Not because he was made of flour, but because a friendship with him can sustain us through all of life’s challenges just like food gives us energy to play and work.

Week Commencing · 1st March 2021

Lent – Bread


M O N D AY 8th MARCH

T U E S D AY 9th MARCH

W E D N E S D AY 10th MARCH





READ:

Matthew 4:8-10Jesus was shown all the kingdoms of the world and told they would be his if he didn’t worship God. It is ironic, as chapter one in the gospel of John tells us that as God, Jesus was there at the beginning of creation – no kingdom would exist without his creative energy!Jesus knew that God wants us to only worship him. He also knew that his kingdom would be an upside down kingdom where the first would be last and the last would be first. In fact, that is what he told his disciples – they must become humble like a child to enter his kingdom (Matthew 18:2-4).Sometimes it is easy to forget about putting God first, and get bogged down with wanting the latest and the best – looking at what other people have and being jealous. The Holy Spirit can help us to get our priorities right, just like Jesus.

Week Commencing · 8th March 2021

Lent – Kingdom

EXTRA RESOURCES: www.childrensociety.org.uk has lots of resources and prayer ideas for Mothering Sunday DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 38

MOTHERING

SUNDAY


…about how Jesus was there at the beginning of time, on earth 2000 years ago, and is our friend today.

DO:

If you had to run from your home like a refugee, what would be the things you would take with you and why? Give thanks for these things and all the things you would have to leave behind and ask God to help you give them the right priority.

Journey through Holy Week

Holy Week is the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday when Christians reflect on the events that led up to Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Triumphant entry – Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus clears the Temple – Matthew 21:12-16

The Last Supper – John 13:1-10, Mark 14:17-31

Garden of Gethsemane – Mark 14:32-42

Trial – Mark 14:53-72

The walk to Golgotha – Mark 15:16-24

Jesus dies on the cross – Luke 23:32-49

Resurrection – Luke 24:1-12

START

F IN ISH







S U N D AY 21st MARCH

READ:

Luke 4:9-12As God, Jesus had power over all creation, but he had taken on human fallibility and could get hurt and suffer just like we do. At his baptism, God had told everyone how much he loved him but Jesus was tempted to test this out. To see if God would send hoards of angels to rescue him. Jesus uses another verse from Deuteronomy (6:6) to respond – do not put the Lord your God to the test. God is faithful and just and keeps his promises – if we keep testing that we are not trusting him, and trust is an important part of a loving relationship. Perhaps Jesus remembered this moment when he was dying on the cross. He knew that at a single word would bring angels to rescue him, but the plan was for him to die so that we could live as friends with God forever, and that word was never said.


Lent – Testing

and Trusting



…about what God’s angels might have been thinking and feeling at both the moments described in the reading.

DO:

Write each word of 1 Chronicles 16:34 ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever’ on a bit of paper. Read them together, then again taking one word out, and again, until you can say the whole verse with no paper.

M O N D AY 22nd MARCH

T U E S D AY 23rd MARCH






READ:

Luke 4:14-19After his time in the desert, resisting temptation and proving that he trusted in God alone, Jesus was ready to start his ministry. He returned to Galilee full of the Holy Spirit, and wherever he went everyone was amazed at his words. In the synagogue at Nazareth he read words from Isaiah that had been written about him hundreds of years before.In the short years of his ministry (scholars think it was about three years) his purpose was to help us understand more about our unseen God. Jesus wasn’t just a good man, because even good people have flaws, Jesus was perfect. He was kind and gentle and firm and fair. He told stories that demonstrated God’s mercy and love. He healed people and performed miracles to show God’s power and love. He spent time with people and listened to them so that they could feel God’s compassion and love.

Week Commencing · 22nd March 2021

Lent – Ministry

EXTRA RESOURCES: Alpha Youth Series – Jesus: Who is He? https://youtu.be/4C46_RQtJv0 Diocese of York · Children & Youth · 41

FEAST OF THE

ANNUNCIATION


…what your favourite thing about Jesus is.

DO:

Look at some pictures of Jesus. What do they tell you about him? What do you think is missing? Draw a picture of what Jesus means to you, giving thanks to God that he came as a human being to help us understand him better.

PALM SUNDAY



W E D N E S D AY 31st MARCH

T H U R S D AY 1st APRIL

F R I D AY 2nd APRIL

S AT U R D AY 3rd APRIL

S U N D AY 4th APRIL

READ:

John 13:1-17Jesus arrives in Jerusalem on a young donkey with people waving palm branches and shouting praises to him. Later he visits the Temple and chucks out all those who are using it to make money rather than worship God. As the week draws to a close he shares the Passover meal with his disciples. Before they eat, Jesus washes their feet just like a servant, wanting them to understand that being his follower means serving others and putting their needs before your own. They are shocked and upset when Jesus tells them that they will betray him and let him down, but as soon as they reach the Garden of Gethsemane after their meal, they fall asleep instead of watching and praying as he asks. He is arrested and led away to unfair trials with Roman and Jewish leaders, before being sentenced to death on a cross.


Easter – Holy Week

Extra RESOURCES: Find out what activities your local church is doing this week to celebrate Holy Week DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 42

EASTER DAY

GOOD FRIDAY

MAUNDY

THURSDAY


…how the crowd that praised Jesus on Palm Sunday were shouting ‘crucify him’ by the end of the week.

DO:

In many churches there is a service of feet washing on Maundy Thursday. At home, you can hold a simple ceremony where you wash each other’s feet as a sign that you take Jesus’s command to love and serve one another seriously.

QUIZ:

See if you can tell if the following statements are true or false. 1. Jesus was arrested outside his home in Nazareth 2. Peter denied Jesus three times just like Jesus said he would3. The crowd wanted the well known murderer Barrabbas freed instead of Jesus4. Pilate washed his hands and face because he thought Jesus was dirty5. Jesus had to carry the cross all the way to Golgotha on his own6. Soldiers gambled to see who would get Jesus’s clothes7. The women were the first to see Jesus alive

ANSWERS1. False – He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane

on the outskirts of Jerusalem (Matthew 26:36, 46-54)2. True (Matthew 26:69-75)3. True (Matthew 27:15-21)4. False – He washed only his hands as a symbol that

he was not taking responsibility for Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:24)

5. False – Jesus was exhausted so they made Simon from Cyrene help (Matthew 27:32)

6. True (Luke 23:34)7. True (Matthew 28:8-10)

M O N D AY 5th APRIL

T U E S D AY 6th APRIL

W E D N E S D AY 7th APRIL

T H U R S D AY 8th APRIL

F R I D AY 9th APRIL

S AT U R D AY 10th APRIL


WONDER TOGETHER...

…about why the two men didn’t recognise Jesus until he broke the bread.

DO:

Play a ‘who am I?’ game and talk about what makes us recognise people. People should be able to recognise us as friends of Jesus because we love God and are kind and honest. Ask God to help you be more like Jesus.

READ:

Luke 24:13-35The women had been greeted by angels when they arrived at the tomb with the news that Jesus was alive. The other disciples did not believe them though. Peter ran to check, but all he could find where the strips of cloth that they had wrapped around the dead Jesus. They must have all been very frightened and disappointed, and this might be why two of them were heading home to Emmaus. Jesus joined them on the road, and listening to their fear and confusion, he helped them to see how what had happened was all part of God’s big rescue plan. Even though he showed so much wisdom and compassion, the disciples did not recognise their friend Jesus, until he broke the bread like he had at the Last Supper. They ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others that the women had been right all along.

Week Commencing · 5th April 2021

Easter –

Jesus is alive!

EXTRA RESOURCES: The Emmaus Road story animated by children https://youtu.be/sAUGRNhSwKw DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 44








READ:

1 Kings 18:20-39Following Solomon’s death the nation split into two separate kingdoms, Judah in the south and Israel to the north. Each had their own set of kings, some bad, some good; Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom and he was not a good king. God asked the prophet Elijah to challenge Ahab and his wife Jezebel about their worship of foreign gods. The big showdown came at Mount Carmel where Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a bizarre contest; they were to prepare a sacrifice and ask their god to send fire to consume it. No fire came, despite their entreaties. Elijah doused his sacrifice with water, enough to fill the ditch around it. He then simply asked God to reveal his power. Almost immediately fire came and consumed everything. The people were overwhelmed and returned to the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


Exile and Prophets

- Elijah



…about what ‘other gods’ (like money, xbox, youtubers) we might worship instead of God.

DO:

Use bricks, lego or stones to represent situations where you want to see change. Talk to God about them, as you make an altar of stones/bricks, repeating Elijah’s words from verse 37 “Answer me (us), O Lord, Answer me (us), so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God”.



W E D N E S D AY 21st APRIL

T H U R S D AY 22nd APRIL

F R I D AY 23rd APRIL



WONDER TOGETHER...

…about what each of the characters in this story must have been thinking and feeling.

DO:

It can be horrible when our skin is sore and itchy. For many of us appropriate touch helps us to know we are loved. Offer to massage each other’s hands and arms with cream as a symbol of love and reminder of God’s love for us.

READ:

2 Kings 5Imagine the situation; a foreign warlord appears at your palace demanding that you cure him of a skin disease. Not surprisingly the king panicked, but Elisha, God’s prophet who had followed Elijah, heard about the problem and offered a solution. This foreign dignitary was to wash himself in the Jordan River seven times to effect a total cure. Naaman, the general, was affronted expecting all sorts of incantations and spells to be used, but was persuaded to at least try the cure. After the seventh dip in the water he was indeed healed, his skin was unblemished. He attempted to reward Elisha, but when it was declined asked to take some soil back with him as a symbol of the power of the God who had cured him. When he got home even though he attended public worship with his king, he continued to respect the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


Exile and Prophets

- Elisha and Naaman


ST GEORGE’S

DAY






S AT U R D AY 1st MAY

S U N D AY 2nd MAY

READ:

Esther 2:1-10, 5:1-8, 7:1-7, 8:1-8The Persian king Xerxes was seeking a replacement wife. Esther, an exiled Hebrew girl, won the contest to become queen. Her only relative, Uncle Mordecai, had offended the royal chamberlain, Haman, who set in motion a plot to kill not just Mordecai but all his fellow Jews. Esther was challenged to risk her life by appealing to the king. Entering the royal court without an invitation was punishable by death, even so the queen, dressed in her finest robes, took that risk. Fortunately for her the king graciously welcomed her and Esther invited him to supper. The meal gave her the opportunity to explain the plot against herself and her people. Immediately a new law was passed and the threat to the Jews of Persia was lifted. Today Jews celebrate the festival of Purim in remembrance of Esther’s courage.


Exile and Prophets

- Esther



…about whether you would have the courage to face king Xerxes like Esther did. Thank God that he can give us courage too.

DO:

No one could approach King Xerxes unless he raised his sceptre in approval. Play a game where someone pretends to be the King and the rest of you creep towards them whilst their arm is up. When their arm goes down, you have to stop and anyone moving goes back to the beginning.

Christian Aid WeekChristian Aid Week

This Christian Aid Week 1016th May 2021 join us in a celebration of prayer, action and giving.

Together, we can raise funds to support our poorest sisters and brothers around the world.

Every envelope. Every gift. Every Big Brekkie. Every one of us can change lives.Everyone is equal in the sight of God. Yet we live in a world where poverty still persists.Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice thrive.

Dignity · Equality · Justice · Love

Dignity · Equality · Justice · LoveChristian Aid Week9-15 May 2021

Find resources at caweek.org

M O N D AY 3rd MAY

T U E S D AY 4th MAY

W E D N E S D AY 5th MAY

T H U R S D AY 6th MAY

F R I D AY 7th MAY

S AT U R D AY 8th MAY

S U N D AY 9th MAY

READ:

Isaiah 38:1-8Hezekiah was king of Judah and a faithful worshipper of God. His tiny nation was threatened by many enemies, but God chose to protect his people from invading armies. The king had restored the worship of the God of his ancestors and his reign was likened to the golden age of David and Solomon. When Hezekiah became seriously ill Isaiah, God’s messenger, warned that he was close to death, but Hezekiah called on God to heal him and continue to protect the nation. God caused a shadow to move back up the steps as a sign that he would answer Hezekiah’s prayer. Three days later the king was up and about, and attending services at the Temple. Although Hezekiah lived for another fifteen years and his nation was preserved, Isaiah warned that the riches of the city would one day be plundered and many of its citizens would be exiled to Babylon.

Week Commencing · 3rd May 2021

Isaiah and

Hezekiah



…about what was more miraculous: the healing or the shadow moving.

DO:

Use a torch or lamp to create shadow shapes on the wall with your hands. Use these shadow shapes to represent your prayers as you thank God for His creation and care, say sorry for the things we have done wrong, and ask for healing and comfort for those who are ill.

M O N D AY 10th MAY




F R I D AY 14th MAY


S U N D AY 16th MAY

READ:

Jeremiah 38Jeremiah lived through the reigns of five kings of Judah. His repeated message was that God would punish the kingdom through defeat in battle and their independent nation would be absorbed into the mighty Babylonian empire. Understandably this was not a popular message and he was treated as a traitor. The bad king, Zedekiah, allowed Jeremiah’s enemies to imprison him in an empty well full of mud. You can imagine the conditions that Jeremiah found himself in, simply for warning people that God was going to punish their failure to follow his way. Eventually Jeremiah was lifted out of the pit, a task that apparently required thirty men and the king asked his advice. Faced with inevitable defeat Jeremiah advised surrender, but this was not an option. Consequently when Nebuchadnezzar and his conquering army arrived the city was destroyed as God had warned, but Jeremiah was protected from harm.

Week Commencing · 10th May 2021

Exile and Prophets

- Jeremiah


10th-13th ROGATION DAYS

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK – TAKE A LOOK AT PAGE 48 TO SEE HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

ASCENSION DAY

WONDER TOGETHER...

…why Jeremiah didn’t give up on his message, even after the well incident.

DO:

Use a cardboard tube (the longer the better) to make your voice sound like you are at the bottom of a well. Take it in turns to pray and thank God that he hears us no matter where we are or what we sound like!

M O N D AY 17th MAY




F R I D AY 21st MAY

S AT U R D AY 22nd MAY

S U N D AY 23rd MAY

READ:

Daniel 3Judah was defeated and its people taken off to Babylon, but Nebuchadnezzar was wise enough to use any with talents and skills and happily accepted them in his service. He did have one weakness, pride, and wanted to show off his power. He ordered the construction of a huge statue, covered in gold; an image of himself. When the day of its unveiling came all the rulers, administrators and officials were drafted in to watch. The order was given that when the palace band began to play everyone, without exception, was to bow down in worship of the monarch. Three men of Judah stood upright, and when challenged they announced that they worshipped God alone, and whatever happened that would never change. Understandably Nebuchadnezzar was furious with them and demanded that they be thrown into a fierce fire. God protected them, and Nebuchadnezzar realised that he was perhaps not as powerful as he thought.


Exile and Prophets

- the fiery furnace

EXTRA RESOURCES: Animated story video https://youtu.be/Ee1qorP7zGA DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 51

PENTECOST


…who the fourth person in the furnace was (see Daniel 3:25).

DO:

Draw faces on four fingers of your left hand – these are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Put a crown or something gold on the other hand to represent the statue. Retell the story using your hands and fingers and something red or orange for the fire.

Pentecost

Can you spot the seven differences between these pictures?

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MCan you find these words from the story in Acts 2 in the grid?Pentecost / Fire / Peter / Flames / Wind / Jerusalem / Holy Spirit / Nations / Crowd / Language / Jesus / Repent / Baptise

How many words can you make

from the word Pentecost?P

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Acts 2:5-11 talks about people from all over the world hearing God’s message. Look up the names of the different ancient nations and see if you can work out what the countries are called now.

M O N D AY 24th MAY




F R I D AY 28th MAY


S U N D AY 30th MAY

READ:

JonahGod’s concern is for everyone, but when God told Jonah to travel to the great city of Nineveh and urge them to change their ways he chose not to. Instead he set off in the opposite direction, taking a boat to get as far away as possible. When a wild storm blew up the superstitious sailors decided that it was all Jonah’s fault and threw him into the raging waves. A very large passing fish rescued the reluctant prophet and days later dumped him on the beach. Jonah admitted defeat and walked through Nineveh warning people that if they did not change, punishment would follow. Prophets were accustomed to being ignored and Jonah was no exception, so he waited to see what would happen. To his great annoyance the people took notice of his warning and changed the way that they lived.


Exile and Prophets

- Jonah


TRINITY SUNDAY


…why Jonah was reluctant to talk about God and whether sometimes we are like him.

DO:

Make up a song about Jonah and the big fish to a simple tune like London Bridge is falling down eg. God asked Jonah to obey, to obey, to obey. God asked Jonah to obey and go to Nineveh. Jonah went the other way, other way, other way… etc.

M O N D AY 31st MAY

T U E S D AY 1st JUNE

W E D N E S D AY 2nd JUNE

T H U R S D AY 3rd JUNE

F R I D AY 4th JUNE

S AT U R D AY 5th JUNE

S U N D AY 6th JUNE

THANKSGIVING FOR HOLY COMMUNION

READ:

Micah 6:8The prophet Micah was a contemporary of both Isaiah and Amos. His task, like that of all prophets, was to remind people of God’s guidelines for living laid down in the ten commandments, and to offer them a great hope – the same hope that Abraham had hundreds of years earlier. Micah challenged the culture of selfishness where families were cheated out of their land, women thrown out of their homes, and even clothes stolen from people’s backs. This went against God’s standard of loving other people as you loved yourself, no wonder that God was angry. God’s messengers had the task of warning people of the consequences of their action rather than foretelling the future, but, just sometimes, they were given a glimpse of what lay ahead. Micah speaks of a future ruler coming from the town of Bethlehem, ancestral home of the great king David.

Week Commencing · 31st May 2021

Exile and Prophets

- Micah



…what it means to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

DO:

Take another look at the 20 ways to be light in the world, on page 8. Have you managed to do any? Can you think of some more? Ask God to show you how you can be part of his best plan for people by loving mercy, acting justly and following his way.

CORPUS CHRISTI

M O N D AY 7th JUNE

T U E S D AY 8th JUNE

W E D N E S D AY 9th JUNE

T H U R S D AY 10th JUNE

F R I D AY 11th JUNE


S U N D AY 13th JUNE

READ:

Mark 1:1-11John the baptiser was a prophet, recalling people to the proper worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He taught that people should not cheat, lie or steal and always honour God. Many went to see him and often, as a sign of their changed direction in life, they would choose to be baptised in the water of the Jordan river. When Jesus appeared in the crowds John was puzzled and at first refused to baptise him as he had no need to change. But Jesus insisted and John duly ducked him under the water, a picture of new birth. Some people standing by reported that they heard a voice proclaiming that Jesus was God’s son and saw a dove resting on his head. This symbolic act of obedience to God’s command marked the beginning of Jesus public ministry. No longer a carpenter Jesus embarked on his travelling teaching ministry.

Week Commencing · 7th June 2021

Jesus and the Gospels –

Jesus’ Baptism



…about whether our lives are heading towards God as we try to do what is right, or away from him.

DO:

Take it in turns to wash your hands in a bowl of water as a sign that you want your life to be heading towards God. Ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit who will help you to do this.

M O N D AY 14th JUNE







READ:

Luke 5The four gospels each offer a slightly different perspective of the life of Jesus, and often recall different events. Doctor Luke manages to record lots of details, apparently taken from eyewitnesses, and reports on Jesus gathering his twelve special companions. They came from many different backgrounds, Levi, or Matthew, was a despised tax collector employed by the Roman empire, while Peter was a fisherman on Lake Galilee. From the very start of his ministry Jesus showed his care for the poor and disadvantaged, healing those who were ignored by society. He even went out of his way to spend time with those that the religious leaders of the day despised. What really appalled their religious sensibilities was his willingness to proclaim God’s forgiveness. In order to emphasise this claim he cured a man who could not walk and had been lowered into a crowded room through a hole in the roof.



Jesus begins his ministry

EXTRA RESOURCES: Animated video from Saddleback kids - https://youtu.be/xgy6TWuUkK0 / IMAGE: Modern day fishermen on Lake Galilee. DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 56


…about what your favourite story about Jesus is.

DO:

Write a description or draw a picture of someone that you all know and love. Compare your different descriptions and pictures to see the similarities and the things that are important to you. It is just the same with the gospel writers which is why some things are the same and some accounts are different.

M O N D AY 21st JUNE

T U E S D AY 22nd JUNE

W E D N E S D AY 23rd JUNE





READ:

Luke 7It is quite possible that many more miracles were performed by Jesus than any of his biographers recorded, the ones we read about are their personal selection. Luke tells of the Roman commander who sent friends to Jesus asking that he heal his servant. Even while he was on his way the message reached Jesus that his presence was not required, just his word of healing. The servant did indeed recover at that very moment; a member of the occupying army appeared to have greater faith than the religious leaders of the time. Similarly Jesus took pity on a grieving widow and restored her son to her, dealing both with her grief and financial hardship. Jesus dined with a religious leader who himself showed Jesus scant respect. When a notorious woman chose to cry at his feet, Jesus publicly offered her God’s forgiveness offending many who did not think such people deserved any consideration.

Week Commencing · 21st June 2021


Jesus’ miracles



…about which miracle that Jesus did is your favourite and why.

DO:

Pray for all those people that you know who are ill or finding life difficult. As you pray touch a part of your body that represents what you are praying for e.g. if a neighbour is recovering from a heart attack place your hands on your chest.

When you are playing on your own imagine that Jesus is there too. Talk

to him about what is going on in your game and the things that are making you happy and sad at the moment. When you are playing with

family and friends take a moment to savour the fun and laughter. Thank God for being the

creator of joy.

Summer Holiday

Prayer Ideas

Summer Holiday

Prayer Ideas

Wherever you go, take some time to enjoy the different textures

around you… the feel of grass or sand on your feet, running water or wind on your face. Wonder at God’s incredible creation and thank him

as you enjoy it.

Wherever you go, take some time to enjoy the different textures

around you… the feel of grass or sand on your feet, running water or wind on your face. Wonder at God’s incredible creation and thank him

as you enjoy it.

Whenever you do anything exciting like swing high or go on a

ride, pay attention to the way your body is reacting

to the thrill. Thank God for your amazing body,

and ask him to help you use it for good.

If you get to enjoy a tasty treat, thank God that you have good things to eat.

Pray for all those children around the world who are

not able to enjoy clean water and tasty food.

Think about what you can do to be

part of the change you

want to see.

If you get to enjoy a tasty treat, thank God that you have good things to eat.

Pray for all those children around the world who are

not able to enjoy clean water and tasty food.

Think about what you can do to be

part of the change you

want to see.

M O N D AY 28th JUNE



T H U R S D AY 1st JULY

F R I D AY 2nd JULY

S AT U R D AY 3rd JULY

S U N D AY 4th JULY

READ:

Mark 12:13-17, 28-34Jesus wanted to ensure that people understood the truth about God and would often offer his teaching to others. One tradition of learning was in question and answer sessions, a sort of seminar; that way the teachers’ knowledge and understanding were examined and probed. His views of taxation would indicate if he was a Roman sympathiser or a nationalist; equally his perspective on the ten commandments would readily betray his view of society. In both cases Jesus chose to turn the question back on his audience, challenging their loyalty to God while still respecting the reality of the politics of the time. He quickly cut through theological arguments with a reminder that the true worship of God was all that really mattered. Much religion, then as now, was taken up with fruitless speculation about the future, again Jesus reminded his hearers that what was really important was how they lived each day.



Jesus’ teaching



…what question you would have asked Jesus if you were listening to him speak when he was on earth.

DO:

Make up actions to help you remember what Jesus said were the most important commandments in Mark 12:29-31 ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with allyour strength… love your neighbour as yourself’.

M O N D AY 5th JULY

T U E S D AY 6th JULY

W E D N E S D AY 7th JULY

T H U R S D AY 8th JULY

F R I D AY 9th JULY

S AT U R D AY 10th JULY

S U N D AY 11th JULY

WONDER TOGETHER...

…whether you are ready for Jesus to take a look at how you live your life.

DO:

When we say sorry for messing up by doing wrong things or not doing right things, God forgives us. Write or draw the things you want to say sorry for in sand, on grass, on your palm, or in cornflour mixed with water. They disappear because God promises to forgive and forget.

READ:

Matthew 25:1-13Jesus often answered questions with a story, many of which the gospel writers wrote down – stories that contained truths about God and how he wants us to live. The story of the wise and foolish bridesmaids takes us into another culture that we may not recognise, but the warning remains the same – are we ready? If Jesus came back today, would we be happy for him to see the way we live our lives? Jesus often used images of the sorting out between the wise and the foolish, sheep and goats, weeds and wheat. This is no random process, it is God seeing how we have kept the two great commandments – worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and caring for the rest of humanity. In God’s classic phrase, “Anything that you did for the least important you did for me.”

Week Commencing · 5th July 2021


Jesus’ parables

EXTRA RESOURCES: The Parable of the Sower from Trinity Cheltenham https://youtu.be/W6LwEW8jX9A DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 60

M O N D AY 12th JULY




F R I D AY 16th JULY



READ:

Acts 9:1-19Jesus had been seen alive by hundreds after his crucifixion and had returned to his home with God. His followers were no longer a handful of fearful people, now there were thousands with a God-given confidence boldly proclaiming their message of salvation. This not only disturbed the careful balance with the Roman authorities but challenged religious orthodoxy. Saul, trained as a religious scholar, felt it was important to take action against these misguided people who were beginning to be nicknamed Christians. Armed with valid arrest warrants he set off towards the city of Damascus, but his progress was stopped by a light filled vision of Jesus who challenged all his carefully nurtured prejudices. Slowly he began to understand the teaching of Jesus and the meaning of his life on earth; after a long period of reflection and study he became Paul and joined the team of disciples who were promoting this life changing faith.


Acts and the Church –

Paul



…what it was that made Christianity so frightening for people like Saul and what puts people off being a friend of Jesus now.

DO:

Pretend to be walking along a road. When someone shines a bright light kneel down and spend some time seeing if Jesus has anything to say to you. When the light goes off carry on walking. Do this several times and then share what God has been saying to you.



W E D N E S D AY 21st JULY

T H U R S D AY 22nd JULY

F R I D AY 23rd JULY



WONDER TOGETHER...

…about what the word ‘church’ means to you.

DO:

Write a letter together or create a poster that could help someone else understand what it means to be a friend of Jesus – to have faith in him, trust God’s promises and do your best to keep to his guidelines for living.

READ:

Colossians 1:1-6As the followers of Jesus spread around the Mediterranean, small groups of people sharing the same faith in Jesus came together. These groups met in homes and open spaces which became known as church, an assembly of like-minded people, not a building. Letters of encouragement and teaching were sent around from church to church, uniting Christians in their beliefs. Paul, wrote to the Christian community in the Turkish town of Colossae. His concern was that they did not dilute the Christian faith with a selection of different practices from other traditions. He was especially keen that they did not add extra requirements to a simple faith in the risen Jesus; things like following the correct diet or performing particular rituals. His ambition was that people should come to a mature personal faith that enabled them to treat others in the correct way and to worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob with honesty.


Acts and the Church –

The Letters: Colossians


Make a note here of important dates coming up during the summer holidays. DIOCESE OF YORK · CHILDREN & YOUTH · 63


M O N D AY 2nd AUGUST

M O N D AY 9th AUGUST


M O N D AY 23rd AUGUST



T U E S D AY 3rd AUGUST

T U E S D AY 10th AUGUST



T U E S D AY 31st AUGUST


W E D N E S D AY 4th AUGUST




W E D N E S D AY 1st SEPTEMBER


T H U R S D AY 5th AUGUST




T H U R S D AY 2nd SEPTEMBER

F R I D AY 30th JULY

F R I D AY 6th AUGUST




F R I D AY 3rd SEPTEMBER

S AT U R D AY 31st JULY

S AT U R D AY 7th AUGUST


S AT U R D AY 21st AUGUST



S U N D AY 1st AUGUST

S U N D AY 8th AUGUST


S U N D AY 22nd AUGUST



We do hope that you have enjoyed using this calendar. Thank you for joining us on

our Journey Through the Bible.Thank you also to Michael Wells (writer)

and Mark Comer Design 4 Print (designer) for help in putting this together.

Documents

Introduction · Every week helps you to explore a story from the Bible with some thing to read, something to think about, and something to do. There are three boxes per day which