Parables
This year, we use Echo as our storytelling to help us relate to God’s story to discover meaning and develop fresh insights. It is our prayer that you can engage with your family using creative writing, drawing, and conversation.
Each week, students will use an Echo Journal to complete the weekly activities. If you like an Echo Journal at home, please contact Heather.
Invocation
Find a Candle that you can light, and keep it with your Club 56 gear
Invocation: the act of inviting or welcoming or acknowledging that God is present in our space.
As you light your candle, say this invocation out loud: “I light this candle in the name of God, our Creator; Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Inspirer. The three in one!”
Opening Question
Where do you see good happening around you? What good causes are you involved in, or would like to be involved in?
Review
The material we are using is called Echo, so let us echo the last section 🙂 Review the previous sections with your student (Jesus’ birth, baptism, his followers, the Hope and Healing Jesus can give us, the Miracles of Jesus, and Kingdom Ways). Is there any new insight or questions that you have reflected on?
Prepare
Each story has its own symbol, it will help us remember the story. This week, we are talking about The Parables. Grab some paper and use your imagination to stretch your own symbol of the Parables.
When Jesus taught, he chose to use language that most people understood. Judea, where Jesus lived, was an agrarian society which means that most people relied on growing crops and cultivating farmland to live. Even in the big city of Jerusalem, it was full of merchants that sold vegetables, fruit, and meat raised by local farmers.
His parables aren’t stories about strange, faraway places instead they speak about planting, shepherding, and serving.
What do you think Jesus would base his stories on today? What is something that almost everyone knows about and understands
Read and Imagine
Students, pull out your pens or markers and doodle or sketch what comes to your mind as you listen. Once you have completed sketching the images, share what you’ve done with a parent.
Parents, this week you will read to your student, Parables as you are reading they will be sketching.
Capture what you noticed
What stood out to you? What did you see or sense? What questions do you have about this story? ANYTHING (we mean anything) is okay to ask. A few that I have: You mean to tell me I can do whatever I want, like go really nuts, and NOTHING happens?! Isn’t Jesus just giving us all permission to break rules with no consequences?
Keep these questions handy, every so often, we’re inviting a Pastor to discuss with us! Send your questions to Heather and she’ll get them on our list.
Do you ever feel like saying “It is not fair”? Especially when you work hard and follow the rules, do you think you should get special treatment?
Try This!
When many of us hear the story of The Lost Son, we identify with the older son. Try telling the story of the “Lost Son” from a different perspective. With parents’ help, create a social media storyboard that you think the younger son would have experienced. Draw or take a picture to match the captions below. (Remember, you are the younger son)
Here is a list of some captions:
- Got my inheritance from Dad! A few years early! #YOLO
- Off to the big city! #RoadTrip
- Last night was epic! #WildLiving
- Out of Cash. #NeedAJob
- So Hungry. #EatingWithThePigs
- Heading back home. #BetterThanDead
- Did NOT see this coming! #SelfieWithPops
- Feeling the love! #BroWhereYouAt?
How do you think it felt to run out of money? Have no job, no home, no food? And now – you’re going home. How do you think that felt?
Take a moment to think about the whole story again, from the perspective of the older brother, younger brother, and the Father. What do you think this says about God? About us?
When you pray…
Maybe you’re inspired to write or speak your own, if so, please do so! If you’d rather, you can just read together with the following:
Creator God, thank you for these words that have been passed down to us. Show us love everyday. Help us explore, ask, and wonder about your creation, your story, and help us find our story too. AMEN
Thank you for joining us today! If you have a student in Grade 5 or 6, sign them up for Club 56 today! If you have questions about this resource or would like additional information, please contact Heather or Pastor Ben.