Resources for Families
Below are the weekly Shine at Home conversation starters and activities for enhancing faith formation at home. These faith-building ideas for families are ready to be shared via email, on a social media platform such as Facebook, or in a weekly bulletin or newsletter. Each week’s suggestions coordinate with the Shine curriculum that children and junior youth use during Christian education time.
Add this explanation the first week you send out or post the announcements:
Today we are beginning a weekly announcement for families of children and junior youth. Each Sunday you will find faith nurture ideas that coordinate with the weekly session plans from the Shine curriculum your child’s group uses. The Bible story can be read from The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible, which is available for purchase from www.ShineCurriculum.com/Shop. Or simply read it from a translation of your choice. Each week includes the prayer practice that your child(ren) was introduced to during Sunday school. Continue that practice each day.
Announcements for Spring 2026
These faith-building ideas for families are ready to be shared via email, on a social media platform such as Facebook, or in a weekly bulletin or newsletter. Each week’s suggestions coordinate with the Shine curriculum that children and junior youth use during Christian education time. Announcements for this quarter run from Sunday, March 1 through May 24. Modify the dates as needed to match your church’s schedule. Click for the Word document with the Spring 2026 Shine at Home Announcements.
Session 1
March 1, 2026
Wedding at Cana
Read page 192 in The Peace Table or John 2:1–11. What surprises you about this story?
Pray prayers of praise. Fill up a cup of water for each person in the family. Take a drink of water for each thing you praise God for.
Retell the Bible story without using any words. Use props you have around the house, such as a pitcher of water and glass containers to pour the water into. Add red food coloring to the containers before pouring the water for a fun surprise.
Session 2
March 8, 2026
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Read page 196 in The Peace Table or John 4:4–42. Jews and Samaritans avoided each other. What can help enemies become friends?
Pray prayers of praise. Pour cups of water into a bucket or large container for each thing you praise God for. Then pour the life-giving water onto indoor or outdoor plants.
Write a list of things you know about Jesus, just like the woman told Jesus things she knew about him.
Session 3
March 15, 2026
Jesus Raises Lazarus
Read page 250 in The Peace Table or John 11:1–44. What can you do for a friend who is feeling sad?
Pray prayers of praise. After each person names something they praise God for, everyone else can respond by clapping and saying, “Praise God!”
Retell the Bible story using people figures, strips of paper or cloth to make roads, and a small box to be a tomb.
Session 4
March 22, 2026
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
Read page 270 in The Peace Table or John 13:1–15. I wonder how I would have responded if Jesus tried to wash my feet.
Pray prayers of lament. These are prayers said during times of trouble or sadness. What makes you feel sad today? Bring those concerns to God.
Follow Jesus’ example by washing each other’s feet or hands!
Session 5
March 29, 2026
Jesus’ Arrest and Death
Read page 277 and page 279 in The Peace Table or John 18:1–19:42. How does this story make you feel? What questions do you have?
Pray prayers of lament. These are prayers said during times of trouble or sadness. Pray for people who are suffering.
Learn about the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus went to pray. Search for videos and information online.
Session 6
April 5, 2026
Jesus Appears to Mary
Read page 282 in The Peace Table or John 20:1–18. I wonder why Mary did not recognize Jesus at first.
Pray a feelings prayer that shows the movement from sadness to joy in this story. Crouch down and name things that bring you pain and sadness. Then rise up and express joy for all that is good in your life.
Draw a resurrection picture. Include symbols of new life, such as butterflies, baby birds, flowers, and budding trees.
Session 7
April 12, 2026
Walking with Jesus
Read page 284 in The Peace Table or Luke 24:13–35. I wonder what prevented the disciples from recognizing Jesus.
Pray a feelings prayer that shows the movement from sadness to joy. Crouch down and name things that bring you pain and sadness. Then rise up and express joy for all that is good in your life.
Eat a snack of unleavened bread such as a flour tortilla or lavash. As you eat, talk about what it would be like to eat a meal with Jesus.
Session 8
April 19, 2026
Breakfast on the Beach
Read page 288 in The Peace Table or John 21:1–14. If you could have breakfast with Jesus, what would you talk about?
Pray prayers of lament. These are prayers said during times of trouble or sadness. Pray for people who are going through a hard time at work, school, or home.
Eat a fish-shaped snack! Use a fish cookie cutter or knife to cut sandwiches into fish shapes. Or count out 153 fish-shaped crackers and divide them among your family members. That’s how many fish the disciples caught!
Session 9
April 26, 2026
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done
Read page 290 and page 292 in The Peace Table or Acts 1:1–26. I wonder how Jesus’ friends and family shared God’s love.
Pray the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–10) from your preferred translation or from CEB as follows: “Our Father who is in heaven, uphold the holiness of your name. Bring in your kingdom so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven.”
Trace your hand onto paper and cut out the handprint. Write or draw ideas for how you could help share God’s love with a friend, family member, or neighbor.
Session 10
May 3, 2026
On Earth as It Is in Heaven
Read page 304 in The Peace Table or Acts 9:36–43. How did Tabitha care for her friends? How do you show love to your friends?
Pray the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–10) from your preferred translation or from NRSVue as follows: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Read The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau or watch it on YouTube.
Session 11
May 10, 2026
Give Us Our Daily Bread
Read page 298 in The Peace Table or Acts 6:1–7. How can churches help people who are hungry?
Pray Matthew 6:11: “Give us the bread we need for today” (CEB) or “Give us today our daily bread” (NRSVue). Say it each time you eat something today.
Retell the story using kitchen utensils and food that can be easily counted and divided fairly among the family members.
Session 12
May 17, 2026
Forgive Us as We Forgive
Read page 324 in The Peace Table or Colossians 3:10–17. Talk about a time you forgave someone or were forgiven.
Pray Matthew 6:12 of the Lord’s Prayer from your preferred translation or from CEB as follows: “Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.”
Read The Forgiveness Garden by Lauren Thompson or watch it on YouTube.
Session 13
May 24, 2026
Yours Is the Kingdom, Power, and Glory
Read page 303 in The Peace Table or Revelation 1:4–5a; 5:11–13; 7:9–17. I wonder what hard things the people in the crowd had gone through.
Pray the entire Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), and end with “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Draw large palm branches on green paper. Cut them out and wave them as you say “Praise, glory, honor, and power to Jesus, the Lamb of God!”
