Shine At Home

Read page 108 in The Peace Table or Isaiah 2:1–5. Imagine everyone putting down their weapons and living in peace. Talk about some ways to live at peace with one another.
Pray prayers of praise to God for the hope that Jesus brings to the world. While praise can be exuberant or loud, it does not have to be. We can praise God in a variety of ways, including with quiet prayers and soothing music. Praise God in a way that feels most authentic to your family.
Read the book A Child’s Garden: A Story of Hope by Michael Foreman or watch it read aloud on YouTube. How is this similar to the Bible story?

Read pages 162 and 166 in The Peace Table or Luke 1:5–25, 57–80. Wonder together about what it would be like to be unable to talk for nine months. Brainstorm ways to communicate without talking.
Pray prayers of praise for the peace Jesus brings into the world. Use art supplies to create a peaceful picture as you pray.
Celebrate the good things God has done. Take turns sharing good things that happened this week. Celebrate each good event with a clap, whistle, or cheer.  

Read page 164 in The Peace Table or Luke 1:26–56. Talk about times when you have experienced joy as a family.
Pray a prayer of praise. Have each person share what they would praise God for and create a family song of praise to God.
Explore a variety of artwork depicting Elizabeth and Mary’s visit. Images can be found at globalworship.tumblr.com; search for “visitation art.” Provide art supplies so family members can create their own picture depicting this week’s Bible story.

Read page 170 in The Peace Table or Luke 2:1–20. Take turns sharing which part of the story you like best.
Pray prayers of praise to God for the gift of Jesus. God showed love by sending Jesus to earth. Talk about ways that you can show love this week.
Look at picture books about the birth of Jesus. Notice the variations in the way the story is told and shown. Search online to view “multicultural Christmas nativities” to see how people around the world illustrate the Christmas story.

Read page 174 in The Peace Table or Luke 2:21–40. Talk about times when kind words of blessing have been spoken to you.
Pray a prayer of praise to God for wise and caring adults, such as teachers, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
Read Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems or listen to a read-aloud online. Just as Simeon and Anna waited to see Jesus and Gerald had to wait for Piggie’s surprise, we must wait sometimes. What are things you can do to make waiting easier?

Read page 180 in The Peace Table or Luke 2:41–52. Talk about how Jesus listened to and learned from the teachers. Invite conversation about favorite teachers you’ve had.
Pray “help me” prayers. Read Psalm 121 as part of your prayer time this week.
Play a traveling game. Have a volunteer hide while others close their eyes and chant: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, we’re traveling from Jerusalem. Where is Jesus?” Everyone looks for the person hiding. Clap when you find them!

Read pages 182 and 184 in The Peace Table or Luke 3:21–22; 4:1–13. When Jesus had a hard choice, he remembered words from the Bible. Talk together about what can help your family make good choices.
Pray “help me” prayers. Ask God to help you love yourself, your family, and friends.
Tell the story of your baptism if you’ve been baptized. Share where it took place, what it was like, and who was there to share it with you.

Read page 186 in The Peace Table or Luke 4:14–30. Talk about times when you’ve felt left out or treated unfairly.
Pray “help me” prayers. Stand in the doorway of your house and ask God to help each person as they go to work, school, church, or other places this week.
Make “good news” scrolls. Have each person make a paper scroll, writing or drawing a “good news” message (“God loves you,” a heart, or something similar) in the middle. Mix up the scrolls and have each person choose one to keep this week as a reminder of God’s love.

Read page 191 in The Peace Table or Luke 5:1–11. Talk about what you think it means to “fish for people.”
Pray a listening prayer. Help each family member find a quiet place to pray. Draw, write, or move as you pray.
Make paper boats as a reminder that Jesus is always calling us to follow him. Search for “How to Make a Paper Boat” by EzOrigami on YouTube.

Read page 207 in The Peace Table or Luke 6:20–36. Take turns sharing about what makes you feel sad and what makes you laugh.
Pray a listening prayer using verses Luke 6:20–21. Slowly read the two verses. Pause to listen for what God might want to say to you through these verses. Then slowly read the verses again imagining being in the crowd listening to Jesus. What would you want to say to Jesus and what might Jesus say back?
Read the book Enemy Pie by Derek Munson or watch it on YouTube. How did Dad’s enemy pie work? What did the main character learn about his enemy?

Read pages 220 and 223 in The Peace Table or Luke 8:40–56. Share about times when you’ve been sick and who helped you.
Listen for God as you pray using a Prayer Time Bag. Fill a bag with items, such as play dough, art supplies, coloring pages, and blocks. Gather around a table or room for a set amount of time (10–15 minutes). Have each family member choose items from the Prayer Time Bag. Spend quiet time with God as you work with your chosen materials. When time is up, share about your time with God.
Assemble a care package for someone you know who is sick or lonely. Think about helpful items to include and deliver the package together.

Read page 232 in The Peace Table or Luke 10:38–42. Imagine Jesus coming to your house for a visit. What would you do to get ready?
Pray a listening prayer. Breath in and out slowly five times. Imagine God sitting with you. What is God like? Listen for God’s voice. Breath in and out slowly five more times. Say amen.
Read Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack or find a read aloud online. What did the hens and the peacock learn from switching places? What could Mary and Martha have learned if they switched places?

Read page 236 in The Peace Table or Luke 12:22–34. Tell about a time when God took care of you and your family.
Pray a listening prayer. Think about something that worries you. Play a recording of bird sounds on YouTube as you pray. Listen for what God might say to you about your worry.
Watch the video “Treasure (Matthew 6:20–21) Hand Motions Video” by Seeds Family Worship (YouTube) and do the motions. (This video is from the book of Matthew, but it is the same message as in Luke.)

Read page 230 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 10:25–37. What did the Samaritan do to care for the injured man? Tell about a time when you helped someone you did not know.
Pray for your community’s first responders and healthcare workers who help us when we are sick or injured.
Make a list of all your neighbors’ names. If you don’t know them, make an effort to meet everyone and learn something about their lives.

Read page 238 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 14:15–24. Tell about a special or surprising invitation you received.
Pray for people in our world who may feel left out or unwelcome.
Weave a special placemat for your table using construction paper. Find instructions online. Take turns sitting at the honored place this week.

Read page 240 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 15:1–10. What do the shepherd and the woman both do when they find what was lost? Tell about a time when you lost something very important to you.
Pray, asking God to help you find ways to reach out to people who have lost their way. Thank God for seeking us when we are lost, like a shepherd seeks a beloved sheep and like a woman seeks a valuable coin.
Play a hiding game. Have one person hide a coin for the rest of the family to find. Celebrate when you find it!

Read page 242 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 15:11–32. Talk about what you think happens next. Did the brothers reconcile? Why or why not?
Pray for people who live in places different from you, all around the world.
Read Adam Raccoon and the Circus Master by Glen Keane or find a read-aloud version online. Talk about how the book is similar to today’s Bible story.

Read page 260 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 19:28–40. We can honor Jesus with words and actions. Share examples of ways to honor Jesus.
Pray. God is with us in good and bad times. Take turns sharing something good that happened this week and something that made you sad. Bring your joys and sorrows to God in prayer.
Make leaf rubbings to remind you that people laid leafy branches on the road to welcome Jesus. Place white paper over a leaf and use the side of a crayon to color over the area where the leaf is. Write “Hosanna!” on the paper.

Read page 274 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 22:1–23. What do you do to remember Jesus? Name someone you know who serves others instead of expecting to be served.
Pray. Continue prayers of joy and sorrow. Take turns sharing something good that happened this week and something that made you sad. Bring your joys and sorrows to God in prayer.
Eat matzo bread or crackers to remember the unleavened bread Jesus shared with his disciples at the Last Supper.

Read page 277 and 279 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 22:39–23:56. If you read directly from the Bible, read a bit of the story each day. Name all the feelings the various people may have experienced.
Pray. Continue prayers of joy and sorrow. Take turns sharing something good that happened this week and something that made you sad. Bring your joys and sorrows to God in prayer.
Search online to find instructions for how to fold a paper cross.

Read page 280 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Luke 24:1–12. The women brought spices to the tomb. Smell various spices in your kitchen cabinet.
Pray. Continue prayers of joy and sorrow. Take turns sharing something good that happened this week and something that made you sad. Bring your joys and sorrows to God in prayer.
Bake together! Fill large plastic easter eggs with spices and dry ingredients (in small containers or plastic bags). Once all the eggs are found, gather in the kitchen to bake a favorite easter treat.

Read page 316 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Romans 12:1–8. Talk about letters, cards, or emails you’ve received from relatives or friends who are far away.
Pray with your body! Sit or stand in place, feet slightly apart, and take a few deep breaths. Put your hands on your stomach and feel it rise and fall with a deep breath. Then praise God with your whole body (stomp feet, clap hands, reach arms up, jump)!
Talk about jobs that need to get done in your home. Do any of you have special tasks to help the family? Take a minute to say thanks for the ways each person helps.

Read pages 318–319 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or 1 Corinthians 1:10–11; 13. How many times is the word love used in 1 Corinthians 13? Name ways you can show love at home. Set a timer for three minutes. How many ideas did you list in three minutes?
Pray with your body to receive God’s love. Take a few slow breaths, putting your hands on your stomach to feel the air move in and out. Breathe God’s love in and then out to share it with others.
Paint hearts with watercolors and make a heart mobile to hang over your dining table. On each heart write one characteristic of love from 1 Corinthians 13.

Read page 320 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Ephesians 2:12–22. Whisper “Jesus gives us peace” so your family members can hear it. Now shout “Jesus gives us peace” so people far away can hear it.
Pray a prayer of thanks, making a stack out of your hands. As each person adds her or his hand to the stack, say “Thank you, God, for ____ (name).” Have everyone joyfully raise their hands and say amen together.
Read The Peace Book by Todd Parr or listen to a read aloud on YouTube. Give everyone a blank piece of paper and crayons or makers and have them draw what peace is to them. Staple or clip the pages together to make a family peace book.

Read page 322 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or Philippians 4:1–14. Talk about friends that you have and one thing that makes them fun to be with.
Pray with your body! Sit or stand in place, feet slightly apart, and take a few deep breaths. Put your hands on your stomach and feel it rise and fall with a deep breath. Then praise God with your whole body (stomp feet, clap hands, reach arms up, jump)!
Write “Rejoice in the Lord always” at the top of a blank piece of paper. Throughout the week, add things that you are rejoicing about to the list. Share your list with your pastor or a teacher next week.

Read page 328 in The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible or 1 John 4:7–21. John thought it was important for people to love one another like brothers and sisters. Spend some time sharing what you love about members of your family.
Pray with your body to receive and God’s love. Take a few slow breaths, putting your hands on your stomach to feel the air move in and out. Breathe God’s love in and then out to share it with others.
Share God’s love! Pass around a small box with a mirror inside. Say “When you get the box, open it and see who God loves.” Encourage everyone to keep it a secret until everyone has had a turn.