Second Presbyterian Church Children & Family Ministries TURNING From Shadow to Light 2019 Lenten Family Devotion TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 1 Lenten Family Devotion
TURNING From Shadow to Light 2019 Lenten Family Devotion From Reverend Chris Henry, Senior Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church: On Sunday mornings throughout Lent, we are contemplating some of the shadows of our faith and our lives, asking ourselves what it means to be Living in the Shadows. Our hope is that in facing these shadows together we might grow deeper in faith and trust in God. From Reverend Caroline Dennis, Associate Pastor for Children and Family: We offer this Lenten Family Devotion for families to use Lent as a daily practice of conversation, Bible study, prayer and blessing to support our congregational intention to face the shadows together, growing deeper in faith and trust in God. Forty Daily Devotions: Daily family devotions from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter are based on a family practice called Faith Five, from Faith Incubators (www.faith5.org). The five steps are: 1) Share: Each family member shares their highs and lows for the day. 2) Read: Read the daily Bible verse or story. 3) Talk: Talk about how the Bible verse or story relates to the highs and lows of the day. 4) Pray: Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5) Bless: Each member of the family is blessed by another member of the family. Here are two blessings you might use: Little Easters You are a beloved child of God. Live your life in the sure knowledge that you have been claimed by God s grace and wrapped in God s love. From the Baptism liturgy at Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 Each Sunday is a little Easter, a day to celebrate the amazing light of the Resurrection! Devotions on this day invite families to spend time with the stories shared in worship as they face shadows illuminated by the light of Christ. Families add decorations to the shadow cross until on Easter Sunday a glorious bright Easter Cross is revealed. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 2 Lenten Family Devotion
Shadow Talk: These short reflections are playful ways to contemplate the metaphor of shadows. Shadows cling close to us as we see in Robert Louis Stevenson s poem from a Child s Garden of Verses. What if we befriend our shadows, play with them a bit until we see how God is present with us even as we live in their shade. My Shadow: Robert Louis Stevenson I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow-- Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow; For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball, And he sometimes goes so little that there s none of him at all. He hasn t got a notion of how children ought to play, And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way. He stays so close behind me, he s a coward you can see; I d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me! One morning, very early, before the sun was up, I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup; But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 3 Lenten Family Devotion
Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, March 6 The palms from last year s Palm Procession are mixed with scented oil to make ashes we use to mark the sign of a cross on our foreheads. This ash cross helps us remember two things. First, we are made of dust. As Rev. Brian Shivers reminds us, that dust is the stuff that stars are made of. It was in the beginning and will be at the end. Second, God loves us so much that God sent Jesus to show us God s arms-wide-open love. It is this love that makes us more than dust. It is this love that heals the things that are broken within us and between us. On Ash Wednesday, we confess our need for this healing and God s power and intention to make us whole. This is the first day of a journey that seeks through prayer and practice to unite the dust and the divine within us all as we grow into the likeness of Christ. Family Activity: Read Isaiah 58:9-12. Use a pencil to write on the one side of your six shadow squares the things that need healing in yourself, your home, your community. Pray that God will use these forty days to turn some of these shadow places into places of light. Daily Faith Five: March 6-9 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Wednesday, March 6 Genesis 2:4-8 Thursday, March 7 Isaiah 40:8 Friday, March 8 Psalm 51:1-2 Saturday, March 9 Psalm 51:10-12 (Studio-in-Bloom event featuring Children s Choirs from Second and Greenbriar Elementary School in McFarland Hall at 10:30 AM) 3. Talk about how this story relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 4 Lenten Family Devotion
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Little Easter: Sunday, March 10: The Shadow of Emptiness A Practice of Gratitude Read Luke 4:1-13. In this story, Jesus goes out into the wilderness without shelter, water, food or friends. I wonder what that felt like. How does it feel when we don t have those things? Sometimes we don t recognize all that we do have. Name things you have that for which you are grateful. As a family, add bright decorations (some ideas: pompoms, buttons, stickers, painted thumb prints, tissue paper ) to the blank side of your first shadow cross square for each thing you named. Shadow Talk What do you need to make a shadow? (Light and something to block the light). Isn t it interesting that you can t make a shadow without some light. So, that means, if you can see a shadow. There must be some light. That s good to remember when we see shadows in our life. That must mean that the light of God s love is close. What if we were to turn around and look at the light rather than focusing on the shadow? Daily Faith Five: March 11-16 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, March 11 Lamentations 3:22-24 Tuesday, March 12 Lamentations 3:25-26 Wednesday, March 13 Matthew 6:25-33 Thursday, March 14 Romans 8:31 Friday, March 15 Romans 8:35-39 Saturday, March 16 Psalm 27:13-14 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 6 Lenten Family Devotion
Little Easter: Sunday, March 17: The Shadow of Fear A Practice of Awe Read Mark 4:35-41. In this story, the disciples are afraid. I wonder if you can tell a story about when you were afraid. What happened? Did everything turn out okay? I wonder how your story and this story of Jesus and his disciples can help you next time you are afraid. Name things that help you when you are afraid (prayer, a hug, a special stuffed animal, singing, dancing ). Thank God for those things as you add bright decorations (some ideas: pompoms, buttons, stickers, painted thumb prints, tissue paper ) to the blank side of your second shadow cross square for each thing you named. Shadow Talk Sometimes when we are in bed, a little light from our night light or coming in the door can make weird shadows in our rooms. We might forget what the ordinary things are that make these shadows and we might be afraid of them. What happens when we turn on the light? We see them for what they are! That might be a fun game to play. What strange shadows can you make with the things in your room? Who can make the scariest creature? Turn on the light and reveal the clothes and shoes and sports equipment you used to make your creature. What might happen if we shine the light of God s love on someone or something we are afraid of? Could that turn our fear into wonder and awe? Daily Faith Five: March 18-23 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, March 18 Psalm 27:1 Tuesday, March 19 Psalm 23:4 Wednesday, March 20 Psalm 46:1-3 Thursday, March 21 Proverbs 9:10 Friday, March 22 2 Corinthians 4:7 Saturday, March 23 Ephesians 3:20-21 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 7 Lenten Family Devotion
Little Easter: Sunday, March 24: The Shadow of Doubt A Practice of Faith Read Exodus 17:1-7. In this story, the people are thirsty. They doubt that God is with them. In faith, Moses takes their concern to God. God provides for their need. I wonder what would happen if we let God know what we need. Jesus would often take time to talk to God. His disciples noticed this and asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. You can find the prayer that Jesus taught them in Matthew 6:9-13. Write your prayers on small sticky notes. Stick them on the blank side of your third shadow cross square. During the week, talk together about how God is answering your prayers. Write about this on small sticky notes and add them to the square during the week. Shadow Talk Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt is phrase we often use. What are some things you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt? Write some of these down. It is good to know there are things like the sun rising, the pull of gravity, the love of a family member are things we can count on. When things are hard, it is good to remember the things we can count on, beyond the shadow of a doubt, especially our always present, always loving God. Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, The God of Jacob is our refuge. Psalm 46:10-11 Daily Faith Five: March 25-30 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, March 25 Psalm 42:1 Tuesday, March 26 Psalm 43:5 Wednesday, March 27 Matthew 6:9-13 Thursday, March 28 Mark 4:30-32 Friday, March 29 Philippians 4:4-7 Saturday, March 30 Philippians 4:8-9 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 8 Lenten Family Devotion
Little Easter: Sunday, March 31: The Shadow of Weariness A Practice of Rest Read Matthew 11:28-30. These are tender words Jesus has for his disciples. Find a picture of a yoke. Not the yolk of an egg! The yoke Jesus means is the yoke used with oxen pulling a plow. See how there is space for two animals. Jesus is inviting his disciples to walk beside him, to stop doing it all alone. The Sabbath day, is a day when we can rest and remember that we are not in this alone. Plan some rest time together as a family for today (worship together, walk together, play a game) At the end of the day, add a colorful decoration on the blank side of your fourth shadow cross square for any time you were able to laugh today, any time you were able to forget your to-do list, any time you were at peace. Shadow Talk Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8 If a shadow is big enough, we might call it shade. Like the shade from a tree or a tall building. On a hot day, we would be glad to find a place in the shade. The writer of Psalm 17 asks to be hidden in under the shadow of God s wings when he is under the hot pursuit of his enemies. Do you need to take a break in the shadow of God s wings? Daily Faith Five: April 1-6 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, April 1 Psalm 23:1-3 Tuesday, April 2 Matthew 4:18-22 Wednesday, April 3 Matthew 5:1-12 Thursday, April 4 Matthew 5:13-16 Friday, April 5 John 15:5 Saturday, April 6 Genesis 2:2-3 Easter Egg Hunt at Church 11:00 12:00 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 9 Lenten Family Devotion
Little Easter: Sunday, April 7: The Shadow of Guilt A Practice of Confession and Forgiveness Read Psalm 51:1-12. Our guilty feelings often make us want to hide or make us want to hurt others with our words or actions. The things we have done that we are not proud of can make a big space between us and God or between us and the person we have hurt. I wonder if there is something you would like to say sorry to God about. I wonder if there is something God can help you do differently the next time. It is hard to say, I am sorry. But it is easier if you can be sure that the person you are saying sorry to, will love you and forgive you and help you to do better next time. That is what God promises to do for us. That is what we can do for each other in our families. This week, let s practice saying, I am sorry, to God and each other. This week, let s practice saying, I forgive you. I love you. I will help you do better. Add a colorful decoration on the blank side of your fifth shadow cross square each time you step out of the shadow of guilt and into the light of confession and forgiveness. Shadow Talk Let s have some fun! Turn out the lights and turn on your flash light. Can you make shadow images with your hands? Try making a dog. Can you make a bird? What else can you make? (More ideas at http://www.kellys.com/ashley/shadow.html) Think about the light as God. What can the light of God s love and the work of our hands make together? If the light of the flashlight can turn our hands into shadows of birds and dogs and frogs and flowers, what could our hands make with God s help? Maybe a bowl of soup could turn into a feast. A letter could become a lifeboat. An enemy could become a friend. An abandoned lot a playground. Daily Faith Five: April 8-13 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, March 25 Matthew 7:12 Tuesday, March 26 Matthew 7:13-14 Wednesday, March 27 Matthew 7:1-5 Thursday, March 28 Matthew 4:30-32 Friday, March 29 Philippians 4:4-7 Saturday, March 30 Philippians 4:8-9 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 10 Lenten Family Devotion
Little Easter: Sunday, April 14: The Shadow of the Cross A Practice of Standing in the Shadows Read Mark 11:1-11. Imagine standing on the side of the road, ready to greet Jesus! Everyone is there excited for the ways he will make all things new! He will heal the sick, feed the poor, turn bullies into brothers. Share your hopes about the ways that Jesus can make things better. I wonder if there will be a time when no one will stand in the shadow of hunger. Or a time when we won t need prisons any more. I wonder if there will be a time when everyone will be kind and no one will get hurt. Add a colorful decoration on the blank side of your sixth shadow cross square for each vision of hope your family shares. Finish your time together saying the words the crowd said as they greeted Jesus, Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Shadow Talk Go outside on a sunny day. Take a look at your shadow in the middle of the day. Check it out later in the day when the sun is going down. Did your shadow change? Did you notice that your shadow is bigger at the end of the day? This week, we remember the saddest, darkest part of Jesus story. As we hear the story of Jesus final days with his friends, the shadows will get darker and darker, longer and taller until it will seem that there is nothing but shadow. It is then that we come to know how dark our lives would be without the one we have been following all the way to the cross. And then (wait for it!) Daily Faith Five: April 15 20 This week, as you share your Daily Faith Five, you will be turning one of your shadow cross squares to its undecorated side until your cross is completely in shadow on Saturday evening. 1. Share your highs and lows. 2. Read scripture of the day. Monday, April 15 Luke 19:45-48 Turn over one shadow cross square. Tuesday, April 16 Luke 21:1-4 Turn over one shadow cross square. Wednesday, April 17 Luke 22:7-13 Turn over one shadow cross square. Thursday, April 18 John 13:1-11 Turn over one shadow cross square. Friday, April 19 Luke 23:1-43 Turn over one shadow cross square. Saturday, April 20 Luke 23:50-56 Turn over one shadow cross square. 3. Talk about how this story/scripture relates to your highs and lows. 4. Pray for one another s highs and lows. 5. Bless one another. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 11 Lenten Family Devotion
BIG Easter: Sunday, April 21: Let Life Find You! Turning Shadow into Light Read Luke 24:1-12. Ask someone to lead the following litany: Leader: Christ is Risen! Everyone: He is risen indeed! Say the litany 6 times. Each time you say it, turn over one of your shadow squares to reveal the Resurrection Cross. Share how you have experienced God s presence in the shadows. Tell about ways that you know that Jesus is alive. Reflect together about how your family has grown closer to one another and closer to God in this season. Shadow Talk Can you imagine a place where there is no shadow at all? That would be a place where there is only light. We are on our way to that place when we allow the risen Christ to live in us, to be the light shining from us. Jesus told his followers and friends, you are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14. How will you let Christ s light shine from you today so that others might know that Christ is indeed alive? TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 12 Lenten Family Devotion
Service and Mission Opportunities Many individuals and families use the season of Lent to participate in special acts of service or mission. In 40 days, how might our participation in God s mission transform our neighborhood, school, community or world? How might our acts of service transform us? Here are some opportunities for service, mission and giving here at Second Church. One Great Hour of Sharing: A gift to One Great Hour of Sharing enables the church to share God s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed. One Great Hour of sharing fish banks will be distributed on March 3, 6, and 10. Collect contributions starting on Ash Wednesday and return your offering on Palm Sunday to share in this world wide effort. Plant Seedlings: Our Community Garden will soon be up and running. Plant vegetable seedlings at home now and by Easter we can plant them in the garden. By summer, we will be harvesting tomatoes and cucumbers, green beans and cauliflower! Meet Our Neighbors: Contact Zach Fawbush for more information on how your family can help stock the shelves or help a family shopping in our food pantry on Saturday mornings during Lent. zfawbush@secondchurch.org. Stock the Pantry: Zach in the food pantry tells me that we are able to stock basic food items well through our partnership with Gleaners Food Bank. But, sometimes families need something special for a family celebration. What if your family bought a cake mix, icing and birthday candles, put it in a gift bag and placed it in the shopping baskets in our atrium? Zach shares that families are super excited to be able to get canned pineapple. Serve in Worship: Children and Families are important leaders and helpers in worship. Would you like to pass out bulletins and collect the offering? Contact head usher, Brad Yarger (317) 251-5216. Would you like to sing in the children s choir? Contact Brianna Holt at bholt@secondchurch.org. Would you like to carry in the bread and the wine during the processional? Contact Connie Price at ccp2ndpres@sbcglobal.net. What are some ideas you have for service in your home, school, church, community and world? TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 13 Lenten Family Devotion
Lent/Holy Week Calendar for Families Wednesday, March 6 Ash Wednesday Family Supper 5:30 6:30 p.m. McFarland Hall Saturday, March 9 Studio in Bloom 10:30 a.m. McFarland Hall Wednesdays in Lent Mi Casa Es Su Casa 6:30 8 p.m. Elementary Kids Club Middle School and High School Youth Adult Education: Hospitality as Christian Witness Hospitality Class for Adults Saturday, April 6 Easter Egg Hunt 11 a.m. South Lawn and Garden Sunday, April 14 Palm Sunday Procession 9:30 and 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 17 Walk Through Holy Week 6:30 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18 Maundy Thursday Tennebrae Communion Service 8 p.m. Friday, April 18 Good Friday Services 12-3 p.m. Sunday, April 21 Easter Services 8:00, 9:30, 11a.m. & 5 p.m. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 14 Lenten Family Devotion
1. On Ash Wednesday, set up your shadow cross background. Open up paper clips to make hangers for your shadow cross squares. 2. On Ash Wednesday, use a pencil to write things that need healing in yourself, your home, your community, and world on one side of the six shadow cross squares. Hang them on your cross background. 3. Each Sunday, turn over one of the squares and decorate it. Hang it back on the cross with the decorated side showing. 4. During Holy Week, turn one block over each day, until the cross is dark again. 5. On Easter Morning, turn all the squares back to the front. TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 15 Lenten Family Devotion
Second Presbyterian Church Children & Family Ministries Stay connected with all the happenings in the Children and Family Ministries at Second Presbyterian Church. Sign up to receive the weekly email newsletter at My2PC.org See all we have to offer, or sign up to serve at SecondChurch.org/Children 7700 North Meridian Street Indianapolis, Indiana @SecondChurch @SecondPresIndy TURNING: From Shadow to Light Page 16 Lenten Family Devotion