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Intergenerational Events for Why Church? Epiphany SeriesSunday, January 5: Three Kings DayThis Sunday is often called Epiphany or Three Kings Day, the day where we traditionally recognize the wise men arriving with gifts for Baby Jesus. While we don’t have this story in the Narrative Lectionary this year (Matthew 2:1-12), your congregation may want to explore it as an intergenerational event. [use from last year]Sunday, January 19: Parable of the Mustard Seed – Growing the Kingdom of GodSummary: Jesus teaches that something really tiny like a mustard seed grows into a large tree. We can use what we have to help grow the Kingdom of God in our midst.Welcome: As people arrive, greet them, have them put on name tags, and hand everyone a different random object. Ideas for objects: spoon, toothbrush, roll of tape, twig, pipe cleaner, block, piece of string, cap, etc. Let them mingle and wonder about what we are doing. Let them trade items but each person only gets one item.Opening Activity: Ask everyone to make a circle in age order but no one can talk while doing it! If there are people with young children present, the adult and child may be a pair and use the age of one of them. Once people have successfully made a circle, have them number off based on the number of tables you have set up. Have people find others with their number and their table. It would be helpful to have numbers on the tables before the event begins. Story: Today in worship we are hearing the parable of the mustard seed. (Tell or read the story from Mark 4:26-32 or Spark Story Bible p. 320-21) Team Building Activity: In this story, we start with something very small and it grows into something very big. Each of you were given some kind of random object and you wondered what can I do with this? Now you are in groups and you have a collection of random objects. You have 5 minutes to work together to create something out of it. Come up with what it is and what it does. This can be serious or funny. We will then share this with the larger group. Group SharingThe purpose of this activity was to think about what do we do with what we have been given. Many times sharing what we have helps to make something bigger than any of us could have done individually. This is called generosity. Take a few minutes for discussion at your table:Discussion Questions: What is the best gift you have ever been given? Why was it such a good gift?What is the best gift you have ever given to someone else?How does it feel when you give to others?Who taught you about giving?Stories about Generosity: Have one or more people prepared to share a story about giving. If possible, have a youth and an adult each share a story. Examples I may use from my congregation: Our congregation gives micro grants to people for a project important to them. An 8-year-old who loves to play basketball applied for a micro grant and gave basketballs to kids who don’t have the money to buy basketballs.A 10-year-old girl applied for a micro grant to take a group of friends to serve at Feed My Starving Children. These friends had never been there before. With the grant they each purchased an item from the gift shop and told others about their experience.A man in the congregation was in business for many years. He always gave a fruit basket to his clients for Christmas. One client had not paid him and declared bankruptcy so there was little hope of receiving the money. After some soul searching, he decided that he would continue to give that client the Christmas gift.In a congregation I previously served, individuals were given money to help others. Here is a story about a 13-year-old who used his money to raise additional money to buy mosquito nets for the ELCA’s Malaria Project: Questions:Who taught you about giving? (if you didn’t get to that question earlier)What if someone gave you $100. The money could not be spent for yourself or your family. It is to be used to help others. What would you do with it? Brainstorm ideasCould you do something to make the money grow? Share ideas with the larger groupClosing PrayerSunday, February 16: What Really Matters Comes from the HeartSummary: In today’s text (Mark 7:1-23), Jesus is challenged on his teachings and emphasizes that what really matters comes from the heart. President’s Day Weekend is often a good time to have an intergenerational service project event. Overview: Have a leader for each project and enough tables for people to do each project. Signage for the tables is helpful. Gather all the supplies ahead of time. You may want to have the congregation collect items for several weeks in advance. At each table have information about the organization that you are serving and one or more discussion questions. Here is an example that we have used:The fleece tie blankets will go to Southside Family Nurturing Center on Cedar Ave in south Minneapolis. This is a block from the homeless camp in Minneapolis. Southside works with families in the Phillips Neighborhood. They have early childhood, preschool, parenting, language and other programs. The population in the area is very diverse including: Black, Hispanic, Native American, White and Multiracial. 57% of the children under age 5 are living below the poverty level. You could have someone look up Southside Family Nurturing Center and share more about it with the group at . There is a 4 minute video under “About Us” and “Mission” that could be shared with the group.Discussion: Why are we doing this project?Think about stories in the Bible – who was Jesus paying attention to? How do we pay attention to these same people? Welcome: As people arrive, greet them and encourage them to put on nametags and introduce themselves to at least one person they do not know. Invite people to choose a project they would like to work on.Opening Activity: This is also Valentine’s Day weekend and we hear a lot about love. As people are arriving, invite them to color or create something that says “Jesus is the best Valentine” or “Jesus love is for everyone.” This could also be used as one of the stations, especially if you have young children who need a variety of activities. Service Project Ideas:Sandwich Making – Make sandwiches or bag lunches for a local organization. Be sure to check with them about what they need, any special instructions and quantities. Have all the items purchased ahead of time and set it up as an assembly line for people to participate in. Could have people decorate brown lunch bags. If permissible with the organization, could put a note with each. Have someone designated to deliver the items to the organization. Hand Warmer Kits – Make kits for a local homeless shelter or other organization. Be sure to check with them about what they need, any special instructions and quantities. Collect items for several weeks in advance or purchase items ahead of time. These may include: stretchy gloves, socks (children’s and adult sizes), hand warmers, granola bars or other healthy snacks). Could put items into the gloves and socks. Have someone designated to deliver the items to the organization. Fleece Tie Blankets – Make blankets for a local organization. Be sure to check with them about what they need, any special instructions and quantities. Collect or purchase fleece ahead of time. You may want to have volunteers cut the edges ahead of time so they are ready to tie or do that as part of the event. Have someone designated to deliver the items to the organization. Birthday Cards for Camp Noah – Lutheran Social Services Camp Noah helps children who have been impacted by disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. In such times, things like birthdays are often overlooked. They keep a supply of birthday cards made by volunteers to give to kids. You can find all the information about the project and a template for the cards here: for Homebound Members – Create cards for members of the congregation that are not able to come to church because of health or mobility issues. These cards could be as simple or as elaborate as you would like. If someone in your congregation has a passion for card making, they may be a good leader for this project. Cards could be mailed or hand delivered. Food Shelf – if you have collected numerous items for your local food shelf, these could be sorted, boxed or bagged and loaded into a vehicle to be delivered. Sign up to serve – Serving is not a one-time event but an ongoing way that we love our neighbors. If you congregation has ongoing service opportunities or upcoming events, have people sign up to participate. Prayer of BlessingHave the group gather and have one item from each project team. This could also be done in worship.Leader: Gracious and loving God,Group: We are your people, your hands and feet in the world.Leader: We ask your blessing today on all those gathered here today and the hands that did this work.Group: And we ask your blessing on all those who will receive these items.Leader: We bless the [list all the items]Group: May no one be hungryLeader: May no one be coldGroup: May no one be homelessLeader: May no one be lonelyGroup: Help us to have generous hearts. Leader: Help us to show your love to all our neighbors.Group: Help us to understand that what really matters comes from the heart.Leader: In Jesus name we pray. Group: Amen. ................
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