Hi, Friends!
It's Sunday morning, and we are worshipping with you in spirit and in love! We hope you got the link to the second "Liturgy for the Living Room" from John Jay and that you are finding your own ways to create a new rhythm on Sunday mornings.
Pastor Mary and I are excited to bring you a new video today! It's all about building an altar, which is just a fancy way of describing a special place to hang out with God and pray. We think prayer and hanging out with God are going to be pretty important these days, and we looked at the story of Abraham in Genesis 12 for those who want to do some further reading. In Abraham's case, God called him to go somewhere new and trust that God was doing a great work in all of the uncertainty. We aren't going anywhere physically, but we are in a new kind of "place" in our lives. So, we are thinking about the ways God is calling us to trust that He is still working in this strange time. And in all of it, we are going to pray and hang out with God!
After you watch the video, you and your family members can use the following discussion prompts and activities to apply the lesson—woot!
Talk It Out
Recap: Why did Abraham build altars, and why might we build an altar?
Check In With Yourself: How are you feeling? What do you want to talk to God about in prayer?
Wonder: What are you wondering right now as you think about building an altar?
Apply It
Ways you can build an altar to hang out with God:
Gather your Bible and maybe a comfy blanket.
Make a prayer chain by cutting strips of paper, writing down prayer requests on each strip, and gluing/taping/stapling them together. Then use it to help you pray to God. Don't forget to include praises!
Use sticky notes or notecards to write down some prayers. Post them somewhere so you can see them and pray.
Use blocks or legos to build a prayer and blessing tower. As you add a block/lego, pray for something/someone and watch your prayers stack up!
Use a flashlight, lamp, or a candle (with adult supervision!) to help you settle into a special time with God.
Find some rocks from outside and use a marker to write down things you want to pray about. When you're hanging out at your altar, pick one stone up at a time and pray over that specific request.
Remember, you can talk to God about anything anytime! You can tell God how you feel, what you need, and anything else that is on your mind. And don't forget that thanking God can help us feel more calm and happy inside.
We are praying for you! Please remember to email/call/text with any prayer requests you have. We love you and can’t wait to be with you again.
Sending so much love,
Pastors Lindsay and Mary