June 15th, 2008

Caring Conversation:

Tell about a time when you needed forgiveness but were afraid to ask.  Or tell about someone who is or has been a mentor to you. 

Devotion: Read Luke 15: 11-24 

For Adults and Youth: Read Colossians 1:12-24 through 2-3 times. (By different people each time.)  Tell each other what jumps out at you.  Who is acting?  Why?  What do you think the prodigal son might have done the day after his Dad threw him the homecoming party? Try sharing a hug with each person in your family/group. 

For Children: Why do you like to receive a big hug when you feel bad?  What makes it hard to give someone a hug when they have done something to hurt us?  How do you think the father and the son felt in this story?  What do you think the prodigal son might have done the day after his Dad threw him the homecoming party? Try sharing a hug with each person in your family/group.

Pray:   Lord, thank you  for running to welcome us with open arms even when we have run away from you.  Help us to accept your love and forgiveness while still understanding that we have not earned them.  Thank you for your Son who has given us the place we share as your children. Amen.

Ritual/Tradition: Make a morning tradition of saying a prayer.  Invite God into your prayer.  When you are needing forgiveness pray and picture yourself as the prodigal seeing the Father running to you.  Then picture yourself as the “running father” to someone who needs your forgiveness.

Service:  The Lord’s Prayer is something that connects us to God as well as to other Christians.  Think about how you can make a connection with God or someone else using this prayer.  Maybe it is saying the prayer slower to God.  You can teach the prayer to someone or make them a prayer key chain.  If you don’t know it yourself you can learn it with others in the same way.