February 2008 

Sharing our Faith:  Roots and Wings

Lent.  Valentine’s Day.  President’s Day.  These are the events which set apart the month of February.  And this year is extra-special because it is Leap Year!!  Taking our faith home means looking at some of these holidays and occasions from the perspective of Scripture, worship, and service.  Lent in particular affords us excellent opportunities to live out our faith through ritual and prayer.  Here are some idea sparkers for sharing your faith with those you love most:

• On a large sheet of paper, write the words to John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son to die for us so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.”  Then write, “Because I love you, I will…”   Invite family members to fill in the blanks with things they will do to honor each other.

• Let the words of 1 John 3:18 be an inspiration for showing your love through action:  “My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.”  Take the time to hug and hold family members.  Listen to them, laugh with them, play a game, and accept requests for fun things to do with you.

• When Lent begins, arrange six purple candles in the shape of a cross to observe the six weeks of Lent.  Extinguish one candle a week to symbolize Good Friday’s approach; relight all of the candles on Easter.

• Set aside a quarter for each meal you eat during Lent.  After Easter donate the money that has been set aside to Lutheran World Hunger Appeal.

• Take a walk in a shopping mall and take note of all the references to Valentine’s Day or “love”.  Discuss the following:

                  What is love?

                  How does the world understand “love”? 

                  How is that the same or different from how Christians understand love? 

What does Scripture say about love?  (Look up John 3:16; I Corinthians 13; Matthew 5:43-48; Mark 10:28-34)

• Don’t forget grace before meals!  Here’s a couple to try:

Thank you God, for this nice day;

Bless our food, our work, our play.  Amen

 ...  or

For every comfort we enjoy, For food before us set,

We thank Thee Father…Through Thy love, Our needs are always met.  Amen.

 ·         Send Valentine’s Day cards to our shut-ins and others in our congregation that you think would appreciate them.

·         Make plans to attend worship on Ash Wednesday.  Even children can understand the solemnity and power of the service and its symbolism. 

Pray for our president and for other leaders of our nation and state.

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