It seems this year that Autumn is particularly spectacular. The horse chestnuts seemed to go brown overnight a few weeks ago, but nothing else had happened. Then suddenly, I woke up to find trees which were green yesterday are now a brilliant, bold yellow. Others look like they have been dipped in the Creator’s massive … Read more
Look out for special looking trees this Autumn and when you spot one, praise God for it. You could play Top Tree, a game where you see which tree is the most stunning over the Autumn period. This could involve taking photos of them, and if you play with different people, you could upload them … Read more
I was recently looking at the Benedictus, otherwise known as the words Zechariah says on the birth of his son, John the Baptist in Luke 1:67-79. It’s a powerful passage, although not as well-known as Mary’s song a few verses earlier in the chapter. As I looked at it, I started to see connections with … Read more
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a lot of conkers in my house this Autumn. It seems to have been a bumper year, and although I pretend I’m collecting them just because my daughters love playing with them, if I’m honest, they’re partly for me as I love the wonder of those beautiful … Read more
Use the contrast between the spikey shell and the smooth conker to reflect on God’s transforming work. Collect conkers still in their spikey shells. Invite everyone to carefully pick one shell up and hold it while thinking of something ‘spikey’ or not nice they would like God to sort out. This could be anything, for … Read more
Last Friday we had a Movie Morning. We stayed in our pjs, set up chairs and cosy blankets in the lounge and ate waffles while we watched Inside Out. It was 10 days until we moved house, and I wanted to watch this film with my children so that we could chat about some of … Read more
In our family, we celebrate Shabbat each week and Passover each year so I wanted to look at the Jewish ‘High Holy Days’ as they are known, to find some rituals we could use to enrich our faith at home. I’m not going to give an exhaustive overview here, (because you have google too!) but … Read more
Set up a tent in the garden and share a Bible story together inside it. Here’s three tent-based Bible stories you could share in your tent: Abraham and Sarah are visited by three angels Genesis 18:1-15Moses and the the tent of Meeting Exodus 33:7-11The siege of Samaria 2 Kings 6:24- 7:20 (ends with a gruesome … Read more
Have fun with some pumpkins in October by celebrating the light of Jesus. Instead of carving scary faces, create a positive image such as a cross or the letters of the word ‘Jesus’. (I’ve tried to do an angel but haven’t managed so if you do, please send me a photo!) Look up some Bible verses … Read more
If you’re doing a pumpkin carving, the first job is to cut off the ‘lid’ and scoop out the inners. I came across this idea by Sharon Ely on how to use the scooping as a reflection. As you empty your pumpkin, reflect on Jesus who emptied himself by being human. This is also translated … Read more