Advent Adventure || First Sunday of Advent || Keep Watch

Sunday, November 29, 2020 — Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward

As our congregation has made the decision to move to a digital online format for our Sunday Family Gathering due to COVID-19, FirstPresKids is here to provide resources that can help you create your own at-home family worship experience or supplement the one that will be streamed on Sunday mornings, 10PST from FirstPres Hayward.

NOTE: You can also go to the FPK YouTube Channel to view most (not all) of these materials on this week’s FirstPresKids YouTube Playlist.

Scriptural Focus: though we think of Advent as a time of waiting, it actually means “arrival” — preparing for the arrival of Jesus is active; this scripture uses the metaphor of a fig tree and a “boss” to urge us to always be aware, working, living rightly, not falling asleep on the job — there is work to be done

Lesson Objective: to think about what “being watchful” means compared to “falling asleep on the job” in the context of Jesus’ example — what work is there to be done?

Parent/Caregiver Resources:

• Advice on how to raise a conscientious kid in a digital/media-saturated age (article)
• “Raising Conscientious Kids That Are Open to Experience” (article)

Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, As we prepare to celebrate the arrival of Jesus on Christmas, may we always be aware and watchful, paying attention like a farmer to a fig tree, like a worker when their boss is away, like a child when they’ve been left home alone. Let us not forget there is work to be done! Amen.

Scripture:

• “Mark 13:24–37” (the scripture is also included in the FPK video below)

Videos for Kids:

• “Advent Adventure: First Sunday of Advent (2020)”

• “FIG | How Does It Grow?” — learn about figs which were/are common in Biblical lands

• “How Do Telescopes Work? | Earth Lab”

Discussion Questions:

• When the scripture says to pay attention to the fig tree and be watchful, what do you think that means? What are we supposed to be paying attention to?
• The scripture talks about a boss or a parent leaving you in charge. What are you supposed to do when you are left in charge?
• Tell about a time you were put in charge of something. Tell about a time you ever “fell asleep on the job.”
• We aren’t waiting for our parents to come back, we’re waiting for Jesus. So the scripture probably isn’t talking about getting your chores done. What types of jobs do you think God wants us to be doing while we wait for Jesus?

Play:

• Take an Advent Adventure Walk… use this tutorial for a “Five Senses Nature Walk”

• Pay attention, play a memory game! Use a memory board game you have at home, make a memory tray for a family member like below or just use this video:

Create:

• Create an Advent Adventure wreath/display area of your own using found materials or use this printable resource:

• Make binoculars or a telescope!

Books:

• “Amazing Books for Raising Kids with a Social Conscience”
• Or work on being watchful and enjoy a book version of “I Spy”: